To add to Ken’s and Bob's reports, this afternoon I (PJL) spent about 40 minutes (1:20-2:00 PM) scanning the grassy edges at Captree SP from my car in the rain with no sign of the Common Ground-Dove, but given the abysmal conditions and the bird’s proclivity for disappearing for long intervals, that is hardly surprising. I did have up-close looks at a very wet Western Kingbird at the entrance to the boat launch road.
There have been several disheartening accounts of people pushing the limits and causing the Common Ground-Dove to take flight and seek cover. We can certainly understand the lure of getting a better look or that perfect shot, but it is simply not necessary to approach the bird at all closely. Even if the bird seems comfortable or oblivious to its admirers, please resist the urge to creep up on it. The likelihood of flushing it might seem small at any particular moment, but this is exactly what has happened a number of times already. Several birders are either enroute or planning to make the long trip down from upstate (and even from as far away as Virginia). With this in mind, and with concern that the dove has enough worries from non-birder vehicles and feral cats, we urge everyone to give the newcomers--and the dove--a chance and help ensure that this bird is not driven from the area due to our activities. Patricia Lindsay Shai Mitra -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
