I bird BKP and have also found roaming dogs a nuisance. Cats, invasive plants and excessive mowing have also degraded the wildlife experience, compared to 10 years ago, but the park is still worth a visit - particularly from September through May. The area around the hilltop earthworks can be quite productive during spring migration.
Stephen Jones
Bethesda, MD
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Sussman <>
To:
Sent: Tue, Oct 27, 2009 6:07 pm
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Off-leash dogs at Battery Kemble
Layhill Park in Montgomery County used to be the same way. Probably still is,
ut the ICC is going through at least part of it, so don't know what it's like
ow. Sunday mornings were particularly bad with so many dogs running around off
eash, it made birding rather unpleasant. And I LOVE dogs, just not other
eoples when they jump up to say hi with mud all over them, and get your pants
ilthy. The folks who let their dogs run free are, in my opinion, not very
esponsible pet owners, as it's a dangerous thing to let a dog off leash in
laces adjacent to busy roads (we had one of our adopted pets struck by a car
nd killed when he got out of the house accidently). Just not very responsible.
Rick Sussman
oodbine,MD
here certainly were off-leash dogs at Battery Kemble Park, DC, when I was there
n Monday. Jason is right on when he says Battery Kemble is a de facto dog park.
nd the last time I was at Dumbarton Oaks Park in Georgetown, also administered
y the NPS and full of "no dogs off leash" notices, the place was full of
oaming dogs.
e Bethesdans have the same situation in Norwood Park in Chevy Chase, MD, a
ontgomery County/MNCPPC park. I bird there frequently and despite the notices,
0% of the many dogs that are almost always present run around unrestrained.
like dogs as much as the next birder, and I appreciate that all dogs (like
eople) need exercise, but the flagrant disregard of the postings (and of other
ark users) by so many dog owners is a favorite complaint of mine. I
articularly dislike to see dogs paddling through clean creeks and swimming in
onds that attract water birds. When I have complained to authorities about the
ack of policing, the universal response from park employees is "We just don't
ave the personnel to enforce the prohibition."
ike Bowen
ethesda, MD
-----Original Message-----
rom: Michael Bowen <>
o:
ent: Tue, Oct 27, 2009 4:24 pm
ubject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Off-leash dogs at Battery Kemble
hanks, Jason, for the clarification.
here certainly were off-leash dogs at Battery Kemble Park, DC, when I was there
n Monday. Jason is right on when he says Battery Kemble is a de facto dog park.
nd the last time I was at Dumbarton Oaks Park in Georgetown, also administered
y the NPS and full of "no dogs off leash" notices, the place was full of
oaming dogs.
e Bethesdans have the same situation in Norwood Park in Chevy Chase, MD, a
ontgomery County/MNCPPC park. I bird there frequently and despite the notices,
0% of the many dogs that are almost always present run around unrestrained.
like dogs as much as the next birder, and I appreciate that all dogs (like
eople) need exercise, but the flagrant disregard of the postings (and of other
ark users) by so many dog owners is a favorite complaint of mine. I
articularly dislike to see dogs paddling through clean creeks and swimming in
onds that attract water birds. When I have complained to authorities about the
ack of policing, the universal response from park employees is "We just don't
ave the personnel to enforce the prohibition."
ike Bowen
ethesda, MD
t 03:44 PM 10/27/2009 -0400, Jason Waanders wrote:
I generally avoid mixing my work (as an Interior Department lawyer) >with
irding, but I'll make an exception to correct one point in Mike's post.
Battery Kemble is administered by the National Park Service, and >dogs
ff-leash are prohibited, as they are at all local NPS parks. >Some NPS parks,
ike Battery Kemble and Ft. Bayard Park (where I >regularly bird), have become
e facto dog parks--I suspect this >occurs because NPS does not enforce its
egulation as frequently as >DC does for DC city parks. But the off-leash dogs
re still not legal.
Jason Waanders
NW DC
jwaandersATstarpower.net
.H. Michael Bowen
609 Ewing Drive
ethesda, MD 20817
elephone: (301) 530-5764
-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
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