*In this email, I would like to highlight a few topics* :
Everyone who has used eBird to report a *rare bird, unusually high counts of a species, or birds that are unusual for the time of year, or location* , is familiar with the automated prompt requesting more documentation. Just a few reminders about documenting your rare/unusual sightings on eBird:
*Written Documentation :* When you are prompted to provide documentation for a sighting of an unusual or rare bird, the #1 comment to add is *a description of the bird*. A description of the bird should contain field marks and defining physical or audible characteristics that helped you separate it from similar species. The bird’s behavior, where it was seen etc. can add depth to the record, but *a description* of what the bird looked/sounded like is the most important element. *Photos, audio or video are generally best for documenting a rare bird, but if quality of media does not clearly support the ID, please back up the observtion with a detailed description*. Remember, the rarer the bird, the more important thorough documentation becomes. Here is an eBird help article about how to document your sightings.
*Early Arrivals* : *Accurate reporting of arrival timing is just as important to science as correct ID* , and the two can go hand in hand. It is understood that not everyone will know if a bird is extremely early, sort of early, or just a little bit early. Some migrants return earlier than others. Some return a lot later than others. *So please treat the prompt for more details for an early bird* in a similar way that you would treat rare birds *.* *Please provide confirmable media, or a description* of what the bird looked like or sounded like and how it was separated from confusion species. When writing your details, consider how helpful your choice of words will be to other eBirders, researchers, scientists and people doing important conservation work now, and far into the future.
*Species High Counts* : If a high count prompts for more details a brief comment describing how the number was determined, i.e. “counted by 10’s” or “direct count” is what eBird is looking for. A numeric estimate of birds is always better than an “X”. In addition, in some cases it may be necessary to confirm how the species was ID’d by providing a brief description of the species and how it was separated from similar species. For more information and tips for counting large numbers of birds or birds observed over a duration of time here are 3 eBird help articles:
*Photos and Audio* : eBird has made uploading photos and audio recordings relatively easy. Media are a great way to document your sightings. And we are fortunate in San Mateo County to have many good photographers. “ *Photos to be added”: or similar wording for a RARE sghting* is something we see all the time. Please don’t make these statements a permanent part of your record. Also *Back of Camera (BOC) photos should be replaced with the actual photos* as soon as convenient *Please upload your photos or audio!*
Here are eBird help articles about uploading photos and audio.
*Merlin Users:* If you are using Merlin to identify a bird that gets flagged for more details, *please upload your audio recording or photo to your checklist as soon as it is convenient*. Leaving a comment *“ID”d by Merlin” is not considered sufficient documentation*. Merlin can be accurate, but Merlin can also be very wrong and still needs the human element to review suggested Identifications. *It is always best to try to see a vocalizing bird in order to get visual confirmation of the ID when possible.*
*“Details to be added” “Photos/Audio to be added”*. When compiling checklists in the field using a smart device, it can be difficult to type detailed notes. *For birds flagged for more details* , it is OK to say “ *Details to be added” or “Photos/Audio to be added”.* But use that wording *only as a temporary placeholder* in your checklist comments. *Do not* *make these* “to be added” *comments permanent*. Try to *write your descriptions* of the birds and field marks/notes etc. as soon as you can *while the details are still fresh in your mind*. Don’t wait until a time too far in the future when details are fuzzy at best . *Upload your supporting photos and audio as soon as it is convenient* , especially if it is an *early arrival or a rarity* you are documenting.
*Use eBird Hotspots* : If you are birding at *a known eBird Hotspot please select the known eBird Hotspot* as your checklist location. *Hotspots allow multiple birders to enter data into the same shared location, creating aggregated species data which is searchable through eBird's "Explore" tools ( https://ebird.org/explore ). And reduces Personal Location Splatter.* Unfortunately, it is very easy to select an auto-assigned location, which contributes to Personal Location Splatter when entering your checklist data with a smart device in the field. The eBird Hotspot may not be the first location option in the list of location choices, so please take care to look for the official hotspot.
*A Big Thank You to All,* for your diligent eBird Hotspot use, continued media contributions, and documentation efforts to support rare bird sightings, unusually high counts of a species, or birds that are unusual for the time of year or location in San Mateo County. You make San Mateo County eBird what it is!
*One Last Thing:* we are seeing a lot of new users on eBird. If you are new or know someone who is new to eBird here is a help article about Getting Started with eBird:
