Something more sinister. Probably.
Last week while looking for birds on Antelope Island I decided to visit the Frary Peak trailhead to see what I might find near the very large gravel parking lot on the side of the mountain. This time of year I often find Chukars on or near the parking lot and/or Sage Thrashers along the very steep road leading up to the parking lot. And Western Meadowlarks and Loggerhead Shrikes are always a possibility almost anywhere on the island, including in that area.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
I struck out on all those species but I did find this molting Black-billed Magpie exhibiting what I initially thought was a very curious behavior.
‘He’ appeared to be searching for and picking up little dark brown rocks amongst all the other similar-sized but lighter-colored rocks on the parking lot. He did a lot of walking as he searched for the prized rocks and when he’d picked up all of them that he could carry he…
1/2500, f/5.6, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
flew a short distance up the side of the mountain, stashed the rocks in the grasses where I couldn’t see him, and then flew back down to the parking lot to gather more rocks. He did that four different times while I was with him.
It took me a while to figure out what was really going on. The “rocks” he was gathering weren’t really rocks.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
They were dog food kibbles. After the magpie was gone I cruised around looking for those little piles of dog food and found four piles of them spread out on the large parking lot. I strongly suspect there were more.
1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 400, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc
He was really stuffing his mouth with those kibbles before he carried them up the side of the mountain. Here we can see three of them. There may have been more. I believe he was caching the kibbles on the mountainside, rather than eating them immediately.
I’m pretty sure that the little piles of dog food were the result of photographers baiting coyotes to the fairly remote parking lot, where they could be photographed up close and unobstructed by vegetation or topography. Leashed dogs are allowed on Antelope Island trails but because of all those little piles of the same kind of dog food spread out on the large parking lot, I strongly doubt they were intended for some hiker’s dog. It doesn’t make sense.
Sadly, photographers baiting coyotes with dog food on Antelope Island is nothing new.
Years ago, on the paved road north of Garr Ranch on Antelope Island, I found the road strewn with dog food and this coyote eating it. It was an obvious attempt at baiting coyotes. And it worked.
On that morning when I got back to the north end of the island, I reported the baiting to one of the rangers and showed him some of my photos of the coyote and some of the dog food I’d collected from the road. He didn’t seem particularly surprised but he wasn’t happy about it. He said he’d be more vigilant in keeping an eye out for baiting on the island.
Baiting/feeding wildlife on the island is both unethical and illegal. But some photographers don’t give a damn about little subtleties like that.
I call them slob photographers. Or worse.
Ron
Thank you for this post. Great title too, intriguing and made me want to know the story,
Thanks, Johanna.
Magpies love dogfood. I had a cardboard barrel of dogfood by my backdoor and when I returned home after work I noticed alot of bird tracks in the dirt. After a week I refilled the 5gal bucket and seen dogfood on the ground. Mice had chewd a hole in the barrel and the scoundrels packed off 20lbs of dogfood.
Yup, they’re notorious for stealing dog food.
Hiss and spit. I do hope that the baiters (all of them) get painful and incurable haemorrhoids.
It wouldn’t break my heart if they did, EC.
Slobs or unethical work. Not good for the animals and/or birds and not good for the environment. For me, a photo earned unethically is not worth keeping. Almost like stealing something.
Good post Ron.
“Almost like stealing something.”
Especially when they don’t disclose the baiting, which they almost never do. Thanks, Everett.
I hope the baiters get the trots…near an exceptionally nasty port-a-pot…with no toilet paper…and drop their cameras in the literal crapper…and crack their lenses.
May your wish come true!
Ditto to all the comments here – my first worry was poisoned kibble, too. And Arwen’s worry about the coyotes thinking of the road as “good”. Thank you for reminding us of the ethics involved in your photography. You comment in your photo specs “not baited, set up or called in” is SO welcome and IMPORTANT!
“Your comment in your photo specs “not baited, set up or called in” is SO welcome and IMPORTANT!”
You’ll notice that I left if off this time. It could be said that this magpie was baited (unbeknownst to me) so I deemed it prudent to leave it off.
Pathetic behavior. How can you possibly be proud of a shot obtained in that appalling manner? The more I learn about the species I try to get (unbaited) photos of, the more I respect them and yearn to protect them from the members of my species of whom I am ashamed.
Pathetic indeed, Burrdoo.
Aw, for crying out loud. That is so lame.
On the bright side here, I am thankful that there are folks like you Ron, who recognize what is going on and are able to work in cooperation with the folks whose job it is to protect and preserve the wildlife.
This may be being done out of ignorance. Perhaps there should be some sort of public outreach to educate that this practice is not proper or legal.
Michael, any seasoned bird or wildlife photographer would know that baiting/feeding wildlife in a state park is illegal. And most know it’s also unethical. Some will do it anyway.if they think they won’t get caught.
But you may be right about the casual photographer being unaware. Still, pretty damned ignorant if you ask me.
Hope they drop their cameras……. 😉 Like so many other things – only their interests “matter”….. 🙁 I’m sure it’s hard for rangers to follow the assholes around to catch/stop the behavior.
“Hope they drop their cameras.”
On cement. With their expensive lens attached. Karma.
Besides slobs, they are teaching the totes to see the road as good rather than dangerous.
Exactly. Roadkill in the making.
That is awful, but my initial thought was worse: that it was poisoned dog kibbles. Hopefully not.
“Hopefully not”
Sheila, I very strongly doubt it was poisoned.