wilsondring

might you be more specific as to which photos you are referring to please?  the reason being that a lot of shots are posted here recently have come from Mai Po 16/17 and although there are obviously nests, the shots surely are taken from inside the bird hides meaning that the disturbance is kept to a minimum or the disturbance is as much from the tours which are taken there on a weekly basis as those from photographers.  in such a situation, if the birds are nesting, they are active enough as it is and therefore no bait or calls are required to capture them on film, .. moreover, i doubt that anyone can walk out on to 16/17 without anyone noticing them.

[ Last edited by wilsondring at 28/05/2015 00:29 ]

wilsondring

Quote:

Original posted by cgeoff at 31/05/2015 21:01
I certainly don't think that shots of birds taken from publicly-accessible birdwatching hides at MPNR come under the category of those that I'm concerned about. I'm not against photographs of birds at ...

i have photographed quite a lot of birds in particularly in thailand, KKC and Khao Yai National Parks where play backs have been used.  there the guides are very skilled at using play backs, for pittas, broadbills and kingfishers ... and i have used call back myself for my recent capture of the garnet pitta in malaysia.

as always, when done by those who know what they are doing, is never a problem, calls were used in short bursts, and when the birds come nearer, volume is turned down/stopped.

i have also come across the TPK hainan blue situation (last year) where calls were played non-stop and very close to the nest.  it makes no sense as the the nest at the time of my visit already had chicks, the adults were already feeding regularly, the used of calls were of no use what-so-ever.  moreover, i do see signs in TPK warning that the used of calls is prohibited ....if anything, the call back will make the adults worried of attacks and hence more unstable to photograph.