Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!beta!hc!ames!oliveb!oliven!mjm
From: mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Birding technique
Message-ID: <18733@oliveb.olivetti.com>
Date: 24 Mar 88 22:16:46 GMT
References: <6@nmtsun.nmt.edu> <18531@oliveb.olivetti.com> <17@nmtsun.nmt.edu>
Sender: news@oliveb.olivetti.com
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Lines: 53
Keywords: stalking, pishing, California Thrasher, Moss Landing

In article <17@nmtsun.nmt.edu>, john@nmtsun.nmt.edu (John Shipman) writes:
> TO PISH OR NOT TO PISH---that is the question.  
> Or pish just before you plan to move some distance
> away, when it won't matter if you traumatize the birds.

	I agree that pishing can be overdone, but not because it traumatizes
birds (I've never seen this), but that it becomes rather ineffective. If done
continuously, the birds tend to ignore you. In the case with Wrentits, I do
it only when I know that one is right off the trail next to me and I can't
get a good look by waiting for its normal movement to bring it into the open.
Many times these birds will continue their foraging activity right in front of
you for some time after being pished up. These birds have typically been
classified as shy and secretive; due more, I think, to the nature of the habitat
rather than the nature of the bird. I have found them to be quite curious and
tame.

	Another bird that I try pishing with is the Marsh Wren. Again, I do it
only when I have heard a bird in the area right next to where I am standing.
From my experience, I would say that the success rate of getting these birds
into the open is probably less than 50%. Most of the time they just chatter
back at you from cover. 

	CAVEAT: pishing at nesting birds CAN BE a disturbing experience for
		them!

> There's one more complicating factor.  It seems to me that
> many wild animals will freak out if they think you're
> STALKING them.  When I do my molasses stalk, I see different
> birds than if I go with a friend, strolling along and
> talking as if nothing unusual were happening.  The latter
> situation seems to reassure some birds that we're not after
> THEM.  

	How true! Many times I have walked down a path and seen birds in the
trees to the side and the moment that I stop to look at them, off they go.
However, if you are standing quietly when the birds come on the scene, they
tend to pay you no mind. I think it is the sudden change in your behavior that
concens them; i.e. walking along then suddenly stopping and turning towards
them. (especially if your behavior change was in response to a vocalization
they made)

> The best spot is Jetty Road.  This is the first turnoff
> north of the bridge 

	This spot always seems to be mentioned on the Rare Bird Alert
during shorebird migration. This road is actually the entrance to the Moss
Landing State Beach (the ranger's fee collection hut is about 150 yards up
the road). 1 hour parking is allowed along the right side of the road between
route 1 and the hut. I think this is to accommodate birders, who don't want
to pay the three dollar entrance fee just to look at birds for an hour.

Good hunting,
Mike