[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Holly on 17:29:26 11/03/08
In Reply to: Re: Do we ever get a minute alone!! posted by Scott
If your post indicates that you believe the noisy vocalizations are an indication of alarm due to constant observation by humans I don t believe this is true. The chicks seem to be trying to get attention and food from the parents, and use their peeping to do so. Even when there are no humans close by (which happens often) you can hear them peeping as they chase the adults. All that said, I do wonder what effect the constant observation will have on them. When I arrive I often see the chicks very close to the shore, and although they move a few feet away, they show no overt signs of alarm or caution. This might not be so good, considering the number of actively hunting non-birder animals in the area.
Have some of us gotten too close in our attempts to get a good photo? Probably, but from what I have seen, the birders there have been extremely considerate of the birds, in keeping with ethical standards.
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]