Hey all,
Before we get ahead of ourselves calling for someone's head on a platter, let's take a second to remind ourselves that one of the main purposes of the Facebook page is to attract new folks to the birding community and foster the sharing of birding-related stories and multimedia. Newbies or out-of-staters might not be schooled on the finer points of etiquette when it comes to sharing news of rarities with the Maryland birding elites. The trick is to educate others, without turning them off to the community.
I think the solution to the problem is that anyone monitoring the Facebook page should immediately crosspost to MDBirding when they come across awesome breaking news of rarities. The best way to spread news quickly is to use multiple channels. I don't see the Facebook page competing with the MDBirding mailing list. They serve different, but sometimes overlapping purposes. The Facebook page has more "noise" relative to the "signal" if you're only interested in information about rare birds to chase, but the fact remains that it is yet another listening post at our disposal, for connecting to the birding-related goings-on in the state of Maryland.
I am all for anything that welcomes new birders into the community, fosters their development, and encourages the sharing of birding information.
Finally, we live in a sharer's world. None of us are entitled to this kind of information, unless the original birders choose to share. However, if it becomes public domain, I think we ought to get the word out to everyone ASAP.
Good birding,
Andy
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Andrew J. McGann
York, PA & Baltimore, MD
(757) 561-0256
On Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 5:41 PM, Jim Moore wrote:
> First, I wanted to thank my brother Mike for posting the lapwing
> report. He's a Delaware-based birder, so he was going above and beyond
> the call of duty by posting this here.
>
> However, as Kevin and Gail suggest, it's rather surprising it was not
> posted here sooner (by a Maryland birder). When the facebook page was
> started (over the objections of many here), we were all given assurances
> it would not compete with this list, and that this list would still be
> the place to report bird sightings in MD. Those assurances seem to have
> been flat wrong.
>
> Jim Moore
> Rockville, MD
>
> On 2/3/2013 5:20 PM, Michael Moore wrote:
> > For those who do not follow the Facebook MD Birding page, this was reported there this afternoon:
> >
> >
> > Les Roslund found a NORTHERN LAPWING here this afternoon (1pm). Other birders have been looking, without success (as far as I've heard), but the reports back are that there is an extensive amount of excellent habitat / territory to cover.
> >
> > That was followed by this post:
> >
> >
> > A group of birders, including Mark Schilling, have refound the NORTHERN LAPWING.
> >
> > > From what I can tell of the posted maps the bird is in Cordova, MD along Westerville Dr., NE of the intersection with Old Cordova Rd.
> >
> > Probably too late to chase today, but I hope someone gets a chance tomorrow.
> >
> > Mike Moore
> > Newark, DE
> >
>
>
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