Jane and I have worked ABA conventions since 1994. In the years since
then, the membership in attendance has become more and more novices.
Some of this is natural attrition as the gung-ho listers are getting
older and decide not to attend and to spend their time and money
pursuing the few individual birds missing from their lists. But, in
general, the members have become less list oriented. I'm always
surprised that attendees have no idea of what species they might expect
at each convention despite the list that accompanies the application
which breaks them down by how likely they are at each field trip
destination. On the other hand, I guess that means that ABA is
recruiting a whole new set of birders as members.

Certainly, Birding was in its heyday when Paul Lehman was editor. But,
they got too many complaints that it was too high-brow and he was
terminated. Paul Baicich did an admirable job of trying to tone it down
but then people complained that he had dumbed it down too much and he
went out the door. Now Ted Floyd has been at the helm for several years.
I think that maybe he's found the middle ground? Personally, I wish that
they would stick more to birds in the ABA area or perhaps Mexico where a
lot of ABA rarities come from. There are other magazines which cover
Europe and South America so leave those areas to them.

I think the same thing can be said for ABA's attempt at conservation
issues. They've diversified too much. There are many excellent
conservation organizations that I would much more readily donate funds
to as they are established and very proactive as well as effective.

Tyler Bell

California, MD

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On
> Behalf Of Richard Wood
> Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 10:34 AM
> To: 
> Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] The State of ABA
> 
> Perhaps they're doing this because that is what the majority of their
> membership wants?  I would think that a lot of birders have seen most
of
> the birds of North America and want to spread their wings and branch
out
> to other countries and their birds.
> 
> Richard
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Norm Saunders <>
> To: 
> Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 10:18:51 AM
> Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] The State of ABA
> 
> From my perspective, the continuing emphasis on articles relating to
> birding in foreign countries is something that would make me consider
> dropping my membership.  (the most current issue of Birding focusses
on
> Sri Lanka, Spain, and some other country I have no interest in.)  I
want
> information and anecdotes on North American birding hotspots, with a
good
> mix of articles on the more difficult identification issues.  Sky-high
> dues and no discount on books or equipment for members anymore,
either.
> The ABA certainly has changed, hasn't it?
> 
> I don't want to start a fight here, but the ABA just isn't as relevant
to
> me anymore and it is a shame.  If you disagree, fine, let's hear your
> point of view.
> 
> Norm