Hi,

Bills post on this subject raises the importance of documenting review list
species.  I think too often we assume the person or people who originally
found the rare bird will properly document their record.  The rest of of us
ask why bother assuming others will have done so?

How many of us posted success having seen the Black-tailed Gull, or Say's
Pheobe, White-Winged Dove, Fish Crow, or Least Tern, and never sent a
report to the OBRC? ( We are now all ineligible for either nomination or a
positive vote from Bill (wink))

On the other hand the OBRC needs to take some responsibility in this.  If
insufficient documentation has been received, the secretary can solicit
this from the person(s) who originally found the bird or in a general
manner such as this forum.

There is another problem too.  How many actually know how to write up a
report or where to submit it?  If you Google Ohio Bird Records Committee,
the link will take you to a page with very intimidating
language explaining what you should do.  In other words it is not a very
user friendly process for those who have little or no experience with this
sort of thing.

In reality it is easy.  If you have a diagnostic photo, send it to the
secretary of the committee with a statement like this:

Here is a picture of the (insert bird) I saw and photographed at (insert
place) on (insert date and time)
Include your name and contact information.

It is nice if you also include a little about the equipment you used,
distance, etc, but if you are submitting a photo no one will actually pay
any attention to that.

It gets more complicated if the photo is non diagnostic or if you have no
photo. (if the photo is non diagnostic better to *not* include it because
in such cases the photo is all that matters and the description of what you
saw is often ignored.  You can just mention that no diagnostic photos were
taken)  In these situations you really do have to submit a detailed report
that covers all the bases.  Include sketches, why similar species were
eliminated, etc.  It is time consuming  but not having a photo does not
mean the record will be rejected.  If it is a good bird worth reporting,
and you or your group are the only ones to see it.  It should be
documented.  I have had several so called sight records accepted by various
state records committees.

Finally don't worry about your reputation.  Unless you lie, say you saw
something you really didn't see, make stuff up, etc. everyone is entitled
to the benefit of the doubt. One of Ohio's top birders, Tom Bartlett, likes
to say: "If I had a nickle for every report I've had rejected by the OBRC I
would be a rich man."  The OBRC can't question what you saw or pass
judgement on your skills,  They can only decide if there is sufficient
evidence to include the sighting in the records.

Yes please do the *right* thing, and document review list sightings,
especially of you or your group are the only ones who see the bird.

Haans Petruschke
Kirtland

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