My Ode to Pelagic Birdwatching
Its all on board in the breaking dawn,
Always a hardy bunch with bino's drawn
Eager anticipation for what the day will bring
Novice and pros, ready to do their thing!
As the boat takes off in the morning balm,
The air is crisp and the sea so calm
There is chatter on board and life is swell,
Checklists, coffee and that final Kwell!
What wonders will the next 10 hours reveal?
Seabirds galore across the keel!
Rare ocean wanderers and ticks galore!
What joy, who could ask for more!
As the boat gently drifts out of the bay,
We say "thank you" for this beautiful day!
Barely a ripple, natures gentle touch,
This pelagic trip promises so much!
But life has a way of dealing its hand
And things don't always go as planned!
An hour in and the wind is breezy,
And a few on board are feeling queezy!
The boat has started to rock and pitch
As out on deck some are starting to twitch
Someone yells 'Petrel, out to starboard side!
See it low on the rising tide!
Some are excited with what's been seen,
But others are feeling decidedly green!
Some are filled with awe and wonder
While others have their very first chunder!
As the day wears on for some too quick!
Skuas, Prions, and yet another tick!
But for others the torment has begun for sure,
Trapped onboard with hours to endure!
For these sorry souls there is no reprieve,
There is no escape, they cannot leave!
Green and ill they spew, they spin,
Please skipper - please go in!
But in amongst the sea sick lot,
Someone's just hit the pelagic jackpot!
A vagrant Petrel - is it a Blue!?
While a Tropic-bird comes into view!
Someone yells "Look over there"!
But some on board are too sick to care!
A new Aussie bird? - they wont be drawn
They just want a technicolor yawn!
At 4PM the boat docks in the bay,
And all on board go on there way,
For some, triumph on the high sea,
For others nothing short of agony!
But here's the bit that is strange to explain,
That despite the ills, despite the pain,
Many will do it again and again...
Because from this magic birding - they cant refrain!
Written by one who has been on both sides of the coin!
David Taylor
Brisbane
On 27/08/2007, at 4:56 PM, Tony Russell wrote:
Heavily into pelagic birds too.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Tony Russell
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 4:12 PM
To: 'michael hunter'; 'Reid'; 'Birding Aus'
Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Re: Pelagic trips
Some sort of birding poet I believe.
-----Original Message-----
From: michael hunter
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 12:55 PM
To: Tony Russell; 'Reid'; 'Birding Aus'
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Re: Pelagic trips
You're not Robinson Crusoe Tony. I've wished to be put ashore on any
nearby desert isle plenty of times
Was John Masefield a twitcher?
I won't go down to the sea again,
To the lonely sea and the sky,
For I've found that on a pelagic trip,
When the sea heaves, so heave I.
Cheers
Michael
www.birding-aus.org
birding-aus.blogspot.com
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