Records Committee
Review List Changes
Target voting date -- 30 Nov 2022

  Preliminary Discussion Ballot 
This is a non-functioning form  and is meant to prepare 
for an eventual vote after the subjects have been discussed.
  

 Voter's Name:  

  

 

 

 
  Preliminary Discussion:   If you'd like to comment for or against any of these proposals, just send in a statement to the [RecCom - email list] and  Secretary will add your comments to the appropriate  "rationale" parts of this ballot.  If the sections get too large the comments will be put on another page which will be linked to from this ballot from the appropriate section.   There should be plenty of room for any comments you'd like to make. 
If you have other species you'd like to add or remove from the Review list or other proposals you'd like to make, just send in your proposals and they will be added to this page.
  

Remove
Species

Proposals to remove the following species from the Review List have been received.
    [general comments]
 1. Boreal Owl   Rationale For removal:
 (1) As stated previously, this is a species that we may want to remove from the review list. This record only strengthens that notion with them being found in multiple drainages.  mh
 (2) I wonder whether this is now an adequately documented species in this area and should be taken off the review list for the Murdock Basin area. Jeff apparently has no problem finding them and getting them to pose in pines. dw

Rationale against removal:    "In my opinion, we should gather more records over a longer period of time before that happens. The majority of our 'accepted' records have come since 2019 (same can be said for records on eBird). I have little doubt that this is mostly a result of increasing observer coverage. However, don't think it hurts to continue gathering records, just in case the recent uptick of observations is a short-term/temporary surge." mjs

Note: Here's a complete list of sightings -- including undocumented sightings.
  "Remove" or "Keep" on List 
Review List Change

Proposal to add a code to the Review List for certain species which need to be identified without reference to provenance.
    [rationale]
 2. Proposal: The Scaled Quail will be marked with a unique code on the Review List to indicate that the committee solicits sight records, but the emphasis will be on proper ID and records will not be rejected for the submitter failing to establish provenance.
  "Accept" or "Stay the same" 
Bylaws Change

Proposed additional criteria for Review List inclusion:  
 (To be inserted into the bylaws after section: V.B.1.b)
    [additional comments]
   (Note:) Proposed additional criteria for review-this is meant to be a compromise giving us some wiggle room to keep species in review that may be over the 2 average reports over 10 years rule, but yet not going so far as to divide the state into different review regions with different review lists for each region  ~ Bryant
 3. 1) If a species is uncommon in one very specific sub-region of the state but extremely rare everywhere else, review may be warranted. As in Zone-tailed Hawk: Uncommon and local in Washington county, but very rare anywhere else.
  "Add" or "Don't add" to Bylaws
 4. 2) If a species is rare but annual in small numbers, but exact status obscured by being easily misidentified by a similar species, review may be warranted. As In Rusty Blackbird: Expected in winter but immature male Brewer's often misidentified for Rusty.
  "Add" or "Don't add" to Bylaws
 
Add  Species

It has been proposed that the following species be added to the Review List.

5. Gunnison Sage-Grouse   This species has 1 lek left in Utah and very few have been reported in the past 5 years, its on the verge of disappearing in Utah  ~ Bryant
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
 6. Sharp-tailed Grouse    Rationale:  small populations along the Idaho border, even these seem to be shrinking with some formerly occupied areas now abandoned. Recent drought may be having detrimental impacts? Current status obscured by misidentified female Pheasants, in Box Elder and Cache county. In Cache/Rich/Weber also potential confused with other Grouse. The combination of restricted range, confusion with Pheasants/other Grouse and recent abandonment of some areas (Golden Spike/Promontory) may warrant review ~ Bryant
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
 7. Lark Bunting     Rationale:  formerly a nesting species in eastern and northern Utah, has become very erratic and unpredictable in recent years, seems to generally be extirpated as a nesting species but some years it erupts into northern Utah, wintering status in Washington county also erratic and unpredictable. A more critical evaluation of its current status in Utah may be warranted.  ~ Bryant

Note:  Here's a link to the sighting from 1869 to 2000 when it was removed from the Review List:
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
 8. Common Gallinule    Rationale: formerly reported throughout the state although most common in Washington county, in the past few years they have all but disappeared even in Washington county, many recent reports have been misID Coots. Combination of restricted range where increasingly uncommon plus confusion with Coots may warrant review.  ~ Bryant

Note:  Here's a link to the sighting from 1947 to 2000 when it was removed from the Review List:
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
 9. White-winged Crossbill    Rationale: a small resident population occasionally supplemented by erratic eruptions. With so many of Utah's Spruce forests ravaged by bark beetles, this species may be in danger of extirpation of its already tiny and fragmented populations, mostly found in remote wilderness areas seldom visited, exact status and distribution in Utah unknown. This species can be misidentified as some Red Crossbills have weak wingbars. Looking at records, if we discount the mini-eruption we had in 2021, most years none are reported and this bird may fall into the less than 2 reported on average over 10 years category.  ~ Bryant
 
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
10. Acorn Woodpecker    Rationale: Never common and always highly localized, even at the 3 or 4 historic locations they were found at reliably they have become highly erratic and unpredictable at, often going years between sightings, yet other random reports keep showing up of them in new locations. This is a noisy gregarious species so I don't think they are being overlooked, just a very sparse population the exact status and distribution of which is unknown. 3 of the historic locations maybe be abandoned(Devil's Campground in San Juan, Chriss Lake trailhead in Garfield, and near Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Kane) with no recent credible reports.   ~ Bryant

Note:  Here's a link to the sighting until to 2004 when it was removed from the Review List:
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
11. Red-shouldered Hawk    Rationale: Occasional winter resident, mainly in Washington county where very irregular, very rare outside Washington co. Confusion with RTHA ,COHA and BWHA possible.   ~ Bryant

Note:  Here's a link to the sighting from 1935 to 2004 when it was removed from the Review List:
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
12. Ruddy Turnstone    Rationale: Very rare anywhere away from Antelope Island Causeway, with the lowering lake levels has become increasingly difficult to find even there. *There are a number of shorebirds with similar status, very rare except at AIC but getting harder to find there.  ~ Bryant

Note:  Here's a link to the sighting from 1936 to 2006 when it was removed from the Review List:
Put "On" or keep "Off" of the Review List 
 

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