Richard,

If listing is your primary concern, then it doesn't matter which subspecies 
of Nashville Warbler is in Carroll Park (except, see below).   However, if your 
interests include trying to understand patterns of vagrancy, then this could 
be a useful data point, just as the Hammonds Flycatcher was.   That's where 
I'm coming from and where the records committee is right now.   We looked at 
skins of the two Nashville Warbler subspecies a week ago at the Smithsonian in 
preparation for the review of a reported ridgwayi in the committee's files.   

Of course, I wouldn't mind a future split any more than you would.   I freely 
admit to having sought out lots of identifiable subspecies around the 
country, including the Marsh Wrens, just in case.

Paul O'Brien
Rockville, Mont. Co., MD


In a message dated 2/16/06 11:48:35 AM,  writes:


> Does it really matter?
> 
> Unless the species are split, IMO, it doesn't.  For one of the wrens (Marsh 
> Wren I believe), the western and eastern races are very different in their 
> behavior and song, yet they haven't been split, though some wren experts, such 
> as Don Kroodsma (see Don Stap's "BirdSong"), will say that there are ten 
> species of wren in North America, and not nine.  Even for wrens, it doesn't 
> matter if one sees the western or eastern race of this species, as the Marsh Wren 
> is still one species.
> 
> Good birding,
> Richard
> 
> Richard L. Wood, Ph. D.
> Computational Chemist
> Cockeysville, MD 21030
> 
> 
>