Hi Burt,

Thanks so much, our birding list needed a breath of
fresh air like this. Where can one obtain the teeny
weeny calling cards I wonder?

Cheers and good birding!

Kathy
Roosting in S King County

--- "Guttman,Burton" <GuttmanB at evergreen.edu> wrote:

> Linda Phillips, observing an Anna's nest, asked, "Do
> any of you know rules of nest watching etiquette?
> How close can I safely view the nest? How often can
> I check on it? Can I take pictures of the babies?"
> Luckily, I just picked up a copy of "Miss Manners's
> Bird-watcher's Etiquette," which answers these and
> other questions. First, you will want to have
> really teeny weeny calling cards made. Upon finding
> a nest of a hummingbird you would like to visit,
> carefully lay your calling card about one meter from
> the nest, ideally on a small patch of lichen, and
> then retreat. A well-brought-up female will examine
> the card, and if she wishes to admit you to her
> nesting site, she will bow toward you several times
> and emit a high-pitched warble. You may then
> approach her nest, to a distance of about a meter,
> and of course you will compliment her on the
> excellence of her construction--her choice of spider
> web, little touches such as inclusion of bits of
> lichen, fungus, or wildflower. It is appropriate to
> observe the nest no more than once in three days
> until the eggs hatch; you will then want to repay
> your hostess for her courtesy by leaving small gifts
> such as insects and insect eggs. It would also be a
> courtesy to guard the nestlings for short times
> while your hostess goes off to hunt food for herself
> and her offspring, or simply to rest from her
> duties. Of course, you will also want to make
> appropriate comments in praise of the nestlings.
> The question of taking photos, however, is a tricky
> one. The hummingbird union has a long-term contract
> with the National Geographic Society, which controls
> all photo rights and has never granted permission to
> anyone but Art Wolfe. This arrangement has been
> severely criticized by the unions of other bird
> species as being highly elitist, but until the
> contract comes up for renewal in 2010, I believe,
> there is nothing we can do about it. I hope this
> information helps.
>
> Burt Guttman
> The Evergreen State College
> Olympia, WA 98505 guttmanb at evergreen.edu
> Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S. E., Olympia, 98503
>
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