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One of the interesting & unaddressed aspects of modern birding and society in general, especially as it pertains to the MBGA group & factions like them, is the way in which the traditional ways of getting credibility in the birding world have been subverted by the internet. (1/9)
To be clear, I think this is a really good thing. It's easier now to become a skilled birder in a short amount of time simply due to internet resources than it ever has been. There's so much information out there & people can partake of as much or as little as they like. (2/9)
What this means is that our community is more available to interested parties who do not come through the traditional bird club mentoring "system". People can mentor themselves or mentor each other through social media. They can "lurk" outside the regular community. (3/9)
But it also can leave people who have always been looked at as "experts" out *unless they make an effort to engage*. I admit feeling this way when this phenomenon started manifesting. If you don't know a person you can feel put-out when they start contributing all at once. (4/9)
I still sometimes think, "where the hell did this person come from?", especially in my home state or patch.
But ultimately good sightings or insights or even just a friendly attitude wins out. The birding community is made better by different perspectives & experiences. (5/9)
But ultimately good sightings or insights or even just a friendly attitude wins out. The birding community is made better by different perspectives & experiences. (5/9)
You have to be open tho. In that group I see people who have decided to shut it out, largely because of their own bigotries but also because this path to birding can exclude them. Doesn't even need them. They won't adapt to the changing needs of the birding world. (6/9)
Some of this is bigger than birding and I don't know how to address it other than to make sure your sphere of influence includes lots of different voices. Fortunately, that's *also* a thing that's easier now than it ever has been. (7/9)
Anyway, it's great that there is now a critical mass of historically marginalized voices in birding that are now confident enough to say the things we need to hear, and that many found their way to our community in both conventional and unconventional ways. (8/9)
It's like one of those Hawaiian volcanos that suddenly breaks the surface of the ocean. It's only a surprise if you haven't bothered to take a look at what's been building underwater.
Anyway, just thinking out loud. (9/end)
Anyway, just thinking out loud. (9/end)
