Hi Birders,

In the last couple of days on Texbirds, there have been reports of a tragic
lost of habitat for a bird species and birders. The reports tell of the lost
of one of the two reliable _public_ spots for seeing the White-collared
Seedeater in Texas. It was bulldozed in Zapata, Texas.

>From Texbirds.

>On the morning of the Classic, at Zapata, the bulldozers were tearing out
ALL, count it >ALL of the brush, trees, and cattails behind the Zapata Library
in Zapata, where we all >have searched for and found the Seadeaters.
......David Dauphin

And

>When I was there late on the morning of the 25th, the bulldozers were
clearing what >appeared to be property adjacent to the library and the small
park. They were not >clearing all the way up to the small pond. I found the
seedeaters literally within two >minutes of my arrival. They were along the
trail that ran along the pond on the side >away from the rest of the park &
street and nearest to where the bulldozers were >working. The dozers et al
were probably within twenty yards of the trail. -- Richard H. >Payne, Ph.D

Brush Freeman followed with:

>It is strange to me that the city of Zapata would destroy the Goose and the
egg (as this >was City property). There probably have been several thousand
birders that have >come to see this tiny bird in Zapata and ate and gassed up
there. Probably many folks >have stayed in the motels, I'm sure to start or
finish the day with a Seedeaters. I beats >me as to why they wanted to rid
themselves of those dollars. Could it be they did not >know the bird was
there? There [are] no other real attractions in Zapata that I can think >of
that would draw birders to the town. Yep, Seedeaters are going to be a whole
lot >tougher for the average birder to see henceforth if this destruction did
take place. Oh >well!

This happened because the powers that might have prevented this destruction
were ignorant of the importance of the habitat to the Seedeater, the
importance of the Seedeater to birders, and finally the importance of birders
to the economics of Zapata, Texas until it was too late. Now, the Zapata
newspaper is going to report about what happened. There is talk on Texbird
about trying to have the area replanted for the Seedeater. All, too late to
prevent the destruction of the original habitat.

This past February 1998, Tom & Jo Heindel reported on CalBird the loss of
endangered Bell's Vireo's habitat at Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National
Park because they (the natural resource section of the national park) did not
"have a clue that there were any Bell's Vireos breeding there." This was in
spite of data submitted by the Heindels annually as part of their research
permit, which had apparently "fallen through the cracks."

In the Texas case, ignorance is claimed. In the Death Valley incident, "the
superintendent made the determination that the project would have no effect!"
Habitat lost to ignorance and/or arrogance.

So how can we prevent this in the future? Reality says that we will lose out
more often than not because of arrogance of people thinking that their views
are more knowing then ours: The "wise use" mentality. But where we can get
across to people that birds have an economic value to them and to have birds,
they have to protect habitat, we may have some success. Think of all of the
small towns that are now having birding festivals: Arcadia, CA; Sierra Vista,
AZ, Salton Sea area, CA, etc. The Chambers of Commerces in these towns have
learned our value, but what about towns like Zapata, TX.

We have to make our presence more known when we are birding! How? By letting
the waitress know why you are visiting and be A GOOD TIPPER. Definitely,
don't be an under tipper. Make sure the motel people know why you are
visiting their area. When they wonder what the bird looks like that brought
you from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz, go out to your car and get your field
guide to show them the Dusky Warbler that you hope to see at Antonelli Ponds
in the morning. Talk to all the locals you can. If you are actively bird
watching invite them to look through your scope or bins. If there are no
birds around, show them what you are looking for in your field guide. Let
them know how much you like their town and if you can work it into the
conversation, how you are spending money in their town. "Oh, we wanted to see
this bird so badly, we drove up last night and are staying at the ABC motel
down the street." "Can you tell us of a good place to eat when we finish
here." Of course, there are the old faithful things like wearing or carry
your bins. Wearing those souvenir T-shirts that proclaim birding activities.
Obviously, be sure that you are on your best social behavior, so you leave a
good impression behind.

But how does one protect a specific site such as the area behind a Zapata
library. This is harder and will require you to go out of your way. It will
require you to write letters to the Chambers of Commerce, the town council,
the mayor telling them how much you enjoyed your visit to their town and
explain how you hope that they will continue to protect such and such habitat
for the birds in their town. Tell them specifically how much money you spent
in their town. If so, how often you come to their town to bird. How many
birders you know that come to their town to bird. How you will talk favorably
about their town to fellow birders. If appropriate, how you will recommend
their town to your non-birder friends as a place to visit. BE GENUINE! in
what you say.

Great Birding and Find that Next Lifer,

John (One of Birders2)
John + Irma LeVine =2, We are birders, too.

Birders2 at aol.com -- Los Angeles, CA

PLEASE put <To Birders2> in subject line when e-mailing us personally. I do
NOT open all of the 200-300 e-mails I receive each day NOR can I always tell
from the subject line that the e-mail is specifically for us, BUT I DO WANT to
read your e-mails to us. Thanks!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I wonder what natural beauties we shall have, aside from the mountains and
the sky, a hundred years from now!"

Musing of George H. Lowery Jr., his book LOUISIANA BIRDS, 1995, pg. 355 on
having had the opportunity