Subject: [Tweeters] sign for Snowy Owl etiquette
Date: Jan 9 12:59:07 2012
From: Marty Kramer - namaste at wavecable.com


If there is going to be "another " sign, which no doubt the off leah
violators will ignore anyway, it should not be exclusive to a species but
tot he flora and fauna in the area. It is unfortunate we continue to see
this type of violation not only at this location but far too many others.
I would lodge a complaint with the State Parks division in this case;
though I doubt they now have the personnel now that the state lawmakers
(omitting the capitalization on purpose) have cut funding!
Marty at www.martykramerstudio.com <www.martykramerstudio.com>






On 1/9/12 12:01 PM, "Christine Southwick" <clsouth at u.washington.edu> wrote:

>Two more cents:
>
>My feeling is that a sign could be used as a guide:
>
>If the owl shows signs of being aware of you:
>
>including opening its eyes, looking around at you, deficating,
>then YOU ARE TOO CLOSE AND NEED TO BACK AWAY.
>You are keeping it from much needed sleep.
>
>
>Waking birds that hunt from dusk-until-dawn is like waking up a night
>worker who also sleeps during the day.
>
>Once in a while doesn't cause harm in itself; but if someone, (or an owl)
>can't get a good day's sleep over and over again, then mistakes are going
>to be made.
>
>And nature isn't very forgiving.
>
>If an owl is too tired to hunt effectively, then it is not going to get
>enough to eat.
>
>And at the current rate of viewing, they could being having their sleep
>interrupted everyday for a while.
>
>Go visit them, but don't disturb them. Let them sleep.
>
>
>Christine Southwick
>N Seattle/Shoreline
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>+++
>
>On Mon, 9 Jan 2012, Cindy Ashy wrote:
>
>> Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 11:39:51 -0800 (PST)
>> From: Cindy Ashy <tunicate89 at yahoo.com>
>> To: tweeters at dartfrogmedia.com, lguy_mcw at yahoo.com,
>>clsouth at u.washington.edu,
>> tweeters at uw.edu, boomerdenune at aol.com
>> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Snowy Owl etiquette
>>
>> Yes, laws exist but enforcement is the real issue.
>> Remember 2-3 years back the guy who was INTENTIONALLY using his vehicle
>>to run over gulls on the beach on the south coast of Washington. He
>>killed several and injured more. He
>> also did this more than once. As a sidenote, I was told that "intent"
>>was not technically part of the law but in my mind it matters.
>>
>> I personally spoke with someone in enforcement at the federal level and
>>they were intent on letting the state handle it....seemed to be mostly
>>because they simply don't have
>> enough people/time/money for enforcement. It also seems to matter a lot
>>which region the offense takes place in as different people have
>>different priorities/attitudes. I also
>> talked with people in fish and wildlife (I was told the investigation
>>was in their hands) and frankly came away without much hope that
>>appropriate action would be taken.
>>
>> Cindy Ashy
>>
>> --- On Mon, 1/9/12, boomerdenune at aol.com <boomerdenune at aol.com> wrote:
>>
>> From: boomerdenune at aol.com <boomerdenune at aol.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Snowy Owl etiquette
>> To: tweeters at dartfrogmedia.com, lguy_mcw at yahoo.com,
>>clsouth at u.washington.edu, tweeters at uw.edu
>> Date: Monday, January 9, 2012, 1:14 PM
>>
>> Marc, for federally protected species covered under the FMSA, I
>>was directed to call the USFS number in the link below for violations.
>>-A sign is not a bad idea, the
>> USFS may be able to assist with that.
>>
>> http://www.fws.gov/wafwo/
>>
>>
>> Darrel
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Marc Hoffman <tweeters at dartfrogmedia.com>
>> To: Guy McWethy <lguy_mcw at yahoo.com>; Christine Southwick
>><clsouth at u.washington.edu>; tweeters <tweeters at uw.edu>
>> Sent: Mon, Jan 9, 2012 10:39 am
>> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Snowy Owl etiquette
>>
>> Tweets,
>>
>> Is there law protecting these birds against harrassment? I think there
>>is. In that case, my suggestion is to include on the
>>otherwise-very-friendly-and-informative sign
>> "Report violators by calling (XXX) XXX-XXXX." I know this sounds harsh,
>>but a lot of people who already know better will still do whatever the
>>heck they feel like doing
>> (this is based on my experience of trying all sorts of approaches to
>>get folks to leash their dogs on on-leash areas including Marymoor Park;
>>over 50% refuse). And so it
>> might be necessary to remind them that they will be seen by everyone
>>else as "the bad guys," and that there are consequences.
>>
>> Marc Hoffman
>> Kirkland, WA
>> http://www.SongbirdPhoto.com
>>
>>
>> At 09:43 AM 1/9/2012, Guy McWethy wrote:
>> Well, as always, it only takes a few individuals to make a mess
>>of things for the rest of us.
>> And many of these problems are due to simple ignorance.
>> If everyone going out there is aware of the issue, we may even
>>manage to police ourselves ....
>>
>> Any thoughts about placing a sign out on Damon Point?
>> All the folks viewing the owls have to walk out thru there, and
>>would notice a big sign:
>>
>> "Snowy Owls Present on Damon Point.
>> Please do not approach within 100 feet of the owls.
>> Please do not disturb or flush the owls.
>> If they are flushed, they burn extra energy, and can easily die
>>of starvation.
>> Please allow the rest of us to enjoy the owls as well"
>>
>> I bet we could get the folks on Tweeters to chip in some $$ to
>>get a sign made up quickly.
>> I'll pledge $20 as a start ...
>>
>> Heck, a sheet of plywood and some paint would be enough to start
>>....
>>
>> Anyone out there have any ideas about who to contact for
>>permission to post a sign? Do we need any?
>> Heck, talk to the owners of the campground there, to place it on
>>that edge. They might be amenable to some good publicity ..
>>
>> Instead of just complaining, lets do something.
>>
>> Guy McWethy
>> Renton, WA
>> mailto: lguy_mcw at yahoo.com
>> From: Christine Southwick <clsouth at u.washington.edu>
>> To: tweeters at uw.edu
>> Sent: Monday, January 9, 2012 9:14 AM
>> Subject: [Tweeters] Snowy Owl etiquette
>>
>> Saturday, I and some friends went to Damon Point at Ocean Shores
>>--(parking is along a curve--with no good signage). Walk was about two
>>miles each way to where
>> the owls were.
>> We saw three, but had been told that there were at least six seen
>>that morning.
>>
>> Two were heavily marked, one was almost white--maybe an adult?
>>But was hard to see because of all the people crowding around it.
>>
>> It was great to see these beautiful birds;
>> it was not great to see the over-eager people who were vying for
>>the best possible photo and crowding these owls.
>>
>> As we were walking toward the area of these owls, I saw two
>>different owls who had been pressured into flying, wasting valuable
>>calories, to get away from
>> people, who then moved toward where they settled. One of these
>>owls flew again, so it was obviously disturbed.
>>
>> The third owl decided not to move, so people kept moving
>>closer. Since I wouldn't go any closer because of my concern for the
>>owls, I could only guess at the
>> distance, but from where I stood, they (at least four, with three
>>others about 100 feet) couldn't have been more than 50 feet from the
>>owl, and maybe even
>> closer. One of my friends said 25 feet...
>>
>> If we, as the birding community don't monitor ourselves, and show
>>by example, who will be loooking out for the welfare of birds out of
>>their normal habitat?
>> Must we diminish their chances of survival by competition of who
>>has the best picture? Loving them to death is still death.
>>
>>
>> Christine Southwick
>> N Seattle/Shoreline
>> clsouthwick at q.com
>>
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