[salty]

any new birders fancy a few tips! - listing to some of my pet-hates and learn.

(1) when a bird is spotted, dont shout out its name e.g. ''HAWK! HAWK!'',so that it flys off quicker than it landed. chances are someone spotted it earlier than you did and was just about to take a photo!

(2) when travelling to birding sites, try not to pull up fast, fling car door open, slam it behind then shout ''WHAT BIRD IS IT'' before stomping over, only to find it flew away. try the gentle approach.

(3) hides are not a refuge from the weather where it is okay to talk on the mobile and/or complain you aint seen any ''decent'' birds all day.

(4) try not to wear raincoats that are flouresent and can be ''seen and heard from the moon'' while your dragging yourself through a hue hawthorn plantation.

(5) when looking through a birders bino/scope, do him/her a favour and DONT TOUCH THE BLINKING LENSES. they arent supposed to have finger prints on them.

would any other birders care to add to my list?

[goodapprentice]

Originally Posted by salty

any new birders fancy a few tips! - listing to some of my pet-hates and learn.

(1) when a bird is spotted, dont shout out its name e.g. ''HAWK! HAWK!'',so that it flys off quicker than it landed. chances are someone spotted it earlier than you did and was just about to take a photo!

(2) when travelling to birding sites, try not to pull up fast, fling car door open, slam it behind then shout ''WHAT BIRD IS IT'' before stomping over, only to find it flew away. try the gentle approach.

(3) hides are not a refuge from the weather where it is okay to talk on the mobile and/or complain you aint seen any ''decent'' birds all day.

(4) try not to wear raincoats that are flouresent and can be ''seen and heard from the moon'' while your dragging yourself through a hue hawthorn plantation.

(5) when looking through a birders bino/scope, do him/her a favour and DONT TOUCH THE BLINKING LENSES. they arent supposed to have finger prints on them.

would any other birders care to add to my list?

Dear Salty

I think that in a few succinct paragraphs you have managed to explain why the most exciting bird I've ever seen is a one-legged blackheaded gull. It looked like it wanted to run (or fly) away but considrered the effort too much.
Seriously though, it is amazing to observe some of the behaviour you see in the field. I find the best reaction is usually laughter rather than the pious tutting that some of the more 'dedicated' birders seem to get a kick out of uttering.
Best Wishes
Edward

[Karl J]

i'm sure that'll make all new birders feel really welcome

[salty]

Originally Posted by Karl J

i'm sure that'll make all new birders feel really welcome

hit them hard, they'll soon learn!!!

[Linda Jay]

Ahem ..... Well, as a new birder myself, can I just assure you, Salty, that I'd never dream of doing any of the things you've complained of here?

No offence taken, however - I know well enough that there are people out there who do behave like that.

[salty]

dont worry im not really nasty! look at my mugshot! im a nice guy.... sometimes.

[Linda Jay]

Originally Posted by salty

dont worry im not really nasty! look at my mugshot! im a nice guy.... sometimes.

Oh, I didn't think you were nasty! New to birding as I am, I can share your frustration with the people who do behave so selfishly. They usually seem to be the ones who think they know it all, but actually know next to nothing. I, I hope, realise that I'm not the bee's knees just because I can tell a goose from a pigeon!

[Jos Stratford]

Better still, become a new birder in this part of the world - it'll take you the best part of a year or more to see another birder in the field, let alone get the chance to piss him/her off by shouting or slamming car doors, etc :)

[Keith Reeder]

I don't think that Salty's heartfelt entreaties apply only to new birders - most of his comments apply equally to some people who should know better...

[Anthony Morton]

It's not only birders who quite rightly get annoyed by the noise of others. The other week I was fishing in the peaceful surroundings of a Landscape Garden. In addition to enjoying a good day's sport, I'd also had the pleasure of sharing my secluded lakeside position with a Great Crested Grebe, a Kingfisher, various water fowl (including ducks, geese, moorhens and coots) and assorted other birds. I had even watched a lone Mute Swan doing its level best to make its last couple of now large cygnets 'leave home' and fend for themselves. I was at peace with the world as I'm sure you have guessed!

Then came the distant hub-bub of raised children's voices which began to grow louder, and LOUDER, and LOUDER over the next 15 minutes. By the time I eventually spotted the group of some 20 or so children plus 'Sir' and 'Miss' through a wooded area on the far side of the lake, every self-respecting bird and animal had shoved-off to the next parish and, except for me, the place was now deserted. It became obvious that the group, which was on a nature walk I suppose, was heading my way and so I resolved to try to impart the idea to them that, had they been much quieter, they would undoubtedly have seen an awful lot more than they had.

As they reached me (they still hadn't even noticed that I was there!) and I was about to stand up, 'Sir' let out a bellow that would have been more at home on an army parade ground, ordering his 'brood' to hurry up because the bus was waiting. I never did manage to offer anything by way of advice about the need for quiet, because his words caused an instant stampede back the way they had come. Well, I suppose the kids just couldn't wait to reach the safety of their own particular concrete jungle. Sadly they'll never know what they had really missed!

[Tammie]

Sadly again, Anthony, they were likely more interested in their video games and computers anyway. :(

[tom mckinney]

That's the spirit, Tammie! Nice and optimistic :-)

I was a moronic, MTV watching, Sonic the Hedgehog addict between the ages of 13-16 and look at me now...

... ah, I see your point!

[samuel walker]

Originally Posted by goodapprentice

Dear Salty

I think that in a few succinct paragraphs you have managed to explain why the most exciting bird I've ever seen is a one-legged blackheaded gull. It looked like it wanted to run (or fly) away but considrered the effort too much.
Seriously though, it is amazing to observe some of the behaviour you see in the field. I find the best reaction is usually laughter rather than the pious tutting that some of the more 'dedicated' birders seem to get a kick out of uttering.
Best Wishes
Edward

Hi salty I'm with you on all points especially #2 I could never understand why some of the best birds are in or near the parking lots.I think decorum is proportional to dedication.Recently my wife and I took an outing with another couple.We arrived at a beach site.as we left the car the other wife who I'll say is a very casual birder sighted a perfect mature bald eagle perched in a dead tree.After yelling eagle 3or4 times we all saw it as it lifted over the beach and escaped from us over the lake.I said impolite things that I hope will not cause this to happen again.
Sam

[weather]

Yes, I get aggravated too, over the noise level at some birding hot spots. In their defense though, if I go to a patch, and see a school bus, I simply leave to find another spot. You will never be able to keep children quite. It's annoying, but if it's a public park, they have as much right to be there as we do. Children will get excited and yell, that's just the way it is, but if one child gets the idea, and becomes interested in nature, than it was worth the intrusion.
The other day I was at a site where Bald Eagles frequent. upon my arrival, I saw 10 to 15 people in canoes, right were the Eagles like to perch. At first I was very put off by this. A fellow birder with scope in hand showed up. He saw them and said: "Well, that's that I guess." I called the people in the canoes a few choice words in front of the birder.
"Now than." Said the birder. "I guess they have the right to do what they like to do too. The Eagles aren't nesting and people are allowed in there now. I'm sure they didn't wake up this morning, and decided to go and irritate some birders."
That started me thinking. I think sometimes we birders have a chip on our shoulders. We sometimes feel that a patch belongs to us and only us, just because we know what kind of birds are there.

Mike

[David FG]

While I do think it is important to behave appropriately in any context, not just birding, I do sometimes think there is a danger that the self-styled 'serious' birders have a tendency to be just a wee bit po-faced at times. At the risk of being lynched, it is not the end of the world if a newcomer makes a noise, after all.

[KCFoggin]

Originally Posted by weather

Yes, I get aggravated too, over the noise level at some birding hot spots. In their defense though, if I go to a patch, and see a school bus, I simply leave to find another spot. You will never be able to keep children quite. It's annoying, but if it's a public park, they have as much right to be there as we do. Children will get excited and yell, that's just the way it is, but if one child gets the idea, and becomes interested in nature, than it was worth the intrusion.
The other day I was at a site where Bald Eagles frequent. upon my arrival, I saw 10 to 15 people in canoes, right were the Eagles like to perch. At first I was very put off by this. A fellow birder with scope in hand showed up. He saw them and said: "Well, that's that I guess." I called the people in the canoes a few choice words in front of the birder.
"Now than." Said the birder. "I guess they have the right to do what they like to do too. The Eagles aren't nesting and people are allowed in there now. I'm sure they didn't wake up this morning, and decided to go and irritate some birders."
That started me thinking. I think sometimes we birders have a chip on our shoulders. We sometimes feel that a patch belongs to us and only us, just because we know what kind of birds are there.

Mike

Very well put Mike.

[graeme782]

Originally Posted by David FG

While I do think it is important to behave appropriately in any context, not just birding, I do sometimes think there is a danger that the self-styled 'serious' birders have a tendency to be just a wee bit po-faced at times. At the risk of being lynched, it is not the end of the world if a newcomer makes a noise, after all.

Coudn't have put it better myself.

Graeme