On 10/21/98, Joyce Meyer wrote: "Even while twitching, s/he is a birder who
is birding..."

Toss out the word "birder" for me! It's too broad and includes hunters.
I don't want to be lumped together with guys who blast the wings off a duck,
twirl it to break the neck, and toss it into the back of the boat.

When I go looking for a bird, I don't want to kill or maim birds, trample
underbrush, or blast trees with shot... No way. I just want to look, learn,
and let live.

So we need a new word for wildlife watchers. "Birdwatching" is too namby
pamby and doesn't describe the act of hiking, scrambling, and outdoor
survival required to get to the "watching" part. Anybody got any ideas?

Footnote:
American Heritage dictionary definitions for birder: 1. a bird watcher 2.
a breeder 3. hunter.
birding: 1. to observe and identify birds in their natural surroundings.
2. To trap, shoot, or catch birds


Tammy
Visit "Peepers: South Puget Sound Bird Sightings"
http://www.halcyon.com/greg/peep.htm