**this message is posted with the permission of the Ontbirds moderator** Dear Ontbirds subscribers,
The annual meeting of the Ontario Bird Records Committee (OBRC) was held on 23 March 2014. At this meeting, the OBRC adopted a split of the North Review zone such that it is divided by the southern boundary of the Hudson Bay Lowlands Ecozone into the new "Central" and "Lowlands" Review Zones. These changes are effective 1 January 2014. A map of the current review zones can by viewed at https://tinyurl.com/OBRCzones and can be linked to from several places on the OFO website. In addition to the changes resulting in the two new review zones, the following changes were made to the various lists (also effective 1 January 2014): -Brown Booby and Elegant Tern have been added to the Ontario list, bringing the total to 490. It is now a count down to 500! Both species are new to the South Review Zone and thus added to the South Review List. -Prairie Falcon is new to the Lowlands Review Zone and thus added to the Lowlands Review List -Clark's Nutcracker and Violet-green Swallow are both new to the South Review Zone and thus added to the South Review list. -Ruff is added to the South Review List -Piping Plover is removed from the South Review List -Oregon Junco is removed from the Subspecies Review List At the meeting, the Committee adopted a policy to allow any OFO member to propose changes to any of the Review Lists. For the first time, the OBRC meeting minutes are available on the OFO website, as well as the most recent version of the Operating Guidelines. Both are available, along with the Review Lists, online at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/obrc.obrc Past annual reports are available online at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/obrc.annualreports At this meeting the 3 year terms as voting OBRC members for Doug McRae, Ken Burrell and myself ended. The OBRC has elected Ross Wood, Bill Crins, and Brandon Holden to 3 year terms as our replacements. The committee would like to thank all OFO members who took the time to submit nominations. Brandon Holden was elected to the chairperson role. The remaining voting members are Mark Gawn, Peter Burke, Ron Ridout, and Bruce Di Labio. Mark Peck will continue as the non-voting Royal Ontario Museum Liaison. On behalf of the rest of the committee, I would like to thank Doug McRae and Ken Burrell for their service on the OBRC for the past three years. For the 2014 committee, I have been elected to replace Brandon Holden as non-voting Secretary. Barb Charlton has graciously agreed to continue acting in the role of non-voting Assistant to the Secretary. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you to submit your documentation of birds on the OBRC Review Lists as soon as possible - this facilitates timely voting by the committee and helps ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. It also helps ensure your memory is fresh when writing the reports. Please don't assume others have documented a bird - the more reports we have on file, the more complete the record will be now and in the future. An online form is available at http://www.ofo.ca/site/Obrcreport but the OBRC accepts submissions in any form (send them to the OBRC secretary at [email protected]. Guidelines for submitting reports is available at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/obrc.guidelines The following review list birds have been reported so far this year, if you have observed them , you are urged to submit documentation: White-faced Ibis Western Grebe Blue Grosbeak Painted Bunting Smith's Longspur Fish Crow Audubon's Yellow-rumped Warbler Henslow's Sparrow If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me or any of the other OBRC members. Enjoy the spring birding season! --------------------------------------------------------- Mike Burrell Chair, 2013 OBRC Inverary, Ontario [email protected] http://mikeburrell.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
