[TN-Bird] Re: The Power of eBird !
- From: Scott Somershoe <ssomershoe@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lydap@xxxxxxxxxxx, "tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2013 14:24:35 -0500
Lyda,
I assume some folks have probably replied to you directly, but thought I'd
reply as well and to Tn-Birds.
eBird data is vetted and filtered. You can't just put any species and
count in and have it show up in the public database. There are filters for
high counts in case you had a very high number of some species at a
location at a given date (sometimes that flag is 2!). Some high count
filters are designed to catch you adding an extra ZERO, like a big gull
count where I may accidentally enter 20,000 instead of 2,000. Each
reviewer sets their own filters for high counts, some are more rigorous
than others. It has caught me many times either with errors or I actually
put in a real high count of something (which sometimes triggers the
reviewer to up the count that sets off a flag.). Some of the latter is due
to no baseline information for setting the flag.
There are also expected species lists for the county and by date (1 week
window now, I think) for wherever you go to enter a checklist. Rare
species have to be sought out as they are not on the list of species that
occur regularly, they are flagged, and those records are reviewed before
being accepted into the public database. Here is where you need to
describe how you identified the bird to confirm you had the right species.
You can also add photos. Reviewers review every record that's flagged
(lucky them!). Sometimes your records are rejected and do not enter the
public database, but they remain in your personal lists. I have recently
discovered some rarities that I've put into eBird in other states are not
in the public database, even though I have documentation of some of them
(like a citation for the record in a publication in a state ornithological
journal like our Migrant).
One minor issue is that you can't prevent errors like people putting in 5
song sparrows instead of 5 swamp sparrows in winter when both are common.
That wouldn't be a flag and wouldn't necessarily get caught. This
specific example wouldn't make a big difference in occurrence information
and these species aren't exactly sought out like the White-faced Ibis or
Ash-throated Flycatcher that have been in TN recently.
There is now a Hot Spot Explorer on eBird that makes it VERY easy to find
places to bird wherever you may be going, see a species list, etc. It's an
incredibly handy tool.
In terms of data usage, we (TWRA) will be incorporating records of species
of conservation concern into our planning models including the State
Wildlife Action Plan, mandated that we do every 10 years by Congress, and
in as part of this we get funding for conservation of rare and declining
species through State Wildlife Grants (which will hopefully not be zeroed
out!!). This is literally thousands and thousands of records of species
submitted by folks like yourself from across the state! The data has real
conservation value, at both the level that Cornell does analyses, but also
in planning for habitat and bird conservation in Tennessee!
As Stanley mentioned, eBird can become addictive, but it is a really fun
and practical tool for tracking bird populations. If you haven't begun
submitting data....why not?! There's really no excuse. :)
I'm sure I've missed something or misrepresented something here, but I hope
the major points are correct. I welcome corrections and refinements to
what I wrote.
Next time to see your local eBird reviewer or email them about a sighting
or otherwise, be sure to thank them for all their VOLUNTEER effort with
eBird!!
Cheers,
Scott Somershoe
State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Nashville, TN
On Sat, Oct 12, 2013 at 3:46 PM, Lyda Phillips <lydap@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I've had a question about this and tallies on this list as well. Are all
> tallies valuable even if they weren't posted by professional
> ornithologists? What about possible misidentifications from less
> experienced birders? And how valuable are lists that cover a well-observed
> area and may miss a lot of species a better birder would have IDd?
>
> Lyda Phillips
> (615) 942-8444
> (301) 518-7538 (cell)
> www.lydaphillips.com
> writerworking.blogspot.com/
>
>
> > CC: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > From: littlezz@xxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: The Power of eBird !
> > Date: Sat, 12 Oct 2013 14:52:52 -0500
> > To: swy911@xxxxxxxxx
> >
> > Some of the most valuable eBird data is a simple once-a-week list
> > from your own yard or "patch," a short count with estimated numbers
> > for every species, throughout the year. Coverage more often than
> > weekly is even better! Very easy, and something you are probably
> > doing already anyway.
> >
> > Bill Pulliam
> > Hohenwald TN
> >
> > On Oct 12, 2013, at 2:39 PM, Stanley York wrote:
> > >
> > > Bill & all,
> > >
> > > Your postings today about the current status of our sparrows
> > > demonstrates why I love eBird so much and why it is such an
> > > important program.
> > >
> > > The biggest reason I enjoy using eBird is the instant access to
> > > tons of data on bird observations and secondly being able to
> > > contribute to the database.
> > >
> > > For those not familiar with eBird I would encourage you to check
> > > out www.ebird.org and start submitting checklist. You don't have to
> > > go crazy like some of us and submit hundreds of checklist a year
> > > (although the data would be nice) even just a weekly checklist or
> > > incidental submission would be beneficial. However, I will say
> > > this, in my case after you get used to using eBird and submitting
> > > checklist it can become addicting! Everyone should use eBird. It's
> > > free and it contributes so much to bird conservation and management
> > > on multiple levels. To everyone already involved with eBird in
> > > TN...Thank you for your time and for using eBird!
> > >
> > > Stanley York Jr
> > > Palmyra/Montgomery Co.
> >
> > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
> >
> > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
> > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
> > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
> > you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
> > appear in the first paragraph.
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> > TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
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> >
> > Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
> > wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > ------------------------------
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> > Cleveland, OH
> > -------------------------------
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> > Rosedale, VA
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> > Clemson, SC
> > __________________________________________________________
> >
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