Date: 8/31/26 5:59 pm From: Adam Winer via groups.io <awiner...> Subject: Re: [SFBirds] Swinhoe
I hate that I know this stuff, but the ABA rules are (highlight added by
me):
"an individual of an introduced species may be counted only *when part of,
or straying from*, a population that meets the first seven criteria of the
ABA Checklist Committee’s Criteria for Determining Establishment of Exotics
<https://www.aba.org/criteria-for-determining-establishment-of-exotics/>"
The Swinhoe's White-eye population in Southern California meets this
criterion. The impossible question to answer is whether a bird seen in San
Francisco is "straying from" the Southern California population, or is it
an independent escaped bird? If you think it isn't a stray from southern
CA, how close do you have to be to Santa Barbara (the seeming northern end
of its range) to be countable? eBird treats Morro Bay records as countable,
San Jose (and further north) as not. I suspect this was not an
evidence-based decision.
Deferring to eBird is reasonable, making up your own mind is allowed.
On Mon, Aug 31, 2026 at 5:47 PM David Armstrong via groups.io <darmstrong99=
<yahoo.com...> wrote:
> Whether to add it to one's personal list would be a matter of preference,
> but as of now it is categorized as "Exotic/Escapee" in eBird at least as
> far as SF is concerned, I assume due to the paucity of records.
>
>
>
> On Monday, August 31, 2026 at 05:33:28 PM PDT, Alvaro Jaramillo via
> groups.io <chucao...> wrote:
>
>
> David
>
>
>
> I am not in the listing game, but one thing you said confused me. If it
> is on the official California list, does that not make it countable no
> matter where in California it is seen?
>
>
>
> Regards
>
> Alvaro
>
>
>
> Alvaro Jaramillo
>
> <alvaro...>
>
> www.alvarosadventures.com
>
>
>
> *From:* <SFBirds...> <SFBirds...> *On Behalf Of *David
> Armstrong via groups.io
> *Sent:* Monday, August 31, 2026 8:23 PM
> *To:* SF Birds <sfbirds...>
> *Subject:* Re: [SFBirds] Swinhoe
>
>
>
> Hi Roberta and SF Birders
>
>
>
> Presumably David is referring to Swinhoe's White-eye
> <https://ebird.org/species/swiwhe1>, which has established a large
> population in Southern California, and has been steadily working its way up
> the coast with sightings by Dom and others in SF, as well as in East Bay
> locations. It's not considered countable here yet but it is on the official
> California list.
>
>
>
> The "Calliope Tree" refers to an eBird hotspot
> <https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2021839>on Lincoln Golf Course and in
> particular to a flowering eucalyptus that hosted a Calliope Hummingbird a
> couple of falls back (and is a magnet for birds in general). You can access
> this area by parking along Clement Street near the corner of 40th Ave.
>
>
>
> Hope this helps
>
> David Armstrong
>
>
>
>
>
> On Monday, August 31, 2026 at 05:15:12 PM PDT, Roberta Guise <
> <roberta...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> This assumes a lot of institutional knowledge and accrued arcana. Alas,
> some of us are not quite there yet. And perhaps I missed a previous email
> about this..
>
>
>
> What’s Swinhoe?
>
>
>
> Where’s the Calliope tree?
>
>
>
> Warmly,
> Roberta
>
> Roberta Guise | Reputation cultivator (she/her)
> c: 415-420-6276 <(415)%20420-6276>
>
> https://www.guisemarketing.com/ >
> Guise Consulting + Marketing
>
> Where leading authorities are made
>
> Author of the forthcoming book, “The Reputation Formula”
>
>
> ***********************************************
> Former National Board Director, Institute of Management
> Consultants USA (IMC USA)
>
> Past President,
>
> IMC USA NorCal Chapter
>
> linkedin.com/in/robertaguise
> @robertaguise
>
> **********************************************
>
> *From: *<SFBirds...> <SFBirds...> on behalf of David Webster
> via groups.io <davisigno...>
> *Date: *Monday, August 31, 2026 at 16:34
> *To: *SF Birds <SFBirds...>
> *Subject: *[SFBirds] Swinhoe
>
> In the Calliope tree - not banded
>
>
>
>
