Exactly what resources are we talking about here? It seems to me that if any effort is made in this or similar cases it will be volunteer resources. Even the rehabbers are volunteers and as far as I know are supported by donations by those who appreciate their work. But it seems to me that if I'm willing to volunteer my time or donation, it's my business. And, of course it's an emotional response, one I think most people have to a suffering animal, particularly one that has given us some kind of personal pleasure or satisfaction. It will do nothing for the greater good of the species unless it happens to be something like a Whooping Crane, where every individual is precious. But even that is an emotional response. I doubt that the existence or demise of the species will make any real difference in the world. But our species clearly prefers having them. One thing I know for sure; the earth doesn't care. And it is still, thankfully, up to us as individuals to determine what we wish to support or ignore. Don Morgan, Coventry, Ct. mntncougar@aol.com In a message dated 10/2/2015 4:34:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, lawtonesq@gmail.com writes: And an emotional response to the purported suffering of single animal is rarely if ever a legitimate basis for conservation policy or effective use of our resources. It might make us feel better and assuage the haunting...but doesn't help the species unless it happens to be extremely endangered, and then the assistance and resources are applied for other policy reasons. David Lawton Avon, CT Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. Original Message From: Mark Szantyr via CTBirds Sent: Friday, October 2, 2015 3:22 PM To: Mntncougar@aol.com Reply To: Mark Szantyr Cc: CTbirds Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Galinule rehab I think this is an inaccurate characterization of the situation with the calliope hummingbird or of any winter hummingbird. Mark Szantyr > On Oct 2, 2015, at 10:05 AM, Don Morgan via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > I will put myself in the column in favor of attempting to rehab the bird > if it can be done without a ridiculous amount of effort. > I must say I never thought too much about this sort of thing until a few > years ago when the Simsbury Calliope Hummer was allowed to freeze to death > in the name of letting Nature take its course, even though the bird was, by > all estimations, perfectly healthy until the really frigid cold arrived. > That bird was effectively trapped here by humans who fed it until it was too > far away from an environment it could survive in . The whole episode has > haunted me ever since. > > I have zero knowledge of how to capture such a bird, let alone with > anything to do with rehabbing it, but since I only live a few miles from the > site I will volunteer to help with such an effort to the extent that I can. > That might include breaking a trail through the brush to the area where the > bird usually is, but I don't know if whoever is in charge of that area in > Mansfield would allow that. Perhaps a more practical approach would be to use > a rubber raft or kayak(s) to try and get near it, since I assume the pond > must now have a few inches of water. If the traps that have been mentioned > are available, that might really be the best way. > If I can assist, please contact me > > Don Morgan, Coventry, Ct. > mntncougar@aol.com > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org _______________________________________________ This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org

Don, I appreciate and totally agree with your response. It is clear that helping one Purple Gallinule here in the northeast is not going to affect the survival of its species or take away from helping threatened and endangered species. However, it is nice to do something to help a bird that is over a thousand miles from home, if we can, especially since many of us will readily travel 50 or 100 miles to see it so we can observe it and/or add it to one or more of our birding lists. (However, I am also concerned about how easy it will be for someone to capture it without additional injury--some sort of self tripping drop cage may work the best, some rails are banded for various research projects so if anyone is willing and able to take on such a project it can be done successfully) John Mitchell Cranston, RI Sent from my iPad > On Oct 2, 2015, at 7:54 PM, Don Morgan via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > Exactly what resources are we talking about here? It seems to me that if > any effort is made in this or similar cases it will be volunteer resources. > Even the rehabbers are volunteers and as far as I know are supported by > donations by those who appreciate their work. But it seems to me that if I'm > willing to volunteer my time or donation, it's my business. > And, of course it's an emotional response, one I think most people have to > a suffering animal, particularly one that has given us some kind of > personal pleasure or satisfaction. It will do nothing for the greater good of the > species unless it happens to be something like a Whooping Crane, where > every individual is precious. > But even that is an emotional response. I doubt that the existence or > demise of the species will make any real difference in the world. But our > species clearly prefers having them. One thing I know for sure; the earth > doesn't care. And it is still, thankfully, up to us as individuals to > determine what we wish to support or ignore. > > Don Morgan, Coventry, Ct. > mntncougar@aol.com > > > In a message dated 10/2/2015 4:34:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > lawtonesq@gmail.com writes: > > And an emotional response to the purported suffering of single animal is > rarely if ever a legitimate basis for conservation policy or effective use > of our resources. It might make us feel better and assuage the > haunting...but doesn't help the species unless it happens to be extremely endangered, > and then the assistance and resources are applied for other policy reasons. > > David Lawton > Avon, CT > > Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE > network. > Original Message > From: Mark Szantyr via CTBirds > Sent: Friday, October 2, 2015 3:22 PM > To: Mntncougar@aol.com > Reply To: Mark Szantyr > Cc: CTbirds > Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Galinule rehab > > I think this is an inaccurate characterization of the situation with the > calliope hummingbird or of any winter hummingbird. > > Mark Szantyr > >>> On Oct 2, 2015, at 10:05 AM, Don Morgan via CTBirds >> <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: >> >> I will put myself in the column in favor of attempting to rehab the bird >> if it can be done without a ridiculous amount of effort. >> I must say I never thought too much about this sort of thing until a few >> years ago when the Simsbury Calliope Hummer was allowed to freeze to > death >> in the name of letting Nature take its course, even though the bird was, > by >> all estimations, perfectly healthy until the really frigid cold arrived. >> That bird was effectively trapped here by humans who fed it until it was > too >> far away from an environment it could survive in . The whole episode has >> haunted me ever since. >> >> I have zero knowledge of how to capture such a bird, let alone with >> anything to do with rehabbing it, but since I only live a few miles from > the >> site I will volunteer to help with such an effort to the extent that I > can. >> That might include breaking a trail through the brush to the area where > the >> bird usually is, but I don't know if whoever is in charge of that area > in >> Mansfield would allow that. Perhaps a more practical approach would be > to use >> a rubber raft or kayak(s) to try and get near it, since I assume the > pond >> must now have a few inches of water. If the traps that have been > mentioned >> are available, that might really be the best way. >> If I can assist, please contact me >> >> Don Morgan, Coventry, Ct. >> mntncougar@aol.com >> _______________________________________________ >> This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association > (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. >> For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org