[mou] HOWA at Murphy-Hanrehan
Carol Carter
CCarter@threeriversparkdistrict.org
Mon, 9 May 2005 15:04:11 -0500
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Yesterday, while birding with friends at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, I
witnessed a disturbing violation of both Park ordinance and birding
ethics. My companions and I were looking for the Hooded Warbler that had
been reported on the MOU-net on Saturday. We heard a Hooded Warbler
singing and when we approached the area we saw two birder/photographers
who were off trail in the woods apparently trying to photograph the
bird.
=20
When the warbler moved close to the trail, the photographers came back
out of the woods to the trail. I told them that Park ordinance required
them to stay on designated trails unless they had a special use permit.
I was courteous and non-confrontational when I made this statement. One
of the photographers responded courteously and said, "Oh, we didn't know
that, sorry." The other man, however, was not courteous, and his
attitude was really "in your face." He told me that he WAS on a trail
(it was really an oak wilt plow-line), that HE had a degree in natural
resources, and that HE understood the ecology of the forest VERY WELL,
thank you, and the habitat was ALREADY disturbed, and he WAS CERTAIN
that HE had not done any further damage to the vegetation. He also said
that he, OF COURSE, would not have gone into undisturbed habitat to
pursue the bird. This individual was reluctant to tell me his name until
after I introduced myself and told him I was the Wildlife Specialist for
Three Rivers Park District... to which he responded "Well, good for
you." I was very disturbed by this confrontation and thoroughly dismayed
by the attitude of this well-known and, I thought, well-respected
birder.
=20
For the benefit of the many birders who appreciate the special place
that is Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, and the special birds that can
only be found there, I wish to provide the following information:
=20
Park ordinance concerning hiking within the Parks states the following:
"it shall be unlawful for any person to hike in a park except in
recreation and nature center use areas, and on DESIGNATED trails and
roadways, unless authorized by special use permit." Birders should be
aware that oak wilt plow-lines are NOT trails. It is probably true that
if you walk on a plow-line you will not do any serious or immediate
damage to the habitat. However, if every birder who comes along walks on
the plow-lines, the vegetation will not recover, and the plow-lines will
BECOME trails. This is an undesirable outcome from the point of view of
protecting the vegetation and habitat within the park.=20
=20
Even more important is the disturbance to a bird caused by being
followed around its territory and being flushed repeatedly from one song
perch after another. If one person does this one time early in the
breeding season, there is probably no serious disruption to the bird's
breeding cycle. However, if every birder who wants to see or photograph
a Hooded Warbler does the same thing, the bird could very well abandon
its territory altogether. Please be aware that there are several Hooded
Warbler territories at Murphy-Hanrehan that are bisected by designated
trails. It is not necessary to go off trail to see or to photograph
them. PLEASE stay on designated trails.=20
=20
The bottom line is this: An ethical birder puts the welfare of the bird
and its habitat before his or her desire to see or to photograph the
bird.=20
=20
Carol Carter
Wildlife Specialist
Three Rivers Park District
3800 County Road 24
Maple Plain, MN 55359
Phone: 763-694-7848
Cell: 612-490-0882
=20
=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Yesterday, while birding with friends at =
Murphy-Hanrehan=20
Park Reserve, I witnessed a disturbing violation of both Park ordinance =
and=20
birding ethics. My companions and I were looking for the Hooded Warbler =
that had=20
been reported on the MOU-net on Saturday. We heard a Hooded Warbler =
singing and=20
when we approached the area we saw two birder/photographers who were off =
trail=20
in the woods apparently trying to photograph the bird.<?xml:namespace =
prefix =3D o=20
ns =3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"=20
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">When the warbler moved close to the trail, the=20
photographers came back out of the woods to the trail. I told them that =
Park=20
ordinance required them to stay on designated trails unless they had a =
special=20
use permit. I was courteous and non-confrontational when I made this =
statement.=20
One of the photographers responded courteously and said, “Oh, we =
didn’t know=20
that, sorry.” The other man, however, was not courteous, and his =
attitude was=20
really “in your face.” He told me that he WAS on a trail (it =
was really an oak=20
wilt plow-line), that HE had a degree in natural resources, and that HE=20
understood the ecology of the forest VERY WELL, thank you, and the =
habitat was=20
ALREADY disturbed, and he WAS CERTAIN that HE had not done any further =
damage to=20
the vegetation. He also said that he, OF COURSE, would not have gone =
into=20
undisturbed habitat to pursue the bird. This individual was reluctant to =
tell me=20
his name until after I introduced myself and told him I was the Wildlife =
Specialist for Three Rivers Park District... to which he responded =
“Well, good=20
for you.” I was very disturbed by this confrontation =
and thoroughly=20
dismayed by the attitude of this well-known and, I thought, =
well-respected=20
birder.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times =
New Roman">For=20
the benefit of the many birders who appreciate the special place that is =
Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, and the special birds that can only be =
found=20
there, I wish to provide the following=20
information:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Park ordinance concerning hiking within the =
Parks states=20
the following: “it shall be unlawful for any person to hike in a =
park except in=20
recreation and nature center use areas, and on DESIGNATED trails and =
roadways,=20
unless authorized by special use permit.” Birders should be aware =
that oak wilt=20
plow-lines are NOT trails. It is probably true that if you walk on a =
plow-line=20
you will not do any serious or immediate damage to the habitat. However, =
if=20
every birder who comes along walks on the plow-lines, the vegetation =
will not=20
recover, and the plow-lines will BECOME trails. This is an undesirable =
outcome=20
from the point of view of protecting the vegetation and habitat within =
the park.=20
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Even more important is the disturbance to a =
bird caused=20
by being followed around its territory and being flushed repeatedly from =
one=20
song perch after another. If one person does this one time early in =
the=20
breeding season, there is probably no serious disruption to the =
bird’s breeding=20
cycle. However, if every birder who wants to see or photograph a Hooded =
Warbler=20
does the same thing, the bird could very well abandon its territory=20
altogether. Please be aware that there are several Hooded =
Warbler=20
territories at Murphy-Hanrehan that are bisected by designated trails. =
It is not=20
necessary to go off trail to see or to photograph them. PLEASE stay on=20
designated trails. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" =
size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><FONT size=3D3>The=20
bottom line is this: An ethical birder puts the welfare of the bird =
and its=20
habitat before his or her desire to see or <SPAN=20
class=3D093565919-09052005>to </SPAN>photograph the bird.=20
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Carol Carter</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Wildlife =
Specialist</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Three Rivers Park =
District</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>3800 County Road =
24</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Maple Plain, MN =
55359</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Phone: =
763-694-7848</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cell: =
612-490-0882</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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