Bird Photography in general

[john robinson]

I have to say that I feel that the way so called " Bird photography " is going is appalling. I see this every day now in the forest where I live . - tape recorders to lure stuff in, people photographing birds with nesting material, ( the worst time for a desertion ) schedule one species being done when the the photographers don't even know what a schedule 1 is ! - birds with food in the mouth obviously trying to get back to a nest. Its all gone mad.
A Pied Fly nests in box 94 for example, and is surrounded every day by the cream camo covered lens brigade.
What the hell is it all about. ??? Beats me.

Take the Hawfinch fiasco at Cannock recently and you might know what I am getting at

JohnRobinson

[Mosstrooper]

Totally agree John, even pre digital a few photographers were never happy unless they stuck the lens right in the subjects face. Seen a number of good birds disturbed that way. But as you say, now tapes are often used. Its just bad fieldcraft, and its not just photographers who are guilty of it.

As usual its not the majority, but just a few selfish individuals. For me its had the effect of keeping anything i find quite now, i simply don't want these types descending on the patch. I'm not sure what the answer is to this disgraceful behaviour, once tried reporting offenders at a PG tips find who were in the bushes shaking them in the hope of seeing the bird to my local bird club. They were members, nowt was done.

With the use of pagers, and internet, information is quickly in the public domain. And many people of all abilities turn up quickly at sightings, its up to us to speak out if we see bad behaviour, and i feel more emphasis should be provided by the birding societies to improve all aspects of birding.