Date: 1/29/13 6:49 pm
From: Michael Bowen <dhmbowen...>
Subject: [MDBirding] eBird HotSpot changes; Hunt Valley Black-headed Gull


Many of the birders on this list-serv post their checklists to eBird,
and eBird appreciates that very much. In fact, Maryland is a place
that possesses one of the highest concentration of active eBirders in
the U.S. and Canada.

Some of you also extensively use the HotSpots (Shared Locations) that
represent, on eBird, locations where good birding is likely to be
experienced and that many birders are likely to want to
visit. Others of you occasionally or frequently recommend birding
places for designation as eBird "HotSpots."

You should know that eBird administrators very recently liberalized
the criteria by which the suitability of birding locations as
HotSpots is determined. Formerly, a location needed to be publicly
accessible, reasonably "birdy," and likely to be visited by many
birders. Now, the designation of "reasonably birdy" has been
relaxed, although the requirements that the place be publicly
accessible and likely to be visited by lots of birders remain.

One new HotSpot in Maryland has been created as a result of this
liberalization of criteria is Hunt Vally Town Centre in Baltimore
County. This is the place where a Black-headed Gull has been seen at
regular intervals since late 2011, and continues to be seen into
2013. The former criteria would have prevented this location from
being named a HotSpot, because other interesting birds, beyond the
Black-headed Gull, are seldom if ever recorded there.

A plea to those of you who have been to see this rare gull at the
Hunt Valley Town Centre and have a Personal eBird Location
here: Please Merge your location with the HotSpot Merging is very
easy, involving "Manage my Locations" in your personal My eBird. If
you don't know how to make the merge, just contact me at
<dhmbowen...> and I will provide you with assistance.

And if you are yet to go to Hunt Valley to look for the gull, please
use the existing HotSpot as your location if you see it there. Of
course, if you see the gull at an entirely different place, please
use a location that most closely defines where the bird was actually observed.

Many thanks

Michael Bowen
Bethesda, MD
eBird HotSpot Reviewer for Maryland, DC, and Delaware

Comments and questions off-line only, please to <dhmbowen...>

Michael Bowen
HotSpot Reviewer for Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia
Bethesda, MD

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD 20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom

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