You know, maybe I'm just getting old, but....

To me the relevant issue isn't who wins the debate over whether
the records committee puts these birds in the box marked wild or
the one mark origin questionable (and for the record I think
the origin questionable box is where these guys belong).

The relevant issues are:
1. Did you have a good time going to Bowerman Basin looking
for them?
2. Did you see lots of stuff (including these two birds which,
wild or not, look like Pink-footed Geese)?
3. Did you learn anything?

To this end, counting the number of people who went out to Bowerman
Basin to look for two Pink-footed Geese (origin questionable or not)
is a worthwhile endeavor. Wild or not, these birds are contributing
to the local economy of the Hoaquim area and raising the general
consciousness of folks to the value of wild spaces. Knowing how
many people took the trip is useful information. It also suggests
that countabilty may not have been (and maybe shouldn't be) the reason
many made the chase.

AND JUST AS IMPORTANT!! Ruth and Patrick and everyone else needs
to continue to be observant, report what they find and ask the
questions that need to be asked. If our adventures out in the
field start to be about second guessing reactions of others and
withholding those birds that are questionable then:
1. We won't have any fun
2. We won't see lots of stuff
and
3. We won't learn anything.

Ruth, you keep watching and taking pictures and asking questions.

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

You've got to accentuate the positive
eliminate the negative
latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mr. In-Between.
- Johnny Mercer

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html