[wisb] A note about posting owl locations
- From: "Peter A. Fissel" <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:25:30 -0600
Since this is obviously a sensitive topic and has blown up before (on
this and other birding listservs,) I'd like to clarify a bit. Normally,
the posting of exact locations of roosting owls, and especially winter
roosts of Long-eared Owls, is strongly discouraged. Often, it involves
going to one particular grove of trees and plunging in to look for the
owls, which is obviously a bad idea, especially when lots of folks are
(understandably) eager to see them.
In this particular case, I know the area where the owl was reported as
being heard extremely well (I used to live a block away on Haywood Dr.,
and in fact got back into birding because of the easy access I had to
the UW Arboretum.) We're talking about a large wooded/marshy area with
limited access, along a road (Arboretum Drive) that gets frequent (at
times constant) foot, bike and car traffic, a block away from a large
hospital (St. Mary's.) A few more people standing quietly along the
road, listening, NOT playing recordings and NOT shining flashlights
(note the emphasis) is unlikely to have much of an effect.
That said, let's all behave ourselves, not impede traffic, not give the
police any grief (or any reason to overreact) if they stop to see what
you're up to, and try to not all go at once. If there are a bunch of
other folks there when you show up, try going farther in to the
Arboretum and listening for other owls and come back later. There are
GHOs, Barred, Screech and occasionally Saw-whets in there - big place,
with lots of different habitats. Just remember to stick close to your
car and not park in the lots very long after dark, or you may be
ticketed or even towed.
Peter Fissel
Wisbirdn Admin/Monitor Guy
Madison, Dane Co.
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