[mou] RE:Amer. Woodcock+off topic(long)

[Jim Ryan]

Thanks Bob and Shawn for the posts about Peenting,

I would also be interested in some reports from others on where some 
reliable spots on public land near the Twin Cities metro area I could see 
the dazzling displays of Woodcock. Thus far I have only seen them way up 
north during hunting season behind a gun, a practice I no longer wish to 
continue. (Woodcock do not taste real good, unless you love liver)


Now the long part:

As an aside relating to the current string of what are proper discussion 
topics on the lists, would this kind of inquiry about where to find certain 
types of birds be suitable material for the MOU list, or only MNBird? What 
are others thoughts and feelings about this? Please reply in public as I 
think a public discussion of what the lists ought to be about is worth 
bringing out in the open.

I for one found out about MOU first and did not know of MNBird until I had 
been birding in the state for a couple of years. I kept hearing birders I 
met talk about it until I finally decided to find it online and sign up for 
both lists. Before that, I was just an old-fashioined birder who just went 
out and looked for birds! Noone told me where to go, I just wandered around 
doing the best I could all on my own. Imagine that.

I typically only lurk on MOU, respecting the rare and unusual air it tries 
to maintain (unless I think something is rare or unusual) and post my more 
personal memorable outings on MNBird alone.

Besides not knowing aobut both lists, the problem with MOU is as a group, we 
are of vastly different ability and experience levels (a big Duh, I know). 
To a beginner, any new life lister would be considered rareand unusual, at 
first. Until one has lots of field time or spends hours reading reports of 
abundance charts for the state, how would you know? Most birders start 
casually, and if they have a good or great time, get more into it as they go 
along.

To encourage more birders and birding (Do ALL of us really want to do 
that??? Or do we want to retain a feeling of exclusivity??) being accepting 
of neophyte questions, joyful reports of common backyard birds and 
mis-naming of birds - red breasted woodpecker comes to mind - is part of the 
learning curve. To be smiled at and joyfully accepted as part of the growth 
process for birders and birding.

It can be worthwhile to belong to both lists, as I see some apparently 
don't.  Deleting emails you don't want to read is not that hard, and you can 
also subscribe to the digest version and get the whole days worth in one 
email.

My thoughts,

Jim in S. Mpls


>From: "Friauf, Chris" <Friauf.Chris@dorsey.com>
>To: 'Bob Dunlap' <rmdbird@mn.rr.com>
>CC: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net, mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
>Subject: RE: [mnbird] American Woodcock, Carver County
>Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 08:48:51 -0600
>
>Thanks for your posting about the Woodcock, Bob.  Instead of turning in for
>the night at dusk (which I many times do), I'm now going to keep my ears
>open in the marsh behind my apartment complex in Minnetonka.  I also have
>known the Woodcock to "pass through" this marshy area, put on a good 
>display
>for a couple of evenings and then move on!  Hearing the Woodcock is one of
>the first joys of spring in the rather wet marsh.
>
>Cheers and good birding to everyone!
>Chris
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bob Dunlap [mailto:rmdbird@mn.rr.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 8:05 PM
>To: mnbird@lists.mnbird.net; mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
>Subject: [mnbird] American Woodcock, Carver County
>
>
>Just after dusk this evening there was an American Woodcock "peenting"
>behind my house in Chaska. This bird is probably a migrant, as they don't
>breed in the marshy area behind my house.
>Good birding!
>-Bob Dunlap, Carver County
>

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