Date: 3/2/25 7:57 am From: Betty Kanne via groups.io <bettykanne...> Subject: [OrangeCountyBirding] Your Bell's Vireo (Least) observation in eBird
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.
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.
