Hopefully, all who read my previous email understood that I did not say anything rude to the park police. I was extremely polite and obeyed all the "rules", once I was informed of them.
Just to clarify, earlier that day, I was birding by the beaver dam area. I had heard that there was a Golden-crowned Sparrow by the "horse stable" from a fellow birder. I had never seen a Golden-crowned, so I drove over to see it. I knew nothing about any rules or issues. I was extremely polite to the park policeman and I personally did not jeopardize any future birding opportunities. I never even went over to the stable area. But since writing my previous email, I began thinking about why these rules are made *just for birders*. If I was just a regular person enjoying Chatfield State Park, would I be allowed to go over by the stable area? The park policeman made it clear to me that *Birders* were not allowed to go over to the stable area. Really? Only birders? This seems unfair. I just looked at the Chatfield Horse Stables website <http://www.chatfieldstables.com/> and found this on the homepage of their website: * Feel free to visit our horses, there is always someone near the fence waiting to be pet. * This horse stable area is part of the park. Since I am a paying customer, I think it is wrong for them to discriminate against me, just because I am a birder. I find this very strange that "anyone" is allowed to walk over and around the horse stable area, *except if you are a birder*, then you are not allowed. Who else finds this rule unfair and strange? If everyone is forbidden to stay out of the stable area, then that would be a different story. If the horse stable area was only for people who are taking trail rides or getting lessons, then they would post signs and have rules for *everyone*. But they do not. According to the website, *they encourage* *anybody and everybody to "come on in" and even pet the horses*. Am I missing something? Previous to Friday, I had no idea that there was even a horse stable at Chatfield. My first thought when I found out about it is, "This is great. I would love to take a trail ride here this Spring/Summer." I still would like to. I would love to plan a visit with my three teenagers and do a trail ride. I cannot wait. Sorry for the long email. I am soooooo looking forward to birding this Spring, which is around the corner. Happy birding everyone! On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 3:09 PM Marie Hoerner <[email protected]> wrote: > It is not my intent to "pile on" or to make anyone feel badly for what has > already happened. I just want to share a couple of thoughts on a situation > in which the rangers and other patrons have minimal concern for keeping the > space open to a variety of recreational activities and how bad this can be > for birders in hopes that future behaviour might change. > > Pawnee National Grasslands has some awesome birding, including a beautiful > auto loop that has an incredible colony of burrowing owls. I drove all the > way from Colorado Springs, along with my mother, to enjoy this loop one > summer at the right time to see owlets. We were also hoping to see > longspurs and mountain plover. We got up at 3 am to do so in order to be > there by dawn. Starting very early in the morning, the place became > overrun as a shooting range. There is a designated area for this activity, > but it is allowable to shoot anywhere. Not only did this affect the > birding, but it was making us incredibly nervous for our own safety given > that many seemed to have little regard for others based on their incredibly > close proximity to the road. Finally, we came across someone with what > appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle (apologies, I know nothing about > guns) standing on the shoulder of the road and *shooting continuously* *across > the road where we were trying to drive.* We approached slowly in hopes > that they would stop, would turn away from the road, something... in order > to allow us to pass, but without success. That was the point at which we > gave up, turned around, and left after making a very long drive and getting > up several hours before dawn. We have not been back since. Later, when a > number of birders from this forum contacted the rangers about the growing > problem, we were informed that there was nothing they could do, and the > rangers suggested that maybe the birding loop could be moved elsewhere. > There was no interest in asking those with guns to relocate to anywhere > else in the expansive grasslands, despite the fact that large colonies of > burrowing owls and excellent birding sites are much more difficult to move > (e.g. impossible) than recreational shooting. By comparison, Chatfield > State Park restricts shooters to the shooting range. They also have > designated areas for model airplanes, hot air balloon launches, horseback > riding, off-leash dogs, etc. > > The moral of the story is: let's be grateful that Chatfield State Park > makes it a priority to preserve access for a wide variety of activities, > with designated spaces for certain activities so that everyone can use the > park. If the price is a little bit of patience to view a particular bird > from allowed spaces, please let's all pay that price. > > Marie Hoerner > Colorado Springs, El Paso County > > On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 11:59 AM [email protected] <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Hi All, >> >> Consistently breaking rules and not informing others of the rules for >> viewing this sparrow could easily lose birders access, so lets all try to >> follow the rules that were so clearly posted here by Joey so others can >> continue to appreciate this bird! Having a good relationship with the other >> patrons of the park and the park police is very important, so please make >> sure to notify anyone you see doing something that isn't allowed that what >> they are doing could impact future birders. I hope we can all be >> considerate of the park police and not force them to patrol an area because >> birders are being negatively impactful. >> >> Thanks for being great representatives of the birding community, >> >> Will Anderson >> CU Birding Club >> >> On Saturday, January 16, 2021 at 12:52:37 PM UTC-7 [email protected] >> wrote: >> >>> So yesterday, I went to the "horse stable" to see this Golden-crowned >>> Sparrow. I parked in the "stable parking space" which is just two spaces >>> by the stable and got reprimanded by the Park police as soon as I stepped >>> out of my car. The park police guy was very crabby and told me to stay out >>> of the stable area. I was shocked by his demeanor, but I was very nice to >>> him and moved my car immediately. Then he drove off and left the property. >>> >>> Luckily, the Golden-crowned Sparrow was in a bush by the large parking >>> lot and I was able to view it with no problems. As soon as I got some >>> photos of the Golden-crowned Sparrow, the birds (all the sparrows) flew >>> over to the stable area. I did not go over to the stable area in fear that >>> I would be yelled at, since I was just told to stay out of that area. >>> >>> A couple guys showed up a minute later, who did not know that they were >>> forbidden to stay out of that area. They went over and took a couple >>> photos of the Golden-crowned by the stable, which took them about 5 minutes >>> and then they left without incident. I was glad the park police guy was >>> gone. I could have told the guys not to go over there, but it wasn't my >>> job and they had made a long trip to see this bird, so I said nothing. >>> >>> There are no signs that say to stay out. I was not going to be the >>> police and tell them to stay out. How would anyone know these rules? >>> >>> Here is a picture of this lifer for me! Not a great photo, but proof! >>> >>> Cinnamon Bergeron >>> >>> On Fri, Jan 15, 2021 at 9:33 PM W. Robert Shade III <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Several of us were approached by the State Park Police this morning and >>>> informed that they do not want non-horse people wandering around inside the >>>> stable/corral area. We are free to use the parking lot (where the >>>> Golden-crowned Sparrow has appeared) or to approach the rabbit brush area >>>> on the east from the road. (Park at Fox Run) >>>> >>>> Bob Shade >>>> Lakewood >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAFwvYHqt6SHMgrG3PoT8B%3D%3D%2B8zHAZ_ccHETRB1N%2BpEn-N0RwsQ%40mail.gmail.com >>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAFwvYHqt6SHMgrG3PoT8B%3D%3D%2B8zHAZ_ccHETRB1N%2BpEn-N0RwsQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>> . >>>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Colorado Birds" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/e80a355f-5d67-4d59-8285-152c4c9c91a4n%40googlegroups.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/e80a355f-5d67-4d59-8285-152c4c9c91a4n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Colorado Birds" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAPQkTuo2XBaPbLOujXaADsUF5_UrchJSBazqRnBa4XCNQkAgQ%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAAPQkTuo2XBaPbLOujXaADsUF5_UrchJSBazqRnBa4XCNQkAgQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. 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