[EBB Sightings] Mines Road nutcase

I'm relatively new to serious birding in the area, and guess I missed  
the memo on where not to bird--please forgive my appalling  
ignorance.  Though I've only birded Mines Road once (fortunately with  
no altercations), I did follow an excellent guide to the road written  
by a Livermore expert, and the area in question is highlighted in the  
guide, with no warnings about a guy with a gun given.

Can a more experienced local expert, for the safety of all of us,  
post a list of areas not to bird for fear of being shot or worse?

While birding etiquette may be a more apropos future topic (I'll not  
soon forget the time I was shooting, er, photographing, from my car  
and had a lens filling image of the female Lark Bunting in Byron,  
when another birder drove up, stopped, got out of his car, walked up  
to my window and asked if I'd seen the Bunting.  He of course chased  
her away, not to be seen by me again. . . .), the guy with the gun  
was out of line and breaking the law.  He should have been turned in  
to the police, regardless of any potential future placement of a few  
No Parking Signs.

Regard and Happy (and Safe) Birding,

Steve Hutchcraft
Alamo

PS  Seriously, maybe someone could publish a guide to birding  
etiquette, with some simple, common sense suggestions to make birding  
more enjoyable for all of us.  Thanks!





On May 4, 2007, at 6:47 PM, Bob Dunn wrote:

> I've been birding that spot for about 20 years now and have never  
> had a run in with that guy.  But I was told way back then not to  
> look into that yard because the guy had complained.  It's appalling  
> that after all these years, some of you birders didn't get the word  
> or are rude enough not to care.  It is rude to be peeking into  
> people's yards.  And there is no reason to be doing it.  Any bird  
> that you could find in his yard can be found at many other places  
> along Mines Road.  Keep your binos aimed at the willows, don't go  
> as far as the white bridge and NEVER cross the bridge.  It was  
> wrong for the guy to shoot his gun.  But getting the police  
> involved will only lead to No Parking signs being placed along all  
> or part of Mines Road.  And us birders will be the losers!
> Bob Dunn
> San Leandro
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