He sighed and said, the trouble with nature is that she takes 100
> liftimes before you can begin to know her, I was only gifted with one....
>

That reminds me of a statement by the famous entomologist, Thomas Eisner,
who did extensive research in insect chemical defenses. He was asked about
his lifework with insects and how much he had learned. He replied, "I've
come to know 5 or 6 insects fairly well."

The problem with a 'pure' student of anything is that you don't get the big
picture. I think of the recent post that said the reason the gulls were
pooling in a certain area was because of a particular insect hatch. A 'pure'
birder would have totally missed out on the 'why' of the situation.

To really understand birds, you must understand their environment. That
environment consists of weather, geology, insects, rodents - just to name a
few. How can one limit themselves to simply counting birds?

Best wishes,
Ron McCluskey,
Cheney, WA