Hi Roy, John, Peter and others.
Not sure why Roy changed the subject thread however there was nothing
else attached to the legs of the affected Curlew Sandpiper except for
double flags on a tibia. Don't shoot the messenger! There is no
doubt that it was wind resistance from double flags on its tibia causing
grief to this bird. There was no metal band.
<>Yes Roy, the colour combination of the double flags, orange over
yellow. And further to the double flagged Curlew Sandpiper observation
of 25 March, yesterday (26th March) at about 1700 at Price saltworks, i
observed a Banded Stilt also with a double flagged tibia orange above
yellow.. This is the second wader observedin two days with a double
flagged tibia.
And this bird did not appear to be doing too well either. It was
conspicuous standing forlornly head under wing while the rest of the
flock fed actively around it. Was it also a coincidence that this bird
appeared subdued when the rest of the flock were actively feeding?
During flood periods when breeding, Banded Stilt spend most of their
time swimming for food and leg flags would significantly impede an
ability to swim.
.
Regards
Ian
John Leonard wrote
" I do not in any way condone cruelty to birds but consider that the
conservation benefits of banding and flagging far outweigh the
inconvenience and possible occasional detriment to a bird."
I think that some of us would want to put our names to an alternative
statement along the lines of:
"The conservation benefits of banding and flagging are obvious, but
such activities should always be conducted without harm or
inconvenience to any individual bird."
Surely the respective ethics statements of the banding socities are
closer to the latter than the former, one would hope so.
John Leonard
On 27/03/2008, Birding Services Brisbane <roy...@uq.net.au> wrote:
>> Ian has mentioned two leg flags but no mention is made of colour of these
>> flags. He also does not mention metal bands. If the flags could be
>> observed well enough to see that there were two, the colour should be
>> obvious. This would tell us where the bird was flagged. If it had a leg
>> flag, it should also have had had a metal band. Is it possible that there
>> was something else attached to the leg. I do not in any way condone cruelty
>> to birds but consider that the conservation benefits of banding and flagging
>> far outweigh the inconvenience and possible occasional detriment to a bird.
>> Roy Sonnenburg
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-- John Leonard Canberra Australia
www.jleonard.net ===============================
www.birding-aus.org birding-aus.blogspot.com
Ian May wrote:
> g'Day all
> In near gale force winds at about 1800 hrs on Tuesday 25 March, at the
> western end of Price Saltworks, South Australia, there was a Curlew
> Sandpiper in near full breeding plumage, attempting to feed with a
> mixed flock of several hundred Red-necked Stint and other Curlew
> Sandpipers but this bird was clearly struggling to hold its balance in
> the windy conditions because of leg flags; doubled up leg flags on a
> single tibia positioned immediately one on top of the other.
> Unbalanced by the leg flags, it toppled uncontrollably, constantly
> pushed about by the gusty wind. It was experiencing much difficulty
> attempting to feed, while other un-flagged birds surrounding it were
> coping well.
> Interestingly, this bird was in a more advanced stage of breeding
> plumage than other migrant waders (shorebirds) surrounding it. At
> this time of time of year, prior to their imminent departure, pre
> migrating waders are feeding actively to build energy reserves and
> this impediment was seriously affecting this bird in 25 knot plus
> windy conditions.
> According to their own banding protocols (Asia Pacific Shorebird
> Network/AWSG/VORG?) http://www.shorebirdnetwork.org/leg_flags.html ,
> one flag only is to be placed on the tibia of small waders. Sharing
> concerns previously stated on this list about wader leg flagging,
> especially multiple flagging, in more than 40 years of observing
> waders, this is the first time I have seen double flagging on the same
> appendage of a small wader. Is it a new policy; double flagged tibia
> on small waders? It leaves me wondering who is actively assessing
> and evaluating adverse impacts from banding waders, especially from
> leg flagging.
> With regret
> Ian May
> St Helens, Tasmania
> Currently at Price SA
> Mob: 0428337956
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> www.birding-aus.org
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> unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line)
> to: birding-aus-requ...@vicnet.net.au
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