Subject: Re: <CALBIRD> Lost of Birding Habitat & a Birding Spot (fwd)
Date: May 7 08:21:49 1998
From: "D. Victor" - dvictor at u.washington.edu


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bob & Carol Yutzy <boby at c-zone.net>
CC: BIRDCHAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU, calbird at pterodroma.kiwi.net,
TEXBIRDS at LIST.AUDUBON.ORG, tweeters at u.washington.edu

Birders2 wrote:
> 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.
> John + Irma LeVine =2, We are birders, too.
> Birders2 at aol.com -- Los Angeles, CA

Fellow Birders,

We originally publicized in ABA the Zapata Seedeaters that we found a
long time ago since they had not reliably been seen anywhere in the U.S.
or the valley until we found this spot near my wife's brother's town of
Laredo (sounds like a song, huh?).

When we publicized it, we let business owners in the town know what we
were doing and especially the Rancho Hawaii campground owner and
manager, where we had seen the birds each time. We told them to expect
a few visitors to see the birds. Would anyone hazard a guess at how
many thousands of birders have been in this tiny town for seedeaters?

We cannot stress the importance of telling the business people in a town
why we are there (wildlife viewing, photographing & bird watching).
They (business owners) often control the town and what happens in it.

While managing Ramsey Canyon Preserve and Mile High Nature Conservancy
facility in S.E. Arizona, we had cards made up saying:
**********************************************************************
"We are in your area watching birds, photographing, observing wildlife,
and consuming products and services. Please protect the wildlife
habitat in your area and we, and others like us, will continue to come
to this area and purchase products and services here."
**********************************************************************

We handed these out free to any visitors to pass around to restaurants,
motels and gas stations and the like in our area.

We always thought it would be good if The Nature Conservancy or National
Wildlife Federation, ABA, or National Audubon would produce these and
send them out freely. They could then add a pitch at the bottom of the
card to contact so & so for further information about habitat protection
and wildlife tourism.

An Idea for the taking.

Let's all keep spreading the word (we are the second biggest group of
outdoor recreationalists behind gardening)!

--
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Bob & Carol Yutzy from Redding, CA./far northern hinterlands
boby at c-zone.net Words to live by - "Let it go, Louie - Let it go!"
(sage advice from one lizard to another)
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