The press (http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Twitchers-flock-to-Shields-to.5761237.jp) seem to have been fascinated by the flocks of 'twitchers' that have accumulated in South Tyneside's Trow quarry with their telescopes and cameras to catch a glimpse of a solitary Eastern crowned warbler (Phylloscopus coronatus). This biological phenomenon was apparently triggered by the telephone and the internet in response to a bird that is normally found in the Far East and has only been sighted in Europe on 4 occasions. I'm sure that it is nice to tick off another species of bird but I really can't see the biological significance. It seems to me that such sighting involve animals that have blown or wandered off course (there is a remote possibility that some are escapees from collections). The bird is unlikely to find itself in a habitat where it can display its normal behaviour and the situation is likely to quickly prove terminal. Is this 'animal train spotting' or is that too harsh?
This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Sunday 25 October 2009
I Don't Get Twitching!
The press (http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Twitchers-flock-to-Shields-to.5761237.jp) seem to have been fascinated by the flocks of 'twitchers' that have accumulated in South Tyneside's Trow quarry with their telescopes and cameras to catch a glimpse of a solitary Eastern crowned warbler (Phylloscopus coronatus). This biological phenomenon was apparently triggered by the telephone and the internet in response to a bird that is normally found in the Far East and has only been sighted in Europe on 4 occasions. I'm sure that it is nice to tick off another species of bird but I really can't see the biological significance. It seems to me that such sighting involve animals that have blown or wandered off course (there is a remote possibility that some are escapees from collections). The bird is unlikely to find itself in a habitat where it can display its normal behaviour and the situation is likely to quickly prove terminal. Is this 'animal train spotting' or is that too harsh?
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