Original purpose of COBirds (a little long, sorry)

[Leon Bright]

COBirders--  The current discussion of ways and means of communicating information to Colorado birders has been interesting, stimulating and constructive for all, I hope.  Writing as one of the CFO officers when COBirds was first developed (i.e. in the Dark Ages), I remember we conceived of this listserve as a platform that could build a state-wide community of people interested in the lives and welfare of birds.  We hoped that community would include anyone from professional ornithologists to people of any age or level of birding knowledge, who are simply attracted to the avian world.  We hoped it would be a place where competitive listers, bird conservationists, informal birdwatchers and the intellectually curious could find a way to share, not just data, but a sense of comradery.  I believe that goal has been met, for the most part.  I very much enjoy reading posts that cover a broad spectrum of how birds live in Nature and their interface with us humans.  Many COBirders probably derive joy at sighting a lifer or rarity,  while at the same time they eagerly read about sapsuckers’ diet, the status of Lark Bunting populations, where John Rawinski went in the San Luis Valley yesterday, who was shown a neat bird by Brandon Percival, or what fascinating bit of Nature was described by Dave Leatherman.  So, I hope COBirds will continue to be the broad platform for the birding community.

Leon Bright

Pueblo