Guatemala 2008: The Roundtable

‘Twould be the crassest sort of namedropping to list everyone in attendance at this year’s Roundtable, but it was wonderful to see so many old friends and to meet so many new, including more than a few names I’d long admired.

WINGS was well and ably represented: of the 6 afternoon lectures, we gave 3. Bryan Bland, in his irresistibly engaging way, presented a talk on the symbolic meanings of birds over the ages (which fit very well with a later lecture on bird imagery in Mayan textiles). Steve Howell, who wrote the book, as they say, gave a characteristically modest and characteristically fascinating account of his adventures in writing the Guide (and signed more than a few autographs afterwards). And I followed with a grouchy plaidoyer for reading birdbooks and not just using them; at least I thought it was grouchy, but I was very happy with the thoughtful questions and responses it drew.

That’s my kind of birding: good birds, good birders, and great conversation!