Dennis,

While your point regarding the potential for erroneous sighting data to
propagate misperceptions among less experienced birders is well taken, I
think this concern has to be tempered by the potential educational benefits
from discussing unlikely sightings. I've learned much from having more
experienced birders challenge my erroneous sightings and discussing more
likely alternatives. I think this is, in fact, one of the important ways
that new birders "gain a reasonably good knowledge of the status of bird
species in the area". I'm not sure, but I think Thais Bock may have
trademark rights to the phrase "My wouldn't that be unusual" from the many
times she has gently pointed me back in the right direction.

I'll also grant you that a forum like tweeters presents special problems
when unlikely sightings go unremarked, but I still hope that tweeters errs
on the side of remaining a novice friendly forum where they'll feel welcome
to stay and share and learn, even from their mistakes.

Back to lurking,

Kirk Scarbrough
Woodinville, WA
kscarbro at verizon.net