[Birdtalk] More on hotline

[cldavis at xmission.com]

Steve Carr brought up a good point in an email that hotlines tend to get
lengthy.  But, if the phone line was available for only a one-day use and
at the end of the day the messages were erased, that would put a end to a
long list of messages.  Because, let's face it, our birdnet boards and
birdtalk boards aren't lengthy.  If we get two postings a day, it's a
deluge. This way, birders on the move could retrieve, by phone, messages
posted that day and head over for the sighting.  Then, as usual, Utahbirds
would just keep track of the sightings that are submitted by email.  If
necessary, an access code for birdnet or birdtalk members would virtually
eliminate crank calls.

It's so frustrating to get home from a day of birding and find out that
there was a rare bird sighting in the area you just visited. Lots of
birders only go out once a week.

A hotline would have to be used by everyone to make it successful. Tim Avery
brought up the point that there is already a rare-bird phone number.  But,
is it used on a regular basis and would we be scolded for reporting
something that may not necessarily be rare, but unusual or of possible
interest to other birders?

Carol