birding-aus

Mundane & useless threads

To: Allan Richardson <>
Subject: Mundane & useless threads
From: Andy Burton <>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 07:36:10 +1000
Beautifully written, Allan.

Andy

On 17/04/2013, at 12:41 AM, Allan Richardson <> wrote:

> Hi Jude,
> 
> You're not alone, I think all of us subscribe to birding-aus because we all 
> have (at least deep down) that childish fascination with birds.
> 
> And really we're all beginners at one level or another, you never stop 
> learning in any field, but regarding nature, it's like every day is Christmas 
> morning for us.
> 
> There are different personalities in the group and it sometimes means that 
> the words don't always come through softly even when the author means it that 
> way, you can't change what others say only our own response.
> 
> A little on personalities. Every field is a blend of heart and mind, some 
> appear a little heavy on the intellectual side of the discipline, but that 
> doesn't mean they're not birders at heart. I see some folk apologising for 
> being a beginner, when they feel a little over-awed by the intellectual side 
> of birding being share on the forum, what a sad state of affairs. 
> 
> Don't be disheartened if you're a beginner, if every Australian took up 
> birding we wouldn't be descending into the loss of empathy for the 
> environment that some of the community seems to be fostering at the moment. 
> Perhaps it  says a little about the breadth of difference in what society 
> deems as civilised.......
> 
> I remember Roger Tory Peterson once saying how when birds became a chore, 
> i.e. because he was tied to his drawing board for weeks on end, the only way 
> to revive was to go out and look at living birds.
> 
> The trip reports do just that, they are a tonic for the heart of a birder, so 
> long may they be shared and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
> 
> Happy Birding
> 
> Allan Richardson
> Morisset NSW
> 
> 
> On 16/04/2013, at 6:08 PM, Jude Latt wrote:
> 
>> 
>> I am such a beginner in this world of birds ... 
>> but I love them.     And I'm very hard on myself at gaining a tick.
>> I've been 'watching' now since Feb 2000 and I've only managed 402 birds.
>> But I'm stoked at that.
>> 
>> 
>> I love this mailing list ...  I read everything, even though I understand 
>> little
>> when it comes to genetics and the like. Actually, I understand less than 
>> little.
>> But still I read in the hope that something sinks in.
>> 
>> 
>> I love it when people post there reports.
>> I learn so much from their blogs.
>> And as I'm an oldie .. and get to travel a bit now and then,
>> I so rely on people posting trip reports.   
>> Please, keep them coming.  I read them all.
>> 
>> 
>> Jude
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: david taylor <>
>> To: Birding-Aus aus <>
>> Sent: Mon, Apr 15, 2013 8:33 pm
>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Mundane & useless threads
>> 
>> 
>>> Paul Dodd wrote   "In fact, I was criticised for posting trip reports 
>> recently too"
>> 
>> 
>> If people like Paul Dodd and others stop posting trip reports and useful 
>> commentary on their birding adventures Birding-aus really wont be worth 
>> subscribing to!   How anyone could be critical of Paul ( and others) 
>> generous 
>> details on their trips is hard to fathom!
>> 
>> David Taylor
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 15/04/2013, at 8:20 AM, Paul Dodd wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi all,
>>> 
>>> I thought I'd stay out of this conversation thread as I can't really abide 
>> another discussion on capitalisation and grammar - HOWEVER, when the 
>> conversation turned to bullying I felt that I had to participate.
>>> 
>>> I have seen many postings over the years that I think are, at the very 
>>> least, 
>> rude - if not stepping over the line towards bullying - I won't give the 
>> precise 
>> examples here but they invariably occur around two topics - requests for 
>> assistance with ID, and requests for information/assistance regarding 
>> birding 
>> and birding locations, and generally these postings are from relative 
>> newcomers 
>> to the list. Oftentimes the replies are helpful and encouraging, but from 
>> time-to-time the replies are hostile. Replies to requests for ID suggesting 
>> that 
>> people have better things to do than substitute for field guides, for 
>> example.
>>> 
>>> I see any forum (and birding-aus is a forum) as a collaborative experience 
>>> - 
>> where people should be able to post a request, or post a reply, without 
>> having 
>> any fear of being attacked. To be honest, I have tended to adopt the 
>> principle 
>> that I will post trip reports and other pieces of information, but not 
>> engage in 
>> the conversations because I don't want the grief. In fact, I was criticised 
>> for 
>> posting trip reports recently too, which makes me think that maybe I'll stop 
>> doing that too. I should point out that in my experience, much of the 
>> bullying 
>> and criticism is offline - which I find worrying as it is covert, and we'll 
>> never know the extent of it.
>>> 
>>> Paul Dodd
>>> Docklands, Victoria
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From:  
>>>  
>> On Behalf Of Robert Inglis
>>> Sent: Sunday, 14 April 2013 9:37 PM
>>> To: Birding-Aus
>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Mundane & useless threads
>>> 
>>> Philip, (of Philip, Kylie, Joshua, Noah) if you feel I have bullied you in 
>>> any 
>> way and particularly by responding to your previous posting (which I believe 
>> was 
>> to ask for birding advice) by correcting your spelling and bird names please 
>> accept this public apology.
>>> I must admit I am completely unaware of how that could have happened and, 
>>> if 
>> it did, I am truly sorry. 
>>> 
>>> There certainly is activity on BirdingAus from time to time which could 
>>> easily 
>> be construed as “bullying” and I have sometimes felt some of it was directed 
>> at 
>> me. 
>>> A lot of the threads on BirdingAus could easily be classified as “mundane & 
>> useless” depending on your point of view but that is not a characteristic 
>> exclusive to BirdingAus; it simply reflects the society we live in. 
>>> 
>>> Forums such as BirdingAus should be places where opinions are freely 
>>> expressed 
>> and argued but there is never any place for abuse and bullying.
>>> 
>>> Bob Inglis
>>> Sandstone Point
>>> Qld
>>> ===============================
>>> 
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>>> 
>> 
>> David and Marg Taylor
>> Brisbane
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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Andy Burton

0431 550 105
9416 2636



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