For what it's worth, focusing only on content, and ignoring for the minute the intended/unintended slights of the prior emails:
The original map was a good idea, people from different states and remote areas of NY wanted to come to Cupsogue to see the bird. Maybe it could have been tuned up through an exchange of emails, maybe off-line. But. The destination and routes were, in fact, incorrectly marked. I'm glad someone pointed this out. Visitors needed to know. I'm also glad someone pointed out that if visitors to the area have not been out in the bay on foot, relying on a map alone may not be a good idea. I personally would never have gone out there except for my participation in an Eastern Long Island Audubon walk there once. If I had driven from afar to see this bird, I would have been flummoxed (I'm trying to give Bob another reason to crack the dictionary, an activity we both enjoy, see his prior email) by the bay, tides, currents and routes: perils pointed out in a prior email. Alerting visitors to possible safety concerns when appropriate is even more important than directions on how to locate a target bird. As a result, both, the map and the comments concerning not relying exclusively on a map, were appropriate. As almost all birders are saying hi in the parking lot, visitors would have felt welcome to tag along with locals. This was a good suggestion: let visitors know that local birders were an option. Were slights intended? I personally don't read it that way - but I can see how it could have been read that way. In the end, useful information concerning visitors' ability to make a safe sighting was provided, the purpose of the website. Maybe the web master can encourage an end to this because I'd rather read about.bird sightings, the purpose of the website. Respectfully to all concerned, Tom Moran Shoreham -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
