After hearing this report and watching a snowy owl at the Syracuse airport remain perched for hours while jets passed within meters makes me think that these birds can be extremely tolerant of human presence to put it mildly.
It reminds me of a situation in Lincolnshire, England where grey seals haul up to have their young on an RAF bombing range! Meanwhile planes are screaming by continuously. On non-bombing days visitors are allowed on the beach near the seals. One would think that this would be the end of the seals, but their population is expanding! On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 10:55 AM, Kenneth V. Rosenberg <[email protected]>wrote: > This bird, like virtually all Snowy Owls I've seen, was completely > oblivious to our (or the many other people and cars) presence. At one point > it flew down in a silent glide directly at Anne and me, almost grazing our > shoulders as it dove into the ditch behind us (possibly after a Song > Sparrow that was calling there); and then turned and flew right back to the > same post. These owls are stressed, no doubt, by their forced dispersal in > search of food, and many will unfortunately probably not make it, but an > owl that takes up temporary residence in a Target parking lot during peak > shopping hours is not going to feel harassed by a few birders peering up in > awe at it. > > KEN > > > Ken Rosenberg > Conservation Science Program > Cornell Lab of Ornithology > 607-254-2412 > 607-342-4594 (cell) > [email protected] > > On Dec 11, 2013, at 8:47 AM, Scott Haber <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I think Kevin was suggesting that the owl "sliding" was a result of the > bird attempting to perch on a steep, snow-covered incline, and not because > it was terrified by a small group of birders standing at a respectful > distance, but I guess he could be wrong. > > -Scott > > > On Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 8:00 AM, John and Sue Gregoire <[email protected]>wrote: > >> All, >> >> 1.Aren't we as a group harassing that TARGET Snowy? Seems every report >> has it >> quickly flying off, relocating, sliding, or some such. Just my two cents. >> > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and > Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail > Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- > > > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and > Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail > Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
