Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 19:48:22 -0400
Reply-To: Tim Rose <durc@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender: Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From: Tim Rose <durc@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject: Re: CONNECTICUT WARBLER: Reflections and an Apology
In-Reply-To: <70.1d1e4422.2a1cfc57@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
This is a delayed response, but I want to thank Mark Davis for his
posting of 5/22 about the tape recording and the Connecticut Warbler.
I can't say I haven't used tapes to try to attract birds (I have
never used them successfully, does that count? O:) ), but I have
asked myself, does the desire to see a bird justify putting the added
stress and confusion of an invisible rival into his already
challenging life? Mark's post put me over the edge and I think I
will forego that practice in the future. I would apologize to the
Saw Whet Owls along Burrell's Ford Road but they didn't show up so to
heck with them. :) I do apologize to the nesting Chuck Will's Widow
in the campground area at Skidaway Island State Park - the first
couple of times I flushed it by accident but that last time was pure
ornithological greed. A nesting bird doesn't need that stress.
This year, I heard a Connecticut Warbler. Lifer! When the time is
right I'll get it off the "heard only" list, by being in the right
place at the right time, not by distorting its behavior - which is
not entirely unlike destroying its habitat.
To me the true way to get to know wild birds and animals is to
observe them in their natural context, within their natural rhythms
and behavioral parameters. If they're hard to see, then not-seeing
them is a big part of the experience of that species' behavior (see
Black Rail) (or... not-see Black Rail).
Thanks, Mark.
Tim Rose
(The preceding was a personal viewpoint and not intended to assign
guilt to anyone who chooses to use recorded songs.)
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