18 months ago, there were 14 or so near my place at Castlereagh Nature Reserve. Of course, some idiots came with call playback equipment and paid total disregard to anyone wanting to quietly watch and/or photograph these Critically Endangered species.
Beautiful bird,
what do you mean by idiots with call back equipment,were they other photographers trying to bring the birds to them or something!
If there was already 14 bird there why would they need to call them or have i misunderstood
LOL I thin you have read right Sparrow..... he did say idiots :) Nice shot Akos
Sunshine Coast Queensland
I know we have talked about calling birds to a hide but thats because i can hear the little blighters but can't find them but like you i don't want to interfere with there breeding season and was going to try it in the off season
I mentioned that if used responsibly, call playback is fine and should have minimal impact. I did say responsibly though. :)
There are a number of reasons why I refer to THE particular Sydney person as an idiot. Let me give you my thoughts:
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1) There were four of us, including three good friends and me watching and trying to capture a photo of the bird (only one there on the specific morning) feeding in a mugga ironbark. We stood and watched peacefully, letting the bird be. There was also a father and son from somewhere south-west, cannot remember from where. This idiot, yes in my opinion an inconsiderate and very rude person, just blatantly walks to the feed tree and put his iPod under the bird playing its call then stands back with his huge telephoto lens waiting. He didn't even say hello at first, didn't even ask if anybody had any objections to him doing this. He basically only cared about himself and getting a photo.
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2) The species is now upgraded to Critically Endangered; although 18 months ago, I believe it was still Endangered. In either instance, the status of any species (especially by this stage) should be enough that anyone - who is passionate enough about observing birds or any wildlife - would refrain from annoying the animals with calls for the sake of a good photo, which is only for their own personal gratification. I would simply leave the birds be and let them try to survive; as their status means just that - Critically Endangered. This to me just about says that the bird is already extinct yet it does not yet know it! This kind of irresponsible behavior is typical of an idiot that is an example of why there's been a century (almost) long quarrel between bird photographers and bird observers; by people being so selfish and inconsiderate. Not of the other people really, but more so the species. I have seen this persons photos in a number of bird-related publications by the way!
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3) Castlereagh Nature Reserve is a reserve and to the very best of my knowledge it's even more "protected" than a National Park due to the sensitivity of the woodland and the animals which are living within its boundaries. There should be no call playback in such sensitive area at all, but even though I visited here at least forty times in the past two years, I am yet to see a ranger.
RANGER!! Jee you say some funny things sometimes !
I put on a post the other day the only time i have seen OUR ranger he was asleep in his ute!!
What you are just talking about, proves a point I have made again and again. An example, I know a small pocket of land,where you can find some Helmeted Honeyeaters,(one bird badly affected by Bell Miners and land-clearing). I know, in my aerea is a group of dedicated "friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater" but I wouldn't even tell them where to find the birds! It's for the best of the birds! Same principal applies here, you can't tell someone a secret,and say at the same time, it's a secret, but don't tell anyone! Won't work! So, one question, how did all those people know???......my point exactly!
M-L
People knew because there are crazy folk who report all these sightings on places like Birdline. Up until a week ago I would have done it as well, but the NSW people cannot work themselves out, so I gently reminded them to forget about more sighting records from me. :) In any case, there are/were things I would NEVER have told anyone such as this. And I would never report these things for the same reason you mentioned Araminta. No way! I'd rather let the birds live happily, but sadly, many people go to different areas thus sooner or later some will be "heroic" and report the rarer things and the "idiots" will be out in hordes. :) :(
Windhover, we agree on this, the more I think about it,the more this bothers me.I can't shake the impression,that for those people, taking photos, and intruding into the birds territory, is for utter selfish reasons only!! A lot like: I took the last photo of a dying species. There is something terribly wrong with those people!
M-L
AAAAAAH! Please don't hate me. One day I did see a Pelican dying slowly from some disease stuck in mud and there was no way I could try to save it as it was too dangerous to walk out into the thin silt-covered substrate. I took some photos of it struggling. Those images may always hold some form of educational value. :(
If it makes you feel better,we all have images like that in our mind. We had a resident wombat for years,we had little stand offs,him, the dogs (behind fences)and me, challenged by him every night.One day I noticed, he was coming during the day,slow, and blinded by mange. It was a hard, and not so hard decision,it was, what was best for the wombat. The neighbour,a licenced hunter and good shot, came over to end his suffering.As he didn't see what was coming, it was sad, but quick. (But you know all about this sort of thing?) I have an old dog,and the day will come soon,he will not feel well anymore, I will call the same neighbour over, and he will do the same humane killing of my very much loved Heeler (Napoleon).I'm not sure if this is legal, but nothing can be quicker!
M-L
Mmmmm. I understand where you are coming from regarding being quick with a gun, but I would not think shooting your dog would be legal?
Well, doesn't matter, the dog gets extremly stressed in the car, and is terrified of vets! We have called the Yarra Glen Hunt Club people to shoot a horse, that had a problem. Was much kinder than having to wait for the vet to come to a horse with a broken pelvis, that was lying there for 2 hours! Would do it again, even if it's not legal!
M-L
It is legal,although frowned upon by some groups,It is the humane thing to do in a lot of situations much better than letting them die in pain or adding stress to an already frightened and dieing animal
No doubt about suffering. I would always choose what's best for the animal. Hopefully in a few years, my better half will be a vet, so we won't need guns. :) (though there are a few people I know I'd love to shoot. ;)
Thanks, can I add mine to your list Windhover? (I told you before, my daughter works at an Animal Emergency Centre),but they can't do it, the way we want, the dog will get his favorit food, a carrot,and while he will be eating, he will not know, what's about to happen! Now, no vet can provide that?? (I should stop now, or I would tell you about a dear friend of mine.....,but what I said about secrets before, still applies!)
M-L
Well I understand the sentiments but when i had to say goodbye to our old friend, a German Shepherd who had been part of our family for 14 years, there was nothing better than having our vet come to our house with his assistant and we sat down on his favourite mat and held his paws while he went to sleep. he died knowing that we loved him and he loved us. I could not have wished for a better and more compassionate vet. this was in NZ and he was a rural vet so maybe he was just different.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
One day I was talking to our farrier and he was at a property the day before where the owner dug a big hole and stood two old (not sick) horses on top then shot them in the head, one by one. As the farrier told me the man said that he was not sure if the horses would be healthy during winter and the bullet was cheaper than calling a vet.
Personally I will do anything to make sure I give my animals the best of everything and I prefer a vet over a bullet, because I love my animals and could not see them being shot.