Subject: PALE SPADE-BELLIED GOGGLE-EYED HERON
Date: Dec 6 14:30:48 1997
From: PAGODROMA - PAGODROMA at aol.com


Speaking of which, does anyone have any favorite "fake and fraudulent" birds
you've encountered leading up to some sudden and embarrassing stops, only to
discover that these are decoys or the works of clever artists or residents, or
malicious birders which turn up in unexpected places. A few of my favorites,
now in addition to the here mentioned Bainbridge Island heron, are listed here
in no particular order:

(1) The driftwood herons out in the marsh along the west side of US 101 just
north of Coos Bay / North Bend, Oregon;
(2) Back east many many years ago, the excellent carved rendition of a
Dovekie carefully placed and anchored by a prankster birder (no names here)
just far enough offshore in the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, thus left to
twist and bob around like a live bird and appeared every bit as much, just to
see how much excitement in the birding community it might generate;
(3) Ever build a snow man (i.e. snowy owl) conspicuous but far far out in a
field that from the road and even in the scope looked absolutely great and
convincing and suddenly pops up on the RBA's! (nope! no names now!);
(4) A perfect decoy rendition of a Tufted Duck in the middle of a huge flock
of Scaup and Ring-necks back in Princess Anne County, Maryland. This one had
me fooled for a very long time, I'm embarrassed to say;
(5) And of course there are all those Great Horned Owls scattered in trees
and on roof tops all over the country -- the absolute worst offender of which
used to stop me every time, but now only slows me down a bit (still I look
because I forget) is that one up in a tree which I think many of you have seen
up there near the Skagit Wildlife area.

It's a dangerous world out there; you just can't be too careful! Any more or
favorites you'd like to add? Some of your favorites could make for
interesting subject material for a photo guide or book sometime down the line
:-))

Richard Rowlett (Pagodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA USA)
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God was my co-pilot,
but when we crashed in the mountains,
I had to eat him :-))
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