Fwd: [TEXBIRDS] Lost of Birding Habitat & a Birding Spot
Phil Davis (pdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Thu, 07 May 1998 03:31:48 -0400
All -
This is a cross-post from Texbirds. It doesn't deal with MD birds, but I
know many MD birders have been to Zapata to look for the seedeaters ... or
would have planned to go in the future. Thought you'd be interested.
(Don't expect anymore from me on this ... I'm outta pocket for three weeks
beginning tomorrow.)
Phil
>X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Windows 95 sub 170
>Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 03:00:46 EDT
>Reply-To: Birders2 <Birders2@AOL.COM>
>Sender: Audubon birding discussion list for Texas
> <TEXBIRDS@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG>
>From: Birders2 <Birders2@AOL.COM>
>Subject: [TEXBIRDS] Lost of Birding Habitat & a Birding Spot
>Comments: To: BIRDCHAT@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
>Comments: cc: calbird@pterodroma.kiwi.net, tweeters@u.washington.edu
>To: TEXBIRDS@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
>
>Hi Birders,
>
>In the last couple of days on Texbirds, there have been reports of a tragic
>lost of habitat for a bird species and birders. The reports tell of the lost
>of one of the two reliable _public_ spots for seeing the White-collared
>Seedeater in Texas. It was bulldozed in Zapata, Texas.
>
>>From Texbirds.
>
>>On the morning of the Classic, at Zapata, the bulldozers were tearing out
>ALL, count it >ALL of the brush, trees, and cattails behind the Zapata
Library
>in Zapata, where we all >have searched for and found the Seadeaters.
>......David Dauphin
>
>And
>
>>When I was there late on the morning of the 25th, the bulldozers were
>clearing what >appeared to be property adjacent to the library and the small
>park. They were not >clearing all the way up to the small pond. I found the
>seedeaters literally within two >minutes of my arrival. They were along the
>trail that ran along the pond on the side >away from the rest of the park &
>street and nearest to where the bulldozers were >working. The dozers et al
>were probably within twenty yards of the trail. -- Richard H. >Payne, Ph.D
>
>Brush Freeman followed with:
>
>>It is strange to me that the city of Zapata would destroy the Goose and the
>egg (as this >was City property). There probably have been several thousand
>birders that have >come to see this tiny bird in Zapata and ate and gassed up
>there. Probably many folks >have stayed in the motels, I'm sure to start or
>finish the day with a Seedeaters. I beats >me as to why they wanted to rid
>themselves of those dollars. Could it be they did not >know the bird was
>there? There [are] no other real attractions in Zapata that I can think >of
>that would draw birders to the town. Yep, Seedeaters are going to be a whole
>lot >tougher for the average birder to see henceforth if this destruction did
>take place. Oh >well!
>
>This happened because the powers that might have prevented this destruction
>were ignorant of the importance of the habitat to the Seedeater, the
>importance of the Seedeater to birders, and finally the importance of birders
>to the economics of Zapata, Texas until it was too late. Now, the Zapata
>newspaper is going to report about what happened. There is talk on Texbird
>about trying to have the area replanted for the Seedeater. All, too late to
>prevent the destruction of the original habitat.
>
>This past February 1998, Tom & Jo Heindel reported on CalBird the loss of
>endangered Bell's Vireo's habitat at Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National
>Park because they (the natural resource section of the national park) did not
>"have a clue that there were any Bell's Vireos breeding there." This was in
>spite of data submitted by the Heindels annually as part of their research
>permit, which had apparently "fallen through the cracks."
>
>In the Texas case, ignorance is claimed. In the Death Valley incident, "the
>superintendent made the determination that the project would have no effect!"
>Habitat lost to ignorance and/or arrogance.
>
>So how can we prevent this in the future? Reality says that we will lose out
>more often than not because of arrogance of people thinking that their views
>are more knowing then ours: The "wise use" mentality. But where we can get
>across to people that birds have an economic value to them and to have birds,
>they have to protect habitat, we may have some success. Think of all of the
>small towns that are now having birding festivals: Arcadia, CA; Sierra
Vista,
>AZ, Salton Sea area, CA, etc. The Chambers of Commerces in these towns have
>learned our value, but what about towns like Zapata, TX.
>
>We have to make our presence more known when we are birding! How? By
letting
>the waitress know why you are visiting and be A GOOD TIPPER. Definitely,
>don't be an under tipper. Make sure the motel people know why you are
>visiting their area. When they wonder what the bird looks like that brought
>you from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz, go out to your car and get your field
>guide to show them the Dusky Warbler that you hope to see at Antonelli Ponds
>in the morning. Talk to all the locals you can. If you are actively bird
>watching invite them to look through your scope or bins. If there are no
>birds around, show them what you are looking for in your field guide. Let
>them know how much you like their town and if you can work it into the
>conversation, how you are spending money in their town. "Oh, we wanted to see
>this bird so badly, we drove up last night and are staying at the ABC motel
>down the street." "Can you tell us of a good place to eat when we finish
>here." Of course, there are the old faithful things like wearing or carry
>your bins. Wearing those souvenir T-shirts that proclaim birding activities.
>Obviously, be sure that you are on your best social behavior, so you leave a
>good impression behind.
>
>But how does one protect a specific site such as the area behind a Zapata
>library. This is harder and will require you to go out of your way. It will
>require you to write letters to the Chambers of Commerce, the town council,
>the mayor telling them how much you enjoyed your visit to their town and
>explain how you hope that they will continue to protect such and such habitat
>for the birds in their town. Tell them specifically how much money you spent
>in their town. If so, how often you come to their town to bird. How many
>birders you know that come to their town to bird. How you will talk
favorably
>about their town to fellow birders. If appropriate, how you will recommend
>their town to your non-birder friends as a place to visit. BE GENUINE! in
>what you say.
>
>Great Birding and Find that Next Lifer,
>
>John (One of Birders2)
>John + Irma LeVine =2, We are birders, too.
>
>Birders2@aol.com -- Los Angeles, CA
>
>PLEASE put <To Birders2> in subject line when e-mailing us personally. I do
>NOT open all of the 200-300 e-mails I receive each day NOR can I always tell
>from the subject line that the e-mail is specifically for us, BUT I DO
WANT to
>read your e-mails to us. Thanks!
>
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>"I wonder what natural beauties we shall have, aside from the mountains and
>the sky, a hundred years from now!"
>
>Musing of George H. Lowery Jr., his book LOUISIANA BIRDS, 1995, pg. 355 on
>having had the opportunity
>
================================================
Phil Davis
home: PDavis@ix.netcom.com Davidsonville, Maryland USA
work: PDavis@OAO.com Greenbelt, Maryland USA
================================================