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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