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Re: CBEC looking for Great Horned Owl Nest

From:

William Randolph

Reply-To:

Date:

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 20:41:38 -0500

Mr. Saunders,

It is refreshing to see such wise advice on the management of a birding
list.  Many I have joined have been terribly careless about the welfare of
some of the birds they appreciate so dearly.

I have been photographing great-horned owls for several years and find
that treating them as you would a nesting red-tail, when they do nest in
an old hawk or crow nest, is a good rule of thumb for respecting them.
These owls are the king of their world and once the young have emerged
will be more a danger to over zealous birders than such birders are to
them. Avoid incubating owls, ground nests and other odd locations as they
are less secure and the owls are aware of this.  Screech owls are also
rather resistant to disturbance, but again, share only sites that leave
the owls at a height where proximity to observers maintains the owls'
comfort. I find that if someone really wants to see a nesting owl, a well
elevated great-horned or screech is a good and safe option to share if you
maintain a fair distance and do no more than "take only pictures and leave
only footprints."

Most other eastern owl species are easily bothered and nests should never
be revealed.  Even best friends may bring along a best friend of not the
best characted and ruin a good find.

It is distressing to think anyone would break branches for a better view
of any bird.

I'm rather new to the area and have been perusing your archives and find
your forum to be most enjoyable.

-- 

William Randolph
Keedysville, MD


"we do have a lot of new subscribers to MDOsprey who may not understand
the impacts of posting that sort of news.  In the future, I ask that you
please do not post this sort of owl locational information on MDOsprey.

If you know of such locations, I would further suggest you think long and
hard before sharing it with with ANY other birders.  Both birders and
photographers have been known to break sheltering branches to clear sight
lines and to otherwise disturb roosting or brooding birds.  This is
dangerous to both the adults and to the chicks."
>
> Thank you for your consideration in this situation.
>
> Norm Saunders
> Owner, MDOsprey
>