hmartin

So the actual cause of death is unknown? The shrike was seen to kill the thrush or is merely attending a corpse?

What bait was used and how was it restrained? Pins?

hmartin

Interesting, I was there yesterday morning and the thrush was very INtolerant of humans, so much so that I didn't get anything other than record shots and was planning to go back tomorrow! No baiting going on yesterday morning either, not that I think baiting is necessarily harmful. On the other hand, live bait restrained with pins is clearly potentially deadly.

[ Last edited by hmartin at 30/12/2012 21:22 ]

hmartin

A vehicle makes a good mobile hide and causes less disturbance in the absence of other photographers, which was the situation early on yesterday. Unsignposted traffic restrictions and barriers which have been driven around on multiple occasions judging by the tyre marks are another issue. The thrush had been absent a long time by the time that Wilson Parking turned up to enforce their parking monopoly. It was presumably feeding elsewhere. This site is NOT a roundabout. It's an open area served by a sparsely used slip road from the main flyover. It sits slightly to the east of the North Interchange roundabout.

[ Last edited by hmartin at 31/12/2012 01:16 ]

hmartin

"No bank posts no robbery sign at its entrance for instance". Damn, now I've got to stop robbing banks as well?

Barriers, much like petty rules and regulations, can continue to exist long after they cease to serve any useful purpose. Judging by the well worn track to the side of this barrier I'd say this is where the Wilson Parking militia park for their sandwiches and a fag.

The one thing we do agree on is the issue of baiting. I struggle to see how it causes a bird any harm/distress, assuming the food provided is of reasonable quality. Whilst it might be viewed as "cheating", luring with food, water or playback is widely used by bird photographers in many countries, especially the US. Frankly, truly high quality photographs of passerines are difficult to achieve without it. I'm thinking of high quality as a photographer would define it. Have a look at the bird gallery on Naturescapes.com. Most of the really good passerine shots here are of birds lured to a prepared set up and shot with flash as fill.

[ Last edited by hmartin at 31/12/2012 11:21 ]