Hi All,
I just wanted to make a point in reference to Greg's email about small
birds losing out to the bigger birds. We planted indigenous plants when we
moved to our current house in 2009. We are now just seeing the benefits of
this. While Eastern Spinebills have visited from time to time, Brown
Thornbills and just recently, White-browed Scrubwrens have started
appearing in our garden. They may only be scrubwrens but we are excited to
have them :)
Regards
John
*Yours in all things* "*GREEN"*
*John Harris BASc, GDipEd*
*Croydon, Vic*
*Director - Wildlife Experiences Pty Ltd*
*Principal **Zoologist/**Ecologist*
*Nature Photographer*
*Wildlife Guide*
*www.wildlifeexperiences.com.au <http://www.wildlifeexperiences.com.au>*
<>*
*www.flickr.com/photos/wildlifeexperiences
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildlifeexperiences>*
*0409090955*
*Past President, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria*
*(www.fncv.org.au <http://www.fncv.org.au/>)*
On 26 January 2016 at 10:18, Greg and Val Clancy <> wrote:
> Hi Robin,
>
> You raise a good point however birds use bird baths differently to feed
> trays and don't tend to congregate and linger around them. There may be
> exceptions to this but generally a bird flies into a bird bath has a drink
> then a bath and then flies to a nearby branch to preen. This is in
> contrast to a feed tray where you often have a number of birds spending
> quite some time walking around, eating and defecating on the tray and food
> making the spread of disease easy. Bird baths are also easier to clean
> because as another respondent has commented to me off-list, cleaning feed
> trays effectively is difficult. The unnatural concentration of birds also
> occurs much less with bird baths.
>
> BTW off-list I have been accused of having an unkind and disparaging tone
> to my earlier post. I am sorry if I have offended anyone but I state the
> facts as I see them and welcome any debate or correction that is factually
> based.
>
> It has also been stated that there are more important issues to be dealing
> with about birds than the feeding issue. I see the development and proper
> management of our gardens in an ecologically friendly manner as an
> extremely important way to help our declining wildlife. It does matter how
> we do it as the smaller birds are often forced out and the larger ones
> proliferate. I may be an idealist and may be pushing a snowball uphill but
> I am committed to doing my best for the natural world. If that makes me
> unpopular then so be it!!
>
> I hope that this is my last post on the issue but I will reply to any
> reasonable questions on the topic.
>
>
> Regards
>
>
> Greg
> Dr Greg. P. Clancy
> Ecologist and Birding-wildlife Guide
> | PO Box 63 Coutts Crossing NSW 2460
> | 02 6649 3153 | 0429 601 960
> http://www.gregclancyecologistguide.com
> http://gregswildliferamblings.blogspot.com.au/
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Robin and Rupert Irwin
> Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 7:21 AM
> To:
> Subject: [Birding-Aus] An interesting read - Why do we feed wild animals?
>
>
>
> Speaking very much as a layman, would not the use water bowls spread
> disease just as much as food trays. We are encouraged to clean water
> supplies regularly, if we did the same with food trays would that not help
> to discourage the spread of disease?
> Robin
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