Norm and others, 



Janet's question about how many counties Snowy Owl's have been seen in is not so easy. I answered 19 of 23. Matt Hafner let me know that there have been records of Snowy Owls in Cecil and Calvert Counties since the Yellow Book was published in 1996 and are not included in the 2003 online update. So with our current information Somerset and Wicomico are the only counties without a Snowy Owl. George Jett may have a record of a Somerset Snowy. 



My follow up question is how are the county species numbers determined on the yearly Locality Report. 

For example Howard County has 297 species on its checklist. This includes 8 Hypothetical species (1-2 records without a photograph, specimen, or Maryland Records Committee acceptance). There are 292 Howard County species on the Locality Report. 

Montgomery County has 328 species on its checklist but 319 on the Locality Report. 

There may be some rule that I am not aware of for what is included but I have total count discrepancies in 17 of 23 counties on my checklist. 



Thanks, 

Joe Hanfman 

Columbia, MD