There have been several sightings posted on eBird and perhaps on Tweeters, by "Anonymous eBirder" and another anonymosity with a similar moniker. The most recent questionable reports include one on a Great Gray Owl out on SR 530 and yesterday's posts and pics of a supposed Indigo Bunting - both of these came in on eBird alerts from Snohomish Co. with little or no confirmatory sightings, or, in the case of this Bunting, high-level description of the bird. And Anonymous eBirder has sometimes posted 'rare' sightings from places fairly far apart from each other, on the same day.
This all prompts me to suspect spoofing, which, I hear, is not something foreign to either list. But, hey, it's neither April Fool's Day (yet) nor very funny, either of which would be, and also has been, well-appreciated, at least on Tweeters, back when birders could enjoy more tail-pulling. I can see now why someone might get off on sending ardent chasers off on wild goose chases, just for the power of it all or in order to get a bunch of vehicles parked in one place, with lots of pricey optics available for the "Smash+Grab".
I'm not sure why anyone would wish to share sightings anonymously in the first place...
If any of you have any thoughts as to whether or not to believe these folks or to follow any of their sightings or location directions, or any other related thoughts, please advise, either just me personally or the Tweeterage at large.
Thanks.


Barb Deihl
Matthews Beach Neighborhood - NE Seattle
barbdeihl


"just a birding fool in my little patch paradise" - (anonymous)