I don't see what the big deal is, it's still a NASHVILLE WARBLER, which is NOT a new species for Maryland.  
 
 When its name gets changed to Western Nashville Warbler, then you can submit a photo.
 
 Seems to me these "records committees" need to do their real job.
 
 Richard
 
Richard L. Wood, Ph. D.
Computational Chemist
Cockeysville, MD 21030


----- Original Message ----
From: George M. Jett <>
To: ; ; Edward Boyd <>
Cc: Richard Wood <>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 1:29:24 PM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Note on Baltimore Nashville Warbler

Matt/Paul/Ed

This is about the best I got on the Baltimore NAWA in late January.  I don't 
know if it will help, but for what it is worth, it is attached.  For those 
keeping score, it is #343 photographed in the state.

George

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matt Hafner" <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 12:32 PM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Note on Baltimore Nashville Warbler


> Paul and others,
>
> When Dave Powell and I observed the bird 2 weeks ago it was very active, 
> but not tail-pumping.  I was a little surprised thinking it was likely a 
> western vagrant.  I have observed tail-pumping twice before on Nashville 
> Warblers in MD, once this past Thanksgiving weekend with Mike Burchett and 
> Jim Stasz in Harford County and once in mid-October at Terrapin Park in 
> Queen Anne's County.  I am not quite convinced that those birds were 
> ridgwayi as I don't have good photos to study the birds in detail.
>
> As for Richard's comments of "does it really matter?" There answer is most 
> definitely "YES!"  It may not count on any "official" list, but it does 
> matter when it comes to the distribution of birds in MD.  Also, if people 
> start seriously looking at identifiable forms and subspecies, they will 
> not be caught off guard when the "split" does occur.  This happened with 
> the Cackling Goose split in 2004.  Marylanders already had an idea of the 
> distribution and regularity because a few birders had been documenting 
> "small race Canadas" for several years.
>
> Another "not yet split" example is Palm Warbler.  The "Yellow" and 
> "Western" forms seem to have entirely different migration patterns in the 
> state, but more records are needed.  Even if you can't "officially" add it 
> to your list, you can still add it to your personal records and makes this 
> birding game a little more interesting (for me at least).
>
> I could write quite a bit on this subject, but class is starting in less 
> than 2 minutes.
>
> Good birding,
>
> Matt Hafner
> Bel Air, MD
>