MD Osprey:
News and updates from the MD/DC Records Committee (MD/DCRC):
Committee Members. Completing their three-terms as voting members are
Jonathan Alderfer, Marshall Iliff, and Paul O'Brien. The committee thanks
them for all of their efforts. New voting members elected to three-year
terms are Ed Boyd, Paul Pisano, and Sherman Suter. Paul O'Brien was
reelected as the Chair (non-voting) and Phil Davis was reappointed as
Secretary.
Web Site Redesign and Updates. We have redesigned the MD/DCRC web pages,
located on the Maryland Ornithological Society (MOS) web site. The URL is
still the same …
http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
Concurrently, we have updated most of the MD/DCRC data products posted on
these web pages. The majority of the data products are now PDF documents.
All taxonomy now follows the AOU 44th Checklist Supplement, so ducks are
found at the beginning of the lists.
Highlights associated with the new and updated data products include:
New "State" Species Added. Since our last update was published (accepting
the MD Kelp Gull), this new update adds three new species to the Maryland
list (Reddish Egret, Black-tailed Gull and Green-tailed Towhee) and six to
the DC list (Greater White-fronted Goose, Tufted Duck, White Ibis, Bridled
Tern, White-winged Dove and Northern Shrike). Note that the data on the web
is even later than the information published in the current issue of The
Maryland Yellowthroat that was just mailed to MOS members. A formal
decision report on these and other records will appear at some time in the
future in an issue of Maryland Birdlife. The Maryland list now stands at
421 species and the DC list stands at 322.
MD and DC Separation. We have separated all of the data associated with our
two geopolitical jurisdictions (MD and DC). Each now has its own Official
List of Birds, Review List, chronology of the new species added, and an
abridged version of the MD/DCRC database for each jurisdiction. (Note:
historical reports that are still under investigation are not included in
the web versions of the databases).
2004 Annual Meeting Minutes. The minutes from our February meeting are now
posted in the "Business and Operations" section. This is a very long
document; however, added as attachments at the end of the document, you
will find interesting analyses and comments by Barry Cooper and Paul
O'Brien on the vagrancy of Black-tailed Gulls; and also an analysis and
comments by Barry Cooper on the vagrancy of Tufted Ducks and other species.
2004 Skins Workshop Minutes. The minutes from our March Skins Workshop at
the USNM (aka, the USMNH or the Smithsonian Institution) are also posted.
These minutes include digital images of our activities and study skins.
Identification cases studied include: first-winter Ring-billed and Common
Gull, Audubon's and Manx Shearwater, Bridled and Sooty Terns, and Dusky
Flycatcher vs. other Empidonax Flycatchers. Of local interest, at the end
of the 2004 Skins Workshop Minutes document are two images of the
Smithsonian Institution Rufous Hummingbird that was recovered this winter
after hitting a window in PA. The bird was banded earlier in the winter at
the Smithsonian Institution in DC by Mary Gustafson.
Goals and Procedures Document. This document was expanded and extensively
reorganized. It provides full details on how the committee operates.
Identification and Reference Index. An updated listing of the MD/DCRC file
of identification and reference articles has been posted.
Acknowledgement. I would like to thank Fran Saunders, our MOS web site
director for all of her hard work in updating and redesigning the MD/DCRC
web pages and putting up with me (!).
Phil
===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland 21035 USA
301-261-0184
mailto:[log in to unmask]
MD/DCRC Web site: http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
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