>Maybe this has already been said many times, but I'll repeat it. Birders
>are
>probably born, not made. Birding is not a religion, such as
>environmentalism
>might be regarded, for which you go out into the world and make converts.
>As
>birders we can probably trust the environmentalists to help us save
>habitat,
>but we should never mistake birding for environmentalism.
>
>We made the mistake of trying to make birders out of our F1, only to have
>them
>rebel at about the age of 6, and get worse after that.
>
>As birders and, perhaps more importantly, as persons, we should be willing
>to mentor young birders that come our way. That I believe is an important
>responsibility.
>
>Jerry Tangren
>Wenatchee WA
>Jerry_Tangren at tfrec.ncw.net

I think your response may be the best one yet, Jerry, really sums it up. I
might argue with you if you maintained that birders are *never* "made," as
I know of people who did become converts when a spouse or friend convinced
them to try it. These few cases may be quite the exceptions.

Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416