My colleagues here at the ABA Blog have written many great posts on topics ranging from wind power to ABA areas to gear and field identification.
But no one has yet tackled the very serious problem of what happens when a tragically uninformed bird watcher meets the regrettably uptight compiler. I decided to take this matter into my own hands. Many of you may have seen this on my own blog this week, but the vital public service it provides deserves wider attention.
I Saw A Rare Bird
Warning: (mild) curse alert and intentional stereotyping
created by Laura Kammermeier, who has been on both sides of this discussion.
Food for thought:
Listers and compilers: how have YOU dealt with the tragically uninformed? Did you ever lose your cool? Others: Has a regrettably uptight birder ever took the fun out of you trying to share your sighting?
How can we birders do better? Or do we want to? Deep down, don’t some of us secretly covet our superior knowledge over all things avian – and as a result, aren’t situations like this equally engaging and enraging?
I’m just sayin’…what do YOU think?