G'day,
I think that the recent email from Bob Inglis got it just right with
regard to reporting rarities. It really is the right and pleasure of the
finder to do the necessaries. And if they are not "online", then to
approve of someone else reporting the sighting. In fact, I had just
received permission, for want of a better word, to announce the presence
of the Pacific and Kelp Gulls (after people were satisfied with their
identity) when up popped Paul on Bribie and posted the news. That's good
too - if you find something let people know asap. Hi Paul.
However, there is another side to all of this, and the suspicion that
news might not be emerging from Bribie as readily as in the past. Note
that I no longer live there so am now only on the outside looking in.
The Bribie birding population is mostly made of retired folk who are
enjoying their golden years on a wonderful island with wonderful birds.
They really aren't aware of the twitching scenario and how keen many of
us are to see a rarity. They certainly don't subscribe to birding-aus or
keep tabs on eremea, so perhaps gentle encouragement is the order of the
day.
But a couple of events occurred recently that might lead to an
appreciation of why Bribie Islanders could be reluctant to pass on news.
After I posted to birding-aus last year that there were three Baillon's
Crakes at Buckley's Hole, there was standing-room only in the hide on
the two days after the weekend. All well and good but on the third day
locals were appalled to find some photographers in the hide using
continuous playback of jacana's alarm calls to entice the breeding
jacanas close to the hide. I have no issue with photographers (I take
photographs) and no issue with playback (I use it) but surely not in a
public hide in a conservation park and in order to disturb breeding birds!
And then there was the Pale-vented Bush-hen. Again, local birders were
dismayed (I nearly said disgusted) to find a succession of photographers
with booming playback equipment, ignoring the folk in the hide and
trying to get a bush-hen in view for that perfect picture. It's not as
if it was an OBP!! I understand that several of these people are
well-known and that some supply photographs to our erudite magazines.
All a bit bewildering for local Bribie birdwatchers. In fact the
bush-hens abandoned the area immediately after one chick was able to travel.
If I find another Antarctic Tern or Laughing Gull on the beach I will
announce it immediately but when I spot a Pheasant-tailed Jacana at
Buckley's Hole .....
Cheers - Trevor Ford.
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