[reccom] listing of unverified species

[Ron Ryel]

Kris, Thanks for your message and perspectives. And welcome!

You bring up some good points, but I feel good observers are good 
observers, camera (or gun) or not. We accept careful records of state firsts 
without physical evidence at the same level as those with physical evidence. 
Good physical evidence has the benefit of allowing someone else to actually 
review the observation, not simply relying on words. It can also provide 
details not seen by the observer. Some people are reluctant to accept 
species for first state records without physical evidence. So far our records 
committed does not require that, but sometime in the future, the group in 
charge may require this.

Best wishes, Ron



On 12 Jan 2007 at 18:47, Kristin Purdy wrote:

> All,
> 
> Let my put my bottom line up top and then split a few hairs.
> 
> Bottom line: I agree with Ron's proposal.
> 
> Here's the hair splitting, and know that my thoughts require no action
> on anyone's part. I offer this simply as something to consider.
> Designating records that had physical evidence denotes a subliminal
> preference for that evidence. I'll take a wild guess that everyone
> wishes for physical evidence paired with carefully written sight
> records. A designator for physical evidence might not lead our birding
> community to understand the same.
> 
> Look at the reverse situation. The committee has considered records
> with photos and the dreaded narrative, "see photo". Last year's
> Red-throated Loon record was accepted with a few regrets due to the
> missing description. Had that been a first state record, would it have
> been accepted? Of course, the photo doesn't always clinch the ID, as
> with a Blue-headed Vireo and the Mourning Warbler records from a
> couple years ago. Better narratives might have been  the convincing
> elements.
> 
> I've been buffaloed in the past by a photographer who failed to
> remember anything about his bird sighting except what the image
> showed--not habitat, not the way the bird exploited the habitat, size,
> sounds, movement--nothing. I watched this same photographer make an
> incorrect ID of a bird simply from what he saw when he downloaded his
> images. I had advised him what the bird was and where to find it after
> watching and listening to it three times--but after seeing his photo,
> I understood the mistaken ID (it was still wrong--but I "got" it).
> 
> Finally, my point. I believe that sometimes birders grab for the
> camera at the expense of being good observers and all they're left
> with is the image. I hope the designation on records with physical
> evidence doesn't proliferate "see photo" sight records.
> 
> My comments are colored by the fact that I don't own a camera and will
> likely never get a shot of a rare bird. I've been considering holding
> my cell phone camera lens up to my scope eyepiece, though, for those
> future moments spent with rarities and nary a photographer in sight.
> You know the old saw, desperate times call for desperate measures...
> 
> Let the designating begin!
> 
> Kris
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ron Ryel" <range at cc.usu.edu>
> To: "Utah Bird Records Committee" <reccom at utahbirds.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 12:05 AM
> Subject: [reccom] listing of unverified species
> 
> 
> > Milt, Attached is an old state list from Oregon that has
> > designations for species which have physical evidence and for those
> > with accepted sight records, but no physical evidence. I would like
> > to see us do something similar with the Utah list as per our bylaws.
> > What do others think, and is this possible to do with our records
> > (it seems like we could do this rather easily). Best wishes, Ron
> >
> > -- 
> >
> > Dr. Ronald J. Ryel
> > Assistant Professor
> > Department of Wildland Resources
> > Utah State University
> > 5230 Old Main Hill
> > Logan, UT  84322-5230
> > USA
> >
> > ron.ryel at usu.edu
> > range at cc.usu.edu
> > 435-797-8119
> > 435-797-3796 (fax)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
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-- 
     
Dr. Ronald J. Ryel
Assistant Professor
Department of Wildland Resources
Utah State University
5230 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT  84322-5230
USA

ron.ryel at usu.edu
range at cc.usu.edu
435-797-8119
435-797-3796 (fax)