[mou] Birders/shoulders/homes

Mike Hendrickson smithville4@charter.net
Tue, 8 Feb 2005 16:08:37 -0600


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Hello:

As you can tell I was very frustrated with the on going issues with some =
of the residents of the "Bog" area.   I decided to place a call with the =
St. Louis County Sheriff and discuss all the issues up along Co. Rd 7 =
and other places.  I did this for myself as a private birder and not as =
a MOU rep. I wanted some answers.

Do motorist have the right to stop along the shoulders of Co. Rd 7 to =
view birds? Even if the birds are coming to a resident's feeder or if an =
owl is perched in a resident's yard?
SHERIFF: You certainly can stop on the shoulders of county road 7 and =
other county roads. Using the flashers is a good idea as well. Yes you =
can view birds from the shoulders of county roads and also watch birds =
coming to feeders, as long as you don't enter their property. Get =
permission to do so.
There signs along two residents houses that say "NO Birdwatching" does =
that mean I do not have the right to view the birds from the shoulder =
and I should leave the area?
SHERIFF: No.  You can stay and watch the birds.

We chatted about some of the harassments going up there. I told them it =
is not happening all the time but occasionally residents are acting =
foolish towards birders.  We also chatted about the large number of owls =
up at Sax Zim. Overall it was a good conversation.  He also said that if =
there are a large number of cars pulled off on the shoulders it may =
cause some concern for them. This mostly has to do with traffic issue =
and safety concerns.

I am only posting this because there are so many birders coming to this =
area for the next few weeks and they should be informed that parking on =
shoulders in allowable.  Only park for a few minutes to view birds at =
residents feeders. Also I posted back in early Jan. that there other =
places to view feeder birds at feeders. Isabella feeder is a good place =
to go. I wanted to know if these signs carry any weight. (legally) They =
do not.

In about 3 more weeks most of the birders will not have reason to come =
here as the owls will certainly be very low in numbers as March =
approaches.

Mike H.=20

Michael Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Minnesota Birding Treks
http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>Hello:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>As you can tell I was very =
frustrated=20
with the on going issues with some of the residents of the "Bog"=20
area.&nbsp;&nbsp; I decided to place a call with the St. Louis County =
Sheriff=20
and discuss all the issues up along Co. Rd 7 and other places.&nbsp; I =
did this=20
for myself as a private birder and not as a MOU rep. I wanted some=20
answers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>Do motorist have the right to =
stop along=20
the shoulders of Co. Rd 7 to view birds? Even if the birds are coming to =
a=20
resident's feeder or if an owl is perched in a resident's =
yard?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>SHERIFF: You certainly can =
stop on the=20
shoulders of county road 7 and other county roads. Using the flashers is =
a good=20
idea as well. Yes you can view birds from the shoulders of county roads =
and=20
also&nbsp;watch birds coming to feeders, as long as you don't enter =
their=20
property. Get permission to do so.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>There signs along two =
residents houses=20
that say "NO Birdwatching" does that mean I do not have the right to =
view the=20
birds from the shoulder and I should leave the area?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>SHERIFF: No.&nbsp;&nbsp;You =
can stay and=20
watch the birds.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>We chatted about some of the =
harassments=20
going up there. I told them it is&nbsp;not happening all the time but=20
occasionally residents are acting foolish towards birders. &nbsp;We also =
chatted=20
about the large number of owls up at Sax Zim. Overall it was a good=20
conversation.&nbsp; He also said that if there are a large number of =
cars pulled=20
off on the shoulders it may cause some concern for them. This mostly has =
to do=20
with traffic&nbsp;issue and safety concerns.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>I am only posting this =
because there are=20
so many birders coming to this area for the next&nbsp;few weeks and they =
should=20
be&nbsp;informed that parking on shoulders in allowable.&nbsp; Only park =
for a=20
few minutes to view birds at residents feeders. Also I posted&nbsp;back =
in early=20
Jan. that there other places to view feeder birds at feeders. Isabella =
feeder is=20
a good place to go.&nbsp;I wanted to know&nbsp;if these signs carry any =
weight.=20
(legally) They do not.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>In about&nbsp;3 more weeks =
most of the=20
birders will not&nbsp;have&nbsp;reason to come here</FONT>&nbsp;<FONT=20
face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>as the owls will certainly be very low=20
in&nbsp;numbers as March approaches.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" =
size=3D2>Mike&nbsp;H.</FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>Michael =
Hendrickson<BR>Duluth,=20
Minnesota<BR>Minnesota Birding Treks<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/">http://webpages.chart=
er.net/mmhendrickson/</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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