[mou] religion, money, sex, and, now, birding?

Tue Aug 14 17:02:53 EDT 2007

I must not be a serious birder. I go out birding because I like to spend time outside in nature and watch birds and other wildlife. If I see a bird that is I think is cool then it is a good day. If I get a nice picture to share with people on my blog then it is an even better day. If I see a bird that is rare or that I have never seen before then it is a great day. I bird for my own enjoyment not to be in some record. If I screw up and make a mistake IDing something on my blog, which I already have, and someone corrects me, which they already have, then I thank them, which I did. They have helped me to learn and grow. 

I come to this list because I like to see what other birders have seen that might be in the area. If I see something that I think is cool then I post it so that others can share the experience. I also like to know what other birders think and feel. If someone here called me a troublemaker I would laugh, because I know that they would not be the first or the last to call me that. 

The point is that we all people who share a love of birding. We also all have feelings. We need to try to be considerate but that should never make us afraid to share our opinions about this passion that we love.

Ecobirder

----- Original Message ----
From: Sharon Stiteler <birdchick at gmail.com>
To: Jim Williams <two-jays at att.net>
Cc: 
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 2:36:56 PM
Subject: Re: [mou] religion, money, sex, and, now, birding?

LOL, Jim!

Okay, I thought all the disagreement and discussion was part of the fun.  And honestly, if people think this birding listserv is hostile, they should take a look at some of the other state bird listservs.  I've yet to see profanity show up here.  We've got pretty good--not perfect, but who has that?

I think we encourage discussion and disagreement, but the key is to not take it personally.  If you're going ask questions, don't be upset when you get answers if they aren't what you want to hear.  So, if the records committee finds your sighting unacceptable?  Repeat to yourself, "It's not me, it's my documentation."  You report a chukar and people on the listservs tell you it's not countable on an official list?  Take a big shrug and enjoy the fact that you saw an escaped bird attempting to stake a claim in the wild.  You saw an ivory-billed woodpecker at Weaver Dunes and no one believes you?  Don't sweat it, we still love you anyway.

Sharon

On Aug 14, 2007, at 2:24 PM, Jim Williams wrote:

 Are we to add birding and its many avenues to that list of things one supposedly cannot discuss without risk of offense? Is it to be religion, money, sex, and birding?

Good grief!

Jim Williams
Wayzata

On Aug 14, 2007, at 2:08 PM, Richard Wood wrote:

Hi all,

Pastor Al seems, IMO, to be bent on taking this list's discussions into areas that get people yelled at and called names by other users of the list.  I, for one, don't think that is necessarily a good thing to have happen.

I don't think he does it on purpose, and I enjoy it when he does, but frankly, most people don't like those of us that question things (we come off as being critical?), and I think all it does it cause a lot of trouble and lead to (potential) hurt feelings.

Take the recent discussion on record keeping, for example.  I wouldn't have voluntarily written about my "angst" toward the record keepers, but when Al posted, I replied, and it led to a big brehawa.  I was called by one person, whom shall remain nameless, a "troublemaker", when I don't think  I am.  A member of the MOU called me "critical", which again, I don't think I am.  I do question things, because I am a scientist.

My point is that we need to think seriously about when we post forays into "controversial" areas.  Does one want to post a note that is going to make others dislike each other, probably not. But we should all ask ourselves that each time we post a "question" to others on a list such as this.  Do you really want to create a situation (even unknowingly) where others will almost literally be at each other's throats?

Good birding,
Richard

Richard L. Wood, Ph. D.
Hastings, MN
rwoodphd at yahoo.com

----- Original Message ----
From: Sharon Stiteler <birdchick at gmail.com>
To: Pastor Al Schirmacher <pastoral at princetonfreechurch.net>
Cc: mnbird at lists.mnbird.net; mou-net at moumn.org
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 1:44:09 PM
Subject: Re: [mou] [mnbird] Suspicious Birds

Greater Roadrunner.

Sharon Stiteler
www.birdchick.com
Minneapolis, MN

On Aug 14, 2007, at 12:55 PM, Pastor Al Schirmacher wrote:

John & Chris' posts bring up a question - besides Chukars and Northern Bobwhites, what other birds would arouse your (escapee/release/too soon to be counted) suspicions in the state?

Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties 
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