[mou] posting brew-ha-ha

[jotcat]

Agree wholeheartedly - there's room for all levels of expertise on this list, and I enjoy reading posts by new birders and sharing their excitement of discovery.  We all need to encourage them, and all the folks with questions about birds.   

I do think it's a good idea to list birds seen in all caps - I'll try to remember, at least for the notable species.  

BAY-BREASTED WARBLERs turned up after 6 p.m. yesterday just as the rain was letting up, along with much activity by other species.  Female AMERICAN REDSTARTS   finally appeared also.

SWAINSON'S THRUSH - had one earlier, but more here today.  I need to get back outside.

Carol Tveekrem, Schroeder, Cook Co.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Thomas Maiello 
  To: Mnbird ; mou-net at moumn.org 
  Sent: Friday, May 25, 2007 11:11 AM
  Subject: [mou] posting brew-ha-ha


  I have been posting and reviewing posts for some 10 or so years now  
  on both MN and MOU servers.  My observations around their use is that  
  a wide variety of people with various amounts of experience and  
  expertise use this service.  I observe the clashes to be between the  
  two extremes - those who use the service as a technical tool to  
  forward their expertise and enhance scientific understanding and  
  conservation of birds and those who like looking at birds in their  
  backyard as an enhancement to their lives and like to share what they  
  see.  If this service was originally designed for use of the former  
  then I agree that rules and guidelines should be clearly defined.  If  
  it was designed for the latter then I would say lets just have what  
  we have and invite others to jump in.

  As many of you can tell, I have scientific training in ornithology  
  and also just love looking at the feathered beasties.  I get value  
  out of all of it and out of every post that comes before me.  I don't  
  read the ones I don't want to.  I scrutinize the ones I want to.  At  
  this time of the year, or just recently to be more specific, I really  
  scan every post for a bird that I may be interested in.  I don't care  
  what the format or the author - I scan for bird names.  Could there  
  be a clearer way to put bird names in a post - sure.  But I think  
  that would ultimately require guidelines being put in front of  
  everyone every time they post.  When I first started posting, I was  
  afraid of "doing it wrong" so I posted very little, got flamed a few  
  times and withdrew, joined again and got the hang of it for the most  
  part and have kept in there.  I do get flamed occasionally because  
  some folks just don't like folksy stories about birds that  
  occasionally seep out of me.  I do post bird names in all caps  
  sometimes when I remember or think it of special note.  After 17  
  years in Minnesota, quite honestly, I still do not really know what  
  birds are unique or special or worth special note in a posting.   
  However, it is through this service that I have learned about many  
  that are.

  This service is a huge teaching device - not just an information  
  source.  There are master teachers who use this and minimalist  
  birders like me who use this.  I have learned more about birds by  
  accessing this service than all the years I have birded, the  
  experiences I have had in the field or looking out my window, or  
  studied in school.

  I would like this service to be open to everyone and those of you who  
  are master birders, aged and ripened like a fine wine, those of you  
  who are professional teachers, list keepers, county occurence  
  mappers, variation nuancers, and anyone with any expertise at all -  
  use this service to teach us.  Use this service to share you  
  knowledge with the world of people even slightly interested in  
  birds.  Teach us.  Hear what we have to share and offer additional  
  info.  Accept our ignorances and minor offerings and hear where we  
  might be open to hearing refined information from you.

  So for me, let's invite anyone who has an interest in birds to share  
  their knowledge and apparent ignorance.  Let's allow fledgling  
  birders to mingle with the pros.  Let's accept unconditionally and  
  release our tolerance and judgments.  We have birds in common.  Let's  
  nurture that.  The birds will ultimately be the winners.

  Thomas Maiello
  Spring Lake Park
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