Hi Tweets,
On Sat 3/3/01, at Montlake Fill, I boserved one off-leashed dog chased birds
and while chasing jumped in the water. (near stadium)

On Sun 2/18/01, at Discovery park, I observed one off-leshed dog chase birds
as the owner watched produly, owner did not even tried to stop him!

I don't go to Montlake or Discovery park everyday, looks like these things
happen many times. May be one day, instead birding, we should do some dog
watching and find out more details as to number of occurrances, impact etc.

May be the NO DOGS signs are very small or at some corner, so dogers
purposefully ignore them.

If we put some BIIIIIIG singns, may be this will be reduced.

Narendra Bhagwat
Seattle.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
>[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Netta Smith
>Sent: Sunday, March 04, 2001 2:51 PM
>To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>Subject: Spencer I, puppy poop paradise
>
>
>Hi, tweeters.
>
>This is Dennis Paulson, NOT Netta Smith (it's unnerving that people keep
>responding to my posts with a "Dear Netta")
>
>Here is a bird list from Spencer Island, Sunday, 4 March, 09:15-11:45
>
>SP = sewage ponds
>
>Pied-billed Grebe 3
>Double-crested Cormorant 4 overhead
>Great Blue Heron 2
>Canada Goose 8
>Green-winged Teal 50
>Mallard 100
>Northern Pintail 50
>Northern Shoveler 4 (SP)
>Gadwall 6
>American Wigeon 1
>Ring-necked Duck 2 (SP)
>Lesser Scaup 50 (SP)
>the huge Canvasback flock seems to have left the sewage ponds
>Bufflehead 6
>Common Merganser 1
>Ruddy Duck 40 (SP)
>Bald Eagle 2 overhead
>Northern Harrier 2
>Red-tailed Hawk 5
>we could not stir up any Virginia Rails anywhere by clapping; they either
>have left the area or have finally discovered that hand-claps are not
>rails!
>Mew Gull hundreds
>Glaucous-winged Gull dozens
>Downy Woodpecker 3
>Hairy Woodpecker 1
>Northern Flicker 1
>Tree Swallow 5 (nice to see HARBINGERS OF SPRING)
>American Crow 6
>Black-capped Chickadee 20
>Bushtit 4
>Bewick's Wren 5
>Marsh Wren 10
>Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
>Hermit Thrush 1 (migrant or winterer?)
>American Robin 10
>European Starling 8
>Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
>Spotted Towhee 20 (including at least one brightly marked interior bird)
>Fox Sparrow 1
>Song Sparrow 70
>Golden-crowned Sparrow 5
>Red-winged Blackbird 6
>House Finch 1
>Pine Siskin 50
>
>Why "puppy poop paradise," you might ask. Well, we ran into 3 different
>dog/dog owner parties as we were heading north along the east side of the
>island. All of them crossed into or were about to cross into the wildlife
>preserve where, nominally, dogs aren't allowed. One dog was on leash,
>another not, the third magically was leashed as soon as the owners saw us.
>Approaching the wildlife area from the north, there are two small signs
>that
>say "DOGS NOT ALLOWED" in the wildlife area. In both of them, the word
>"DOGS" had been neatly snipped out of the sign. We only stopped one of the
>people (it's never an enjoyable task) to tell him about the regulations,
>and
>he was very nice, said he hadn't seen any signs(!), and asked if it was all
>right if his young puppy could continue around, as he was tired and it was
>a
>long way to go all the way back by the same trail (which the signs, of
>course, stipulate). Two of the people with one of the unleashed dogs were
>running full tilt, using Spencer Island as a jogging trail. Also, I saw no
>sign of puppy poop paraphernalia on the persons of any of the people, and I
>expect that dogs make permanent deposits just about anywhere they wish -
>vibram soles beware!
>
>As you enter the area, just after crossing the bridge, there are a plethora
>of signs that make it clear that there are to be no dogs in the wildlife
>area and that dogs are permitted to the north, but must "return by same
>trail." Well, can you imagine walking 75% or so around a loop and then
>turning around and retracing your steps? It's entirely unrealistic to ask
>this of dog people, so some other solution must be sought, in my opinion.
>
>We saw 3 sets of doggers (including one set of joggers), 3 sets of hikers
>(but no bikers), and 3 sets of birders during our walk, which I think puts
>birders at 33%, not exactly the largest lobbying group. Of course, this
>week there was an article in the Seattle P-I Getaway section in which
>Spencer Island was featured as a hike, so the ratio of nonbirders to
>birders
>will probably continue to rise there. It could easily and logically be
>argued that dogs should have the run of the place, because there are more
>dog people than naturalists and we live in sort of a democracy, so the fact
>that any areas have been set aside to be dogless is an amazing thing in
>itself.
>
>Perhaps dogs aren't as disturbing to birds as they are to mammals, but I
>suspect that mammals will become conspicuous by their absence as dog use of
>Spencer Island increases. Maybe I should send these comments to a mammal
>listserve ("woofers?").
>
>Given that there has been some success in restricting dog access, I think
>it
>would be quite appropriate if Spencer Island were made off limits to dogs
>except during the hunting season, when dogs would be allowed on the Fish &
>Wildlife property. But enforcement seems at an absolute minimum on the
>island (I've seen an "official" there only once, and he looked about 16,
>not
>projecting much authority), so any restrictions may be a joke (but not a
>funny one). Enforcement and presence are surely the keys to a successful
>program, but I suppose all park departments are strapped for funds and thus
>personnel. I do think dog people need open spaces, but the Langus
>Riverfront Park plus the trail on the west side of Union Slough should
>surely be adequate.
>
>If anyone feels strongly about this, the number to call to complain
>specifically about dogs where they're not supposed to be is 206-339-1208
>(Snohomish County Parks & Recreation).
>
>Mostly because of the people who snipped the word DOG out of the signs, we
>made the rest of our trip around in a bummed-out mode, agreeing that the
>quality of life for people like us would be ever diminishing as human
>populations grew inexorably, and that, concomitantly, there really was no
>hope for the environment.
>
>Of course, we do have the interesting situation that many birders are dog
>owners....
>
>Dennis
>--
>Dennis Paulson
>1724 NE 98 St.
>Seattle, WA 98115
>

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