Kurt:
You know the old saying ... "it's your list, you can count anything you want!"
The MD/DCRC has a few reports of Trumpeter Swan, some banded some
not. When they are reviewed, the odds are (assuming they are not
hybrid "Trumpling" swans) that they will be found to be "ID OK/Origin
Questionable" (for the unbanded birds) or some equivalent to "Origin
Exotic" (for the banded birds). Trumpeter Swan is on the Maryland
list as an extirpated species due to historical accounts of them
wintering along the Potomac River in the 1700s.
To my knowledge, the MOS "Locality List" reporting still has no
defined criteria for counting, except (as the game of bridge)
ostracism. Now, Norm has reporters over 350 MD species submit their
list of new species each year for public scrutiny.
So, my personal opinion (and not that of the committee as a body) is
that all of the Trumpeter Swans in MD are a result of the MANY state
reintroduction programs in the northeast and midwest and I would not
count them on any of my lists.
Digging in to the ABA rules, I think you will also not find any
support for counting these birds.
Lots of related links here, especially on the reintroduction programs ...
http://www.trumpeterswansociety.org/links.htm
A good historical perspective is here ...
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~insrisg/nature/swans.html
Hope this helps ...
Phil
At 19:55 09/05/2006, you wrote:
>What is the countability status of the Trumpeter at Oxbow Lake (and
>Schoolhouse Pond, for that matter)?
>It strikes me that by most criteria, they are not countable. Is the
>New York population self-reproducing?
>Yes, I realize that one's list is what one makes it, but would like
>to adhere to generally-accepted criteria
>where possible, unless it's something off base, like the Rehoboth
>Monk Parakeets not being countable.
>
>Kurt Schwarz
>Ellicott City
>goawaybird at comcast.net
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "jim brighton" <>
>To: <>
>Sent: Tuesday, September 05, 2006 5:25 PM
>Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Schoolhouse Pond conditions & birds
>
>
>>In response to Fred's message about School House Pond, I was there
>>yesterday evening and had 28 Great Egret's and an immature
>>Black-crowned Night-Heron. Also, at Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve
>>there was an immature Little Blue Heron, Great Egret, and a Trumpeter Swan.
>>
>>Jim Brighton
>>Oxford, Md
>>
===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
301-261-0184
mailto:[log in to unmask]
MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
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