[texbirds] Unethical behavior needs to be exposed
- From: Tom Sykes <dhandler68@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2013 09:59:04 -0600
Fellow birders,
In light of the recent unfortunate and destructive behavior with regard to a
few thoughtless individuals and the Flamulated Owl on South Padre Island, I'm
posting a link to a video clip exposing unconscionable behavior that recently
occurred in Wisconsin. The offending individual is a commercial photographer
who owns a Mach Two Media located in Illinois which mainly sells airplane
flight photos but also sells nature photography.
In an attempt to photograph a Great Gray Owl, this photographer and a friend
baited the owl onto a roadway. The bird was already perched a mere 15 feet from
the road but that wasn't good enough. The men threw mice to attract the owl
onto the road, then were seen 9and photographed) placing mice on their boots,
arms, and shoulders to attract the owl even closer. They were also observed
touching the owl. Local birders tried to explain in polite terms about the harm
that the men were doing but to no avail. I'm not sure I would have been so
polite. In fact I know I would not have been.
This individual's behavior gives all birders and bird photographers a black
eye. I would hope that you share this video far and wide as a concerted effort
by responsible birders and photographers to shine a light on unethical behavior
wherever it is found.
BTW, the photographer, Andrew Huxman, was contacted via email by numerous
individuals (many of them politely) to explain that his behavior was
unacceptable. He responded with a hearty thank you for all the hits to his web
site and that National Geographic has contacted him for his photos (the comment
about NG I suspect isn't true and that it was intended as sarcasm). Andrew has
no intention of modifying his behavior and clearly does not care one wit about
the health and safety of the owl or wildlife in general.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8MNvJe0oN0&feature=youtu.be
Tom Sykes
dhandler68@xxxxxxxxx
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