[Birdtalk] Re: brd abrvtns?

[Tim Avery]

Paul, et all,

I don't think that the using of alpha codes is meant to be "cool", and I
think most people who try to see a bird, watch it for 5 seconds and then
tick it off their life lists probably couldn't tell you the alpha code for
the bird they just saw.  As I stated in my previous email, alpha codes were
intended by use for banders and that migrated to other fieldwork.  It just
so happened as with many things once reserved for science, that these codes
made their way into the ametuer ranks as a simple short hand.  I became
immersed in these codes while in college and doing field work.  Mourning
Dove were now MODO, Black-throated Gray Warbler became BTYW.  Western
Meadowlark... WEME. When you spend several hours a day recording sightings
over and over, it becomes second nature to use these codes, and that follows
outside of the field work, becoming the primary way I take notes on birds.

I do have to admit, I HATE it when I get an email that geos into talking
about birds without a mention of the proper name and instead lists only
alpha codes.  But I for one will ALWAYS use them in following up in an email
after I have mentioned American Three-toed Woodpecker(ATTW) or Black-crowned
Night Heron(BCNH) once.  No need to spell those names out 4 or 5 times, when
ATTW or  BCNH works very well after already mentioning the name.

Good Birding

Tim


>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Paul Higgins <phigginscsc at yahoo.com>
> Date: Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 7:34 AM
> Subject: Re: [Birdtalk] Re: brd abrvtns?
> To: birdtalk at utahbirds.org
>
>
> In this age of acronyms, brevity, fast foods, get rich quick, we need $700
> Billion NOW!!! and special codes, I encourage the use of full naming birds,
> although it's not as "cool" as MODO or GHO. As a photographer; who will
> spend hours, if not days, trying for a good bird image, I am amazed at
> people who see the bird for five seconds, check it off their list, and are
> on to the next one...yes they probably need name codes.  That's my two cents
> worth.  Merry X-Mas,
>
> Paul
>
> --- On *Fri, 12/19/08, Ryan O'Donnell <ryan at biology.usu.edu>* wrote:
>
> From: Ryan O'Donnell <ryan at biology.usu.edu>
> Subject: [Birdtalk] Re: brd abrvtns?
> To: birdtalk at utahbirds.org
> Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 12:33 AM
>
>
> I have been trying to learn the four-letter codes myself, mostly to make
> my note-taking in the field more efficient.  I tried making them up
> myself but then would get confused trying to remember whether my NOSH
> meant Northern Shrike or Northern Shoveler, for example.  (The standard
> has it as Northern Shrike; Northern Shoveler is NSHO.)  When I need to
> look one up I go to www.whatbird.com.  They list the four-letter species
> code at the top of the page just under the species' name. (they call it
> "Code 4")  But, Tim's comment is worth repeating: if you use an
> abbreviation in a post, you should try to always define that
> abbreviation the first time you use it.
>
> Good birding,
> Ryan
>
> Ryan P. O'Donnell
> Department of Biology and the Ecology Center
> Utah State University
> 5305 Old Main Hill
> Logan, UT 84322-5305
>  http://200birds.blogspot.com
>
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>
> --
> Jeff Bilsky
> Salt Lake City
> jbilsky at gmail.com
>
>
>
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