Date: 9/8/26 8:59 am From: Ragan, Lawrence Christopher <lcr1...> Subject: Re: Early Birding Alerts
So I’d like to add a little bit of history (maybe unknown) to this discussion as well.
In 1984 through 1987 I worked as an educator/trainer in the College of Ag at PSU. The College had received a 2M grant to computerize the Extension Service and my role was to train the faculty and staff how to use Macintosh computers. I was a more active birder as well.
One of the PEN deliverables was an early version of social media (we didn’t use those words back then) called PENpages. PENpages was introduced internally for extension agents in 1984 and opened to the public in 1985. PENpages had tons of information and updates around agricultural topics.
One of the pages I started was a Rare Bird Alerts. Actually, I don’t recall the actual title I used. Each week I’d email this fellow named Dan Bruaning in Philly and get the updates. I am sure you all know Dan’s name, he is currently the Supervisor of the Wildlife Diversity Section of the Bureau of Wildlife Management, Pennsylvania Game Commission! I’d then post those alerts to PENpages. I left the College in 1987 am I am pretty certain the project was not carried forward.
Not sure if anyone around those days was even aware of PENpages and these birding updates but I wanted to add this little bit of history.
