Bill: As a person who is relatively new to birding, I am going to respond 
to the forum question from that point of view. I would sum it up in four 
or perhaps five factors: the list, significance, believability, the 
stupidity factor, and the nature of birders.

The List: I have been on it for 1-2 years and it has always appeared to be 
a way to report sightings, therefore, that is what most people do. I agree 
it does not have to be this way and the other factors play into this.

Significance- Is what one has to say or report significant? For example, I 
have the good fortune to be watching 5 turkey vulture nests. I enjoy the 
white powder puffs and have thought of posting a summary of nest locations 
so that others might have better luck locating one. Is this worth doing? I 
have not posted therefore I apparently lean towards the insignificant view.

Believable? I have found birders to be a somewhat skeptical bunch. How 
many read "5 vulture nests" and thought, "He is exaggerating." This 
perhaps comes into play more with sightings. My first "rare" bird was a 
scissor tail flycatcher. I excitedly called my bird friends and was met 
with enthusiastic, "No way, not possible!" I knew what I saw but was not 
confirmed until the next Brooks Bird Club newsletter had a photo of one 
seen 4 days later 35 miles to the east. Take my six friends and add a 
whole list of experienced birders and it becomes rather daunting.

Stupidity: No one likes to appear stupid. I personally do not care (as 
evidence I present this post) but many do. One example that I can recall 
is an individual posted a photo he thought may be a rail. One of the 
responses was, "I don't now how to break this to you but that bird is a 
green heron." I do not know if he ever posted again but a more useful 
response would have been, " The bird is a green heron because...."

The nature of birders: The only time I count birds is for CBC and OBBAII, 
otherwise I observe their behavior as well as look for plants, lichens, 
etc. From what I can see from the boondocks, many birders are listers and 
this may play into why there is so little discussion.

Two final comments: We do have a bird journal kept by a Smith that lived 
on Tappan before it was a lake it runs from 1910-1920. You have expressed 
interest in historical records in the past and I will look up species or 
copy it for you if you would like.
The osprey on Tappan do nest on a tower, they have avoided the platform 
that was built to keep them off the tower. The eagle nest is less than one 
mile form the osprey nest. I have never noticed any altercation between 
the two, perhaps there is enough carp to go around!

Scott Pendleton

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