I sympathize with the comments made by Bill LaFramboise about the tone of
the posts on the red-shouldered hawk identification. Speaking strictly as
a lurker who played no part in the discussion, I found myself wincing on
their behalf a couple of times.

But I have the impression, also, that some of the more censorious remarks
really were not intended to apply personally to Nancy and Bill or others
but rather were launched at abstract targets and were part of some other
debate somewhere else. Nonetheless, it's easy to see how the comments
would be taken personally given the context in which they were made.

I have never met Bill and Nancy either. But I had the feeling from reading
their posts that they were made in the best of faith and backed up by a
lot of hard work at gathering descriptive information requested by others.

Tweeters is a place for ideas, information, debates and harangues, but
it's a place of people too.

Jane Hadley
Seattle
jhadle at halcyon.com