Although the great cruise liners which ply Tasmania’s waters in summer might appear an unlikely habitat for the bird-watcher, they are bringing birders all the same. Not a summer goes by when I am not contacted through my website by cruise ship passengers seeking an introduction to Hobart’s amazing world of birds. I always recommend the Waterworks Reserve, not more than four kilometres from the docks, as a convenient port of call, explaining that 11 of Tasmania’s unique … [Read more...] about Hobart the birders’ port of call
War of words over wilderness
A battle is shaping for the soul of environmentalism across the planet. The danger to our world heritage areas worldwide comes not only from politicians who use semantics to redefine what’s wild or not, if comes from a breed of modern naturalists trying to put a human value on pristine places. In fact some of the world’s most powerful conservationists are giving up on wilderness. They argue that most of these far-flung corners of the universe which somehow have escaped … [Read more...] about War of words over wilderness
Bird of year campaign accused on foul ploy
Feathers are still flying over foreign “interference” in New Zealand’s Bird of the Year contest. The 2023 prize went to a bird also found in Australia after a surprise intervention by the host of a top-ranking American television talk show, John Oliver. The winner was the puteketeke, known as the great-crested grebe in Australian waters, and in my annual prize for the top bird story of the year the graceful bird comes out tops. The New Zealand bird contest has long been … [Read more...] about Bird of year campaign accused on foul ploy
Christmas tradition strictly for the birds
Every Christmas Day I set off with my binoculars to take part in a Yuletide tradition unknown to Australians. It’s called the Christmas Bird Count and for more than a century it was been celebrated among birders in the United States with the same gusto which in other western countries is reserved for turkey and mince pies. The count doesn’t actually have to take place on the big day. Any convenient date within the week of Christmas will do. The Christmas holiday in the … [Read more...] about Christmas tradition strictly for the birds
Cancelled – Wilson’s glorious warbler
A hand-coloured engraving of a passenger pigeon hangs above the desk in my study. It’s one of my most prized possessions, bought on a whim when I lived in New York in celebration of a hero of mine at the time, a Scottish artist and poet named Alexander Wilson. The Scotsman chronicled the great migrations of the now extinct pigeon and gave his name to several bird species, among them Wilson’s warbler which I just happened to see in Central Park on the day I bought the … [Read more...] about Cancelled – Wilson’s glorious warbler