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The torch was only shone for a few seconds at a time - but some maintain it was unethical
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THE 'lamping' of a rare bird has caused a spat on social media.
Photographs on X show a torch being shone to provide improved views of a Scops owl, a rare visitor from southern Europe, that has spent much of the festive period in an oak tree alongside the cricket ground in Broadstairs, Kent.
The searchlight action seems to breach the golden rule of twitching - that the wellbeing of the bird must always be paramount.
Posters have variously described the behaviour as "shocking", "disgraceful", "shameful" and "appalling", with one reporting the incident to Kent police as a wildlife crime.
However, others have defended what happened, saying the torch was only shone intermittently and the bird showed no sign of being disturbed, staying in the tree rather than flying elsewhere.
One called for "perspective" maintaining that fireworks, car headlights, illuminated buildings and Christmas displays were more harmful to birds.
Rare bird and biodiversity expert Dr Alex Lees, of Manchester Metropolitan University, prefers to tread the middle ground.
In his own contribution to the debate, he says: "Lamping it is probably not a big deal for the bird, but it will have been an inconvenience at least".
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| If the Scops owl was distressed by the glare, why did it not fly off ? |
