Another vote for this.  If typing out "red-winged blackbird" is 
too much to ask, it can always be shortened intelligibly to "r-w 
blackb" or something.  The banders' codes are great if you're 
really familiar with all of them, but they're really a barrier 
for most folks.

Jane


Anne Connor wrote:
> I too really love the idea of keeping abbreviations to a minimum. This list
> is a fabulous way to learn and if I have to keep a downloaded
> cross-reference tool next to my computer just to decipher what more advanced
> (perhaps) birders are referring to, I am less likely to learn about the
> birds themselves rather than their abbreviations. I like keeping the
> conversation and learning accessible to all levels of birding enthusiasts. 
> 
> On another note, I am so happy to witness the return of purple finches and
> evening grosbeaks at my feeders (I hadn't seen any all winter) and to have
> my morning start yesterday with a red-winged blackbird at my feeder - first
> sighting for me this year. 
> 
> Anne Connor
> Calais
>