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News from the MD/DC Records Committee (long)

From:

Phil Davis

Reply-To:

Phil Davis

Date:

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 01:07:21 -0400

MD Osprey:

News from the MD/DC Records Committee ...

We have posted some updates to our web pages. Our web pages can be 
found at the following URL ...

         http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html


Some highlights include:

1. Committee Members.

We would like to thank the members that just rotated off of the 
committee and thank them for their service; they are Ed Boyd, Paul 
Pisano, and Sherman Suter. We would also like to welcome the new 
members who just began their three-year terms: Stan Arnold (Glen 
Burnie), Paul DeAnna (DC), and Leo Weigant (Severna Park). The 
continuing members are Tyler Bell (California, MD), John Hubbell 
(DC), George Jett (Waldorf), Ray Kiddy (Cumberland), Ellen Lawler 
(Salisbury), and Marcia Watson (Elkton). Paul O'Brien continues as 
the Chair, and Phil Davis continues as the Secretary.

2. Changes to the MD Review List:

Brown-headed Nuthatch. Due to northern expansion of the Brown-headed 
Nuthatch in Calvert County on the Western Shore and into Kent County 
on the Eastern Shore, we changed the reviewable range of this species 
(Category 4E) for only birds seen west of the Coastal Plain. Previous 
reports for Calvert and Kent counties will still be reviewed, but on 
a low priority basis.

Common Raven. Due to continued expansion of this species across the 
state, we have removed it from the review list, altogether. Prior 
reviewable reports will still be reviewed, but also on a low priority basis.

Franklin's Gull. Last year the committee removed this species from 
the review list, but upon reflection, we decided that a sighting of 
this species in Western Maryland would more unusual than a Laughing 
Gull which is reviewable from this part of the state. Therefore, we 
have placed Franklin's Gull back on the MD Review List in category 
4D, reviewable if seen west of the Washington/Frederick County line.

Category 4B Clarification. We corrected the definition of Category 4B 
(See the MD Review List for specifics).

The new MD Review List is here ...

         http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdreview.pdf


3. Changes to the DC Review List:

Rufous Hummingbird. Due many sightings over the past few years and 
the species' "non-reviewable" status in MD, we removed Rufous 
Hummingbird from the DC Review List.

The new DC Review List is here ...

         http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/dcreview.pdf


4. 2007 Annual Meeting Minutes and Annual Business Report. The 
committee held its Annual Meeting in early March. The minutes of this 
meeting, including our detailed annual business report, are posted on 
the web here ...

         http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/rcannual2007.pdf

This is long document (> 30 pages) but can probably tell you 
everything you (n)ever wanted to know about the committee's current activities.

Some interesting topics are covered in the Appendices. Specifically, 
in Appendix 4 is a summary of Ed Boyd's research on unusual inland 
movements of Thick-billed Murres in the late 1880s that related to a 
MD historical record that the committee reviewed this year.

A preliminary draft review policy dealing with Questionable, Exotic, 
and Introduced Species is presented in Appendix 5. This is a 
brainstorming white paper that is intended to lead to a more mature 
policy next year. Comments are welcome.

Appendix 6 provides the latest news on the committee's quest to 
review several Smithsonian Institution specimens of putative Western 
Wood-Pewees. We have pursued various approaches regarding these 
species over several years; this latest installment involves a DNA 
analysis that we requested the Smithsonian to perform.

Thanks to Taylor McLean for posting these updates.

That's it for now. We are always interested in feedback on how we can 
better serve the birding community.

Thanks.

Phil



===================================================
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
===================================================