This is becoming like the eternal squabble Cyclists/Pedestrians/Motorists. Finger pointing, criticism and accusations. Let’s forget all that. Most of us with an interest in birds, whatever the focus we have, want to do the right thing by our feathery friends. There’s bad apples in every group so just forget them and let’s support each other, not create a divide. Personally, I’m a photographer and I keep lists. I’m also deeply involved in a Volunteer run conservation project (Great Western Woodlands, http://birdlife.org.au/projects/great-western-woodlands )which could not exist without the birders and twitchers who are undertaking the literally hundredds of targeted surveys for us twice a year. We all think we’re ethical, let’s give credit to each other for being the same. ADVERTISING MATERIAL: Volunteers who can undertake Atlas Surveys are always very welcome to the project. Any of you Eastern Staters driving to WA from SA pass through the middle of the Great Western Woodlands (GWW). Turn your boring slog along the highway into citizen science by doing some Atlas surveys along the way. To find out more gww@birdlife.org.au Maris Lauva Surveys coordinator > Date: Wed, 12 Aug 2015 13:25:26 +1000 > From: perrystalsis@outlook.com > To: birding-aus@birding-aus.org > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Night Parrot captured and videoed > > 100% agree Kev. > > > On 12/08/2015 11:19 AM, Kev Lobotomi wrote: > > Hi Denise > > It’s unfortunate that you persist with this continued bashing of bird watchers (who are to the most part to a lesser & greater degree listers). We do a lot more good than bad. There are bad eggs that spoil it for everyone else. But the conservation push would be no where near as great if birders weren’t involved. Many more birds & other animals would have become extinct. It’s only through interest & education that we have things like national parks & reserves & the protection of birds. Bird watchers are amongst the most intelligent people I have met & they for the most part love the science of the whole thing also & are quite happy to partake in surveys & give any knowledge they have so that birds can be protected. There are photographers who do the wrong thing, & sometimes twitchers too, but these incidences are small compared to amount of good we do. I would contend with the advent of digital photography it has now reduced the need for collecting birds, because the quality of the photographs are so good that you can see just about everything you need to see externally on a bird. Digital photography is an incredible tool that we can use for good, because the more we know about the bird, the more we can do to help protect it. > > > > > > > >
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OK, David is taking a more holistic view and that’s fine, however I don’t think this in any way diminishes the importance of what is being said about human type interferences needing to be better controlled. Tony —–Original Message—– David Clark Sent: Wednesday, 12 August 2015 11:03 PM Cc: birding-aus@birding-aus.org I think Maris makes some very good points. Of all the threats facing birdlife and other creatures, twitchers, bird watchers, amateur ornithologists and commercial tour guides are probably of least concern. Campaigning against global warming, native vegetation clearing, habitat loss, failure to control feral animals and introduced pest species – particularly Gamba Grass, Buffel Grass, etc – would seem to be a more important and more productive exercise. Cheers David On Wed, Aug 12, 2015 at 2:31 PM, Maris Lauva < latvian_maris@hotmail.com> wrote: divide. being the same. (GWW). that birds can be protected.
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I think Maris makes some very good points. Of all the threats facing birdlife and other creatures, twitchers, bird watchers, amateur ornithologists and commercial tour guides are probably of least concern. Campaigning against global warming, native vegetation clearing, habitat loss, failure to control feral animals and introduced pest species – particularly Gamba Grass, Buffel Grass, etc – would seem to be a more important and more productive exercise. Cheers David On Wed, Aug 12, 2015 at 2:31 PM, Maris Lauva < latvian_maris@hotmail.com> wrote:
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Thank heavens Maris – a voice of reason – and I was about to leave the list in despair! Whatever one’s particular source of enjoyment and fulfilment, amateur or professional, it is surely all a matter of one’s environmental awareness and education and above all personal ethics. Categorisation by group is not only inaccurate, tiresome and divisive but pretty negative. Of course there are the irresponsible and selfish in all walks of life but cant we rise above that and try to educate as we go? Focus on positive activities to the benefit of all and especially the birds and their environment would be my vote. Graeme Stevens
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