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Earlier this evening, I birded Alcove Reservoir in the Town of Coeymans in Albany County from the dam spillway on the southeastern shore, off County Route 111. After I'd been there for about fifteen minutes, a City of Albany Water Department pickup truck emerged along the service road that follows the edge of the reservoir. The driver stopped on the opposite side of the spillway, about four hundred feet from where I was standing, then honked three times, which I ignored at first until it became obvious he was honking at me (at first, I thought he was trying to get the attention of a coworker, perhaps). The driver rolled down his window and yelled something to me, which I could barely hear, but I could make out the word "pictures". I assumed he thought I was photographing the Water Department property and was going to ask me to leave. I started heading back to my car without an argument. As I turned, he called out again, "Do you work here, bro?" Of course I yelled back that I didn't.
By the time I packed up and got in the car, he'd driven over and pulled up opposite me on the road and rolled down his window:
"I've seen you before," he announced.
"Here? Today?", I responded, a bit confused about what he was getting at.
"No, before, bro." (He referred to me as "bro" throughout our exchange, in an odd but sort of friendly way.) I didn't ask for the details of his previous sightings of me, but his claim did make me wonder if he just thinks every birder that shows up at the Alcove Reservoir spillway is the same person.
"Where do you work, bro?"
At this point, I wasn't inclined to answer him, but then I figured if I played along with his inquisition, he just might hear me out and let me stay. I told him "I work for New York State," which wasn't a lie but in retrospect, I think he was confused by my tripod and scope and thought I was there doing something professional. He asked what I was doing and I told him I was looking for birds. He seemed to believe me but then asked if I was taking pictures. I told him I had a camera and was taking photos of birds:
"Sorry, bro, you can't take photos here. The dam", he said, gesturing back toward the spillway.
"OK, no problem," I replied. He apologized a few more times ("Sorry, bro") and waved goodbye. As I was leaving, I did wonder what would have happened if I had asked to stay and bird as long as I promised not to use my camera - but I figured that would be pressing my luck.
*** This was my twenty-first visit to Alcove Reservoir in a decade of birding here and the first time I've ever been hassled by Water Department employees. Usually I don't even see any there and when I do, they just ignore me. Until today. So, I just wanted to put everyone on notice that there's at least one employee there who doesn't just ignore birders and appears to be serious about the "security" there. (Don't you feel safer now that birders aren't allowed to scope the reservoir from the roadside?)
It's a shame because the reservoir attracts several species that are often difficult to observe elsewhere in Albany County. I've heard that the City took "security" to ridiculous extremes at Alcove (and at Basic Creek Reservoir) after September 11th, but I've never heard of birders ever causing any problems there just birding the spillway end of the reservoir from the side of the road, even if we aren't even supposed to be doing that, "technically". Making the situation even worse is the fact that the City of Albany is so inexplicably stingy or paranoid about reservoir access, when other reservoirs in our part of the state offer much more generous recreational access (Tomhannock and Ashokan come to mind).
Good birding —
Tristan Lowery Albany
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Hey Tristan if you’ve been there 21 times and never gotten accosted you’ve been very lucky. They don’t allow any stopping anywhere along any of the roads around the reservoir. I think sometimes they ignore you but I have gotten stopped and sent packing probably a dozen times. I think that particular location is more tolerated but ever since 9/11 they have not allowed any stopping along any of the roads anywhere else at all - ever. I used to live less than 2 miles from that spot and used to try to stop for quick looks at the reservoir in multiple locations but I got caught several times. I believe it’s literally a concern about a terrorist threat because it started right after 9/11.
On Oct 25, 2022, at 7:34 PM, Tristan Lowery <tristanlowery@...> wrote:
Earlier this evening, I birded Alcove Reservoir in the Town of Coeymans in Albany County from the dam spillway on the southeastern shore, off County Route 111. After I'd been there for about fifteen minutes, a City of Albany Water Department pickup truck emerged along the service road that follows the edge of the reservoir. The driver stopped on the opposite side of the spillway, about four hundred feet from where I was standing, then honked three times, which I ignored at first until it became obvious he was honking at me (at first, I thought he was trying to get the attention of a coworker, perhaps). The driver rolled down his window and yelled something to me, which I could barely hear, but I could make out the word "pictures". I assumed he thought I was photographing the Water Department property and was going to ask me to leave. I started heading back to my car without an argument. As I turned, he called out again, "Do you work here, bro?" Of course I yelled back that I didn't.
By the time I packed up and got in the car, he'd driven over and pulled up opposite me on the road and rolled down his window:
"I've seen you before," he announced.
"Here? Today?", I responded, a bit confused about what he was getting at.
"No, before, bro." (He referred to me as "bro" throughout our exchange, in an odd but sort of friendly way.) I didn't ask for the details of his previous sightings of me, but his claim did make me wonder if he just thinks every birder that shows up at the Alcove Reservoir spillway is the same person.
"Where do you work, bro?"
At this point, I wasn't inclined to answer him, but then I figured if I played along with his inquisition, he just might hear me out and let me stay. I told him "I work for New York State," which wasn't a lie but in retrospect, I think he was confused by my tripod and scope and thought I was there doing something professional. He asked what I was doing and I told him I was looking for birds. He seemed to believe me but then asked if I was taking pictures. I told him I had a camera and was taking photos of birds:
"Sorry, bro, you can't take photos here. The dam", he said, gesturing back toward the spillway.
"OK, no problem," I replied. He apologized a few more times ("Sorry, bro") and waved goodbye. As I was leaving, I did wonder what would have happened if I had asked to stay and bird as long as I promised not to use my camera - but I figured that would be pressing my luck.
*** This was my twenty-first visit to Alcove Reservoir in a decade of birding here and the first time I've ever been hassled by Water Department employees. Usually I don't even see any there and when I do, they just ignore me. Until today. So, I just wanted to put everyone on notice that there's at least one employee there who doesn't just ignore birders and appears to be serious about the "security" there. (Don't you feel safer now that birders aren't allowed to scope the reservoir from the roadside?)
It's a shame because the reservoir attracts several species that are often difficult to observe elsewhere in Albany County. I've heard that the City took "security" to ridiculous extremes at Alcove (and at Basic Creek Reservoir) after September 11th, but I've never heard of birders ever causing any problems there just birding the spillway end of the reservoir from the side of the road, even if we aren't even supposed to be doing that, "technically". Making the situation even worse is the fact that the City of Albany is so inexplicably stingy or paranoid about reservoir access, when other reservoirs in our part of the state offer much more generous recreational access (Tomhannock and Ashokan come to mind).
Good birding —
Tristan Lowery Albany
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The Alcove has always had a strict no trespassing policy especially since the late 1980's.
Now their tolerance has varied over the years and also who the workers are. Often birders have been ignored or gently warned off, they are really targeting poachers and other illegal activities.
I'll also note that the Basic Reservoir requires a permit to access (available at the City of Albany Water Department) and you can and will be ticketed if caught on the grounds without a permit.
Will Raup
Glenmont, NY
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
-------- Original message --------
From: Steve Mesick <stvmesick@...>
Date: 10/25/22 10:02 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Tristan Lowery <tristanlowery@...>
Cc: HMBirds <hmbirds@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [hmbirds] Alcove Reservoir access
Hey Tristan if you’ve been there 21 times and never gotten accosted you’ve been very lucky. They don’t allow any stopping anywhere along any of the roads around the reservoir. I think sometimes they ignore you but I have gotten stopped and sent packing
probably a dozen times. I think that particular location is more tolerated but ever since 9/11 they have not allowed any stopping along any of the roads anywhere else at all - ever. I used to live less than 2 miles from that spot and used to try to stop for
quick looks at the reservoir in multiple locations but I got caught several times. I believe it’s literally a concern about a terrorist threat because it started right after 9/11.
Steve Mesick
On Oct 25, 2022, at 7:34 PM, Tristan Lowery <tristanlowery@...> wrote:
Earlier this evening, I birded Alcove Reservoir in the Town of Coeymans in Albany County from the dam spillway on the southeastern shore, off County Route 111. After I'd been there for about fifteen
minutes, a City of Albany Water Department pickup truck emerged along the service road that follows the edge of the reservoir. The driver stopped on the opposite side of the spillway, about four hundred feet from where I was standing, then honked three times,
which I ignored at first until it became obvious he was honking at me (at first, I thought he was trying to get the attention of a coworker, perhaps). The driver rolled down his window and yelled something to me, which I could barely hear, but I could make
out the word "pictures". I assumed he thought I was photographing the Water Department property and was going to ask me to leave. I started heading back to my car without an argument. As I turned, he called out again, "Do you work here, bro?" Of course I
yelled back that I didn't.
By the time I packed up and got in the car, he'd driven over and pulled up opposite me on the road and rolled down his window:
"I've seen you before," he announced.
"Here? Today?", I responded, a bit confused about what he was getting at.
"No, before, bro." (He referred to me as "bro" throughout our exchange, in an odd but sort of friendly way.) I didn't ask for the details of his previous sightings of me, but his claim did make
me wonder if he just thinks every birder that shows up at the Alcove Reservoir spillway is the same person.
"Where do you work, bro?"
At this point, I wasn't inclined to answer him, but then I figured if I played along with his inquisition, he just might hear me out and let me stay. I told him "I work for New York State," which
wasn't a lie but in retrospect, I think he was confused by my tripod and scope and thought I was there doing something professional. He asked what I was doing and I told him I was looking for birds. He seemed to believe me but then asked if I was taking pictures.
I told him I had a camera and was taking photos of birds:
"Sorry, bro, you can't take photos here. The dam", he said, gesturing back toward the spillway.
"OK, no problem," I replied. He apologized a few more times ("Sorry, bro") and waved goodbye. As I was leaving, I did wonder what would have happened if I had asked to stay and bird as long as
I promised not to use my camera - but I figured that would be pressing my luck.
***
This was my twenty-first visit to Alcove Reservoir in a decade of birding here and the first time I've ever been hassled by Water Department employees. Usually I don't even see any there and when
I do, they just ignore me. Until today. So, I just wanted to put everyone on notice that there's at least one employee there who doesn't just ignore birders and appears to be serious about the "security" there. (Don't you feel safer now that birders aren't
allowed to scope the reservoir from the roadside?)
It's a shame because the reservoir attracts several species that are often difficult to observe elsewhere in Albany County. I've heard that the City took "security" to ridiculous extremes at Alcove
(and at Basic Creek Reservoir) after September 11th, but I've never heard of birders ever causing any problems there just birding the spillway end of the reservoir from the side of the road, even if we aren't even supposed to be doing that, "technically".
Making the situation even worse is the fact that the City of Albany is so inexplicably stingy or paranoid about reservoir access, when other reservoirs in our part of the state offer much more generous recreational access (Tomhannock and Ashokan come to mind).
Good birding —
Tristan Lowery
Albany
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Thanks, everyone. I guess because I've been lucky enough to have avoided being caught all this time, I thought this might be part of some new crackdown I should warn others about - but it seems like being stopped isn't an uncommon experience for others. I've known about the rules and enforcement at Alcove since I moved here, but most of the stories I first heard about birders being stopped were from long ago and in my experience, it seemed safe to assume that employees there were just turning a blind eye to us these days and would continue doing so. So, yesterday's experience was a bit rattling, for me at least.
I was also going to remind people that a permit is required at Basic Creek Reservoir (another City of Albany Water Department jurisdiction) but forgot, so thanks to Will for bringing that up. I've never been stopped there, either, but I have seen Water Department employees there on most of my recent visits, and as Will mentioned, there are repercussions for being caught there without a permit.
Tristan Lowery Albany
The Alcove has always had a strict no trespassing policy especially since the late 1980's.
Now their tolerance has varied over the years and also who the workers are. Often birders have been ignored or gently warned off, they are really targeting poachers and other illegal activities.
I'll also note that the Basic Reservoir requires a permit to access (available at the City of Albany Water Department) and you can and will be ticketed if caught on the grounds without a permit.
Will Raup
Glenmont, NY
Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
-------- Original message --------
Date: 10/25/22 10:02 PM (GMT-05:00)
Subject: Re: [hmbirds] Alcove Reservoir access
Hey Tristan if you’ve been there 21 times and never gotten accosted you’ve been very lucky. They don’t allow any stopping anywhere along any of the roads around the reservoir. I think sometimes they ignore you but I have gotten stopped and sent packing
probably a dozen times. I think that particular location is more tolerated but ever since 9/11 they have not allowed any stopping along any of the roads anywhere else at all - ever. I used to live less than 2 miles from that spot and used to try to stop for
quick looks at the reservoir in multiple locations but I got caught several times. I believe it’s literally a concern about a terrorist threat because it started right after 9/11.
Steve Mesick
Earlier this evening, I birded Alcove Reservoir in the Town of Coeymans in Albany County from the dam spillway on the southeastern shore, off County Route 111. After I'd been there for about fifteen
minutes, a City of Albany Water Department pickup truck emerged along the service road that follows the edge of the reservoir. The driver stopped on the opposite side of the spillway, about four hundred feet from where I was standing, then honked three times,
which I ignored at first until it became obvious he was honking at me (at first, I thought he was trying to get the attention of a coworker, perhaps). The driver rolled down his window and yelled something to me, which I could barely hear, but I could make
out the word "pictures". I assumed he thought I was photographing the Water Department property and was going to ask me to leave. I started heading back to my car without an argument. As I turned, he called out again, "Do you work here, bro?" Of course I
yelled back that I didn't.
By the time I packed up and got in the car, he'd driven over and pulled up opposite me on the road and rolled down his window:
"I've seen you before," he announced.
"Here? Today?", I responded, a bit confused about what he was getting at.
"No, before, bro." (He referred to me as "bro" throughout our exchange, in an odd but sort of friendly way.) I didn't ask for the details of his previous sightings of me, but his claim did make
me wonder if he just thinks every birder that shows up at the Alcove Reservoir spillway is the same person.
"Where do you work, bro?"
At this point, I wasn't inclined to answer him, but then I figured if I played along with his inquisition, he just might hear me out and let me stay. I told him "I work for New York State," which
wasn't a lie but in retrospect, I think he was confused by my tripod and scope and thought I was there doing something professional. He asked what I was doing and I told him I was looking for birds. He seemed to believe me but then asked if I was taking pictures.
I told him I had a camera and was taking photos of birds:
"Sorry, bro, you can't take photos here. The dam", he said, gesturing back toward the spillway.
"OK, no problem," I replied. He apologized a few more times ("Sorry, bro") and waved goodbye. As I was leaving, I did wonder what would have happened if I had asked to stay and bird as long as
I promised not to use my camera - but I figured that would be pressing my luck.
***
This was my twenty-first visit to Alcove Reservoir in a decade of birding here and the first time I've ever been hassled by Water Department employees. Usually I don't even see any there and when
I do, they just ignore me. Until today. So, I just wanted to put everyone on notice that there's at least one employee there who doesn't just ignore birders and appears to be serious about the "security" there. (Don't you feel safer now that birders aren't
allowed to scope the reservoir from the roadside?)
It's a shame because the reservoir attracts several species that are often difficult to observe elsewhere in Albany County. I've heard that the City took "security" to ridiculous extremes at Alcove
(and at Basic Creek Reservoir) after September 11th, but I've never heard of birders ever causing any problems there just birding the spillway end of the reservoir from the side of the road, even if we aren't even supposed to be doing that, "technically".
Making the situation even worse is the fact that the City of Albany is so inexplicably stingy or paranoid about reservoir access, when other reservoirs in our part of the state offer much more generous recreational access (Tomhannock and Ashokan come to mind).
Good birding —
Tristan Lowery
Albany
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