[NatureNS] Birding ethics

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From: Shouty McShoutsalot <desolatechair@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 17:22:44 -0300
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Lovely.  Thanks for sharing.

On Wed., May 20, 2020, 17:16 David Webster, <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:

> Dear All,
>
>      I saw a comment recently on naturens traffic to the effect that
> even sitting quietly in the woods may adversely affect birds. And it got
> buried in subsequent traffic.
>
>      This puzzles me because if you are really quiet then you become in
> effect an unusually shaped rock or burl. I have had e.g. a Chicadee land
> within a few inches of my nose  (at most 3" away) and peer this way and
> that way; no hint of concern just curious. When very slowly crossing a
> knee-high windfall I once had a Squirrel walk between my legs without
> indicating awareness. When sitting a foot away from a tiny Spruce (~1"
> diam. at soil) at dusk I once had a small Mouse slowly climb up the tree
> saying ek ek ek as nonchalant as could be. And one day while passing
> time, while I fished nearby, my wife waded out to a small rocky "island"
> in a brook took both rubber boots off and a few minutes later a Muskrat
> joined her, smelled the inside of both boots, smelled and crossed her
> bare legs and then leisurely left the island and proceeded up stream.
> Twice when sitting in Spruce I had a Kinglet land and hop about within
> inches apparently unaware I was there.  Grey Jays are the exception-
> they find you; especially when they smell a fire because that may mean a
> welcome change from a dull diet.
>
>      Sometimes it seems birds welcome company. One summer I spent many
> hours thinning an area of woods which was clearly overstocked; cutting
> and let lie or cutting and trimming for firewood. Regardless where I was
> working in this ~10 acre area a Robin would eventually show up,
> apparently unconcerned, and follow me around as I moved.  Shortly after
> I bought the woodlot I would trigger a flyby of one or several Pileated
> Woodpeckers shortly after I started the chainsaw. One or more would fly
> in, circle me several times calling (Yak, Yak, Yak....) and then fly
> away.     The woods then had been clear cut only about 30 years
> previously so Pileated food may have been in short supply and perhaps
> they wanted a fix on possible exposed food.  They are less common now
> but still often come near where I am cutting and stick around until I
> pause and look up to e.g. try to take a picture.
>
>      Sometimes simply by being friendly you see things unexpectedly. One
> day while eating at a large Cortland apple and splitting wood in a light
> rain a Squirrel seemed interested so I put a small slice out of my
> reach. After he ate that  I continued feeding him slim slices. When it
> started to rain quite hard he perched in full view on a Spruce branch
> with tail up over his back and with the tail end flared out, fan like
> and serving as an unbrella, protecting his head and front feet from rain.
>
>      Yellow Jackets naturally get annoyed if you damage their nest but
> once, while slicing and eating an apple in the yard, a Yellow Jacket
> flew within a few feet and paused in mid air which I took to mean "May I
> land on your hand" so I slowly extended my hand to say "welcome" and it
> landed and proceeded to make good use of the apple juice on my hand. In
> like fashion, some beetles have come near when having tea in the yard
> and had a good drink. I don't recall details but I somehow improvised a
> feeding tube consisting of two flat and pointed slivers of wood. They
> would fly to the table for 2 or 3 slips, retreat and then come for more.
> In such interactions one must move but a key factor is to avoid rapid or
> unexpected motion.
>
>      Also sitting quietly near sunny warm areas where one might see a
> snake out hunting will often lead to a snake seen.
>
>
> Enough DW, Kentville
>
>
>

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<div dir=3D"auto">Lovely.=C2=A0 Thanks for sharing.</div><br><div class=3D"=
gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed., May 20, 2020, 1=
7:16 David Webster, &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glin=
x.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"ma=
rgin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Dear All,<br>
<br>
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 I saw a comment recently on naturens traffic to th=
e effect that <br>
even sitting quietly in the woods may adversely affect birds. And it got <b=
r>
buried in subsequent traffic.<br>
<br>
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 This puzzles me because if you are really quiet th=
en you become in <br>
effect an unusually shaped rock or burl. I have had e.g. a Chicadee land <b=
r>
within a few inches of my nose=C2=A0 (at most 3&quot; away) and peer this w=
ay and <br>
that way; no hint of concern just curious. When very slowly crossing a <br>
knee-high windfall I once had a Squirrel walk between my legs without <br>
indicating awareness. When sitting a foot away from a tiny Spruce (~1&quot;=
 <br>
diam. at soil) at dusk I once had a small Mouse slowly climb up the tree <b=
r>
saying ek ek ek as nonchalant as could be. And one day while passing <br>
time, while I fished nearby, my wife waded out to a small rocky &quot;islan=
d&quot; <br>
in a brook took both rubber boots off and a few minutes later a Muskrat <br=
>
joined her, smelled the inside of both boots, smelled and crossed her <br>
bare legs and then leisurely left the island and proceeded up stream. <br>
Twice when sitting in Spruce I had a Kinglet land and hop about within <br>
inches apparently unaware I was there.=C2=A0 Grey Jays are the exception- <=
br>
they find you; especially when they smell a fire because that may mean a <b=
r>
welcome change from a dull diet.<br>
<br>
=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 Sometimes it seems birds welcome company. One summ=
er I spent many <br>
hours thinning an area of woods which was clearly overstocked; cutting <br>
and let lie or cutting and trimming for firewood. Regardless where I was <b=
r>
working in this ~10 acre area a Robin would eventually show up, <br>
apparently unconcerned, and follow me around as I moved.=C2=A0 Shortly afte=
r <br>
I bought the woodlot I would trigger a flyby of one or several Pileated <br=
>
Woodpeckers shortly after I started the chainsaw. One or more would fly <br=
>
in, circle me several times calling (Yak, Yak, Yak....) and then fly <br>
away. =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The woods then had been clear cut only about