So far, two responders have taken the second half of this statement
out of context:
> "From a data perspective, posting bird sightings to this
listserv is almost completely useless."
The qualifier is important because the listserv definitely has some
important functions for the birding community. Acting as a central
repository for bird records is not one of them. Compilers, to their
credit, have spent countless hours trolling the listservs for bird
data. The point isn't that there is not some data to be mined here;
rather that the data could be so much more valuable and so much easier
for compilers to access if the observers took just a couple minutes
per checklist to enter it into eBird.
A brief comparison of eBird data and listserv data:
1) Both contain some misidentifications
2) Listserv data are generally georeferenced indirectly, poorly, or not at all.
3) Listserv postings are generally anecdotal, lacking any effort data
The point of eBird is not to replace things like the statewide
seasonal survey or the listserv, but to encourage birders to collect
more data in a more rigorous way and submit it to a medium that is
actually intended as a scientific data repository.
Dave Slager
Columbus, OH
On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 8:19 AM, Allen T. Chartier
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I'll second the strong disagreement with the statement:
>
> "Posting bird sightings to the listserv is almost completely useless."
>
> As a seasonal compiler of bird records in Michigan, I have used the various
> listserv postings for many years to accumulate a fuller picture of bird
> occurrences within the state. Many sightings posted on listservs never make
> it to eBird, so unless eBird dominates the world (it never will), these
> postings will always have value. A more difficult development has been the
> proliferation of personalized sites, like Flickr, Facebook, and blogs where
> bird sightings and photos are posted. How many of these hundreds of sites
> does a compiler have to subscribe to or check now in order to compile a
> state's bird records? More than 200 observers still submit their seasonal
> records on paper forms that are mailed out each season as well. The concept
> of eBird is great, with the potential to centralize these bird records, but
> there are some issues that are still significant. For example, 5 observers
> could submit sightings from exactly the same spot, but could list the locale
> differently which might suggest a different locale! Why don' those operating
> eBird bring some control to this issue? Identifications is another issue.
> While each state has a data reviewer, this person focuses on rarities. When
> I was data reviewer for Michigan for the Great Backyard Bird Count, I sent
> out hundreds of emails following up on Purple Finches, Field Sparrows, and
> Red-headed Woodpeckers, among others. Typically, more than 90% of the Field
> Sparrows and Red-headed Woodpeckers reported were misidentified and the
> observers changed their sightings to American Tree Sparrows and Red-bellied
> (or Downy!) Woodpeckers. More than half the Purple Finches are changed to
> House Finches. So, if hundreds of emails are required to vet the sightings
> of a 4-day event, how much work would it be to vet an entire 3-4 month
> season? Yes, eBird is a great tool, but it still has a long way to go.
>
> Allen T. Chartier
> amazilia1(at)comcast.net
> Inkster, Michigan, USA
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Grody, Elayna M." <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 7:57 AM
> Subject: Re: [Ohio-birds] How valuable are listserv postings?
>
>
> Though I agree having more information about the data is beneficial and it
> is good to recommend the eBird site, I disagree that "Posting bird sightings
> to the listserv is almost completely useless."
>
> At the City of Columbus, there are over 300 parkland areas. As the one
> person staff of the Natural Resources Section, the information has been
> vital to me to know what species are inhabiting our parks to help guide
> management of them.
>
> One example is the sedge wrens that nested in Big Walnut Park in a wet area
> that was historically mowed on a bi-weekly schedule. Once it was reported
> that the sedge wrens were hanging around, I was able to convince the
> maintenance crew to not mow the large area (which was really too wet anyway,
> but they would mow it and make ruts). The sedge wrens then hung around
> because they had the habitat. I would have never known they were there had
> it not been for the listserv.
>
> There are many other examples I could give as well. But I guess my point is
> that the information given on the listserv is more valuable than just a
> heads-up to what a birder can go see to check off their life list.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dave
> Slager
> Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 6:38 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [Ohio-birds] How valuable are listserv postings?
>
>> How much trouble would it be to report age classes of raptors?
>
> As Blakeman suggests, noting age classes of wintering Red-tails is one
> of many easy ways for the birding community to contribute to avian
> science and conservation. But please don't just send this info to the
> listserv. From a data perspective, posting bird sightings to this
> listserv is almost completely useless.
>
> On the other hand, by taking 2 or 3 minutes at the end of each birding
> stop to record species, numbers, effort data, and other easy info like
> raptor age classes, we as birdwatchers can make a lasting contribution
> to avian science. By far the best way to do this is with eBird
> (which, by the way, provides a handy and quantitative way to record
> age and sex numbers during data entry). Some Ohio-birds subscribers
> are already submitting their sightings to eBird, but far too many
> listserv posters are posting fairly detailed birding notes (sometimes
> even with numbers!) that will just be lost in cyberspace. What a
> waste!
>
> When you enter sightings into eBird, they become automatically
> available for your personal record-keeping. They also go through a
> data quality review process and become available to Seasonal editors
> of the Ohio Cardinal and North American Birds. Once your checklist
> has been submitted to eBird, there is an easy way to email yourself a
> copy of your species list and forward it to Ohio-birds. Do everyone
> (and the birds) a favor--if you're taking the time to record your
> everyday bird sightings anyway, eBird it first. Then forward it to
> Ohio-birds.
>
> www.ebird.org
>
> Dave Slager
> Columbus, OH
>
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>
> Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
> Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
> Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at
> www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
>
> You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
> http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
> Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
>
> Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
> Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
> Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at
> www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
>
> You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
> http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
> Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
>
--
Dave Slager
Graduate Student
Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Lab
School of Environment and Natural Resources
The Ohio State University
210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1085
[log in to unmask]
______________________________________________________________________
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
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