Thanks to Kenn for taking the time to post an intelligent commentary on the need for constant survey data. The field of ornithology is indeed fortunate to have a virtual army of skilled observers afield, continually gathering and sharing data on birds. Because of that, we have a very good picture of changes - good, bad, and indifferent - with our shifting avian populations. Today, I listened to an interesting webcast presentation by Greg Butcher, ornithologist for the National Audubon Society. The gist of it was that many species of birds are shifting their wintering ranges northward, with global warming as the cause. I certainly don't agree with all of their conclusions, nor do I think that global warming is the culprit behind all of the movements of the 305 species of birds that Greg and colleagues studied. But the point is, they were able to draw conclusions and make statements based on a massive body of data, unavailable to scientists that study other disciplines of natural history. Our knowledge of North American birds and their status, among other things, allows conservation dollars - of which there aren't nearly enough - to be directed to the best causes, in most cases. I suspect that entomologists (insects), mycologists (fungi), botanists (plants), odonatologists (dragonflies), etc. etc. are quite envious of what we know of birds and their distribution, and wish that they had similar information about their subjects. As just one of myriad possible examples of the utility and value of continuing to gather bird data, I'd refer you to the wonderful winter finch distribution maps created and continually updated by Ethan Kistler, found at: http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3521 Crossbills and other boreal birds are barometers of the health of North America's sprawling boreal forests, the largest forest ecosystem on earth. There have been large-scale and ongoing disruptions to the boreal forest, including new insect pest infestations, spraying to control spruce budworm, logging, and fire suppression, all of which constantly impact birds. In Ohio, groups like the Ohio Bird Records Committee rely on constant data streams to assess rare bird records, which often point to larger changes on bird populations. Data generated by Ohio birders allowed that committee to recently publish a very useful checklist of Ohio birds. More information on the committee, its members, and the checklist, can be found here: http://www.ohiobirds.org/records/aboutobrc.php Finally, I encourage everyone to keep track of their observations of not just rarities, but common birds, as trends in the latter group are even more important than records of rarities in most cases. The Ohio Cardinal, published by the Ohio Ornithological Society, tracks and reports on trends in Ohio's birdlife on a seasonal basis. The editor is Andy Jones, ornithologist for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and he is most appreciative of any and all records that you have to offer. Information about the Ohio Cardinal and how to contribute may be found at: http://www.ohiobirds.org/publications/cardinal/aboutcardinal.php Jim McCormac Jim McCormac Columbus, Ohio Like nature? Visit my blog: http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/ Like birds? Join the Ohio Ornithological Society: http://www.ohiobirds.org -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kenn Kaufman Sent: Friday, February 20, 2009 5:55 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] The value of reporting observations To quote a recent post on this listserve: "North American ornithology already has a lot more data than any comparable discipline, certainly in terms of phenology and distribution, and I am reluctant to jump on any of the many bandwagons enlisting birders to accumulate still more. Enough is enough, and we don't need to know where every robin is during every moment of its life these days." Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I suspect that few ornithologists or conservation biologists would agree with that sentiment. Certainly I can't agree with it, based on my work on bird distribution. In compiling graphs of seasonal bird occurrence for various regions, and in drawing and revising range maps for every North American species of bird, I have been (A) frustrated at the major gaps in available data and (B) amazed at how the picture is constantly changing. Bird distribution in North America is incredibly dynamic, with ranges expanding and contracting and shifting, populations increasing and decreasing, migration routes shifting, timing of migration changing. Even if we knew every detail of bird distribution today -- which we don't -- it wouldn't take away the need for gathering data tomorrow, because we don't know how things are going to change. I encourage all birders to affirm the value of their observations and to continue reporting data to the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II, the Christmas Bird Count, e-Bird, the Breeding Bird Survey, raptor migration counts, special one-species efforts such as the Bald Eagle and Rusty Blackbird surveys, and other cooperative monitoring projects. Kenn Kaufman Oak Harbor, Ohio ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]