The Big Twitch

One man, one continent, a race against time - a true story about birdwatching

By: Sean Dooley

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Paperback | 1 October 2005 | Edition Number 1

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336 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
2.3 x 14.1 x 20.5

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One man's quest to realise a boyhood dream and break a national record.

Sean Dooley seems like a well adjusted, functioning member of society but beneath the respectable veneer he harbours a dark secret. He is a hard-core birdwatcher (aka twitcher').

Sean takes a year off to try to break the Australian twitching record - he has to see more than 700 birds in twelve months. Travelling the length and breadth of Australia, he stops at nothing in search of this birdwatching Holy Grail, blowing his inheritance, his career prospects and any chance he has of finding a girlfriend.

Part confessional, part travelogue, this is a true story about obsession. It's about seeking the meaning of life, trying to work out what normal' is, and searching for the elusive Grey Falcon (the bird, not the car). Sean's story of how he followed his childhood dream of becoming a national champion is both inspiring and ridiculous. Could this be the most pathetic great achievement in Australian history?

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A foreword for birders	p. viii
A foreword for non-birders	p. ix
Glossowary	p. x
Prologue	p. 1
New Year's Eve 2001, Bunyip State Park, VIC	p. 7
15 July 1980, Nicholas Hall, Melbourne, VIC	p. 13
3 June 1996, Collingwood, VIC	p. 25
1 January 2002, Melbourne General Cemetery, VIC	p. 41
4 January, Seaford Swamp, VIC	p. 47
13 January, Chiltern, VIC	p. 58
19 January, Bunyip State Park, VIC	p. 66
26 January, Wollongong Pelagic, NSW	p. 74
3 February, Norfolk Island Botanic Gardens	p. 81
10 February, Hospital Swamp, VIC	p. 92
17 February, Slim Dusty billboard, Pacific Highway, NSW	p. 95
15 March, Christmas Island Detention Centre	p. 107
23 March, Gluepot Reserve, SA	p. 117
30 April, Barren Grounds, NSW	p. 126
9 June, Pirates Bay, Eaglehawk Neck, TAS	p. 137
24 June, Pemberton, WA	p. 144
14 July, Port Augusta, SA	p. 152
16 July, Stuart Highway, 19 km south of the NT-SA border	p. 160
30 July, Edge of the Simpson Desert, NT	p. 169
5 August, Yaningurie Waterhole, SA	p. 177
14 August, Cairns, QLD	p. 182
26 August, Saibai Island, Torres Strait	p. 194
9 September, Mission Beach, QLD	p. 205
16 September, Lamington National Park, QLD	p. 217
28 September, MCG, VIC	p. 224
17 October, Lord Howe Island	p. 227
1 November, Nullarbor Plain, SA	p. 236
7 November, Shoalhaven Heads, NSW	p. 245
16 November, Broome, WA	p. 253
21 November, Mount Carbine, QLD	p. 260
29 November, Kununurra, WA	p. 268
3 December, Kakadu National Park, NT	p. 275
14 December, Mount Isa, QLD	p. 283
20 December, The Green House, Iron Range, QLD	p. 289
24 December, Mount Lewis, QLD	p. 294
Epilogue	p. 299
Bird list	p. 302
Acknowledgements	p. 321
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

The Big Twitch

One man, one continent, a race against time - a true story about birdwatching

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

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