fkm

I do not wish to comment on the issue directly but being a new-comer myself about a year ago, I would like to share my experience at that time.

Basically, you apply for a HKBWS membership and pay the fees, then you are entitled to get a permit to the reserve. I still remember the first time I went to Mai Po, I had absolutely no idea of anything!!! Not to mention I didn't know where the birds were, I didn't know the way, I didn't know where the hides were, I didn't know if I should leave the door open or closed after entering the hides, I didn't know if I could stick the lens out of the window...the only thing I knew was that there were areas I was not supposed to enter (only because of the post or notice saying so).

I somehow think the veteran members here and the management of the reserve take everything for granted...I hope some clear guidelines could be issued to new comers. Don't blame someone "violating" your rules unless you made it known clearly.

(Well, in all my visits to MP, I have never seen anything like this, so I suppose he is a new-comer. If the guy is deliberately entering a restricted area, that is another issue.)

fkm

Let me state clearly I have absolutely no idea who the guy is but from his behavior (sticking a white lens outside his mobile hide, shooting against the Sun), I believe he is a newbie. Fully equipped does not mean one is a veteran, do a little search and read one or 2 articles on the Internet and you know what you have to get, you can even purchase everything online!

Concerning the "common sense" issue, I would not jump into the conclusion right away that the guy deliberately entered an area he knew was restricted. As Owen pointed out, those "no entry" signs could be covered by tall grasses, I myself have even seen barrier totally broken! (So the area was suitable for entry at that moment?)

I don't know, but do you guys think throwing stones at an "offender" in a forum is better than offering him a little education on the spot? Well, if my assumption is wrong and the guy was indeed breaking the rules at will, it is a different issue.

One more thing for you to laugh at...I went through the HKBWS and AFCD to get an entry permit to the reserve, it took several months for me to figure out the WWF was the actual host there?! Someone should be blamed?

[ Last edited by fkm at 15/11/2008 00:02 ]

fkm

Quote:

Original posted by cthomas at 15/11/2008 22:21

Dear fkm,

  I need to clearfy the objective of this post:
  We should take care with behaviour of visitor in Mai Po Ma ...

Dear Thomas,

I do agree with you that we must behave properly when visiting MP, I just view the other part of the story a bit differently.

Of course you are free to decide what you would like to do but if I were there, I would not hesitate to talk to the guy directly, right away. If he responded positively, case resolved and it might even have saved the guy a few hours of birdless Sun! If the guy ignored and deliberately stay in the restricted area, I would not hesitate to pick up my mobile and call the authority up (WWF office, I suppose) too. In the former case, a post would serve well to remind all of us to be more alert while navigating in MP.

MP is too vast an area for any new visitor so I guess we should have some mercy on someone inexperienced. Just my 2 cents, that's all.

Happy birding,
fkm