Since everyone is so keen on gearing up for the Christmas Bird Count season
already, I figured I better get my act together as regional editor.

Alan Contreras, the prievious regional editor compiled a list of what we
vaguely call "regular, unusual species" for which details are required.
This whole details things can be a tender subject, in part because many people
feel their integrity is being impuned by a request for details.

My philosophy on details is simple, some day we'll all be dead and the only
thing future ornithologists will have to go on is the data we leave behind.
It won't matter whether I trust your observation skills or you were some
mucky-muck with a big list. William Finley made mistakes, Gabrielson &
Jewett made mistakes, we all make mistakes. If we don't leave reasonably
reliable documentation for the curious stuff we see... well at best it will
be thrown into the hypothetical pile, more probably it'll just be tossed.

"The List" can be found along with other useful CBC stuff at:
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/cbc/cbc97.html

If you are a compiler for one of the Oregon/Washington counts, please let
me know whether you are able to download the list. Compilers not on line
will be receiving a hardcopy in the mail, but (since this out of my pocket)
I'd like to keep the cost of mailing down to just those folks.

Thank you for your gracious cooperation.


--
********************************* I am but mad north-north-west;
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * when the wind is southerly,
* mpatters at orednet.org * I know a hawk from a handsaw.
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters -ws