Re: Joy versus Science? Birding versus volunteering?

Fellow Wisconsin Birders:

See my thoughts below on "Joy versus Science? Birding versus
volunteering?", the topic that Jon Motquin and Al Schirmacher
discussed on the Wis Bird Net listserv recently.

--- Paul Hunter, Milwaukee County
---------------

Volunteers experiencing joy sustains citizen science. Every
volunteer has his or her own path to the joy of birding. Successful
research must "pay" volunteers by fostering that sense of joy.

The joy of the pursuit and "collection" of new species began for me
at age five in the Everglades, but by age eighteen (without a
listserv or ability to chase rare species) that drive to pursue and
collect became a frustration. The compulsion to identify every bird
I see or hear waned but never disappeared.

Ten years ago, with some changes in my career, I sought to rediscover
my childhood joy. Better optics, field guides, and access to
transportation made pursuit and collection less frustrating.
However, I found joy in understanding the lives of birds around me
and sharing that with others around me by organizing birding events
at Lake Park in Milwaukee and listing birding events in southeastern
Wisconsin.

A few years ago, my deep personal connection to southern Adams County
inspired me to heed the calls of Bob Domagalski and others to explore
coordinating a Christmas Bird Count. With the crucial support of Jym
Mooney and Bill Mueller, I picked a circle center and dived in.
While seeing a Golden Eagle or Pileated Woodpecker while tramping
through a beautiful landscape is a joy, I get more pleasure seeing
our small group of counters share their joys at lunch on count day.
I also get a deep pleasure from the connection with birders all over
the western hemisphere working together to compile the knowledge
needed to protect birds.

These joys of personal connection to the land, pursuit of interesting
species, socialization, and conservation are a package for me. None
by itself would sustain my continued efforts in coordinating the
Friendship CBC.

--- Paul Hunter
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/lakeparkbirds.html
http://home.roadrunner.com/~phunter1/FriendshipCBC.html
8/2/09
=====================================================

----------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009
Subject: [wisb] Re: Joy versus Science? Birding versus volunteering?

For me, the answer is simple and two-fold. First, volunteering at
any level or cause is a noble act. For many of us, we are called to
service through altruism and or faith. Second, field studies are the
backbone of my career: planning and policy. Without adequate data,
my professional efforts are complete in vain. ....

Jon Motquin
Freedom, WI

---- Pastor Al Schirmacher <pastoral@princetonfreechurch.net> wrote:

Joy versus Science? Birding versus volunteering?

Would welcome discussion, particularly if others have experienced this
tension.

Have spent 16 years birding (and hiking), frankly, for the joy of the
experience. Joy is meant to be shared, so I also became involved in
leading
field trips the last four years. ...

This year had a number of opportunities to become involved in
breeding bird
surveys, point counts and administrative activities. ... saying "no"
was expedient - but, as I've reflected, the schedule was not the real
reason.

Rather, ... on-going structured commitments, focusing on data
gathering ... might drain the joy, turning birding into a job, even a
drudgery, a "have to". ...

Many of you volunteer or serve in paid birding roles - from BBS/point
counts
to conservation activities to MOU board work to Christmas Count
coordination
to whatever - how do you maintain the joy, the passion while doing so?

Al Schirmacher
Princeton, MN
Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties