A black week for reputation of birding - national media highlight controversy over Shetland rare warbler twitch

The story as reported in The Times

NATIONAL newspapers have cast the spotlight on the controversy currently raging over this week's lanceolated warbler twitch on Shetland.

Birders who crowded around the warbler, a vagrant from Russia, have come under fire from the public, from the RSPB and also from their own community.

 Shrieked today's edition of the Mail Online: "Bird brains! Huge mob of birdwatchers is blasted for chasing rare migratory warbler out of a bush so 50 of them could take pictures of it."

The report has prompted hundreds of reader comments - most of them hostile - about those involved in the incident.

One wrote: "They must all be sick!"

Another said: "Bird watching, Plane spotting, Train spotting etc. It's just a way for them to get away from their wives."

And another: "Hooligans, all of them."

Meanwhile, The Times referred to the twitchers as "a gaggle".

Its report states: "The RSPB in Scotland has said that animal welfare should 'always come first' after a video appeared to show birdwatchers flushing out a small bird from a bush.

"The footage shows three people encircling a bush by a road while about 50 try to take pictures. 

"It drew the ire of charities and other birdwatchers.

"RSPB Scotland said: 'Seeing nature in the wild is a privilege that we should never take for granted. 

"'Such experiences should be accepted on the terms of the species, not people.'"

The incident was discussed last night at a Zoom live webinar hosted by David Lindo, broadcaster and author, who, without condemning twitching, expressed concern at the conduct of those involved - for instance, the apparent willingness of some to 'flush' the bird into view by clapping and waving their hands.

David Lindo - a twitcher no more

Lindo, also known as the Urban Birder,  used to participate in twitches but they invariably left him with a "hollow feeling" afterwards.

He revealed the last occasion for him was on Scilly where he watched a vagrant hermit thrush in the company of some 900 others.

He now concentrates on seeking out his own birds, rather than pursuing rarities found by others.

His guest last night was Dale Forbes, a South African based in Austria, who has a special interest in the behaviour of birders - in effect, a 'birder-watcher'.

Dale Forbes - adrenaline theory

He said twitching occured everywhere in the world but nowhere to the same extent as in Britain.

Of the excessive exuberance displayed on Shetland, he attributed it to the "adrenaline" often encountered by twitchers, especially if they have travelled long distance to see a rare bird.      

What Mail Online made of the incident

The Wryneck says: Most birders are keen to spread the word  about any rare birds they are lucky or skilful enough to discover. This is  partly because they are justifiably proud of their achievement and partly because they want to share their good fortune with fellow-birders. But after this week’s disturbing happenings in Shetland, many will think twice before announcing their finds. Some years ago, there was widespread resentment in the birding community when the presence of a Tengmalm’s owl at Spurn was suppressed until the bird had departed. It will be a shame if, as a result of the irresponsible actions of a few, suppression again becomes the norm rather than the exception.