As Dennis suspectd, there will be varied answers...as varied as we all are.
I agree 100% with what Mike Denny wrote (below). I can understand what he
is saying. For example, I remember back in the 1980's, seeing my first
European wigeon at Green Lake amidst many American wigeons. My first
thought was wondering why it wandered here?? Where did it come from? Where
did it make the wrong turn? Now EUWI are not rare in my opinion and those
questions do not come up in my thoughts.


As for me.....

1. Since I work a job 5 days a week, I am not free to just get up and go
whenever and wherever the reports come in from. I envy alot of you and the
reports that are posted on Tweeters.
2. The distance traveled weighs heavily on me...using fossil fuels to
travel (n.b.exotic travels is another situation and deserves different
consideration/justification in my book).......before considering whether or
not I shall go look for that bird.
3. So, I seem to be more likely to check out a local rarity (e.g. a Black
and white warbler in the Arboretum or a Black-throated blue on Mercer
Island, or even the recent Burrowing owl at the Renton Post
Office......)......these to me are as rare as the Ross' gull, Eurasian
dotterel, etc. because they are not normally found in this geographical
location/habitat, etc.
4. I also consider the impact this might have on the individual bird or the
landowner.......wondering if it is in the best interest of either???
5. and my desire not to become a Phoebe Snitsinger!

I keep several lists (yard, state, North America, North American annual
list, and lifelist) mostly for fun. The one that I enjoy the most is the
annual list. When I compare the end of the year totals with previous years,
it is an indicator as to how many different habitats and geographical
locations I have visited that year in North America (north of Mexico). It
always makes special seeing new species that are not life birds (e.g. on a
recent trip to Texas, it was fun seeing birds like, for example,
Scissor-tailed flycatchers for the "first time", eventhough I first saw the
species in Costa Rica ~1984 or something).

Which brings me to a question for you all....or perhaps just a statement of
interest? How many continents do you think there are?


This arose from my "need" to define North America.Where does Central
America fit in??? While in Ecuador last year, I asked several people and
most answered 5 continents: Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the
Americas. (Incidently this is represented by the 5 rings on the Olympic
Flag). Many people from South America consider the Americas as one
continent! And they don't even think about Antarctica!

sorry to ramble on...just some thoughts and musings.

eric
seattle


> [Original Message]
> From: Mike & MerryLynn <m.denny at charter.net>
> To: Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson at comcast.net>; TWEETERS
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Date: 7/12/2010 10:22:16 PM
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] a question
>
> Thank-you Dennis!
>
> Do you mean rare birds like the Ross's Gull at McNary Dam discovered by
Phil
> Bartley Nov.1995 or the Eurasian Dotterel at Ocean Shores? I will say
that
> it is the joy of the chase, beating the odds and actually seeing a rare
> species that weighs just grams or ounces that you never imagined would
show
> up way out of range in a region where it has never been seen, documented
or
> recorded. Seeing an individual that is surviving the odds and is still
alive
> even though it is out exploring unknown areas to its species. I will tell
> you that chasing rare birds is also a great amount of fun. Yes it is
about
> fun, sharing, learning and understanding just how very little we really
know
> about birds and their movements.It is also about trying to anticipate who
> else will be out looking. Do you know that there are folks that we only
get
> to see and visit with while out after rare birds. Reams have been written
> about rare birds and their discovery. Regardless of who writes about
these
> rare moments there is always life and excitement in relating the
> appearance/discovery of a rare bird. Even the most emotionally detached
> scientist has to get a thrill when they see an unexpected species way
> outside of its pigeon hole. I once had a well known Biologist tell me
that
> there is no such thing as a rare bird, that there are endangered birds
with
> low populations and mis-placed birds with stable populations. Mis-placed
> species like the Brown Shrike in Nov. 1986, the Temmnick's Stint at Ocean
> Shores, Variegated Flycatcher at Windust Park or the Stellers Eider on
the
> Walla Walla River delta all of these and many more have brought great joy
to
> folks birding their lives away.
>
> Later Mike Denny
>
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