[Birding-Aus] Common names discussion

[Andrew Stafford]

For pete's sake, another endless thread that's been done to death on
birding-aus. Enough already. Doesn't anyone get out and actually do any
birding anymore? Thank God I'm off to St Helen's for some pelagic action
tomorrow. I can't wait to confuse you all again with all those albatross
names that aren't in the field guide yet!

Andrew

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[michael norris]

Just wondering if all this chat is a symptom of not enough birds to talk
about.

Down here in my patch diversity and abundance are both down, down - except
for the Pied Currawongs.

Michael Norris

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Stafford" <pin...@ozemail.com.au>

> For pete's sake, another endless thread that's been done to death on
> birding-aus. Enough already. Doesn't anyone get out and actually do any
> birding anymore?

[Syd Curtis]

Apologies in advance to anyone who finds the following inappropriate for
B-aus. I tried to send it just to Laurie, but didn't succeed.

S.

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Date: 26 Jul 2008 09:15:57 +0800
To: sy...@ozemail.com.au
Subject: Delivery Status Notification (Failure)

The following message to <l.kn...@optusnet.com.au> was undeliverable.

From: Syd Curtis <sy...@ozemail.com.au>
Date: Wednesday, 23 July 2008 11:15 AM
To: L&L Knight <l.kn...@optusnet.com.au>
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Common Names Discussion

Laurie has written:

> From: L&L Knight <l.kn...@optusnet.com.au>
> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:01:57 +1000
> To: Birding-Aus <birdi...@vicnet.net.au>
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Common Names Discussion
>
> I've received an off-line suggestion from a birding wag with public
> standards that the proper phrase for a birding forum is "have your
> crake and eat it too".
>
> In the interests of harmonising birding and culinary terms, I will
> rephrase my assertion to "There's no reason why you can't have your
> Spotted Crake and eat it too."

Thanks Laurie. And I am tempted to comment apropos of Chris Baxter's
contribution to the common names names discussion, that he was being a bit
picky where he says:

> If a person is new to birdwatching then why corrupt
> them with these inaccurate common names from the start. It just compounds
> the problem. For example: Shag for Cormorant (we do have a shag-the Imperial
> Shag-why not confine the name to it);

HANZAAB lists 19 species of Phalacrocorax: three "Cormorants" and the rest
"Shags". BUT it gives "Shag" under "Other English names" for each of the
Cormorants. All of which I mention by way of excuse for quoting the little
verse by that well-known poet "Anon.":

The common Cormorant or Shag
Lays its eggs in a paper-bag.

But what these unobservant birds
Fail to realise is that herds

Of bears with buns
Will steal the bags to hold the crumbs.

So, I'm easy with Cormorant or Shag.

Cheers

Syd

[Tom and Mandy Wilson]

Syd - your poem has a poet - Christopher Isherwood - and it's full version
is...
Cheers
Tom Wilson

The common cormorant or shag
Lays eggs inside a paper bag
The reason you will see no doubt
It is to keep the lightning out

But what these unobservant birds

Have never noticed is that herds
Of wandering bears may come with buns
And steal the bags to hold the crumbs.