Date: 8/31/26 6:10 pm From: Bruce Mast via groups.io <cathrasher4...> Subject: Re: [SFBirds] Swinhoe
Who exactly is "eBird" in this context? Are these decisions left to the
discretion of county reviewers or is this a more centralized decision
process emanating from Cornell or thereabouts?
Bruce Mast
Oakland
On Mon, Aug 31, 2026 at 5:59 PM Adam Winer via groups.io <awiner=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> 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...> 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
>>
>>
>
>
