Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2003 12:25:06 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Ben Gardner Subject: Re: RFI: Birding with a PDA In-Reply-To: <20031205195939.2469.qmail@mailshell.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit You might consider "Bird in the hand" software for pda's by a company called Scarlet Owls. It's a pretty straightforward program, is easy to use, and it's not too expensive. You can find it at http://www.scarletowls.com/. Ben Gardner Owings Mills, MD Sam Smith wrote: >It did seem somewhat unfair to make the general conclusion that paper >is the best way to go for listing when your original question asked for >solutions other than Avisys which is arguably the best and most widely >used solution. > >I have found using Avisys on my home computer combined with the PDA >module in the field to be far superior to paper for listing. I've used >a lot of software programs over the years and would place the 2 Avisys >programs toward the top of my software favorites list. > >I would have to agree that software for identification rather than >listing, (Avisys is primarily for listing) does not exist at the moment >for PDA's. It has only been within the last 1-2 years that the >computing power and memory capacity has increased enough to allow >something of that nature on PDA's. Nonetheless, it is a fairly simple >matter if you are familiar enough with the technology to transfer play >lists of bird calls from CD's or tapes to PDA's. I've known folks with >calls from hundreds of species on their PDA's. This can be very >helpful with identification in the field. For bird calls the advantage >of a PDA over a Ipod or MP3 player is that you can have your listing >software, bird calls, RBA phone numbers, etc all on one device. > >Good birding, > >JK >Arlington, VA > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Maryland Birds & Birding >[mailto:MDOSPREY.at.HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM@vabirding.at.bkmlk.com] On >Behalf Of Janet Millenson >Sent: Friday, December 05, 2003 12:36 PM >To: MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM >Subject: [MDOSPREY] RFI: Birding with a PDA (follow-up) > >Thanks to those who responded to my request for information on birding >software for PDAs. The advice fell into three categories: (1) birding >software the person had tried and didn't like; (2) birding software >they knew about but had never tried; and (3) non-birding software that >could be adapted for birding. My conclusion is pretty much what Elliot >Kirschbaum >wrote: in the field, it's probably best to continue recording things on >paper. > >Regarding software for identification rather than listing, the National >Wildlife Federation sells a PDA field guide called "Familiar Birds of >Maryland." It only includes 94 species (well, it does say "familiar >birds") >but apparently includes audio, which might be helpful when atlasing >season rolls around again. They also sell one called "Common Birds of >Prey of Maryland," with 24 species (presumably includes owls as well as >hawks). As >before, if anyone has actually seen or used this software, please share >your >opinion. Thanks. > >Janet Millenson >Potomac, MD (Montgomery County) >janet@twocrows.com >---------------------------------------------------------------- >"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot > >======================================================================= >To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com >with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey >======================================================================= > >======================================================================= >To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com >with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey >======================================================================= > > > ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================