[texbirds] Salineno
- From: "LMarkoff" <canyoneaglej@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2012 18:38:01 -0600
Imho, the issue isn't about the safety of birding the Valley. It is whether
the Land Fund should ask a volunteer to be at the Salineno birding spot at
night. I think that is a very different thing.
I've been birding the Valley since 2000. I've been to Salineno numerous
times and agree with Anthony that, with the mist rising off the water at
dawn, it is a magical place. I think it is one of the special places in the
Valley, and I encourage everyone to bird there any chance they get. That
said, I wouldn't encourage anyone to be there at night. Here's why.
One morning in 2005, having just left the DeWind's after the dawn/early
morning show, I was walking to my car that was parked along the road. I
glanced towards the river and saw some folks crossing over from Mexico.
Nothing unusual about that, no problem. Then, a roaring sound and a cloud
of dust came blasting down the road from the town side. A dark blue
Suburban with blackened windows was barreling towards us. I, and everyone
else there, starting running to get out of the road, so as not to get hit.
The SUV wheeled around at the end of the road and stopped, pointing towards
town, motor running. Beefy guys jumped out and threw open the back doors of
the SUV. Just then a small boat motored quickly to shore from somewhere
downriver, bumping to a stop on the beach. Guys in the boat started tossing
rectangular-shaped bundles at the beefy guys, who caught the bundles and
threw them into the back of the SUV. The boat guys took off, the SUV guys
jumped into the SUV and tore up the road at top speed. My hackles were up
and I expected to hear gunshots at any moment. It all happened in a flash,
it was like something out of a movie...surreal.
Drug thugs are not the same as hardworking folks looking for a better life.
Drug thugs hurt, and sometimes, kill people.
When I had my Edwards County place, a very remote spot, "traveling folks"
were part of everyday life there. It was standard practice there to leave
food and water out for them. I left the old cabin on my place unlocked in
case they needed shelter. If I saw them passing by I would nod, sometimes
wave. They didn't bother me, I didn't bother them. We had a peaceful
coexistence.
On one visit a neighbor told me how he found evidence of someone using his
place for drugs, as in meth. Meth thugs would most likely be home grown,
but drug thugs of any kind are dangerous people. I was rattled. On one
visit when arriving at my place I found someone had tried to break into my
locked cabin. They must have been interrupted by someone coming to the well
and so took off, before they could break all the way in. I was fortunate
that time, but given that most of the time I was there by myself, my anxiety
level went up and I never felt comfortable being there at night again. That
feeling was part of the reason I decided to sell the place in early 2011.
Having seen drug thugs in action in Salineno with my own eyes, night time
there would make my anxiety level go up too. I wouldn't want to be there at
night, and I would never ask anyone else to be there at night either. I
agree with Tabak and the Land Fund. During the day, with its visiting
birders for company, Salineno is fairly safe. But night time, when drug
thugs are more likely to be out and about, is risky. Why take that risk?
FWIW,
Lori Markoff
Austin
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