[mou] Alpha Codes website
MARTELL, Mark
MMARTELL@audubon.org
Fri, 21 Jan 2005 10:46:14 -0500
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What if we stopped using codes all together. I know it makes things a =
bit easier for the person writing the email, but for those of us (most =
of us?) who face large numbers of emails each day and need to use =
triage, guessing what a code in the subject line means is not only a =
hassle, but interferes with the message you are tying to convey.
=20
thanks
=20
Mark Martell=20
Director of Bird Conservation=20
Audubon Minnesota=20
2357 Ventura Drive #106=20
St. Paul, MN 55125=20
651-739-9332=20
651-731-1330 (FAX)=20
-----Original Message-----
From: mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]On =
Behalf Of James Mattsson
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 6:21 PM
To: mou-net@cbs.umn.edu
Subject: [mou] Alpha Codes website
FYI: =20
=20
Like so many others that use bird species 4-letter alpha codes in =
listserver postings, I sometimes make a guess at a code and too often =
get it wrong. So do lots of others, it seems. For example, Northern =
Hawk Owl has variously been shown as NOHO, HAOW, NHAO and probably =
some others variations. The correct code is NHOW. =20
=20
Another code that is often misused is CEWA. Think that stands for =
Cerulean Warbler? Nope. That would be CERW. How about Cedar Waxwing? =
Wrong again. That's CEDW. Actually, CEWA stands for nothing...at least =
birdwise.=20
=20
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Banding Lab has a website showing =
all the alpha codes in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, it is the =
CODES that are in alphabetical order, not the species, which can be =
somewhat confusing when you are trying to look up a particular bird by =
species common name. Nonetheless, it is a very useful website. I keep =
this website bookmarked for quick reference. Hope this will reduce some =
of the confusion.=20
=20
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm
=20
GOBI =3D Good Birding
=20
=20
James Mattsson
Eagan, MN
=20
=20
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D937584815-21012005><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff>What if we=20
stopped using codes all together. I know it makes things a bit easier =
for the=20
person writing the email, but for those of us (most of us?) who face =
large=20
numbers of emails each day and need to use triage, guessing what a code =
in the=20
subject line means is not only a hassle, but interferes with the message =
you are=20
tying to convey.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D937584815-21012005><FONT face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D937584815-21012005><FONT face=3DArial=20
color=3D#0000ff>thanks</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Mark Martell</FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=3DArial>Director of Bird=20
Conservation</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial>Audubon Minnesota</FONT> =
<BR><FONT=20
face=3DArial>2357 Ventura Drive #106</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial>St. =
Paul, MN=20
55125</FONT> <BR><FONT face=3DArial>651-739-9332</FONT> <BR><FONT=20
face=3DArial>651-731-1330 (FAX)</FONT> </P>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr style=3D"MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT=20
face=3DTahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu [mailto:mou-net-admin@cbs.umn.edu]<B>On =
Behalf Of=20
</B>James Mattsson<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 20, 2005 6:21=20
PM<BR><B>To:</B> mou-net@cbs.umn.edu<BR><B>Subject:</B> [mou] Alpha =
Codes=20
website<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<P>
<DIV>FYI: </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Like so many others that use bird species 4-letter alpha =
codes in=20
listserver postings, I sometimes make a guess at a code and too often =
get it=20
wrong. So do lots of others, it seems. For example, Northern =
Hawk Owl=20
has variously been shown as NOHO, HAOW, NHAO and =
probably some others variations. The correct code is NHOW. =
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Another code that is often misused is CEWA. Think that =
stands for=20
Cerulean Warbler? Nope. That would be CERW. How about Cedar Waxwing? =
Wrong=20
again. That's CEDW. Actually, CEWA stands for nothing...at least =
birdwise. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Banding Lab has a website =
showing=20
all the alpha codes in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, it is =
the CODES=20
that are in alphabetical order, not the species, which can be somewhat =
confusing when you are trying to look up a particular bird by =
species=20
common name. Nonetheless, it is a very useful website. I =
keep this=20
website bookmarked for quick reference. Hope this will =
reduce=20
some of the confusion. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A=20
=
href=3D"http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm">http://www.pwrc=
.usgs.gov/bbl/manual/aspeclst.htm</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>GOBI =3D Good Birding</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>James Mattsson</DIV>
<DIV>Eagan, MN</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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