Kathy I agree this is just between Norm and I. I will not respond any more after this note on the MDOsprey. George >>> Kathy Klimkiewicz <Kathy_Klimkiewicz@usgs.gov> 10/13/99 07:54pm >>> Norm and George -- I have 'held my fingers' thus far but agree with another MD Osprey suscriber -- it is time to end this and continue it, if needed, between just the two of you. Just my humble opinion ............ Cheers, Kathy ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: [MDOsprey] My Disappointment With the ABA Author: mdosprey@ARI.Net at NBS-Internet-Gateway Date: 10/13/99 3:31 PM George, I'm really quite puzzled about where all the anger I sense in your messages is coming from. Nonetheless, the anger and the personal insults are quite plain, at least to me, so I feel obliged to respond, even though I had hoped we could have dropped this whole fruitless discussion by now. First off, to the contention that I have done nothing for birding, I would like to give you a list of what I have done over the past decade. This isn't done to brag, just to offset the notion you may have inadvertently given others on this list that I have made no contributions. First, I started and ran for 13 years The Osprey's Nest, to my knowledge the first computer bulletin board in the world oriented to birders, birding, and other amateur naturalist pursuits. Over the 13 years that The Osprey's Nest was in operation, I had callers from all 50 states, 6 Canadian Provinces, and 5 or 6 foreign countries other than Canada. Following the closing of The Osprey's Nest in the Fall of 1997, due to the tremendous fall-off of traffic due to the more widely available Internet, I decided to begin an Internet mailing list devoted entirely to birds and birding in the state of Maryland. The response has been gratifying and in just two years over 8,500 messages have been generated by birders across the State. Second, I served a two-year term as a Chapter Director of the Montgomery Bird Club and chaired their Checklist Compilation Committee until the first checklist of Montgomery County Birds was printed and distributed by the Chapter in 1995. Third, I filled the position of Calendar Editor for MD Yellowthroat for three years, during Mark Hoffman's tenure as Editor of the MOS newsletter. In the Fall of 1993, I took on the role of MD Yellowthroat Editor when Mark decided to step down. Since then I have edited and produced 32 issues of the newsletter, an accomplishment of which I am justly proud. Fourth, in May 1996, I was elected Vice-President of the Maryland Ornithological Society, an office I filled for the 1996-1997 and 1997- 1998 membership years. At the annual meeting in 1998 I was elected President of the Society, a post to which I was re-elected in 1999. During this time I have pursued a vision I have for this organization, a vision that would make the MOS more responsive to our membership and to the various communities that we serve. I have followed and continued to follow a vigorous plan to revitalize the MOS and each of its Committees and programs. Additionally, at various times during the past decade, I have served as compiler of the Triadelphia Reservoir Christmas Bird Count, worked on the MD Partners in Flight Important Bird Area Committee, served on the MD Partners in Flight Inventory & Monitoring Committee, served on a Search Committee for a new Chairman of the MD Partners In Flight Steering Committee, co-authored with my wife a species statement in the MD Breeding Bird Atlas, led over 60 field trips designed for beginning birders over a five-year period, and organized the MOS entry for the past two years in the World Series of Birding. So, George, whatever you may wish to accuse me of, please do not accuse me of doing nothing. I am glad that you brought up the issue of MOS though. During my time as an Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of MOS I have had a lot of strong ideas about the way that MOS should be heading and I have never been shy about making those ideas known. At the same time, I know that MOS is only as strong as its membership. Whenever a member approaches me with a question, a criticism, or even a diatribe, I am committed to listening to what they have to say, to taking them seriously, and to doing something about whatever it is that might be bothering them. Perhaps this is why I have become so disappointed over the past few years with the American Birding Association. Contrary to what you have perhaps been told by some folks in ABA, I have communicated my disturbance with directions the ABA has been taking. I have communicated with three separate members of the ABA Board of Directors and have been told that I don't know what I am talking about, I should keep my nose out of ABA Board business, and I should sit quietly and respectfully when members of the ABA Board are speaking. Do I object to this sort of treatment? In a word, yes. So, now you have heard one of my problems to do with the ABA. The other major problem has to do with the measurable decline in quality and content of the journal of the ABA, Birding magazine, since Paul Lehman was fired as editor. Please understand that this is not an attack on the current editor-I'm sure he is simply following the orders of the Board of Directors. It is my personal opinion that Birding since Paul Lehman was fired has too many mid- and low- level identification articles and a complete lack of the high level of identification material I had become accustomed to seeing in Birding. It is my personal opinion that there are too many conservation-related articles in Birding. I belong to several conservation organizations and turn to them for my conservation news. I belong to the ABA for birding news. It is my personal opinion that there are far too many articles in Birding regarding locales outside of North America. I joined the ABA to find out about birding in North America. Now, I'm sure you continue to disagree with me. That is your right, George. I would ask, however, that you cease and desist from your program of personal insults. You aren't going to make me lose my temper. Also, please stop telling me that I have no right to make public statements of opinion. I am a member of ABA, I pay my dues each year and as long as I continue to do so, I have as much of a right to state my disappointments in the organization as any other member. I am not as good a birder as you are. I am not as good a wildlife photographer as you are. I joined the ABA, not to contribute to the organization, but to learn from the organization. Sadly, that learning has ceased and that is why I am so disappointed in the ABA over the past few years. Now, I truly hope that this will serve to put the issue to bed. Best, Norm ****************** Norm Saunders Colesville, MD