EURING Newsletter - Volume 2, December 1998

THE EURING DATA BANK

REPORT FROM THE EURING DATA BANK MANAGER

By Rinse Wassenaar

VOGELTREKSTATION ARNHEM CENTRE FOR TERRESTRIAL ECOLOGY, OF THE NETHERLANDS INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY, P.O.BOX 40, 6666 ZG HETEREN, THE NETHERLANDS (Email: rinse@cto.nioo.knaw.nl)

Since the first issue of the Euring Newsletter many things have happened.

More schemes have been able to start sending coded recoveries to the EDB, some even at a regular basis. Other schemes are still in the process of collecting means and the necessary tools to start computerizing data.

Without neclecting the huge efforts of those schemes, especially the ones in Middle and Eastern Europe, presented here is an example of recovery numbers for a Southern Scheme, compared with a more Northern one.

Both were during 1998 able to complete coding and to send in their old as well as their fresh recovery data in a self chosen practical order.

BOLOGNA IAB STAVANGER NOS.
A few "interesting" species from scheme numbers: both schemes now in the EDBfile.

Efforts are concentrated on stimulating all european schemes to take up the coding, computerising and sending of recoveries to the EDB. (Copies of the coding manual are available - do contact the EDB manager.)

Apart from the work devoted to the larger projects such as the combined RUFO/JVR/EMP/EURING project, the Waterfowl Atlas plans, the Swallow project, etc. and the regular work on more restricted data requests, much time has been devoted on the plans for assisting some schemes under the EURING/EDB umbrella. Time constraints did not permit a more wide and well directed advertizing of the (possibilities of the) EDB among professional ornithologists. But, since quite many visitors from other schemes were received and informed in Heteren, the word is spreading.

The recently circulated request for sending coding questions and proposals for improvements by email has so far only lead to one reaction from Sweden. Much time went into the various problems around the organising of Tulcea98. At this General Meeting ideas about improving and modernizing the present Euring Code were further developed. Another important decision taken there was that from 15 October 1998 on, also any "data requests for purely regional avifaunistical purposes" (a Rule decided upon in Greifswald 1984) had to be circulated to all schemes involved for obtaining their specific permissions.

The "One-Month-Only-Response-Time" should keep the waiting periods reduced.

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