The opinion I voiced, to stop posting about owls, is certainly not a new one among birders and has been in practice for years. It is unfortunate. Education will help to reduce disturbance, which is why I re-posted the ABA's ethics principles. There are a number of web sites that have similar principles for wildlife photographers. Here is one: http://www.naturephotographers.net/ethics.html
I was glad to see the Administrator of this list post about ethics a few weeks ago. It was clear from the discussion about baiting owls with mice that many people were unaware of the potential problem of habituation, so perhaps many are unaware of ethical principles in general. Or at least need reminding. As Stella indicated, there are other ways than the listserv to see owls, like getting out and looking. But please respect the birds and the habitat. On Feb 6, 2012, at 8:02 AM, Arthur H. Kopelman, Ph.D. wrote: > I’ve seen the same kind of behavior with folks trying to photograph seals and > getting too close, or trying to flush the, from haulout sites. Educating > these folks and having the MMPA as a threat goes a long way to help reduce > the offensive behavior. > > I thoroughly understand the pique we all feel at those who have absolutely no > respect for the ecosystems upon which they trod and within which they are > photographing, but let’s remember that these folks don’t represent the > majority. I think that it would be a shame to stop posting information about > owls, or other interesting birds/wildlife. Perhaps one could post the > general vicinity (e.g., Jones Beach, Breezy Point, etc.) within posting the > specifics, and your images are geotagged, perhaps you can post them with > minimal EXIF data embedded. If one is interested in the specifics, they can > email the poster and request that info. > > Artie > > Arthur H. Kopelman, Ph. D. > President, > Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island > [email protected] > www.cresli.org > 631-244-3352 > ( e-mails scanned for viruses before sending) > > > > > "When the last individual of a race of living thing breathes no more, > another heaven and another earth > must pass before such a one can be again" ...... William Beebee > > P Be kind to the environment - unless you need to, please don't print this > e-mail > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stella Miller > Sent: Monday, February 06, 2012 7:14 AM > To: [email protected]; Gregory Fisher > Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Knee jerk reaction to 2 guys that just didn't get it > > To jump into the fray here: I have personally witnessed more than just two > people harassing snowy owls, in fact, I have observed, on several occasions, > up to four or five photographers at a time deliberately flushing the bird, > approaching it too closely, causing the bird to have to continually fly down > the beach, paparazzi in tow. I have also had reports from friends who have > witnessed this same behavior as recently as a week or so ago. > > In another example, just yesterday I was observing a screech owl near my > house. Two photographers came over and started snapping away. I asked them > to please be respectful of the bird, keep their distance and not disturb it. > I then pretended to walk into the woods for a hike as they said they were > leaving. As I entered the woods, I watched them go back to the owl, and > heard their car horn go off several times. I cannot confirm, but it seemed > as though they were trying to prompt the owl into opening its eyes. To their > credit they did not approach closely, or stay long and did leave after 1/2 an > hour. > > It is not just two guys, unfortunately there seems to be a growing rash of > unethical behavior occurring, with boundaries being crossed that should not > be. I agree with Seth, owls should not be listed on the listserv. Word of > mouth has worked wonderfully in the past, in fact, I only joined the listserv > a year or so ago and managed to hear about any and all owls that were being > seen. > > Stella Miller > President > Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon > > > > > "Conservation is sometimes perceived as stopping everything cold, as holding > whooping cranes in higher esteem than people. It is up to science to spread > the understanding that the choice is not between wild places or people, it is > between a rich or an impoverished existence for Man." Thomas Lovejoy > > --- On Mon, 2/6/12, Gregory Fisher <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Gregory Fisher <[email protected]> > Subject: [nysbirds-l] Knee jerk reaction to 2 guys that just didn't get it > To: [email protected] > Date: Monday, February 6, 2012, 6:19 AM > > All, > > I am a photographer and am very respectful of wildlife and the birding > ethic rules. In no way do I want to bring harm or stress any wildlife > including snowy owls. The opportunity to be able to see these magnificant > birds this winter is an awesome one. The birding list have been an awesome > resource in order to see not only snowy owls but other species as well. Just > because there were 2 bad apples some people who think they are above everyone > else trashes photographers in general. Then we have frequent birders say > they are no longer going to post specific locations, which in my mind means > people will have to look harder and possibly flush out bird looking instead > of understand where they are and staying a good distance away to observe. > Then we have others that say they will no longer post at all. If this is the > case why not just band this whole concept of the birding list and we can all > go back to the stone age. I understand the problem with a select few but > come on people grow up and handle the situation responsibly. > > Greg > > -- > > 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/[email protected]/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/ > > -- > > -- > NYSbirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics > Rules and Information > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > Archives: > The Mail Archive > Surfbirds > BirdingOnThe.Net > Please submit your observations to eBird! > -- > -- > NYSbirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics > Rules and Information > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > Archives: > The Mail Archive > Surfbirds > BirdingOnThe.Net > Please submit your observations to eBird! > -- Seth Ausubel Forest Hills, NY -- 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/[email protected]/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/ --
