Hi All
Need to make an observation....can't help myself really...
I read Birding Aus every day and unlike an (apparently large) number of
people do make the occasional contribution.
This recent thread is the first I've seen of any Penguins beachwashed,
taken into care or otherwise. Mike, with all due respect, if you want
people to look for things like this - maybe it'd be worth the posting
even if the bird is dead/inaccessible/burnt etc. I find it thrilling to
think three, (3 !!) Fiordland Penguins have turned up this winter. Even
though I am 1500+ kms away and have no chance of seeing them, even if
they sat on the beach healthy and well for weeks. Then I started
thinking - how often does this happen? How often do birds like this
turn up and not get broadly reported even by birders/twitchers, never
mind the (uneducated) general public?
It concerns me, in a way, that areas like Bundaberg have their own
network to let their local birders know what's happening - hey, guys,
you're just up the road from Brisbane - there are some of us here who
would drive up to see new birds if we knew about them!
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper in WA? I must have missed that post too!!
Imagine if I had been traveeling to the area for other reasons? or
managed to pick up a cheap flight at short notice? OK - it was only
there for a few hours or whatever, but, hey, it must be still in the
area?
Birding is global now, not local, travel is cheaper now than its ever
been, birders more experienced and prepared to travel to see new
species. I was under the impression that Birding-aus was pretty well
accepted as the main conduit for email discussions and messages and I
recognise Eremea as a brilliant source of lists and quick reference to
unusual sightings, but it appears nothing is universal or central? There
seems to be a number of localised information streams including personal
numbers, email groups and even messaging - this really all needs to be
brought together and if Bird-o or any other website/information system
achieves that then it is a major step forward. The 02 number is in my
phone now.
Simon and Chris - I support your efforts and would pay $5/month for SMS
messages as you describe from anywhere in Australia. There may be an
even more cost efficient way to deliver the news as others have
described - but its a start, you don't strike me as people who ignore
change or eagerly look for better ways to do things. If it encourages
everyone to contribute sightings and records then it will serve its
purpose, not only giving others a chance to see new birds but also to
keep us all aware of the possibilities and stay alert all the time for
the unknown - and it will provide an overall picture of what's happening
across the country.
Next time I'm in Tasmania or South Australia in winter rare Penguins on
the beach will be somtething I will keep in mind and make an effort to
look for - maybe that's naive but hopefully you'll get my point.
Cheers
Colin
Brisbane
On Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:35 +1000, "Mike Carter" <>
wrote:
> This whole string started with Steve Potter's query below.
> Well yes Steve, someone did know something - me for one. But by the time
> we
> knew it was too late for any useful twitcher news so it wasn't broadcast!
> Those that record such incidents have already archived the events. I know
> that there have been at least 3 juvenile Fiordland Penguins beachwashed
> in
> recent weeks. All were immediately taken into care so not tickable.
> Firstly
> on 9 July, one came ashore at White Beach near Nubeena on the Tasman
> Peninsula in Tasmania. On 16 July, one was ashore at Victor Harbour,
> South
> Australia. It died on 20 July. Another landed on the same beach on 20
> July
> and died that day. At about that time on the Coorong I think, a farmers
> dog
> brought in a dead Penguin, presumably not a Little. He advised
> authorities
> but not until after he had burnt it!
> Ken Simpson is interested in this cluster of incidents and implores
> birders
> to walk beaches in Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia, to collect all
> dead Penguins other than Little and deposit them in your local museum. So
> get off your bums, go out and find something yourselves, instead of
> bemoaning an information deficit.
>
> Mike Carter
> 30 Canadian Bay Road
> Mount Eliza VIC 3930
> Tel (03) 9787 7136
>
>
> > On 26/07/2010, at 8:27 AM, Steve Potter wrote:
> >
> >> With all the latest in technology - Mobile phones, Birding-Aus, Bird-O,
> >> Eremaea, Birdpedia, etc
> >> Why is it, I find out that 3 Fiordland Penguins have turned up in my back
> >> yard (and only after they have died) by the Channel 10 news??????
> >> Obviously someone knew something????
> >>
> >> Steve Potter
> >> m: 0407 398 234
>
> ===============================
>
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
> send the message:
> unsubscribe
> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
> to:
>
> http://birding-aus.org
> ===============================
>
--
Colin Reid
So many birds, so little time......
--
http://www.fastmail.fm - A fast, anti-spam email service.
===============================
To unsubscribe from this mailing list,
send the message:
unsubscribe
(in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
to:
http://birding-aus.org
===============================
|
