When I joined NYSOA’s board of directors in 2006, a friend asked me, “Why would you want to do something like that?” She pointed out that the board typically met on Saturdays near Binghamton, and I seemed pretty busy already. My response at the time was something along the lines of I’d been a member for a long time, and I believed that members shouldn’t always be members. That at some point we ought to give back to the organization. Plus, I told her, I liked NYSOA’s willingness to take a stand on conservation issues and to participate in challenging research projects like the bird atlas.

It has been three years since that conversation took place and my current perspective on leadership positions in NYSOA has the benefit of real world experience. The board does, indeed, meet four times a year, usually on a Saturday at Nuthatch Hollow near Binghamton, which is centrally located, free, and a really nice place to hold a meeting. Yes, I have to get up early and drive a long way, but I often carpool at least part way, and when I can’t carpool, NPR’s Saturday morning programming is a reasonable substitute for Andy Mason’s scintillating conversation. The meetings are well organized, efficiently run and well attended by both directors and committee chairs. We don’t always agree on the issues we discuss, but unlike some other groups to which I’ve belonged, we usually make a decision, so meetings don’t last forever, and we rarely spend time rehashing the same issues. I am constantly impressed by the dedication and experience of the other board members, who include some of the most accomplished birders in New York State.

Under the leadership of this dedicated group, NYSOA has racked up some noteworthy accomplishments. The atlas has been published and publicized via a wonderful exhibit at the New York State Museum. Funds have been allocated to make past issues of The Kingbird available in a searchable, online database. NYSOA has given support and guidance to the establishment of the New York State Young Birders Club, which is growing, and now has a volunteer adult coordinator and many supporting organization memberships. Through our board meetings I have had a chance to learn what is happening in birding circles all over New York State, from the Montezuma Muckrace to the Adirondack Birding Festival. Maybe I’m just a birding dork, but I love this stuff.

I urge you to find a way to get more involved in NYSOA because it will enhance your birding experience. There are many opportunities to serve this organization. The board is always looking for new people to serve as committee members, committee chairs, board members and officers. The time commitments vary, but if you are interested in joining the leadership of an organization that is dedicated to documenting the birds of New York State, there is a place for you. The duties and responsibilities of various NYSOA positions are outlined in our bylaws, and the members of the would be happy to talk with you. I do not regret my decision to serve NYSOA, and I urge you to give it some thought.