RE: Does this sound ethical to you!
Sounds like he's being courteous enough to me. He told you he'd call and let you know when he'd be there and when you'd be there so you could possibly work around each other. Not something I would generally do, if I see someone elses stand in an area I like I remember it for next season and get out of there.
I don't think it's a matter of ethics so much as it is principles.