So, I have to start out by saying that when I wrote the article, there were two impacts I hoped it would have: one was encourage youth birders to reach out and grab some of the opportunities offered by organizations like the ABA or their local bird clubs. The other goal was to get conversations like this going in birding communities.
That aside, as a youth birder, I actually agree with points that both Winger and Phil have brought up. I agree that traditionally, youth birding has not been at the forefront of conversation in most birding communities, and that it really should be. It is something that I know both from talking to peers and from my own experiences, can be very off putting for young birders. However, I also think that Phil is exactly right that recently some communities have taken huge strides in reversing that trend. In our area, George Radcliffe's YMOS and the nearby Delaware Dunlins, to which I belong, are great examples of this. I still think that there is a lot more that can and needs to be done to support youth birders but, in Maryland at least, it seems like people are really starting to realize how important youth birders are to the future of birding.
Good Birding,
Mike H.
16 year-old birder
Baltimore City
From: Phil Davis
Sent: Monday, December 10, 2012 4:35 PM
To: Maryland Birding
Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Mike Hudson, Young Birder and Author
Hi Winger:
The other day I casually mentioned in my "MOS" message about some of the impressive things that are going on with the Youth MOS (YMOS) activities, within the MOS. Right now, I believe that most of these efforts are focused on the Eastern Shore, mostly because that's were the principal volunteers (George Radcliffe and Wayne Bell) live. The skills that are being developed, even down into the elementary school level, are quite impressive.
Did you know that there is an MOS web site for the YMOS activities?
http://www.ymos.org/
Maybe someone who is more familiar with the recent activities can post an update. What was reported at the most recent MOS Board meeting really impressed me ...
Phil
At 23:05 12/08/2012, Winger and June West wrote:
When I received my latest "Birding" magazine from ABA today, I noted an article entitled "Memories from Camp Colorado" by 16 year old Mike Hudson from Baltimore, MD. Mike recounts his experiences of a week long birding camp consisting of 17 teens from all over the US held in the mountains of Colorado. It also reminded me of what I see as a weakness in our activity and that is many of us (me included) don't reach out enough to young birders to encourage and help them along in our great hobby of birding.
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Phil Davis Davidsonville, Maryland USA
mailto:<PDavis...>
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