Greetings birders!

I wanted to clarify what Sameer posted on Sunday regarding the OHIO RARE BIRD ALERT Facebook group in response to Bob Lane's original Conneaut post.

Though the OHIO RARE BIRD ALERT Facebook group is strict group, it is not a private group and it is not a replacement for the Ohio-Birds listserv. I encourage everyone to report to the listserv, which is the best source for rare bird reporting in Ohio. 

The ORBA FB group is another source for up-to-the-minute reports for birders using Facebook who are interested in the  facts only. Chatting is not permitted in the group, therefore the rare bird reports stay in chronological order. This makes it easy for record keepers to obtain information on state rarities and to find information quickly. 

There are no rigorous standards for admission into the group unless the requester is a spammer. I get plenty of requests from spammers and sometimes I have to check a profile to make sure it is a real person. I do not check for proof of activity in other birding groups, nor have I ever checked to make sure a person is a 'sincere birder'. I simply do not have time.  It is stated in the group's description to contact the administrator via private message if you wish to join the group and have not been approved.  

One of the benefits of being a member of the group is the ability to leave notifications on to get rare bird reports just seconds after they are posted.  Also, you have the option to subscribe to individual posts to receive updates immediately. This effective method has yielded plenty of state, county, and year birds for Ohio birders who are members of the group. The ORBA FB group is utilized by most of the top state listers in Ohio who have also helped contribute to many of the reports, even if it is cross-posting from the Ohio-Birds listserv or vice versa.  A big 'Thank You' to all of you who share the information and get the reports out as soon as possible!   

If you are interested in joining, please send me a message on Facebook. I check my 'other' message folder daily. 

Good Birding!

Sherrie Duris
ORBA Administrator
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OHIORAREBIRDALERT/

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On Sep 7, 2014, at 1:42 PM, "Sameer" wrote:

>Dear Bob and others,
>
>This is why it is important for private groups such as the OH Rare Bird Alert to be conveying information about rarities. This Facebook rare bird alert has very rigorous standards for admission that include proof of activity in other birding groups and proof of being a sincere birder on one's Facebook Wall. As the winter season approaches, I would like to as well pass on Jen's reminder that the species mentioned were BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, and HARLEQUIN DUCK. These birds are NOT to be reported publicly as it may lead to hunting, extermination of a threatened species, and punishment on the part of the hunters.
Good birding,
>
>Sameer Apte

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