Date: 3/2/25 11:34 am From: Trish G via groups.io <trishrg62...> Subject: Re: [OrangeCountyBirding] Your Bell's Vireo (Least) observation in eBird
Good grief, I did NOT see OC birding group in the Bcc when I sent that.
Apologies group.
On Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 11:14 AM Trish G via groups.io <trishrg62=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Hi Betty,
>
> It was not really necessary to copy the entire OC birding community on
> your Ebird checklist being flagged. Maybe that was unintentional. However,
> since you did... and I have some free time.
>
> Bell's Vireo is unexpected this time of year, and 2 of them "singing"
> would be pretty extraordinary. You can absolutely research these facts
> yourself. On ebird of all places.
> Search by species, range, bar charts, months, etc. Take your pick.
> There have absolutely been Bell's Vireo reported this time of year or
> earlier, and several of them are listed as eastern, or wintering birds,
> maybe of the Arizona variety? In almost all cases there is copious amounts
> of notes with the obs.
> Check out comments
> https://ebird.org/map/belvir?neg=true&<env.minX...>&<env.minY...>&<env.maxX...>&<env.maxY...>&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&excludeExX=false&excludeExAll=false&mr=on&bmo=2&emo=2&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2025 > Sorry the link is so long.
>
> Ryan is just doing his job and this checklist wasn't singled out due to
> anything other than exactly why it should be singled out, it has an unusual
> observation in it and that's how they keep the data in ebird clean (ish),
> by requesting MORE DOCUMENTATION. Provide it. Pretty simple. They will
> either accept it or they won't.
> If this is the first time you've ever had a checklist flagged, consider
> yourself a really good birder or really lucky. I get flagged at least once
> or twice a year. Usually due to clicking on the wrong thing, but sometimes
> legit birding failure. I had a Northern Parula in my front yard. I had bad
> recordings but no photo. It was not accepted. It is what it is.
>
> Don't take it so hard. Birding should be fun. Ryan is volunteering. No
> need to beat up on him. He knows his stuff. Birds sing on territory. If
> they are really there, then they're like still there. Go back and get a
> recording. Or simply provide more than "Singing" in comments. Too simple.
> And if your obs. is not accepted, so be it.
>
> FWIW I gained a life bird by mis-identifying a Thrasher on ebird out in
> the desert and my checklist was flagged like 2 years later. Listed it as a
> Le Conte's and turned out my photo showed a Crissal Thrasher. I got a
> freebie. Pretty surprising how much time the ebird reviewers put into
> checking data.
>
> Happy Birding!
> Trish Gussler, Anaheim
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 2, 2025 at 7:57 AM Betty Kanne via groups.io <bettykanne=
> <hotmail.com...> wrote:
>
>> Hi Ryan,
>> I’m willing to remove the entry if you feel it’s entirely implausible.
>> I made the entry and description based on reports by a Sandy Smith who
>> was walking
>> fairly close to me and by Ann Marshall who was about forty feet back from
>> me in our large group and reported it to me independently. (Sandy Smith has
>> extremely perceptive hearing and auditory discernment of bird sounds.)
>> It may have been a single individual heard individually in two places. I
>> tried to describe it in terms that I know and do recognize when I hear it
>> myself. Sandy also drew me a rough sonogram that she said I could show you.
>> I made a screenshot of our text conversation as well.
>> Let me know how you want it handled. We’re fine with doing anything you
>> recommend.
>> Sorry to make so much extra work for you and Tom. It is always my
>> intention to report accurately and conservatively.
>>
>> Betty Kanne
>> Huntington Beach
>> <bettykanne...>
>> 714.321.6900 cell/text
>>
>> Attachments:
>> [image: image0.jpeg][image: image1.jpeg]
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> *From:* Ryan Winkleman via eBird <ebird-review...>
>> *Date:* February 28, 2025 at 3:47:57 PM PST
>> *To:* <jak86094...>
>> *Cc:* <jak86094...>, <memopad332...>, <am20...>,
>> <bettykanne...>, <briangbleecker...>, <Debragala...>,
>> <yetanothersmith...>, <lenahayashi...>, <rswinkleman...>
>> *Subject:* *Your Bell's Vireo (Least) observation in eBird*
>> *Reply-To:* <rswinkleman...>
>>
>>
>> This is a crazy early date to be claiming two singing birds. Did anybody
>> take any field documentation?
>>
>> Dear James Kendall,
>>
>> Thank you for being a part of eBird. To help make sure that eBird can be
>> used for scientific research and conservation, volunteers like me follow up
>> on unusual observations as a part of the eBird data quality process.
>>
>> I am writing about the following observation:
>>
>> Species: Bell's Vireo (Least)
>> Count: 2
>> Observation Date: Feb 28, 2025
>> Location: Huntington Central Park--Shipley Nature Center, Orange,
>> California, US
>> https://ebird.org/checklist/S215897538 >>
>> The species you reported was flagged for review and is unusual for this
>> date and/or location. Could you please edit your checklist to add field
>> notes or a description of the bird in question and other information about
>> how you identified this species? Essential things to cover include size,
>> shape, color pattern, behavior, vocalizations (if heard), and habitat.
>> Notes on how similar species were eliminated are especially important.
>>
>>
>>
>> Photos and audio recordings are the best possible supporting information,
>> so if you do have those please do upload them to your checklist
>> <https://ebird.org/checklist/S215897538>. Once you add media or
>> additional details, I will be prompted to rereview the observation. Minimum
>> standards of documentation are required for observations to be used
>> publicly, although they still will appear in your personal lists.
>>
>> Thank you again for your contributions to eBird—your observations help to
>> make eBird useful to millions of people each year, providing real-time bird
>> information and powering eBird science around the world.
>>
>> Learn more about eBird data quality here
>> <https://support.ebird.org/en/support/solutions/articles/48000795278> >> and eBird science here <https://ebird.org/science>.
>>
>> Ryan Winkleman
>> <rswinkleman...>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Betty Kanne
>> Huntington Beach
>>
>>
> --
>
>
> *Trish Gussler, Anaheim*
>
>
>
