Clowns, birders creep us out – and a study found out why
http://www.omaha.com/living/clowns-birders-creep-us-out-and-a-study-found-out/article_38459789-1228-5f6d-87db-6780f95b3f0a.html
POSTED: SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2016 1:00 AM
The Washington Post
Here’s what most American bird-watchers are, according to a 2013 government study: White, older than 45, fairly well-off and highly educated.
Here’s what many people think bird-watchers are: Creepy.
That’s according to a recent study that says it is the first “empirical study of ‘creepiness.’ ” Led by psychology professor Frank McAndrew at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, the study set out to introduce “a theoretical perspective on the common psychological experience of feeling “creeped out,” and to figure out what makes us think other people are creepy.
The conclusion — based on a survey of 1,341 people, most of whom were female and American — is that feeling creeped out is an evolved response to the ambiguity of a possible threat, which helps us to remain vigilant.
FULL story at link.
I'm glad Marta and I don't spend any time on birds.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Excuse me the wild birds are demanding a refill of the birdbaths. All that free food is making them thirsty. [img]
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Luring those innocent birds in with free food so you can watch them take a bath.
Have you no shame?
Avian voyeurism is a serious problem in this country which gets far too little attention. It's time to stop the denial and admit that we have got a crisis on our hands and address it with the appropriate urgency.
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... that middle bird doing his mating dance did creep me out a bit! 
Apparently. For some folks.
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white, well-educated, but not well off. I liked bird watching but it was always done too early for me. The early birds can get the worm. I'm rollin' over. 
Where the topic was "Creepy Bird Watchers!"
Grrrrr!!! GRRRRRRR!!! Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning....!
GRRR! Grrrrrrr!!!!
Of course you're under no obligation to read the article! It is so much more fun to pontificate without any knowledge whatsoever of the topic at hand!!
Obvious.
that birders will often crow about seeing a rare bird!
doesn't exist?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/
we would not know lot about ecosystems and how to protect them from us!
I might be creepy but I don't care, I love watching birds and learning from them. I have learned a great deal from watching birds, and all of wildlife, they're all connected and bird watchers get that better than lots of people do.
I give talks about wildlife as a professional and birds is one of my favorite topics. My audiences are usually amazed and thankful to learn how birds are like the "canary in a coalmine" for all ecological environments. And you can often tell what other wildlife might be in a place by which birds hang around.
Folks who can't make the mental connection to birds and importance of bird watchers needs to get their head out of the iphone or ipad or whatever their preferred "ignore everything around me" device.
ETA: I absolutely despise clowns!! 
HARRRUMPH!!!!
What's with all the weird use of the word "butthurt" lately?
Hmmm.
Where he was a curator and there is a bird sanctuary named for him: https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/gardens__bird_sanctuaries/roberts_bird_sanctuary/
The family has some personal photos of him but the ones of him birding are also in the museums.
T. S. Roberts is on the right
That issue is available at Archive.org: https://archive.org/details/birdlore11899nati
His article, "The Camera as an Aid in the Study of Birds" is on page 6 of the PDF with photos and drawings by him. The second part of the article (maybe in the second issue) is on page 35 of the PDF. Another article about photographing a catbird nest is on page 87. There are other issues on Archive.org. Dr. Roberts sent them reports on bird sightings in the Minneapolis are for decades so he is in many, many of their issues.
Sue Leaf commented on the resemblance in her preface to the biography. She met him and my MIL when she visited to interview them and go through the photos and documents MIL had from Dr. Roberts' life.
A film about TSR (as the family calls him) would be cool - I wonder who could play him? Of course the best thing would be to do his life and that would need several actors to play him throughout his life.
On my side of the family we have a few who have rated biographies, but none as closely related or in the direct line. My favorite, though he is only a distant cousin, is Josiah Harlan. He was the real person who possibly inspired the title character in Rudyard Kipling's short story "The Man Who Would Be King." A biography of him was published in 2004 by Ben Macintyre, "The Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan." One review of the book says, "It took two of the manliest British men of the 20th century to stand in for one crazed 19th century American." (http://www.bookslut.com/nonfiction/2004_05_002048.php) They couldn't make just one movie about Josiah Harlan - his exploits would need a series!
You've got some great connections, there! And HARLAN! We could use more people like him at the State Department!!
here I am, stuck in the middle with brew. 
I get people thinking clowns are creepy, but I've never heard of people thinking birders are creepy.
....but birders? 
[Burns, OR] The armed militants who have occupied the Oregon wildlife refuge may be encouraged the apparent lack of response by government authorities. But their stand is reportedly doomed anyway, since they picked the worst possible location to make their point, according to a source at the American Birding Association.
“The Malheur sanctuary is home to approximately 320 avian species beloved by birders. BIG mistake.”
The nearby town of Burns has seen a rapid influx of birders who are determined to eject the illegal occupiers. The birders possess a number of advantages when it comes to combat in open terrain, according to those familiar with the hobby.
“They are masters of disguise who know how to blend into the outdoor environment, whereas the enemy, with their pickups, massive guns, and loud obnoxious personalities, tend to stick out like a sore thumb.”
More: http://www.breakingburgh.com/enraged-birders-to-retake-oregon-wildlife-refuge-in-dawn-offensive/
NOTE:
Welcome to Breaking Burgh, a satirical blog serving Western Pennsylvania and beyond.
In case you read that too quickly, it’s SATIRE, so put that lawyer back in your pocket.
http://www.breakingburgh.com/sample-page/
by The Lapine · January 10, 2016
BURNS, OREGON — Grandfather of four Robert Saunders says he was just out to check on some young burrowing owls at the crack of dawn this morning when he was confronted by a “red-faced pudgy man with a big gun”.
And things got physical when Saunders refused the barked orders to halt and identify himself.
But it wasn’t the retired teacher who ended up on the ground.
“Well heck, one second he was warming his hands by this kind of puny little fire and the next second he was running at me and shouting to get down on the ground,” Saunders told reporters gathered near the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.
More: https://thelapine.ca/79-year-old-bird-watcher-takes-down-oregon-militant-with-old-high-school-wrestling-move/
Again, NOTE: "The Lapine is all about poking people and things that deserve to be poked. It is satirical commentary written by all kinds of people from here, there and darned near everywhere."
When I sent this second story to my husband while he was spending time with his Mom in hospital, she said, "This 87 year old birder is ready to go help take back Malheur!"
a Second Amendment solution gun advocate in an open carry, stand your ground state, who suddenly felt threatened by the odd way I was dressed, and by my dark tan, while gazing in his general direction through binoculars. 
yes, I know, cheezy, but I really do think that way most of the time.
ps. it's the binoculars that people think are creepy, I guess.
The responses are priceless! Never heard that about bird watchers...but clowns, weeeelll it depends imo;
Not creepy just sappy; EDIT - okay he is a little bit creepy.
RUN LIKE HELL!!!
Not creepy, but now my neck hurts;
Okay lie to me and tell me that is not a little bit creepy!
You didn't say what kind of bird watcher! 
and Marta do exactly as you like to do. This is America and you are free to enjoy your life as you see fit, anyone else that doesn't agree be damned. IMO
I like the things you post so there 
