I am guilty of using the abbreviations, but I tend to write the full name
out first in my post, then the abbreviation in parentheses, then use the
abbreviation throughout the post. For birds like Black-backed Woodpecker
(BBWO), it is so much easier to write the code 5 or 6 times than the full
name. I am also a biologist, who uses the codes on a daily basis, thus the
reason I write the full name then the code, for those who aren't "in the
know". Perhaps that would be a good compromise.

Jeff Kozma
Yakima