Walter,
I have two questions.
1)Great idea on the nests.   Is there a way to add data for your  block 
after you have finalized your input for the year?
2) When will the data be available in digital form.   I am hopeful that 
unlike the last atlas project, for which the data was never released in 
electronic form, this data will be available in pretty short order since 
it has been entered throughout the process.  Any ideas at this point how 
one will be able to get the raw data and in what format(s) it will be?  
Microsoft Access or a basic database file would be great.

Rob Gibbs
Damascus, MD


Walter Ellison wrote:

> Hi Everybody,
>
> I have heard a few wistful comments since the end of August about the 
> atlas being over. For practical purposes the nesting season is over 
> for most bird species. However, if you still have an itch to look for 
> new nesting records there is a way to confirm a number of birds that 
> still is available to the end of the year. Birds can be confirmed when 
> you find their used nests. The code is "UN" and any bird that nested 
> over the last five years that left a the remains of its nest can still 
> be confirmed; provided you can identify the nest of course.
>
> Almost every birder is familiar with the sack-like nest of the 
> Baltimore Oriole, you may also know the shallower woven nest of 
> Orchard Oriole. After the leaves fall, oriole nests are often 
> conspicuous. Vireo nests are also distinctive, but you need to know 
> what species of vireo might have been in a block to use them. If you 
> have a nest field guide you ought to give hunting for used nests a 
> try. At the end of December the atlas project will be *really* over.
>
> Good nest-hunting,
>
> Walter Ellison
> MD/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator
>
> 23460 Clarissa Rd
> Chestertown, MD 21620
>
> phone: 410-778-9568
>
> e-mail: rossgull(AT)baybroadband.net
>
> "Nothing is as easy as you would like it to be, and nothing is as hard 
> as you might fear"
>
>