Friday, August 28, 2009

-- Tennessee Tensions --

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In a story not dissimilar to some others I've heard the last couple years, Bill Pulliam recounts (in an unvarnished manner and lengthy post) some of the friction between Cornell-ites and others in the quest for the Ghost Bird, and also elaborates on some of the Tennessee sounds of interest: HERE

(...I'm reminded a tad here of an old George Carlin routine regarding my stuff versus your stuff... but, I won't go there. ;-)
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2 comments:

thehoatzin said...

So a declared double-knock becomes something the observer wasn't actually even sure of. Bill's saga is amusing but for all the wrong reasons. More unidentified double knocks that are just sooooo right for the bird.

All of these people should have their optical gear confiscated and take up alternative pastimes / jobs. They're dangerous and they're itching to waste our money.

The low key searching now going on is to be welcomed but if you find nothing, say nothing. Just stay in the background.

Bill Pulliam said...

Hoatzin --

Wasting YOUR money? You live in the UK, I wasn't aware that your government was funding any of this.

As for money, the project in Tennessee has cost a miniscule amount of money. We're getting by on chewing gum and bailing wire. Far, far less has been spent on this than has been spent by twitchers jet-setting off to Arizona to see that Sinaloa Wren.

Oh, by the way, we do have real jobs. Every one of us, the Tennesseans and the Cornellians, is active either as a professional or as a volunteer in a wide variety of projects focused on monitoring and conservation of birds and other wildlife, on data gathering, analysis, and public outreach and education. So what is YOUR greater contribution to the conservation effort, other than snarky blog comments?