I share David's and Cindy's views about the issue of restricting information about bird sightings. Before the time of the Internet (before the 1990s) birders got info about bird sightings mostly through phone calls. At that time, the number of active birders (or bird watchers was smaller than today). The significant increase in the number of birders (and bird photographers) has had positive and negative consequences. I will not repeat some of the so-called “negative” consequences since others have pointed out what they are. On the positive side, because their involvement in birding there are more people interested in wildlife and the environment and as concerned citizens they are important segment of the population that can be mobilized to protect these domains. According to survey data, during the past decade (2000-2010) about 48 million adults participated in different forms of bird watching in the United States. I am mentioning the data to argue against any silly idea of restricting information about birds to a small group of selected birders since that would not contribute to expand the interest on birds among those who may join us in the field. And, it will not work since there are always other ways to get the info. On the other hand, tensions and conflicts between birders and photographers will not disappear. However, we should try to minimize these tensions since we are going to share the same spaces and we are going to be in the field looking for the same birds. While bird watchers can see birds from a relative long distance (using powerful scopes and first class binoculars) photographers know that in order to get a quality picture of a bird they have to come much closer to the subject than the so-called traditional “birder” even when you use the most powerful lenses in this craft (lenses above 500mm). One exception would be digiscoping but that is not photography in the traditional sense of the word. In last instance, the dilemma is a trade-off between competing interests. When I am in the field taking pictures of birds (and there are traditional birders/bird watchers around) I do my best not to disturb what other birders are doing. I try not to use flash (even if sometimes there is not alternative) and I kept longer distances from birds (than when I am alone) and sometimes I don’t try to take the shot if I feel it could create potential problems with my colleagues in the field. When I started doing bird photography several years ago I made several mistakes but I have learned from them. That is the best thing you can do.
Felipe On Feb 6, 2012, at 10:08 AM, david speiser wrote: > I too agree with Cindy's summation. > The birding community as a whole should not turn into insular cliques that > make it easy > not to report when you know you will hear about the bird anyway. > Do we want this board to only report Herring Gull's except of course when a > Ross' Gull shows up! > That would need to be kept secret. > > Good birding, > > David Speiser > www.lilibirds.com > > Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 06:14:22 -0800 > From: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Knee jerk reaction to 2 guys that just didn't get it > To: [email protected] > > To echo Janet's post and in response to Stella's - I too have seen > photographers being insensitive to snowy owls, on other ocassions. I remember > one time there was a fantastic photo op for one particular owl at Jones Beach > a few years ago.... I even took one of my kids out of school so he could see > this beautiful bird. (there were actually TWO owls at the beach that day! We > saw both of them!). The first, "poster bird" was sitting on a dune, with at > least a half dozen photographers snapping away at a distance of about 15 > feet. Maybe not even that. Unbelievable but true. The second bird was more > skittish and was sitting by itself, closer to the beach. However, as my son > and I were watching it, a jogger running along the beach passed it too > closely (not seeing the bird) and the owl flushed, flying overhead and away. > You just can't win! > > I disagree, however, that owls should not be mentioned on these birding > listservs. I would think that's just the beginning of a slippery > slope....first owls are kept secret, then perhaps a first-of-state nesting, > or other rare bird.... who's to say an inconsiderate photographer, or birder > (yes, those exist as well, I had the experience of one in my own back yard!), > will get close enough to ANY noteworthy bird to shoo it off and ruin the > experience for everyone else (not to mention stressing the bird!)? > > Keeping sightings limited to "word of mouth" severely restricts who sees > what, turning birding (or the viewing of certain species) into a private club > of sorts - with only the elite "inner circle" allowed to participate. I for > one don't go birding regularly in winter, preferring to just go out for > rarities, and am not in anyone's cell phone contact list. I usually don't > like birding in a crowd. I know a few "key" people but nobody really well. > Word of mouth wouldn't work for me and wouldn't work for many other > respectable, but more casual birders who might come from out of the area just > to see an owl, or any other noteworthy bird. > > There's no way to completely eliminate the problem. There will be clueless > joggers, dogs and their owners, and kids flushing the birds in addition to > the photographers and selfish birders who show up. You can't put a fence > around these birds. I believe that by posting photos or names (or even > license plates) of the perpetrators, they will eventually learn that it's not > worth their while to do what they're doing. Or they won't care and the > occasional bird may suffer an uncomfortable moment or two. I still think > that's better than a whole lot of decent, good folks losing out on something > really special. > > have a great day! > Cindy Wodinsky > -- > 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! > -- -- 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/ --
