People
I have never done a big year, nor have any intention (or the skills) to do so.
But can folks please stop moralising about the choices of how other people
spend their time and money. If people want to go on a holiday chasing birds, or
have a gap year doing so, that is their choice. If you think it is interesting
and fun; read their books; follow their blog (I'll certainly be looking out for
Kingbird Highway); if not, don't. But unless you never go on a holiday; never
spend money renovating your house; never fly; cycle or walk everywhere;
remember that you have a carbon footprint too; you could donate to charities
more; and so forth. As choices about how to spend your life go, bird chasing is
pretty harmless. So respect others' choices.
OK: that probably counts as moralising too! But I'll risk it
Kim
Kim Sterelny, School of Philosophy, Research School of the Social Sciences,
Australian National University, Acton, 0200, ACT, Australia
or
61-(0)2-6125-2886
________________________________________
From: Birding-Aus <> on behalf of Tony
Russell <>
Sent: Friday, 20 May 2016 8:45 AM
To: 'Peter Shute'; 'Anne Brophy'
Cc: 'Birding Aus'; 'Tim'
Subject: John Weigel
Were they ever practical ? Or of any use whatsoever ? Surely only the
attention seeking misdirected aspirations of the person with too much time and
money to expend are involved. It's just a silly " I'm better than you" game and
the money would be better given to a deserving charity ( and for the person to
get a job).
Tony.
-----Original Message-----
From: Birding-Aus On Behalf Of
Peter Shute
Sent: 19 May 2016 21:11
To: Anne Brophy
Cc: Birding Aus; Tim
Subject: John Weigel
I haven't read Kingbird Highway, but I see that it's set in 1973. I believe Roy
Wheeler and Kevin Bartram, who did their Australian big years not that long
after, also didn't drive.
I think it would be impossible to break the record these days without a driving
licence, and a lot of time and a lot of cash, let alone the organisational and
birding skills and luck that have always been required.
Given the increasing difficulty of breaking the record, can these attempts
continue indefinitely? Surely a time will come when the personal cost won't be
worth the tiny chances of beating the record. And surely, as the record gets
harder to beat, the temptation to take "shortcuts" will increase, and with it
the need to provide the proof that is being asked of John Wiegel. It's a big
ask to expect someone to get a photo of every bird, and as we saw in a recent
Victorian big year, even a photo can be insufficient proof.
Are big years becoming impractical?
Peter Shute
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