There is more to this story. From what I have read, as I have followed this story on mou-net, there seems to be another side to the story. Perception is not always truth. God Bless,
Paul Roisen Sioux City, IA Woodbury County 712-276-0371(H) 712-301-2817(C) ________________________________ From: Danny Akers <[email protected]> To: IA-BIRD <[email protected]> Sent: Sun, December 5, 2010 6:14:18 PM Subject: [ia-bird] FW: [mou-net] Destructive Photographers at Sax-Zim Bog Thought this may be of interest. Original message posted first below, followed by a retort. Take this as you will. Danny Akers Ankeny [email protected] > > Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 20:25:00 -0800 > > From: [email protected] > > Subject: [mou-net] Destructive Photographers at Sax-Zim Bog > > To: [email protected] > > > > When we hear about people any where in Minnesota who are disturbing birds > > or > > being destructive on public lands for example ripping branches off trees to >get > > > better photos of a roosting owls, rip branches off live trees for perches, >over > > > tape use, using fishing poles with artificial bait that look like mice on > > the > > > end of the fishing line to tease owls to get flight shots, or basically any >act > > > that is doing harm to the environment or to the birds we are asked to >document > > > the event and expose these people. Well below is documentation of how three > > people in the Sax-Zim Bog decided to be selfish and to manipulate an area > > in >the > > > Sax-Zim Bog to get photos of birds. > > > > Well today I was guiding two people and we were coming south on the Admiral >Rd. > > > I was intrigue to see the newly erected feeders that were placed up on >Thursday > > > of this week. My friend Jim emailed me to inform me that he will be >maintaining > > > the Admiral Rd feeding station this year as the person who created the >feeding > > > site decided not to continue maintaining the site this winter. Jim inform > > me >he > > > put up a large platform feeder with black oil sunflower seeds on the tree >that > > > was previous used in the past. The platform feeder was NOT nailed to the > > tree > > > but it was hung up instead and Jim also put up a large onion sack full of >beef > > > suet chunks on the same tree or possibly the tree across the road where in >past > > > a suet feeder was hung up there that attracted Boreal Chickadees. > > > > So I am coming down Admiral Road and I see a group of three photographers > > at >the > > > site. I get out of the car and the platform feeder was taken down, the suet >bag > > > was on top of a make shift snow bank along the side of the road with the > > platform feeder on top of the suet bag! I inform that the feeders belong to >Jim > > > XXXX and they said not much accept they will put the feeders back up when >they > > > are done photographing the birds. I asked why they moved the feeders ?, and >they > > > said they took the suet feeder down because they wanted to concentrate the >birds > > > to one spot rather than having the birds go to both feeders. They moved the > > platform feeder off the tree because they wanted to set the platform feeder >so > > > they can get a better background with the perches they set up. I looked at >their > > > set up with fresh branches clipped to tripods right over the platform > > feeder >so > > > they can get some photos. As I walked into the snow to hang up my suet >feeders > > > on the tree that I know Boreal Chickadees used last year I noticed the tree > > branches were ripped off that tree and the ground where they were standing >were > > > full of ripped branches! I looked at the perches they used on the tripods > > and > > > saw they matched the areas where they ripped them off and the branches on > > the > > > ground were branches they decided not to use for perches. > > > > Yes they are professional photographers because all of them have websites >that > > > sell photos they took and all their websites talk about how they have > > respect > > > for wildlife, the environment and how they create "natural" photos of >wildlife. > > > > > > > >http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/2010/12/destructive-photograhers.html > > > > ( to see the photos ) > > > > Its not just ripping off branches of live trees to get perches that angers > > me > > > but to interfere with someone else feeders they put up to feed the birds > > and >to > > > deliberately concentrate birds to one area so they can get photos to me is >wrong > > > and I think everyone on this listserv would agree. If they want to > > manipulate > > > birds they should create their own feeding station in their own neck of the > > woods! This Admiral Rd site is a good site to photograph birds and see > > Boreal > > > Chickadees very close up but I ask that when you bird the Sax-Zim Bog > > please >do > > > not interfere with any bird feeding stations on private land or in this > > case >on > > > county land. > > > > > > Who are these photographers? They are Derek Griggs, Chad Griggs and Chad > > Gustafson. I ask everyone to boycott purchasing their photos for any type > > of > > publication! I been inform that their photos will NEVER be used for >publication > > > in the Loon which is good news and I hope other sources will follow suit. > > > > Mike > > > > > > > > Mike Hendrickson > > Duluth, Minnesota > > Website: http://www.mikehendricksonbirding.com > > > > Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/ > > > Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 01:19:29 -0600 > From: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [mou-net] Destructive Photographers at Sax-Zim Bog > To: [email protected] > > Hi this is Chad Griggs who Mr. Hendrickson named in the below emailer sent > out today. I just got home from a 20 hour day to go up north to enjoy a > day of wildlife viewing, photography and quiet time in the woods. I'm > not emailing with any intent of starting an argument. But I do want to > say that I'm disappointed the approach to this matter. Mike, if we had > offended you in any way today we were available for you in person to say > something right there and we would have quickly apologized and > explained ourselves. The fact is that I've been in contact with Jim for > quite a while and that is how I knew about the feeders. In fact Jim and I > have shot together at that location using the exact same strategies. > You and I may disagree but I don't see harm in taking down some feeders > or covering them up while we place perches near the active feeders. The > birds are still getting fed and we are able to do what we love to do, > photograph the beautiful birds. > > > > > > A couple of other things I wanted to clear up as well. First, we were > also disappointed to see much of the large branches near the boreal > chickadee spot were broken off. It appears that much of the brush near > the road had been trimmed back although I'm not sure if that was the > cause of this or not. However, we did use some of those broken branches > as perches for Gray Jays to land on. But let me be clear, we did not > break those branches off. > > > > > > Also, the email sent out for some reason insinuates that we were either > using a fishing pole or live mice to bait owls. The only mention of this > during our brief conversation was you suggesting that the only way to > get good photographs of Northern Hawk Owls was to bait them with mice. > Then you asked us if we had any mice and we told you no. So I'm not sure > if you were talking about us in this emailer, but it seems that you > were suggesting us. > > > > > > In closing I am just disappointed that you decided to bring this to > public attention without consulting with anyone involved. You had an > opportunity to express your misgivings to us in person and decided > against it. In fact, we were quite happy with our meeting you today > because you were nice enough to give us some areas to look for hawk > owls. Unfortunately we didn't see any owls. > > > > > > I understand that there are many passionate people in the birding and > wildlife conservation community and I'm one of them. We didn't mean to > offend anybodies sensibilities and though you named us as professional > photographers the truth is I am relatively new to the birding community > and just recently started receiving the M.O.U. emails. In the short time > I've been meeting with other M.O.U. members I have gained great joy in > being a part of a community with similar interests as mine. Over the > past year I've had several days like today where I've been able to have a > blast seeing and photographing new species that I've never seen before. > And though I'm not a professional photographer I do hope to some day be > able to inspire others though my photography and promote conservation. > So it seems we share a similar passion and I believe we are on the same > team. > > > > > > > PS - I have no desire to fill the inboxes of M.O.U. subscribers with a back > and >fourth on this subject, so if anybody wishes to continue this conversation >feel >free to email me privately. > > > > > Chad Griggs > > > > > > > --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/membership.asp. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected] --- Please contribute your sightings to our list; it is only as good as members make it! --- Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio use: Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate selection; channel 6/0 --- This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/membership.asp. ----- You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: [email protected]
