[va-bird] hurricane bird documentation for VARCOM

VA Birders,
Well, it's been quite eventful these few days bird wise.  VARCOM is 
currently compiling a new review list that will indicate which species 
require documentation in which geographic areas.  Based on this new 
review list, the following are hurricane related birds that VARCOM would 
like details on. 

(1) All sightings of the following species should be documented 
regardless of where the birds were seen (for some of these species, 
VARCOM will not be reviewing offshore records, but we're making the 
assumption that all Isabel-related records of these species are from 
shore or CBBT):
 
Black-capped Petrel
Herald Petrel
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
White-tailed Tropicbird
Sabine's Gull
Arctic Tern
Sooty Tern
Cory's Shearwater
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Red Phalarope
Bridled Tern
Roseate Tern

(2) All sightings of the following species should be documented if the 
birds were seen away from the immediate coast, Chesapeake Bay, and the 
lower portions of the tidal rivers (for example, please document birds 
seen in inner Coastal Plain areas such as Hunting Creek mouth in 
Alexandria, the Piedmont, and Mountains & Valleys):
 
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Marbled Godwit
Willet
Red-necked Phalarope
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
Royal Tern (believe it or not, few records from upper tidal rivers or 
Piedmont)
Sandwich Tern
Least Tern
Black Skimmer
 
The lists above include only those species for which we have heard 
Isabel-related reports.  If anyone observed other rarities, such as 
frigatebirds, boobies, skuas, Long-tailed Jaegers, or any tubenoses not 
listed above, please provide documentation on them as well.  If you have 
a question as to whether a bird should be written up, please feel free 
to contact me for guidance.

As we are all now vividly aware, hurricanes present extraordinary 
situations in terms of occurrence of "reviewable" species and many 
observers may be requested to document a large number of records.  It 
may not seem important to write up all the Royal Terns in the Piedmont 
or the Bridled Terns from the CBBT but it is important to archive as 
much data from these occurrences as possible for future reference and we 
greatly appreciate the effort of all observers in documenting their 
sightings.  This may also help us to finalize the review list.

Thanks everybody!  Please e-mail reports to me at sheath@xxxxxxx or 
snail mail at Susan Heath, 14469 Four Chimney Drive, Centreville, VA 
20120.  The documentation form is located at:

http://www.ecoventures-travel.com/vso/VARCOM/documenting_unusual_or_rare_bird.htm

You can use this form directly or simply use it as a template to ensure 
you include all the pertinent data.  Also, please be sure to include 
your contact information with the report (this is not on the current form).

Sue
 


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