[mou] birder warnings

[Holly Peirson]

I agree with all of this, and RE recent post about a person who made a trip
to a campus and was watching birds on commons. Birders usually wear
un-colorful, almost camo clothing, carry 'interesting' equipment...

We went to Colorado Springs over Christmas, driving 1/2 of the 16-hr trip on
2-lane farm roads in NE, KS and CO.* I had my binoculars along, and bird
guide to CO on dash. 

One could put a "birding" bumper sticker or other sign on car. I suggest
using static cling plastic so you can remove it when in parking lots; you
don't want to be ID'd as "birder in field: will be away from car for several
hrs, go ahead and break open trunk and take all birding equipment left
behind while on this particular walk..." 

Make yourself a "calling card" stating that you are a birder, member of MOU
or Audubon or whatever, with address, phone, email, etc. The MOU made a card
a while back, came out with MN Birding. Perhaps a template for such could be
put up on the website, with a space to put in ones' own contact info, to be
printed on that Biz Card paper with the perforations already on it.

We passed a minimum security prison near the border of KS and CO. I
immediately put away binoculars for a few miles (I look at hawks with
binoc's while Paul is driving, ID on-wing or perched while I'm driving...)

Holly Peirson
Columbus, Anoka Co.



* RTHA, NOHA, RLHA (several lovely dark morphs), AMKE, (many single
individuals of all these raptors, gotta love driving back roads on a major
trip!) AMCR (not many at all), NOSH (several), WEME (several md flocks),
HOLA (abundant), SNBU (several flocks), possible LALO several flocks, MODO
(one md flock), MALL, CAGO. Plus a few feeder birds (in-laws feed only store
mixes despite many urgings to change...) and a magpie or two in the Springs.
Weather was mostly bright, cold w/ windchill on plains.