Alan Contreras
2254 Crestview Dr. S.
Salem, Oregon 97302-5353
(503) 371-3458 h (503) 399-9912 w
Internet: acontrer at orednet.org (will change August 1996)





Dear OBOL and Tweeters Folks:

I recently finished my fourth year editing Oregon and
Washington Christmas Bird Counts, and have sent the counts back
to New York. Last December I sent each compiler a version of
what you see below. I would like to get this updated version of
the Truth into WOS News and Oregon Birds this fall. I would
appreciate any comments about the status section or the Q and A
section. I plan to send this in by July 12.

Thanks!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

To: Oregon and Washington Christmas Count observers and
compilers.

I have prepared the attached set of evaluation standards
for your guidance in determining whether certain species require
written description to be accepted on CBCs in the region.
Suggestions for changes are welcome. This was sent to compilers
last year; I have made several changes. The following question
and answer section may help answer common questions about CBC
rarities and the editing process.

Q: Are there any RregularS unusual birds for which we donUt have
to write a description?
A: These species are considered sufficiently regular and/or
easy to identify that descriptions are no longer required for
acceptance anywhere in the region: Green Heron, Eared Grebe,
White Pelican, American Bittern, Eurasian Wigeon, Wild Turkey,
Barred Owl, Scrub Jay, TownsendUs Solitaire, Orange-crowned
Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, HarrisU Sparrow and White-throated
Sparrow. Local compilers may still ask for details if they wish,
but the regional editor will not. See the following list for
more detailed guidelines.

Q: How are reports of rarities evaluated?
A: If the report is accompanied by a clear photograph I accept
it and it does not undergo further review. Examples of these for
Washington include the Black-throated Blue Warbler in 1994 and
the BullockUs Oriole in 1995. Examples for Oregon include the
Clay-colored Sparrow at Astoria in 1994. If the report is an
obscure photo or is in writing, it is sent to an eight-member
review committee for a vote. Four members are from Washington
and four from Oregon; all eight see reports from both states. A
majority vote is required to accept. Members do not vote on
their own reports or on reports from their own CBC if they are a
compiler. Most of the membership of the committee rotates
annually and about half are CBC compilers.

Q: How were the review standards developed?
A: I prepared them after examining several years of counts and
consulting with experts from both states. The standards are
reviewed periodically.

Q: Are there any species that always get rejected if there are
no details?
A: In theory any species for which a description is required but
not provided may be summarily rejected by the regional editor.
In practice the editor may choose to mark a record Rno detailsS
but allow it to be published. I always reject House Wren, Lesser
Yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, SwainsonUs Thrush, SwainsonUs
Hawk, Yellow Warbler, WilsonUs Warbler and other RsummerS
warblers if submitted without details.

Q: What are the commonest mistakes people make when they write
up an unusual bird?
A: There are two main RfatalS mistakes. Some people describe
the habitat and viewing conditions but not the bird. Others fail
to say why the bird was not something more common. For example,
they fail to distinguish a House Wren from Winter Wren or Marsh
Wren.


1996 review standards (Puget Sound is treated as RcoastalS for
purposes of these standards)


Species Standard for consideration for CBC acceptance


Is a description of this species required for CBC acceptance in
the Oregon-Washington region?

Yellow-billed Loon .....Yes
other loons.....Yes if east of the Cascades away from the
Columbia River
Red-necked Grebe .....Yes if away from usual wintering areas
Eared Grebe .....No
ClarkUs Grebe .....Yes except on coast, also for concentrations.
Sooty Shearwater .....Yes to distinguish from more regular
Short-tailed
Short-tailed Shearwater .....Yes
American White Pelican .....No
Brown Pelican .....No if on coast
American Bittern .....No
Green Heron.....No
Snowy Egret .....Yes except on Oregon coast from Lane Co.
southward, where it is regular in small numbers.
Trumpeter Swan .....Yes if reported south of Lane Co. in western
Oregon or at a location where it is unusual. Compilers need to
keep regional editor informed of changing winter status in this
species.
Emperor Goose .....Yes
Blue-winged Teal .....Males accepted if stated as such, females
need description. Females accompanying males may be treated as
the same species.
Cinnamon Teal .....Males accepted if stated as such, females need
description. Females accompanying males may be treated as the
same species.
Eurasian Wigeon .....No.
Greater Scaup .....Not on coast or along major waterways, but
exercise care in reporting uncertain birds away from coast.
Oldsquaw .....Not on coast, needed elsewhere.
Red-breasted Merganser.....Yes if east of the Cascades.
BarrowUs Goldeneye .....No except in southwestern Oregon.
Turkey Vulture .....No
Osprey .....Not needed west of Cascades, needed on east side.
becoming more regular in winter west of Cascades.
White-tailed Kite .....Not needed if west of the Cascades in
Oregon. Needed in Washington if away from Willapa Bay or GrayUs
Harbor. Needed in eastern Oregon. Advise regional editor of
changing status.
Northern Goshawk .....No except on the coast.
Red-shouldered Hawk .....Yes except in southwestern Oregon.
Expanding in numbers and range.
SwainsonUs Hawk .....Yes. Committee unlikely to accept without
photographs.
Ferruginous Hawk .....Not needed east of Cascades, needed west of
Cascades. Some birds winter most years locally in eastern Oregon
and southeastern Washington.
Golden Eagle .....All coastal counts should provide description
to distinguish from imm. Bald Eagle, which is more common in
these areas.
Prairie Falcon .....Not needed except on coast. Rare in e.
Washington but easy to identify.
Gyrfalcon.....Yes on any Oregon count except Columbia Estuary and
on Washington counts where not usual.
Wild Turkey .....No.
Sora .....Not needed in Rogue River counties or on the Oregon
coast; elsewhere counts should indicate how identified.
golden-plovers.....Yes, needed for all species. Not sufficiently
regular or simple to identify under poor conditions.
Lesser Yellowlegs .....Yes.
Willet .....Yes except on coast.
Wandering Tattler .....Yes.
Whimbrel .....Yes except on coast.
Long-billed Curlew .....Yes to distinguish from Whimbrel. Not
needed from Willapa Bay or GrayUs Harbor, where regular.
Ruddy Turnstone .....None needed on coast.
Western Sandpiper.....No. Exercise care in identifying this
species at inland locations. Rare in western Oregon, very rare
east of the Cascades
Short-billed Dowitcher .....Yes. Unlikely to accept without
voice differentiation.
Red-necked Phalarope .....Yes.
Red Phalarope .....Yes, needed if away from the coast except
during major wrecks as in 1995.
HeermannUs Gull .....No on coast.
Western Gull .....Yes if away from coast and major interior gull
sites.
Glaucous Gull .....Not needed in Washington or in coastal and
northwestern interior Oregon, needed elsewhere in Oregon.
Black-legged Kittiwake .....Not if on coast, needed inland
Tufted Puffin .....Yes
Band-tailed Pigeon .....Not if west of the Cascades
Snowy Owl .....No, owing to ease of identification.
Burrowing Owl .....Not needed if in western Oregon
Barred Owl .....No.
Rufous Hummingbird .....Report as selasphorus, sp. unless
description excludes AllenUs, i.e. an obvious male Rufous.
Black Phoebe .....Not needed in southwestern Oregon. Needed
elsewhere.
SayUs Phoebe .....Not needed east of the Cascades or from Douglas
County south in w. Oregon. A few winter in most years.
Tree Swallow .....Not needed west of the Cascades in Oregon;
needed elsewhere.
Violet-green Swallow .....Enough description to distinguish from
much more likely Tree Swallow.
Barn Swallow .....Enough to distinguish from Tree Swallow.
Scrub Jay .....No.
Northwestern Crow .....Prefer treatment as American Crow or crow,
sp. Not acceptable in Oregon.
House Wren .....Yes.
TownsendUs Solitaire .....No.
SwainsonUs Thrush .....Yes, unlikely to accept without
photographs. No confirmed winter records from the region.
Northern Mockingbird .....Not needed in southwestern Oregon,
preferred elsewhere.
Sage Thrasher .....Not if east of Cascades.
Bohemian Waxwing .....Not if east of Cascades or from Puget Sound
north of Seattle. Yes elsewhere.
Loggerhead Shrike .....Not if east of Cascades or inland Rogue
Valley, yes elsewhere.
Orange-crowned W. .....No.
Nashville Warbler .....Yes
Yellow Warbler .....Yes
Black-throated Gray W. .....Yes
Hermit Warbler .....Yes
Palm Warbler .....Yes unless on coast.
MacGillivrayUs Warbler .....Yes
Common Yellowthroat .....Yes except in western Oregon.
WilsonUs Warbler .....Yes
Chipping Sparrow .....Yes. Rare in winter, and except in the
Rogue Valley, little more likely than similar Clay-colored
Sparrow.
Clay-colored Sparrow .....Yes.
Vesper Sparrow .....Yes. A few winter, but can be confused.
Sage Sparrow .....Not needed from Great Basin counts; needed
elsewhere. Some winter in mild years.
Savannah Sparrow .....No.
Swamp Sparrow .....Not if west of the Cascades; needed on the
east side.
White-throated Sparrow .....No.
Golden-crowned Sp. .....No, except in counties bordering Idaho.
HarrisU Sparrow .....No.
Lapland Longspur .....Not if on coast or in Klamath County,
Oregon. Preferred elsewhere.
Snow Bunting .....No, except inland southwestern Oregon.
BullockUs Oriole.....Yes, required to distinguish from Hooded
Oriole, which is more likely in winter in part of the region.
Western Tanager.....Yes.
Tricolored Blackbird .....Yes, needed if found at a previously
unknown wintering site. Knowledge of this species is poor and
changing rapidly.
Yellow-h. Blackbird .....Not if within breeding range.
CassinUs Finch.....Not if within breeding range or adjacent
lowlands. ??? Q: what proportion of the population withdraws
from E. Washington ??? Required west of the Cascades.
White-winged Crossbill.....Yes, if away from the eastern
mountains.
Common Redpoll.....Yes, if west of the Cascades.



Alan Contreras
Regional Editor for Christmas Counts
NAS Field Notes


--
Alan Contreras, OCCA. e-mail to: acontrer at orednet.org
e-mail sent here may be subject to public records law
503-399-9912 W, 399-9286 FAX, 371-3458 H
1201 Court St. NE, Salem OR 97301