These bird-watching enthusiasts aren't afraid of the Oregon militiamen
Before a bunch of anti-government ranchers took it over, the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge was known for its birds. With 320 different species fluttering over the area every year, the refuge is a world renowned spot for birders, Outside reports. And although the winter months are quiet at Malheur, birders are itching to get back to the refuge come spring — militiamen or no.
One particularly angry birder penned an open letter to Ammon Bundy and his band in the Daily Kos: "Just a friendly warning from the birding and wildlife photography community [...] We are watching your every move, and we have been watching you for a long time."
A similar sentiment was echoed in a letter to the editor of The Seattle Times. "Nothing gets between a birder and the bird they might spot. If a rare bird flies in, woe to anyone who might get between that bird and the birder. They could get trampled. Malheur belongs to those birders, so protesters beware."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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