[Birdtalk] off-topic

[RICHARD JILL WOOD]

I don't think you answered my question or got my point.

Where I now live, the records committee is solicitng reports on sitings of 
Monk Parakeets, yet a member of the record committee admits that they may 
never review them.

My question is, how ethical (or unethical) is that?

And if it is unethical, who do we report them to?

I think that this is a VERY productive matter.

Richard

>From: "Glenn B. Barlow" <gbarlow at aros.net>
>To: "'RICHARD JILL WOOD'" <rwoodphd at msn.com>
>CC: <birdtalk at utahbirds.org>
>Subject: RE: [Birdtalk] off-topic
>Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2006 22:21:33 -0600
>
>Well, Dr. Wood.
>
>I am sure that some folks would agree with your example, and some would 
>not.
>It depends, I guess, on what the submitter wanted to prove, or not.  
>Doesn't
>it?  If both persons are operating on the basis of honesty, then there
>probably is not a problem.  Besides, as I understand it, there are several
>people on the records committee and one of the individuals could excuse
>himself/herself from making a judgment, if it became necessary.  I suppose
>if that was the case, then the other members of the committee could make a
>judgment.
>
>For example (just and example), if someone new to the area claimed he/she
>had seen a bird that had never been recorded in a particular location, then
>I think the report has to be questioned.  Unless, of course, the individual
>submits some kind of photographic evidence, or has a credible witness.
>
>Also, as another example, while at Bear River Bird Refuge today, we saw 
>many
>dowitchers.  I wanted to find a Short-billed.  Knowing how rare they are in
>this area, after I located what I thought was such a bird, I asked a person
>whom I considered credible, to look at the bird and told him why I thought
>it was a Short-billed Dowitcher.  It was a good thing, because after he
>studied it and in his mind considered the various facts, etc., and 
>confirmed
>the sighting, then all the birds flew!  So, I added it to my list.
>
>Do you know what evidence the person in your example has/had/might have as
>evidence that he/she truly saw the bird claimed to be seen, other than the
>person's own word?  A photo?  A witness?  Remember, there is a saying that
>goes something like, "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall all 
>truth
>be established.
>
>If I were you I would forget the matter and spend your time on something
>more productive, whatever that might be.
>
>For example, we heard a talk tonight by Pete Dunne on the "Art of Pishing."
>Perhaps you could buy his new book with that subject, and learn to perfect
>your ability to "pish," if it needs improving.
>
>Just my thoughts.
>
>Glenn Barlow
>A Utah Birder
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: birdtalk-bounces at utahbirds.org 
>[mailto:birdtalk-bounces at utahbirds.org]
>On Behalf Of RICHARD JILL WOOD
>Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2006 8:07 PM
>To: birdtalk at utahbirds.org
>Subject: [Birdtalk] off-topic
>
>Hi all,
>
>I've been thinking about this for quite a while now.
>
>A person reports seeing a bird that is "rare" to an area, and he is
>"requested" to submit a report to the local records committee by a member 
>of
>
>said committee.  However, this person (the observer) does not know that the
>record committee will either a) reject the observer's report, or b) never
>even review it.
>
>Is it just me, or is this rather unethical behavior on the part of the
>records committee?  And who does one go to to complain about record
>committeesand their unethical behavior?
>
>To me, this is like submitting a grant proposal and being on the review
>committee that is reviewing the proposals.
>
>Richard
>
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