Female Birders

I don't normally moan on here but just lately I have been ignored and belittled by male birders and I feel that I need to say something. Sitting in a hide at Blacktoft Sands the other evening was a prime example. We had seen the Montys the previous day from Singleton Hide, our first sighting being at 5.30pm. The following evening, we again sat in the hide, this time the hide was full, all men. One asked what time the bird was seen the previous day, I told the whole hide the time and direction.......totally ignored. The bird then flew in at exactly the same time and direction.....not one word of thanks. If a man had told them, would he have got a 'cheers mate', I think so. 

We have recently been to Thailand with a couple of friends and a friend of a friend joined us. I was looking for a crake but was told 'You will never see a crake, they are small you know, women can't see small birds, they are smaller than buzzards you know'......my fist was coiled ! Needless to say, we didn't speak again for the rest of the holiday and I made sure that I out birded him every single day, a pig of a man and a crap birder !!

Again, at the black-winged stilt today, I was telling a friend that my bins had gone back to Swarovski as they were broken. A sarcastic comment from a male birder.....'you do have to focus them you know', followed by his sarcastic laughter. I turned him to stone. But Swarovski are as bad. My return form that accompanied by bins was clearly in my name...MRS......my acknowledgement came back addressed to MR !!

I am now used to being ignored but when someone stands infront of me, I do say something as I had to do many times at the recent Little Bustard and before that at the Gull-billed Tern. Seems like someone stands infront of me at every twitch, and believe me, they do get told. They wouldn't dream of standing infront of a man, so what makes it alright to stand infront of a women ?? But when a male birder deliberately pushes me out of the way of my own telescope at a twitch, Simon does step in. 

So, all you macho birders out there, your sarcasm, rudeness and ignorance has worn too thin. Enough.