Subject: [Tweeters] Thanks for (most of)Sandy Point Snowy Owl corrections
Date: Nov 15 23:15:56 2017
From: Kevin Lucas - vikingcove at gmail.com


Thank you Mark, this time via tweeters as well as directly, for sharing
your knowledge and thoughts, and for your care behind those thoughts.
I think that if I were to go birding in your footsteps, I'd be unlikely to
find lots of ruffled feathers.

Respectfully,
Kevin Lucas
Selah, Yakima County, WA
*https://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html
<https://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html>*

"This is a mental health problem at the highest level." -- T Rump.
#fake_president

On Wed, Nov 15, 2017 at 9:40 PM, <tomboulian at comcast.net> wrote:

> Sorry that I did not record my town of residence last night on my
> post?don?t post often, so apologies.
>
> Many people have responded; mostly not on tweeters, and mostly
> positively. Some?ah, not so much. So excuse the length of this post but I
> was offended.
>
> Of course I know that snowy owls hunt during the day during breeding
> season, but my experience, which is only based on my own 7 observations
> of irruptive birds in the winter in the US over the last 50 years, is that
> they pretty much stay put during the day except when disturbed by animals,
> including birders and photographers, and that they take off around sunset
> and are back in place at dawn until they take off for a new physical
> location. The only one one I have ever seen eating during the day was a
> bird at Big Ditch near Stanwood sitting on a dead snow goose. And the blood
> splatters of happiness on an Edmonds WA marina bird.
>
> My reasons for posting were not meant to belittle anyone or give out false
> info., just an attempt to give a light-hearted reminder to a growing crowd
> of owl-seekers, increasingly appearing to be from out of the area, that
> visits to these habitual owl roost sites have ended in problems in recent
> years, including on reservations. (Eide Rd long-ears, Boundary Bay snowies,
> Bridgeport hawk-owl
>
> I was there on Nov 3, looking for primarily the ROSA but also the owl,
> since we were snowed out from work here in Seattle and Bellingham was
> already clear.
>
> The e-bird and satellite maps showed a small park-like area at the point
> with a well-worn foot trail. When I arrived (finally, as there was
> construction on Slater Rd. and I had no smart phone with), I found the area
> to be labeled Private property. Another (local) birder assured me that
> access was OK, and obviously it was well used by local dog-walkers, so we
> proceeded around,, seeing not much terrestrial except meadowlarks, but tons
> of stuff off shore to the south?black and surf scoters, common loons, lots
> of mergansers and buffleheads. Super windy, so did not stay long
>
> Then I attempted to find a way to see the ?back bay?, and had two
> encounters with residents?one rapped on the window and identified himself
> with the local block watch, asking what I was doing, saying there was a
> string of burglaries recently. Another ran out of her house and asked the
> same question a few minutes later. I was in the public street all the time
> so was legal. I have a big landscaping truck and not the usual birder?s
> Subaru, so I?m sure that?s a flag. Once she found I was a birder, she said
> it was OK to walk to the back bay from either the dead-end street right of
> way or the water line/fire hydrant right of way.
>
> Both residents told me there was NO public access to the ocean beach.
>
> Several thousand birds on the back bay, including 500+ dunlin, 10 great
> blue heron, some TRSW, wigeons (including one storm), mallards, pintails,
> Canada geese, ring-neck duck, etc.
>
> So, as I see more postings coming in..
>
> 1. Sandy Point is indeed private property (great if it could be a
> park)?you are indeed trespassing here as well as anywhere in the
> community that is not an extension of a public road or below mean tide
> line or without property owner?s/Lummi permission.
>
> 2. It appears I?m not so wrong about wintering Snowy Owl behavior
>
> 3. It?s always a good idea to talk to the natives?whether they are First
> Nations or relative newcomers, and drop a dime wherever you go.
>
> 4. Leave roosting owls in peace.
>
> 5. Mind your manners?be cognizant of where you are, whether it?s on terra
> firma or in cyberspace
>
>
> Mark Tomboulian
>
> Shoreline, WA
>
> tomboulian at comcast dot net
>
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