Actually, when I joined ABA, Birding regularly carried articles on foreign birding as well as ID articles, tips on field skills, equipment, etc. A brief search through a few issues from the mid-1980s found articles on birding in Australia and an excellent 3-part series on birding in Hong Kong.

I do wish that serious birders in this country had a magazine like the British publication Birding World -- each issue covers major sightings of the previous month (!) within the UK and well as top birds in European countries, accompanied by splendid photos,  detailed ID articles, many of use to us Yanks as well, as they often cover separatation of American vs. European forms of certain species, or gulls, shorebirds or other difficult groups, enjoyable articles on the finding of a special rarity -- usually by someone just flogging his regular "patch" and striking it lucky -- and a feature called "Far and Away" where *short* articles on birding in foreign lands are explored. This is a magazine by serious birders/listers for the same. Of course we do not have the same birding/twitching scene as in the UK or in Europe, so perhaps something like BW would not prosper.

As for Birding, I would like to see more ID features that explore difficult groups, especially those that look at subspecies or which incorporate new information. Exploring potential splits. Features on birding in areas of North America not commonly explored, including Mexico and Canada. Articles on first for No. America and how they were found and ID'd. An article on the unprecented influx of Mexican birds into Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley last winter and speculation as to why. Etc.  However frankly I do enjoy foreign articles (but maybe not all grouped into one issue) as you guys know, we do a lot of travelling and it is fun to drool over some of these places.

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD



 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Rick Sussman <>
>  
> In a message dated 3/16/2006 11:47:30 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
> Cliff, and all,
>  This is something fairly recent I think. When I joined ABA in the  early 
> 90's, the articles were entirely based on birding on this continent. This  is 
> certainly something ABA should reconsider.<snip>