Snow buntings in Peterborough

[Tom Momeyer]

Fyi... 21 snow buntings today at/adjacent to Evans Flats trailhead, Evans Road, Peterborough today, in a large grassed area where the town plows the snow (some exposed soil). Reported to eBird right away, on site. Using eBird species maps this evening, they don't show, but other species reported do. I counted carefully by binoculars on the ground and on a nearby utility wire scanning carefully and there were no horned larks or lapland longspurs. 

Someone told me there is a filter on eBird for anything over 20 that a reviewer has to approve. That sounds 'fishy' to me, as there was no alert of high count using the mobile app. Sibley shows our area as normal winter range. I've counted over 100 in a previous year a Rt Hampton Beach SP and a lot higher than 20 at Pinnacle Equipment near the CT River.

Why would the snow buntings report of snow buntings not show on eBird species maps?

Tom Momeyer 

PPeterborough, NH

[Tom Momeyer]

Fyi, a friend reported 24 snow buntings today at the same location.  Best view is to drive on Evans Road, Peterborough, to the end and continue into the circular drive leading to Evans Flats trailhead. When halfway around the circle look to the large plowed grassy area with lage pushed up snow at the right side of the cleared area. The snow buntings have been foraging in the exposed grass and soil areas for the past two days - may be hit or miss as to when they're present. They sometimes fly up as a group, circle the clearing, landscapes on utility wires, and go back to the ground to forage.

Someone emailed me and said that the reason they don't show up in an eBird Species maps search is due to Hillsborough County having an eBird filter set to allow 20 or fewer numbers 'go through' for this time of year and for higher than 20 (I had 21 yesterday, someone else had 24 today) it triggers an eBird reviewer requirement. They noted backlogs in review work lasting quite long in some cases. So, apparently any number count higher than the filter setting sits quietly, hidden, and unknown to the general eBird user and may be accessible to people with higher levels of access to eBird data. 

Tom Momeyer 

Peterborough, NH