Date: Sun, 6 Aug 2000 16:30:53 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Shirley Geddes Subject: Re: Wrap-up of the Hooper's Island fiasco (lengthy) Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Can the people at Hooper's Is, Road be suggested to the ABA for a certificate of appreciation award which they present to helpful non- birders? This might show that we really do appreciate their hospitality and compensate for any inconvience. ---------- >From: Leslie Roslund >To: MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM >Subject: [MDOSPREY] Wrap-up of the Hooper's Island fiasco (lengthy) >Date: Fri, Aug 4, 2000, 11:48 AM > >Dear Birders- > Many thanks to those of you who took the time to comment on the Hooper's >Island issue. Your comments have been both useful and reassuring to me. >Useful because they have given me basis for a response to the property owner >on behalf of the birding community, rather than leaving me to just give him >my own opinions. Reassuring, because so many of the comments reflected >grand combinations of sensitivity, wisdom, and just good sense. I brelieve >we have churned along on this matter sufficiently for now, and it is time to >move on. > > I spoke again last evening with the property owner, and shared with him >the essence of the comments from our birding community. I expect to send >him copies of most of the e-mail messages that I have received on the >subject. > Last evening he said there had been no further problems this week, but >also noted that the week-day people had not been a problem last week either. >It was just some small set of the visitors on Saturday and Sunday. (He has >never given me a specific count of the numbers of problem people, but from >the various problems, it sounds to me like at least three, and possibly five >of the visiting parties have triggered this whole thing - and I am fully in >agreement that even one misbehaving birder is too many.) This weekend he >expects to be home, and will be keeping his own 'eye on things', and expects >no real problems. (Nice optimism there). > > He has removed the number sign from his lawn. I suggested the >possibility of adding some "no trespassing" signs, with my apology for not >being in position to offer to bring them to him. (He said he would take >care of that sort of thing if he decided it was needed). So, some such >signs may be present. > > For future visits to see this very beautiful Sandhill Crane, I strongly >recommend the following: > >1. Go to the site ONLY during normal daylight hours, such as no earlier than >7:00 a.m., and no later than dusk. (An added complaint came up in this >conversation about some extremely early hour visits having disturbed some of >his neighbors.) And when you see the bird, try to restrain some of your >exhuberance (another comment from a neighbor was associated with some >screaming by visitors when the bird was sighted). > >2. When visiting, either view the bird from your car while still on the >roadway, or if you choose to get out of your car, please park it on the >opposite side of the road from the houses, and still do your viewing from >the roadway only. (There is plenty of room on that side - to the right, as >you come to the houses - that is where I just automatically parked when I >drove down there.) > >3. Regardless of whether or not anyone seems to be at home, look for the >bird ONLY from the road, and whether you see it or not, do not proceed up >the driveway, or onto the lawn, or around to the back of the house where the >view of the Honga River will be sorely tempting. If the owner is away, the >neighbors are definitely watching, and besides, we are in clear agreement >that stomping across someone's private property is always a violation of >birding ethics, regardless of how beautiful and special and tame the bird >may be. > >4. The bird is mainly at the 'first' house, but sometimes also uses the >neighbor's lawns too. Treat their property with the same level of total >respect as described above, and do not leap to the conclusion that they will >be as friendly or as patient with birders as the property owner that we have >been dealing with has been. > >5. Heavy-duty photographers need to be particularly courteous. (One of the >e-mail postings has covered that quite well). Apparently some of the >Hooper's Island neighbors are not at all comfortable if they feel some big >and intruding camera lens is going to be focusing on them or their house and >property. > >6. Mannerly birders are still very much welcome. Unmannerly birders are >encouraged to either change their ways for this birding visit, or else to >stay home. > > It is correct to reaffirm that the property owner is a very hospitable >person, and shares our sense of frustration regarding the entire set of >incidents. I am certain that he will also fully appreciate the sensitivity >and concern expressed within the e-mail postings that I will be mailing to >him. > >Les Roslund >Lroslund@bluecrab.org >Easton MD > >=======================================================================>To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com >with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey >======================================================================= ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================== ==========================================================================