We are pleased to announce that nearly 2,500 rare bird records from the archives of the Vermont Bird Record Committee have now been uploaded to Vermont eBird. Log onto Vermont eBird and explore super rarities such as the Swallow-tailed Kite found in Waitsfield in 1913 or track the timing of rare Jaegers migrating southward down Lake Champlain. If you have seen a rare bird in Vermont, you have the opportunity to contribute valuable information to the study of bird distribution and vagrancy. Please help the Vermont Bird Records Committee (VBRC) by submitting a written report when you see a rare bird. VBRC is composed of expert birders and ornithologists from Vermont as well as the four seasonal New England editors of North American Birds with the primary goal of maintaining the official list of species of birds known to occur or have occurred (in the case of extinct species) in Vermont. Each year VBRC reviews all data pertaining to records of scarce or rare birds reported in the state. These records, comprising written descriptions, photographs, tape recordings, and committee member's comments, provide an important permanent record of the ever-changing avifauna of the state. Which Species to Report and How to Report Them When you enter your records into Vermont eBird, entries are flagged if they are unusual for the time of the sighting or the numbers reported. You can then check VBRC's species list to see whether a special report is needed. For detailed instructions for preparing such reports, and a convenient online reporting form, please visit the VBRC website at http://www.vinsweb.org/vbrc/. -- Kent McFarland Conservation Biology Department Vermont Institute of Natural Science 6565 Woodstock Road PO Box 1281 Quechee, VT 05059 802-359-5001 x234 http://www.vinsweb.org/cbd Visit the CBD Blog: http://www.vinsweb.org/cbd/news.html **************************************************************** To post messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask] Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages. To contact the list owner: [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html ****************************************************************