[NatureNS] Birding ethics

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From: John Kearney <j.f.kearney@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 17:31:19 -0300
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away. =C2=A0=C2=A0=C2=A0 The woods then had been clear cut only about 

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Beautiful post DW.=20

Sent from my iPad

> On May 20, 2020, at 5:22 PM, Shouty McShoutsalot <desolatechair@gmail.com>=
 wrote:
>=20
> Lovely.  Thanks for sharing.
>=20
>> On Wed., May 20, 2020, 17:16 David Webster, <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:
>> Dear All,
>>=20
>>      I saw a comment recently on naturens traffic to the effect that=20
>> even sitting quietly in the woods may adversely affect birds. And it got=20=

>> buried in subsequent traffic.
>>=20
>>      This puzzles me because if you are really quiet then you become in=20=

>> effect an unusually shaped rock or burl. I have had e.g. a Chicadee land=20=

>> within a few inches of my nose  (at most 3" away) and peer this way and=20=

>> that way; no hint of concern just curious. When very slowly crossing a=20=

>> knee-high windfall I once had a Squirrel walk between my legs without=20
>> indicating awareness. When sitting a foot away from a tiny Spruce (~1"=20=

>> diam. at soil) at dusk I once had a small Mouse slowly climb up the tree=20=

>> saying ek ek ek as nonchalant as could be. And one day while passing=20
>> time, while I fished nearby, my wife waded out to a small rocky "island"=20=

>> in a brook took both rubber boots off and a few minutes later a Muskrat=20=

>> joined her, smelled the inside of both boots, smelled and crossed her=20
>> bare legs and then leisurely left the island and proceeded up stream.=20
>> Twice when sitting in Spruce I had a Kinglet land and hop about within=20=

>> inches apparently unaware I was there.  Grey Jays are the exception-=20
>> they find you; especially when they smell a fire because that may mean a=20=

>> welcome change from a dull diet.
>>=20
>>      Sometimes it seems birds welcome company. One summer I spent many=20=

>> hours thinning an area of woods which was clearly overstocked; cutting=20=

>> and let lie or cutting and trimming for firewood. Regardless where I was=20=

>> working in this ~10 acre area a Robin would eventually show up,=20
>> apparently unconcerned, and follow me around as I moved.  Shortly after=20=

>> I bought the woodlot I would trigger a flyby of one or several Pileated=20=

>> Woodpeckers shortly after I started the chainsaw. One or more would fly=20=

>> in, circle me several times calling (Yak, Yak, Yak....) and then fly=20
>> away.     The woods then had been clear cut only about 30 years=20
>> previously so Pileated food may have been in short supply and perhaps=20
>> they wanted a fix on possible exposed food.  They are less common now=20
>> but still often come near where I am cutting and stick around until I=20
>> pause and look up to e.g. try to take a picture.
>>=20
>>      Sometimes simply by being friendly you see things unexpectedly. One=20=

>> day while eating at a large Cortland apple and splitting wood in a light=20=

>> rain a Squirrel seemed interested so I put a small slice out of my=20
>> reach. After he ate that  I continued feeding him slim slices. When it=20=

>> started to rain quite hard he perched in full view on a Spruce branch=20
>> with tail up over his back and with the tail end flared out, fan like=20
>> and serving as an unbrella, protecting his head and front feet from rain.=

>>=20
>>      Yellow Jackets naturally get annoyed if you damage their nest but=20=

>> once, while slicing and eating an apple in the yard, a Yellow Jacket=20
>> flew within a few feet and paused in mid air which I took to mean "May I=20=

>> land on your hand" so I slowly extended my hand to say "welcome" and it=20=

>> landed and proceeded to make good use of the apple juice on my hand. In=20=

>> like fashion, some beetles have come near when having tea in the yard=20
>> and had a good drink. I don't recall details but I somehow improvised a=20=

>> feeding tube consisting of two flat and pointed slivers of wood. They=20
>> would fly to the table for 2 or 3 slips, retreat and then come for more.=20=

>> In such interactions one must move but a key factor is to avoid rapid or=20=

>> unexpected motion.
>>=20
>>      Also sitting quietly near sunny warm areas where one might see a=20
>> snake out hunting will often lead to a snake seen.
>>=20
>>=20
>> Enough DW, Kentville
>>=20
>>=20

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<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Beautiful post DW.&nbsp;<br><br><div id="AppleMailSignature" dir="ltr">Sent from my iPad</div><div dir="ltr"><br>On May 20, 2020, at 5:22 PM, Shouty McShoutsalot &lt;desolatechair@gmail.com> wrote:

Lovely.  Thanks for sharing.

On Wed., May 20, 2020, 17:16 David Webster, <dwebster@glinx.com&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Dear All,<br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I saw a comment recently on naturens traffic to the effect that <br> even sitting quietly in the woods may adversely affect birds. And it got <br> buried in subsequent traffic.<br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This puzzles me because if you are really quiet then you become in <br> effect an unusually shaped rock or burl. I have had e.g. a Chicadee land <br> within a few inches of my nose&nbsp; (at most 3" away) and peer this way 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" <br> diam. at soil) at dusk I once had a small Mouse slowly climb up the tree <br> 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 "island" <br> in a brook took both rubber boots off and a few minutes later a Muskrat <br> joined her, smelle