FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Appy-poly-logy, Thanks, and a Request

[Richard Roberts <catharus_thrush@xxxxxxxxx>]

VA-birders:
 
First of all, I must apologize to my critics, but also thank those who enjoyed 
my contribution of "useless" levity to the list.  To my detractors, I apologize 
for assuming that it was a harmless contribution.  You will be happy to know, 
or perhaps sad, to learn that you are not alone across the country.  I have 
been flamed by people with less of a sense of humor than I posess from all over 
the country.  I guess I just look at life with a light heart and try to smile 
more than I frown.  I don't expect everyone to like me, so no hard feelings.  
My bad. 
 
To all the people who enjoyed my parody of that song,  thank you for your kind 
comments.  I could go on and on with flowery gratitude, but I think that's 
enough.  Just know that it is not my intent, nor will it be, to clutter up the 
list with anything other than that which is pertinent to birds and birding.  I 
did, however, think that it was pretty harmless, and it was pertinent to birds. 
 Consequently, I am currently working on a rendition of the B-52's "Love 
Shack," which will be titled "MAPS-Shack," in honor of my abandoned 
"banding-camper" at my MAPS station in the North woods of Wisconsin.  (lol)
 
It has always been my understanding that the listservs in various states serve 
multiple purposes.  Of course, the main purpose is to report rare sightings, 
but it is also a forum for people with a common avocation to share information 
and ideas, converse about different topics, and to provide a convenient means 
of contact regarding birdwatching and ornithology.  If I may make a suggestion, 
I think it would be appropriate to have a separate listserv that dealt only 
with rare sightings in the manner of the "old" bird hotlines, called something 
like "hotline-listserv."  Why this has not happened, I have no idea.  Does it 
make too much sense?  Help me out here...
 
I am also very thankful for all the kind words of welcome from so many nice and 
wonderful people.  Thank you so very much for the warm welcome.  I know I am 
going to like it here, and I am looking forward to contributing to the VA 
birding community, as well as meeting y'all as time goes by (well, maybe with 
two exceptions, and you know who you are (said with a smile)).  So with 
that......
 
Some of you were interested in helping with me with my banding research, and I 
am always interested in help.  If you have ever erected a net by yourself, you 
know what I mean.  It takes two to do it efficiently and quickly.  Well, I am 
migrating back to Wisconsin this weekend, and I'll be shipping my banding 
equipment and supplies to VA.  My permits from VA and WV are on the way, and I 
should be "in operation" in a couple of weeks.  Since MAPS is already well 
under way, it will be next year before I start another site.  It looks like it 
may well be in Thompson WMA, which has a great resident population of Cerulean 
Warblers, as well as other forest interior-dwelling Neotropical passerines.  My 
main research is on woodland thrushes, but I also have a side project banding 
Kestrels.  I would be very interested in knowing of any areas around Loudoun 
County that are ripe with Kestrels, and of anyone who would like to go 
Kestel-trapping with me on a weekend.  It's another operation that is
 more successful with two people (one person drives, the other drops the trap), 
and of course, I am new around here and I don't know any birders/banders around 
here except for on this list and Lance and Jill Morrow, whom some of you may 
know.  I think they are out West right now.
 
So, if anyone is interested in volunteering to help me, please send me a 
back-channel reply with what you would like to do, etc., and I will get back to 
you on it.
 
I hope that this was an approproriate posting.  If not, sorry.  Happy Birding 
All!  Oh, and the quote below is from Jack Handey.



Richard L. Smallwood-Roberts, Janesville, WI: M-Bander, Wilson Creek MAPS 
Station, SBBO Staff: www.wilsoncreekmaps.com 

"It seemed to me that, somehow, the Blue Jay was trying to communicate with me. 
I would see him fly into the house across the street, pick up the telephone, 
and dial. My phone would ring, and it would be him, but it was just this 
squawking and cheeping. "What?! What?!" I would yell back, but he never did 
speak English."






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