Update: Not too many birders there now as most of the Bronzewings seem
to have gone. The borrow pits alongside the Mitchell Hwy, 20 - 60 km
north of Cunnamulla are now dry - at least they were on
Tuesday/Wednesday this week. We saw no Bronzewings on Tuesday afternoon
at all and just a few medium flocks on Wed morning. None on the ground,
but good close views as they flew past us.
Tony.
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Stuart Johnson
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 12:20 PM
To:
Subject: blog for birding aus - birders behaving badly
birders behaving badly
The advent of the net and the ability to communicate to a potentially
unlimited audience in nanoseconds has allowed a welcome increase in the
sharing of information on birds and their whereabouts. Finding birds
particularly rare or unpredictable species has, really, never been
easier. This in itself is a positive thing.
There is a downside. With an increase in the numbers of birwatchers
comes an inevitable increase in the bird/birdwatcher interaction. There
comes a point at which our actions begin to influence the behaviour of
the animals we're watching, almost inevitably to their detriment. This
is particularly so if our information leads us to a limited resource,
food, water, nesting location to which the birds have no choice but to
attend.
As intelligent and moral beings we have a responsibility to ensure that
our actions do not place birds under any more stress than they already
are. Birdwatching for us is something we do for enjoyment but the birds
are involved in a very real struggle to survive.
Last week I travelled to Cunnamulla to see (amongst other things) the
Flock Bronzewings. On arriving at the waterhole which they were using I
was appalled to find a string of cars parked on the roadside right next
to the waterhole and a group of birdwatchers standing even closer. On
the open plain they'd have been visible for kilometres.
I get the feeling that Flock Bronzewings are edgy creatures at the best
of times, especially given the number of raptors hanging around. But I
can't imagine they'd be relaxed to see a whole pile of cars and people
standing around waiting for them to come in.
When asked about how close the observers should be to the water an
answer came back (my paraphrasing) 'as close as you like...... they have
to drink'. To me this is placing an indulgent desire to get a premium
look at a rare and edgy bird before the wellbeing of the animals.
I get no thrill out of looking at a bird that is obviously stressed by
my presence, tick or no tick. Even in this age of unprecedented
information there is still a great deal of satisfaction in having to
wait for a really great sighting of a bird, and this is doubly so if,
after such a wait, the sighting is of a bird relaxed and natural and
either unaware or unconcerned by your presence.
I ask that all birdwatchers place the wellbeing of the birds as their
foremost consideration.
stuart johnson
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