[mou] Listing (long opinion)

[Alt, Mark]

My wife is majoring in Educational Psychology and we have discussed at
length how the clinical applications of her field apply to listing and
MOURC and bird identification.  There are items such as confidence
intervals and other obtuse metrics and analyses that could find
applications here if we were so inclined.  MOURC would find that many of
the subjective evaluations they are compelled to make about the validity
or the completeness of an observation could be affected by a thorough
application of the Psychology of learning research that is done here in
the state. Should MOURC study this science? No, unless they want to.  It
would be as exhaustive as the capture of phenology is for MN birds. It
would probably establish criteria by species for identification and
apply it to a normal curve. Degree of certainty is still a level to set,
as well as level of proficiency for the observer.  I can see us studying
now to reach the next level of ID experience. Would 5 level 2 birders
equal a level 10? What is the conversion factor for out of state birders
who don't know our habitat but are good birders? All birders are created
equal, but some are more equal than others. Science leads us in
interesting circles. By the way, I am not really advocating these
changes, consider it my version of "polemics".

Mark Alt
Brooklyn Center, MN
mark.alt@bestbuy.com

"Birds and their songs are important to me, they add to my enjoyment of
life"=20


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