[mou] Re: [mnbird] Nedwspaper article on the economic impact of owls--long
Tom Thomsen
tomthomsen2@msn.com
Fri, 28 Jan 2005 15:15:56 -0600
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Those business owners might want to put bird feeders near their place of =
business (outside restaurant windows, on motel premises, near gas =
stations, grocery stores, etc.). I bet a lot of birders would spend =
their money there.
----- Original Message -----=20
From: SnoEowl@aol.com<mailto:SnoEowl@aol.com>=20
To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net<mailto:mnbird@lists.mnbird.net> ; =
mou-net@cbs.umn.edu<mailto:mou-net@cbs.umn.edu>=20
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 8:50 AM
Subject: [mnbird] Nedwspaper article on the economic impact of =
owls--long
Timberjay News Tower.Ely.Orr Friday, January 28, 2005 Volume =
16, Issue 5=20
Owlers bring in surprising influx of dollars
By Steve Foss
Owls flew in from Canada, and dollar bills floated down from their =
feathers.=20
The timing couldn=E2=80=99t have been better.=20
The by-now-well-known record influx of great gray and northern hawk =
owls began as early as October and swelled in earnest in November, =
bringing with it birders from all across the United States and some =
foreign countries to witness the spectacle.=20
And they injected money into an economy that traditionally falters in =
early winter, a time between the finish of hunting season and the snowy =
season of snowmobiles.=20
It=E2=80=99s hard to put even a ballpark dollar figure on what that =
influx of birders has meant to communities such as Eveleth, Cotton and =
others, but businesses that cater to travelers and are within striking =
distance of the so-called =E2=80=9Cowl alley=E2=80=9D of St. Louis =
County Road 7 have plenty to say about birding traffic.=20
=E2=80=9CAbout three weeks ago we put out a guest book,=E2=80=9D said =
Sandy Simek, owner of the Wilbert Cafe in Cotton. =E2=80=9CWe have about =
15 pages of people=E2=80=9D from New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Texas.=20
Simek said that the traditional business dead zone of December and =
early January actually brought July- and August-level business, and she =
attributes most of that to birders.=20
=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s been huge,=E2=80=9D she said. =E2=80=9CWithout =
it, it=E2=80=99s tough to make a go in January. You have to depend on =
the (leftover) summer and deer season money.=E2=80=9D=20
Simek said the birding crowd is a generally friendly one, and the =
waitresses tend to strike up temporary friendships with groups that are =
birding for several days in a row, inquiring about their success and =
wishing them good luck.=20
=E2=80=9CThese people are so friendly,=E2=80=9D she said. =
=E2=80=9CThey come from all parts of the country. They come from places =
like Washington, D.C., and our prices probably look pretty good to =
them.=E2=80=9D=20
Bill Aho echoes those sentiments.=20
Aho, owner/manager of the Super 8 Motel in Eveleth, declined to =
discuss in detail the boost in business birders have brought, but said =
=E2=80=9Cit=E2=80=99s been a good business for us. To me, it=E2=80=99s =
an untapped market that we don=E2=80=99t realize we have. I=E2=80=99m =
excited about that.=E2=80=9D=20
Aho said it=E2=80=99s simply a matter of good fortune that the Sax-Zim =
bog owl alley area is only about 10 miles from his motel. He said he =
makes it a point as a motel manager to strike up conversations with =
guests whenever possible, and that the level of excitement shown by =
birders over the owls, as well as a good number of hawk species, is =
high.=20
=E2=80=9CThe people are just excited,=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CThey =
are very avid.=E2=80=9D=20
=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=99s got a great facility,=E2=80=9D said Tom Rusch, =
the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources area wildlife supervisor =
stationed in Tower. Rusch said most people coming to the bog to bird =
stay in Duluth motels until word of mouth reaches them about motels such =
as Aho=E2=80=99s.=20
=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=99s getting out ahead of the curve,=E2=80=9D Rusch =
said.=20
Rusch, who traveled to the bog last weekend for a look around, said =
the first three people he saw were from Cleveland, Kansas City and San =
Diego, proof of just how far people are traveling to see the owls.=20
But locals are just as busy.=20
Bill Tefft, a Vermilion Community College instructor and Ely birding =
guide, took one large group of 15 to the bog on an owling outing in =
December, and has guided several smaller groups since then.=20
While some were locals, others were from outside the area. And though =
the prime owling area is 60 miles from Ely, many find their way to the =
town anyway, Tefft said.=20
=E2=80=9COne small group I met in Eveleth later went up the North =
Shore and eventually ended up in Ely, and a group of New Jersey birders =
after owls stayed in Ely,=E2=80=9D he said, adding that he saw one group =
he=E2=80=99d recognized around town and realized they=E2=80=99d been =
staying at an Ely bed and breakfast.=20
Tefft said that people who travel to the area to bird tend not just to =
be after owl species, but others in the area as well, such as three-toed =
woodpeckers.=20
=E2=80=9CWhen they come, they come with a long list of things to see =
besides owls, and they search out those areas,=E2=80=9D he said. =
=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s exciting to think of all the people who are in =
town. What=E2=80=99s good for the region is good for the town, and vice =
versa.=E2=80=9D=20
_____________________________________________=20
Good birding,=20
Al Batt
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<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">
<DIV>Those business owners might want to put bird feeders near =
their place=20
of business (outside restaurant windows, on motel premises, near gas =
stations,=20
grocery stores, etc.). I bet a lot of birders would spend their money=20
there.</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>From:</B> <A =
title=3Dmailto:SnoEowl@aol.com=20
href=3D"mailto:SnoEowl@aol.com">SnoEowl@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A=20
title=3Dmailto:mnbird@lists.mnbird.net=20
href=3D"mailto:mnbird@lists.mnbird.net">mnbird@lists.mnbird.net</A> ; =
<A=20
title=3Dmailto:mou-net@cbs.umn.edu=20
href=3D"mailto:mou-net@cbs.umn.edu">mou-net@cbs.umn.edu</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 28, 2005 =
8:50=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [mnbird] Nedwspaper =
article on=20
the economic impact of owls--long</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT id=3Drole_document face=3DVerdana color=3D#000000 =
size=3D3>
<DIV><STRONG>
<TABLE border=3D0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD align=3Dleft width=3D280>Timberjay News =
Tower.Ely.Orr Friday,=20
January 28, 2005</FONT></TD>
<TD align=3Dright width=3D280>Volume 16, Issue=20
5</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><SPAN class=3Dheadline>Owlers bring in =
surprising=20
influx of dollars</SPAN><BR><SPAN class=3Dbyline>By Steve=20
Foss</SPAN><BR><BR><SPAN class=3Dbody>Owls flew in from Canada, and =
dollar bills=20
floated down from their feathers.=20
<P>The timing couldn=E2=80=99t have been better.=20
<P>The by-now-well-known record influx of great gray and northern hawk =
owls=20
began as early as October and swelled in earnest in November, bringing =
with it=20
birders from all across the United States and some foreign countries =
to=20
witness the spectacle.=20
<P>And they injected money into an economy that traditionally falters =
in early=20
winter, a time between the finish of hunting season and the snowy =
season of=20
snowmobiles.=20
<P>It=E2=80=99s hard to put even a ballpark dollar figure on what that =
influx of=20
birders has meant to communities such as Eveleth, Cotton and others, =
but=20
businesses that cater to travelers and are within striking distance of =
the=20
so-called =E2=80=9Cowl alley=E2=80=9D of St. Louis County Road 7 have =
plenty to say about=20
birding traffic.=20
<P>=E2=80=9CAbout three weeks ago we put out a guest book,=E2=80=9D =
said Sandy Simek, owner of=20
the Wilbert Cafe in Cotton. =E2=80=9CWe have about 15 pages of =
people=E2=80=9D from New=20
Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Texas.=20
<P>Simek said that the traditional business dead zone of December and =
early=20
January actually brought July- and August-level business, and she =
attributes=20
most of that to birders.=20
<P>=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s been huge,=E2=80=9D she said. =
=E2=80=9CWithout it, it=E2=80=99s tough to make a go in=20
January. You have to depend on the (leftover) summer and deer season =
money.=E2=80=9D=20
<P>Simek said the birding crowd is a generally friendly one, and the=20
waitresses tend to strike up temporary friendships with groups that =
are=20
birding for several days in a row, inquiring about their success and =
wishing=20
them good luck.=20
<P>=E2=80=9CThese people are so friendly,=E2=80=9D she said. =
=E2=80=9CThey come from all parts of the=20
country. They come from places like Washington, D.C., and our prices =
probably=20
look pretty good to them.=E2=80=9D=20
<P>Bill Aho echoes those sentiments.=20
<P>Aho, owner/manager of the Super 8 Motel in Eveleth, declined to =
discuss in=20
detail the boost in business birders have brought, but said =
=E2=80=9Cit=E2=80=99s been a good=20
business for us. To me, it=E2=80=99s an untapped market that we =
don=E2=80=99t realize we have.=20
I=E2=80=99m excited about that.=E2=80=9D=20
<P>Aho said it=E2=80=99s simply a matter of good fortune that the =
Sax-Zim bog owl=20
alley area is only about 10 miles from his motel. He said he makes it =
a point=20
as a motel manager to strike up conversations with guests whenever =
possible,=20
and that the level of excitement shown by birders over the owls, as =
well as a=20
good number of hawk species, is high.=20
<P>=E2=80=9CThe people are just excited,=E2=80=9D he said. =
=E2=80=9CThey are very avid.=E2=80=9D=20
<P>=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=99s got a great facility,=E2=80=9D said Tom =
Rusch, the Minnesota Department of=20
Natural Resources area wildlife supervisor stationed in Tower. Rusch =
said most=20
people coming to the bog to bird stay in Duluth motels until word of =
mouth=20
reaches them about motels such as Aho=E2=80=99s.=20
<P>=E2=80=9CHe=E2=80=99s getting out ahead of the curve,=E2=80=9D =
Rusch said.=20
<P>Rusch, who traveled to the bog last weekend for a look around, said =
the=20
first three people he saw were from Cleveland, Kansas City and San =
Diego,=20
proof of just how far people are traveling to see the owls.=20
<P>But locals are just as busy.=20
<P>Bill Tefft, a Vermilion Community College instructor and Ely =
birding guide,=20
took one large group of 15 to the bog on an owling outing in December, =
and has=20
guided several smaller groups since then.=20
<P>While some were locals, others were from outside the area. And =
though the=20
prime owling area is 60 miles from Ely, many find their way to the =
town=20
anyway, Tefft said.=20
<P>=E2=80=9COne small group I met in Eveleth later went up the North =
Shore and=20
eventually ended up in Ely, and a group of New Jersey birders after =
owls=20
stayed in Ely,=E2=80=9D he said, adding that he saw one group =
he=E2=80=99d recognized around=20
town and realized they=E2=80=99d been staying at an Ely bed and =
breakfast.=20
<P>Tefft said that people who travel to the area to bird tend not just =
to be=20
after owl species, but others in the area as well, such as three-toed=20
woodpeckers.=20
<P>=E2=80=9CWhen they come, they come with a long list of things to =
see besides owls,=20
and they search out those areas,=E2=80=9D he said. =
=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s exciting to think of all the=20
people who are in town. What=E2=80=99s good for the region is good for =
the town, and=20
vice versa.=E2=80=9D=20
<P><STRONG>_____________________________________________</STRONG>=20
<P><STRONG>Good birding,</STRONG>=20
<P><STRONG>Al=20
Batt</STRONG></P></SPAN></STRONG></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></DIV></BODY><=
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