Editor,

Reading the article, “Trouble on the docks,” I was alarmed that the Oak Harbor Yacht Club chose to deal with USDA to poison, trap and harass migratory ruddy and black turnstones.

Oak Harbor can do much better turning to and supporting eco-tourism. One birder on March 20, 2012, within a three-mile radius of Oak Harbor Marina, saw two American wigeons, 20 mallards, five surf scoters, four buffelheads, 10 common goldeneyes, two hooded mergansers, eight horned grebes, two double-crested cormorants, four great blue herons, six bald eagles, two red-tailed hawks, four kildeers, one ruddy turnstone, 40 black turnstones, 30 dunlins, 20 gullsps, two belted kingfishers, 10 american crows, one bewick’s wren, 20 american robins, two spotted towhees, two song sparrows, and four dark-eyed juncos.

Which of those species will be next to be targeted because they create some offensive disturbance to people who purport to love nature by living within such a natural setting and a migratory birding stopover?

Do your research on the animals that inhabit the environment in the marina. Otters have been in the marina area since I have lived in Oak Harbor for more than 15 years.

USDA is not known to lean toward the side of wildlife and will not make the extra effort to relocate any wildlife it is successful in catching.

Animals don’t care about people invading their environment. At this time of year, they have only one thing in mind — to nourish their bodies to continue their flight to the Arctic.

Come on Oak Harbor, get with the 21st century.

Maddie Rose
Oak Harbor