[TN-Bird] Re: Franklin County, Winchester Whoopers Still Here
- From: Charlie <cmmbirds@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: rmhall@xxxxxxxx, mmcghee@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 10:25:36 -0800 (PST)
Hey fellas, lets ease up on Michael a bit here. I don't think he was
saying we shouldn't see the cranes, or that we should keep them a big
secret. He was urging caution. I think that was a wise, timely and
important caution.
Sure, enjoy the birds when you see them. Just be judicious about who
you tell, and under what circumstances. If the birds are in an
enormous field and can be viewed from a good distance, as sounds like
your situation, then that is one thing. However if I were to see
cranes in a spot that requires folks to get close for viewing, I'd
never post it to the list.
The key word here is judgment. And I believe the majority if birders
have good judgement. But I have seen situations where people were so
excited (for good reason) that they let their judgement fail them and
they disturbed the birds far too much. It is up to birders to
prevent, or at least minimize this harm. Call people on their
behavior in respectful but certain terms.
As far as birders helping the ornithologists, you have an excellent
point. There is a lot of information the professionals have that
they would lack were it not for birders. And more and more
ornithologists are recognizing this important, valuable asset. And
more and more birders are realizing that by providing information to
the ornithologists, they are helping both themselves and the birds.
I am not an ornithologist, though sometimes I seem to come off as
one. I am a birder who has some scientific training and lots of
scientific aspirations. One of my life goals is to build a better
partnership between the people who are interested in bird populations
- birders, scientists, and even hunters and business interests. We
all can (and in my opinion, should) work towards the goals we hold in
common.
And I hope every person in this state gets to see a Whooping Crane.
They are amazing. I'm glad for all the work and money being put into
this recovery act. I hope we all work to help it along.
Charlie
btw, as I write this, there is an Eastern Phoebe nest being built
outside my office window in Blount County. And I am surprised not to
have heard a Louisiana Waterthrush song yet. Any day now...
--- Martin Hall <rmhall@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Mack
> I agree with you too. With the limited number of Whoopers there are
> now =
> and
> the very slow rate that their numbers are growing, most of us will
> be =
> dead
> and gone by the time the cranes reach the numbers that Mr. Roedel
> thinks
> they should be before we try to see them. And like you say, who
> better =
> than
> birders to keep an eye on the cranes. Would the Ornithologist even
> know
> where the birds were if not for the birders? And as far as human
> interaction, you saw how far away the birds are from the road and
> on =
> private
> property too. They don't even know we're in the world. If anything
> would
> bother them it would be the industrial park and National Guard
> Armory =
> right
> across the road.
>
> I'm glad you and your wife got a chance to see the cranes. You
> never =
> know,
> you may never get a chance to see them again in your lifetime. Give
> me a
> call, I don't mind sharing information with other birders, even if
> they =
> work
> for the "Govment"
>
> Martin Hall
> Lynchburg, TN
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mmcghee@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:mmcghee@xxxxxxxxxx]=20
> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 7:55 AM
> To: rmhall@xxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [TN-Bird] Franklin County, Winchester Whoopers Still
> Here
>
> Martin,
>
> Thanks for sending this out. I differ with the TWRA on this
> matter. =
> You
> are not sending the e-mail out to the general public. Who better
> to =
> watch
> after the Whooping Cranes than birders, as long as they abide by
> the =
> rules
> of birding ethics - which I believe most do. If no one watched
> them =
> some
> idiot would come along harass or shoot them. We have had two of
> the
> recently released elk that wondered into our area be shot.
>
> Anyway, my wife and I drove out yesterday (Sunday, March 20) to see
> the
> cranes. It was really a marvelous site. We saw one last month at
> the
> Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, but it was flying and was a long way off.
> We =
> were
> really shocked that on such a beautiful Sunday afternoon there was
> no =
> one
> else there. I got some decent photos with my telephoto, but just
> seeing
> them was a real treat. I would like to know if they stop over or
> winter
> there again next winter. Maybe I could call or e-mail you or you
> could =
> call
> or e-mail us. I hope to have a bigger telephoto lens by then.
>
> Thanks,
> Mack McGhee, Jr.
> Roane County
> Harriman, TN
> (865) 882-0011
>
> In regard to messages posted about the location of whooping cranes
> in
> Tennessee...
>
> We realize and appreciate the excitement at being able to observe =
> wintering
> whooping cranes in Tennessee. However, we would ask that until the
> population is established, birders refrain from broadcasting the
> exact
> location of the birds on the list or elsewhere.
>
> The USFWS and their partners have expended a great deal of effort
> and =
> money
> in this reintroduction campaign. At this time, there are only
> about 50
> birds in the entire eastern migratory population. Each of these
> birds =
> has
> been pen raised in situations where they never actually see humans.
> We =
> work
> very hard to assure that they do not become habituated to humans.
> Such
> habituation makes humans seem less of a threat to the birds. That
> loss =
> of
> fear of humans has occasionally resulted in the death of a bird.
>
>
> We realize that nearly everyone wants the opportunity to observe
> these
> majestic birds in the wild. Please be patient and thoughtful of
> the =
> needs
> of the species. It is very important that these whooping cranes be
> =
> given as
> much privacy as possible in this crucial reintroduction stage. The
> =
> entire
> world population is still very small. The genetic
> diversity is very low. Every bird matters. If this
> reintroduction is
> compromised, we could lose this species and absolutely no one wants
> that =
> to
> happen.=20
>
> If you feel you must go to see these birds, please keep these
> things in
> mind. Remind anyone you see disturbing the birds, or trying to get
> =
> closer
> for photos, of these facts. Hopefully in a few years time this =
> population
> will be large enough that we can all enjoy seeing this bird on a
> regular
> basis. For more information on the whooping crane reintroduction =
> project
> see:
>
> http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/index.html
>
>
>
> Michael Roedel, State Ornithologist
> Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
> P.O. Box 40747 Nashville, TN 37204
>
> voice (615) 781-6653
> fax (615) 781-6654
> michael.roedel@xxxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.state.tn.us/twra
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin Hall [mailto:rmhall@xxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 2:08 AM
> To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [TN-Bird] Franklin County, Winchester Whoopers Still Here
>
>
> I went through Winchester this afternoon, Saturday, the 12th of
> March at
> around 4:00 p.m. and decided to swing by and see if the three
> Whooping
> Cranes were still in the area. They are still in the wet weather
> pond
> directly behind the National Guard Amory in Winchester, which is in
> =
> Franklin
> County, TN. It's looks as if they've decided to winter with us this
> =
> year.
> The pond is very easy to find and by the looks of the grass along
> the
> shoulder of the road, several people have been stopping to get a
> look at
> them. The pond is also home to several Mallards, Gadwalls, Northern
> Shovellers, Pintails and a pair of Black Ducks. But the stars of
> the =
> show
> are the Whoopers. I also thought to take along my GPS for those of
> you =
> who
> wanted coordinates. Here's the GPS position: N350 10' 26.5" - W0860
> 08'
> 13.2" That's from the road about 300 yards east of the pond where
> the
> cranes were. If you've never seen one, this is a very good chance
> considering how long they've been in the area. If you can't find
> the NGA =
> on
> the west side of town, just ask any policeman in town. They'll be
> glad =
> to
> give you directions. Happy birding.
> =20
>
> Martin Hall
>
> Lynchburg, TN
>
>
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3DNOTES TO =
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>
> TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
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> endorse the views or opinions expressed
> by the members of this discussion group.
>
> Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
> wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
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> Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
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> ========================================================
>
>
>
*******************************************************************
Charlie Muise, Naturalist in
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
"To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illuminated mind
the whole world sparkles with light." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
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TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
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