ALICANTE BIRDING AND DISSEMINATING THE TRUTH

I try not to let people ‘get under my skin’, piss me off or even irritate me. I spent over 30 years in a certain organization and people would certainly have made me angry. That’s natural and with all the people that I worked with only one still irritates me when I occasionally think about the ‘job’. That’s not bad I tell myself. One of the things that can get to me is dishonesty.

So there you are and my point is this. When we go out birding either in twos, threes or in a four we say what we see, tell where we have been and sometimes where we intend to go next. We don’t claim anything that we have not seen and the photographs can prove it. They were taken on that day and the plumage and surrounding vegetation will comply with that same day. Alright, on occasions a library photo will be resurrected when it suits the narrative.

Our aim will always be, to be accurate, and pass on information that others can use. I know Bryan’s photos are true and neither of us cheat.

From time to time we do see reports that are not right. We laugh, make derogatory comments and swear into the blue yonder, but we malign no one. BUT be warned someone may go a step too far! I can think of only one. I acknowledge, at this time, that I have met some lovely people who are good birders and there are many that I respect. The birders in the birding world are mostly good people. 

I was reminded about the TV Murder Mystery of Midsummer Murders. The victim is a birder who claims to see what he can only imagine. The result a premature death. Un-necessary I say but justified?

I will end with a comment that does amuse us. We go to some wonderful places with great views and we locate many species and it is seldom that we see others who want to see what we see. For God’s sake what are they doing? Get out there and enjoy and for the un-truths - check them out. 

A happy Easter to everyone.