Hi Tweets,

Richard Rowlett writes:

>I just hate neighborhood birding so. So,
>just melt into the neighborhood and be as quiet and impossibly inconspicuous
>as possible as a stranger there with binoculars slung around your neck peering
>into peoples yards.

May I suggest that the opposite style, blatantly self-assertive neighborhood
birding, might be preferable to slinking into the shadows? So that whoever
is looking at you has no doubt of the nature--if not the wisdom--of your
behavior? Birding is, after all, the biggest or second biggest mainstream
leisure activity in North America and we *still* slouch around like we're
afraid of being called geeks and pervs. Fellow Tweetsters, it's time we came
out to the rest of the world *as birders* and damn proud of it! Unafraid!
Our heads high! '-)

For added, convincing effect, especially when being sussed out from round
the side of a curtain by a suspicious home-owner, I frown, look up into the
sky and point, then write something into my notebook (usually something like
'2 more bloody pigeons'). People always think you're doing something
scientific and important if you write in a notebook, wear binoculars, point
at the sky a lot and mutter side-mouthed to your associate, even if it's
only something like 'look at that pretty pink cloud with me and try to look
excited: I think she's calling the constables.'

One thing that helps is to get the media involved on a rarity: it informs
people that something is there bringing birders into their neighborhood, and
if people think they're in the vicinity of fame, they make allowances they
wouldn't ordinarily make. But the best approach under most circumstances is
the open and honest one: most people are remarkably kind and helpful once
they know you're legit, and it's often quite easy to transfer one's
enthusiasm to to non-birder.

Finally, when you see the dogs of suspicion straining at someone's leash,
don't think 'problem', think 'opportunity'. That person could turn out to
know more about the local birds than he or she thinks, and could be a
potential birder. Hey, ya never know!

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)