Data from each state *is* reviewed for the Great Backyard Bird Count. 
For each state, certain species and/or high numbers of certain species 
get flagged and are automatically sent to that state's volunteer 
reviewer, who then studies the information submitted (the general public 
does not see the Comments section that the reporting person may have 
completed, nor their assessment of their birding ID ability, 
weather/viewing conditions, etc.) and may elect to invalidate the 
sighting (specifying the reason(s) why), send a follow-up inquiry to the 
reporting person asking for more information, photos, explanation of why 
they decided it wasn't a such-and-such bird, etc,; or accept the 
sighting based on regional intell, knowing the reporting person and/or 
area, knowing the reported bird has been seen by others, etc. Not all 
species are automatically flagged, however, and that's where the 
volunteer reviewer needs to take lots of extra time to study every 
report, looking for the very sightings that were raised as "Oh, really?" 
on MDOspreay. While it's not a perfect system, the GBBC does generate 
tremendous interest in birding in the general public and makes the 
Average Joe much more aware of what birds are out there. M$.02W--Jane 
Kostenko

Date:    Wed, 22 Feb 2006 13:30:51 -0500
From:    Bill Ellis <>
Subject: GBBC vs. eBird

The eBird data are reviewed, so I think that Cornell program is
more likely to produce useful data.

Bill Ellis
Eldersburg, MD
Carroll County Bird Club
billellis at ellislist dotcom

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Richard Hollis
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 11:10 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Great weekend - GBBC


Bob's point about misIDs is well taken.
I think surveys like this are most [¿only?] useful for common,
easily
identified species.  They are typically the only ones found with
sufficiently large n's to be of statistical use.

My bigger concern is the low numbers of participants.


Rick Hollis
North Liberty IA formerly Arbutus MD


--
Jane Kostenko

California, MD