[mou] birder warnings

[dan&erika]

This fall I made a trip to South Dakota, accompaning my wife who had
contracting work with a university in Sioux Falls.  When I returned from
successfully seeing and photographing the Swallow-tailed Kite, I waited in
the commons area for my wife to finish her meeting.  I was confronted by
university police and asked to show id and explain what I was doing there,
all due to my binoculars and camera.  Seems someone complained that I was a
stalker and was photographing coeds!  My digital camera, however, rescued me
as I could prove I had nothing but kite photographs.  The cop kept my
business card however.

I still feel insulted and that my rights had been infringed upon.  A fellow
ought to be able to sit in a university commons.

dan tallman

On Dec 23, 2007 10:54 PM, Rob Daves <rob_daves at yahoo.com> wrote:

>  Laura makes some good suggestions.
>
> A couple of times I was at the MSP airport looking at the snowies.  One
> time a policeman took the hard stand:  He sternly asked me and a birder who
> was there photographing the owls to leave.  Seems like UPS had complained.
>
> Fine.  I left.
>
> Another time I handed my binoculars to the officer and he was effusive in
> his wonder as he peered at the owl: "I'd heard about this thing," he said,
> "but I'd never seen it."  Everyone was happy.
>
> the lesson?  How you're treated depends on the circumstances, the officer,
> the nature of the complaint, and, as Laura said, about being polite.
>
> Just my two cents.
>
> Happy Holidays, everyone.
>
> Rob Daves
> South Minneapolis
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Laura Erickson <bluejay at lauraerickson.com>
> To: mou-net at moumn.org
> Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 10:38:05 PM
> Subject: Re: [mou] birder warnings
>
> We are long past the days when we defeated our enemies by being
> unafraid ("The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.")  It's
> unfair and unreasonable to be treated as suspicious by fearful people.
> But it's a given in this fear-driven era.  Do remember though that
> policemen didn't write the rules, and if they're conscientiously doing
> their job, they may be required to enforce unfair rules.  Being polite
> is the right thing to do, as well as the practical thing to do if you
> don't want the situation to escalate into something dangerous.
>
> If you happen to have a digital camera on you, you can do what Sparky
> recently said he'd done--show the photos to the person questioning
> your motives to prove that you're really focused on birds.  Having
> field guides and/or Kim Eckert's book in your car (especially if
> you're birding at a place mentioned in Kim's book) can also
> corroborate your case.  Above everything, be calm and polite--even
> when the rules suck and seem counter-productive, we're stuck with them
> and we're past the days when American citizens were considered
> innocent until proven guilty if even a tenuous case of terrorism can
> be suggested.
>
> Meanwhile, maybe the best thing we can all do to be proactive is to
> wear our binoculars into restaurants and gas stations when we're
> birding.  People should be far more used to seeing birders wearing
> binoculars.
>
> Laura Erickson
> Duluth
>
>
>
> On Dec 23, 2007 10:48 PM, Sid Stivland <stivland at cpinternet.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > The recent posts about law enforcement response to birders, snowy owl
> > sightings, and activity near the Duluth Airport prompts me to comment.
> >
> > Earlier this fall, I was confronted by St. Cloud Hospital security
> personnel
> > as I scouted the Mississippi River and adjoining habitats with my
> binocs.
> > Apparently, he was alerted by an employee at the hospital to "suspicious
> > activity behind the hospital".  In his defense, he calmed down as soon
> as I
> > explained what I was doing and when he learned I had a family member in
> > surgery at the hospital.  Nevertheless, I was questioned, had my ID
> checked,
> > and generally shaken down, sort of a humiliating experience.  By the
> way, an
> > employee at the hospital had initially suggested the river walking path
> to
> > me as a way to stretch, get some air, and maybe some exercise.  I guess
> the
> > binocs were the suspicious activity.
> >
> > My initial reaction was to be upset but, the more I thought about it,
> the
> > more I was saddened by the experience.  I arrived at the realization
> that
> > this is a sign of the times we are living in.  We are encouraged to
> "turn in
> > suspicious activity", be the eyes and ears of law enforcement, "be
> alert",
> > etc.  While I guess this modus operendi has advantages, i.e. community
> > control of behavior, I fear we are now reacting to almost everything and
> > reports are filed by folks with no particular training or way of knowing
> > what "suspicious activity" is.  Does a person walking around in broad
> > daylight with a pair of binoculars constitute suspicious activity?  I
> guess
> > so!.  As Mike and Mark (and perhaps others) have reported, even law
> > enforcement is prone to overreaction, knee jerk reactions, and
> > misinterpretation.  So even trained folks are running scared and taking
> no
> > chances, assuming the worst.
> >
> > I think it is a sad state of affairs.  I grew up in a small community
> and
> > thought it was bad enough adjusting to the impersonal "Big City" with
> all of
> > its various problems.  But it seems worse now - as Mike pointed out -
> even
> > small towns are paranoid.  In any event, I am now very concious where I
> aim
> > my binocs.  If I am in an urban area, I try to not aim at someone's
> house,
> > for example.  I try my best to respect private property.  I try to ask
> > permission or inform people what I am doing ahead of time.  But it is
> not
> > possible to be perfect and we are all surprised from time to time.
> This is
> > not meant to excuse bad birder behavior, we all know this happens from
> time
> > to time.  I just hope we can continue our hobby without upsetting
> everyone
> > or getting accused of suspicious activity or worse.  Maybe birders will
> > always be misunderstood.  Maybe the general public will never believe
> that
> > folks actually stand around in the cold and rain and sun and wind and
> look
> > at birds, they must be doing something wrong!
> >
> > Merry Christmas to all and lets hope for a more peaceful (and less
> tense)
> > New Year,
> >
> > Sid Stivland
> >
> > Plymouth, MN
>
>
>
> --
> Laura Erickson
> For the love, understanding, and protection of birds
> www.lauraerickson.com
>
>
>
> There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds.
> There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of
> nature--the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after
> the winter.
>
>             --Rachel Carson
>
>
>
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-- 
Dan or Erika Tallman
Northfield, Minnesota
http://danerika.googlepages.com/home
danerika at gmail.com

".... the best shod travel with wet feet"
"Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes ...."--Thoreau
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