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> From: Angus Wilson <[email protected]> > Date: December 3, 2009 6:20:43 PM EST > To: NYSBIRDS-L <[email protected]> > Subject: [nysbirds-l] Reports of rare birds in New York State > Reply-To: Angus Wilson <[email protected]> > > *** FEEL FREE TO REPOST THIS MESSAGE OR DISTRIBUTE WITHIN YOUR BIRD > CLUB ** > > Fellow Birders, > > With the end of the year fast approaching I encourage everyone to > think back over the year to recall some of the rare and exciting > birds that you may have seen and perhaps posted to the web or > entered on eBird. Before we get stuck into the feverish activity of > CBC season, this is a really good time to dig out your notes and/or > photographs and submit them to the archive maintained by the New > York State Avian Records Committee (NYSARC). The purpose of the > archive is to ensure that details of all rare bird sightings are > kept in perpetuity for researchers and interested birders alike. It > is worth remembering that internet postings and web links may well > not be accessible years from now and that documentation sent to > regional editors, bird clubs and eBird is generally not forwarded to > NYSARC, although you can certainly ask for this to be done as I'm > sure most editors/reviewers will be very happy to oblige. > > SUBMITTING REPORTS > > A simple on-line submission form and the addresses for direct > submission by email or post can be found on the NYSARC web page: > > http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm > > PHOTOGRAPHS > > Although written reports that describe the sighting in full (i.e. > with description of the bird, features that led to the > identification, other relevant circumstances etc) are highly > desired, we recognize that many birds are very well photographed > nowadays and images may supplant the need for a detailed written > description. It is important to stress, however, that photographs > must still be accompanied by some basic information: > > 1. Contributor name(s) and email/postal addresses > 2. Location of sighting/photographs > 3. Date of the sighting/photographs > 4. Identity of the bird(s) > 5. [Desired by optional] Summary of the features/fieldmarks that led > to the identification. > 6. [Desired by optional] Other pertinent information such as > additional observers, associated species, length of the bird's stay, > how you came to find it or know about it, vocalizations, significant > behavior etc. > > All reports/materials will be acknowledged, assigned a permanent > archive number and (in time) reviewed by the seven voting members of > Committee - all highly experienced and active birders from different > regions of New York State. Current members are: Jeff Bolsinger > (Canton, St Lawrence Co.), Tom Burke (Rye, Westchester Co.), Willie > D'Anna (Wilson, Niagara Co.), Andy Guthrie (Hamlin, Monroe Co.), > Shai Mitra (Bayshore, Suffolk Co.), Dominic Sherony (Fairport, > Monroe Co.), Jeanne Skelly (Secretary - Churchville, Monroe Co.) and > Angus Wilson (New York City, New York Co.). > > The reports and results of the review will be summarized in the > Committee's Annual Report published in 'The Kingbird' (quarterly > journal of NYSOA) and posted on the NYSARC/NYSOA web site. > > http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/NYSARCActions.html > > WHO SHOULD REPORT? > > We cherish reports from the original finder(s) of the bird(s) but > all observers are strongly encouraged to take part in this valuable > process. We have never received too many reports on a single bird > (usually its a case of the more the better) and there is no statute > of limitations on the time between a sighting and submission > (although obviously the sooner the better). All contributors are > acknowledged in the annual report and it is always a great feeling > to have you name printed alongside the entry for a great rarity in > the official record. Keen photographers can also showcase their work. > > We look forward to hearing from you and express our warmest thanks > to those who have already submitted one or more reports to us in the > past year. > > Cheers, Angus Wilson > > On behalf of the New York State Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
