Birders,

The California Bird Records Committee held its annual meeting at the Western
Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo on 18-19 January 2013. Below is
a brief summary of actions relating to committee membership, the state list, and
the review list. The CBRC web site <
www.californiabirds.orghttp://www.californiabirds.org> > has been updated by
webmaster Joe Morlan to reflect these actions.

Joseph Morlan, Adam Searcy and Dan Singer were elected to three-year terms on
the Committee. We welcome back Joe, who will serve as CBRC Chair, and Dan, who
will be Vice-Chair; Adam will be serving his first term on the Committee.
Rotating off the committee are Dave Compton, Kimball Garrett and Oscar Johnson.

After discussion, the Committee let stand its final decisions to add
Taiga/Tundra Bean-Goose (from Imperial Co.) and Common Crane (Del Norte Co.) to
the California state list. Taiga/Tundra Bean-Goose (Anser fabalis/serrirostris)
is placed on the California list between Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Greater
White-fronted Goose, with a "P" symbol. Common Crane (Grus grus) is placed on
the checklist after Sandhill Crane, also with a "P" symbol. Both the crane and
the goose get an asterisk, indicating that they have been added to the review
list. Acceptance of these two taxa brings the California state list to 651
species (including 10 established introduced species). An additional
photographic record of Common Crane is under review.

The following species will be removed from the review list:
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (regular breeding population in San
Diego Co., possibly Ventura Co.)
Harris's Hawk (regular breeding in s. San Diego Co.)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (has averaged >7 accepted records of
new individuals per year over the past 10 years)
Parakeet Auklet (large numbers in recent years well off n. CA in
winter, early spring)
As always, records of these four species (and all rarities) should still be
documented and sent to appropriate North American Birds sub-regional editors.

Among the many additional topics discussed was the increasing and unfortunate
trend toward "photo-only" submissions of records. We urge observers to provide
written context with all photo submissions, including circumstances of the
sighting, description of behaviors and vocalizations (and anything else not
evident in photographs), and other pertinent details.

The CBRC thanks its outgoing members for their service, Linnea Hall and Adam
Searcy of the WFVZ for hosting our meeting, and all of the observers who have
submitted documentation of records to the CBRC over the past year.

Kimball L. Garrett
Ornithology Collections Manager
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90007 USA
213-763-3368
kgarrett@...
http://www.nhm.org/site/research-collections/ornithology