I don?t think posting photos of people and their license plates, or posting
photographic ethics to insinuate that it?s always/more frequently
photographers who disturb wildlife is in spirit with the American Birding
Association?s mandate to ?Practice common courtesy in contacts with other
people.? In fact, I think both are offensive and inappropriate. As Lee Rentz
more calmly and politely pointed out, there are just as many instances of
?birders? violating ethics and laws. I daresay the birder/photographer with
the point-and-shoot and flash deployed is the worst of all. That is to say,
we?re all humans and there is a birder in every bird photographer, as well
as vice versa.

The same should extend to hunters, by the way. The sound of distant gunfire
gets to me as much as the next person, but hunters have done way more than
any of us to help fund management of wildlife areas. I?ve also found them to
be extremely polite and helpful. They are not necessarily looking for the
same things we are, but they see a lot and are willing to share.

Glenn Nelson
Seattle
gnbuzz at comcast.net
gnbuzz.com