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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steve Dudley" data-source="post: 1841594" data-attributes="member: 5172">No you're right. But at long last, fir the last couple of years we have had a recording system for the island which requests those who see such species to formally submit them (just as they are requested to do so at home). This doesn't have to be an extensive submission, as long as the key details are reported. How long does it take to jot down a couple of paras to report something? 10 minutes? Less? But if you see something rare on Lesvos and you don't submit it, then please don't expect it to be simply accepted. Its no different to bird recording here, on which the Lesvos recording model is based.And its simply because we are aware of the lack of submissions that some of the regular visitors are prepared to spend time checking out reports of such species in order to verify them. Because we do actually want them verified. If those doing the checking don't see them, and they remain unsubmitted, then they remain unverified. And believe me, I've seen plenty of Fan-tailed Warblers on Lesvos, I don't 'need' to see another, but its the verification of the record which leads me and others to check such reports out if we know about them and which keeps us checking former sites and good looking possible sites.Sadly, yes, that sums it up for the majority, not only when birding abroad, but also when birding in Britain also. But, as here, we won't let this stop those of us who want to help maintain a record of birds and wildlife on the island. And interestingly, so far, more non-British birders have submitted records than British birders, despite British birders considerably out-numbering other nationalities. You probably don't appreciate the value of posting simple lists of sightings as Mick and Roy have done on this thread. They've taken the time not only to submit their records like this but also to share them publicly here. Just as we are beginning to do annually with the production of a free annual bird report for the island utilising the records of the many birders who do submit their records. I'm receiving all sorts of submissions this year, from simple lists to excel spreadsheets. And you might be surprised how receptive people are about being asked for further details of particular species and how many (pretty much all) are happy to send in further info.I'm sure I have just as much 'fun' as everyone else on Lesvos, but I also see the value of submitting records, especially those of rarer breeding species (and in order for my rarer records to be accepted I submit written descriptions as expected from others). How else can we monitor what is there without verified records? Without maintaining some record system how else have we been able to detect the slow decline of Ruppell's Warbler on Lesvos? And without data to corroborate such, how can we prove it? Its only from those of us who have recorded birds on Lesvos over the last decade that we are beginning to better understand the status of many species on Lesvos. Bird recording can have a conservation value as well as the intrinsic value of simply recording what is seen.Just like recorders here in Britain, myself, other members of LBRC and many other birders who do contribute their records, spend a considerable amount of our free time in maintaining an annual database of records, trying to verify as many of reports of the rarer species as possible and as from 2009, the production of a free annual report for the island. This is beginning to bear fruit as we have many more records submitted already from this year. So please don't undermine the work we and others involved in bird recording (everywhere) by promoting the non-submission of records on the false basis that it somehow stops you having 'fun' and detracts from your birding and your holiday. If you don't want to submit your records, thats fine. But as I have already stated, if you don't, please don't be surprised if they don't appear in the annual report.And lastly, we don't 'rubbish' reports. As one of the island's recorders I remain open-minded (I have to as Lesvos is an amazing island for migration and vagrants) and where possible follow up as many of these reports as possible myself. There are a few species which are regularly reported, often from the same sites, yet despite annual searches, if they are there, they continue to evade those of us specifically searching for them (inc. resident birders). In my book, I also took the view that many of the unsupported records are probably genuine and should not be completely lost. So they were included at the end of each species account, and for those species not on the Lesvos (or Greek) list (as most of these are national Greek rarities rather than local Lesvos rare species) for which reports are known yet no record has been submitted formally, then these were included in a separate appendix. By including these we have already seen some older records being formally submitted and are going through the national HRC process. We will continue to maintain the reports of all the unverified records for the same reason.</blockquote>

Verification