[NatureNS] Birding ethics

From: Annabelle Thiebaux <hamst@xplornet.com>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 20:14:09 -0300
References: <4C057D66-01ED-40CD-80C3-76842CDA5D33@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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I thought too.

Sent from my iPad

> On May 20, 2020, at 5:40 PM, John Kearney <j.f.kearney@gmail.com> wrote:
>=20
> =EF=BB=BFBeautiful post DW.=20
>=20
> Sent from my iPad
>=20
>> 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=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
utf-8"></head><body dir=3D"auto">I thought too.<br><br><div dir=3D"ltr">Sent=
 from my iPad</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On May 20,=
 2020, at 5:40 PM, John Kearney &lt;j.f.kearney@gmail.com&gt; wrote:<br><br>=
</blockquote></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<meta=
 http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8">Beautifu=
l post DW.&nbsp;<br><br><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature" dir=3D"ltr">Sent from=
 my iPad</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br>On May 20, 2020, at 5:22 PM, Shouty McSho=
utsalot &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:desolatechair@gmail.com">desolatechair@gmail.c=
om</a>&gt; wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr"><d=
iv dir=3D"auto">Lovely.&nbsp; Thanks for sharing.</div><br><div class=3D"gma=
il_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed., May 20, 2020, 17:16=
 David Webster, &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">dwebster@glinx.com=
</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"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; T