Blog # 317 Mama Needs Her Space

 Male guarding the Suspension Bridge nest at Stewart Park, courtesy of Cindy and Karel Sedlacek. 

I am compelled to remind all birders about the ethics that guide our noble pursuit. The  American Birding Association’s code is listed below for a reminder. We are knee deep in  the breeding season, making Rule #1b critical: “Avoid stressing birds or exposing them  to danger during the breeding season.” Stress is the prime reason birds do not lay eggs  or abandon their eggs and chicks. 

A couple birding at Stewart park today stood directly underneath the Suspension Bridge  Osprey nest on the south side of Fall Creek for at least 10 minutes while they scanned  the nest for birds with their binoculars despite the nesting female’s nonstop alarm calls.  They also used their cellphones, likely to enter data into eBird, while still beneath the  nest, all the while stressing the incubating female. If only her mate had been there, as  he would have driven these spectators away.

Osprey collecting nesting material, courtesy of Cindy and Karel Sedlacek. 

This story repeats itself all over the basin, not often, but enough to talk about. Ospreys  are individuals with unique temperaments. Some Ospreys are extroverts and do not  mind humans near their nest as long as they are safely >50 feet above them. Ophelia  and Orpheus are such a pair, nesting at Salt Point since 2013, a busy natural area used  by dog walkers, birders, bike riders, and families on outings. The walking path is about  50 feet from the Osprey nest platform and nothing seems to bother them, especially  while breeding, except for other Ospreys. Neither barking dogs nor the nearby train  whistle phases them. Similarly, the pair nesting at the Frontenac Harbor in Union  Springs often has a dumpster at its base. This breeding pair tolerates living in the  constant bustle of the marina and the noise of emptying the dumpster weekly.  

On the other side of the spectrum are the pairs that do not tolerate viewers closer than  300 feet. These nests are best observed using your car as a blind. Most Osprey pairs  are like those at the Stewart Park nest near the Youth Bureau. They tolerate viewers  100 feet away in the parking lot and make it very clear when you have crossed their  boundary. Ospreys vocalize when stressed by hunger or trespassers. 

Dogs are not allowed on the public Newman golf course, but since it’s been closed for  COVID, it has become a destination for outliers to walk or run their dogs. One Osprey  pair nesting on the Inlet side of the course have been tormented by unruly and noisy  dogs running loose and barking below their nest platform. The female Osprey gets so  upset she abandons her eggs, leaving them unguarded for minutes on end, exposing  them to predators like eagles, squirrels, crows, and racoons. Despite signs and rules of  conduct, people don’t get it. 

Last year’s nestlings at Stewart Park near the Youth Bureau, courtesy of Cindy and Karel Sedlacek. 

The bottom line: If a bird, be it Osprey or robin, is disturbed too much during the  breeding season, they will not breed—either they will not lay eggs or they get so  stressed they will leave a nest full of eggs or nestlings. Missing a breeding season is a  huge waste of time and energy for a bird. With their limited lifespans and enormous  costs of breeding, birds cannot afford to simply pass on a season. 

When you are out birding, please help instruct those who do not understand birding  etiquette. Please give all breeding birds a wide buffer and stay at least 100–300 feet  away from most Osprey nests. Some Osprey breeding pairs, such as the one at Salt  

Point, are used to visitors, but stay on the path. The choice is clear: if you hear a bird  cry out, step away—you are too close. Thank you! 

Eyes to the sky! 

Candace  

Candace E. Cornell  

Friends of Salt Point  

Cayuga Osprey Network 

Lansing, NY  

cec222@gmail.com

The ABA Ethics 

1. Respect and promote birds and their environment. 

(a) Support the conservation of birds and their habitats. Engage in and promote bird-friendly  practices whenever possible, such as keeping cats and other domestic animals indoors or  controlled, acting to prevent window strikes, maintaining safe feeding stations, landscaping with  native plants, drinking shade-grown coffee, and advocating for conservation policies. Be mindful  of any negative environmental impacts of your activities, including contributing to climate  change. Reduce or offset such impacts as much as you are able. 

(b) Avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger. Be particularly cautious around active  nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display sites, and feeding sites. Limit the use of recordings and  other audio methods of attracting birds, particularly in heavily birded areas, for species that are  rare in the area, and for species that are threatened or endangered. Always exercise caution and  restraint when photographing, recording, or otherwise approaching birds. 

(c) Always minimize habitat disturbance. Consider the benefits of staying on trails, preserving  snags, and similar practices. 

2. Respect and promote the birding community and its individual members. 

(a) Be an exemplary ethical role model by following this Code and leading by example. Always  bird and report with honesty and integrity. 

(b) Respect the interests, rights, and skill levels of fellow birders, as well as people participating  in other outdoor activities. Freely share your knowledge and experience and be especially helpful  to beginning birders. 

(c) Share bird observations freely, provided such reporting would not violate other sections of  this Code, as birders, ornithologists, and conservationists derive considerable benefit from  publicly available bird sightings. 

(d) Approach instances of perceived unethical birding behavior with sensitivity and respect; try  to resolve the matter in a positive manner, keeping in mind that perspectives vary. Use the  situation as an opportunity to teach by example and to introduce more people to this Code. 

(e) In group birding situations, promote knowledge by everyone in the group of the practices in  this Code and ensure that the group does not unduly interfere with others using the same area.

3. Respect and promote the law and the rights of others. 

(a) Never enter private property without the landowner’s permission. Respect the interests of and  interact positively with people living in the area where you are birding. 

(b) Familiarize yourself with and follow all laws, rules, and regulations governing activities at  your birding location. In particular, be aware of regulations related to birds, such as disturbance  of protected nesting areas or sensitive habitats, and the use of audio or food lures. 

Birding should be fun and help build a better future  

for birds, for birders, and for all people 

Birds and birding opportunities are shared resources  

that should be open and accessible to all 

Birders should always give back more than they take. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT OSPREYS:  

• Avoid getting too close to nesting sites during the breeding season. If an animal  vocalizes, you are too close! Back off Immediately. 

• Carry binoculars to view wildlife from afar. 

• Restore, clean, and preserve lakeshore and wetland habitat. 

• Help keep local waters clean, healthy, and safe. 

• Recycle used fishing line, which can be hazardous to Osprey.  

• Join the Cayuga Osprey Network and volunteer to help monitor Osprey nests. Write to:  cec222@gmail.com. 

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHERS: 

Karel and Cindy Sedlacek, a.k.a. BOGette, are the folks you see 365 days/yr.  livestreaming Red-tailed Hawks on campus and locally. In the warmer months, they also capture exquisite shots of Cayuga Lake’s Osprey with their cameras, which are frequently published in this blog. Both tech wizards at Cornell and accomplished musicians, the Sedlacek’s give us a unique view of these spectacular raptors. Karel and Cindy are Osprey nest monitors for the Cayuga Lake Osprey Network. 

EYES ON OSPREYS

WATCH! 

Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam 2021 

READ! 

On Osprey Time—A Blog on the Ospreys of Salt Point 

VISIT! 

Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail