I had a very weird experience happen at kurnell recently at a site on Captain cook drive that I have been told is called the megamix swamp. It’s an access point to weeney bay/quilbray bay. There were 3 guys gathered around the boot of their car when I arrived who behaved in such a suspicious manner that it was almost laughable….hastily shutting the boot etc, and when I walked towards the path (and them) staring at me to the point where I asked them what they were looking at, at which point they said ‘nothing, nothing’ then jumped in the car and drove off. When I went down to the swamp, it was low tide, about 6pm and there were another 3 guys down there wading through the mud with buckets, 2 still a long way off, walking towards the exit where I was. When they saw me they stopped walking and sort of lingered. I left fairly quickly as they had driven all the birds away. When I got back to the car, the guys who had driven off earlier drove past and on seeing I was still there, kept on going. Then I drove off and as I was heading out, saw the car had again turned around and was now heading back in the direction if the swamp. It was blatantly suspicious behavior, and at the time I assumed it was illegal dumping of some sort. Upon reflection however, they apparently were collecting something, and had it (or at least some if it) in the car boot when I got there. They had been wading towards the mouth of the bay. So upon reflection I have formed the opinion that it was more likely nest robbing. It’s the right time if year for it too. If I’m right, anyone got any idea what they might have been taking? I think there’s a little tern colony out there right? Also little penguins? All comments welcome. Not sure what to do with the info or who to report to. Sent from my iPhone =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au http://birding-aus.org ===============================
I have no idea but from the story you tell I would assume no connection with birds unless there is a very good reason to think otherwise. Maybe they were selling drugs from the car boot, hence the odd behaviour or maybe meeting for a rendezvous that was not of for public knowledge. Maybe the other guys out on the mud were entirely unconnected with those at the car. If not dumping rubbish (illegally if not unethically) probably collecting worms or molluscs likely for fishing bait (as I think Anthea was suggesting). It is far more likely that they might think you were concerned about are they selling drugs or collecting worms than birds. I wonder why they might think you would be interested in birds. Are there any birds nesting on the tidal mud? And why would anyone have any interest in collecting anything from them if there was, let alone that many people? Philip —–Original Message—– [mailto:birding-aus-bounces@lists.vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of Stephen Ransom Sent: Tuesday, 22 October 2013 7:21 AM I had a very weird experience happen at kurnell recently at a site on Captain cook drive that I have been told is called the megamix swamp. It’s an access point to weeney bay/quilbray bay. There were 3 guys gathered around the boot of their car when I arrived who behaved in such a suspicious manner that it was almost laughable….hastily shutting the boot etc, and when I walked towards the path (and them) staring at me to the point where I asked them what they were looking at, at which point they said ‘nothing, nothing’ then jumped in the car and drove off. When I went down to the swamp, it was low tide, about 6pm and there were another 3 guys down there wading through the mud with buckets, 2 still a long way off, walking towards the exit where I was. When they saw me they stopped walking and sort of lingered. I left fairly quickly as they had driven all the birds away. When I got back to the car, the guys who had driven off earlier drove past and on seeing I was still there, kept on going. Then I drove off and as I was heading out, saw the car had again turned around and was now heading back in the direction if the swamp. It was blatantly suspicious behavior, and at the time I assumed it was illegal dumping of some sort. Upon reflection however, they apparently were collecting something, and had it (or at least some if it) in the car boot when I got there. They had been wading towards the mouth of the bay. So upon reflection I have formed the opinion that it was more likely nest robbing. It’s the right time if year for it too. If I’m right, anyone got any idea what they might have been taking? I think there’s a little tern colony out there right? Also little penguins? All comments welcome. Not sure what to do with the info or who to report to. Sent from my iPhone =============================== =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================
Quite possibly illegal mollusc or crustacean collecting. I don’t know the area so don’t know what’s available. Anthea Fleming On 22/10/2013 7:20 AM, Stephen Ransom wrote: =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) http://birding-aus.org ===============================