Hi folks, I just received this message:

"Stephen:
You are an arrogant ill informed jerk.  I personally resent you and your alleged "former Special Ops guys" assault on Norm's integrity.  I suggest that if you want to send such communications to Norm you do it privately--just as I am privately (not publically) telling you to fuck off.
Stephen Hult
Edgewater MD"

Well, I guess I just made that one public.  Oops.  I received another one from Mark Johnson calling me an asshole and a blowhard.  Sigh.

Really not worthy of a response on my part, just wanted to share this with you all.  Aw heck, I have to respond a little.  I never attacked Norm's integrity - that would have been unacceptable for me to do.  What I did was relay a couple stories that illustrate problems I see regarding MDOsprey.  And my communication was not directed to Norm, it was directed to the MD/DC birding community.  I used Osprey to relay this message because it is currently the only way to do it.  So peace, Mr. Hult, no need for such anger.  And I thought birding is supposed to be a gentleman's and gentlelady's activity.

Aside from the above, The MD/DC birding community has a problem on their hands if the Conservation Chairman of the MOS is actively advocating a continued level of weak public involvement in what is undeniably one of the most public resources for MD & DC birders (see Kurt's post).  Again, that is contrary to any tenets of effective advocacy.  Kurt also posted a noble plea to get people inolved in a conservation matter.  With respect Kurt, the two posts negate each other.  On one hand, you tell people they can't be fully involved in the birding community, and on the other hand you ask them to do just that.  That just doesn't make much sense.  

Kurt did have one very valid point.  MDOsprey is indeed owned by Norm and he does have the right to run it however he wants.  In my view, this is a problem for the MD/DC birding community.  

Alright, I'm out of this. I'll leave this to you Maryland & DC folks.  Best wishes to everyone.



Really not worthy of a response on my part, just wanted to share this with you all.  Aw heck, I have to respond a little.  I never attacked Norm's integrity - that would have been unacceptable for me to do.  What I did was relay a couple stories that illustrate problems I see regarding MDOsprey.  And my communication was not directed to Norm, it was directed to the MD/DC birding community.  I used Osprey to relay this message because it is currently the only way to do it.  So peace, Mr. Hult, no need for such anger.  Mr. Johnson, I'm not sure why you interpreted my post as me boasting about my family's foundation or my buddies, but that's really far from the mark.  I mentioned the foundation to illustrate that I do know a bit about what it takes to fund educational efforts and that I could have secured this funding quite promptly. The foundation has money, not me (sadly :) so no boasting on my part.  

I do apologize for the teaser about my buddies finding two MD state birds.  I'll be honest and say that I did indeed put that in there to make you all cringe and curse and say "damn the listserv limits".  But I should have anticipated the deep emotional damage that would be caused by knowing that we all missed out on seeing two great birds (no, I didn't get to see them either so I'm joining you all in the distress - my friends showed me the photos well after the birds were gone). So it's my loss too on that one.  Thy knew the birds would be rare around here, but at the time they had no idea they would be state firsts.  Like I said, they were really ticked off at MDOsprey and wouldn't even tell me about the birds unless I promised not to blab about what they were.  So, I am sorry I included that teaser, but I felt it was important.

Aside from the above, The MD/DC birding community has a problem on their hands if the Conservation Chairman of the MOS is actively advocating a continued level of weak public involvement in what is undeniably one of the most public resources for MD & DC birders (see Kurt's post).  Again, that is contrary to any tenets of effective advocacy.  Kurt also posted a noble plea to get people inolved in a conservation matter.  With respect Kurt, the two posts negate each other.  On one hand, you tell people they can't be fully involved in the birding community, and on the other hand you ask them to do just that.  That just doesn't make much sense.  

Kurt did have one very valid point.  MDOsprey is indeed owned by Norm and he does have the right to run it however he wants.  In my view, this is a problem for the MD/DC birding community.  

Alright, I'm out of this. I'll leave this to you Maryland & DC folks.  Best wishes to everyone.

Steve Hersey

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