thank you for your publicly posted comments, andrew. i was just informed that he was in fact told by another birder in the know, while standing at the end of that trail, that the properties beyond him were private and off limits. he apparently ignored that information and went out there anyway, trespassing over a cattle farmer's property and a 1000 acre private club-all posted lands. so much for his self-proclaimed 'good intentions'....... what a tangled web we weave..... any comments, "Sir Arthur" ?
as far as shutting down the preserve, one can view the eagles from the road with patience most of the time, very nicely. there is really no need to go through the preserve. my biggest concern is for the birds welfare, not my photo collection or life list.
JPA
On 02/22/11, Andrew Block<ablock22...@yahoo.com> wrote:Here, Here. I'm glad so many people responded to the unbelievable actions of this person. As I've said before not all but many if not most so called photographers have no scruples and will do anything to get close to their quarry. You would think that when this guy found the end of the trail he'd know to not go any farther, but no, he did as I've seen many do. There is no excuse for doing what he did and I hope since he violtated several federal laws he will be prosecuted by the DEC to the full extent of the laws. I do not however agree with closing down of the preserve as John suggested. In general birders follow the rules and not all should be penalized for one's idiotic habits.
Andrew
Andrew v. F. BlockConsulting Naturalist/Wildlife Biologist
37 Tanglewylde Avenue
Bronxville, Westchester Co., New York 10708-3131
Phone: 914-337-1229; Fax: 914-771-8036
From: John Askildsen <askild...@verizon.net>
To: nysbirds-l@cornell.edu
Sent: Tue, February 22, 2011 11:34:05 AM
Subject: [nysbirds-l] Another Example of Unethical Behavior
to all,
this is a long post and to those who object for the length, i apologize in advance. please feel free to depress the delete key. but if you take the time to read it, you may well be quite impressed with how moronic/self-centered some people can be about their needs vs. the welfare of wildlife and property rights concerns. believe me, this is a unbelieveable read.....
Last night i was informed by (my) local bird club members up here in Dutchess, about the conduct of a visiting birder (JPHILLIPOBRIEN) to Stissing Mtn for Golden Eagles. And last night, i was so 'steamed' i wrote the 'rant' below, which i saved as a draft, to review this morning when perhaps my cooler head would prevail. and in fact i was going to trash the 'rant' and chalk up the perpetrator's (JPHILLIPOBRIEN) actions to just some stupid greenhorn who does not know his "A from his E". but then i got another e-mail from my local bird club members who sent the "perp" letters of protest, which included his reply. his response was nothing less than mind-blowing to me. and at this point, i think he needs to be 'outed' and taught a lesson by the court of public opinion from within the NYS birding community. with the recent buzz on this list concerning birding ethics, i think my entire e-mail thread is appropriate discussion. perhaps i may well sound a little harsh, but i don't think so. you be the judge...
what i wrote and then saved last night and intended to trash the post below:
it is very rare these days that i sound off about poor behavior exhibited by other birders as i find the disputes on line to be distasteful. but this time i feel compelled to comment strongly, based on a personal account written by some idiot who goes by the name of "jphillipobrien2006" and posted to ebirdsnyc and on his personal blog.
yesterday (Sunday), while tom burke, gail benson and i were watching bald and golden eagles at stissing mtn in pine plains, dutchess county, some idiot-and i make no apologies for using the descriptive-idiot, came speeding up in his car and blurted out a dozen rapid fire questions to us about what we were looking at, were they eagles, where are they, etc. we acknowledged that both species of eagles were present and he seemed anxious to get a closer look. so we advised him that he could get a better look down the nearby preserve's trail, where it terminated at the border of private property. so of course he zoomed off and bolted down the trail.
according to his blogsite, he went down the trail and crossed into the cornfields, all of which are closely guarded private property and posted to that effect. then in his own words, he goes on to describe how he scaled the mountain and pursued the eagles up on top of stissing mountain ! the mountain is also private property and restricted as it harbors endangered and threatend species, in addition to being just plain old private property.he has posted point blank photos of the immature golden, which he apparently spooked off of the ridge when he got these photos.
now, my message to this idiot is this: number one, the birding community here in dutchess county goes to great lengths to maintain a respectful, cordial and delicate relationship with landowners. and just because you are 'upstate' and what you are about to crossover is a cornfield and not someone's backyard, that does not change the definition of "NO TRESPASSING". what you did goes beyond a flagrant disregard for property rights. what you did as a birder is reprehensable-to disturb a rare situation like harrassing resident wintering golden eagles and nesting bald eagles in the northeast. i hope that someone who recognizes your name from this e-mail, will set you straight about what is unacceptable and selfish-make that illegal, behavior.
in the meantime, the NYSDEC has been notified by local birders and perhaps we can reach out to USFWS and The Nature Conservancy (requesting that they please shut down the preserve to visitors) as well with your contact information. and if this means the end to any access at all to wintering eagles at stissing for the birding community at large, you may credit yourself with that "badge of stupidity". may i suggest that you stick to watching (harrassing) ducks at jamaica bay wildlife refuge and spare us your presence up here in dutchess county.
end of post from last night
below is his response on 'ebird' to criticisms he received last night via e-mail (not mine). i think he is still under the effects of altitude sickness stemming from his ascent to the top of stissing. maybe forest park is as 'high' as he should get into the cloud layer in the future. and yes, i am being sarcastic and snarley over this whole situation .
Here is (JPHILLIPOBRIEN)'s reply to ebirdsnyc, below:
I've been getting some hate mail from people saying Im unethical, that Im a law
breaker and that Im selfish for posting my Golden Eagle sighting here. So as a
disclaimer let me just add:
1) I did not willingly or deliberately trespass to get those pix. I followed
the trail, the trail disappeared and I continued on.
2) No eagles where threatened, alarmed or in any way endangered or disrespected.
The fact is no eagle will let you get within 1/2 mile of it if it doesn't want
you around.
3) Take the time to actually read my blog post before you send me any more
snarly emails, it will be clear that this was a ONCE IN A LIFETIME event and I
am in no way encouraging anyone to follow my example. The back country there is
very dangerous and covered in 2 feet of snow and ice so trail markers, signs or
any other symbol of human presence are absent.
4) It is the END OF THEIR SEASON, and in 2 weeks the Goldens will be gone. I
deliberately waited till the end of their Wintering time so that those who are
truly motivated to see them will get a plan (a must) together for next year.
5) Last and not least, if you know anything about Arthurian Legend, the quest
for the Holy Grail began because Arthur had violated his pact with the Land and
it had begun to decay (Sound familiar?) Arthur sent the Knights forward on
their quest not for his own glorification, but to renew that Sacred bond. This
was my motivation--to renew the pact between ourselves and that which remains
most Wild.
breaker and that Im selfish for posting my Golden Eagle sighting here. So as a
disclaimer let me just add:
1) I did not willingly or deliberately trespass to get those pix. I followed
the trail, the trail disappeared and I continued on.
2) No eagles where threatened, alarmed or in any way endangered or disrespected.
The fact is no eagle will let you get within 1/2 mile of it if it doesn't want
you around.
3) Take the time to actually read my blog post before you send me any more
snarly emails, it will be clear that this was a ONCE IN A LIFETIME event and I
am in no way encouraging anyone to follow my example. The back country there is
very dangerous and covered in 2 feet of snow and ice so trail markers, signs or
any other symbol of human presence are absent.
4) It is the END OF THEIR SEASON, and in 2 weeks the Goldens will be gone. I
deliberately waited till the end of their Wintering time so that those who are
truly motivated to see them will get a plan (a must) together for next year.
5) Last and not least, if you know anything about Arthurian Legend, the quest
for the Holy Grail began because Arthur had violated his pact with the Land and
it had begun to decay (Sound familiar?) Arthur sent the Knights forward on
their quest not for his own glorification, but to renew that Sacred bond. This
was my motivation--to renew the pact between ourselves and that which remains
most Wild.
"Arthurian legend? "Knights" ? "Holy Grail" ? "decaying land" ? OMG grow up, pal......
JPA
John Askildsen Millbrook, Dutchess County, New York
