Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 23:02:36 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Frank Boyle Subject: One more...ssssssssssssssssssss!! In-Reply-To: <36.43fbfb7a.2c3cc9cf@aol.com> MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT I wondered what all the fuss was about, then I scrolled down to "...Earlier this spring they watched a snake of some kind go into the nest box. That brought about some quick action and the black rat snake was dispatched with a shotgun..." Boy, I'd hate to meet her dear old Mom in a dark nest-box!!! Seriously, people who fear snakes, insects, and any other living creature are woefully ignorant, most times stupid, but not necessarily evil. Having said THAT, I am slithering off to bed, perchance to dream about some yummy Screech Owl eggs. Mmmmm.... Screech owl omelets..... ************************ Frankie "The Snake" O'Boyle Laurel, MD ravenfrank@earthlink.net ************************ -----Original Message----- From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM] On Behalf Of Steve Huy Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 9:29 PM To: MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Snakes vs. Birds? Meghan, thank you for voicing your opinion. I fully agree with your position on this and I am equally disturbed at some of the comments I have read here. Reptiles are a natural part of our environment. And they may be in as much, if not more, danger from our impact in this world than are birds. Unfortunately a prejudice against reptiles keeps them from being far less studied than birds and much less is known about them. But populations are declining for many species. And snakes are heavily persecuted for no reason by many ignorant people. To put it in perspective, these attitudes against snakes are equal to the attitudes that have often caused the slaughter of hawks (and crows and jays) as killers, varmints, and vermin. Its a shame that these people call themselves "birders," it disgraces the rest of us. Steve Huy Middletown, MD gabboon@aol.com In a message dated 7/8/03 9:19:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, cecropia13@MSN.COM writes: > It's somewhat appalling to read messages on a listserv devoted to a > facet of our natural environment that are seemingly anti-nature. Black > rat snakes happen to prefer birds, their eggs, and small mammals > as food sources. We certainly cannot design menus for wild animals. > This should not make them the enemies of birders or cause any > prejudice. Blue jays and crows likely consume more bird eggs and > nestlings every year than black snakes and the birds are more > adaptable to, and acceptable in, our pathetic suburbs. Our natural > areas and wildlife are dwindling, so I think that if folks are > witnessing native predators such as snakes, they ought to feel > blessed. Hopefully the anti-snake birders are at least as disturbed > by all the damned house cats that humans have introduced to the > landscape to become devastating predators to birds, lizards, frogs, > and many small mammals (AKA hawk and owl food). > > Thank you for bearing with my venting and veering somewhat off > topic... > > Meghan Tice, Lover of Birds and Snakes > Glenn Dale, Prince George's County, Maryland cecropia13@msn.com > ======================================================================= 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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================