HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Joe.Morlan@f501.n914.z8.rbbs-net.ORG (Joe Morlan)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Bushnell Scopes
Date: 18 Nov 92 07:42:00 GMT


       ***** On 11-10-1992, John Martin wrote to All *****

>  After conferring with various people, I came to the
>  conclusion that the Bushnell Spacemaster II was the best
>  value.  Upon further checking I find a number of
>  complications:

> 1. Spacemaster II
>    + 70mm scope.
>    + no longer made
>    + still available with a 22x eyepiece for about $200.
>    + focusing mechanism is a rocker arm rather than helical
>      (the little wheel on the side of the scope).

This version was not a good value.  Although 70mm, the optical
quality of the glass and the coating were very poor and the
rocker arm focusing was not sensitive enough for serious birding.
It was discontinued because of complaints and Bushnell reverted
to the old model:

> 2. Spacemaster
>    + 60mm scope
>    + $200 with 22x eyepiece
>    + Helical focusing mechanism

This is still usually called Spacemaster II.  The "Spacemaster"
is normally a 50mm scope and not very good for birding.

> 3. Spacemaster with ED Prime glass.
>    + 60mm scope
>    + $340
>    + Helical focusing mechanism

I don't know about this one.  Sounds like an attempt to compete
with the Kowa TSN-2.

>      1.  Does anyone know why the 70mm scopes aren't made
>         anymore? Maybe the "best value" is no longer
>         available through Bushnell.

See above.  It was never a good value.

>      2.  Is the ED Prime glass significantly better than the
>      regular glass?

Don't know.

>     3. Did the SpaceMaster II formerly come with helical focus? Rocker
>        arm focusing seems pretty horrible.

The models being sold now, are almost identical to the originals.
The way you can tell, is the new models have a sight on the top
which is missing in the older models.  Otherwise they are pretty
much the same.

>      4.  Do the extra long relief eyepieces work well with
>      eyeglasses?

I tested one which had been outfitted with an eyepiece made by (I
think) Meade which worked very well with eyeglasses.  That
eyepiece also was about $40.  I don't know how it compares to the
one Bushnell makes.

I prefer to lift my glasses when using a scope.

--Joe Morlan, Albany, CA
Joe.Morlan@f20.n125.z1.fidonet.org.

 * Origin: SeaHunt BBS, San Francisco (415-431-0473) (8:914/501)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: rising@zoo.toronto.edu (Jim Rising)
Subject: Hawk-Owl
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 21:32:29 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

For people who wish look for the Hawk-Owl (Surina ulula) west
of Toronto, check in the vicinity of the intersections of Derry
Rd and Trafalger Rd.  If coming in from the west (e.g. Waterloo)
exit 401 at Trafalger Rd, and go south to Derry road, watching
out for the bird.  It apparently has been in the general area
for a couple of weeks, and may now be along the next concession
or 2 south.  First look along Derry and Trafalger (we saw it along
Derry, just east of the intersection.  May call TOC Hot-Line
Starphone 350-3000 ext 2293 for latest information.  Gulls kind
of slow at Niagara this year.  Only 7 species seen
there last Sunday.
-- 
Name:     Jim Rising
Mail:     Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
UUCP:     uunet!attcan!utzoo!rising 
BITNET:   rising@zoo.utoronto.ca
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: christea@dhhalden.no (CHRISTER ANDR JAKOBSEN)
Subject: Are there?  (Was :test)
Organization: Ostfold College
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 12:48:40 GMT

In article <671@quirm.terminus.ericsson.se> ac@terminus.ericsson.se writes:
>From: ac@terminus.ericsson.se
>Subject: test
>Date: 18 Nov 92 15:24:53 GMT
>Are there any UK birders out there - this newsgroup seems to be exclusively American.......


I've asked myself the same question plenty of times. Why aren't there any 
Europeans writing something on this newsgroup. (I haven't found any others 
concerning birds).

By the way,  I think that Lars Jonssons "Birds of Britain and Europe, with 
North-Africa and the Middle East" is the definitive field guide to date.
-Ingen ver! -Ingen vid sidan!
From: carmanr@lafcol.lafayette.edu (Carman Robert (picro))
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Backyard bird feeding in city neighborhood?
Summary: An oddity at the feeder
Date: 16 Nov 92 14:44:01 GMT
Organization: Lafayette College, Easton PA


Had an odd one over the weekend--a house finch that seems to be a partial
albino. The tail, wings, and rump are a dirty white, head and breast a rather
pretty rose. It travels with a flock of perfectly ordinary house finches (the
most numerous patrons of my tube feeder) and has been there for two days  
running. BTW, my feeder in an urban suburb (area 650,000, actual town 15,000)
has so far attracted both nuthatches, downie, chickadee, titmouse, Carolina
wren, RB woodpecker, brown creeper, juncos, whitethroat, fox sparrow, blue
jay, house finch, and short-tailed shrew. Usually get a towhee around this
time of year but haven't seen one yet. And somewhere along the line a sharpshin
generally begins to pay regular visits, though none is in evidence so far.
Forgot: m. dove and cardinal also on the list. I feed black oil seeds in the
tube, cracked corn scattered on the ground.
From: ignaz@bill.astro.uu.se (Ignaz Wanders)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Fish and birds (Was: Re: We need Your assistance (see Letter))
Date: 20 Nov 1992 15:55:59 GMT
Organization: Uppsala University
Distribution: world
Reply-To: ignaz@astro.uu.se
NNTP-Posting-Host: bill.astro.uu.se

In article <By0pzE.MCt@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca>, dp10@mc4adm.UWaterloo.ca (Derek Kirkland) writes:
->Why are commercial posting such as the recent advertisement for aquarium fish allowed on the net?

Just ignore it.
->
->Beyond that, what have aquarium fish got to do with birds, except as food for pet birds (take it to rec.pets.birds
->in that case).

Well, hydro/aero-dynamically fish and birds have a lot in common! Fish's
fins and birds' wings have an aerodynamic shape that is best suited for
their purpose. The main difference being the gravitation that a bird has
to struggle with; therefore aren't birds' wings symmetrical in cross-
section. Fish's fins are vertical because they have to turn the corner
quickly and not so quickly up and down.

Ignaz


-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ignaz Wanders                 * Tel: +46-18-515208, FAX: +46-18-527583
          * Astronomiska observatoriet, Box 515, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
            * Ignaz@astro.uu.se (Internet); 21619::laban::ignaz (SPAN)

   "Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists 
elsewhere in the Universe is that none of it has tried to contact us"
                                            --- Calvin ---
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: jps@netcom.com (John Serafin)
Subject: Re: Hummingbird health question
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 04:31:39 GMT

afong@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Krell Kraver) writes:

>Is it true that hummingbird feeders should be removed in the early
>fall so that the little guys will migrate (since there's no
>food).???

There are hummingbirds present the year round in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I am sure that is the case in San Diego also.
It is important to change the feed before it goes bad and to clean the
feeder thoroughly between fillings.

A 36 page booklet on observing and feeding hummingbirds is available for
US$2.50 + 1.00 shipping from:
    Louise G. Blakey   (415) 948-8930
    625 Teresi Lane
    Los Altos, CA 94022

Also included is an extensive listing of plants that hummingbirds feed from
and nurseries that sell them.
The San Diego Zoo has a hummingbird aviary in Balboa Park.

>Thanks for the help.
-- 
John P. Serafin  |  Operating a bicycle is more like driving than riding.
jps@netcom.com   |  Operating an automobile is more like riding than driving.
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: woodford@fourier.ece.cmu.edu (Paul Woodford)
Subject: Re: Chemical defense discovered in a bird
Organization: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 15:02:51 GMT

In article <1992Nov16.193512.81626@watson.ibm.com> andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor) writes:
>A recent Science (30 October) has a paper describing the discovery
>that New Guinea birds in the genus Pitohui contain a potent
                                    ^^^^^^^
>alkloid, homobatachotoxin.

"Ptooie!  This tastes awful!"

If I hadn't read a newpaper article about this, I'd almost think you were
joking.

Paul "look - a ptooie bird!" Woodford
woodford@ece.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: tony@zoo.toronto.edu (Anthony L. Lang)
Subject: Hawk migration down
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 20:22:36 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

in article <27695@oasys.dt.navy.mil>
quezon@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Antonio Quezon) writes:

>(stuff deleted)
>
>I have my theories, but I'm curious to hear what others
>think.  What are the observations/perceptions of other
>east coast raptor enthusiasts out there?  For that matter,
>what are other people across the continent experiencing?
>Any theories or explanations?  I am aware of the tremendous
>crash in the Sharp-shinned Hawk and American Kestrel
>populations.  I've heard and read theories explananing
>this crash.  What have others heard?

The word from the Hawk Cliff hawk watch/banding station at Port
Stanley, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Erie is that the migration
has been slow this year, partly because of the coldest, wettest
year on record in Canada.  One of the banders from Hawk Cliff
gave a talk to the Toronto Ornithological Club recently and mentioned
general long term trends, although the data had not been adequately 
analysed.  He said that PEREGRINE (Falco peregrinus) and MERLIN 
(F. colmbarius) numbers are up substantially.  In at least
the case of the former, the decline in the use of DDT and 
the reintroduction programs are probably the reasons.  AMERICAN
KESTREL (F. sparverius) and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (Accipter striatus)
numbers are down significantly, corroborating what Antonio has said. 
Unfortunately, the reasons for this decline are not clear, 
although there is speculation about problems on the wintering
grounds.


-- 
Anthony Lang
Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Toronto
tony@zoo.utoronto.ca
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor)
Subject: Chemical defense discovered in a bird
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 19:35:12 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

A recent Science (30 October) has a paper describing the discovery
that New Guinea birds in the genus Pitohui contain a potent
alkloid, homobatachotoxin. This toxin was previously only
known from the poison-dart frogs (Phyllobates) of Latin America.

The toxin is mainly found in the skin and ito a lesser extent the feathers.
Levels are highest in the Hooded Pitohui which contains roughly 20 micrograms
of the toxin.  0.01 micrograms will kill a mouse if injected.

The unpalatability of the Hooded Pitohuis was well known to New Guinea natives
but apparently had not been investigated by biologists until a grad student
handled one in a mist net with a cut hand. His hand stung and when he
placed it is his mouth, his mouth when numb. Sometime later when they caught
another Pitohui he took a feather and placed it in his mouth producing
the same effect.

Species with chemical defenses are often conspicuous.  The Science paper
suggests Hooded Pitohuis are brightly coloured and have a strong odour.
The Hooded Pitohui is pictured on the cover of size and although
not nondescript, it appears less strikingly coloured than many (presumably)
non-toxic Australian passerines. I think much more evidence is needed to
claim that the Pitohuis colouration is an adaptation to advertise their
chemical defense.  Maybe a stronger case can be made for the odour.

The paper also suggests the similarity of appearance of immature greater
melampittas (Melampitta gigantea) might be mimicry. Again this is dubious
the melampitta doesn't too look much different to lots of other small brown
birds. Obviously there is some interesting field-work to be done.

The Science paper doesn't give the Pitohui family (or habits). They look
like Monarch-Flycatchers. Maybe someone who knows these could post them.

Andrew Taylor
From: dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: penguin etymology
Date: 15 Nov 92 17:35:05 GMT
Article-I.D.: acsu.Bxrq6I.IIx
Organization: UB

In article <1992Nov09.023100.131011@watson.ibm.com> andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor) writes:
>In article <1d9b26INNefn@early-bird.think.com> sandee@Think.COM (Daan Sandee)
>writes:
>>Can't remember if this was from the O.E.D., but there is a reference to
>>a rock near Newfoundland, where they presumably had a colony, and which
>>was known too be called Pengwyn, and assumed to mean "white head" in
>>either Welsh or Breton. The birds then supposedly took their name from
>>the rock.
>
>The first known use of Penguin (quoted in the OED) refers to a Newfoundland
>island named Penguin where birds also called Penguins are found. The OED
>doesn't mention the theory that the birds (Great Auks) are named for the
>island but Websters does. 
>
>My concern remains. How does a European bird get named from encounters
>in Newfoundland?  How did this name get transferred so easily to the Magellenic
>Penguin (possibly at the first encounter by English speakers).

In "The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds", by John K.
Terres, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980), there is the following account:

"Auk, Great.  Pinguinus impennis.  Genus name.  New Latin for penguin, the
vernacular name given the bird by early European explorers from two Welsh 
words, pen, head, and gwyn, white, or white-headed, in allusion to large oval
spot of white on head of great auk."  (p. 23)

I would bet that the rock in Newfoundland took its name from the birds.

David Mark
dmark@sun.acsu.buffalo.edu
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: rising@zoo.toronto.edu (Jim Rising)
Subject: Hawk-Owl near Toronto
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 17:51:14 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

We were out driving just west of Toronto yesterday, and saw a nice
Northern Hawk-Owl (Surnia ulula) sitting on a telephone wire by the
road.  Lots of other birders in the area, so it must be on the hot
line.  Rare bird in these parts (my first for Ontario).
-- 
Name:     Jim Rising
Mail:     Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
UUCP:     uunet!attcan!utzoo!rising 
BITNET:   rising@zoo.utoronto.ca
From: rl@socrates.ucsf.edu (Robert Langridge)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Are there? (Was :test)
Date: 23 Nov 92 04:39:29 GMT
Organization: UCSF Computer Graphics Lab

christea@dhhalden.no (CHRISTER ANDR JAKOBSEN) writes:

>In article <671@quirm.terminus.ericsson.se> ac@terminus.ericsson.se writes:

>>Are there any UK birders out there - this newsgroup seems to be exclusively American.......

>I've asked myself the same question plenty of times. Why aren't there any 
>Europeans writing something on this newsgroup. (I haven't found any others 
>concerning birds).

Well, Europeans - post some observations.  I live in California, but am
delighted to hear from birders anywhere in the world...

Local observation: couple of days ago a dozen brown pelicans (pelecanus
occidentalis) set up a flight pattern near a sluice gate from San Francisco 
Bay into a nearby lagoon and feasted on the fish streaming in.  Fascinating to 
watch, as the lagoon inlet was only a few feet from the fence and bushes which 
formed the boundary, and to see the birds diving for fish so close was a lot 
of fun.  Gulls and cormorants hung around hopefully, while a half dozen egrets 
perched nearby to observe the action.

The pelicans formed a very orderly attack group which would have done credit
to any air force...
 
While on the subject of pelicans, I witnessed a very sad collision of a white
pelican (pelecanus erythrorhynchos) with overhead wires on a causeway across 
Lake Almenar (near Lassen Park in N Calif).  Of a flight of four pelicans the 
trailing bird could not seem to decide whether to fly above or below the wires,
and flew right into them.  It tumbled down the embankment into the trees and 
bushes below, and in spite of a search by several of us who had witnessed the 
collision, no bird could be seen.  I suggested to the electricity company 
that these wires should be buried, as the causeway cuts right across the 
flight path of many birds - including white pelicans and western grebes - but 
the company claims that it is "not economically feasible".

Sad...

Bob Langridge    		       Phone: +1 415 476-2630, -1540, -5128
Computer Graphics Laboratory		               FAX: +1 415 476-0688 
926 Medical Sciences
University of California	                    E-Mail: rl@cgl.ucsf.edu
San Francisco  CA  94143-0446
From: jmartin@clark.edu (John Martin)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Computer Bird Lists/GIFs
Date: 20 Nov 92 14:05:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: jmartin.jmartin-201192060300
Followup-To: rec.birds
Organization: Clark College

Several months back I believe there was an article about the development of
a Mac data base for listing birds.  Also another article about the
availability of  bird graphics.  Would some one direct me to a source for
these items.  Thanks. 

jmartin@clark.edu
From: pbray@lust.reed.edu (Peter Bray)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Homing Pigeons
Date: 18 Nov 92 08:41:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: reed.1992Nov18.084130.13214
Organization: Reed College, Portland, OR

In article <1992Nov18.030008.74941@watson.ibm.com> andrewt@watson.ibm.com  
(Andrew Taylor) writes:
> 
> Pigeons navigate via variations in the earths magnetic field.  You can
> "de-program" your pigeons by passing a degaussing wand (like TV  
servicemen
> use) slowly about 1cm above their head.  It will take them about a week
> to re-program to their current location.
> 
> Andrew Taylor


	I remember reading some ethology experiments, though, in which  
homers were blindfolded.  True, they did eventually return back to their  
nesting site but this took considerably longer than a sighted pigeon.  So,  
the pigeons also must use landmark recognition for orientation; so, even  
though the degausing wand might neutralize one orientating aspect of the  
pigeon the sight ability is still functional.  Does this sound right?  
	Also even though the pigeon has been "de-programed" I don't think  
it means that he will return to his new site.  Won't they still attempt to  
find their original nesting site until they find it, even if they do get  
permanently lost!?

Peter
From: ac@terminus.ericsson.se
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: How does a flock turn simultaneously?
Date: 20 Nov 92 12:23:31 GMT
Reply-To: ac@terminus.ericsson.se
Distribution: world
Organization: Camtec Electronics (Ericsson), Leicester, England

They all look at each other and go..................RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andy, Leics, EnglandIn article 21163@urbana.mcd.mot.com, gtillman@neptune.urbana.mcd.mot.com (Greg Tillman) writes:

In article <24114@alice.att.com>, rhh@alice.att.com (r hardin) writes:
|> 
|> 
|> And what an abundant source of errors and misapprehensions
|> every half-truth is!  Flights of starlings have a way of flying
|> which is theirs alone and seems as governed by uniform and
|> regular tactics as a disciplined regiment would be, obeying
|> a single leader's voice with precision.  The starlings obey
|> the voice of instinct, and their instinct leads them to bunch
|> into the centre of the squad, while the speed of their flight
|> bears them constantly beyond it; so that this multitude of birds
|> thus united by a common tendency towards the same magnetic point,
|> unceasingly coming and going, circulating and crisscrossing in
|> all directions [. . . .]
|> 
|> Songs of Maldoror, trans. Lykiard, p141

A somewhat mundane followup.  Sometime (over a year ago) I read
an article in Science News about somebody somewhere (mathematician
or biologist, somewhere on the east coast, apologies for not
remembering more) who mimicked the behaviour of bird flocks with
dots on a computer screen, by giving each dot a fairly simple
set of rules (like the ones so poetically described above).  As I recall,
the scientist, at least in this article, was mimicking birds coming
in to roost, and the rules included things like:  starlings
are attracted to each other, starlings are attracted to the roost.
Adding a null spot or negative attraction right above the roost resulted, 
according to the article, in these dots flowing around the computer 
screen in patterns very similar to those of a wheeling flock coming 
in to roost.  This is obviously not proof that starlings are programmed
like these dots, but I found it fairly interesting.
From: wvenable@algona.stats.adelaide.edu.au (Bill Venables)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Clever crows
Date: 18 Nov 92 22:17:25
Organization: Department of Statistics, University of Adelaide
NNTP-Posting-Host: algona.stats.adelaide.edu.au

There was an intriguing news article on Australian TV a few days back which
showed some "crows" (rooks?) in Japan that had learned to place nuts on a
busy road and wait for cars to crack them by running over them.  They would
then swoop down and scoop up the kernel, of course.  They had even learned to
re-position a nut that was not in the wheel line.  Very impressive really.

Folklore here in Australia has always insisted that crows are the most
intelligent of the birds -- they are not supposed to be too put off by
scarecrows, supposedly they can tell the difference between a person carrying
a stick and another carrying a rifle, and it is also claimed that they post
scouts and lookouts when they attack crops, like cockatoos.  However
ornithological orthodoxy has always regarded these claims very sceptically.
Perhaps they are not so far fetched after all.

Bill
--
___________________________________________________________________________
Bill Venables, Dept. of Statistics, | Email: venables@stats.adelaide.edu.au
Univ. of Adelaide, South Australia. | Tel: +61 8 228 5412  Fax: ...232 5670
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: andrewt@watson.ibm.com (Andrew Taylor)
Subject: Re: Hooded Pitohui
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 16:13:55 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

In article <Bxtvo1.E3A@zoo.toronto.edu> rising@zoo.toronto.edu (Jim Rising) writes:
>Believe it or not, Andrew's not having you on this time.

I seem to have a credibility problem.  One friend refused to believe my account
of the Hooded Pituohi until I showed him a newspaper clipping.  John apparently
hasn't forgotten an incident 5 years ago.  I was filling in the long drive back
from birding Cape May with stories of Australia's array of dangerous fauna.

After accounts of venomous snakes, spiders, fish, molluscs jellyfish,
octopuses etc. (all deadly) I described drop bears, a long-clawed carnivorous
equivalent of the koala which drops out of a tree on to the back of its prey
and slashes its throat.  Unfortunately John started telling others about
drop bears until he described them to a group at hawkwatch which unfortunately
included a mammal specialist from the Museum of Natural History. 

Its disappointing that Pitohuis aren't found in Australia.  Fortunately Torres
Strait is a temporary feature and they will rejoin Australia's avifauna
eventually.  Now if we could do something about Gila Monsters.

Andrew "de-gauss that pigeon" Taylor
Newsgroups: rec.birds
From: fskmt@darkhorse.acf-lab.alaska.edu (Rowan K. Shaman)
Subject: Corvid Intelligence
Organization: University of Alaska Computer Network
Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992 01:27:32 GMT

    Can somebody here give me some examples (documented or rumored, it  
doesn't matter to me) of intelligent things crows and ravens do?  Are  
crows and ravens more intelligent than parrots?  Is the story about the  
raven dropping pebbles in a pitcher until it could reach the water true?   
Has anyone here seen ravens playing (tossing sticks back and forth, doing  
flips in the sky, whatever)?  Thanks in advance, Rowan.  
Newsgroups: rec.birds