[wisb] Re: Unethical behavior - Great Gray Owl
- From: Ryan Brady <ryanbrady10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <scott.weberpal@xxxxxxxxx>, <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 21:48:51 -0700
A couple things to summarize after extensive discussion over on the Wisconsin
Birding facebook page:
-Rest assured a local law enforcement including a DNR warden will be contacted
in the morning.
-At least one of the individuals involved was eager to give out his business
card and thus can now be identified.
-All accounts thus far suggest nearly all visiting birders have been very well
behaved, these individuals aside obviously.
-Be
thinking about how you as a birder will react on site if this sort of
behavior commences in your presence. I'm not exactly sure of the best
course of action to be honest. At a minimum I'd say to speak up, express
dissent, take photos and video, and record license plates. While
baiting is not against the law (let's avoid that painful and useless
discussion...), I would guess this sort of behavior at least borders on
legal harassment of a federally-protected migratory bird.
Although
obviously disheartening, the huge reaction spreading throughout
hundreds if not thousands of facebook users lends promise that the
Wisconsin birding community won't stand for this should it occur again
in the days ahead.
Ryan Brady
Washburn, Bayfield County, WI
http://www.pbase.com/rbrady
> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:42:16 -0600
> Subject: [wisb] Unethical behavior - Great Gray Owl
> From: scott.weberpal@xxxxxxxxx
> To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Mike already posted the video, but I figured I would post and give a little
> more background.
> When I arrived 4 or so birders/photographers were already set up
> photographing the GGOW which was perched in a small tree maybe 15' from the
> road, close enough anyone could have gotten a great shot with even a
> point-and-shoot camera. Two photographers from Illinois thought it would
> be advantageous to use mice to draw the owl in closer. The first two mice
> were dropped and the bird picked them up and flew a short distance to
> devour them. The next two mice were used essentially as tools to torment
> the bird while getting photographs. One of them tried putting a mouse on
> their head, then their arm, and other on their boot in an attempt to get
> the owl to land on him. One birder/photographer spoke up about the
> behavior but they continued on using the mice as tools to get the bird in
> close. To them, the owl was nothing more than a toy - they both had huge
> lenses and were obviously getting great shots without the need to bait.
>
> It was very clear the entire time that the owl had no fear of people and
> when it wasn't being baited was perched very near the road and nearly
> landed on my camera at one point while flying across the road.
>
> Here's the video again: http://youtu.be/p8MNvJe0oN0
>
> And some pictures:
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8521/8516797349_2a4f985d0d_o.jpg<http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm9.staticflickr.com%2F8521%2F8516797349_2a4f985d0d_o.jpg&h=IAQEEv_5K>
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8523/8516797375_c849de1c5e_o.jpg
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8092/8517913070_008dff58a6_o.jpg
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8378/8516797519_1b450c5604_o.jpg
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8516797485_2da90b1b71_o.jpg
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8516797577_db6c9f4dbe_o.jpg
> http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8230/8516797591_a870c18813_o.jpg
>
> Please share if you feel the urge/need.
>
> Best,
>
> Scott Weberpal
> Walworth County
>
>
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