Maryland/DC White-winged Crossbills
Phil Davis (pdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 19 Dec 1997 04:24:03 -0500
Now that I've got your attention ...
Last year, in its "infinite wisdom" <grin>, the MD/DC Records Committee
made the White-winged Crossbill a "review species". The species had been
basically absent from the state for many, many years. Sporadically, news
of a fourth-hand sight report would be spread around, but nothing definite.
So, the prudent thing to do was to put the species onto the review list to
inform MD/DC birders and request that, if sighted, the committee would like
to receive any observation reports.
Well, this turns out to be an "invasion" year ... although only a few MD
sight reports have surfaced so far ... and although many birders are going
to great lengths to try to find them for their MD/DC lists.
If you are lucky enough to find any of them, please try to document your
observation and submit it me on behalf of the records committee. Besides
written descriptions, sketches, photos, and videos are quite welcome.
Three basic tips: (1) record committees always like to see reports of notes
that were taken BEFORE consulting a field guide (which could subconsciously
influence the details that are subsequently reported, (2) please describe
the entire bird ... not just key field marks, and (3) indicate why you
eliminated other similar species (like Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks,
House Finches, Purple Finches, etc.)
Please check out the review list and find a sighting "documentation guide"
and "documentation checklist" on the MOS web site at:
http://www2.ari.net/saunderf/mos/mos.html
Your support during this exciting winter is most appreciated.
Phil Davis
MD/DCRC Secretary
2459 Vale Court
Davidsonville, MD 21035
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Phil Davis
home: PDavis@ix.netcom.com Davidsonville, Maryland, USA
work: PDavis@OAO.com Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
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