Dennis P./tweetsters; Bravo Dennis, very well said and right on! I rarely
post on this service for many of the same reasons. I've long been concerned
with the attitude expressed on many of the posts on tweeters. Dan has asked
and pleaded and warned and threatened and still the snipers persist. It is
really a huge waste of time to have to wade through the garbage to find a
pearl! I for one appreciate your candor.

Darryl Thompson, President
Pilchuck Audubon Society
Everett, Wa
425-252-0926
<birds at cmc.net>








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>Date: Fri, 21 Jan 2000 10:05:39 -0800
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>From: dpaulson at ups.edu (Dennis Paulson)
>To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>Subject: Re: Iceland Gull yes (fwd)
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>
>Steven Kimball wrote:
>
>> I agree 100% with Jerry on this one. I was appalled that the injured bird
>> was left there merely because some birder might want to add it to his/her
>> list. As to nature taking it's course, Dr. Paulson states that he would
>> have taken any other bird to wildlife rehab, but that he didn't take this
>> one because someone might get angry at not getting to see it. So, the
>> injured gull was left to suffer and die, not because nature must be allowed
>> to take its course but because humane instincts apparently succumbed to
>> anticipated "lister anger." It's birding as sport, not nature, that's
>> having it's way in this case.
>
>Dear Steven and tweeters,
>
>I should have added to my message that I had no way whatsoever to catch the
>Iceland, as it was far too healthy and wary, and my statement about leaving
>it alone because of birders was actually said tongue in cheek. I also
>should have said that I thought that catching the bird was condemning it to
>death, as I didn't think it would ever fly again. Its wing looked as if it
>had broken and perhaps reset, and neither you nor anyone else can convince
>me it was suffering, as we know that term, when I saw it. Birds don't view
>the world in the same way we do; as far as I can see, they go about their
>business without the human "oh, woe is me" element, and live the best life
>they can given their circumstances. Not fully functioning, that's for
>sure, but not suffering. In fact "nature taking its course" is my
>philosophy, and many of the people who know me know that already. People
>who know me also know that I don't think much of birding as sport.
>
>But having tried to shed some light on the question of the bird's identity
>and keep people posted on its status, and having made a weak attempt at
>birding humor, I see I've let myself in for castigating from several
>directions. The direction that stimulates this response is that my
>personal morality is questioned by people who know no more than I do about
>bird consciousness and perhaps care no more for animals than I do. Some
>people can't seem to understand that a forum such as this is for exchanging
>information about birds, not exercising personal gripes against
>philosophies with which you don't agree (and I had succumbed to this
>myself, one of the reasons I unsubscribed a while back). I believe firmly
>that the only "rule" that should be enforced for e-mail discussion groups
>is NO PERSONAL ATTACKS, and tweeters, for some reason, has had more than
>its share. I guess having birding in common isn't quite enough to bring
>together a community of souls.
>
>Most sincerely,
>
>Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-756-3798
>Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-756-3352
>University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
>Tacoma, WA 98416
>http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html
>
>
W.Darryl Thompson