We need to correct an inaccurate report that was posted on yesterday's 
Vermont Rare Bird Alert (RBA).  We apologize for any confusion it may 
have caused.  From an area along Route 118 in Eden, generally 1-1.5 
miles north of the Rt. 100 intersection we reported sightings of both a 
Boreal Owl on 1/5 and a Northern Hawk Owl from multiple dates through 
1/8.  There appears to be little doubt now that the bird initially 
reported as a Boreal Owl was in fact the Northern Hawk-Owl that 
continues to be present in this area, at least through the afternoon of 1/9.

We thank Bob Budliger for pointing out this erroneous report, for which 
we accept full responsibility.   This may beg the question in some 
UV-BIRDERS listserv subscribers' minds as to what criteria are used in 
including birders' reports on the RBA.  In general, the RBA does _not_ 
function as a filter for determining the validity of records submitted 
to the UV-BIRDERS or VTBIRD listervs, or to Vermont eBird.  These are 
the three primary sources used to compile the weekly RBA, which is 
intended simply to highlight for birders reports that have been 
submitted during the previous week.  The determination of which records 
are acceptable for inclusion on the Vermont State List, and which are 
not, is the role of the Vermont Bird Records Committee (VBRC) 
http://www.vtecostudies.org/vbrc/.  The VBRC meets once annually to 
review all those records submitted on Rare Species Documentation (RSD) 
forms, during the previous year (see 
http://www.vtecostudies.org/vbrc/vbrcdocu.htm for a list of those 
species that require RSDs). 

For the past few years, VCE has been glad to be able to provide the 
weekly Vermont RBA as a free service to the Upper Valley birding 
community.  We acknowledge, however, that it is a fairly informal 
synthesis of  birders' reports, not subject to rigorous scrutiny. While 
we attempt to verify, and if necessary "weed out" (or at least place 
qualifiers on), reports that are either extraordinary or highly suspect, 
_and_ that lack clear documentation (e.g., the accompanying photos that 
eliminated all doubts about the recent Cave Swallow and No. Hawk Owl), 
we recognize that reports may occasionally slip through the cracks.  
Such was the case with the Eden Boreal Owl reported on 1/5.  Arguably, 
we should have realized that it was a likely misidentification or 'typo' 
on the part of the birder who reported it, given the No. Hawk Owl's 
repeated presence at the same location.  So, we again apologize for any 
undue confusion or consternation this posting may have caused anyone. 

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Chris Rimmer
Mary Holland
Kent McFarland
Roz Renfrew
Vermont RBA compilers

-- 
****************
Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
P.O. Box 420
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1431 ext. 1
www.vtecostudies.org


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