http://www.birdguides.com/birdwatch Birdwatch•October 2017 67
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EXPERT ADVICE BUILDING KNOWLEDGE • BUILDING SKILLS • EVENT OF THE MONTH
WE have all been frustrated
by waiting for a rare bird to
appear. With the clock ticking
and a long drive home ahead,
it is tempting to move around
the bush instead of standing
patiently. This often results in a
utter of wings and a ick of a
tail, and with untickable views
the bird disappears into even
denser vegetation. The nal
result is that nobody gets good
views of it.
Patience is a good virtue for
a birder. If you have to wait for a
bird to return, choose the best
possible location with a good
broad view of the area in whichit was last seen. Pay attention
to what other birders are doing- they may all start staring
at a particular spot because
they have seen movement, in
which case look in the same
direction as you may be in the
best position if the bird nally
reappears.
If there have been no
sightings for a while, carefully
change position, or move away
and check another area nearby.
Always remember that the
bird’s welfare comes rst. By
relentlessly causing a bird to
move, birders may be stopping
it from feeding, and may force it
out into the open where it could
become vulnerable to predation.
Keep a safe distance from
where the bird has been seen,
as by being too close you may
force it to stay in deep cover.
Back off a bit and it may relax
and show itself. Even if you
are the only person looking for
the bird, there may have been
others there before you who
have tried to ush it or call it
out with pishing, making it extra
wary. Photographers may be
tempted to try to get closer for
that perfect shot, but should
remember that one sel sh move
could spoil it for everyone. It’sbetter to wait for the bird to
come to you.
Birds often have set feeding
patterns. Garden birds may visit
many feeders and may be seen
at each one several times in a
day. Similarly, birds on passage
may set up a temporary pattern
in their search for food. This
means that having been seen
once feeding in a certain
location, they are quite likely to
return to the same place if left
undisturbed. So stand quietly,
move slowly and be patient. You
may not always be rewarded, but
you’ll improve your chances and
won’t risk the ire of others. ■Any birder rummaging about in the vegetation is likely to disturb a rare bird and risk the wrath of this crowd hoping to see the Olive-backed Pipit on
Scilly in October 2011. It’s best to remain patient and wait for the bird to reappear.BUILDING SKILLS
STEVE YOUNG (WWW.BIRDSONFILM.COM)EVENT OF THE MONTH
THE annual exhibition of the
Society of Wildlife Artists
(SWLA) showcases the very
best art inspired by the
natural world. Taking place at
London’s Mall Galleries, The
Natural Eye features displays
of contemporary art in a huge
range of styles and media,
from oils and watercolours to
printmaking and sculpture.■ The Natural Eye exhibition
Dates: 19-29 October; 9 am-5 pm (1 pm on nal day). Price: £4.
Further information: http://www.swla.co.uk and http://www.mallgalleries.org.uk.MORE
INFO
THE
Society of Wildlife Artists
(SWLA) showcases the very
best art inspired by the
natural world. Taking place at
London’s Mall Galleries,
Natural Eye
of contemporary art in a huge
range of styles and media,
from oils and watercolours to
printmaking and sculpture.BUILDING SKILLS
Patience is a virtue
The exhibition also incorporates the Birdwatch Artist of the Year
Award. This prestigious competition, sponsored by Swarovski Optik,
recognises the great work being done by wildlife artists from around
the world. The prize, which includes £1,000 and optics equipment
from Swarovski, is awarded at a special ceremony at the gallery. Last
year’s winner was Great black-backed Gull and Rooks, Camel Estuary
by Dan Cole (pictured).
A number of special events will be held throughout the exhibition
including artist’s talks, portfolio day and workshops. See the website
below for more details. ■1710 p65-71 Expert advice v4.indd 67 14/09/2017 17:44:35