Subject: Bird Extinction
Date: Feb 27 17:16:13 2000
From: Dan Lindsay - susandan2 at earthlink.net


To all Tweeters, including David Chelimer:

Gene Kridler is right. Most of us give scant attention to the problems of
areas other than our own. There are a million reasons for it, some of them
valid, but facts are facts: we can get very upwrought over a building
permit or a mud slide in our own neighborhoods; we might conceivable write
a letter to an agency or a legislator about a proposed dam or change in
water use permits in a reserve we visit once a year; but things that happen
on distant islands just don't get our attention, at least beyond writing an
annual check to Conservation International. I have birded in Hawai'i for
many years, am quite aware of the extinction issues there, and am even in a
general way informed about some of the specific controversies. But I have
never once bothered to communicate my interest or concern to anyone with the
ability to influence policy in Hawai'i. Now that I'm moving there, that
will change. It will be my neighborhood, and I'll be involved up to my
ears.

Maybe, Mr. Chelimer, you are one of the infinitesimal number of people who
really gets involved in conservation issues all over the world. If you are,
congratulations. But you should know how unusual you are, and certainly not
attack people who point out the incontrovertible reality that such people
are as rare as hen's teeth. Gene is absolutely correct when he says that
most visiting birders do nothing to assist the areas they visit.

Dan Lindsay, Bellevue
susandan2 at earthlink.net
----------
>From: "David Chelimer" <chelimer at earthlink.net>
>To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: Bird Extinction
>Date: Sun, Feb 27, 2000, 11:24 AM
>

>
>In a recent letter, Eugene Kridler wrote:
>
>> Most , but not all, Mainland birders give no thought to endangerment of
>> species, but are just interested in chalking up another bird on their
>> weekly, monthly, yearly or life list and do nothing for the welfare of
>> wildlife. Harsh words but true.
>
>It is not clear whether this bold statement is from the article Mr. Kridler
>cites, or if it a personal observation of his. In either case, I think it
>calls for some evidence backing it up. In almost fifty years of birding, it
>has constantly pleased me that, almost without exception, other birders have
>shown great understanding of and respect for wildlife in particular, and
>for nature in general. Sure, I've met some greedy people interested solely
>in their lists, but happily they've been a minuscule percentage of the
>birders I've come to know.
>
>As a "Mainland birder" I resent being characterized as thoughtless, greedy,
>and doing nothing for the welfare of wildlife, whether it be in Hawaii or
>anywhere else. Perhaps the author ought to stick to writing about that
>which bears some resemblance to fact.
>
>David Chelimer
>Seattle
>chelimer at earthlink.net
>
>
>