Chris Stoddart wrote:
On Tue, 11 Apr 2006, Tim Osleby wrote:
My next idea is to spend the night in the hide, and see how the birds
behave at sunrise. Getting up that early is against my nature, but
it is worth a try.
Tim, from many years ago I remember a bit of advice in a book by (I
think,the British bird photographer Eric Hosking) that said something
like two people should go to the hide and one should come away again. He
said birds weren't stupid and if they saw you disappear in a hide they'd
know you were still there even though they could no longer see you.
Fortunately they can't count, so the person coming away fools them into
thinking you have left.
Your suggestion of going in the dark might achieve the same effect?
Chris
Makes me smile at the memory...
Many years ago, when an uncle and I were trying to reduce the pesky crow
population (hunting with varmint rifles) we found the crows very cagey, and
very soon they wouldn't let a human anywhere near them.
They'd lift off and fly 1/4 mile away, not returning until you leave.
However, if we'd both walk out to a clearing and one of us stays near shrubs
or even just sits in an open field, so long as we didn't move, and the other
party goes back into the woods, the crows would eventually return to their trees.
Proof that they couldn't count! <g>
keith whaley
