Obviously incorrect reports on eBird

[David Riddell]

One from the Waitangi town centre on Chatham island:

2 Tomtit/Snares Tomtit
Breeding Code: P Pair in Suitable Habitat (Probable)
1 Chatham Robin
https://ebird.org/checklist/S61186178

Is this another misleading traveling observation or just wishful thinking? I suspect the former given that this is supposed to be suitable breeding habitat for a tomtit pair.

And one more, from the southern end of Lake Taupo in 2005 that lists mute swan, which is possible since there's a plausible report from Ohakune and the Hawkes Bay population isn't that far away. But the same list has Australasian grebe (number not specified) - also not impossible since there was a rash of sightings of this species in the general area between 2012 and 2017. Except there is a comment reading "aka New Zealand Dabchick".
https://ebird.org/checklist/S9025122

[David Riddell]

I'm involved in a project that has had me looking at a lot of eBird records lately, hence the rash of posts. Just seen this one - The location is Waitakaruru - the pin is just beside the roundabout at the junction of SH2 and SH25:

8 Mallard
16 Mallard x Grey Duck (hybrid)
Breeding Code: FL Recently Fledged Young (Confirmed)
10 Spotted Shag
Breeding Code: ON Occupied Nest (Confirmed)
60 Pied Shag
Breeding Code: ON Occupied Nest (Confirmed)
1 Australasian Harrier
1 Yellowhammer
https://ebird.org/checklist/S61033327

It's down as a traveling count over a distance of 0.56 miles. I'm wondering where all those shag nests might have been - conceivably there might be pied shags in the trees along the Waitakaruru River (though no one else seems to have reported a shag colony there), but that's over 5 km away. And spotted shags normally nest on cliffs or rocky islets - there's nothing like that anywhere in the vicinity.

[philbattley]

Every now and again eBird spit out entirely the wrong location - I've had counts from the Ruahine Ranges appear in Westport, but I can't recall if the name changed or just the location.
Phil

[Jake]

And one more, from the southern end of Lake Taupo in 2005 that lists mute swan, which is possible since there's a plausible report from Ohakune and the Hawkes Bay population isn't that far away.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S9025122

There had been black swans with varying degrees of white, including at least one that was almost completely-white, on the Southern end of Lake Taupo, about then. I would suggest that could be a more reasonable/likely explaination. Idk; maybe there WAS a mute swan there too lol

[RussCannings]

Thanks all, as usual. Have followed up on most of those so will see what comes back. I would suspect most are errors, as seems obvious in some cases. The Mute Swan was followed up on and confirmed by Paul Scofield so I assume that was backed up with some notes.

[AngryBird45]

Are there keas in Akaroa? Is this an incorrect count or location?

https://ebird.org/checklist/S74585369

[Oscar Thomas]

Are there keas in Akaroa? Is this an incorrect count or location?

https://ebird.org/checklist/S74585369

There’s certainly not skiing as mentioned in the comment. Likely an incorrect location name.

[AngryBird45]

Not only the Keas, but also the Pipits tell it’s an incorrect location.

Hopefully the reviewers will see this and flag this for incorrect location.

[andrewcrossland]

NZ Pipits are pretty common up on the summit road above Akaroa so I wouldn't discount them "flittering around vehicles" - although 6 is a few more than you'd expect. Yeah - no keas in Akaroa, although they are are an occasional vagrant (illegal release?) on the Port Hills above CHCH.

[David Riddell]

A banded rail in the Hollyford Valley? Weka, I guess?
https://ebird.org/checklist/S28725849

And another strange one - the locality is given as "Pureora Forest Park and Miranda (Firth of Thames)" - the pin is in Pureora, but species listed include variable oystercatcher, golden plover, banded rail, NZ dotterel and red knot, among others.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S67980080