Dear Frustrated Drifter,

Since I don't know when you joined the listserv or what you consider "good," my answers are going to be, by necessity, somewhat generic.

If you joined in the spring, when migration was in full swing, you are probably frustrated by the doldrums of summer, when resident breeding birds are quiet and hidden by the leaves, and when less people are out birding and reporting.  Summer birding tends to be slower than spring time, so reports fall off and there are less "exciting" finds.  If that is the case, have patience:  Fall shorebird migration is about to gear up, and then things will get busy again.

If you joined years ago, when the listserv was one of the few ways that bird reports were spread through the birding community, then what you are seeing now is the result of there being many more sources of information these days.  eBird and Facebook groups compete with the listserv and not everybody who posts on one site will cross post to others.  I personally follow eBird, 3 Facebook groups, the Cincinnati Bird page, and this list.

If you want to know where the rare birds are, you have to sign on to several services.  The Facebook group OHIO RARE BIRD ALERT is dedicated to getting out RBAs in the fastest, most efficient way possible.  The rules are strict: No chit-chat or conversations, photos are not encouraged, and the admins don't hesitate to remove members who don't obey.  eBird can be set to give you alerts for rare birds or for birds you need for your state and county lists.  

Or, you could find rare birds the old fashioned way:  Get out and bird.  I can guarantee you will see more birds if you spend more time looking for them, rather than sitting at home waiting to read what has been seen by others.|

Kathi HuttonClermont County

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