On Tue, 17 Oct 1995, Tim Shelmerdine wrote:
> The bar-tailed godwit . . . is not particularly wary, as I photographed
> it at a distance of about 20 feet.

Russell Rogers, volunteer production manager/layout guy for WOSNews, has
already invited Tim to send this photo in for our publication. I'll be
glad to have it, as we are always looking for decent shots of interesting
birds (interesting is not necessarily equivalent to unusual). Submissions
of photos, artwork, writing, calendar items, etc may be sent to my new
address (below).

More to the point of my post, though, is a quandary. Yes, I want good
photos of birds. But I don't believe birders should feel it necessary to
creep up closely to every bird they want to photodocument. This godwit was
thought to be "not particularly wary". Any chance it wasn't feeling well
and wished to be left alone? What was the reaction of other shorebirds at
the marina?

I've done my share of disturbing birds for a photo or a better look, so I
don't mean to take a holier-than-thou stance. And I'm not especially keen
on starting a Birding Ethics thread on Tweeters (I'm sure it's been done
before). I guess it's just a plea to everyone to take care near our
feathered friends.

Scott Richardson
Editor, WOSNews (volunteer)
4833 Terrace Drive NE
Seattle WA 98105

p.s. WOSNews is the bimonthly newsletter of the Washington Ornithological
Society. Info on request.