Actually, Snowy Owls are hard to harass. That's one of the problems for airports trying to move them off the runways. We watched the Syracuse airport people shooting shell-crackers at one of the owls perched right beside an active runway, and it didn't even blink. It was only when the truck parked right next to it that it flew. And then, only about 100 yards away.
Kevin From: bounce-111128100-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-111128100-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of John Cancalosi Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 11:28 AM To: Kenneth V. Rosenberg Cc: scotthab...@gmail.com; CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Target SNOW and JFK collisions After hearing this report and watching a snowy owl at the Syracuse airport remain perched for hours while jets passed within meters makes me think that these birds can be extremely tolerant of human presence to put it mildly. It reminds me of a situation in Lincolnshire, England where grey seals haul up to have their young on an RAF bombing range! Meanwhile planes are screaming by continuously. On non-bombing days visitors are allowed on the beach near the seals. One would think that this would be the end of the seals, but their population is expanding! On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 10:55 AM, Kenneth V. Rosenberg <k...@cornell.edu<mailto:k...@cornell.edu>> wrote: This bird, like virtually all Snowy Owls I've seen, was completely oblivious to our (or the many other people and cars) presence. At one point it flew down in a silent glide directly at Anne and me, almost grazing our shoulders as it dove into the ditch behind us (possibly after a Song Sparrow that was calling there); and then turned and flew right back to the same post. These owls are stressed, no doubt, by their forced dispersal in search of food, and many will unfortunately probably not make it, but an owl that takes up temporary residence in a Target parking lot during peak shopping hours is not going to feel harassed by a few birders peering up in awe at it. KEN Ken Rosenberg Conservation Science Program Cornell Lab of Ornithology 607-254-2412<tel:607-254-2412> 607-342-4594<tel:607-342-4594> (cell) k...@cornell.edu<mailto:k...@cornell.edu> On Dec 11, 2013, at 8:47 AM, Scott Haber <scotthab...@gmail.com<mailto:scotthab...@gmail.com>> wrote: I think Kevin was suggesting that the owl "sliding" was a result of the bird attempting to perch on a steep, snow-covered incline, and not because it was terrified by a small group of birders standing at a respectful distance, but I guess he could be wrong. -Scott On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 8:00 AM, John and Sue Gregoire <k...@empacc.net<mailto:k...@empacc.net>> wrote: All, 1.Aren't we as a group harassing that TARGET Snowy? Seems every report has it quickly flying off, relocating, sliding, or some such. Just my two cents. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
