To: State-birds@mail.com9. The Link
From: Birder Birderson
Subject: A lovely day in the deep woods
My husband and I took our car - a late 80's Honda that we've kept up in wonderful shape (it's really a pleasure to drive, and it's older than our kids!) - out for a day in the woods near Miggicanoe Neck State Park this past Sunday. We had a lovely breakfast of coffee and toast and jam and eggs all on the clean china we got for our wedding (so long ago now!). The sun was warm and bright and made the prettiest shadows along the road as we traveled north. We paused at the intersection of Route 34 and noticed that Harold's is gone! When did that happen? Now it's a Wendy's...I remember when it was all fields back in that part. Alas. Anyway, we made it to the state park around 9 but didn't have money for the entrance fees. So we had to turn around and go back to - guess where - the Wendy's to get change! I ended up getting a spicy chicken sandwich (it really was spicy! But the lettuce was too wet) and my husband got one of those chocolate shakes, I forget what they're called.
We got back to the entrance and put our money in the little paper envelopes they had. The parking lot was not too full, but also not too empty. I'd say there were about 7 other cars there, but it was spread out over a big parking lot. We parked and decided we'd just stroll around and see what birds we saw. My husband and I both got our binoculars from the backseat, but realized we forgot our camera! It's OK, it's a pretty old camera anyway and doesn't take the best pictures. I have such a hard time with the little focus-thingy! I want to get a new one but they're just so complicated. And I hate going to those big stores by the mall with all the kids with blue hair that smell like cologne and are always doing horseplay. Maybe I'll put one on my Christmas list! Anyway, then we saw four Canada Geese.
To: State-birds@mail.com
From: Birdy McBirds
Subject: FWD: mallard cam
Hi all-
I know this is out of state but my boss forwarded my a link to an internet camera that you can see mallards swimming on a pond in Canada! http://canadanews.ca/national/breakingnews/swimingduckscamera
Good birding! -Birdy
8. The Forwarded eBird Checklist With No Summary or Interesting Birds
> From: do-not-reply@ebird.org7. The Activist
> Date: Feb 9, 2012 7:36:36 PM EST
> To: birdguy99@internet.com
> Subject: eBird Report - Town Park State Forest - Feb 9, 2012
> Feb. 9, 2012 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM
> Protocol: Traveling
> .5 mile(s)
> Comments: Alone. It was cold. Big trees, mostly.
> 34 species
>
> Canada Goose 140
> Mallard 2
> Turkey Vulture 1
> Red-shouldered Hawk 1
> Ring-billed Gull 3
> Mourning Dove 5
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 18
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3
> Downy Woodpecker 14
> Hairy Woodpecker 4
> Northern Flicker 12
> Pileated Woodpecker 3
> Blue Jay 40
> American Crow 12
> Fish Crow 12
> Carolina Chickadee 50
> Tufted Titmouse 40
> White-breasted Nuthatch 28
> Brown Creeper 1
> Carolina Wren 23
> Winter Wren 5
> Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
> Eastern Bluebird 25
> American Robin 7
> Northern Mockingbird 3
> European Starling 6
> Yellow-rumped Warbler 24
> Eastern Towhee 3
> Song Sparrow 15
> White-throated Sparrow 19
> Dark-eyed Junco 19
> Northern Cardinal 12
> House Finch 3
> American Goldfinch 10
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
To: State-birds@mail.com
From: Birdsly Birdman
Subject: Must Support Carbon Tax!
Hey you guys this isn't really birds or birding-related but it's important anyway and I think you all should know about it. Did you know that Governor Politician is proposing to do MORE drilling in Montana? This is not the right path for our country! Click on THIS LINK to contact your senator!
6. The Guy Who Hates Breeding Codes
To: State-birds@mail.com5. The Two-Cents
From: Ol' Birdlinger Birderson
Subject: RE: LBBG at the marina
I read the post but what is a LBBG? I don't want to think or learn these things myself so please everyone make sure never to use breeding codes on your posts ever because I don't understand. How hard is it to just write out "Oldsquaw" anyway?
-Birdlinger
To: State-birds@mail.com4. The Cardinal
From: Birdsler Birdslerton
Subject: Re: RE: Re: Re: RE: Parking situation at Portfield Marina
I agree with what everyone has said.
-B. Birdslerton
To: State-birds@mail.com3. The Spam
From: Birdette Birdinglier
Subject: Backyard
I had a male cardinal at my feeder this morning.
-Birdette
To: State-birds@mail.com2. The Guy Who Didn't See Many Birds That Day and So It's Probably Global Warming
From: BestDealz@internet.web
Subject: Dealz on shoez!
Want the BEST shoe deals in YOUR AREA? These are the TOP & BEST! We sincerely wish to cooperate with you and achieve mutual benefit! We like to supply with TOP quality PRODUCTS!
To: State-birds@mail.com1. The Return of the Cardinal
From: Birdd O'Birder
Subject: Where Are All The Birds?
I went around to some of my usual haunts today but didn't notice many birds, is anyone else noticing the same thing?
First, I went to the bird feeder, but there were only two birds. Then I checked the pond but there weren't any ducks, usually there are some ducks! I don't think I heard a bird all day. Is there something going on? Where did all the birds go? I'd hate to think about what it is but I think I know. I think it's probably global warming. Well, I guess that's the last of the birds.
To: State-birds@mail.com
From: Birdille Birdy
Subject: RE: backyard
Birdette, your post reminded me that my son said that he had one cardinal in his backyard last week.
Love this. #8 is a particular pet peeve of mine.
ReplyDelete#1 and #6 = amazing. Thank you so much for this!
ReplyDeleteVery entertaining! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey, your ebird poster gave some more information than some people on our list, you got numbers seen of eaach species!!!
ReplyDeletePretty funny. I think I've seen all of those types of listserv posts myself...and I may be guilty of posting a couple like that myself. But I repent.
ReplyDeleteWow! A Cardinal? Really? You ROCK!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I have never seen a cardinal! But I do have a redbird coming to my feeder. :)
ReplyDeleteI'd add another one that I suspect we'll be seeing more of in the future. The new American English (aka "Amglish") text-posts. For real:
ReplyDeleteAwesome very happy my first horned grebe weird thing he was all by himself thats ok i had
fun watching it there is some great birding at indian river park if u ever drive out too stuart
I agree with what everyone has said.
ReplyDelete#8 is also annoying because I often don't believe that the poster saw that many birds. And how did you good sir manage to count 2311 American coots so exactly?
ReplyDeleteAre there many of french person here? I am a french. Maybe it is possible for a personne to translate in french. My friend think this could to be strange happpening. Very funny about birds.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the self important blogger that uses listservs to get people to look at their blog? Look at me, I do such cool stuff you NEED to read my blog. Narcist heaven!
ReplyDeletehahaha
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty much the reason why I don't post to the state listserv. I have no idea when someone would be seething wishing I would quit posting. It takes a while to know what a good bird is and sometimes people just want to share their enjoyment of birds no matter how common. What are your favorite types of posts on listservs? Rare birds only?
ReplyDeleteThat said, this is a funny post. Listservs are the way they are.
Love it! I'm all about Lucky #7
ReplyDeletehttp://signon.org/sign/big-birds-big-views-not
The worst is the old timer who never goes birding anymore, but always adds their 30 yr old recollection every time a rare bird is reported.
ReplyDeleteWho cares what you saw 30 years ago?
Some of these comments are a bit harsh. We all were novice birders at one point. We all have cardinals on our lists near the top. We should be supporting and encouraging budding birders, not laughing at them because their posts are too simple. I think it’s great to see someone excited about birding, even if it is just a plain old cardinal. Veteran birders have a lot to teach us newer birders, and recollections of previous sitings of rare birds can be valuable historical information. There are many levels of birder expertise and many different lengths of time folk have been birding. We as a community should be above criticizing others and instead be a community supportive of all of our fellow birders.
ReplyDeleteI do however agree on despising spam and banding codes!
Cardinal reports dont drive me as crazy as reporting dark-eyed juncos!
ReplyDeleteWas the author of the List observing Mo-List! Hit the problems on the head!
What about the lister who posts six times a day!!!
Great Post!
Yes, these can be annoying, but my pet peave is when people complain about how many emails their getting in their inbox - as if everyone else has to change to accommodate their lack of ability to manage their own computer.
ReplyDeleteThis, and Cicadas!! Someone will post about a Code 5 rarity and it gets no response. But post about a cicada and there'll be 25 people all chiming in that they've seen it too( which leads to someone invariably complaining about getting too many emails!).
lol.
I went out and played the tape for the Rufous-crowned Sparrows at the usual spot and they didn't respond. Has something happened to them? They always respond to the tape!
ReplyDeleteThe most annoying thing for me is when people post flickr links. The only time that is okay is if you are A) documenting a rarity, or B) you got a really nice picture that you would like to share, but you actually take the time to write a worthwhile post as well, and don't just say :
ReplyDelete"Hey everyone, went out to the park today and got this EPIC shot of an eagle.
Toodles!
John"
My only quibble with this is that #3 should be moved up to #1. Spam posts fill me with white-hot fury :)
ReplyDeleteNice 10, but I think your just scratching the surface here.
ReplyDeleteOne time a made a brief post about a single noteworthy bird. It was the only bird in mentioned...I can't remember what species now. So, I gave the species name in the subject line. Then mentioned it again in the first sentence. Then, in the second sentence I used an alpha code. You would have thought i just put a baby bunny into the woodchipper with an email response. An "older" listserv subscriber was LIVID that I had used an alpha code. "How am I supposed to understand?!?!!!" Jeez...using the slightest bit of context, anyone with half a brain would have figured it out. Ah, well...
ReplyDeleteHm. This is more snotty than it is funny or clever. You covered pretty much anyone who posts about birds except for some robot-like spewing of rare bird data only. Snore. I am glad for the variety, and I am proudly one that occasionally falls under the 'activist' category on the rare occasion I post at all. If you are going to enjoy birds as a sport, you damn well better help protect them too. And BTW links are good, easy to share. What, it takes too many milliseconds to click on a link? I'd hate to go birding with you, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteHilarious stereotypes. I see every single one of these on my local listserve. I get especially frustrated with "the cardinal".
ReplyDeleteThe only sad thing is that I've probably posted all of these at some point. ;)
Continuing Cardinal at feeder!
ReplyDelete