Gee, Craig I wasn't trying to put anybody down. I was trying
to point out that there is a tendency among people who recreate
by interacting with birds to make assumptions about who is and
who is not a birders. In the late-60's early-70's the term was
taken up by a fairly specific and narrowly focused group of folks
to separate themselves from the stereotype of the day. I count
myself among that group, though certainly not a mover and shaker.
Folks who called themselves birders were elitist in the best and
worst sense, but they changed the face of birdwatching by making
teenage boys to go out and watch birds.

The word itself now much more open to interpretation than it
was 20 years ago. I happen to be someone who believes there are
quite probably 46 million birders in America to today and that
46 million birders is a good thing. But by opening up the
definition of what a birder is one must discard the expectation
that all birders will fit that late-60's definition or any other
definition (except maybe the broad USFWS definition: travel at
least 1 mile from home with the expressed intention to look for
birds or actively try to identify birds in your own neighborhood).

There is a subcategory of birders who enjoy actively chasing birds
and compare their list to other people's lists. God bless them.
I only hope they are open minded enough to accept those who don't.

There is a subcategory of birders, some of whom fall into the
above category, some who don't, who enjoy studying and memorizing
the subtle details of gull plumages, shorebird scapular patterns
and empidonax tail flick behaviors. God bless them. I only hope
they are open minded enough to accept those who don't.

There is a subcategory of birders who see the whole bird-watching
thing as a very funny phenomenon full of people who get the joke,
miss the joke, take umbarage where none was meant, aren't interested
in the joke, or would rather watch chickadees.

If I left out your subcategory, please don't feel left out. God
Bless you all, too. I'm counting on all of you to be open minded
enough to recognize that I have to stop somewhere....

Birding is a big tent, whether we're all comfortable with that or
not. I love everybody, even on the days when I don't get the joke.

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

SNOWY OWLS on the Lower Columbia - links to current information
on the 2005 irruption event:
http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/SNOW/SNOW20051120.html