Twitter for rarities (2 Viewers)

Summary might be difficult with only 140 characters. I dont intend posting everything reported to me or picked up from other sources, a) might interfere with the day job and b) dont want to replace traffic visiting the blog for the daily summary.

what level of rarieties do people think should be posted on the main feed? My inclination is BBRC rarities including the old ones of Radde's etc.

Hotspur said:

what level of rarieties do people think should be posted on the main feed? My inclination is BBRC rarities including the old ones of Radde's etc.

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What about a bittern at kinnordy?

BBRC upwards, but not cattle egret sounds good

Marcus Conway - ebirder said:

What about a bittern at kinnordy?

BBRC upwards, but not cattle egret sounds good

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Agreed unless people are interested - retweets and replies to tweets will only occur on 'good' rarities so if people get into a Cattle Egret cos its the 3 rd county record then fair play but i dont fancy a bittern at kinnordy scenario.

Check this out... http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=94496&highlight=twitter

And look at the date,.. a man ahead of his time!

Graham

I've had a thought... should the logo for this new venture look like this...

Pete Mella said:

I've had a thought... should the logo for this new venture look like this...

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Love it! :t:

James - I've been playing with Twitter for a few days now, and wonder if this would be the best way for people to use Rarevine...

If anyone puts a "#rarevine" tag in all their rarity tweet, then anyone can follow anyone's rarevine posts by going here http://search.twitter.com/search?q=#rarevine

This has the advantage that anyone can use their ordinary Twitter account to post there, rather than having to use a dedicated rarity account.

Pete Mella said:

James - I've been playing with Twitter for a few days now, and wonder if this would be the best way for people to use Rarevine...

If anyone puts a "#rarevine" tag in all their rarity tweet, then anyone can follow anyone's rarevine posts by going here http://search.twitter.com/search?q=#rarevine

This has the advantage that anyone can use their ordinary Twitter account to post there, rather than having to use a dedicated rarity account.

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I posted my last tweet with this terminus and it does nto appear on the link Pete.

It does here though http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23rarevine. Have just noticed this guys so whilst i have popped the #rarevine on a couple of messages i havent on todays rarity news posted until now. In future i will do. Anyone can follow rarevine now and post - no need for a dedicated account.

Cool. Is there a delay on it?
Have posted another...

Only problem is it seems to search tweets that have been deleted so beware! I deleted one because I put the wrong date on it, but it's still coming up.

Also I put today's posts up as a test, but if they're not rare enough sightings I'll desist.

An interesting add on for Twitters is a piece of software called TweetDeck,it alerts you when a message is sent,worth a try. www.tweetdeck.com.

POP

Are you guys just using this on the t'internet, ie blogs etc or on Mobile phones? Ive been doing a Cornwall twitter on the St Gothian Sands Blog but i cant really see the point of doing it to be honest. All the news is on Cornwall Birding (and RBA/birdguides/birdforum etc etc etc etc...) Unless you use the mobile phones its just duplicating news?! And the mobile set up costs 25p per text (correct me if i'm wrong). I cant see it replacing the pager/phone services already set up myself.

Conorbirda2 said:

Are you guys just using this on the t'internet, ie blogs etc or on Mobile phones? Ive been doing a Cornwall twitter on the St Gothian Sands Blog but i cant really see the point of doing it to be honest. All the news is on Cornwall Birding (and RBA/birdguides/birdforum etc etc etc etc...) Unless you use the mobile phones its just duplicating news?! And the mobile set up costs 25p per text (correct me if i'm wrong). I cant see it replacing the pager/phone services already set up myself.

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Personally Conor I not quite sure what am achieving with Twitter,as you rightly say all the info is on the web and one gets contact on the mobile for a rarity.I would imagine it could work well if local birders set up their own little networks though again a quick call on the phone would cover.perhaps info from a fellow Twitter on areas to bird in their area would be useful.I think that technology is racing away in every direction,what is new today old hat tommorow, in fact we will soon be reaching our destination before having left the departure point.

POP

Conorbirda2 said:

Are you guys just using this on the t'internet, ie blogs etc or on Mobile phones? Ive been doing a Cornwall twitter on the St Gothian Sands Blog but i cant really see the point of doing it to be honest. All the news is on Cornwall Birding (and RBA/birdguides/birdforum etc etc etc etc...) Unless you use the mobile phones its just duplicating news?! And the mobile set up costs 25p per text (correct me if i'm wrong). I cant see it replacing the pager/phone services already set up myself.

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This is working well in the North East now (site address below) for Bird North east it does three things.

1. Provides a quick way of updating our site with a new sighting whilst out in the field.
2. Gives everyone who has Blackberry/Iphone the opportunity to pick up sightings using mobile Internet.
3. Posts can be made for long stayers etc that have fallen off the edge with the pagers.

When Twitter gets to the point of being collectable via SMS in the Uk it will offer a genuine low cost replacement to the nationals or even the regional Birdlines.
It also offers a way for a single entity to communicate with a lot of people regionally quickly at zero cost.
Anyway thats my take on it.

If twitter does take off this spring, hope you like doing lots of driving to see common species.
You only have to look at many of the posting comments and replys on this site to be aware what an unmoderated information site will be reporting.

Rare Visitor said:

This is working well in the North East now (site address below) for Bird North east it does three things.

1. Provides a quick way of updating our site with a new sighting whilst out in the field.
2. Gives everyone who has Blackberry/Iphone the opportunity to pick up sightings using mobile Internet.
3. Posts can be made for long stayers etc that have fallen off the edge with the pagers.

When Twitter gets to the point of being collectable via SMS in the Uk it will offer a genuine low cost replacement to the nationals or even the regional Birdlines.
It also offers a way for a single entity to communicate with a lot of people regionally quickly at zero cost.
Anyway thats my take on it.

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Can you explain how your site is updated from the field?

Andrew Gibson said:

If twitter does take off this spring, hope you like doing lots of driving to see common species.
You only have to look at many of the posting comments and replys on this site to be aware what an unmoderated information site will be reporting.

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Here's the feed from the last 24 hours. Looks unformatted on here (cos it is), but what a stream of info coming through free of charge to abything with a browser or live feed. Not a bad start and not too much dross! Not a waxwing in sight!

Rarevine: #Rarevine RN & Fudge Duck, Hoveton Little Broad, Norfolk; GG Shrike, Lakenheath, SUffolk; Spoonbill, Fingringhoe Wick, Essex;
about 1 hour ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine GG Shrike, Dersingham, Norfolk, Pannel Valley, E Sussex; Red-breasted Goose, E Head, W Sussex;
about 1 hour ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine GG Shrike, Clocaenog Forest, Clywd, Cirencester, Glos; RB Gull, Dinham Flats, Cornwall; Spoonbill(2), Lodmoor, Dorset;
about 1 hour ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine RN Duck, Foxcote Res, Bucks;
about 4 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine GW Teal, Eyebrook Res, Leics; Cattle Egret, Matlaske, Norfolk, Yelland, Devon, St Marys, Scilly; Spoonbill, Isley MArsh, Devon
about 4 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine RB Gull, Dundee, Belmullet, Mayo, ; Snow Goose, Termoncarragh Loch, Mayo; King Eider,Lissadell,Sligo;Cattle Egret,Port St Mary,IOM
about 4 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine AMERICAN HERRING GULL, Otter Estuary, Devon;
about 4 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine RL Buzzard, Coombe Hill, Berks; Snowy Owl, Shapinsay, Orkney;
about 18 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine Cattle Egret(6), Inchydoney Island, Cork; GG Shrike, Cirencester, Glos; Great Shearwater, Lyme Bay, Dorset; RB Gull, Hull;
about 18 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #Rarevine Snowy Owl, Zennor, Cornwall; Cattle Egret, St Mary's, Scilly; Spoonbill, Stony Island, Scilly
about 24 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine red-breasted goose, west wittering, w sussex; Cattle Egret, Yelland, Devon, Powderham, Devon; Spoonbill, Isley Marsh, Devon;
about 24 hours ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine Spoonbill, Alresford Creek, Essex; RL Buzzard, Harty Ferry, SHeppey & Faccombe, Hants;GG Shrike, Pannel Valley, Kent;
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine Crane(4) & GG Shrike, Lakenheath, Suffolk; GG Shrike, Dersingham, Norfolk; Cattle Egret, Matlaske, Norfolk;
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine RN Duck, Vartry Res, WIcklow; correction - GGShrike, Dalton Crags, Cumbria, also Mynydd Illtyd, Powys; GW Teal, Maxey GPs, Cambs;
1 day ago from web · Reply · View Tweet
Rarevine: #rarevine RN Duck, North Ronalsay; Cackling Goose, Caelaverock, Dumfries; GG Shrike, Dalton Crags, Derbys; Cattle Egret, Port st Mary, IOM;
1 day ago from web · Reply · View