Dear Mark,
I want to mention how much I liked the sunflower farm article in the Summer 2014 Issue (“Fields of Gold” by Carol and Derek Doeffinger). You really have a knack for highlighting unique and interesting attractions in the region that I’m sure readers will make an effort to visit. The article and photos were outstanding.
– Bill Wingell
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I read the very good article about the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in the Fall 2014 Issue of Life in the Finger Lakes (“Birds of a Feather” by Bill Wingell). As the head volunteer and coordinator for the weekend walks, I certainly appreciated the mention and Caroline Manring is a very wonderful leader as are the other volunteers who step forward to guide people to see birds.
In the interest of accuracy and to make sure that deserved credit is distributed correctly, I would like to make clear that these weekend walks are a joint project between the Cayuga Bird Club and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, with the bird club taking the lead in providing its members as leaders, and making available the binoculars that are loaned out.
The beginner bird walks did start as part of a visitor outreach program of the lab, but after some personnel changes at the lab’s visitors’ center, the bird club decided that the longevity and viability of the program would be much better served if we in the club took this on. I have been the volunteer coordinator of the group since 2008. The bird club has had this as part of our outreach for over a year now.
Please go to cayugabirdclub.org where you are able to see these walks on our calendar and if you go here, cayugabirdclub.org/sapsucker-woods-beginner-walks, you can read reports that leaders file after each walk. I would love it if you were somehow able to clarify this to your readers and send them to our bird club page.
– Linda Orkin, Vice President Cayuga Bird Club, Beginner Bird Walk Coordinator
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To submit a letter to the editor, please send an e-mail to mark@lifeinthefingerlakes.com or send to:
Life in the Finger Lakes magazine – Letters
P.O. Box 1080, Geneva NY 14456
