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Posted by Rock Jetty on 13:22:42 10/15/12
So I get this nasty email from a disgruntled birder, who apparently is very upset at my post regarding the Ringed Teal. This birder, who shall remain anonymous, feels that revealing our Ringed Teal discovery would influence the FOSRC's decision on the White-cheeked Pintails. This, I couldn't disagree with more. Others I have talked to feel as I do.
I am not going to post his entire rant but I would like to point out one specific statement; just to make him see the error of his ways (and make him think twice about putting certain things in writing). The birder goes on to say:
"I have no doubt that the Pintails are wild since I saw them and their behavior is that of a wild bird, unlike the tameness of the Ringed Teal that allowed us to get pretty close."
This statement I cannot agree with either. While I did not see the White-cheeked Pintails and cannot comment on them, I can assure you we got just as close to the Ringed Teals as we did to the Northern Shovelers and Blue-winged Teals they associated with. Maybe they were ALL tamed escapees (sarcasm here). Do any of the other birders present agree?
I am pretty sure the Ringed Teal did not arrive here as accidental vagrants. Although you should never say never, I am basing this through a process of deduction, based on species life history, probability, and so forth. Nonetheless, it is still a special find, and suppressing that type of information is typical of an elitism and selfishness. Not to mention a lack of faith on the decision of our FOSRC members.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to enter my records on eBird and EDDmaps. Data comes first.
-RJ
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