Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the email.  A number of years ago, some folks on the 
committee tried to clean up some of the species on the state list whose 
presence was simply listed as "historical."  To that end, we added some 
species where we had solid evidence and deleted some for which the 
evidence was inconclusive.  Although it would take me a while to dig up 
the outcome of that endeavor, I believe that the fact that provenance 
was lacking on the specimen led the committee to decide not to include 
Marbled Godwit on the state list.  Our first state records for 
Thick-billed Murre are based on specimens at the Dead Creek HQ that have 
excellent documentation.  Without solid information on provenance, it is 
hard to know exactly how to "count" these types of specimens.

Allan

On 11/14/2011 8:56 AM, Peterson, Bruce B. wrote:
> Concerning Marbled Godwit.  Several years ago I examined a collection of
> stuffed specimens at the Dead Creek Headquarters.  They were of bird
> collected years ago in the area.  There were several Marbled Godwits in the
> collection.  In addition, the old Middlebury College collection, going back
> to the 1800's had at least one Marbled Godwit. I have no provenance for
> these specimens, but they were apparently collected as a representative
> sample of Vermont birds.  Apparently Marbled Godwit was present in the state
> at several times in the past.  Bruce Peterson
>
>
> On 11/13/11 2:39 PM, "Allan Strong"<[log in to unmask]>  wrote:
>
>> VTBirders -
>>
>> The Bird Record Committee met in late October to assess the year of hard
>> work by the Vermont birding community.  The report can be found here:
>> http://www.vtecostudies.org/vbrc/RSDs/2011%20Decisions.pdf
>>
>> Most exciting were three new state records: Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
>> (courtesy of Irene), Marbled Godwit, and Slaty-backed Gull.  Another ~10
>> records were for species that have been recorded less than 10 times in
>> Vermont.
>>
>> The committee is continuing to work on ways to streamline the process of
>> requesting Rare Species Documentation (RSDs) and to work with eBird to
>> assess reports in a more timely manner.  We'll keep you posted on
>> improvements to our system in the coming months.
>>
>> In the meantime, please keep those reports coming.  We appreciate your
>> willingness to work within our reporting system, and please...keep those
>> RSDs coming!
>>
>> All the best,
>> Allan Strong
>> Judith Peterson
>> Kent McFarland
>> Sue Wetmore
>> Hector Galbraith
>> John Sutton
>> Ruth Stewart
>> George Clark
>> Chris Rimmer

-- 

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Allan M. Strong
University of Vermont
The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
007 Hills Building
Burlington, VT 05405
802-656-2910
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