Sunday, March 15, 2009

Little Bittern comes to bitter end

After much debate with self decided to post this image of male Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) that impaled itself (probably in night flight) on a barbed wire fence close to Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, last week. A sad enough end for any creature, but more so when the bird is from a relatively rare species currently under survey throughout much of Australia. 

7 comments:

PSYL said...

That's a terribly sad scene. How did it came to this? Did it not see the fence when it was flying by?

RIP

Gouldiae said...

G'day Tony,
Indeed a sad image, but I reckon you are right to show it. It has several messages - I wonder will we ever heed any of them?
Regards,
Gouldiae

Tyto Tony said...

Hi PSYL: Little Bitterns are partly nocturnal.

Gidday Gouldiae: Probably not in my lifetime!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Gouldiae, you are right to show it although it illustrates such a tragic story. Unfortunately the message re the dangers of barbed wire fencing to wildlife is conveniently ignored in many areas.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Tony
I have had to debate the issue of showing "road kills", and on balance I have decided to publish in some few cases, when there is something unusual or worth studying. In your case, I agree with your decision.
I went to a lecture on Owls once, which ended with a series of photos very much like yours. Birds innocently killed by being stuck on barbed wire.
Hard to see us persuading farmers across the nation to give up the habit, unfortunately. In truth, barbed wire is more a habit than a necessity.
Cheers
Denis

Tyto Tony said...

Hi Barbara and Denis: I seem to have touched a barbed wire nerve that runs deeper than I expected. What is puzzling, to me at least and aside from animal rights issues, is the lack of action against something that costs a heap in meat, leather and wool losses.

Anonymous said...

That is so sad.

Head up for dragonfly, head off for fish head . . .

One moment it's dragonfly trying to dance on White-bellied Sea-Eagle's head, the next it's all go for fisher's discarded fis...