In a message dated 1/27/2005 8:50:08 AM Pacific Standard Time,
g.tabori at comcast.net writes:

> Fom a previous thread, I think the topic was the 30% + of WA residents
> where "birders"
> So that makes a rough number of about 1 million birders/birdwatchers or
> so.
> About 1500 saw the Redwing, of those a lot were from out of state.
> I guess thats about 0.05%.
> Some pretty serious birders we got here.
>

Gil,

Not all birders are obsessive about or even interested in life lists and
such. It would take a lot more than a Redwing to get me to drive through the
Everett/Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia white-knuckle corridor. Now, a Labrador Duck,
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, or any species thought to be extinct might give me pause.

I took David Sibley birding a couple of years ago (name dropping) and I found
myself apologizing for the lack of "good birds." He let me know in so many
words that he enjoys spending time with "a good House Sparrow."

So, your posting about "serious birders" needs to account for other factors.

Cheers,
Joe Meche
Editor, the Avalanche / Birding Programs Coordinator
North Cascades Audubon
Bellingham, WA