[cobirds] Re: Cobirds vs Ebird Reporting

I think cobirds was first created, to save people from calling the Colorado Rare Bird Alert all the time, to find out what rare birds were being seen in Colorado (which is good for those of us, who didn't live in the Denver area, since it costs money to call the Rare Bird Alert).  So, for a while cobirds was the best way to find out about rare birds people were finding around Colorado.  Later on, everyone got cell phones, so when something crazy was being found, your phone was ringing, if you are in the loop.  Cobirds was still working, as some people would post from their phones to let the word out about rare birds quickly.  Now, there is e-bird, and rare bird reporting to cobirds has gone downhill it seems.  Luckily, if something crazy is found, the cell phone still rings usually.  

I got a call late on Thursday evening, to look at a e-bird checklist, with photos of a "Great Crested Flycatcher", of course, I thought before seeing the photos, a Great Crested Flycatcher in Colorado in late October probably isn't one.  I wasn't surprised to see the photos that showed the bird was a BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER!  If the e-bird checklist was submitted mid-day or before, even without photos, giving directions to the "Great Crested Flycatcher", some local Denver birders, would have quickly, gone to look, since they would know, a Great Crested Flycatcher in Colorado in late October, is very very unlikely, and some would remember Dave Leatherman found a Brown-crested Flycatcher in late October a few years ago at Crow Valley Campground, thinking someone should go look quickly.  Anyway, these late October rare flycatchers don't seem to stick around, so knowing about it right away, would be better, if anyone else is going to be able to see.  When I birding on Wednesday, I was actually looking for Brown-crested Flycatcher, Thick-billed Kingbird, and Groove-billed Ani among other things, since this seems like a good time of the year to be looking for these birds.  I didn't find any of those birds of course, though they were all on my mind.  It is good to know, when certain birds should be here, or not be here.  

Congrats on the finders of the Chatfield Brown-crested Flycatcher on Thursday, and great job on getting photos.  The Colorado Birds Records Committee will be looking forward to the documentation on this sighting.  I think there are only two accepted records for Colorado of this species, as of right now.  The Crow Valley bird and the one from the summer in the San Luis Valley.  I think there are a couple other sightings too.  Hopefully this species will show up more, and maybe stay long enough for all of us to see.

 

Brandon Percival

Pueblo West, CO