I agree with the logic of this article, and have made the same argument for years. Owls are not particularly vulnerable to disturbance, and they are spectacular ambassadors to non-birders. Do you know how many Northern Saw-whet and Boreal owls exist in the world, and how few ever encounter people (other than, perhaps, over-exuberant banders ;^))? One in a publicly-available spot can generate so much goodwill that, as an educator, I would argue to disturb its sleep a few times so that people can experience it.
It's boils down to the old saw: people only protect what they love, and they don't love anything they don't know. And, I would add that the best way to learn to love owls is to actually see one face-to-face in the wild. But, from my experience on this issue, people seem to have become almost as religious in their views as the cats-as-predators one. I am happy to see a logical, not emotional public piece about it, nonetheless. That's my humble opinion, and I don't expect everyone to agree. Just saying... Kevin ________________________________ From: bounce-122210006-3714...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-122210006-3714...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of Meena Madhav Haribal <m...@cornell.edu> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2018 8:50 AM To: NYSBIRDS-L; geneseebirds-googlegr...@geneseo.edu Subject: [nysbirds-l] The delicate politics of chasing owls. Interesting article. Some of you may not have seen it! The delicate politics of chasing owls. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/opinion/sunday/owl-watching.html [https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/01/14/sunday-review/14COMET-slide-JG9V/14COMET-slide-JG9V-facebookJumbo-v2.jpg]<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/opinion/sunday/owl-watching.html> The Delicate Politics of Chasing Owls - The New York Times<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/opinion/sunday/owl-watching.html> www.nytimes.com ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Owls tend to be secretive. While there are a few American species that enjoy the daylight hours, most are nocturnal and spend their days ... Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 42.429007,-76.47111 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ Ithaca area moths: https://plus.google.com/118047473426099383469/posts Dragonfly book sample pages: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1ngrZelDNo5QnFDMl9BdVNlLXc ________________________________ From: bounce-122209710-9347...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-122209710-9347...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of & [NYSBIRDS] digest <nysbird...@list.cornell.edu> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2018 12:06 AM To: NYSBIRDS-L Subject: nysbirds-l digest: January 20, 2018 NYSBIRDS-L Digest for Saturday, January 20, 2018. 1. eBird.org: Recent Additions to County Checklists 2. Eastern Long Island Update 3. NYC Audubon Lecture, Wed, Jan 24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: eBird.org: Recent Additions to County Checklists From: Ben Cacace <bcac...@gmail.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2018 05:31:28 -0500 X-Message-Number: 1 When working on the NYS eBird Hotspots wiki I'll compare the previous bar chart list of species with the current one picking up any additions or deletions. By going to each county's 'Overview' page you can determine the date the species was added by county. Some are from newly submitted checklists from many months / years ago. It isn't possible to spot these additions from old checklists. On the 'Overview' page you can sort on 'First Seen' but if the species wasn't added recently it won't appear at the top of the list. For each county on the NYS eBird Hotspots site click the 'Overview' link on the 'Explore a Location' line: — http://ebirding-nys.wikispaces.com/Birding+in+New+York Since last update: 8 days Green represents a New York State first. *Chautauqua County: <http://ebirding-nys.wikispaces.com/Chautauqua>* Inca Dove (8-Dec-2017) *Seneca County: <http://ebirding-nys.wikispaces.com/Seneca>* Barnacle Goose (26-Nov-1987) -- Ben Cacace Manhattan, NYC Wiki for NYS eBird Hotspots <http://ebirding-nys.wikispaces.com/Birding+in+New+York> Facebook Discussion for NYS eBird Hotspots: Q & A <https://www.facebook.com/groups/NYeBirdHotspots/> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Eastern Long Island Update From: Gail Benson <gbenso...@gmail.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2018 13:26:30 -0500 X-Message-Number: 2 The Pink-footed Goose continues at Deep Hollow Ranch (Montauk). Off Montauk Point we saw 38 Razorbills as part of our morning watch. Two Tundra Swans flew off Hook Pond (East Hampton) early. GB, TWB, AG, BM ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: NYC Audubon Lecture, Wed, Jan 24 From: Lynne Hertzog <lynnehert...@gmail.com> Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2018 21:05:54 +0000 X-Message-Number: 3 THE NATURE SPECTACLES OF NEW JERSEY *By Joanna BurgerWednesday, January 24, 7pm* *Reidy Hall at the Unitarian Church of All Souls, located on Lexington Avenue between 79th and 80th streets in Manhattan* *Rutgers professor and scientist Joanna Burger is a behavioral ecologist whose primary interests are in the* *adaptive significance of social behavior in vertebrates, ecological risk, and biomonitoring. She is also the author of several books for lay naturalists on birds, butterflies, parrots, and pine snakes. For our lecture, Dr. Burger will acquaint us with the rich natural experiences that can be had in the state next door, New Jersey.* Free, open to the public. Join us! *This series has been made possible by the support of Claude and Lucienne Bloch.* --- END OF DIGEST -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> ABA<http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --