Re: [Va-bird] Brown thrasher

From: Dave Hewitt <dhewitt@xxxxxxxx>
To: VA-Bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2007 13:09:25 -0500

With all due respect to Paula (and not the useless Bill O'Reilly type)...

The full text of the ABA's code of ethics is here:

http://www.americanbirding.org/abaethics.htm

The full piece referred to is:

1(b) To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording, or filming.

Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas, or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered, or of Special Concern, or is rare in your local area;

I think this is more accurately interpreted as something less than "it has no place in recreational birding".

The part of the code about rare birds is tough for me: wouldn't we want to use recordings, even if in a very limited way, to try and verify records of rare birds? Would it be worth disturbing a Townsend's Warbler for a few minutes during migration to verify that one had ended up in Virginia? A purist would say no, and restraint and caution are always in order, but each person will have a different interpretation. (Personally, if I heard a Townsend's and had my iPod, I can't say I wouldn't use it.)

Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:30:42 -0500
From: Paula Sullivan <paula.sullivan2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Brown thrasher
To: VA-BIRD <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jay K <azure.jay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID: <0C8210C8-EDFE-4840-8807-EF24EB87E482@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"
Va-Birders,
It should be remembered that tape-playing to call in birds is a
highly controversial practice, forbidden in many wildlife refuges and
in the World Series of Birding. The ABA's Code of Ethics requires
birders to "limit the use of recordings and other methods of
attracting birds." The widespread use of ipods with portable speakers
is a threat to birds and to the traditional style of passive birding.
Disturbing birds with amplified recordings is stressful to them and
highly annoying to birders in the vicinity. Although there may be the
need for tape-playing in legitimate scientific studies, it has no
place in recreationial birding and should not be enouraged on this list.
I had no trouble seeing a Brown Thrasher on Nov. 13 out in the open
in a grassy area without the use of any electronics except my camera.
http://www.pbase.com/paulasullivan/image/88918133
Paula Sullivan
Alexandria
On Dec 1, 2007, at 7:31 PM, Jay K wrote:
> All,
>
> My experience has been that Thrashers get very quiet and perhaps
> even more secretive during the winter and that the best way to find
> them is tape-playing at appropriate habitat. They will typically
> either respond vocally or pop up for a second, or both. I think
> there may be more of them around in winter months than perhaps
> people think.
>
> Jay Keller

Dave Hewitt
Gloucester

Re: [Va-bird] Brown thrasher

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