Monday 22 March 2010

Introducing "The Cast in alphabetical order"

Hilke of "One Jackdaw Birding" recently commented that she had trouble finding the bird species I mentioned in one of my posts in her German field guides as I only provided the English names.

This had me thinking, and even successfully so as I realized that she's got a significant point there:
Even though I blog in English, this is still a German bird blog (sometimes), so I really ought to also mention the German names in those posts that are about the birds of Germany, or more generally about European bird species.

Therefore, from this day on my blog posts (those with European content) will conclude with a list of the birds mentioned. Therein I will provide the English name, the scientific name, the German name and the English translation of the German name (as in this post of mine).

7 comments:

Clare said...

That seems like a lot of work. I, for one, look forward to seeing the lists, learning the names in German. I may even steal the idea but for the names of birds in Inuktitut.

Jochen said...

@Clare: Ha ha, it would have been a lot of work at the German Baltic sea coast where a 100-species day isn't that unusual. But here around Leimen/Heidelberg, I am fairly relaxed. Not much happening...
And of course you have the official permission, no, invitation to steal any idea from Belltowerbirding for your blog!

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Now you should come to Africa and average 150 birds a day especially in some areas. :) You will definitely have your work cut out for you then.

Be sure to look at my post on the 26th Jochen, more fantastic images of nature at her best. :)

Hilke Breder said...

Thanks for your consideration, Jochen. Actually for me the Latin name would have been sufficient since all my bird guides in book form also index the Latin name (none of my electronic guides do). For my annual trip to Hamburg in May to see my family however I just bought the Princeton Field Guide "Birds of Europe", all in English. Now I can finally look up what a fieldfare looks like :-)!
So I am all set and as far as I am concerned, you can omit the Latin.

Fraser Simpson said...

Some of the German translations of birds' names are so much more expressive. I like the divers and 'Screaming Eagle'!

Anonymous said...

I'd be happy to tag my posts with bird names in German, if you'd care to supply them.

The birds, that is. Any one can look up the names.

:)

Laurent said...

I can't wait for the German translations......