List Members: I am a recent subscriber of this list-serve. Having read some but not all of the comments and opinions on the encroachment of birds for whatever the motive, I have decided to share some points. From my relative outside perspective, I see this issue to be one of great controversy and I feel a sort of unrest among a community of people who may actually all be on the same side. I want to try to make a point that the state of the birds and our shared environment will be better stewarded to if we are to unite in our efforts. I mean to say we are attacking ourselves, pointing the finger in the mirror. Motivated by a recent statement made by the president of the ABA, I think that those of us who are personally capable of doing so, should educate others while birding in the field. The intention of the comment was to turn non-birders on to birding, but this can apply to those who are already introduced to birds but maybe not aware of their ethical birding offenses. Some offenders may be well aware of their offenses I understand. But I think the state of the birds will be more sustainable in the long run if we spread the special yearning, love, investment, wonder, research, and compassion for these taxon to more and more people in the world. It will hurt birds if birders assault each other. Birders are a minority to begin with, we need to grow our efforts. Some photographers may be more owl-like than owls themselves, but in most Snowy Owl photos I have seen, the owl had been looking directly at the lens implying the photographer is conspicuous to some level, but; it is the look of those bright eskimo eyes looking back at me on the post card or request for donation that encourage me to take positive action. For example, I posted a sighting this past weekend and someone traveling from NYC to Long Island saw the post, viewed the species, and sent me a thank you email. The viewpoint to see the birds was one of appropriateness and I believe no threat to the birds occurred. As a result, the passion for birds was spread among us. Many birders, whether hobbyist, ornithologist, photographers, conservation/preservation, PhD or 13 years old, etc.- we all have some interest in birding that can lead to the further preservation, protection, discovery, knowledge, fund raising, support, emotional/recreational/spiritual related advancement of our worlds birds and their environment. Among other things, I am a naturalist, a birder, a photographer, a living spiritual being affected by many issues related to our avian communities and their and our environment. I don't want to be criticized or confronted by a polarized crowd of peers demanding me to chose a side for having both a camera and a spotting scope in the field. We are on the same side. Yes I have flushed birds in pursuit of a fleeting opportunity that I had maybe been caught up in for various reasons whether adrenaline, obsession, emotion, curiosity, data collection, accidental etc. And I have felt the human side of remorse and regret as a result of maybe flushing an apex predator. What effect (energy conservation or intake from feeding for example) does flushing a relatively few birds, when compared to the regional population of that species, have on that species population in the long run? I'm not sure. It obviously affects birders. Peter PrioloCenter Moriches
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