Re: Birder Report Card - Pine Knob Road

Jeffrey A. Friedhoffer (jfried997@internetMCI.com)
Fri, 16 Jan 1998 23:14:50 -0500 

Darius,

I went to Pine Knob last Saturday, 9 Jan at about 1400.  Saw a bunch of
people looking in the trees.  Got out of the car and saw a male and two
females.  They were sitting in a deciduous tree plain as day.  They must
have been there 15 min.  After a while they flew into the pine trees for
about 5 min an then flew the coop.  Folks I was standing next to let me
look through their scope, but my binoculars were fine for seeing
everything but the bill.  After the birds left I realized that Jo Solem
and Jane Farrell and Dennis were there.

I guess it was beginners luck to get there when the birds were showing
off.  By the way, I am not getting any rare bird alerts so I assume that
I e-mail address that you had was not correct.  Please add me to the
list from the address on this e-mail.

Thanks

Jeff

> I forgot to mention this.  Early Saturday morning I ran into the owner
> of one of the houses just to the west of the Pine Knob Road Crossbill
> location.  This very nice gentleman was walking his dog, Rudy.  Rudy
> is nice too, kind of reminds you of the dog t
> he Beverly Hillbillies had.
>
> Anyway, he was just as interested in the Crossbills as I was, although
> he is not a birder.  He did mention a word or too about the crowds on
> the roadside.  I asked him if we were bothering him in any way.  He
> answered with a resounding "No, you're not bot
> hering me !  Gee, those bills are like a broken pair of pliers aren't
> they ?"
>
> I'm very glad everyone so far has practiced good birding ethics at
> this location. Please do continue to not encroach or tresspass in any
> way on the houses on the west end of this location, especially now
> that the birds are sometimes being located there.
> Be patient and stand there by the road and the Crossbills will
> eventually show up.  Also continue to park far off the road on the
> shoulder, and don't block the fire roads.  If anyone stops and asks
> you what you are doing, patiently explain you are bird wa
> tching, and tell them about the Crossbills if they are interested.
>
> And again, Thank you for your behavior.
>
> Good Birding,
>
> Darius Ecker
> Columbia, Maryland