Birdwatching Philosophy

Bird watching, in certain places in Europe and the USA, is recognised with organisations, clubs, networks and others, but, as much as it might sound controversial this has not entirely helped the risk of extinction that some species run. Obviously birders don not hold all the responsibility, but, much more can be done; through Facebook we found a couple of very interesting articles, they reflect on the future of bird watching, the writers share thoughts about who will be the next generation of big birders, how we came become better birders and other things we can do to help…

We have translated the articles into Spanish, including some birding rules for bird watchers, obtained from a photograph taken in Taiwan by Susan Myers.

We think there is still much more to be said and done, most bird watchers are English speakers but if we consider that South America contains the countries with the most amount of birdlife and that Spanish is our official language, we think it is time to pave the way for more latinamericans to start paying more attention to birds and understand them so as to hopefully stop their extinction.

We hope you enjoy the thoughts and reflections in the following articles:

Who Are The Next “Great” Birders?- Laura Kammermeier

The Tao of Birding - Ted Lee Eubanks

And respect the following rules for bird watching:

RULES FOR BIRDERS

1.- Don't dress in vivid clothing and uproar. The only way to enjoy the splendid sound of nature is to keep quiet.

2.- Don’t get too close to the birds and keep an appropriate distance for birdwatching. By using a binocular to get closer to the birds, listening to the birds chirping. You will be surprised at what you can get.

3.-  To protect birds’ habitat by walking only in the track neither to abuse it by making a short-cut route yourself nor to plunk and break off flowers and twigs.

4.- Keep away from nesting or incubating nests to avoid disturbing bird’s breeding. If one finds a baby bird falling off nest, please put it back to the nest or a safer place for the feeding parents birds. Collecting bird eggs or carrying the chicks away is prohibited.

5.- Some birds are too shy to show themselves up; it’s not easy to find their lurked trace. Don’t attempt to throw stones or play the tape of bird songs to discover them. People should see into that there is no obligation for them to jump up in front of people.

6.- Keep an eye on oneself on bird-watching. Don’t wondering around at the hazardous area and watch out for poisonous snakes, bees and plants.

7.- Do respect for life-being and mighty nature on bird-watching.

Reference: This rules were obtained from a Publication on Facebook, shared By Susan Myers (author of Birds of Borneo). The rules where located in Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area in Taiwan.

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Bird watching Tourism Course in the Huascarán Reserve - 29th April - 13th May

The birding season is in its last days and before starting again later on in the year, Manuel will travel to Peru to take part and support the Bird Watching Tourism Course in the Huascaran Reserve. There will be some endemic birds to look forward to seeing as well as sharing and learning from experience gained in the field. The members of Clandestine Bird continue with their mission to support and enhance bird watching tourism in Latin America.

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Documentary Film Festival - Encuentros del Otro Cine

EDOC has arrived in its 9th edition, and will be running from the 13th of May until the 4th of June in six cities in Ecuador: Quito, Guayaquil, Manta, Ibarra and Portoviejo.

This year will see the screening of 100 documentaries, amongst them 14 of ecuadorian production.

Just like every other year, the EDOC program will be divided in parts, amongst them one that is dedicated to Liberty of Expression where key films on democracy, media, ethics, investigations and discoveries of controversial realities will be shown.

For more information visit the website www.festivaledoc.org

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Presentation in Manizales - Colombia

This is the pdf of the presentation given by Manuel Sánchez at the First International Conference of Bird Watching Tourism in Manizales in May 2009, the slides and text were used as a tool for the conference to show Ecuador's experience with Bird Watching Tourism. At the end of the presentation acknowledgement and thanks are given to all the people who helped with the structuring of the presentation through their comments and information.

"CRUDE" - Showing at the Filmhouse in Edinburgh

Friday 15th of January 2010 at 20:15 - Followed by audience-led discussion with: Eileen Hall, an Ecuadorian Scot and co-founder of Clandestine Bird; Liz Murray (Head of Scottish Campaigns) from the World Development Movement, which campaigns to clean up overseas multinational investment; Matthew Crighton, Climate Change Organiser for UNISON Scotland, which supports workers movements in Southern America.

Set in Ecuador, three years in the making, this cinéma-vérité feature tells the epic story of one of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet. An inside look at the infamous $27 billion “Amazon Chernobyl” case, Crude is a real-life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, multinational greed and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures. www.crudethemovie.com

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"When Clouds Clear" - Dunbar Screening Saturday 14th of November at 7pm - Gibb Room (Dunbar Library) Followed by a discussion on the issues dealt with in the film. The film is in Spanish with English Subtitles. When Clouds Clear is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of one remote community’s radical resistance to a proposed copper mine that would level and destroy their way of life forever. Set in the isolated cloud forests of the northern Ecuadorian Andes Mountains, the film is narrated by the founders and children of Junín who depict how the village’s daily life has been affected by the copper that was discovered beneath their land. As two invading mining companies become increasingly aggressive in their attempts to infiltrate and control the area, the community forms a united resistance in order to survive. Still, some citizens side with the wealth that the companies promise, causing irreparable divisions, pitting friend against friend and father against son. Suddenly these once-peaceful farmers find them selves thrust into a dangerous world of corruption, splintered house holds, murder and arson as they fight to protect their land and families.

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SOS Puffin

On Sunday the 30th of August we helped as volunteers with SOS Puffin, a project to save the puffins on the islands in the Firth of Forth. Launched in 2006 by the Scottish Seabird Centre, with funding from Viridor Credits and Scottish Natural Heritage, the five year project aims to stop the dramatic decline in puffin numbers on the islands of Craigleith and Fidra near North Berwick. Read Report

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Chocó Andean Route - Trip Report Here is a new trip report of the Chocó-Andean route in July 09, a tailored Route with Allpalluta Lodge as a base. We spent 6 days looking for Chocó Endemics in Northwest Ecuador, the Trip report is only available in English. Click here for Trip Report

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Report on Training Workshop in Macas

From the 18th to the 21rst of June 2009, the members of Clandestine Bird supported as teachers/trainers the initiative of the Ministry of Environment of Ecuador, The Sangay National Park and the Municipality of Macas. A theoretical-practical workshop took place covering three important subjects: Herpetology (amphibians and reptiles), Environmental Legislation (due to a new legal framework in Ecuador) and Ornithology.

We have prepared a report about the workshop. Although it is only available in Spanish the checklist also contains the birds' names in English.

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Winner of Photography Competition

The school of Biology, Ecology and Management in the University of Azuay, conducted a workshop of photography called “Focus on Nature”, given by biologist and nature photographer Eduardo Carrasco. At the end of the workshop there was an exhibition of the work done in the course and also a competition looking for the best photograph, voted by the public. The winner was our own Clandestine Bird photographer Juan Carlos Sánchez, with a photo of a Nymphargus cochranae or “crystal frog” (see picture left) taken in the Zamora Province here in Ecuador.

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Our Colombia Trip Report We have finished doing our trip report after our first official visit to Colombia as Clandestine Bird, we have tried to summarize our experience at the First International Conference of Bird Watching Tourism in Manizales including our birding trips that we did in the Country of Birds, at the end of the report we have included a list of the birds we registered. COLOMBIA TRIP REPORT

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'Under Rich Earth' Documentary

"Under Rich Earth is a story about ordinary people with extraordinary courage. In the remote mountain valley of Intag in Ecuador, coffee and sugarcane farmers face the dismal prospect of being forced off their land to make way for a mining project. Unprotected by the police and ignored by their government, they prepare to face down the invaders on their own. Their resistance ultimately leads to a remarkable and dangerous stand off between farmers and a band of armed paramilitaries deep in the cloud forest. In a world dominated by news of massacres and terrorism, Under Rich Earth offers a surprising and poignant tale of hope and determination." (Synopsis from web site). To visit the web site click here

The web site has an option to sign up to a newsletter for anyone interested in knowing how the word is being spread around, the Director Malcolm Rogge is also actively looking for ways to promote the film so if anyone wishes to help this cause they can get in touch through the web site.

www.underrichearth.ryecinema.com

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ECOROUTE The EcoRoute is one of the best examples in South America of a network created by local people taking action in order to protect their forests and birds, and at the same time generate development. The EcoRoute is a must in any Bird Watching Tour in Ecuador. You can visit its web site and find out more about how residents-lodges-reserves and organisations get involved, all connected by an old road in the middle of the Andes and Chocó. www.ecorutadelquinde.org

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EDWARD BURTYNSKY (Photographic Works)

"Nature transformed through industry is a predominant theme in my work. I set course to intersect with a contemporary view of the great ages of man; from stone, to minerals, oil, transportation, silicon, and so on. To make these ideas visible I search for subjects that are rich in detail and scale yet open in their meaning. Recycling yards, mine tailings, quarries and refineries are all places that are outside of our normal experience, yet we partake of their output on a daily basis.

These images are meant as metaphors to the dilemma of our modern existence; they search for a dialogue between attraction and repulsion, seduction and fear. We are drawn by desire - a chance at good living, yet we are consciously or unconsciously aware that the world is suffering for our success. Our dependence on nature to provide the materials for our consumption and our concern for the health of our planet sets us into an uneasy contradiction. For me, these images function as reflecting pools of our times."

Edward Burtynsky

www.edwardburtynsky.com

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'When Clouds Clear' Documentary

In the year 1997, the exploration camp of a Japanese mining company was burned down by the small community of Junín in the Imbaburra Province, whose habitants decided to join forces and fight in what has turned out since then to be more than a decade long struggle against mining companies looking to exploit the natural resources of the area.
‘When Clouds Clear’ is a documentary produced by Clearfilms (Anne Slick y Danielle Bernstein) which portrays this community’s auto determination to decide their own future and  fight to have their human rights respected. In this documentary the habitants tell the story of their absolute determination to defend their land, nature and sustainable means of production by any means possible. Their passion for this cause is reflected in scenes and stills which speak for themselves, making this film production an award winner in various film festivals. www.clearfilms.org

And the struggle goes on…

Currently the valley of Intag (represented in court by three of its residents) is suing Copper Mesa Mining Corporation (TSX:CUX) and the Toronto Stock Exchange. They allege that company directors and the TMX Group have not done enough to reduce the risk of harm being faced by farmers and community leaders in Intag who have faced violent threats and attacks for opposition to a large open-pit copper mine in their pristine cloud forests. Read more…