hmmmmm Graeme.....well said!! & so nicely put too!!
I've always preferred to hang back when observing or photographing birds,
especially migratory Asiatic waders - it's always nicer to have the birds come
within your space naturally, & then presto, that space becomes theirs too!!
a relaxed bird & a happy birdo!!
not that I think there's anything wrong with twitching a rarity & trying to get
nice shots too - BUT we always have to regard the bird's welfare first... so go
see it, watch it, take lots of pics, but don't go closer than say 30mtrs I
reckon...
just my 5 cents worth for all of us, especially with migratory waders &
especially at this time of year when they are regenerating strength & condition
to head back north...
... & if u see the lady with the dog or anyone else doing same, then SCREAM at
them to take a wide birth!!!! I do it all the time when i'm at the Cairms
Esplan, esp after January when the birds are trying to stock up their energy
supplies & not keep burning them due to undue disturbances...
cheers,
martin cachard,
cairns
> From:
> Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2015 15:13:44 +1000
> To:
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] A plea from the White-rumped Sandpiper.
>
> Poor little guy! Wings in tatters, hopelessly lost and spending most of his
> days bunkered down in the sand to keep out of the wind.
>
> And now who's coming. Not another birdwatcher. Can't I get any peace? Lake
> Wollumboola. It looked like a good refuge. When I get back home, that's if I
> get back home, I'll tell them where I've been in the last six months and
> they'll say "Where on earth is that?" and "did you have a good time?"
>
> A good time! I should have worn a disguise. I tried to keep a low profile
> and blend in with the stints but some smart-arse with a telescope always
> pointed me out.
> Some of them did wear disguises. Who were they kidding! They took so many
> photographs I felt like a celebrity. Sneaking up in the sand dunes - now I
> know how the royals feel.
>
> And that's not all, the water in that lake had a lousy taste from all the
> swan shit - you should have seen them - there were thousands of them. To add
> to that you wouldn't believe some bloody land developer wants to settle
> hundreds of humans on the western shore. Yuk!
>
> One weekend (weekends were the worst) this guy flew over in a powered glider
> and landed on the beach. You should have seen the panic and I simply had to
> try to keep up. Then there was the lady with a dog. There were no dogs
> allowed but she had it on a lead - the lead was a 30 metre length of rope.
> Now I'm good at skipping.
>
> Seriously, this is one unhappy wader. Easy to tell because he allows a very
> close approach - doesn't want to move - sure sign of a sick bird.
>
> So if you simply must get some photographs, cut him some slack. There are
> good pictures on my website which you are welcome to use, taken with a 1500
> mm lens, so I didn't have to chase him.
>
> It'll be interesting to see when the stints leave next month or so whether he
> tries to follow. Wish him luck. Or her!
>
>
> Cheers
>
> Graeme Chapman
>
>
>
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