Not a sighting - Birding Etiquette in Iowa is Bad

[Robert Hibbitts]

This is my second year birding in Iowa. I have been all over epic places in past and rarely ran into any attitudes or had issues. Costa Rica, pelagic, and Alaska with lifers that we missed, people didn’t have issues. 

Iowa, folk are aggressive. 

In past two years I have run into numerous folk who just ignored etiquette or were just mean. Most just ignore another birder to get camera shots but I don’t attribute those to being a birder. Some are birders that try to park in front of you or tell you off of being near them. 

In past month, I have had two people deliberately pull in front of my scope to set up theirs. I have had one person yell at me to get out of his way on Saylorville dam when I was parked at edge and scope was off pavement, then pull in front of my truck and never get out. Window birders. 

I don’t know what it is about Iowa birders, they don’t want to talk or are so envious about others seeing something when they are late. A lot of folk I encounter never get out of car. Case in point was parasitic jaeger on Saylorville. People set up scopes in car and never got out, then yelled if we were in their view frame. Sorry to those again. 

What happened to birding as a community? 

-Robert 

Des Moines 

[David Steil]

Robert,

Sorry for your experience. 

But it not has been mine.  I am just starting out birding but it has been my experience that the birders in Iowa are very helpful and courteous.  Two birders helped my wife and I find the best spot to observe the Swallow tailed Kite south of Indianola this year.  We in turn showed others when they showed up. We even talked and shared our binoculars with the farmer whose property we were close to so he could see the Kite.  I have had other IA birders help me find numerous other birds on my outings and si far I never had a bad experience. 

I know this is going to be a good hobby for me once I retire. 

Cheers, David. 

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[Paul Roisen]

I would  concur with David regarding Iowa birders.  I have been birding in Iowa since December 2004. True, there are some people out there who are more photographers and birdwatchers who are indeed quite selfish and approach BIRDS, that other people are trying to see to the detriment of other birders and sometimes scarring off the bird we were watching.

     However, generally, very helpful and very caring and sharing often sharing scopes to allow persons to see the bird.

I find that if I arrive and there are other people there, but if I get out of my car and introduce myself and ask some questions about what they're doing or what they're seeing or if they're willing to help me see the bird that that often helps.

    I would say that 99% of all my interactions with Iowa birdwatching people have been positive with many people going out of their way to help us see and get a good look at the bird or help us understand where the bird is located.

   You mentioned being on the dam, but being on the edge with your scope off the road, does that mean you were at one of the pullouts or were you actually on the road itself even though close to the very edge. If you were on the road itself you were in violation of proper parking and or viewing from the correct side of the road had to pull out instead of on the road itself. I am not suggesting that's where you were. I'm just trying to figure out why someone would get mad at you for being at a pull out. I'm trying to get in front of you. I'm not sure how they could get in front of you if you're right up to the edge anyway I would just suggest introducing myself being pleasant and doing your best to get along with even people who are a little bit touchy.

   Again, I am sorry that you had such a terrible time and I hope that things go better that more enough people read this letter too go out of their way to help you out when they meet you. This is why I suggest that you introduce yourself be friendly ignore people who are being jerks. There are all kinds of people in this world. Some are very good birdwatchers who should never be allowed to be around other people.  Yes there are self-centered people that people who think too much of themselves in any community, but that would less than 1% in my opinion in Iowa.

May you have a blessed rest of this year and a happy new year my name is Paul Roisen if you ever run across me, I'll be more than happy to help you out. God bless.

Paul O. Roisen

Sioux City, IA 51106  Woodbury County, IA

Mobile 712-301-2817   roise...@gmail.com

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