I had a recent experience that left a bad taste in my mouth that should be
a warning to other birders who follow-up on eBird reports of
rare/hard-to-find birds. I saw a report of 4 Clark's Nutcrackers reported
from the Deer Park area of Port Angeles in Clallam County followed by a
glowing account of the two precocious younger birds who found them as we'll
as another uncommon Red-eyed Vireo as reported on a Clallam County Birding
blog. Since I needed both birds for Clallam County, I decided to take the
lead of the blogger and follow-up on the report by going to the address
where the birds were reported being seen. I arrived at the address and
before I could even get out if my car, I was approached by a middle-aged
woman who told me that this was private property and that I was
trespassing. I tried to explain that I was a birder and I was following up
on an eBird report of two uncommon birds apparently entered on eBird by her
great-nephews. The woman wold not even talk to me until I agreed to vacate
the grounds and go "outside the gate" beyond her property. note: there was
no "gate" nor were there any signs indicating "No trespassing" or "Private
property" etc. Ro make a long story short, I couldn't even talk to the two
young birders the blogger praised as being highly skilled birders for their
age. The woman made it perfectly clear that she did not want ANYONE on her
property and that it was undoubtedly a mistake that the two boys gave the
exact address where the birds were seen on eBird. Her rationale: " I have
horses and dogs that will bow (you). I know all too well these
ultra-property rights folks from my time living in Florida, but at least
there, fold usually had signs posted stating "No trespassing" or "private
property/Keep out". The whole incident left a very bad taste in my mouth
and I think I'll never follow-up on an eBird report where a specific
address is given, glowing blog or not. you have been warned!

Vincent Lucas
Sequim, Wa
vincentlucas5 at gmail.com


--
Vincent Lucas
Sequim, WA
vincentlucas5 at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/pipermail/tweeters/attachments/20130706/ba277762/attachment.htm