Birders or Terrorists? Who's to know?

(Hmmm... maybe I should start wearing chartreuse?)

"US security agents have come up with a new target for increased scrutiny in their battle against terrorism: birdwatchers. Birdwatchers in certain areas are being forced to provide photographic identification, submit themselves to background checks, and even pay for a police escort."

Link: Full Story #1

Link: Full Story #2

These articles are reminiscent of something that happened a few years ago, post 9-11, while I was bird watching with my wife and a couple of our friends. We just finished birding the city stream corridor of Pheasant Branch, crossed Century Avenue when a Middleton Police officer ran up to us shouting, “Folks, folks…just hold it right there for a minute!” None of us had seen anything suspicious, nor were we aware of any inadvertent offense on our behalf. We looked at each other shrugging our shoulders wondering what was going to happen next.

I asked how we could help and the officer responded that earlier in the morning a woman driving to work observed, in her words, “a scene right out of Afghanistan” at the Branch Street Retreat Bar & Grill parking lot (where our cars were). Apparently the woman called the police on her cell phone and described how three men were abducting a woman whose hands were bound behind her back. She provided detailed descriptions for two of the men dressed in military fatigues and another wearing a blue jacket. My first thought was that I didn't recall seeing anything like that, but then I looked over at my friend’s blue windbreaker and Becky’s binocular harness strap and immediately deduced my wife as the reported "victim."

Well, I can sort of see how it might have looked like a bad scene going down. I mean, I was wearing a green jacket and cap and had my binoculars on, plus carrying my spotting scope – I suppose it might have looked like a bazooka or something. Earlier, while waiting for the last member of our group to show up, Becky waited near our car with her hands folded behind her back. I suppose someone unfamiliar with bino harness straps might see a bound woman about to be forced into a car.

I told the officer it was obviously us, but we’re bird watchers and we’re okay -- we're not terrorists. But even then his skepticism needed a little more softening and asked us a few more questions before letting us on our way. We all had an incredibly good laugh afterwards! Of course I take the threat of terrorism seriously and could understand the woman's concern. On a serious note, it occurs to me that terrorists are far more likely to avoid drawing attention to themselves and dress in standard street garb to fit right in, as was probably the case in London last week.