Re: rant against twitching

[Frank O'Connor <>]

"Graham Turner" <
> 
wrote :
> Why would this be incorrect?
>
> If birding-aus is anything to go on, there is way
> too much emphasis on twitching the latest blow in on
> some fringe territory than on valuable and useful
> research on (real) Australian bird species. 

This sad attempt at humour (I
assume it was a joke?) proves Stephen Debus wrong.

As a result of the latest blow at Christmas Island, it is likely
to result in 3 or 4 papers for AFO.  Tiger Shrike, Edible-nest
Swiftlet / Mossy-nest Swiftlet / House Swift, Pallas's Grashopper Warbler
and probably Elegant Tern.  Maybe not research papers, but certainly
articles for AFO and equally well researched.  A lot has been learnt
about swiftlets, and Elegant vs Lesser Crested Tern.

And looking through my copies of AFO for the past few years, there are
not many articles by any Turner, G.  My excuse is I was on CI. 
I assume Graham was at home researching real Australian bird species in
preparation for a useful research paper :-)

BTW.  CI is a part of Australia, and the birds of CI deserve study
equally as much as real Australian birds.  And I can assure you that
the locals were interested in hearing about what we were doing, and very
appreciative of the tourism.  The local economy is suffering badly
with the phosphate mining winding down, and the detention centre largely
empty.

Many of the twitchers happened to be on the island for the Indian Ocean
Seabird Conference.  CI is very important with two endemic
seabirds.  The conference was very important for the local
economy.

_________________________________________________________________
Frank O'Connor           Birding WA http://birdingwa.iinet.net.au
Phone : (08) 9386 5694              Email :

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