Recent discussions among various birders on the countability of Trumpeters has me confused. Today a report of 150 Trumpeters at Killdeer was posted on the listserv. Under the assumption that the identification is correct, why are these birds not countable? 
 
The records committee bird list says that records only up to the year 1900 have been accepted and that an introduction program began in 1996. Am I to believe that the birds seen today are decendents from introduced Ohio birds? If so, would these birds constitute an established species in Ohio as is indicated in the records committee checklist or not?  The checklist seems to indcate that once established they would be countable.  
 
Even if these birds are migrants, why are they not countable?  We count migrants all the time.
 
How will we know when the species is established and countable?  
 
Jeff Harvey
Mahoning County

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