2009 Annual Meeting

2009 Annual Meeting

The 2009 annual meeting of the Texas Bird Records Committee (hereafter committee or TBRC) was held via conference call at 1:00 PM on 20 June 2009. Eric Carpenter arranged the conference call. In attendance were:

Members

• Randy Pinkston, Chair

• Mark Lockwood, Secretary

• Keith Arnold, Academician

• Martin Reid

• Brad McKinney

• Eric Carpenter

• Ron Weeks

• Willie Sekula

TBRC member Cin-Ty Lee was unable to participate in the meeting. The meeting was convened at 1:05 PM.

Election of Members

Ron Week’s 1st term and Brad McKinney’s 2nd term expired at the end of the annual meeting and Cin-Ty Lee resigned from the Committee because of other commitments. This left three vacancies to be filled. Weeks, Mary Gustafson and Tim Fennell were elected as voting members. Pinkston, Lockwood, and Arnold were nominated for the positions of Chair, Secretary, and Academician and re-elected.

Current membership and term of service are as follows:

• Randy Pinkston, Chair - term expires fall 2012; can be re-elected

• Mark Lockwood, Secretary - term expires fall 2010; can be re-elected

• Keith Arnold, Academician - term is as listed for Secretary; can be re-elected

• Eric Carpenter - 2nd term expires fall 2010

• Willie Sekula - 2nd term expires fall 2010

• Ron Weeks - 2nd term expires fall 2012

• Martin Reid - 1st term expires fall 2011, can be re-elected

• Tim Fennell - 1st term expires fall 2012, can be re-elected

• Mary Gustafson - 1st term expires fall 2012, can be re-elected

Regular Agenda Items

Fourth Round Records

1. 2008-40 Baird’s Sparrow

Brewster Co., 14 May 2008

not accepted 6-2

2. 2008-51 Brown Noddy

Willacy Co., 10 June 2008

not accepted 1-7

3. 2008-93 Wood Sandpiper

Reeves Co., 29 August 2009

not accepted 5-3

Revision of Mailing Sequence

New mailing sequence is as follows:

Carpenter

Fennell

Reid

Sekula

Weeks

Gustafson

Pinkston

Arnold

Lockwood

Examination of TBRC 2007-05 for acceptance at genus level

TBRC 2007-05 was originally reported as a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher from Sabine Pass, Jefferson Co. 10-11 September 2007. The record was not accepted because critical field marks separating Sulphur-bellied from the similar Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodynastes maculates). Reid moved that a category be added to the TBRC records list for Sulphur-bellied/Streaked Flycatchers (Sekula second). Discussion centered on similarities of other Myiodynastes and other flycatchers. The motion passed 8-0. Details of TBRC 2007-05 were briefly discussed and the record was accepted under the new category 8-0. Arnold and Lockwood agreed to gather materials on previous records of Myiodynastes that were not accepted.

Examination of TBRC 2007-51 for acceptance at genus level

TBRC 2007-51 was originally reported as a Brown Noddy and decided previously in this annual meeting. The record was not accepted because photos and details were considered insufficient to eliminate Black Noddy. Arnold moved that a category be added to the TBRC records list for Brown/Black Noddy (Pinkston second). The motion passed 8-0. TBRC 2007-51 accepted under the new category 8-0.

Examination of TBRC 2007-53 for acceptance at genus level

TBRC 2007-53 was originally reported as a Variegated Flycatcher (Empidonomus varius) from Houston, Harris Co. 29 May 2007. The record was not accepted because photos and details were considered insufficient to eliminate Piratic Flycatcher (Legatus leucophaius). Weeks moved that a category be added to the TBRC records list for Variegated/Piratic Flycatchers (Pinkston second). Discussion centered on similarities of these and other flycatchers. The motion passed 8-0. Details of TBRC 2007-53 were briefly discussed and the record was accepted under the new category 8-0.

Standards for determining establishment of exotics

Lockwood moved (Pinkston second) that the TBRC adopt the standards for determining establishment of exotics recently put forth by the ABA Checklist Committee. Discussion centered on how these criteria would apply to species occurring in Texas. The full eight criteria would be applied to populations arising within Texas (i.e. first establishment within the state rather than expanding into the state). The question of who would be responsible for publishing data for a population (criterion 8) was brought up by Arnold. The consensus was that it would fall on the person, or persons, proposing establishment of the population of the exotic species. A copy, with some minor modifications, will be placed on the TBRC website.

Need to capture decisions made in annual meetings

As part of the discussion of the previous item Lockwood mentioned that the TBRC needed to capture decisions made at annual meetings as an addendum to the bylaws or in some fashion so that they are not lost. Carpenter agreed to capture those decisions and put together a draft document for the Committee to review by the next annual meeting.

Motion to have members abstain from voting on particular records

Weeks moved (Pinkston second) for a change in the bylaws to have members abstain from records where they are the primary documenter for that record. The reasoning behind this is that the current system allows members to lobby for records for which they are the primary person to provide documentation. This is an advantage that observers not on the committee do not have. Some state BRCs have this provision in their bylaws while others operate as the TBRC does. Discussion centered on how this applied to the debate on records where a member might be considered to be lobbying for a record that he or she was not an observer. The change in bylaws was not accepted (4-4 vote).

Need for a physical meeting

Reid in review of the bylaws in preparation of the annual meeting discovered that the changes to the bylaws made at the 2007 annual meeting to allow conference calls rather than requiring physical meetings did not include a change in Section IV. C (QUORUM). This section states "Five Voting Members in good standing, present in person, not by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of the Committee." Reid’s interpretation of this statement is that it prohibits conference calls. Other Committee members do not share this interpretation. Reid suggested that a physical meeting be held prior to the end of 2009 to clear up this issue. No date for a physical meeting was set.

Stating experience on first state record voting sheets

Reid moved (Carpenter second) that each Committee member be required to state their experience with a species under review for a first state record. Discussion in support of the motion included that this would be more transparent for researchers looking at primary data. Other discussion included that this information is generally provided in comments now and making this a requirement was not needed. The motion failed (3-5 vote).

TBRC website

Reid mentioned that he had not been able to access the TBRC web pages (part of the TOS website) for a couple of months. Weeks mentioned that it was part of a larger problem with the TOS website and David Sarkozi was aware of the issues facing site users and trying to solve the problem. Carpenter mentioned that he was working with Sarkozi and would try to assist Reid with access.

TOS Membership

Weeks reminded all Committee members to be aware of their TOS membership status, which is a requirement of serving on the TBRC.

Adjournment

With no other formal business on the agenda, the meeting was adjourned at 2:22 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark W. Lockwood

Secretary, Texas Bird Records Committee