[texbirds] Re: eBird, science, and carrots (a bit long)

  • From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: mtheindel@xxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:58:57 -0500

taken.....I too have seen these and other example (empids etc.) where we
just basically know from 150 years of birdlore, research in Texas and
personal observations these just really are improbable if not in some cases
ludicrous.  NAB is not perfect either, but it is carefully vetted, at least
as carefully as can be expected...The bad timing data in Ebird breeds more
bad data as inexperience leads one to the bar charts as a source of early
and late occurences and as an OK for what one thinks they see.[was it
really an OCWA or was it actually a female Yellowthroat, a Tennessee
etc.?].  I went thru nearly every species on these bar charts as
preparation for Handbook accounts...The data on timing for many species was
just too incredible to consider using and as a result Ebird was mostly just
a resource to compare with more carefully written and researched tomes and
publications...IMHO Ebird is way too unreliable to use a single source for
any sort authoritative publication on the state and single species level,
especially for timing on ID challenging species, however it can often be
used to great effect in a larger context...Ex. the the Cassin's Sparrow
irruption a few years ago across the US and published as a feature article
in NAB....Now Matt, tell me true...Have you really seen a Sept OCWA  of any
flavor in San Antonio....:-)

Brush Freeman


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