Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2000 19:59:49 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Leslie Roslund Subject: Disrespectful Behavior of Sandhill Crane Watchers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear MDOSPREY readers: Earlier today I had a lengthy discussion with the property owner on Hooper's Island where the Sandhill Crane has been. He had been away for the weekend, and his neighbors reported some quite inappropriate and even horribly disgusting behavior of some of the birders seeking the Sandhill Crane during the weekend. A total of at least 50 cars visited the residence over the weekend, apparently looking for the bird. Most were courteous and well-behaved, but there were the others. THE OTHERS: =20 MANY birders drove up the driveway, even though all the instructions had said to park along the road. One White Van drove out across the yard from partway up the driveway. One car made a complete circle on the property owner's yard. One aggressive camera man scared the bejeebers out of a neighbor by slipping up behind her with the awesome camera equipment as she was intently working in her flower garden. Several birders walked all around the house, inspecting the flower beds, looking in the windows, and all-in-all acting as if no one would be seeing them being so aggressive since obviously no one was at home in the house. Well the neighbors, who are longer term residents of Hooper's Island, had kindly volunteered to 'watch the place' for the home-owners, and the birders sure did give them an 'eye-full'. =20 The owner and I are now amidst discussions of how to turn off this circus. This note is sent in hopes that you might have some ideas about what can be done, if anything, to achieve the dual objectives of letting people still view this beautiful and cooperative bird, yet protecting the property owners and his neighbors from more of the disrespectful behavior that was demonstrated last weekend (July 29 and 30). (The property owner did clearly state that the people that visited during the week, when he was home, were all well-mannered. It was the weekend people that acted so disgustingly.) By the way, did any of you readers happen be visiting there on 29th or 30th, and possibly see some of the behavior that the neighbors have reported? Comments and suggestions are hereby solicited, even though I will be posting another statement on this matter tomorrow. Les Roslund ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================== ==========================================================================