Rsync and SSH syslog problem

[David Nickel]

This is probably more of a SSH issue, but I decided to post on both list. I 
am using rsync over ssh to backup my web server. The servers authenticate 
with nul password public keys. The process is ran as perl cron job with 
numerous system calls to a rsync command. The problem is every time rsync 
is called over ssh from one server to the other, the ssh daemon tries to 
authenticate first with password and with public keys second. This writes 
an authentication error to my syslog causing my syslog monitor to email 
every time rysnc is called with ssh. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks
David