I no longer post any birds at this and other locations where I see photographers. I keep a group list of contacts and limit my postings to them. I’m sure I’m unintentionally leaving people out, and I’ve been throwing the idea of a WhatsApp group around with a few other birders. There’s currently a 256 member limit on a group, but there are ways around that if we some day exceeded that. The photography stuff is out of control and I won’t contribute to a public group any sightings of birds that are in chaseable locations.
Mike Cooper Ridge Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 27, 2018, at 1:53 PM, Patricia Lindsay <[email protected]> wrote: > > Yesterday I was alerted to six juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers and two > Dunlin among the birds visiting the Heckscher puddles. When I arrived, > several people with cameras were out of their cars attempting to get > photos or get closer looks. These folks were approaching cautiously and > slowly, and while the birds did not immediately flush, they were > obviously hyper-alert, interfering with their ability to feed, rest and > preen in peace. > > I was curious about the age of the Dunlins, as they were in a > transitional plumage I suspected to be molting juvs. So I returned to > the site this morning, where I was very upset to see, not for the first > time, photographers in two cars and a truck positioned RIGHT IN THE > PUDDLE, practically on top of and surrounding the birds. I decided this > would not be a pleasant study and left. > > I can no longer remain silent on this issue. Folks, where is your common > sense, courtesy, and decency? Give these birds a chance! Is your photo > more important than the well-being of these migrating birds? Give other > birds who may be avoiding this disruption a chance to land and feed or > rest as well. And give other birders a chance to see them! Another > birder, scoping the birds from great distance, through gaps among the > closely gathered vehicles, was completely blocked when the truck, > already on top of the birds, was re-positioned to be EVEN CLOSER to the > birds. > > PLEASE - Stay in your cars! Or scope from a distance. > PLEASE - Stay out of the main puddles. Especially do not drive up > near/onto the grassy berm in the center of the main puddle. > Please keep your distance --these long-distance migrants are dropping in > to rest and preen and feed, impossible with such pressure on them so > constantly. > And please have respect for others trying to see the birds. > > The Dunlin, by the way, are indeed molting juveniles, as confirmed this > morning by Shai. > > Patricia Lindsay > Bay Shore > > > > > > > > -- > > NYSbirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm > 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
