[birdky] A possible birding first (long)

I might possibly have experienced a birding first last
night while 'attempting' to band saw-whet owls on
Brainard Palmer-Ball's farm in east Louisville.  Now,
many birders have unfortunately had guns pointed on
them, but...well, I'm getting ahead of myself.

As many of you know, it takes a crazy breed of person
to try and catch saw-whet owls.  We sit outside for
hours on end, in the cold, bored to death most of the
time listening to the monotonous tooting of the
saw-whets over the speakers.  Last night provided
perfect conditions for owls with a cool, calm, clear
night so I thought I'd give it a try.

Well, at about 10 or so, I noticed a helicopter flying
around just to the south of me with its spotlight
pointing at the ground.  As it got closer and started
spotlighting the nearby woods, I thought to myself,
"Oh great, someone has heard my tape playing in the
distance, thought it was aliens, and called the
police."

This helicopter then proceeded to circle nearby until
finally they spotlighted my Jeep (with me in it). 
After being spotlighted for a minute or so, I got out
and looked up at them, wondering "Ok, you satisfied
I'm not some lunatic."  Apparently they weren't.  They
then proceeded to LAND their helicopter next to me in
this farm field on private property, and pop out, GUNS
DRAWN.  After a few minutes of convincing them I was
who I said I was and that I was the only one of the
three of us that should be there, they told me they
were looking for someone they had a warrant out on. 
When I asked them, "Well, should I be worried about
someone running around out here?", they said "No, it's
just someone we have a warrant on."  Well, before I
could ask them why on earth then did they feel it
necessary to pull their little maneuver that they did,
they were back up in the air, spotlighting the woods
around me for a couple more minutes before flying off
out of sight.

Oh, did I mention that mist nets and helicopters don't
mix?  Well, that's another story.

Mark Monroe


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