Thanks Peter for pointing out that intemperate little outburst - it sent me
scurrying for my March copy of AFO (Australian Field Ornithology). I'm
surprised that Stephen believes that to be true, or that the issue is so
simple; and even more surprised that he went into print with it! Twitching
doesn't preclude serious observational natural history, or writing about it.
I'd have thought a number of other issues might be worthy of consideration;
not least the wider community issue of the ageing population (human that
is). Writing natural history papers is a slightly old fashioned pursuit
after all (it must be - I'm guilty of it!), and one that needs to be
encouraged and nourished rather than assumed to be something that will occur
unaided. I suspect we elders haven't done enough to encourage the young'uns
to write for journals like AFO and its ilk.
Margaret Cameron once told me when I was a young'un "if it isn't published,
it didn't happen" with respect to the natural history of birds in particular
(and it applies equally to the rest of the biota) - and this maxim has
guided me ever since! HANZAB is chock full of data of all kinds from AFO
and its predecessor ABW, so the worth of this stuff (incidental observations
right through to life history studies) is considerable, and undeniable.
--
++++++++++++
Lawrie Conole
28 Reid Street
Northcote, VIC 3070
AUSTRALIA
lconole[at]gmail.com
0419 588 993
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