Over the past few weeks conditions have deteriorated on MDOsprey.
Damage has been done.  New birders have been frightened into silence
by sarcasm and criticism, from a number of different sources.  

I've always been proud of MDOsprey for its open and accepting way of
dealing with all subscribers, from the most advance to the newest,
rawest beginner.  I have said over and over again that the only bad
questions were those that went unasked.

Please, please, please, try to do away with sarcastic remarks and
harsh criticisms of individuals, either online or in private
e-mails.  I want all of us to work once again to create a community
that we can be proud of.

From here on out, if I see someone acting badly in a public message
on MDOsprey, I'll put them on review (which means that future
postings will not go to MDOsprey until I have had an opportunity  to
review them for suitability).  If you get a private message in
response to something you have posted and you find that response to
be offensive or frightening, please contact me via private e-mail at
once and I will deal with the situation as calmly and as carefully
as possible.

All of us need to accept the fact that we make mistakes from time to
time.  If someone suggests to me that a sighting I reported might be
problematic, sure, it is embarrasing, but it also helps me to grow
as a birder, so try to accept such suggestions gracefully so we can
all learn in the process.

Thanks to all of you for choosing to belong to MDOsprey.  We're
closing in on 600 subscribers and with that number of individuals we
all have to work extra hard to safeguard the civility and utility of
the list.

Best,
Norm


================================
Norm Saunders
Colesville & West Ocean City, MD