A full account of Cornelius Birdseye’s life is not available and we must make do with the snippets of information that have survived. Birdseye was the overseer of the South Australian Company’s flocks and herds and he sailed to South Australia in 1836 on the Lady Mary Pelham. On board he had charge of a flock of the company’s sheep, much to the annoyance of Captain Ross and his crew. They claimed that the sheep’s presence limited their ability to catch a whale, should the opportunity arise. This led to friction throughout the voyage. In the first few weeks after arrival at Kangaroo Island, Birdseye was one of the officers with whom Samuel Stephens had a number of issues.