Re: [cobirds] Re: Larimer Woodcock

Well said Dave and Eric.  

I think that the numbskulls need to be outed and treated as the pariahs they deserve to be.  If I'm doing something stupid like that I expect to be called on it.  I hope the morons who are doing it here and other places get called out in public.

Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

On Sun, Jan 18, 2015 at 9:24 PM, Eric DeFonso <bay.wren@gmail.com> wrote:

Austin,

Please, do NOT blame yourself for the bad behavior of others. And please do NOT begin a habit of keeping outstanding birds like this American Woodcock to yourself the next time you, Fawn, or anyone comes across one. Just because one or perhaps several people do not understand or practice ethical birding behavior should not result in a complete swing of the pendulum of openness and sharing in the other direction. That would unfortunate, perhaps tragic. (The British have a term for not reporting one's rarity sightings, but it escapes me at the moment. If someone can remind me it, please do.)

I for one do not want to bird in a community where the new norm is that no one shares their good fortunes with others. The problem in this case was not that you, as Dave put it, innocently shared the sighting on CoBirds. The problem is like Dave described, treating the habitat and the area as a zoo, or actually even worse than one (since when are you allowed to pester a hiding or secretive animal at a zoo just to see it, in the same way that some jerks bother the birds in the field?). It infests lots if not all extraordinary bird sightings in Colorado or pretty much anywhere else in the world, irrespective of the good intentions and unassailable character of people like yourself and Fawn.

I am very grateful that you and Fawn found this bird and that you reported it, and that numbers of others have continued to provide updates on its presence and location. Because of generosity of spirit, I'm going to make an effort to look for this bird tomorrow morning (my first opportunity to do so), in much the same way I went to look for the Woodcock down at Fountain Creek last year. I failed to find it there, and I sincerely hope that a few people's numbskull behavior and selfish attitudes haven't already doomed my efforts to spot it.

However, if I personally can't find this bird, I'll accept the outcome as just another example of the beauty and enigma of nature. I don't view the natural world or birds as *owing* me a tick on my lists, simply because I make an effort to look for them. When I can get that tick, sure, I'm thrilled and grateful, but if the woodcock decides to stay silent or out of view, or has moved to quieter creekbeds elsewhere, that's the breaks and I'll just have to wait until next time.

Thanks,

Eric

On Sun, Jan 18, 2015 at 7:19 PM, Austin Hess <outdoorlover1214@gmail.com> wrote:

Dave...I'm very sorry if posting to COBirds when I found out was not smart of me. I realize that it attracted such a large amount of people...I probably should of known better. Too bad to hear that it has gone over the line. I wish I would of thought over everything better and just kept the bird to Fawn (who is a good friend of mine) and myself. 

Austin Hess

Fort Collins 

 

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Eric DeFonso
Boulder, CO

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Ira Sanders

Golden, CO

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