Tweeters!
Thanks so much for all the thoughtful e-mails concerning whether to feed or
not to feed birds in our own backyards. It has raised some important issues and
reminded me once again that these issues go far beyond our back yards and
bird feeders to the deeper concerns of declining and degraded habitat. Whether we
are backyard birders or treckers into the forests, parks and seashores, we
have to be responsible for seeing more thank the bird that is right in front of
us and in considering more that the fleeting pleasure that one bird brings. I
believe it is our responsibility to be informed about wildlife habitat so that
we can do our "best birding" and make more informed and thoughtful decisions
about how and when we do our birding. This discussion has inspired me to do
more reading on the subject, to raise it as an issue within birding circles, and
to make a commitment to provide as much natural habitat as I can in my own
backyard. Thanks Jan/Westport