Jack Levene (wildlife at cix.compulink.co.uk) has recently released version 2 of
this powerful Windows birding database. For those looking for new birding
software, I would invite you to review a few of its features that are listed
below. This is a very slick program.

This program is able to import files from other databases by the production of
an ASCII comma delimited file containg details of the sighting records.

Allows unlimited number of lists for counties, states, countries, regions,
sites.

Sightings details including species family number, species number, sub-species
number, common name, scientific name, site name, dates, counts, record status,
sex, age, notes, status of record( heard only, etc.)

Full MID implementation, ie only 1 menu and status bar shown for all windows.

Icon Bars. For fast access to commonly used functions.

Keyboard commands. For fast access to many functions.

Tabbed dialog boxes.

Report preview. Allows one to see what a report will look like before it is
printed.

Report page selections. A selective range of pages can be printed. This
allows any pages which have been lost or spooled to be reprinted without the
need to reprint the whole document.

Page Layout Settings. The margin widths can be specified for printed reports.

Status, Ages, Habitats. An edit facility allows one to change system supplied
values and also allows one to create own entries.

Desktop saving. When one saves a desktop, the position of the open windows is
saved.

Find Facility. A find function which will find the required record within the
existing data displayed in the window.

Species Searches. Allows searches against any data held in the database.
Searches against species' names also find matches within alternate names (if
present).

AOU and Euring. The AOU and Euring numbers fields can be entered. The new
world species database now comes with the AOU number already entered.
Preferred and Alternate Names. The species can be given a preferred name and
any number of alternate names such as the 4-letter code for a species. A
function exists to change an alternate name to the preferred name if required.
The species database contains many alternate names.

Special Characters. There is no restriction on special characters in a
species name.

Notes. Up to 240 characters of notes may be entered against each species.

Families. The species database holds the names of families in addition to
species. It is possible to display only the names of the families in the
database window. A family can be opened to display the species within it by
clicking on a folder icon.

Faunal Zones. The worldwide faunal zones are complete.

LOCATION FACILITIES

Searches against names allow generic searches, e.g., find all names containing
"bay" would find all location names containing "bay"., etc.

Notes. Up to 240 characters per location

Altitude. The lowest and Highest altitudes of the site may be optionally
recorded. These can be used to perform detailed analysis of sightings at
particular altitudes.

Habitats. The habitats covered by the site can be recorded. Up to 20
different habitats can optionally be associated with each site. These can be
used to perform detailed analyses of sightings in particular habitats.

Report. A printed report on the selected sites may be produced.

Parent/Child Sites. It is now possible to relate sites to one another. e.g.,
Montlake Fill is a part of King County, Discovery Park is a part of King
County. The relationships are recognized by sighting queries and lists so
that, given the axample above, a search for King County would also find
sigthings for Montlake Fill and Discovery Park.

SIGHTINGS FACILITIES

Multiple Databases allowed.

Enhanced Trip Recording.
Weather notes up to 100 characters.
General Notes up to 140 characters.
Start and end time. The start and end time of a trip can be recorded
in addition to the date. This allows more than 1 trip entry to be made
for a site on a particular day.

Enhanced Sighting Recording.
Start and End time.
Counts. Number of individuals limit up to 2,147,483,648 individuals.
Approximation. An indicator can be set to show that a count is
approximate. This results in c. being appended to the count in any
printed report. Status Code. Up to 20 status codes available such as "not
accepted by ABA", "Status under review by rare birds committee, etc.

Ages/Sexes. Up to 10 entries can be created for each sighting which
describe the age, sex. e.g. 1 adult male, 2 2nd winter, 1 juvenile, etc.

Rapid Data Entry. Allows one to drop any number of species which have been
marked in a list or species database into the species edit control on the
sightings form. The option is then given to automatically create sightings
for each of the species or to prompt for each selected species in turn so that
additoinal information such as counts can be added to the sighting.

Scientific Names. It is possible to use scientific names when entering
sightings.

List Facilities.

Period lists
Summary reports
Comparison reports

Scott Ray SCRAY at DELPHI.COM
209 S. 40th Ave.
Yakima, WA 98908
(509) 965-5456