I read the article with interest, and likewise all of the post comments by my fellow birders on Tweeters.
?
I must say that I'm a little confused about the term "competitive".? As a child I was good at coming in last in almost everything I did, so I adopted the attitude (outwardly at least) that I was not the competitive type.?
?
This said, My experiences birding here in Washington is that the only real competitiveness I notice amoung us has more to do with avian knowledge than with how many raritites have been seen.? I am pretty much unaware of the life list count of most of my fellow birders and friends, but I have often heard some one-upsmenship over details about bird biology, behavior and the like.?
?
Just my 2 cents worth.? Put my change in the dish by the cash register.?
?
-Rolan

Oh, oh. I almost forgot.....life list: 639!!!






From: Russ Smith (MSN) <wrsmith at msn.com>
Subject: [Tweeters] Article: Birdwatchers behaving like paparazzi
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 6:15 PM







Here?s an article Birdwatchers behaving like paparazzi posted a mere couple of weeks ago. Note the secondary header: Sightings of rare bird species trigger middle-class flash mobs, armed with cameras and tripods (my bold). Apparently this event centered around the spotting of a Spotted Towhee in Massachusetts. The article does go on to address the apparent upswing in birding, a fringe element of which is competitive birding?.sounds ridiculous! What?s troublesome is yet again another divisive comment referencing photographers, yet the article?s photograph shows NO photographers, only hordes of birders packed shoulder to shoulder.
?
Russ
-----Inline Attachment Follows-----


_______________________________________________
Tweeters mailing list
Tweeters at u.washington.edu
http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters