Thank you for your considered response Keith. No recordings of BBBQ exist so
using playback for BBBQ is impossible. I believed that posting my report would
provide information that would assist with research into a little known endemic
species. Furthermore, I did not believe I was disclosing any new site
information that should be kept secret, all GPS co-ordinates provided in my
report had been posted on Birding-Aus previously except for my own sighting
which is slap bang in the middle of the others.
I haven't posted a trip report on Birding-Aus for a long time because of the
tiresome judgemental comments from self-appointed 'ethical birding police' and
based on this I have decided I wont be posting any more either. I know I am
not alone in this regard. Good luck to anybody else willing to stick their
necks up above the parapet in future.
Regards,
Carl
--- On Wed, 21/12/11, Keith Brandwood <> wrote:
From: Keith Brandwood <>
Subject: Buff-breasted Button-quail search 11-13/12/11
To: "Carl Billingham" <>, "Birding Aus"
<>
Received: Wednesday, 21 December, 2011, 3:05 PM
Hi birdo's where are the ethics in all this searching for the BBB Quail. It is
the middle of the breeding season and here we have a number of people trampling
around in a paddock for a number of days flushing quail. I wonder how many
eggs/nests we trampled.Some years ago I alerted Sydney birders to a paddock
where Red Backed, Red Chested, King,Painted, Brown and Stubble Quail were. I
felt quiet ashamed on returning to the paddock some weeks later to see it
flattened by all the feet that had trampled the area. I have to admit that I
was also guilty of some of the trampling taking birders back there on a number
of occasions. After seeing the destruction we caused I realized what a selfish
unthinking act we had committed,I don't know how many nest we would have
damaged but certainly some.I decided from that day on I would never be the
cause of such destruction again. There is a better way as from my experience
King,Painted,Brown and Stubble quail respond to
play back readily. I have no experience with the BBBQ or the other species but
would be confident they also respond.The great advantage of play back is by
drawing the quail into view gives you a much better chance of seeing them than
trampling their habitat trying to flushing them.However please be responsible
when using playback, use it in short burst and turn it off when the bird
appears, this will cause the minimum harm as over use as been shown to upset
nesting birds.
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