Sally and all- Sorry to hear that birding at the Mansfield Airport was a problem. We have birded there many times, without incident. As local Audubon president, I will make some contacts to see if we can "ease" things up a bit. The public parking lot is a great place to view the Upland Sandpipers, and I usually make a point of purchasing a cup of coffee at "Flyboys." When it is good for them, it is good for us. Cheryl Harner Richland, Co. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laura Keene" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 12:40 AM Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] Upland Sandpipers-Mansfield Lahm Airport > Thanks for reporting! I stopped by the Mansfield Airport at 6:30 this > evening and found three of the Upland Sandpipers in the grassy area right > next to the public parking lot at about 9 o'clock on the loop. > http://tinyurl.com/kpv6dj > > Does this make me an official birder? - As I was leaving town and > approaching the highway, I was suddenly pulled over by THREE police cars, > and the officers approached on both sides of my car with hands on their > weapons. I was reported for "suspicious activity" at the airport! The > airport had appeared closed, with only a couple of other cars in the > PUBLIC > parking lot, neither of which had occupants with binoculars which I > thought > odd. The officers were skeptical of my explanation of photographing the > rare > birds from my car window, despite my Ohio WARBLR plates and two birding > bumper stickers. They didn't seem impressed with the pictures on my > camera, > either. > > Even though it is totally legal to be in this public parking lot, the > officers recommend that future birders touch base with someone at the > National Guard office to let them know you are looking for the sandpipers. > I > wish I could point you to the office, I missed it completely. > > I'm spending the next couple of days in Northern Ohio with my grandbabies > and try and stay out of trouble! > > Laura Keene (with a red face) > Mason, OH > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]