It has come to our attention that at least one individual has been attempting to lure the Painted Bunting with meal worms, ostensibly to get a better photograph opportunity. PABU, being a seed eater with a plentiful supply of food on the Lefrak Greenroof, has no need of supplemental nutrition and inappropriate feeding could potentially interfere with his impulse to leave for warmer climes should the weather around here turn really nasty.
Many of the people who still come to see the PP-PABU come from the general public and photographer populations and may have little acquaintance with the ethics of birding hammered out by countless birder hours in the field. As members of the birding community it behooves us to try and educate people a bit on birding ethics and perhaps reduce some of the more potentially harmful and disruptive behavior. People have been generally respectful of the plantings and stay mostly on the paths, and we certainly don't have the crowds of a few weeks ago, but there are always those who, either from ignorance or high motivation, step into the planted areas for a closer look, and now we may have some who may be trying to feed the PABU, also from ignorance or motivation. Please be polite and instructive when working with these people so as to help correct the unwanted behavior as well as maintain the good reputation birders have as caretakers of wildlife and natural habitat. I have found that the large percentage of people respond favorably once they understand the dynamics of the greenroof and needs of the Painted Bunting. Rob Bate Brooklyn -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
