Correct me if I'm wrong, but JY doesn't have to prove the NP still exists, as
it was never declared extinct. Any paper he writes would merely be to describe
new behaviour he has observed.
John Leonard
> On 14 Oct 2013, at 7:38 pm, Lloyd Nielsen <> wrote:
>
> Someone asked for the truth in this matter so please read below. I should add
> that I have known John for about 30 years, have worked with him on many
> occasions and regard him as a close friend.
>
> John finally got the photos of the Night Parrot with the help of a birding
> friend who has accompanied him on many of the trips (and who also saw the
> parrot during that time). After the night of photography and some sleep was
> had, they packed up and headed for home - a 15 hour drive. As soon as John
> got within mobile range, he phoned me to say "We got it!" He was so excited
> that he could hardly get the words out. They arrived back in Cairns late that
> night. Next morning around 9.00 am John arrived up here at my place and we
> sat at my kitchen table and spent a couple of hours going through about 50 or
> so of the best photos as well as the video. I was the first to see them. I
> had already heard much of the sound that John had got on previous visits but
> we went through some of that again. Over previous years, I spent time with
> him out at some of the sites where he has been looking for the parrot,
> including the one where he finally got the photos. I have not been fortunate
> enough
to see the bird myself but know the exact site where he photographed it - in
fact the very spinifex bush the bird disappeared under!
>
> As far as John altering the photo digitally is concerned, all he did was to
> take a small spinifex twig off the birds back which was spoiling the photo. I
> have just spoken to him again and he assures me adamantly that before he sent
> the photo that is all he did (not that I needed that assurance). The photo (a
> jpg!) was not for scientific consumption but for PUBLIC consumption! What is
> the drama over that? Some people seem to have problems differentiating
> between the two - just read the debate on Bird Forum. It is something which
> happens a million times a day in the publishing world. There are another
> hundred plus original Raw files which will be available for publication at a
> later date with a scientific paper if needed.
>
> I really can't believe some of the comments and doubting from some people
> which has made its way onto Birding-aus!! John Young is one of the most
> remarkable and talented field ornithologists Australia has ever seen and yet
> there are people out there (mostly those who have never met him) who still
> try to put him down at every opportunity.
>
> And as far as the "debate" on the Bird Forum website is concerned, after
> reading a few of those postings, I quickly hit the delete button - I have
> better things to do than to waste time reading discussion such as that which
> at times denigrates Australian birding and birders, with some bordering on
> defamation. Why don't these people take some notice of the Aussies? A few
> noted Australian ornithologists made an attempt to convince them that the
> sighting and photographs were genuine but that seemed to be ignored but a
> number of contributors.
>
> Finally, a message to the doubters and knockers - for goodness sake, go take
> a cold shower and give the man a break!! Recognise his ability, what he has
> achieved and what he is doing. Allow him to make more data available in his
> own good time. He is already working on the parrot and its welfare
> (voluntarily with no financial remuneration) with others including some from
> the scientific community. The object of this is to determine the status of
> the bird etc etc, trying to locate it in other areas, to determine the best
> ways to protect the bird, AND ways in which others might see it without
> endangering the species. You are not helping either the cause (especially
> when and if funds need to be raised at some time), the future of the Night
> Parrot or the chance for others to see it!
>
> And for those people asking (almost demanding) him to divulge all that he has
> gained, discovered and learned so far - does one immediately write a paper at
> first encounter with a species? He has already conducted a public forum at
> his own expense for the benefit of birders. Just remember this - John derives
> a living from consultancy etc. in the natural history field (he does not have
> a highly paid government or other job) and the quest for the Night Parrot has
> already cost him more than 6 figures of his own money as well as thousands of
> hours in the field for which he has received very little remuneration to
> date. Are these people going to contribute to some form of remuneration. Give
> the man a break!
>
> Lloyd Nielsen,
>
> Mt Molloy, Nth Qld
>
> www.birdingaustralia.com.au
>
>
>
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