I'm not sure it's a good idea to question how many times each birder goes to a given place. Some of the people going most frequently to see owls are actually leading groups to see them each time, and as far as I have seen this year are being pretty darned conscientious about limiting stress to the birds and to the locals. There are certain ethical considerations when viewing or photographing any bird, and I think it's wise and ethical to err on the side of caution to protect the bird, rather than to make it easier for birders, but overall people seem to be doing their best in this difficult time. I saw one car stop a few times on 133 today, which is a no-no even when it's not so dangerously slippery, but overall people seem to have calmed down from the initial excitement of all these owls and seem to be following ethical considerations really well.
When I posted about how many owls I saw today, should I have added that this was the first time I've been to the bog in 2005, that I didn't stop or even slow down for hardly any of the owls I saw, and that I didn't flush a single one? This could make posts pretty unwieldy and defensive, and make us feel like we need to justify every element of our birding behavior from the moment we step out the door. Let's have a little faith in our fellow birders, and focus on minimizing our own impacts rather than questioning one another's right to be out there at all. That said, I think keeping Boreal Owl locations quiet isn't a bad idea in a year like this, and squeaking and pishing to distract any owl to get it to look at us is unwarranted. Peder's suggestions and the ABA code of ethics are excellent guidelines, and perhaps we do need to at least think about where we go to ensure that the same birds aren't over-stressed, but let's try to remember that we're all in this together, and that we're all doing the best we can. Laura Erickson Duluth, MN Producer, "For the Birds" radio program <http://www.lauraerickson.com/> There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter. --Rachel Carson
