Mike and MDOspreyers,

eBird is certainly happy to get every report that they receive. Every record 
submitted makes the overall database that much more complete. However, eBird 
is running a week long census of the species from April 1 - April 7 and this 
record falls outside of that window and will be unusable. It's like a bird 
being seen 4 days out from the actual Christmas Count date; nice information 
but it can't go onto the record.

Personally, I think a one day count, or maybe a one weekend count would be 
more effective. Like the Spring and Fall Migration Counts, it locks the 
birds down to a shorter time period in which less movement can take place. 
With birds in the midst of migrating, over a week's time there's no saying 
how many times a single flock could be sighted over different areas. Perhaps 
they have a formula to take this in account, because we certainly are not 
going to record every Rusty individual, but for census purposes I've always 
been in favor of smaller sampling periods. Anyway, be sure to get the 
sightings in during the first week of next month.

Ed Boyd
Westminster, MD

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Bowen" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 5:32 PM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Rusty Blackbirds at BWI 3/28


> Steve:
>
> I'm sure eBird will be glad to receive the information no matter what the 
> date.  My wife and I saw about 50 Rusties this morning at Huntley Meadows 
> Park in VA, and I submitted the sighting to eBird as part of my overall 
> list.
>
> Best
>
> Mike Bowen
> Montgomery Bird Club, MOS
> Bethesda, MD
>
>
>
>
> At 05:28 PM 3/28/2008 -0400, Steve Collins wrote:
>>Unfortunately it's a few days early for the Rusty Blackbird survey, but 
>>today I noticed 11 Rusty Blackbirds in a section of Patapsco Valley State 
>>Park on Ridge Rd and Stony Run near the airport.  Maybe they'll be there 
>>next week.
>>
>>A couple Pine Warblers were singing in the pines along Amtrak Way too.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Steve Collins
>>Towson, MD
>
> D.H. Michael Bowen
> 8609 Ewing Drive
> Bethesda, MD  20817
> Telephone: (301) 530-5764
> e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
>
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