Hi Jill,
I agree its better than nothing, but you are always better off having a
person who knows what they are doing on site. Particularly in situations
with big waders many species of little waders can hide amongst their legs
and be completely out of view in photographs, only glimpsed in flashes that
make ID difficult but not impossible (not to mention counting!). I think we
worked out in Broome that at some points during roosting as little as half
of a flock might be in view and identifiable (i.e with enough body/head/bill
showing for a positive ID). If you rely on a photograph you potentially
lose a lot of information. But it is definitely better than nothing, I
agree.
Regards,
Chris
On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 5:51 PM, Jill Dening <> wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Yesterday I was leading three tinnies on a shorebird roost run up the
> Pumicestone Passage (SEQld, separates Bribie Is from the mainland). This is
> a regular run involving the Caloundra and Caboolture local government
> authorities. They provide boats and drivers and council people keen to
> learn, and with another shorebird specialist, I guide them through the
> labyrinth of mangrove-lined channels, covering about 10 or so roosts, where
> we conduct counts for the Qld Wader Study Group. There are so many places to
> go that we have to go in different directions here and there to cover all
> the roosts on the same tide. The purpose of taking non-environmental
> officers along is to show them the possible unconsidered effects of the
> planning or development decisions which they may make at their desks.
>
> But yesterday my faithful shorebird offsider had a clash of commitments at
> the last moment, and I was reduced to sending to a couple of roosts two
> council people who were unable to identify all the species, especially the
> small species. Keen, but not experienced enough yet.
>
> Suddenly I thought if they could photograph any birds they were unsure of,
> I could ID them later, as long as they got the numbers. And it worked! It
> meant I had to have faith that they wouldn't trip with a couple of thousand
> dollars worth of my photographic equipment, but they are careful people. The
> terrain is wetland at high tide.
>
> So it makes me realise that people doing shorebird surveys don't really
> have to be conversant with all the species as long as they have a decent
> camera. Last night I was able to establish that they had Greenshank in the
> flock of 200 Eastern Curlew which they found. And that the "Red-necked
> Stint" was in fact a female Red-capped Plover.
>
> I was really stoked, and I mention it in case any of you finds yourself in
> the same situation sometime.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jill
>
> --
> Jill Dening
> Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
>
> 26° 51' 41"S 152° 56' 00"E
>
>
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