Since Jeff has opened the subject of unusual reports on the Great Backyard Bird Count I'm going to stick my neck out and comment to everyone.
   This count is not edited. Errors and misidentifications abound. I have gleaned the following from the reports submitted so far this year. I would be pleased to hear from anyone that knows more about these reports. They would all make great additions to our database on Maryland birds if they can be verified. In the meantime, don't go chasing anything until you have more information.
   Apologies to Norm if this starts something that won't stop but I believe the public should be informed.

Great Egret - all 6 birds are from White Marsh

Snowy Egret - both birds from Mitchellville

Laughing Gull - 110 have been reported so far with 46 from Baltimore, 60 from White Marsh, 1 from Catonsville, and 3 from Columbia

Little Gull - 3 from Woodstock and 10 from the C&O Canal

Black-headed Gull - all 4 from Montgomery Village

Glaucous Gull - 8 from Crownsville, 5 from Upper Marlboro, 3 from Sykesville

Raven - 37 from six counties outside the known breeding range with 13 from West Friendship, 5 from Arnold, 4 from Baltimore, 6 from Jarrettsville, 5 from Leonardtown, 4 from Upper Marlboro

Tree Swallow - 16 of the 22 reported were from the Piedmont

Marsh Wren - 6 of the 9 reported were from Severna Park

Brown-headed Nuthatch - 11 of the 33 reported were from the Piedmont with 2 from Clarksville, 4 from White Hall, 2 from Columbia, 1 from Frederick

Brewer's Blackbird - 4 from Frederick, 3 from Laurel

Boat-tailed Grackle - all 81 from outside the breeding range with 60 from Pittsville, 1 from Arnold, 20 from Baltimore

Redpoll - 1 from Annapolis, 1 from Pasadena, 2 from Silver Spring

   It is reports such as these that make the entire data set suspect. I would be surprised if even 5% of the above reports are correct. The solution is better education of everyone we contact.
--
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD


---- Jeff Shenot <> wrote: 
>> I checked some of the GBBC results (note - there may be additional report
> s 
> that are not submitted or available yet) and noticed some "good birds" 
> 
> reported that I don't think were mentioned here on Osprey.  For some I 
> 
> can't help questioning the validity, but others are probably valid and 
> 
> worth noting.  For my own area (U.M.) someone reported 5 Glaucous Gulls, 
> 
> which almost always when found here are also seen by someone who reports 
> 
> this to Osprey.  This is certainly feasible - perhaps my judgement is 
> selfishly clouded by my envy!
> 
> Noteworthy suspects include:
>  - American Pipits counted in Silver Spring;
>  - Little Gull from 2 very different places: Woodstock (3 birds seen; the
>  
> only gull reported there, and only "rare" bird of 24 species there); also
> d 
> from C&O Canal NHP (17 sp.; also had OC Warbler but this is a likely 
> 
> possibility);
>  - Black-headed Gull from Montgomery Village (22 sp. but no other gulls);
> 
>  -  Northern Shrike from Baltimore (60 sp. with a good list, but is this 
> 
> unusual for winter or locality?) It seems possible not very likely given 
> 
> the localilty?
> 
> I also looked at some fun possibly/probably more credible sightings and 
> 
> noted:
>  - Northern Goshawk from Damascus (36 sp.);
>  - Dickcissel from Ellicott City (47 sp.);
>  - Brewers Blackbird from Frederick (49 sp.) and Laurel (50 sp.);
>  - Snow Bunting from Westminster (44 sp.);
>  - Golden Eagle from Massey (where is this?).
> 
> Cheers -
> Jeff Shenot
> Croom MD