Hi all,
I would think that a person with such a background (avian conservation) would
have known that the birding public couldn't handle knowing where an owl was and
wouldn't be able to behave appropriately. I would also think that a person
that has gotten after others for their behavior on these lists would be able to
conduct himself more appropriately.
I've been a birder for seven years, and I have seen this happen so many times
that I have lost count, and it could be prevented by using just a little bit
more discretion AND common sense. Did Mr. Brashear not expect there to be a
flood of people after he let someone know that there was a Long-eared Owl where
he was? He should have known that by informing the masses that "someone
(would) not respect(ing) the bird's space and gett(ing) too close...". Then he
goes and yells at the person that "spooked" the owl.
In a lot of ways, it's really sad.
Good birding,
Richard
Richard L. Wood, Ph. D.
Hastings, MN
rwoodphd at yahoo.com
----- Original Message ----
From: Sandy Kuder <fivekud...@yahoo.com>
To: mou-net at moumn.org
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 9:29:06 AM
Subject: [mou] - Could this be why people don't post.......
To the MOU listserve.....
Attached is the personal reply that the MOU Moderator sent me. Normally, I
would not post such a thing...HOWEVER....since he is the moderator of this
listserve, it explains alot.
p.s. Maybe this isn't the forum for an amateur birdwatcher such as myself.
Or the organization.
Happy Birding,
Sandy Kuder
Terence Brashear <birdnird at yahoo.com> wrote:
Sandy
There is a HUGE difference between unknowingly spooking a bird and spooking one
that is in a known location.
I located the bird in a very
hard to find spot it, it took me 2 hours to find it, and after letting people
know about within a half hour, there was a beaten trail leading right up to the
bird. I had to tell one person with a point and shoot digital camera to back
off. I feel terrible now. The 10 people that were there and could not find it
would have told people it was gone. Instead I told people the EXACT location.
Cell phones opened and the calls were made.
When I left there were 20 people standing around and more people on the trail
heading to where the bird was; around 10:30-10:45AM. This was not an unknowing
person not seeing the bird and spooking it. This was someone not respecting
the bird's space and getting too close. By 11AM the bird was gone. How is
that a short-sighted assumption? A huge group of people shows up and in 15
minutes the bird is gone? Do you really think I was making flippant
assumptions? Give me a
break!
I have worked with bird for years, handling them and doing field research for
USFW, State of Iowa, State of MN, USGS. My degree is in Avian Conservation.
Do you think I was just spouting off? What sort of background do you have to
ASSUME anything about me?
Terry Brashear
Hennepin County, MN
http://www.naturepixels.com
birdnird AT yahoo.com
----- Original Message ----
From: Sandy Kuder <fivekud...@yahoo.com>
To: Terence Brashear <birdnird at yahoo.com>; mou-net at moumn.org
Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2007 1:42:12 PM
Subject: Re: [mou] Spooked LEOW
I went to MAC park about 11:30 yesterday. Ran into a couple of other
birders, no one was seeing the
Owl. Spent a couple of hours enjoying the park (I never realized it was
there). I was about to leave around 2 or so when I heard a crow making a
racket not too far in front of me. Continued to the vincinity of where the
crow was and just stood there for a couple of minutes. The crow wasn't diving
at anything. After a bit the crow flew away and I still stood still. Just
looking and listening. Didn't even raise my bins. Eventually, I took one
step.
W H O S H.
Guess what?
An owl was no more than 10 feet in front of me and I never saw it until it
flew.
Does that make me an awful person? Should I feel shame because it was so
well camoflauged that I didn't see it until it flushed? Nope. I'll tell ya
what I felt. Frustrated at the fact
that I knew it was an owl, but never got my bins on it. So I can't tell ya if
it was a Long-Eared or not.
But I'll tell you how I feel now. Frustrated and a little angry at the
short-sighted assumptions that some birders make about other people.
And you know what they say about assumptions....................
Happy Birding,
Sandy Kuder
Terence Brashear <birdnird at yahoo.com> wrote:
It appears someone got too close to the Long-eared Owl at the MAC park in
Crystal this morning. I heard that people looking for it around 11AM could not
find it. I was with 3 other people that found it in a different
location around 9AM and we were kind enough to let people know the location -
it was not easy to find. I left at 10AM and it was still sitting calmly in the
area we found it.
Whomever spooked this bird, and you know who you are, you should be ashamed of
yourselves.
I only hope it returns and can be seen by more people.
Please use common sense when you approach birds.
Regards,
Terry Brashear
Hennepin County, MN
http://www.naturepixels.com
birdnird AT yahoo.com
Moderator MOU-NET
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