[Birdtalk] FW: [IBLE] Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike - ETHICS

Mon Nov 26 13:49:42 MST 2007

Though I rarely contribute to this hotline, I read it avidly.  I have enjoyed the many photos of this owl, and the other bird photos which have appeared regularly, and I enjoy reading about many other sightings.  Unhappily, there is something about owls which brings out the worst in people; they are often persecuted, shot, trapped, and molested.  Their frequent indifference to people potentiates this.

While I'm delighted to hear about these exciting visitors, I'd rather they not be posted publicly.  Morons with cameras don't seem to care much about winter wrens or prothonotary warblers, but raptors are just irresistable to some people.  I'd rather think that somewhere out there, secret and protected, amazing creatures are living out their lives, than feel that I must be personally aware of every sighting which occurs.  If I really want to see a Northern Hawk owl, I'll read up, travel, and do my best to find one myself.  If by some miracle I'm lucky enough to make a really unique sighting myself some day, I plan to tell only TRUSTED friends.

Jeffrey Saffle, MD
Professor, Surgery

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From: birdtalk-bounces at utahbirds.org on behalf of James D. McIntyre
Sent: Mon 11/26/2007 1:17 PM
To: BIRDTALK
Subject: [Birdtalk] FW: [IBLE] Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike - ETHICS

Following are several very disturbing posts from IBLE describing the recent highly unethical behavior of a few birders and photogs watching/shooting the visiting Northern Hawk Owl near Rexburg, ID.  Deliberately causing this bird to fly just to get flight shots is unacceptable.  It is trying to survive the winter months far from its natural home and needs all its energy to remain warm and obtain food in freezing temperatures.

Here are some helpful guidelines for observing and photographing wildlife:
http://www.americanbirding.org/abaethics.htm
http://www.nanpa.org/docs/principles.pdf

I sincerely hope there won't be any future occurrences of this inconsiderate, stressful behavior.  The unfortunate result might be that it would become necessary to exclude sightings of rare northern raptors from publication on the bird forums (as was done for the Snowy Owl that visited Utah several years ago).

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: ible at yahoogroups.com [mailto:ible at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dave Mead
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 12:04 PM
To: Darren Clark
Cc: Chad Adams; IBLE list serve; O'Connell John
Subject: Re: [IBLE] Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike

Darren, Chad, IBLE, et. al.

I agree with what's been written about over-enthusiastic birders, but the behavior that Chad observed is totally unethical and unacceptable. I too feel partially responsible as I was the one who "leaked" it to the Pocatello press. I should've asked the newspaper reporter to include a paragraph about birding ethics to discourage the aforementioned behaviors. I don't know it it'll do any good, but I'll ask him to publish a follow-up including such verbiage.

Sorry folks!

Dave Mead

On Nov 26, 2007, at 11:24 AM, Darren Clark wrote:

	Chad and IBLE,

	Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm usually not one to get too up in arms about observers flushing an occasional bird to get a better look, but the behavior you describe is unethical, selfish, and perhaps immoral. I've been worried about the bird crossing highway 33 on its own, it certainly doesn't need anybody flushing it into traffic. I encouraged the Rexburg paper to run a story (written first by the Pocatello paper) on the bird and now feel a bit responsible for some of the "enthusiasm" shown the bird. I hope anybody who observes such behavior towards the bird lets the people involved know how you feel. 

	Darren Clark
	Rexburg, ID
	riversilt at hotmail.com

________________________________

		To: ible at yahoogroups.com
		From: candjbirds at yahoo.com
		Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:46:13 +0000
		Subject: [IBLE] Hawk Owl, Northern Shrike

		On 11/23 I went to Beaver Dick park to see the hawk owl. It was there, 
		being photographed (harassed) by three photographers who followed it 
		from tree to tree, making owl and rodent sounds and otherwise bothering 
		it. It was neat to see the owl, and to watch it hunt voles (very 
		successful at that), but not so neat to see the people chasing it 
		around, including one young person whose parents had the kid climb the 
		tree the owl was in. One photographer approached the owl in a tree as 
		it landed next to Hwy 33, causing it to fly out in the road, nearly 
		getting hit. 
		Across Hwy 33, I observed the owl for some time sitting on a telephone 
		pole, where it was repeatedly buzzed by a very light colored Northern 
		Shrike. The owl didn't seem to mind much, but the shrike was clearly 
		agitated. 
		Its great to see the owl, but people need to use a little common sense 
		around the owl and other people.  

		Chad 

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Thanks a lot folks.  The reason I originally posted a reminder to use caution and consider the welfare of the bird first is because I watched someone walk right up to the bird and flush it, with camera pointed at it, presumably to capture a flight shot.  That person is well know and highly regarded among birders and he knew better.  When he realized that I was there to look at the bird he apologized, saying that he didn't realize I was a birder.  Would it have been OK if no one had seen him?  It's not about the birders and I don't care about my lost opportunity to view the bird on an advantageous perch.  I was concerned about the bird being constantly harassed.  Maybe that point wasn't made obvious enough?  It's not about someone not seeing the bird it's about protecting the owl.  I was disappointed that this sighting got posted in a public forum in the first place but it was already too late at that point.  Owls generate a huge amount of interest as evidenced by the fact that someone has seen this individual almost every day since it was first reported more than two weeks ago, and the four or five carloads of birders every weekend for two months looking for the Rexburg Snowy Owls.  If only one or two people went to see it flushing it wouldn't be that big a deal for the bird (just for the record I wouldn't flush it on purpose then either).  But with all the pressure this bird is receiving it's a whole different story.  Can we afford to continue to flush this bird over and over?  Just for a stupid photograph?  I too enjoy taking photos of birds so I understand the desire to get close.  But that's not a good reason, in my opinion, to flush a wintering bird like this over and over.  And what really pisses me off is that this bird is exceedingly cooperative.  You can get very close and capture excellent photos, even with point and shoot digital cameras, so there's no need to push the bird to the point where it flushes.  If you want a flight shot that badly then just wait for the bird to fly on its own.  Let's use a little common sense and let this bird do its thing without unnecessary interference from us.  

I propose that we collect names (or make/model of car and license plate-someone will know who it is) from people exhibiting such behavior and post them on this forum so everyone knows who not to tell about vulnerable birds in the future.  I'll bet the same people that cause these problems by showing a total disregard for the welfare of the bird will be the first ones to bitch when they find out about the next Snowy or Hawk-Owl long after it's left the area.  

Cliff

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