[va-bird] 5/24/03 Red-necked Phalarope & Unleashed Dogs at Blandy

Saturday, May 24, 2003

I arrived at The State Arboretum at Blandy Experimental Farm by late 
morning and parked alongside the "pond" left of graveled 
road.  Across  from where I was parked, between a large willow and to left 
of a bird house sitting further up a slope, I saw a whitish bird moving 
through an area of tall grass where it disappeared.  I was unable to get a 
good look but shape and size were right for phalarope.  I decided to wait 
it out.  For the next 2.5 hours while waiting, optimistic the mystery bird 
would reemerge, I was entertained by a variety of birds including close up 
views of Louisiana Waterthrush, Green Heron with its dog-like bark, Spotted 
Sandpiper, Yellow Warbler, and Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, some of which 
I was able to photograph.  During this time a gentleman arrived to search 
for the phalarope which I informed him I felt certain there was one tucked 
back on opposite side in the "flooded" area.  Time passed with no phalarope 
and the gentleman left.   I continued the watch.

Approximately 11:45 a.m. a white pickup truck pulled up to the fence a 
short distance up from the "pond" and got out with his two labs, a yellow 
and chocolate.  Both off leash!  He walked them along the open green area 
to the right and behind the pond and they disappeared behind a knoll.  This 
area was active with nesting and feeding birds.

At 12:15 p.m. I was photographing a turtle when a loud commotion on the 
left side of the pond quickly got my attention.  A small group of Canada 
Geese and female Wood Duck with chicks were frantically trying to get away 
from the chocolate lab that had plunged into the water, charging the 
birds.  At one point the female Wood Duck was partially submerged and it 
appeared as though some of the chicks were caught up in the melee as 
well.  The owner was by now coming into view walking along what appeared to 
be a trail.  I immediately yelled for him to get his dog out of the water 
and on a leash.  This Homo sapien idiot just didn't get it!  The dog was 
still after the birds in the water and I again yelled across the pond for 
the owner to get his dog under control.  Guess he didn't like the fact I 
grabbed my camera to take photos of his dog; he finally called the dog out 
of the water.

Five minutes later the yellow lab began walking down the back side near 
where I had seen the whitish, phalarope-like bird disappear hours ago.  I 
again hollered across the way for idiot to call his other dog back away 
from the water.  TOO LATE!   The Green Heron that had been standing along 
the water's edge for over 30 minutes was chased off, the Spotted Sandpiper 
that had been preening and feeding quickly flew off, a Yellow Warbler that 
had been singing from near base of the large willow flew off, an adult male 
Baltimore Oriole that had been down on the ground flew up into the tree, 
and out flew the phalarope!   It was so quick and I managed a fleeting 
glance through my 10x42 binoculars before it flew out of sight heading 
across the road past the boardwalk.

Homo sapien idiot got his dogs to his truck and then walked over to where I 
was standing by my van.  He started throwing Blandy permitted dogs off 
leash and as far as he thought, it didn't keep them (his) dogs from going 
in the water.   I acknowledged the fact there is no leash requirement but 
that did not give him or anybody else the right to permit their dogs access 
to the water, especially to chase wildlife.  Idiot responded it (Blandy) 
was an arboretum and not a bird sanctuary to which I acknowledged but again 
informed him it did not mean he could permit his dogs to chase the wildlife 
and to keep them out of the water!   I ended with if he wanted his dogs to 
go swimming then he should buy them a #@! swimming pool.

So, if any of you run into this fellow who identified himself as Bruce 
Cameron, who drives a white pickup truck with a yellow and chocolate lab, 
give him my regards!

Hopefully Blandy will rethink it's off-leash policy.  Off-leash dogs should 
not be allowed in this area, especially with so much wildlife.


Brenda Tekin
Charlottesville, VA

cc:  Blandy Experimental Farm


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