Thank you so much for this scoping, incisive view of professional ornithological meetings and the associated professional/social dynamics. I cringed at the thought that your contributions were ever dismissed because of your position as an elementary school teacher.
My degree is in Education, and I have my teaching certification for secondary school. I did my student teaching at my alma mater with my AP Biology teacher, Dr. Doris Litman. I credit Doris with helping me step onto the right path for me. When I balked at doing the required dissection of a fetal pig in our lab, she allowed me to do a report on something else, and I chose “Ecology.” I submitted my hand-written report to her, and she forgave the missed lab report. The research into the subject of ecology fanned the flame my interest in nature, and especially birds.
I am so glad you persevered in doing what you do and insisting on your right to be intellectually curious, despite the less than welcoming reception you got at some of those earlier meetings. We all belong wherever our interests may take us! I am so glad to know you, and I wish now I had come to the AOS meeting at Estes Park and gotten to hang out with you. ☺️
Chan (Dr. Robbins) was such a bird friend, people friend, and gentleman. After retirement we exchanged a few friendly emails comparing bird feeding note. I remember mailing a bread-and-butter letter to Dr. Alexander Skutch wishing him a happy 100th birthday before he passed, too. His response, though half unexpected, was a joyous moment in my life. Though them and people like Paul Ricklefs, Terry Root, Jim Brett, Jean-Marc Thiollay, Don Kroodsma, and Ian Newton were very gracious in their responses and are now long-retired, they will always have a profound influence and place in my heart. And yes, so glad for the Rainbow Lorikeets 🌈 Lorikeets, as I'm an out and devout cisgenger gay man.
Don Kroodsma became a personal friend of mine! He did some radio shows with me when The Singing Life of Birds came out. I first met him in real life when he did some guest programs the summer I took Cornell's Field Recording class in California. And he was there when I had a speaking gig for the Hampshire Bird Club in Amherst, MN in 2019.
He's a sweet man. I wasn't a song person per se then because I had other interests, but since I've purchased, not a parabolic reflector recording device, but reasonable cell phone sound system cheap for me on disability. He's busy and we've not communicated for a while, but I'm anxious to record just for fun and the PA Bird Atlas. I got a remote clip speaker for owling, a cheap copy of the HB Clip that has good sound. They have cheap copies of parabolas for birds around $40-60 that are not as good as the original Cornell ones or recent more expensive other birder ones, but perhaps they're at least something. Maybe you have some advice, but I'm not sure it and this reply is in the appropriate scope of your column.
Wonderful to hear of at least some progress is being made in the demographics of birding. The male dismissiveness of women’s contributions has been true in Medicine (and Business) as well as Ornithology. How often was what I said on rounds in the hospital ignored until said by a male! This sexism is still there, but not as bad as in our younger days. Here’s hoping that the future of birding and ornithology will be much more inclusive! Thank you for speaking up, Laura!
I read a few years ago that women surgeons have a significantly lower rate of patients needing to return for follow-up care than male surgeons. The surgeon (a woman) who did both my lumpectomy in 2017 and my bilateral mastectomy in 2023 did a fantastic job, but I have no one to compare her with. My cardiologist is also a woman, and she, too, is fantastic.
Dear Laura,
Thank you so much for this scoping, incisive view of professional ornithological meetings and the associated professional/social dynamics. I cringed at the thought that your contributions were ever dismissed because of your position as an elementary school teacher.
My degree is in Education, and I have my teaching certification for secondary school. I did my student teaching at my alma mater with my AP Biology teacher, Dr. Doris Litman. I credit Doris with helping me step onto the right path for me. When I balked at doing the required dissection of a fetal pig in our lab, she allowed me to do a report on something else, and I chose “Ecology.” I submitted my hand-written report to her, and she forgave the missed lab report. The research into the subject of ecology fanned the flame my interest in nature, and especially birds.
I am so glad you persevered in doing what you do and insisting on your right to be intellectually curious, despite the less than welcoming reception you got at some of those earlier meetings. We all belong wherever our interests may take us! I am so glad to know you, and I wish now I had come to the AOS meeting at Estes Park and gotten to hang out with you. ☺️
Thank you, Bob, so true. And I didn't know or remember your story. As touching as Laura's...
Chan (Dr. Robbins) was such a bird friend, people friend, and gentleman. After retirement we exchanged a few friendly emails comparing bird feeding note. I remember mailing a bread-and-butter letter to Dr. Alexander Skutch wishing him a happy 100th birthday before he passed, too. His response, though half unexpected, was a joyous moment in my life. Though them and people like Paul Ricklefs, Terry Root, Jim Brett, Jean-Marc Thiollay, Don Kroodsma, and Ian Newton were very gracious in their responses and are now long-retired, they will always have a profound influence and place in my heart. And yes, so glad for the Rainbow Lorikeets 🌈 Lorikeets, as I'm an out and devout cisgenger gay man.
[Note: apology for not editing before clicking "send". Will be more conscientious in the future.].
Don Kroodsma became a personal friend of mine! He did some radio shows with me when The Singing Life of Birds came out. I first met him in real life when he did some guest programs the summer I took Cornell's Field Recording class in California. And he was there when I had a speaking gig for the Hampshire Bird Club in Amherst, MN in 2019.
He's a sweet man. I wasn't a song person per se then because I had other interests, but since I've purchased, not a parabolic reflector recording device, but reasonable cell phone sound system cheap for me on disability. He's busy and we've not communicated for a while, but I'm anxious to record just for fun and the PA Bird Atlas. I got a remote clip speaker for owling, a cheap copy of the HB Clip that has good sound. They have cheap copies of parabolas for birds around $40-60 that are not as good as the original Cornell ones or recent more expensive other birder ones, but perhaps they're at least something. Maybe you have some advice, but I'm not sure it and this reply is in the appropriate scope of your column.
I've made a few good recordings with my phone--my ONLY recording of Mangrove Cuckoo (well, my husband was holding up my phone while I was taking the pictures) <https://www.lauraerickson.com/sound-recording/12517/> and Swainson's Warbler <https://www.lauraerickson.com/sound-recording/9044/>.
Beautiful!
Wonderful to hear of at least some progress is being made in the demographics of birding. The male dismissiveness of women’s contributions has been true in Medicine (and Business) as well as Ornithology. How often was what I said on rounds in the hospital ignored until said by a male! This sexism is still there, but not as bad as in our younger days. Here’s hoping that the future of birding and ornithology will be much more inclusive! Thank you for speaking up, Laura!
I read a few years ago that women surgeons have a significantly lower rate of patients needing to return for follow-up care than male surgeons. The surgeon (a woman) who did both my lumpectomy in 2017 and my bilateral mastectomy in 2023 did a fantastic job, but I have no one to compare her with. My cardiologist is also a woman, and she, too, is fantastic.