Hello tweeters,
How is everyone ?

This is to inform everybody of a new English version informal mailing list
tentatively called "kantori". It is informal in the sense that there
is no proper mail server for the list. It is merely a collection of
E-mail addresses of people who are interested in participating in the list.

The principal topic of discussion is KANTO BIRD WATCHING
That's the Kanto plain of Japan, including Tokyo and the
surrounding prefectures.

I (Neil Fergusson) will keep an updated list of participants and
their E-mail addresses, and periodically mail it to everyone on the list.
Each person would be responsible for setting up his/her own group alias
which would allow posting to everyone on the list.

If you are interested in subscribing, simply:

1. add the following group (only 3 members so far) as an alias to your
mailer:

mv124 at ripsport.aist (Neil FERGUSSON)
ferjan at etl.go.jp (Fer-Jan DE VRIES)
Lars.hylander at mv.slu.se (Lars HYLANDER)

2. Send an E-mail to me (mv124 at ripsport.aist.go.jp), so that I can
add your name and E-mail address to the list and circulate it to
everyone else.

3. Keep in mind, that to unsubscribe and be taken off the list
either temporarily (if you go on vacation), or permanently,
just send me (mv124 at ripsport.aist.go.jp) an E-mail, and I
will take you off.

You will receive an introductory letter.

Here are some guidelines:

* Capitalizing all birds names makes it easy to skim messages.
From my past experience, (for example with the list "tweeters" in
Washington state, U.S.) this is a great benefit.

For example,
"... yesterday I saw a few remaining DUSKY THRUSH [Tsugumi] in the
field next to ..."

The purpose of the discussion is to communicate ideas about Kanto
birding. It is NOT meant as an eloquent/glib display of English skills.

Although the purpose of the list is to provide a media for those
of us whose Japanese is poor (me for example) who desire an enlightenening
discussion of local bird information, local Japanese participants are both
welcomed and encouraged.

* Topics should be limited to

a. Principal topic: Birds of the Kanto Plain
i. Birdwatching:
identification tips, good birding places, results of field trips,
information about new field trips, etc.
ii. Kanto bird Ecology:
when, where and why do which birds occur, habitat preferences,
changing habits, etc.
b. Other minor topics which may be of interest, but are not the primary
interest of the list
i. Plant, mammal, reptile, etc. (non-bird) ecology.
ii. Birding other areas in Japan, the world, etc.

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Bye
Neil Fergusson
mv124 at ripsport.aist.go.jp
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Below is a SAMPLE posting:

My guess is that Woodcocks are rather common around Tsukuba in
the few places where existence is still permitted to them.

I mean: most of Tsukuba seems to be sandsoil, and must have been
covered by forest. There must have been a florishing Woodcock
population. What we see nowadays, woodcocks in the forestedges of the
scienceparks, must be a remainder of that.

Sunday I biked again to Edosaki: the "sand"hills between Arakawaoki and
Edosaki used to be covered by mainly coniferous forest: now much of
the trees are cut, and the topsoil is barren in wintertime, and
covered by plastic greenhouses the rest of the time. (They are
building up these plastic tents right now.) During the whole winter
the wind had free play: at many places you can see the eroding effect
of the wind. At places the fields half cover the roads.

fj

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