John,
As I tried to indicate in my message, I did not just invent this system.
It was already in use for some time as of the mid-1980s at the Lab of O
in conjunction with other organizations, including federal researchers.
Perhaps they have since abandoned it (I don't know) but I find it very
useful, so I have not.
As I tried to indicate in my message, I did not just invent this system.
It was already in use for some time as of the mid-1980s at the Lab of O
in conjunction with other organizations, including federal researchers.
Perhaps they have since abandoned it (I don't know) but I find it very
useful, so I have not.
I am not trying to confuse anyone, nor to force them to use this system.
I explained it because someone wrote to me confused, but I suspect that
person (& others?) would have been confused by a 4 letter code too.
I have no illusions about changing the habits of bird banders who long
ago went to the trouble to memorize their own 4 letter code and have used
it daily for years or decades to communicate mainly with other bird banders.
I am not so self-centered as to suppose that "my" system is the only one.
I use it as shorthand when time and space are a higher priority, and as I said,
I try to use the full English name first. The reason I prefer this system is that
I don't have to go to a website to learn it, nor does it involve a great deal of
memorization. That one paragraph of rules which I wrote out (in far more words
than necessary) allows me or anyone to figure out nearly all codes when writing
them or when reading them. I find fewer miscommunications with the 6 letter code
because it involves easy rules instead of (mis)remembering or guessing, and it's
easy to check because it contains more information than the 4 letter code. It also
keeps my notes legible and easy to scan. As for using the same language, I guess
English is best in this forum generally. To that end you will find that I generally use
complete standard English common names and refrain from ad hoc abbreviations
or cutesy nicknames, which again is somewhat a matter of taste but also a matter
of precision, clarity, and discipline. (Let's see who else I can offend!)
But enough word games. Tell us what cool birds you've seen or banded out
in Hector so far during this many-faceted fall migration, John!
I don't know if this is related to migration or not, and by now it's old news,
but just after midnight on August 22nd (the day it rained all day, I believe)
I heard an Eastern Screech-Owl in my backyard, a first for the year.
--Dave Nutter
On Aug 25, 2010, at 06:28 AM, John and Sue Gregoire <[email protected]> wrote:
Why confuse the issue by inventing yet another coding system? Shorthand is great for
field notes and makes sense for information exchange when we all use the same
system. The tetranome system accepted by the Bird Banding Lab and the AOU is not
difficult. A guide can be found at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm.
On the west coast a group reinvented the wheel as did Dave's source with five and
six letter species codes that serve only a small group and inhibit information
sharing.
It's always easiest when we speak the same language.
John
--
Dr. John and Sue Gregoire
Field Ornithologists
Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory
5373 Fitzgerald Road
Burdett,NY 14818-9626
Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/
"Conserve and Create Habitat"
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