+1
On Sat, Jul 30, 2016 at 7:59 AM, <5hats@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Ann Onymous finds a Common Rosefinch at Laurelhurst Park in Portland. She
reports it to OBOL. Should we
(a) dismiss the report immediately
(b) make an on-line appeal to Ann to defend her report
(c) speculate that what she saw was actually a House or Purple Finch.?
May I suggest (d) None of the above? Ann may be a budding birder,
who, if treated with gentleness and respect may become a vital and integral
part of the Oregon birding community. She may also be a budding birder
from whom we will never hear again if she is offended by a critical
response to her report. The chances of the former being the case would be
much greater if a knowledgeable birder contacted her privately, took the
report seriously, asked a few pertinent questions, and explained the reason
for the questions.
I speak from experience. In 1974 a female Lark Bunting showed up on
my farm in company with some Purple Finches. At the time I was hardly a
budding birder, as I had been actively birding almost from before I can
remember, but was entirely unknown to anyone in what was then a rather
small Oregon birding community. However, being unable to find any records
of the species in Gabrielson and Jewett's "Birds of Oregon"., and not
knowing anyone whom I could ask about it, I sent a query to the Audubon
Society of Portland. A short time later I received from Harry Nehls a
respectful letter, informing me, among other things, that a bird of that
species had been seen previously at Salmon River meadows in north Lincoln
County. That letter from Harry was the beginning of a long exchange of
letters and phone calls between us. It coincided with the beginnings of my
birding away from the farm in other areas of Lincoln County. Over the next
several years I found a number of species rare to the area and state. If
Harry was skeptical of those sightings, he never showed it. He sometimes
asked for specific details of plumage or behavior, but he always treated
the reports as having credibility. His encouragement was a real help in my
further development as a birder.
My point is simple. There is a vast difference between implausible
and impossible. If memory serves me correctly, one of Oregon's first
Wheatears (if not the first) was discovered at the unlikely location of
somewhere near the Narrows in Harney County on the unlikely date of June
22. Just because we don't know the observer, and the report seems out of
the ordinary does not mean we should treat the report itself as if it had
no credibility. Little Buntings do show up in Wallowa County, and it was a
novice birder who first found and reported the Dusky-capped Flycatcher in
Newport. Giving the benefit of doubt to people who send reports which seem
to us unlikely would go a long way toward including new people into the
Oregon birding community as well as enhance our knowledge of birds which
show up in our state.
Darrel
