I am not going to post any more reports about the Amherst Island Owl Woods until further notice.
Today was a disgusting example of total disregard for habitat and wildlife by many of those present. One gang of 4 or 5 photographers spent over an hour taking pictures of the first Boreal found today. Their loud talk could be heard hundreds of yards away. Apparently not satisfied with how many photos they must have obtained in that time period, they returned at least twice more during the day to the same owl to obtain even more. No matter where you were in the woods, you could hear these guys and others like them talking and laughing and crashing through the woods while they were on the move with their mount Palomar telescopes and equipment. When I left at 3 o'clock there were no less than 20 people with their scopes and cameras surrounding this owl. It was more like an astronomy convention than a group of birders. That owl did not enjoy a moments peace from 8am until at least 3pm and probably not until dark. The vast majority (not all) of the people in the woods today, had absolutely no interest in the owls themselves, only in getting more and better pictures. I don't think there was more than a handful of people all day who had nothing more than binoculars and not a vast array of telescopes, cameras and backpacks. If you're coming to the woods to see owls, all you need is a pair of binoculars and a hand held camera if you want some pictures - you don't need to bring the Mount Palomar 200" telescope with you. Now I don't mean to tar all photographers with the same brush - there are some who know how to behave and not stress the owls unnecessarily to get that 'great' shot. Nor am I necessarily against the large photographic equipment itself, but when virtually everyone you see is carrying huge telescopes, telescopic lenses and tripods, one has to ask oneself what are they there for. If all you want is pictures and you don't know enough or care enough not to be constantly harassing and stressing these owls, please find somewhere else to go and leave the enjoyment of the wildlife to those who do care about it. I would also like to remind everyone that this is NOT public property. It is owned by at least 3 different landowners who have been gracious enough to allow us access to their properties. Breaking branches as you carelessly crash through the woods where there are no trails and breaking or cutting branches off trees to improve the camera angle can reasonably be construed as destruction of private property. It is not inconceivable that if this kind of disregard for the welfare of the birds and the habitat continues that the property will be closed to all. Past experience has shown that these concerns will fall on deaf ears as far as the perpetrators are concerned. If they're not harassing the owls here they'll be chasing them somewhere else. It probably would be helpful however, if those of us who are birders primarily, whether or not they are photographers as well, could confront these morons and make them unwelcome unless they are prepared to respect both the birds and the habitat. Sorry for the rant but this seems to happen every time we have a good owl year. These idiots appear out of nowhere all of a sudden and spoil it for the rest of us. One of the great enjoyments I get in all this is to be able to show visitors these sometimes difficult to find owls. Today, I don't think I pointed out a single owl to anyone for fear it would just result in another stampede to the next photo-op. Alex. Scott _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
