[TN-Bird] Snowy Owl and a reminder about ethics

  • From: Mark Greene <greenesnake@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:40:38 -0800 (PST)

January 19, 2008
Spring Hill, Maury Co.
 
I made the 400 mile round-trip trek to Spring Hill yesterday and it was well 
worth the trip. The one in 1987 was just a few months before I started birding 
so this was the first one in the state since I'd started birding. 
 
I arrived at about 8:15 and went sout of Saturn Parkway on Hwy. 31 and almost 
immediately saw 2 birders standing beside the road looking through a scope. It 
was Frank and Bonnie Fekel and they had arrived shortly before and found the 
bird sitting on the ground out in a large open field on GM property on the west 
side of Hwy. 31. Gary Casey arrived a few minutes later and then there was a 
steady stream of birders and curious locals all day long. There was a group 
from Birmingham, AL that came as well as several from Georgia - Atlanta, 
Lawrenceville, and other places. I stayed until about 2:30 pm and saw many old 
friends from all over and met and made some new ones as well. We all thought it 
was very appropriate that during the morning hours that the snow was coming 
down pretty steady. Appropriate weather for a Snowy Owl for sure!
 
I must make one comment here. The bird sat in the same spot out in this field 
for at least 3 hours. At one point a young lady from a local paper climbed the 
fence and walked to the top of the hill to try and get a picture from the 
paper. She quickly realized that she was still quite a long way from the bird 
and came back. A few minutes later another birder from a neighboring state 
crossed the fence and proceeded far out into the field and flushed the bird 
twice by continually walking towards the bird and trying to get closer! The 
local police showed up and a female officer walked out into the field and 
brought the man back. In the meantime a GM security guard showed up as well and 
told us that the man was probably going to be arrested for trespassing. After 
several minutes of talking to the man they let him off with a warning. The 
female officer then gathered the entire group of birders together and said that 
she thought it was incredible that the bird
 was there and that they were happy for folks to view the bird from the outside 
of the fence but that the fence was there for a reason! We all agreed with her 
and told her it was no problem. 
 
Two rules of Birding Ethics were broken here:
 
1. Promote the Welfare of Birds and their environment
1(b) To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint 
and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming.
 
2. Respect the Law and the Rights of Others
 
2(a) Do not enter private property without the owner's explicit permission.

2(b) Follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing use of roads and public 
areas, both at home and abroad.
 
2(c) Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary 
behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.
 
Folks, the point is it only takes one or two people being selfish trying to get 
a better view or a better photo to ruin it for everyone. The bird hadn't flown 
until it was flushed and it didn't fly again after it was flushed while I was 
there. The security guard also told me that when he had first seen the bird at 
6:45 am that it was flying across the field and that there was a woman out in 
the field with a camera. Please use some common sense and good manners when 
coming to see this bird. If you are there and see someone doing something they 
shouldn't - bring it to their attention. 
 
I will say that a little later that the man who had almost been arrested came 
back and apologized to those of us who were still there. He said that his 
adrenaline and emotions had gotten the best of him and he knew he was wrong. We 
all make mistakes but remind yourself and others to follow some basic rules 
when coming to see the bird so that others may enjoy it as well.
 
Thanks to Bill Rogers, Damien Simbeck, and Bill Pulliam for getting the word 
out on this bird and for the good directions.
 
Good birding!
 
Mark Greene
Trenton, TN
Gibson County
http://www.freewebs.com/tnbirdingbigdays/


      
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