Likewise, Gina, this is a good reminder as well about using 4-letter bird banding codes, as not everyone speaks that language either.  If you are going to use them, at least use the full species name the first time, followed by the code in parentheses.
Ross

--- On Tue, 1/25/11, Gina Cicotello <> wrote:

From: Gina Cicotello <>
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Bird Names
To: 
Date: Tuesday, January 25, 2011, 12:19 PM

Osprey Listers,

I love love love reading your reports and the incredible lists of the
birds and other critters you've spotted.  It's so easy to sit at work
and daydream about wandering my way down Elliott Island Road, or many
of the places I'd rather be besides my desk.  Sigh....

May I ask one small favor, however?

It would be helpful if we all agreed to stick to using the full names
of bird species, and especially avoid jingoistic nicknames like Mergs,
Mockers, and Harleys.  I'm sure it's an easy habit to fall into, some
of the names are long and tedious to type, and birders with lots of
experience develop a language of their own.  But for those who still
have plenty to learn, like myself, stumbling over nicknames is a
challenge.  It's hard enough trying to distinguish a Greater from
Lesser Scaup without having to navigate the variation of what people
might call them!

Thanks, and keep 'em coming.  I'd SO rather be on the eastern shore today!

Cheers,
Gina