[cobirds] Re: Larimer Woodcock

Hi all

I must say I am always surprised at the ugly discourse that follows when informal rules are violated.  Mirroring the likes of our Congressional leaders--by "name calling", etc--is not the way to correct any problem.  I think setting our emotions aside and using a sense of civility and thoughtfulness in how we might want to resolve these type problems might get us closer to the "birding nirvana" we all desire. 

How might we better educate and reinforce good birder behavior on what birding ethics are and the importance of them?

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn
http://coloradobirder.ning.com/
Mobile:  http://coloradobirder.ning.com/m


On Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 3:40:46 PM UTC-7, Dave Leatherman wrote:

Birders and photographers and others with binoculars and cameras,
In case it needs to be said, and apparently it does, IT IS NOT OK TO WALK DOWN THE CREEK EDGE TRYING TO FIND AND FLUSH THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This constitutes clueless, and/or rude, unethical behavior and is the kind of thing that gives us birders and photographers bad names with neighbors, enforcement rangers, and other birders.  Come on, people.  A tick mark isn't worth being idiots, to use a moderate label.

Sometimes it takes a little skill and patience to see a bird, even one that is pinned down to an area of 50 yards.  This bird evolved its special camouflage over eons and is remarkable in this respect.  If one doesn't see this bird or any bird, as often happens with ethical birding, you hope to see the next one.  This isn't like going to the zoo where you have a map, the cage has a name on it, and it is fairly reasonable to expect seeing the animal for which the cage is named.

Outdoors people usually don't give up the location of their favorite fishing hole, a morel patch, or an owl cavity.  Screwing up viewing for everybody who might follow you by stomping around for a woodcock is what leads to decreased sharing on public media about other kinds of situations like this one.  It happened with the Fountain Creek bird last year.   One guy with a lot of saliva thwarted untold others from seeing that bird, some of whom drove hundreds of miles.   I knew when this bird was beautifully discovered by Fawn Simonds that it was special enough to perhaps warrant special protocols (limited viewing times, guided group visits, or something along those lines), particularly since the parking lot at Bobcat was closed due to mud.  But the word was innocently put out on COBIRDS.  The first couple days went OK.  Things tend to come unraveled on Day 3 of a "Happening" and apparently that's what is going on.  The unraveling can cease with simple considerate behavior on the part of visitors from here on.  Please.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

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