[reccom] Proposed Review List Changes

[David Wheeler]

Hello, All (y Hola, Mark)!
 
In general I applaud Mr. Stackhouse's efforts to better define the review list, though I wonder how complicated we want to make our list.  I may quibble with the details (Ovenbirds & Redpolls still strike me as a species warranting our scrutiny, as an example), but I think Mark is on the right track.  I realize it must take superhuman effort to concentrate on mundane Committee matters whilst on a tropical beach, burdened with more engaging decisions like whether to go for the Corona with lime or Pacifico sin citrus on the next go-round.
 
I would like to second his proposal and hope we get to vote on it, perhaps after a bit of refining.  The vote should allow us to vote to accept the range of interest separate from the species (so, say, Mark might vote to accept the Gunnison sage grouse as a review species but not in Weber Co., where he might know of a thriving lek--thus forcing us to hash out a better range of interest in a subsequent forum/vote)
 
Happy weekend to y'all,
 
David

>>> Mark Stackhouse <westwings at sisna.com> 2/9/2007 3:00 PM >>>
Okay, I got no response from my earlier rambling, 
hypothetical/philosophical rant, and since I'm sitting here with the 
ever warming sun softening my brain-cells, thought I might put it all 
into a more concrete proposal. Probably a bad idea, but here's a 
proposal about how to change and modify our review list to make it more 
specific and useful. Please comment.

First, I think we need to state up front that any bird seen that's not 
currently on the official state checklist needs to be documented. It 
seems obvious, but I can't find it actually stated on the Utah Birds 
website - we should make this point clear.

To continue, I propose that the following species be dropped from the 
documentation requested list:

Broad-winged Hawk  - already proposed for removal
Ovenbird - ? seems like we have a long history of somewhat regular 
sightings of this species
Clay-colored Sparrow - ? likewise

I have a few others proposed for selective (partial) removal below.

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of southern Utah, defined as the following 
counties: Beaver, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Kane, Millard, Piute, 
San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Washington and Wayne.

White-winged Dove
Greater Roadrunner 
Spotted Owl 
Acorn Woodpecker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 
Black Phoebe 
Vermilion Flycatcher 
Cassin's Kingbird 
Hooded Oriole 

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of northern Utah, defined as the following 
counties: Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Juab, 
Morgan, Rich, Salt Lake, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, and 
Weber.

Barrow's Goldeneye
Gray Partridge 
Ruffed Grouse
Grasshopper Sparrow 

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of extreme northern Utah, defined as the 
following counties: Box Elder, Cache, Daggett, Morgan, Rich, Summit, 
and Weber.

Sharp-tailed Grouse 
Common Redpoll  - represents a removal from the main request list

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of Washington County.

Common Black-Hawk
Inca Dove
Lesser Nighthawk 
Costa's Hummingbird
Brown-crested Flycatcher 
Bell's Vireo 
Verdin
Cactus Wren 
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 
Crissal Thrasher 
Phainopepla 
Lucy's Warbler 
Hermit Warbler - represents a removal from the main request list
Abert's Towhee
Rufous-crowned Sparrow
Black-chinned Sparrow 

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of the Uinta Mountains, (Daggett, Duchesne, 
Summit and Uintah Counties).

White-tailed Ptarmigan 

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of Zion National Park (Washington County).

Painted Redstart - represents removal from the main request list [my 
reasoning: It seems that a breeding population of this species has 
established in the park and that continued review of reports from the 
park add little to our knowledge of the species, however, sightings 
outside of the park would be of considerable interest.]

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings outside of San Juan County:

Gunnison Sage-Grouse

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings during the winter months (Dec., Jan. and Feb.)

Swainson's Hawk
Wilson's Phalarope
Common Nighthawk

I propose that we request documentation for the following species only 
for sightings during the summer months (June, July, Aug.)

Glaucous-winged Gull - proposed for removal from the main request list
Glaucous Gull
Northern Shrike
Bohemian Waxwing
Lapland Longspur 

I know that this looks very complex, but I think it would be easy and 
simple to express in the request list by use of appropriate footnotes. 
This kind of conditional documentation request is used in other large, 
diverse states, and I think it would really help us to track 
occurrences of birds outside of their usual pattern within Utah.

I await all comments while the rays continue to penetrate my cranium, 
softening, ever softening . . .

Ahhhhhh . . . .

Mark Stackhouse
Westwings, Inc.
www.westwings.com 
mark at westwings.com 
801-487-9453 (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)
011-52-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico)
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