Hi Tweets,
The 4 letter codes are pretty handy if you're taking lots of field notes, or
marking locations on your DeLorme Atlas (e.g., "here's where I saw a
Pacific-slope Flycatcher" takes up lots more room than "PSFL"), and you do
get used to the codes if you work with them. On the other hand, I agree
that they can be MTTW (more trouble than they're worth?) when used in
general writing.

Incidentally, I had a pretty good neo-tropical migrant weekend, at several
locations around the Puget Sound lowlands (Cougar Mt, Ft. Lewis Prairies,
Carnation Marsh), I saw and heard:

Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
McGillavray's Warbler
Black-throated Grey Warbler
Nashville Warbler
(missed Townsand's and Hermit)

Warbling Vireo
Cassin's Vireo

Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Western Kingbird

I guess they're back!

Rick Romea
romea at pmel.noaa.gov
NOAA/PMEL,7600 Sand Point Way NE,Seattle,WA 98115-0070
TEL (206)523-5831 (Home)
(206)526-6781 (Work)
FAX (206)526-6744