I’ve been a paying but mostly anonymous member of the MOU since the
1950’s. Always a lurker, I have read MOU publications but never
contributed to them or participated in field trips, etc. I’m
marginally acquainted with only a handful of members. Stiil, that has
been enough to convince me that squabbling is an MOU tradition. I
don’t know whether this is typical of birding communities but the
competitive nature of many birders makes that likely.
Bob Bystrom
Al's posting
From: Michael Hendrickson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Michael Hendrickson <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 14:51:23 -0700
Content-Type: text/plain
Minnesota Birders and Al:
Can someone inform who are these "good ol birdin guys" or these "elite
birders" that prevent other birders from not wanting to share bird
sightings or first state records to the listserv? Who are these
guys????
I been involve in many Minnesota birding groups since I was in high
school and I have to say that the Minnesota birding community is not a
bunch of mean birders. Yes we have debates on the listservs and yes
there are people that do not get along but what state do not have
these issues? Wisconsin is no different than Minnesota when it comes
to issues and flames on the listserv. Just a few weeks ago Wisconsin
birders were blasting some guy who was upset that a certain well known
digiscoper was posting links to his photos.
Every listserv from time to time has lively debates and some can get
ugly and usually the moderator steps in to stop it.
Also I never heard that MOURC only accepts photos for first state
records. There is no rule to first state records except take good
notes, attempt a drawing and if you have a camera, try to get a photo.
Also I been guiding or leading field trips for a long time and I have
a cardinal rule that leaders should not start up political topics nor
should leaders get involve in political topics. Leaders of bird trips
should be out looking for birds by sight and sound. They are to get
people on to birds and inform people on identification marks of the
birds they are viewing. Since this trip that Al led was a MOU sponsor
trip, I have to wonder if asking these questions like "so what do you
all think of MOURC?" or " so what do you all think of the Minnesota
birding community" and " ol those good ol boys in the birding
community really upset me, what do you all think about these "good ol
guys" or elites?" Was this a birding trip last weekend or a gripe
session?
I still want to know who the birding elites are in Minnesota? Is it
bad to be labled a "elite birder" and also who are these "good ol
boys" in the Minnesota birding community because I been hearing about
these guys for sometime and I never met them in all my years birding
in Minnesota.
About the this first state potential first state record -- well it
will not be the last bird that was seen by someone that goes
unpublished or not reviewed by MOURC and I am sure large states like
Texas and California have their fair share of bird sightings that do
not get reviewed by thier own state record committees. Yes I remember
my first record I submitted to MOURC back in 1983 or so and it was
nerve racking process at first but I did my best to write it up the
sighting and submit it to MOURC. Yes it was approved but then again I
had 2 records rejected in the past as well and you know what? I still
sleep at night and the rejections do not bother me at all, even to
this day!! Even the people who sit on MOURC had their records
rejected one time or another and I am sure they do not carry a grudge
against those who rejected their sighting. It happens and you got to
have thick skin about the voting process.
YES there are probably some records birders submitted to MOURC that
were rejected that may of been a correct sighting but your rare bird
sighting is as only good as your notes, sketch or clarity of the
photo. Everyone is equal in the record process and also this notion
that only bird records accepted are only by birders who are close
friends to those who sit on the records committee is not correct and
that is just a bunch of crap!! Everyone had a sighting rejected at
one time or another.
Minnesota birding community is a great birding community and like I
said every state has thier issues. I guide people from other states
and they told me how much they love Minnesota and the birders they
met. These visitors are even impressed on how nice we are about
sharing bird sightings and they are equally impressed on how other
bird guides call each other on their cell phones to share bird
information with each other!! You do not see bird guides in Arizona
sharing bird sightings with other bird guides!!
So all in all Minnesota is a GREAT birding community and also has a
GREAT bird organization == the MOU!
Good birding
Mike Hendrickson
Duluth, Minnesota
Website: http://webpages.charter.net/mmhendrickson/
Blog: http://colderbythelakebirding.blogspot.com/
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