MASSBIRD is a mailing list dedicated to the interchange of wild bird and birding information relevant to Massachusetts
and New England. The list is owned and moderated by Barbara
Volkle. This list is intended for the discussion of local issues -
such as birding locations, local conditions, reports of local rarities
and unusual sightings, pelagic trip reports, legislative alerts, events
and speakers in the area, and calls for volunteers in research and census
activities. Hopefully, novice birdwatchers, visitors to our area, and our
local experts alike, will share their questions and knowledge through this
mailing list. Together we have made MASSBIRD a useful forum, sharing information
on a real time basis.
If you wish to bring up a topic of environmental
concern that is of special interest to birders in Massachusetts or the
northeast (i.e., local content), contact the moderator.
Such posts should be designed to summarize the issue and inform readers
of how they can pursue the topic from that point on.
Most of us lead enormously busy lives - family,
home and work commitments, and of course, a demanding interest in birding.
Please respect each other's time by limiting your posts on massbird to
topics within the charter.
- Please SIGN your posts with your NAME, TOWN
and EMAIL ADDRESS. This is the convention used by MASSBIRD and other birding
email lists.
- Be sure to give the location of your sightings
by town. Many birders are listening in - including beginners, those new
to the area, and those planning visits. Don't assume that everyone listening
is familiar with finding your birding location. Additionally, your clarity
helps others put your reports in context.
- Make your title meaningful. Date and location
make it clear what your message is about. This simple idea makes it possible
for readers to find and process your message easily.
- Avoid abbreviations and codes. While many
of us figure these things out, participants with less experience with MASSBIRD
have to translate these. Make it easy for your message to be easily understood.
- If possible, provide details on numbers of
birds seen, especially unusual species. Records are created from postings
to MASSBIRD for Bird Observer and Massachusetts Audubon. Noting weather
information is also useful.
- Finally, post in PLAIN TEXT. If at all possible,
avoid MIME and HTML including highlighting or text formatting. The majordomo
software that handles massbird translates these formats into additional
code that is unnecessary and confusing for digest users. NO ATTACHMENTS,
please!
If you are not able to post or reach
me at my primary email address, contact me directly at b_volkle@yahoo.com.
How
do I subscribe?
Send an e-mail message addressed to: majordomo@theworld.com,
with the text of the message saying:
Subscribe massbird user@address.here
(your name here)
You will receive a message back, requesting that
you confirm your request. Simply follow the instructions.
A digest version is issued once a day (late
at night or early in the morning), or more often if a rarity is reported.
This way, you receive only one message from Massbird, with the text of
all messages since the last digest. You can receive this by sending a message
to the above address with the message:
Subscribe massbird-digest user@address.here
(your name here)
How
do I get OFF the list?
Send a message to majordomo@theworld.com
with the text:
Unsubscribe Massbird user@address.here
(your name here)
What
do I do if I go on vacation?
A lot of people prefer to switch to the digest
when they go on vacation. To make this change, send a message to majordomo@theworld.com,
and say:
Unsubscribe massbird user@address.here
(your name here)
Subscribe massbird-digest user@address.here
(your name here)
How
do I post a message?
Send your e-mail message to Massbird@theworld.com
What
do I do if I have a question or problem?
The listowner and moderator is Barbara
Volkle
Assistant moderator is Marjorie
Rines