Greetings all - 
Ned's email stands as the rule. And his suggestion is merely for the betterment of the list overall. While it is INCREDIBLY EXCITING to read of the incoming onslaught of first-of-year birds, there comes a point when a mass majority are simply common/abundant. I.e. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, goldfinches molting into brilliant summer plumage, Yellow Warbler, American Coot, Baltimore Oriole, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on. All of these species are EXPECTED even though we are all essentially in withdrawal from a long winter season. It would be different, say, if you saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in December or March. But as much as Baltimore Oriole and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are stunning, brililant birds, and as much as they double the amount of adrenaline pumping through our veins (because it's been 7 months since we've seen them), the fact is, ohiobirds is a RARE BIRD listserv, and we're lucky to have a FREE host. 
Within the next WEEK, when migration really gets pumping, you can be sure we'll exceed the given allowance per day, if we continue to post "double-crested cormorant" or "had a black-throated green warbler in my backyard."    Perhaps, just for a few weeks while migration is off the hook, we can hold back and post FULL DAY sightings (i.e., if you were at Shawnee or the Magee boardwalk and saw a boatload of birds, including rarities ), or simply rare birds. There will be hordes of us out, finding a STUNNING number of amazing birds we'll want to share with everyone. Yes, Green Heron is just as cool as a Tricolored Heron, but the fact is Tricolored is an ultra-rarity, and Green Heron we can find statewide, even if seeing THAT Green Heron just made your day and took it to the next level. So, to help out the list this May, so that EVERYONE can receive top postings of rare birds, maybe we could hold off on "I still have juncos in my backyard!" 
My guess is, once mid-June hits, and definitely into July, there will NOT be an onslaught of posts that are "clogging" the listserv. That's the nature of spring migration. It psychs us up, and we want to share every new bird. 
While many will take such comments as elitist, you can hold off right now on that! Just as enthralled with Blackburnian Warbler as I am with Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, but the fact is, a mass majority of us will see many, many Blackburnians during the course of migration, but the chance to see Scissor-tailed Fly is extraordinarily rare. 
Other suggestions? Post to rarebird.org, which is a GREAT addition site for birding info throughout the state. Or the ohiobirds.org forum board, or the new Ohio birding facebook page... or start a blog. Or spend the $ (donate) to pump up the size of the host server. 
So, since we're dealing with a limited number of posts (rule), then, in order to receive timely rare bird reports (I'm sure you'd like to read a Kirtland's Warbler report the minute it's posted instead of a day later because of excess postings) it'd be best to hold off on posts like THIS (wink) through May. Because it's about to get crazy. If you think the migrant floodgates have opened now, you haven't seen anything yet. Hold on to your boots...and your bins...

best of birdingJen
Jen Brumfield 
[log in to unmask]
Cleveland, Ohio
330-701-6452


                                          
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