This afternoon when the bittern came out in the SW marsh some folks in their exuberance to get good photos, wandered way off the road. As a photographer I can understand the strong desire to get good photos. However, I would like to remind folks that the land encompassing and surrounding all four wetlands is private land.
The 180th St Marsh provides spectacular birding opportunities and is heavily used. We must remember that we are guests and that the landowners in the vicinity could interpret our presence as a nuisance or worse. Although the road is public annoyed landowners could go to the township and get it posted as no parking for a mile in either direction. I have seen this happen. Last fall I met the landowner who owns the land south of the road. Although he was pleasant enough he clearly did not understand or appreciate birds or birders. In fact he expressed some irritation that his good corn ground was flooded. This is the sort of guy who can go from tolerant to mad with only minor provocation. My intent is not to chastise or embarrass anyone. I would just like to remind us all (myself included) that we need to be on our very best behavior, at all times, even when it's no big deal. Bill ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
