John Harris said:
"Further to Frank's comments, at least having the bird on the list i.e pond
heron may
encourage others to observe more closely any unusual birds they may see. If it
is not
on the list then it is more likely to be overlooked as just another unusual
bird not able
to be ided. A little bit of awareness may just create a spark that helps
someone else
obtain a more positive sighting in future."
John,
I believe that Frank said in reference to the Pond Heron: "I do have an
Australian list and I count
it on MY Australian list".
The Pond Heron would certainly not exist on any 'official' Australian Species
List.
And neither it should.
Frank said: "On a tour to Christmas Island we observed a Pond Heron over four
or five days. We have
full frame photographs of it, and lots of notes. No one doubts that it is a
pond heron. BARC accepts
that it is a pond heron. However, which one? It was an immature and it could
theoretically have been
a Javan Pond Heron or a Chinese Pond Heron. I feel that it was almost certainly
a Javan Pond Heron
(Java is close by), but the Chinese Pond Heron is apparently more migratory
(?), and there are
records for this species on Java (so I have been told), and so it could
theoretically turn up on
Christmas Island."
I haven't been able to determine if Frank submitted a Rare Sighting Report to
BARC but he did
mention the sighting (in another context) in a posting to Birding-Aus dated 19
Oct 1999.
See: http://menura.cse.unsw.edu.au:64800/1999/10/msg00487.html
John, you are right in saying "A little bit of awareness may just create a
spark that helps someone
else
obtain a more positive sighting in future" but my point is 'What is the best
way to report such
POSSIBLE sightings to create that awareness?'.
I don't think that the purpose of a Rare Sighting Report should be to have BARC
decide which of two
species it was that the observer saw.
That is, to say that the bird observed was one or the other of two similar
species.
BARC's job should be to determine if the observer has produced enough evidence
to reasonably prove
the sighting of a particular species.
If BARC's verdict is 'not accepted' then it would be in order to suggest which
species it MAY have
been.
If the observer is sure of the genus but not sure of the species they are
observing they should be
able to report a POSSIBLE Rare Sighting and get some credit.
This report should be made available as widely and as quickly as possible after
a simplified
verification process to eliminate frivolous reporting.
I don't think that simply reporting to BARC and waiting for that party to
disseminate the report is
the best way.
However, a sub-committee of BARC might be used whose job would be to post an
'alert' on such forums
as Birding-Aus or via e-mail direct to anyone who wishes to 'subscribe' to an
electronic 'alert'
newsletter.
It is quite obvious that there are groups of birders who have their own 'alert'
networks which
enable them to keep up with the latest news in the Rare Sightings world. Some
of these groups
operate at a quite sophisticated level and therefore members of those groups
have a distinct
advantage.
I don't deny them the right to operate that way; if I was more able and more
interested I would
endeavour to gain membership of one (or more) such group.
Perhaps I might have trouble being sponsored but it would be fun just trying to
gain membership!
Cheers
Bob Inglis
Woody Point
Queensland
Australia
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