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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pariah" data-source="post: 1498598" data-attributes="member: 23126">Hi John,Unfortunately the way the birding "system" is set up, unilaterally discriminates against those unwilling to work within it.If, as you describe, an individual becomes "unreliable", whether thats imposed on him by a news service, rarities committee or just a group or an individual, then he is invariably put under increased pressure to prove his/her finds more conclusively than those throwing the mud. This can go on for years. And when such an observer has enough and makes the decision to keep his finds to him/herself, then the majority of the community, which heretofore had stood by and allowed the situation to reach critical mass as it were, weighs in against said birder with gusto for supression...when all that birder wishes to do is walk away!This is the unfortunate paradox of birding.Over the past few years I have noticed the level of venom get worse and worse. Hoaxes, Mud slinging, Rumour and gossip mongering, eejits inventing usernames and email addresses to cause trouble from afar.At some point we have to ask ourselves the question...Do we like were birding is going?Owen</blockquote>