HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: carmanr@lafcol.lafayette.edu (Carman Robert (picro))
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: DDT and egg shell thinning
Summary: Not limited to eggshells
Date: 13 Oct 92 19:30:57 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Lafayette College, Easton PA


Re effects of DDT: Don't forget that evidence of damage to wildlife and other
environmental consequences of DDT was not drawn solely from thinning of 
peregrine, osprey and eagle shells, or even from birds. Among the first places
it showed up was in damage to fish life--e.g., lake trout in Lake George and
other Adirondack lakes where DDT had been heavily employed in an effort to
suppress blackflies and thereby extend the tourist season. (Any ADK hiker can
testify that it didn't work as planned, because the flies are still there.)
Once the widespread deployment of DDT ended, it became possible to restore 
many of the fisheries--just in time for the onslaught from acid precipitation.
But in the immortal words of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., "So it goes."
From: chappuis@cmu.unige.ch (Alain Chappuis (CMU, Geneva))
Subject: Re: Birding near Geneva, Switzerland
Organization: University of Geneva, Switzerland
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 09:13:13 GMT

In article <1992Oct7.190014.17694@pixel.kodak.com>, tgl@ssd.kodak.com (Tom Lathrop 588-0677) writes:
> I will be in Geneva next week and would like to do a little birding if
> possible. I won't have much time - less than a day - and I'd like to
> avoid getting a car if possible. Is there somewhere near Geneva which
> I can get to by train or bus where I might see some birds? Is there
> a good variety at this time of year?
> 
> Tom Lathrop
> tgl@ssd.kodak.com

Hello Tom,
I suggest you watch birds around the lake of Geneva, in the rade.

At this time, it is migration season and plenty of Charadriidae, Laridee
and Anatidae can be seen.
The end of the lake is one god point of birdwatching for migration.

There is an other site of observation for observe the Accipitridae: 
"Fort de l'Ecluse" but you would need a car.

You welcome in Geneva.

Now I post a remarks about observations near Geneva:

EuroBirdNet                    CH-92-01                 11 September 1992


POMARINE SKUA (Stercorarius pomarinus). For the second time the Pomarine
skua has been observed on the Lake of Geneva (Switzerland).
In the current of September three subjects have been seen on the little
lake. These three subjects are lost from the original distribution.

WHITE STORK (Ciconia ciconia) 45 subjects has been observed the 2nd September
1992 in a field near Geneva (Switzerland). It is the biggest concentration
ever observed in this region.

CITRIL FINCH (Serinus citrinella) At 2004 meters Alt. I observed in 6th
September 1992 on the moutain Soudine (Haute-Savoie) France, more than
56 Citrils finchs. It is the biggest concentration ever observed in this
moutain.

--Alain

+-----------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| Alain Chappuis        | Decnet     : UGCMU::CHAPPUIS            |
| Universite de Geneve  | Bitnet     : chappuis@cgecmu51.bitnet   |
| Centre Medical        | Internet   : chappuis@cmu.unige.ch      |
| 1, Rue Michel-Servet  | Telepac    : 4682161330                 |
| CH-1211 Geneve 4      | Telephone  : +41 (22) 702.50.73         |
|      Switzerland      | X400       :S=chappuis;OU=cmu;O=unige;  |
|                       |             PRMD=switch;ADMD=arcom;C=ch |
+-----------------------+-----------------------------------------+
Organization: Records, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Date: Wed,  7 Oct 1992 13:50:57 -0400 
From: Ruth Kline <rk30+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Peregrines

Yes, urban Peregrines do suffer a heavy toll from man-made hazards. Here
in Pittsburgh we have a nesting pair at the top of one of our older
skyscrapers (the Gulf Building). Last year there were 4 hatchlings, 2 of
which were killed when they flew into the mirrored sides of neighboring
buildings in their first attempts at flight. I don't know what the
survival rate is for wildnerness Peregrines though, so can't make a
comparison -- but 50% seems high. 
-- Ruth Kline, Carnegie Mellon University 
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: lbrother@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Larry Brothers)
Subject: Re: Peregrines
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 92 10:44:49 GMT

In article <YeomC1600iUz43VH1I@andrew.cmu.edu> Ruth Kline <rk30+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:
>Yes, urban Peregrines do suffer a heavy toll from man-made hazards. Here
>in Pittsburgh we have a nesting pair at the top of one of our older
>skyscrapers (the Gulf Building). Last year there were 4 hatchlings, 2 of
>which were killed when they flew into the mirrored sides of neighboring
>buildings in their first attempts at flight. I don't know what the
>survival rate is for wildnerness Peregrines though, so can't make a
>comparison -- but 50% seems high. 

It does, indeed.  According to Steve Bodio in "A Rage for Falcons",
the mortality rate of *all* baby falcons in the wild can be as high as 80%,
a fact he uses to defend the practice of nest-robbing among falconers.

I can see the flames a-comin'.  Steve says he had a friend who used to
comment about his (Steve's) "stealing baby birds from their nests"
just for the emotional reaction of innocent bystanders.  Cruel.


>-- Ruth Kline, Carnegie Mellon University 

Larry "glassing prairie falcons from my office window" Brothers

Very Large Array (VLA) Operations
lbrother@banshee.vla.nrao.edu
From: bousman@xenon.arc.nasa.gov (BILL BOUSMAN)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: white ibis?
Date: 8 Oct 92 21:33:00 GMT
Distribution: ba
Organization: NASA Ames Res. Ctr. Mtn Vw CA 94035
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <ld8p7vINNcvn@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM>, sdm@pyramid.Corp.Sun.COM (Scott Mann) writes...
> 
>As I was running through Shorline Park Tuesday morning,
>I saw an Ibis that was all white with black wing-tips,

An escaped Sacred Ibis has been seen in the south bay since
last November.  Although it has a band I do not know the
source of the bird.  This is undoubtedly the bird you noted
as it often frequents the Mountain View Forebay.  

Bill
From: rhh@alice.att.com (r hardin)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: House Sparrows
Date: 15 Oct 92 16:26:36 GMT
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ


Three house sparrows seem to be occupying a single bird house
on my porch, where a pair raised several broods this summer.

Is this a child returned, or a menagerie a trois?
From: TMH1@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Owl hooting outside--what a treat
Date: 14 Oct 92 16:18:48 GMT
Organization: Penn State University
Supersedes: <92288.120828TMH1@psuvm.psu.edu>

I just wanted to pass this along ...  as I lay in bed this morning in the
6:00 a.m.  darkness, listening to NPR on the clock radio, I heard a gentle
hooting in a tree outside my bedroom window.  I've only been birdwatching
for a year and I don't know my owls very well, so I listened for a while and
then went downstairs and popped the "Birding by Ear" cassette in the tape
player to find out what owl it was.  The answer: Great Horned Owl.

I live in a suburban neighborhood in State College, Pennsylvania, and my
street has quite a lot of trees, and I'm near several woodlots and a larger
woods, so I'm fortunate to get a variety of birds.  But this was a special
treat.  What a nice way to wake up in the morning.

                              Tina Hay
                              College of Health and Human Development
                              Penn State
From: am229@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Terry S. Collins)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: DDT
Date: 10 Oct 1992 11:55:18 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: slc4.ins.cwru.edu


I recently received a newspaper in the mail called the Freemarket News.
It happened to contain an article about being a skeptic. The author claims
that DDT is not the cause of thinning of egg shells in birds and that the thinning
of egg shells in birds appeared long before DDT was in use. The author used a 
footnote as a reference but the footnote only contained an opinion by the  
author without a source of the information. This author also used Ayn Rand
as a reference for some other "facts" in the article so I immediately became
suspect of the author's credentials. 

Are there any scientists that truly doubt the hazards of DDT? This author 
claimed DDT breaks down into harmless substances after two weeks! I'm thinking
of writing a reply to this goof ball.

Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: "sharon ware" <sharon.ware@canrem.com>
Subject: ducks - diet
Reply-To: "sharon ware" <sharon.ware@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 11 Oct 92 16:27:27 EST

Do ducks eat fish?  I found in the Encyclo. Britann. that there are some
sea ducks that do, but I'm specifically trying to find out if domestic
ducks, mallards, Canada geese, and swans eat fish.  Can anybody help?
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044
From: srh3@Ra.MsState.Edu (Steven R. Hollis)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: neat little visitor
Date: 16 Oct 92 03:58:41 GMT
Article-I.D.: Ra.srh3.719207921
Organization: Mississippi State University


     We have a neat little visitor at my house.  I think it is a carolina wren.
There is a small space where one of our support columns meet the porch roof, and
on this little 3" square space, this little guys sleeps at night.  No nest
no padding just wood.  Cute to step out on the porch and see him all huddled
up.  I say I think this is a carolina wren because most of the time I see him,
his head is under his wing and his feathers are all fluffed up. Audubon 
field guides don't really show pictures like that  :-)

Just thought I would share

Steve

--
============================================================================
Steve Hollis---Your friendly          |  "What for you say you monkey, when
neighborhood zoology major/lit minor  |   you got little powder puff tail
srh3@ra.msstate.edu                   |   like rabbit----RABBIT?"
From: malcolm@grenada.ign.island.COM (Malcolm Blanchard)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Any Audubon editors out there?
Keywords: Audubon newletter
Date: 12 Oct 92 17:57:39 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Island Graphics, Santa Rosa, California

I edit the newsletter of the Audubon Chapter in Sonoma County, California.
Are there any other Audubon (or nature/environmental) newsletter editors
plugged into the net?  I'd love to find some with which to exchange articles
and/or illustrations.  Or, if there are some other net resources I should
know about, please inform me.

Thanks.

-Malcolm Blanchard
Internet: malcolm@island.com
CompuServe: 71530,2536
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: hoyerr@ucs.orst.edu (Richard Hoyer)
Subject: Malheur Birding Weekend Triplist
Organization: University Computing Services - OSU
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 05:21:40 GMT


Part 2

Birds seen at Malheur N.W.R. October 2-4 1992

Horned Grebe				Eared Grebe
Western Grebe				American White Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant		Great Blue Heron
Green-backed Heron			Trumpeter Swan
Canada Goose				Green-winged Teal
Mallard					Northern Pintail
Cinnamon Teal				Northern Shoveler
Gadwall					American Wigeon
Canvasback				Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup				Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck				Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle				Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk			Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk				Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel			Prairie Falcon
Ring-necked Pheasant			California Quail
American Coot				Sandhill Crane
American Avocet				Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs			Ring-billed Gull
California Gull				Mourning Dove
Barn Owl				Great Horned Owl
Short-eared Owl				Vaux's Swift
Red-naped Sapsucker			Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker			Dusky Flycatcher
Western Flycatcher			Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow				Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven				Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren				Winter Wren
Marsh Wren				Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Townsend's Solitaire			Hermit Thrush
American Robin				Varied Thrush
American Pipit				Cedar Waxwing
European Starling			Solitary Vireo
Warbling Vireo				Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler			Townsend's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat			Wilson's Warbler
Western Tanager				Rufous-sided Towhee
Savannah Sparrow			Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow				Lincoln's Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow			Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird			Western Meadowlark
Cassin's Finch				Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin				Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch			Evening Grosbeak
(87 spp.)

If anyone is unfamiliar with these standardized English names and instead
prefers the Latin, send me a note and I'll be happy to zap you a list thereof!

Rich Hoyer
hoyerr@ucs.orst.edu
From: willner@head-cfa.harvard.edu (Steve Willner)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Peregrines
Date: 9 Oct 92 16:55:42 GMT
Organization: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA,  USA


In article <1992Oct9.025453.24640@midway.uchicago.edu>,
r0th@ellis.uchicago.edu (Dr. Samuel Conway) writes: 
> To the contrary:  research by the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, in
> cooperation with the Peregrine Fund, has shown that urban peregrines actually
> do as well, if not BETTER, in cities than in their natural habitats.  

An interesting conclusion, and one I don't doubt.  

> [cities] have abundant food in the form of pigeons

It was my understanding that starlings are a more important food
source.  The reason given was that falcons only take food on the
wing, and starlings spend more time flying than do pigeons.  Did the
report address this question?

> and no natural enemies such as great horned owls or raccoons.

Don't know about the owls, but many cities have large populations of
raccoons.  I'm not sure whether these populations extend into the
downtown areas, however, and they surely would have trouble reaching
nest sites on top of skyscrapers.

It's perhaps surprising, but several species of "wild" animals live
quite well in cities and even more in suburbs.
-- 
Steve Willner            Phone 617-495-7123         Bitnet:   willner@cfa
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA                 Internet: willner@cfa.harvard.edu
  member, League for Programming Freedom; contact league@prep.ai.mit.edu
From: sdm@pyramid.Corp.Sun.COM (Scott Mann)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: white ibis?
Date: 8 Oct 92 16:42:39 GMT
Reply-To: sdm@pyramid.Corp.Sun.COM (Scott Mann)
Distribution: ba
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.  Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: pyramid.corp.sun.com


As I was running through Shorline Park Tuesday morning,
I saw an Ibis that was all white with black wing-tips,
yellow beak and legs. I looked through the Audoubon(sp?) North
American Bird Field Guide but found nothing that seemed
to match (although there was a reference to a White Ibis
under "accidental species").

Is this species common or "accidental" to the area?  Would
someone please enlighten me?  And/or point me to reference
material?

Thanks!

--


...Scott
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: r0th@ellis.uchicago.edu (Dr. Samuel Conway)
Subject: Re: Peregrines
Reply-To: r0th@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 02:54:53 GMT

In article <1992Oct06.150352.161704@watson.ibm.com> andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor) writes:
>
>Although the number of Peregrines living in cities is growing the US,
>I'm not convinced that these city populations are sustainable. It seems
>a hostile environment with a variety of poisons and pollutants (some
>cumulative) and many dangerous obstacles for young birds such as power lines.


To the contrary:  research by the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, in
cooperation with the Peregrine Fund, has shown that urban peregrines actually
do as well, if not BETTER, in cities than in their natural habitats.  Why?
Well, their natural habitats aren't quite the same as they were, for one 
reason.  And though cities have their obstacles, they have abundant food in
the form of pigeons, and no natural enemies such as great horned owls or
raccoons.  Now, these animals might pass through town, or there may be one
or two individuals actually living there, but such egg-stealing and chick-
eating creatures are far less numerous in the cities than out in the country.
In the cities, injured birds are very often found and/or reported, and can
be brought to professional rehabilitators.  So, despite windows and power
lines, the cities aren't so bad for 'grines.

----
Dr. Samuel Conway         *  "If the guest isn't singing, 'Oh What a Beautiful
Roving chemist, wildlife  *  Morning' I don't immediately think, 'Oh, there's
rehabilitator, and all-   *  another one snuffed it in the night!'  Another
around nice guy!          *  name in the Fawlty Towers book of Remembrance.
r0th@midway.uchicago.edu  *  I mean, this is a hotel, not the Burma Railway!"

Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: jfinger@adobe.com (Jeff Finger)
Subject: Horned Grebes at Shoreline?
Organization: Adobe Systems, Inc., Mountain View, CA
Distribution: ba
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 02:26:51 GMT

1. Tonight between about 5:30pm and 7pm in Shoreline Park in Charleston
Slough right across from Shoreline Lake were two grebes swimming and
diving together. Their bills were more slender than those of the
Pied-Billed Grebes in the Lake, and they had considerable amounts of
white on their necks and cheeks (one more than the other).  Did anyone
else see them? Are these Horned Grebes rather than Eared Grebes?

2. On Shoreline Lake there was a duck that was the size and shape of a
mallard swimming among a family of mallards during the whole time I was
there. It was very dark (black with maybe a few dark brown speckles),
the underside of its neck was bright white and it had a narrow white
stripe like a moustache around and above its bill. The bill was glossy
black, the shape of a mallard's bill. Its speculum was dark, either
black or perhaps dark blue. Any guesses?

Thanks,
-- Jeff Finger --
From: mjm@flash.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Eurasian Widgeon in
Date: 9 Oct 92 16:22:34 GMT

In article <718182301.1@wyrm.rbbs-net.ORG>, Joe.Morlan@f501.n914.z8.rbbs-net.ORG (Joe Morlan) writes:
> 
> There are currently two Eurasian Wigeons at Charleston Slough
> which is just adjacent to Mt. View Forebay (Coast Casey Forebay)
> where Jeff Finger reported seeing "several."  One is an adult
> male and the other an immature male.  Males seem to outnumber
> females by a good measure possibly because of difficulty of
> identifying the females.

	I saw two Eurasian Wigeons in this area last weekend, an eclipse-
plumaged male and an alternate-plumaged male, both adults. A survey of
Charleston Slough within the last week has turned up six Eurasian Wigeons.
I don't know about the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area, but this spot
at the south end of the bay is a good place to see this species every
year.

	I have only once seen a female Eurasian Wigeon, which was last
winter. While observing a nice alternate-plumaged male in an outflow
channel behind the Palo Alto duck pond, I noticed this female wigeon that
was sticking, like glue, to the side of the male Eurasian Wigeon. Upon
closer examination, I noticed that the head and neck of this female was
brown rather than the gray usually seen on female American Wigeons. If
it wasn't for its bond to this male bird, I probably wouldn't have looked
twice at it. This bonding to the male is also what makes me believe that
it was a female, rather than an immature male.

Mike Mammoser

Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: bousman@xenon.arc.nasa.gov (BILL BOUSMAN)
Subject: Re: Horned Grebes at Shoreline?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: NASA Ames Res. Ctr. Mtn Vw CA 94035
Distribution: ba
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 18:23:00 GMT

In article <1992Oct15.022651.15690@adobe.com>, jfinger@adobe.com (Jeff Finger) writes...
>1. Tonight between about 5:30pm and 7pm in Shoreline Park in Charleston
>Slough right across from Shoreline Lake were two grebes swimming and
>diving together. Their bills were more slender than those of the
>Pied-Billed Grebes in the Lake, and they had considerable amounts of
>white on their necks and cheeks (one more than the other).  

You didn't say whether they were near the size of Pied-billed
Grebes or larger.  If the same size and there was extensive
white on the neck then they were probably Horned Grebes, but
there is a lot of variation in this character.  Either grebe
is as likely here at this time of year.

>2. On Shoreline Lake there was a duck that was the size and shape of a
>mallard swimming among a family of mallards during the whole time I was
>there. It was very dark (black with maybe a few dark brown speckles),
>the underside of its neck was bright white and it had a narrow white
>stripe like a moustache around and above its bill. The bill was glossy
>black, the shape of a mallard's bill. Its speculum was dark, either
>black or perhaps dark blue. Any guesses?

I will guess that this is one of mongrel mallard/muscovy/domestic
ducks that are often in this area.

Bill
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: riutto@ee.tut.fi (Ari Riutto)
Subject: Birding in Turkey during 1.10.-8.10.1992
Originator: riutto@uikku.ee.tut.fi
Organization: Tampere University of Technology
Distribution: eunet
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 92 17:32:15 GMT


WWe were in Turkey this week and observed birds in Alanya-Tasucu
regn. Some records follo.
 During trip from Alanya to Tasucu we saw Eleonora's falcon and
some Audo's gulls. In Tasucu the most interesting place was Goksu
delta. There we saw in the fields two Booted warbler, one
Richard's pipit and one  Stechat which race was variegata.
 The migration of the eagles was not very massive at that moment,
but one day we saw during 20 minutes about 200 eagles (the majority
waLesser Spotted Eagles)s ). I think that the best days for good
migration are  coming soon.
 For us, it was very interesting to see some eastern rare birds
during one week and the question is how many vagrants occur to
Turkey from East (e.g. Siberia and Iran).

Best wishes
Jarmo Pirhonen, Finland
From: lstowell@pyrnova.mis.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: rec.audio
Subject: Re: Vinyl source
Date: 9 Oct 92 00:09:07 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In article <1992Oct7.084049@trc.amoco.com> znpt01@trc.amoco.com (Norman P. Tracy) writes:
>
>
>Actually CDs are polycarbonate not vinyl.  I like the terms from an English
>mag., "black disk" (LP) and "silver disk" (CD).  Then CD-R would be "gold
>disk".
>
   So, what do they call the Mobile Fidelity series?\
Newsgroups: rec.audio
From: stravis@boi.hp.com (Steve Travis)
Subject: Re: op-amp sound quality f(rail voltage)
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 15:57:31 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard / Boise, Idaho
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1.3 PL5

22402-lenahan (gfl@hera.uucp) wrote:
: Recently Dave Platt and others tested BB 2604s against
: 5532s, etc for sound quality.  Has anyone done any
: controlled  (or sort of controlled) testing of OP-AMPs,
: particularly 2604s, for performance at different rail
: voltages.  I'm getting mediocre results with 2604s
: when used on a good quality existing +/- 5V supply.
: I'm wondering whether its worth jumping this to
: 12V or 15V, or if the results will be marginal.
: 
: Comments?
: 
: Grant
: gfl@hera.cc.bellcore.com
: 

I would suspect that the +/- 5v supply would be a problem.
I believe that most line level outputs are rated at 2vrms,
with possible peaks of 6v. I would view 10v as a minimum
just to insure some margin. 
 
I have not tested the 2604 at below 12v, infact I have only
considered increasing the voltage. In general I have been
very happy with the 2604 at 12v.

Steve Travis

Newsgroups: rec.audio