[obol] Rare bird and observers, oddly timely topic

From: Bob Archer <rabican1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2013 08:36:01 -0800

Hi:

In the very near future I suspect many of you will face this exact choice
to disclose or not.

I fully agree with MP's comments about the Linn owl and I hope the young
one gets her owl soon.  I would expand on that and say sometimes restraint
should be shown and sometimes we should not attempt to observe a bird.  I
have no problem telling folks exactly where an Emperor Goose was on Sauvie
Island, but I would be very vague if I found a N Goshawk nest.  I would
probably put it in ebird as being in Columbia County and leave it at that.
Not that I am trying to horde the bird but simply recognize that some birds
should not be observed for the birds own good.  From my point of view I am
not slighted by not knowing the exact location, I rejoice in simply knowing
some birds are out there and are doing well.

So if someone does post a vagure location, simply appreciate the
sensitivity and enjoy the fact that the bird is doing well.  I would not
even speculate on OBOL that I knew where the bird was, and I might not even
try to confirm my suspicions.  Just enjoy that it is there and doing well.

This is so much like raising children, we all want to have that
relationship when we spent time with our kids and we want to be around
them, but loving something also means letting it go :)  I have TWO late
teenage daughters, so I know how hard it is not to hound rare birds, just
enjoy that they are there and let them be.  If anything , do some research,
find a good location and explore it for the birds that are there, expand
our knowledge of a birds range. You never know what you find.

Another way to look at it is I love knowing the the Everglades exist, and I
rejoice in knowing what is there, but I am not frustrated that I have not
visited there, well once but short trip...

Happy birding

Bob Archer

[obol] Rare bird and observers, oddly timely topic

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