We are getting concerns and suggestions from out of state. Points well made from a fellow named Jim greenway. FYI.
Mark Alt=20 MOU President [email protected] C/O J. F. Bell Museum of Natural History University of Minnesota 10 Church Street SE Minneapolis, MN 55455-0104 MOU.mn.org -----Original Message----- From: Jim Greenway [mailto:[email protected]]=20 Sent: Saturday, January 01, 2005 6:44 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Sax-Zim solutions Mark: I'm one of the probably many out of state birders that monitor the MN=20 lists for word about a GGO irruption. As a CBC compiler I'm very sensitive=20 to checking feeders, etc. and the potential for irking the feeder owner. I=20 thought I'd thow out a couple of ideas that I had for the S-Z situation. For one, never underestimate the power of capitalism and the concept of=20 "eco-tourism." If birding trip guides are compensated for showing birds to=20 people, then why can't feeder owners be compensated for creating magnets for=20 the birds? Down here in Ga., there are lots of private fishing holes at=20 which there is no permanent on-site caretaker. Anglers are free to come and=20 go. A sign at the gate, however, firmly asks them to deposit a nominal fee=20 in a secure wooden drop box conspicuously located near the entrance in=20 exchange for the privilege of fishing. Perhaps asking some of the=20 property/feeder owners if they'd like to at least recoup the cost of their=20 feed, feeders and time might encourage more of them to make the feeders=20 available for public viewing. A combination of the "birders welcome" sign and a small, padlocked drop box=20 with a sign that solicits a $1-2 fee or a donation might be the ticket.=20 Giving the feeder owners bags of feeder is a great idea, but how much room=20 will many of them have for storing all of this feed? And what if they can't=20 dispose of it before it spoils? There are always those "cheapskate" birders=20 that won't donate a $10-15 bag of feed because "someone else dropped off some" or "I gave at the last house." Think of the economics. On a really=20 good weekend, 30 to 40 birders might stop through. At $1 a pop, that's=20 $30-40 or enough to purchase 3-4 50 lb bags of black oil sunflower or 25-30=20 suet blocks per day. At only $40-50 a weekend for essentially two hours of=20 work - one hour filling and tending; another for buying the feed - it=20 becomes a real incentive. Keep in mind that a weekend could probably net an=20 owner enough to feed for several weeks in order to be a regular attractor of=20 local birds. This might even create competition among feeder owners as they=20 begin to devise larger and more sophisticated feeder arrangements in order=20 to become the most-visited (and compensated) yard because they've attracted=20 the "most interesting" birds. As an aside, I'm not much of a RBA "chaser." When I have visited feeders at=20 local homes in order to pick up the unusual bird, I have taken a plate of=20 cookies or a cake (pound, etc.) that will stay fresh and won't slide in a=20 moving vehicle. This has bought a lot of goodwill from feeder owners who have tolerated "free-loaders" visiting their homes. Finally, I realize that Sax-Zim could be very close to its carrying capacity=20 for visitors. Are there places *other than* Sax-Zim that out-of-staters can=20 visit and get a reasonable opportunity at seeing these owls? I'm all the way=20 down here in north Georgia but have been monitoring the situation in case=20 the owls got far enough south for me to visit. My interest is so serious that I actually try to listen to radio WELY's sunday birding show via my DSL=20 internet connection! I'd be strongly tempted to pass on Sax-Zim just to avoid the opportunity to be run down on an icy road by another Southerner=20 that can't drive in snow! I have the Eckert book but I realize that=20 "on-site" intelligence might be more useful. Happy New Year - Jim _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!=20 http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
