I'm not really clear on the overall context of this matter but I spent many years as a planning and zoning commissioner in Missouri City. This sort of objection is usually raised when the developer wants to try and discredit data that may be counter their plans. Geosearch is one of those firms that provides GIS data to environmental consultants. The primary driver is avoidance of CERCLA liability. They can tell if there are Superfund sites, leaking underground storage tanks, RCRA notifier sites, etc. More recently they have been using things like NWI data to locate wetlands and data bases from the NRCS to locate CRP and WRP lands. They are unlikely to have any viable information on bird sightings. Bruce Bodson Missouri City, TX On Friday, November 15, 2013 9:05 AM, Susan Schaezler <warblerwoods@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: We had one interesting event in the zoning hearing and I wanted to ask our talented Texbirders. This was the gist : "the developer described ebird as being run by an out-of-state college, as if it's a bad thing. You know, ivy leagues are unreliable. " Their biologist continued by implying it was for more novice/casual birders and wasn't reliable. They use Geospace and since I didn't have a single bird listed, they were surprised. I told them I had never heard of it and all my birds are in Ebird and some get into the RBA The Commission members wanted me to see if I needed to enter data somewhere else. The developers saw the pictures of the birds, but no data. So, please share your knowledge! Susan Schaezler WarblerWoods.org 501(c)(3) Cibolo/Schertz/Guadalupe County Lone Star Land Steward Winner 2011. GCBO Site Partner Life member TOS, SAAS, TASEdit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner