.
I didn't get much of anything "post worthy" except this last, of the species Neuman Raptor, hunting as would be expected.
Mike VanderStelt
.
P.S. Nice shots in your post, Don! .
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Mike, I just figured out to comment on this site. Not sure why only "anonymous" lets me post but anyways. Question, based on your 12/3 comments, why does the MCNC continue to post updates on the the owls whereabouts and numbers? It just encourages people to seek them out. Felix
Hey Felix! I think for the most part, people are assuming that viewers WILL keep at a respectful (for the Owl and others) distance, which 90% of them do, and that particular Friday, and Saturday, (when I talked to you) were quite the exeption due to the absence of the Snowy's over the past years. Ric Pedler administers the M.C.N.C sight quite dilligently, and, as he knows every inch of the Wastewater, will either delete, or omit locations of some species posted if it's to their detriment that their EXACT location be published. I.E. it's why I didn't post an exact local for the Golden Eagle. As they've (Snowys)moved more to the middle of the fields as of late, driving up on them is somewhat of an non-issue, so, with anything else, it's just common sense. Also, hey, they're here, and have stayed, so far, so I think the mad dash is over, and as long as people continue to approach them very cautiously, they should have no trouble getting the look/Picture they drove there to get. I would advise bringing a Spotting Scope if you have one, as some of them are quite a-ways out in the fields. Bottom line -- what I said on 12/3 was "my own" words, and not M.C.N.C.'s in any way, but I can safely assume that everyone affiliated with M.C.N.C would hope that everyone practice "good Birding" practices, just as I know YOU do! See you out there! Mike VanderStelt
Hi, Felix. Long time no see. In regard to your question, I too have asked myself that. I've had some un-posted email discussions with a naturalist who disagrees with the eBird post about the harm near proximity to humans has on the Snowies. He says very little; eBird says some. Suffice that it's a controversial issue and I'm inviting comment from others here regarding it. My own philosophy is to err on the side of the birds and I think I've stuck to that during the life of this blog -- for example no info. about nest and roost locations is posted. We also don't post all the info. about Snowies out there, but we do post a lot. And that's of course for the benefit of bird watchers (both those who want to appreciate the birds in person or who can at least appreciate them through the photography) but hopefully not to the detriment of the birds themselves. The fact that there are several Snowies out there this year is known from many other sources besides this blog, so I'm not sure how many additonal birders come to the W.W. because of the blog information, but undoubtedly some do. Right now I don't think those extra folks are harming the Snowies, but I don't know this, and would appreciate hearing what others think about it.
Hello, Ric. Well last night on WOTV 8, somebody named Dan or Don Lockhart or something close, a photographer or birder from Muskegon,sent his photos of the owls to the news station. They spent a few minutes talking about the owls relocating to Muskegon county. Bet that blurb will increase traffic flow out there.
I didn't see that news broadcast, but yes, WOTV will bring more attention to the Snowies at W.W. by magnitudes over all the postings on this blog could ever do. It will be interesting to see what increase (if any) that brings to the number of people birding the W.W. in the next few days. And for anybody else reading this, WOTV's talking about "owls relocating to Muskegon County" is misleading if that's how they said it. The Snowies aren't "relocating" and it's not just "to Muskegon County". They're dispersing all over southern Canada and the northern USA this year; there's a Mich-listers report of 6 at Tawas today.
Here's a link to the WOODTV report, if you hadn't seen it, (I didn't) also, if you scroll down the comments a little, there is someone from G.R. named "Stacey" that got some very nice shots while she was visiting the WW and gives a link to her flikr page -- worth looking at. Mike VanderStelt
I've been birding for about 3-4 years in the MWW. I had a chance to visit once on "Black Friday" after seeing your posts here about the owls. I was just in awe of the beautiful bird (I only saw one that day - what I believe to be a young female).
I too - am concerned about the safety of the owls. During my visit, I used a 500mm lens and did most of my birding from my vehicle as not to disturb the bird. I was with Felix, and we had a great time watching. I just wouldn't want to see a zillion people coming out with point-and-shoots and not following proper techniques for viewing. That would be a shame.
9 comments:
Mike, I just figured out to comment on this site. Not sure why only "anonymous" lets me post but anyways. Question, based on your 12/3 comments, why does the MCNC continue to post updates on the the owls whereabouts and numbers? It just encourages people to seek them out.
Felix
Hey Felix!
I think for the most part, people are assuming that viewers WILL keep at a respectful (for the Owl and others) distance, which 90% of them do, and that particular Friday, and Saturday, (when I talked to you) were quite the exeption due to the absence of the Snowy's over the past years. Ric Pedler administers the M.C.N.C sight quite dilligently, and, as he knows every inch of the Wastewater, will either delete, or omit locations of some species posted if it's to their detriment that their EXACT location be published. I.E. it's why I didn't post an exact local for the Golden Eagle. As they've (Snowys)moved more to the middle of the fields as of late, driving up on them is somewhat of an non-issue, so, with anything else, it's just common sense. Also, hey, they're here, and have stayed, so far, so I think the mad dash is over, and as long as people continue to approach them very cautiously, they should have no trouble getting the look/Picture they drove there to get. I would advise bringing a Spotting Scope if you have one, as some of them are quite a-ways out in the fields. Bottom line -- what I said on 12/3 was "my own" words, and not M.C.N.C.'s in any way, but I can safely assume that everyone affiliated with M.C.N.C would hope that everyone practice "good Birding" practices, just as I know YOU do!
See you out there!
Mike VanderStelt
Mike thanks for the pic and for not posting the exact location!!! Don
Hi, Felix. Long time no see. In regard to your question, I too have asked myself that. I've had some un-posted email discussions with a naturalist who disagrees with the eBird post about the harm near proximity to humans has on the Snowies. He says very little; eBird says some. Suffice that it's a controversial issue and I'm inviting comment from others here regarding it. My own philosophy is to err on the side of the birds and I think I've stuck to that during the life of this blog -- for example no info. about nest and roost locations is posted. We also don't post all the info. about Snowies out there, but we do post a lot. And that's of course for the benefit of bird watchers (both those who want to appreciate the birds in person or who can at least appreciate them through the photography) but hopefully not to the detriment of the birds themselves. The fact that there are several Snowies out there this year is known from many other sources besides this blog, so I'm not sure how many additonal birders come to the W.W. because of the blog information, but undoubtedly some do. Right now I don't think those extra folks are harming the Snowies, but I don't know this, and would appreciate hearing what others think about it.
Hello, Ric. Well last night on WOTV 8, somebody named Dan or Don Lockhart or something close, a photographer or birder from Muskegon,sent his photos of the owls to the news station. They spent a few minutes talking about the owls relocating to Muskegon county. Bet that blurb will increase traffic flow out there.
Felix
Jeez Don!
I don't think YOU even knew where you were, let alone my posting it and getting you lost! ;)
Mike VanderStelt
I didn't see that news broadcast, but yes, WOTV will bring more attention to the Snowies at W.W. by magnitudes over all the postings on this blog could ever do. It will be interesting to see what increase (if any) that brings to the number of people birding the W.W. in the next few days. And for anybody else reading this, WOTV's talking about "owls relocating to Muskegon County" is misleading if that's how they said it. The Snowies aren't "relocating" and it's not just "to Muskegon County". They're dispersing all over southern Canada and the northern USA this year; there's a Mich-listers report of 6 at Tawas today.
Here's a link to the WOODTV report, if you hadn't seen it, (I didn't) also, if you scroll down the comments a little, there is someone from G.R. named "Stacey" that got some very nice shots while she was visiting the WW and gives a link to her flikr page -- worth looking at.
Mike VanderStelt
http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/michigan/snowy-owls-move-into-michigan
LOL - that someone named "Stacey" would be me :-)
I've been birding for about 3-4 years in the MWW. I had a chance to visit once on "Black Friday" after seeing your posts here about the owls. I was just in awe of the beautiful bird (I only saw one that day - what I believe to be a young female).
I too - am concerned about the safety of the owls. During my visit, I used a 500mm lens and did most of my birding from my vehicle as not to disturb the bird. I was with Felix, and we had a great time watching. I just wouldn't want to see a zillion people coming out with point-and-shoots and not following proper techniques for viewing. That would be a shame.
Post a Comment