tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post6367115039264842113..comments2024-03-29T00:20:48.433+00:00Comments on Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park birds: Ralph Hancockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-69775398989330313052015-02-04T08:43:05.812+00:002015-02-04T08:43:05.812+00:00For anyone else interested in this topic, a scienc...For anyone else interested in this topic, a science buddy of mine had these comments: "My opinion is that 'it depends'. I have done it occasionally, but under certain circumstances.<br /><br />The controversy in UK birding is mostly to do with people twitching a rarity at a known location - for especially rare birds hundreds of people may turn up, so obviously if only a small minority of people engage in a disturbing behaviour that can cumulatively have a big impact on bird welfare, especially if there are also dozens of people chasing it around an unfamiliar field all day. That gets a big no from me.<br /><br />OTOH, a lot of birding I do is surveys. For some species, like secretive ones (e.g. Grasshopper Warbler) or nocturnal ones (owls, nightjars, etc), you're very unlikely to be able to confirm presence without using a tape. But generally this is done to a sensible, repeatable protocol, with tapes used sparingly and switched off as soon as the bird responds. Similarly, in remote, rarely-visited areas such as the Kenyan highlands playing a tape of something like an owl can cause enough of a commotion that you can see a whole load of birds you wouldn't otherwise know were there. As even casual, presence-only data gets used for for conservation-relevant research, so as long as there is minimal chance of lasting damage to the bird in question, and some potential benefit beyond my own amusement, I don't have a problem with it. It's certainly a big improvement on the days when ornithologists used to just shoot everything. <br /><br />I've also used tapes to attract birds to nets for bird-banding purposes, though in the breeding season this is very strictly controlled in the UK - in addition to a govt licence for capturing wild birds, and another permit for owning and using nets, you need an extra endorsement to play tapes from April to September. That suggests the basis of a voluntary code of conduct for birdwatchers.<br /><br />I really dislike people who play tapes for ages just so they can get a better photo with their massive cameras though.<br /><br />Anyway, those are my views from a bird welfare perspective. As for 'cheating', people are welcome to make up their own rules for what 'counts' as proper birdwatching :) IMHO if birders were less insistent on seeing everything, and would be content just to identify something even by song, playback would be less of an issue."Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683657915069578017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-80190391243981990082015-02-03T21:40:07.379+00:002015-02-03T21:40:07.379+00:00Yes of course. But I am an old fashioned girl wit...Yes of course. But I am an old fashioned girl with a coal-powered phone from the Dark Ages....Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683657915069578017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-83795887955389446082015-02-03T20:26:37.717+00:002015-02-03T20:26:37.717+00:00No need for bulky equipment. Just a smartphone and...No need for bulky equipment. Just a smartphone and a 3G connection, and go to <a href="http://www.xeno-canto.org/" rel="nofollow">xeno-canto</a> for all the calls of every bird you could think of.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-26608086644240586732015-02-03T20:00:51.778+00:002015-02-03T20:00:51.778+00:00Thanks Ralph. I feel I could never do it myself -...Thanks Ralph. I feel I could never do it myself - but then I travel very light, with just a small pair of binoculars and nothing much else! My friend has been on a holiday of a life-time bird watching in Malaysia and the guide used the technique a few times. Friend was a bit perturbed!Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683657915069578017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-90370240276495518042015-02-03T19:52:09.876+00:002015-02-03T19:52:09.876+00:00I think it's a mean trick, but confess that I ...I think it's a mean trick, but confess that I have sometimes used it to attract a bird's attention. I always felt guilty about doing so. The ideal is to be invisible and simply record what's going on, but it's unattainable.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-31081124351320940152015-02-03T11:45:49.417+00:002015-02-03T11:45:49.417+00:00Hi Ralph, this is a general question. Hope that&#...Hi Ralph, this is a general question. Hope that's OK. What is your opinion of 'playback'. I had never heard of it before, but apparently it is an issue these days. http://www.sibleyguides.com/2011/04/the-proper-use-of-playback-in-birding/Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683657915069578017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-86212243557185545202015-02-02T20:56:17.179+00:002015-02-02T20:56:17.179+00:00Thanks Ralph. I look forward to seeing the wide-an...Thanks Ralph. I look forward to seeing the wide-angle photo soon! CharlieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-59757849067894026112015-02-02T20:50:41.548+00:002015-02-02T20:50:41.548+00:00I'll have to go back and take a wide-angle pic...I'll have to go back and take a wide-angle picture. I only have zoomed-in shots at the moment. Don't think this Little Owl has a schedule during daylight hours when the park is open. You just have to be lucky and patient.Ralph Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11686354797977020917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-18214247819777262122015-02-02T20:02:26.089+00:002015-02-02T20:02:26.089+00:00P.S. What time is best for this Little Owl? Mornin...P.S. What time is best for this Little Owl? Morning or afternoon?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278510471239667560.post-57658511519485421442015-02-02T19:58:07.966+00:002015-02-02T19:58:07.966+00:00Hi Ralph. Thanks for your reply about Little Owl d...Hi Ralph. Thanks for your reply about Little Owl directions yesterday. Very helpful. Just to make things as clear as possible, would you mind posting a zoomed out (as much as possible) photograph of the whole tree in question as viewed from the path (I know the hole is on the other side though) on your next blog? This would be very useful and save a lot of time wondering about not knowing which tree! If your not keen on posting a photo on your blog, would you mind sending me an email ? - charles.kitchen.11@ucl.ac.uk - Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com