As usual, some of the more interesting findings and discussions about
Ohio birds are not being heard on this and many other forums. I don't
subscribe to any of the proliferating semi-commercial on-line chat
forums--life is too short, the errors too numerous--but I do read some
of the better open regional ones, like Cincinnatibirds and rarebird.org.
         I guess most people first read about the ibises recently at Fernald on
the Cincinnati site, but while talk about their identity wandered widely
elsewhere, they appeared on this list only as an opinion that one of the
birds was a hybrid, an opinion echoed on some other internet forum by
other contributors, I am told. Photos were discussed but not linked to.
Later, another good argument was posted on Cincinnatibirds that it might
indeed be a white-faced, and later an excellent photo on the same forum
seemed to support this:
http://cincinnatibirds.com/message/showthread.php?Thread=2392#message8
        What I take away from this is not whether the bird was a full-blooded
white-faced ibis or not--I sit on the OBRC and will see a lot of
evidence I'll have to weigh with my colleagues about this Review
Species--but the breakdown of our exchanges of electronic information
and opinions about Ohio birds. The forum on which I now write was
started by Vic Fazio a long time ago, then taken on by the Ohio
Ornithological Society when it was still the only Ohio bird internet
list. For many years this remained *the* place to report and discuss
Ohio's birds online. Since then, a few sites have taken a closer focus
at local birds, and this has worked out. But now there are all kinds of
chatty Facebirdy sites, largely but not exclusively used by beginners
(and those who want to influence them); and this is fine for exchanges
about feeder birds and hummingbird arrivals, etc, the usual news. More
important discoveries and discussions are welcome anywhere of course,
but they do not belong exclusively on minor sites, and Ohio records may
suffer as a result. This goes for reports that appear only on E-bird
sites, too. If you have a significant sighting, send it to Ohiobirds,
and to the editor of your local publication and the Ohio Cardinal.  If
you don't want to sign up on Ohiobirds, by all means announce it
anywhere you want, but also send it to me or another Ohiobirds
subscriber, and it will be forwarded here in your name.
        Significant Ohio bird records deserve to be seen and reviewed by
everyone, not just our buddies. We have a lot of sharp people, sharp
photos, and a forum shared by *everyone* (if you don't want to subscribe
to Ohiobirds, you can read every post on the American Birding
Association pages at http://birding.aba.org/maillist/OH ). Tell your
chat-room correspondents the same.  Let's get it together.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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