How would you handle the situation in which Dawn recently found herself? To me, that type of behavior is unacceptable, but let he who is without sin cast the first stone…of course, the two situations are very different but is the difference merely of degree?
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
I don’t see this very often where I live, and knowing me I would not respond very positively at all…but then I wondered what the result would be if someone went up to the kid and said, “They are much more interesting if you watch them” and showed the kid how to use a spare pair of binoculars…hmm…
I probably wouldn’t talk to the kid or his parents because it would be to no avail and would only make the kid be angry at the birds (for getting him into trouble). Now he’s chasing them out of curiosity or fun. After telling him / his parents not to do it, he would be chasing them either to “take revenge” for the scolding, or because he would then know he is not supposed to do it and that would just make it more interesting.
Use it as a chance to get him interested in birds and birding? Unlikely at this young age unless his parents will also get interested.
If the kid would be entering a protected area of the beach during the breeding season, it would be an entirely different story. But in this case, I think he was just being a nuissance to the birds, not a danger to their well-being.
I would have said something to the parents. Who else will speak for the birds?
I had a similar occurrence last month in SW FL. I was studying a mixed flock of shorebirds on a spit and asked a group of sightseers that walked up next to me not to disturb the birds. They replied they were just about to scare the flock away for a photo. I thanked them for not doing so. I pointed out the Whimbrel, Marbled Godwits, and Willets in front of us, and explained how valuable such overwintering spots were to these migrants. They seemed genuinely interested.
It’s a case-by-case basis with me. On the beach at Sanibel (as in this case) I would likely ignore it. Those birds get harassed by all manner of people and domestic animals all day every day. Admonishing one kid or his parents is likely to be more of a negative impact than anything. Telling someone their kid can’t have fun at the beach is difficult to pull off positively.
Now, if this was going on across the road at Ding Darling NWR, I’d respond differently. It’s not a recreational beach, but a place where birds (and birders!) go for refuge. I would say something to someone chasing birds there.
I’d also say something if a kid was rampaging through Piping Plover nesting areas.
I suppose if it can be turned into a valuable teaching moment, go for it. But I think a lot of us don’t realize that a lot of these moments that seem positive and educational to us are actually just more fuel for the hatred of the “bunny-huggers that don’t want anyone to have fun.” Delicate situation.
I regularly see both kids and dogs flushing the gulls that rest on the beach at one of our local lakes. I can’t understand why people would let either one act that way, but obviously they don’t have a problem with it at all. Dogs on the swimming beach itself are illegal as is letting the dogs off their leash anywhere in that general area. The officials don’t enforce those rules during the non-swimming season though. I also occasionally see adults in speed boats intentionally altering course to drive through the gulls on the water.
I’d love to tell all the adults responsible what I think of what they’re doing, but I usually don’t. It isn’t worth the risk of a serious confrontation. The gulls can and will move off the beach if bothered often enough. They don’t need to be there in particular and a little bit of disturbance doesn’t seem likely to harm them. If they were migrating shorebirds desperately trying to feed after a long flight, or nesting birds, I’d be a lot more likely to try to talk to the adults involved.
Thanks for the repost. There has been allot of discussion of this post on my blog and on facebook. There were just a few downright rude comments out of the many. Most were respectful and had good points to make.
After being on Sanibel Island for a week now and seeing what the birds go thru on a daily basis~ I feel that we should be teaching our children a little more respect for nature.
Sure its fine to let a child discover what happens when they get close to birds once or twice…but when encouraged or ignored by the parent it becomes aggressive and unnecessary.
It amazed me how many adults were oblivious to the birds as they walked right thru them looking for shells or beach walking, when all they had to do is walk a little to the right or the left to go around them.
Kirby, just because some bird species are harassed all day and everyday by all manner of people and animals does not make it right for humans to participate if “bullying” that species or tolerating that by others. I always speak up when I see anyone, kid or adult, chasing, kicking at or harassing any species. I think they need to be SHAMED for such childish, intolerant behavior.