I marked this "OT" - i.e., off topic - as it really does not impact birding.
However, it does impact birding visitors. I know there are people on the
Ohio list who are the right people - or who will refer my note to the right
people.
Yesterday (Thursday, May 20) Judy and I again visited Magee Marsh after
having birded there the day before and having spent the night at Port
Clinton. After a long birding session, and with the growing heat and
humidity, we were looking forward to the facilities at the Magee Sportsman's
Center to refresh and maybe watch birding videos while we cooled off. It was
closed!
Yes, the "open" sign was not on the road, but I figured maybe it had not
been put out. The gate was open. I note that first time visitors would not
even know a sign usually would be there. So we drove into the lot and walked
to the building, only to find the note on the front door that said it was
closed due to a meeting.
While we were there - maybe 10 minutes at most - three other parties tried
to access the closed building. I can just imagine how many people were
impacted that day! To elderly, handicapped, or just more compulsive people
the rest rooms in the building are significant. On hot days, the AC is also
something to be enjoyed! It is especially important to non-locals who do
not know the area!
Fortunately, we had visited the beautiful facility at Ottawa the day before.
It is a mile west from the Magee entrance road. We told the others about it,
but wondered if it would also be impacted by a "district-wide" meeting! We
were pleased to find it open! Refreshed, we enjoyed a nice picnic in the
covered unit by the parking lot before continuing our birding at Metzger
Marsh.
OK, here are the points I am making:
1) May is the big month for Magee Marsh! Many visitors - and many for
the first time - know only of what they read on the Internet. We do have
expectations based on what we read, or have experienced before. Why close an
important birding facility for a day in May? (Yes, BSBO was open, the Big
Week was over, and porta facilities are available, and so on ., but that is
not the point.)
2) If the Magee facility is closed, at least place a sign in the
parking lot at the beginning of the sidewalk to the building. We watched a
woman with her elderly mother walk half-way there as we were returning from
the building and signed to them "closed". I can just imagine a handicapped
person go thru the unloading process and get to the closed building!
3) Be sure to put a referral and directions to Ottawa on the sign! Had
we not been there the day before, we would just have assumed Magee was the
main place and the near-by Ottawa facilities would be more primitive. We
also assumed Ottawa would be closed as well since it was a "district-wide"
meeting. Yet, we also knew there were at least porta facilities there at the
hiking trail lot, so we proceeded.
4) It was fortunate that the Ottawa volunteers were present! Why not
the Magee volunteers at least? Interestingly, we had handed out Magee
"birder's cards" at each establishment we frequented on this trip. If it is
important to support birding, please do so.
5) If you want an "all hands" meeting, try some other time of year!
6) Yes! This is a very special place, and, yes (!) it significantly
contributes to the Ohio economy! And, certainly, yes (!!!), we will return
to Ohio again - and maybe even take a longer trip to see other places the
Ohio birders have posted on the list.
Lest you get me wrong, I am not totally upset about this, just a bit
disappointed. We had a great trip! Many "lifers", many great encounters with
birders, and a really great time for the two of us. By spending a night, we
were able to range farther into local areas we had not previously explored.
I used the Big Week, BSBO and Kaufman links on the Internet to get good
places to stay and visit. What a great area! We will return!
I'll blog my experience (without the above comments) after I process the
hundreds of pics we took. It may take awhile.
Just my "two bits" for the right people. Everyone else please just press
"delete". Thanks for listening.
"Dr. Bob" Setzer
Rochester Hills, Oakland County, Michigan
"Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day." Teaching a man to "bird"
is much harder!
Blog: <http://drbobsbirdblog.blogspot.com/>
http://drbobsbirdblog.blogspot.com/
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