owls

[Jill Boice]

Thank you Mark Amershek for posting on DFO's Facebook page urging
people not to photograph raptors at or near nests. I have recently
been very concerned about owls that have been seen at Cherry Creek State
Park. Word got out of the location of two unusual owls. Immediately,
many people were coming to see and often take pictures. I'm sure that
most birders were careful and kept a respectful distance. However, a
number of people approached the birds very closely. Sadly, someone went
so far as to cut the barbed wire fence and stomp it down so that they
could get even closer. The park rangers have had to spend their time
doing crowd control. As a volunteer monitor at CCSP, we know that a
few years ago, a pair of owls attempted to nest in this vicinity and
abandoned their nest. These birds are sensitive to human presence. If
they fail to nest, or ledge young successfully, this year, will it be
due to our disturbance? The raptor monitoring guidelines recommend
staying 200 meters away from owl nests. Perhaps this should be a
guideline for owls generally during nesting season. Maybe this makes it
difficult to get a good photo, But consider what's more important
here. Jill Boice