Well said Eric! The objection that has been raised is to the large groups carvaning to the area and converging on a sighting location. My experience on Old St. Vrain is very similar to Eric's. I have encountered a "large group" only a couple of times and then only for a few minutes. Others may have experienced more of a crowd it sounds like. I can understand the local resident's concern that there are a lot more people than there may have been in the past using the road these days. Runners, dog walkers, cyclists, birders. Yes things change but it is a public road. We are all within our rights to be there as long as we are not blocking the road or breaking the law. I agree everyone needs to be respectful to the people who live there and to the wildlife we are all trying to see. I think the solution is not to stop going there to bird but for everyone to act more responsibly, obey the law and not "crowd" up.
The concern I haven't heard anyone bring up is the possible harm a large group converging on a sighting might have to the wildlife and in particular the Pygmy Owls. I had a resident walking his dog express that concern to me. He mentioned that the Great Horned Owls in the valley prey on the Pygmies and that once the owls establish a nest that he is concerned a large group might point it out to the GH's. I would like to hear people's opinion regarding that. I would also like to comment on the comments made about people with "big camera lenses" looking to get a photograph of a bird. Maybe a few of you have seen me out there birding and photographing, I'm the guy carrying his big lense on a tripod over his shoulder. If this offends some people I am sorry but it's how I choose to bird. I fall in the group of photographers who bird and In my opinion having a big camera lens allows me to get close enough to a bird to not only ID, it but enjoy the incredible detail and beauty from afar with the least amount of disturbance to the wildlife. I like to get good photos of them to share and also to help me learn about and ID them. I would agree there are a few rotten apples out there doing bad things to "get the photo", but please do not lump all of us with long lenses in that group. Enough said, John Salisbury On Thu, Mar 3, 2022 at 2:14 PM Eric DeFonso <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Dave, > > Others may have more information than I offer in this response, but for > what it's worth, I visit this particular location fairly frequently, being > as it is only 10-12 minutes drive from my residence. It's one of my few > "patches", and I go there not simply to ogle the pygmy-owl (as it is, I > rarely encounter it myself), but to bird. It's a great birding spot, and > very peaceful. > > Over the past few months, my birding visits to this spot have seen quite a > few more people than I had been used to seeing, compared to prior years and > seasons. In general this area is popular with dog-walkers, power-walkers, > walker-talkers (friends out for a walk and a chat), runners, cyclists, and > of course, birders. And now, with the advent of a regularly-seen owl, > photographers. And birder-photographers. And birders who wield cameras but > don't really consider themselves photographers (I include myself in this > latter category). Even so, on most days I visit this spot the number of > other birder/photogs is easily less than 8 at any time, and often less than > 4, spread out over a stretch of road that's over a mile long. Sometimes I'm > even the only birder there, although since last fall, that's rarely the > case because of this owl. On the days I go, people will ask me as I walk by > "Have you seen it?", assuming that because I carry a camera I'm looking for > the owl just like they are. I usually say "Not today", which is the truth > most of the time since I really don't see it very much, but again, I'm not > there specifically looking for it (although like anyone I'd always be > delighted to see it). Many visits from non-locals to this area come up > empty, with no owl views and hours spent fruitlessly gazing up at old > squirrel and oriole nests and empty cottonwood branches. > > However, I have heard on occasion of groups like what was described > secondhand, larger groups of 8,10, or 15 people caravaning to the area, > usually on weekends but not necessarily, usually on nice sunny days but > also not necessarily, looking for and sometimes locating the bird. I too > have heard of bad behavior on occasion there when that happens, although > I've never personally witnessed it. The one occasion I was there recently > when I did see the bird(s), I noted that everyone there (maybe 8-10 people > at the most at any one moment) behaved quite well, and there was certainly > no need for people to trespass or trample anything to get to a good viewing > or photo spot that day. But I do know that the owl can occur in many > possible areas along that road, and other circumstances and on other days > there can be way more people, and some may be tempted to justify their long > drives to get there by doing "whatever it takes" to get that great pic, > even if the bird doesn't seem to willingly offer it on that occasion. > > I don't go to this patch often enough to be a true "patrol officer" for > it, but I go there probably more often than most and I do feel a small > amount of possessiveness for it, despite not living right there myself. It > really is one of my favorite local birding spots, and for good reason. If I > ever do witness anything that could offend the residents, violate the > county open-space rules, or otherwise jeopardize access to this area, you > can be sure I will speak up and urge restraint. For my own selfish reasons, > I would hate for my future experiences at this birding spot to be tainted > by the improper actions of a few. > > All this is offered simply to provide a bit more context about what may be > happening. It's my experience only, and I don't claim to know all the > details of what has happened. > > Eric > > > ------- > Eric DeFonso > near Lyons, Boulder County, CO > > > On Thu, Mar 3, 2022 at 11:42 AM DAVID A LEATHERMAN <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> It has come to my attention that photographers, some of whom may be >> birders, are causing a problem west of Lyons in their lust for a >> pygmy-owl. At the risk of pissing some of you off, and causing even more >> people to seek this bird by publicizing it, I ask for restraint. The >> person who called me is not a birder but a guy I used to work with who >> knows I am into birds. He owns property bordering Route 7 w of town where >> he says 16 cars full of loud-talking people pointing big cameras, rutting >> the right-of-way that he maintains are back again today, the way they have >> been in numbers for days (weeks?). He is upset and I don't blame him. He >> says that whoever these people are, they don't really care about the bird, >> that they act very entitled, that this is all just about getting the photo >> and social. In short these sorts of situations give birders a black eye >> and they are becoming more commonplace. If anyone reading this knows about >> the situation first hand, has been there, has a comment or rebuttal I can >> pass on to my friend, I am all ears. My friend hasn't called the sheriff >> yet but is about to and it makes me sad to think "we" might have caused a >> reasonable person with deep sentiments for conservation and the natural >> world to be so upset. >> >> Dave Leatherman >> Fort Collins >> >> -- >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups "Colorado Birds" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected] >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en >> * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. >> Include bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate >> * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ >> --- >> 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/CY4PR0601MB3763B23362D6A73BC1ACFFF5C1049%40CY4PR0601MB3763.namprd06.prod.outlook.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CY4PR0601MB3763B23362D6A73BC1ACFFF5C1049%40CY4PR0601MB3763.namprd06.prod.outlook.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > Groups "Colorado Birds" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en > * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. Include > bird species and location in the subject line when appropriate > * Join Colorado Field Ornithologists https://cobirds.org/CFO/Membership/ > --- > 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/CAFjVA_Y7%2Begd_fqQN2Jo8NdGHcmCerOeDML7zvHsBYWKsYB%3DBw%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAFjVA_Y7%2Begd_fqQN2Jo8NdGHcmCerOeDML7zvHsBYWKsYB%3DBw%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 post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cobirds?hl=en?hl=en * All posts should be signed with the poster's full name and city. 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