>Was it here or was it on birdchat or on calbirds or in rec.birds? Who knows?
>I am finding that these recurring topics keep me confused and forever
>thinking that I am losing my memory. This is a good point for discussion,
>what to do when a person re-starts a recent (or not so recent thread). One
>option is to go and look it up in the archives, read the info and post a
>question or just be content with the info in those postings and the thread
>ends. However, the person starting the thread and the number of new tweeters
>on line now versus when the thread originally started may have a lot to
>offer as far as discussion and food for thought. On the other hand, the
>people that participated in the previous discussion may not care to get into
>it again due to thread burnout. What is a creative and useful way to deal
>with recycled threads?
>
>Alvaro Jaramillo

My guess is that there's no easy solution to this. Notwithstanding our
ability to search the archives, it may be just as quick and easy to have
the new discussion. It will certainly bring in different viewpoints (new
subscribers, as you wrote) and new knowledge (I didn't have the opportunity
to look up the Common Sandpiper stuff the first time, and I don't think you
mentioned that the Argentina swallows might not be Barns), so perhaps
there's no harm in recycling threads when the weave is always changing. I
certainly have conversations with friends that we've had before, but
there's always (or at least often) a new slant.

Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416