Voting Comments

Record #: 9-B-00

Pomarine Jaeger

1st Round: 5-2
2nd Round: 4-3
3rd Round: 4-3
NOT ACCEPT

1st Round
(5 Accept, 2 Reject)

09-13-2007.
Sturts -- Accept

Earl is familiar with all three Jaeger species. The tail, as described by Earl, would not be easily mistaken for the Parasitic or Long-tailed.

Sturts 05-03-2008.
VOTE:  Accept

COMMENTS:  Earl Chapin was seeing the birds in the air and the wing span between the Herring and the Pomarine are not that far apart.  Herring ws 58" and Pomarine ws 52".  Possibly this is why they may have looked close to the same size. I'm still convinced that Earl has the correct identification.

 

Sturts 06-09-2008.

VOTE:  Accept

COMMENTS:  I'm staying with my first and 2nd vote for the same reasons

09-16-2007.
Dave Trochlell -- Reject, specific identification not established

I know that Earl knows his jaegers, but his description of this purported POJA lacks enough detail to satisfy or convince me.

Dave Trochlell 05-12-2008.
VOTE:  Reject, specific identification not established

COMMENTS:  I'm going to reject this one again, because I'm bothered by the size comparison with a Herring Gull and the lack of many other specific details. Maybe the bird was actually a South Polar Skua.

11-21-2008.

Dave Trochlell -- Reject, specific identification not established

The description is not convincing enough for me.
9/16/07.
Cliff Weisse -- Reject, specific identification not established

The description lacks any details of plumage or structure except size. The size described, "as large or nearly as large as the Herring Gull", is too large for any jaeger. Pomarine Jaeger has approximately the wingspan of a Ring-billed Gull (Kaufmann, Advanced Birding) so I can't see it appearing even close to as large as a Herring Gull. Also I have trouble with a Herring Gull chasing any jaeger.

Cliff Weisse 5/6/08.
VOTE:  Reject, specific identification not established

COMMENTS:  I'm still not convinced that this description is sufficient to eliminate other species.

Cliff Weisse 11/16/08.

VOTE:  Reject, specific identification not established

COMMENTS:  Same as second round

4 October 2007.
Hardy -- Accept

Description of bulk and tail streamers (what reporter refers to as the "tail") sufficient to distinguish from PAJA.

Hardy 12 May 2008.
VOTE:  Accept

COMMENTS:  Same remarks as first round.

 

29 November 2008.


Hardy -- Accept


Though the description is minimal, I cannot get around the description of the tail streamers which are diagnostic of POJA. The size comparison with Herring Gull does not bother me unduly; Herring Gull vary widely in size (Olsen notes a weight range of 600 to 1650 g for American HEGU).
010-06-2007.
chuck trost -- Accept

The size as compared with a chasing herring gull, and the tail shape are convincing to me.

chuck trost 05-20-2008.

VOTE:  Accept

COMMENTS:  The central tail feathers would rule out a PAJA and the size, while too large, would seem bulky.  I still buy it.

11-20-2008.

chuck trost -- Accept

It looks like this one is going down in flames, but I still think Chapin's description of the size and tail streamers eliminate other species.
11-04-2007.
Carlisle -- Accept

Good description of size & tail shape.

Carlisle 5-16-08.
VOTE:  Accept

COMMENTS:  Though the report leaves something to be desired as far as a detailed description of plumage & structural features and I acknowledge Cliff's comments re: size, a Pomarine is still a bulkier bird than a Ring-billed Gull and is the largest jaeger/skua with tail streamers (as an adult).  Thus, given the close views, I think this is a reliable (if under-described) report.

11-25-08.

Carlisle -- Accept

No change from prior comments.  It seems to me that enough was seen at 30' to make this ID of an adult jaeger reliable.
13 Nov 2007.
Darren Clark -- Accept

Earl's description of the bulk of the bird as well as the shape of the tail (which on an adult bird should be fairly diagnostic) seem to rule out other species. My only concern is that the bird appeared as large as a Herring Gull. No Jaeger is as large as Herring Gulls, but I suppose Pomarine would be the closest in size to one.

Darren Clark 05/04/2008.
VOTE:  Reject, specific identification not established

COMMENTS:  After reading that others had similar misgivings about the size of the bird, I'm changing my vote to reject.

11-18-2008.


Darren Clark -- Reject, specific identification not established


Same comments as 2nd round