Thanks for the update Russell. Spent 4 hours this afternoon at the site with some other enthusiastic observers and was eventually rewarded with presumably the same 4 birds flying in, circling about then heading off. A special experience particularly for those seeing this near-mythical species for the first time.Is not birdwatchers that’s threatening the survival of the OBP but a combination of climate, habitat loss and dwindling genetic stocks that are of most concern. Proper management of remaining sites should and mostly still does allow birds to utilise the environment and for people to enjoy and study them from a vantage point that hopefully does not impede their movement or damage habitat.Am not convinced that suppressing information on species such Orange-bellied Parrot (and Night Parrot) actually improves their chances of survival. Perhaps more creative management and education strategies could include, enthuse and more successfully raise the profile and support for th ese critically endangered creatures. ===============================
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I agree with Debbie on this. If you want a good photo – get down to Melaleuca. Absolutely magic experience and easy to get a photo without disturbing them. Getting to see them at their breeding grounds is an experience i will never forget. Very easy to scare birds like these on the mainland and you won’t get better photos than in Tas anyway.
Cheers Dave
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Lest anyone think I’m acting holier-than-thou, I am among those who have disturbed OBPs, attempting to get a photo. Since I have no great skill, I now leave this to others, the best of whom always practice ethical birding and ethical photography. Thanks.
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I agree, better than all this guesswork. I participate in the winter surveys, but I don’t know what the official policy is about this.
Peter Shute
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I guess it would be good to get the views of the OBP Recovery Team on this and then some consistency between Birdline and BirdingAus. Whilst I was one of those who raised my concerns with Russell, I tend to agree that most locals know where (and when) to look anyway (and the signs are a dead giveaway that the birds may be in the area).
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Congratulations on what sounds like an excellent OBP sighting. I heard that the bands on some of them were able to be read, and I understand it’s rarely possible to obtain that valuable information.
As I understand it, the rationale behind the “ban” on publicising sightings is not because it could cause any harm to view them like that, but to avoid a rush to the site. Up until the road behind the Borrow Pits was blocked off (two years ago?), it seemed like a standard technique for seeing them was to drive along there and watch to see if you flushed any out of the trees. I’ve done it myself, but it never worked for me.
At one point, there were cars driving past continually, (I.e one every few minutes), and it’s my understanding that this lead to the road closure for the last two seasons.
Peter Shute
Sent from my iPad
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I couldn’t agree more Scott; enthusiastic birdwatchers are the least of the threats to the survival of Orange-bellied Parrots and people will not value something that they don’t understand. Celebrating sightings of Orange-bellied Parrots could help to raise awareness of the plight of Jeff Kennett’s ‘trumped up Corella’.
Cheers
David
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