|
It
sounds to me like you are adding an extra step. Maybe you should be drafting a
list to meet this purpose. Or that you have already done so. Though I am
concerned that specially targeting recording some species will make them seem
more common than they are, relative to other species, and distort information. I
think surveys and recording should be as systematic and consistent as possible
and of course the rarer species would be monitored as part of that process. Our
data handling, storage and analysis tools have increased hugely since Mark
was a beginner and surely will continue to increase until society collapses when
we run out of fuel and electricity. But what is rare or in decline may well
change. Current trends may change, declining species may increase again and
others decline. Following a suggestion to increase targeted reporting, we may
find in 20 years time that a species that is now common and presumably stable
was not considered worth putting on this list and thus not monitored now, and so
we still won't have reasonable comparative data to make the same conclusions in
the future. Surely we already do "record ALL species
that are on the NSW threatened species list that that occur in COG’s area of
interest".
I
think the other big part of the process is to compile knowledge about the birding in Canberra for over 50 years.
How do we convert the historical impressions of several longer term residents
(like Mark) into data that can be used for comparative purposes? Given that
memories and the old records can be hard to ascribe accuracy to. Especially as
the old records tend to highlight the unusual, rather than the typical, so that
there may be more (published) records of rare birds than common
ones.
Philip
Good afternoon all,
Following on from my message this morning concerning Restless
Flycatchers I have asked the COG committee to provide a list of species that we
need to keep a “watching brief” on. Several people have contacted me concerning
records of both the flycatcher and the Southern Whiteface. These are just two of
the species that we need to keep to look out for. I did a list for the former
COG President Chris Davey some time ago with species that I feel need to be
recorded. I also think we need to record ALL species that are on the NSW
threatened species list that that occur in COG’s area of interest. I have been
birding in Canberra for over 50 years so feel I have a pretty good idea of what
species are in trouble locally. I am sure there are others that also feel the
same. If the committee can provide a list, have a good look at it and if you
agree or disagree, can add something or think something should be taken off,
then contact the committee.
Cheers,
Mark
|
