Given the raison d'être of the RSPB at the Newport Wetlands appears to be to attract screaming hordes of the ornithologically retarded, is it not somewhat remiss of them to then take as gospel the patently arse-gravyesque reports generated by the aforementioned duffers? I had a quick look at the RSPB website this evening and, as anticipated here, it is already adorned with two lovely gobbits of duff gen; not bad going, given that only three sightings updates have been posted so far.
Just a quick plea to the lucky bunny who gets to update the Newport Wetlands sightings page on the RSPB interweb site - if someone reports something flipping unlikely why not either: a. put it out as "an unconfirmed report of [add species name here]" (i.e. birders' code for "some numpty misidentified something as [add species name here]"); or b. check it out before putting it out. At least try developing a healthy cynicism (feel free to stop short of the rampant, vitriolic [probably quite unhealthy] cynicism I revel in) toward incredibly early records of migrants and reports of regularly strung ducks.
Today's ornithologically elitist post lacking any shred of empathy for the crapulous non-birding masses was brought to you by the letters 'G' and 'X' and the number '5'.
2 comments:
dodgy honey buzzard 1/4 a prime example.
See comment for 1st April.
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