tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post3470302933039959334..comments2023-11-15T01:49:12.477+00:00Comments on Alan Mackenzie Photography: The Bird and the BystandersAlan MacKenziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16667377534438807166noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-45910642747205831332015-04-11T23:49:25.727+01:002015-04-11T23:49:25.727+01:00Well done mate. I had to ask a guy to stop throwin...Well done mate. I had to ask a guy to stop throwing stones at the seagulls the other day. At least the third time I've had to do that.stevolutionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14585650174881976209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-77520636173028093202014-02-24T16:41:19.157+00:002014-02-24T16:41:19.157+00:00Hello, Kate. The father did try some emotional bla...Hello, Kate. The father did try some emotional blackmail about me upsetting his son. I wasn't fooled. Well done for rescuing the juvenile Guillemot. It's a good idea to keep some gloves with you, in case one needs to handle a stricken animal to get it away from danger, before expert rescuers arrive.Alan MacKenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16667377534438807166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-84565531216102072702014-02-24T16:32:52.539+00:002014-02-24T16:32:52.539+00:00Only 3 yrs old....utterly pathetic excuse...may as...Only 3 yrs old....utterly pathetic excuse...may as well have been the adult chucking stones if that was the best he could come up with!!! I am pleased to say I acted a couple of weeks ago...on an Eastbourne beach I saw a little bird on the beach struggling. I had my (unbird friendly English Springer Spaniel with me) so put him on a lead and climbed down over a breakwater onto the adjoining beach...the steps to the beach had been closed as some of the steps had been broken in the storms). I walked carefully and approached the little bird...it appeared unhurt but oily and unable to fly. I tied up the dog and used my large woolly hate to gently place around the bird and tucked it under my arm. It was on the shoreline and struggling to keep out of the water and the tide was coming in and it was rough. I knew it would not survive. Rather than leave it I chose to move it up the beach to hopefully buy it some time until the rescue arrived! I kind of his it under the steps tucked in the groynes and climbed back up the breakwater (very gingerly), lifted up the dog and went and called Trevor Weekes wild animal rescue, a local rescue charity. They said they'd be there in about 15 mins! I gave them an exact location and hung around as long as I could. I couldn't stay with my dog as I didn't want to upset the bird. It was a juvenile guillemot. I understand they did find it and take it away...I hope it survived. It had pecked feistily at my cost when I had carried it! Katevanillablush https://www.blogger.com/profile/08729164055747253525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-4425616635305278472014-02-24T15:46:21.541+00:002014-02-24T15:46:21.541+00:00It's a combination of ignorance and human natu...It's a combination of ignorance and human nature. There's nothing wrong with being ignorant, provided one takes steps to address it. Alan MacKenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16667377534438807166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-8940606902016001542014-02-24T15:22:41.534+00:002014-02-24T15:22:41.534+00:00Bravo! The ignorance of some people is astounding....Bravo! The ignorance of some people is astounding. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424582279257845992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-51976763052704636162014-02-23T16:47:50.924+00:002014-02-23T16:47:50.924+00:00Thank you, Martin. The father did actually apologi...Thank you, Martin. The father did actually apologise and acknowledge the error of his ways. Like everybody else in the crowd, he was conflicted between the group rules, which was to do nothing and the rules of the individual, which was to intervene. Ironically, had the man and his son been alone, he probably would have stopped his son from throwing the stones. We've all been in situations like this, but my point was to show that we can override the primitive forces directing our behaviour and do the right thing.<br /><br />I was involved in a similar type of incident today on the bus. A young man with obvious mental health problems sat engaging in self-injurious behaviour. He was talking to voices and punching himself in the face. People were aware of him and made remarks about him being locked up and not allowed out. I felt myself succumbing to the Bystander Effect, as I am only human. But when I sat next to him and asked if everything was all right, the man calmed down and thanked me. When the man got off the bus, people changed and started thanking me. It shows that group rules prevent us from doing the right thing, even if people know they ought to intervene. When someone does intervene, people start following different rules. We are all capable of behaving this way. I just hope, that if I ever have a heart attack, it happens when I'm with just one other person and not in a large crowd!Alan MacKenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16667377534438807166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6856551099141296693.post-17778013374537083682014-02-23T15:50:11.534+00:002014-02-23T15:50:11.534+00:00I'm sorry to hear you had to give up on the mu...I'm sorry to hear you had to give up on the murmurations, but at least you have this picture as a consolation! And, of course, the beer in your fridge!<br /><br />Maybe the idiot will learn the hard way to respect nature. Someday, something bigger and nastier than a guillemot may extract revenge. We can but hope...Martin Lowerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03875064625911285695noreply@blogger.com