Date: 1/16/25 5:45 pm From: Nicholas Earnhart via groups.io <naearnhart...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] wintersburg owl
Jim.
I appreciate your positivity about the bird’s success. It’s good to see
wildlife thriving.
However, this bird is an excellent example of what we’re doing wrong. As we
adopt more and more birders into our community, we have to recognize that
we have become careless about being “ethical”. Everyone can have their own
definition of that, but there needs to be a baseline level of effort on our
part.
Whether or not the bird flushes, we still cause stress when we approach it
closely. This can have severe consequences on the bird, intentional or not.
I don’t care if it’s not breeding, it’s still a bird that has a fragile
population in Orange County. Something that MUST be taken into
consideration.
To me it’s simple. If I’m at bolsa chica, I’ll scope the bird out, and be
content.
I would rather use less effort, and prioritize the birds life, over my want
to see it.
This is the last message I’ll put in the group about this bird. I hope it
can be the last one period. Maybe even the last one about the location of a
relatively threatened bird?
Sincerely,
Nicholas Earnhart
<naearnhart...>
On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 17:14 James Pike via groups.io <jimpike444=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> The reason why I brought up today’s owl sighting is because of the
> evolving pattern I have observed in this bird’s behavior over the weeks. At
> the beginning, it was roosting under the shelter of one side of the bridge,
> then the shelter of the other side. Thereafter, it began roosting in the
> open at the bottom of the riprap, then at the top of the riprap, and now
> atop the wooden fence (the one with the CDFW signs) along the public
> pathway. While I doubt it is attracted to the increasing attention it
> garners, I don’t see evidence that it is especially deterred by it, either.
> In my view, if this bird persists throughout the winter at this exposed
> roosting (*not nesting*) site, it will entirely depend on its tolerance of
> humans rather than whether or not it is ever mentioned on a birding site.
> Based on its recent behavior, I think there is reason for optimism.
>
>
> Jim Pike
>
> HB
>
> On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 10:51 AM Cynthia Case <case.cynthiak...>
> wrote:
>
>> With all due respect, I think this owl will have a much better chance of
>> persisting through the winter if folks would kindly stop broadcasting its
>> location for all the photographers, birders, and other curious people who
>> want to get a closer look. It has already been approached from unsafe
>> distances, flushed by dogs, etc. Why not just give this owl some peace?
>> Please.
>> Cynthia Case
>> Laguna Woods
>>
>> On Jan 16, 2025, at 9:53 AM, James Pike via groups.io <jimpike444=
>> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>>
>>
>> I'm told that everyone's favorite Burrowing Owl was perched on the top
>> rung of the wooden fence along Wintersburg channel this morning, undeterred
>> by passersby. I'm beginning to think it might persist through the winter
>> after all.
>>
>> Jim Pike
>> HB
>>
>>
>
>
