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CarolinaBirds for Wednesday, April 5, 2006
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Cleaning hummingbird feeders
From: "Michael C. Parrish" <pendragon1998(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 12:35am
Now that the RTHUs -- not RTHBs or RTHs! -- are coming back, I've got a
question for you wise carolinabirders:
The general advice I've always heard is "don't use detergents to clean
your hummingbird feeders." I'll buy the arguments against consumer
detergents, but has anyone considered a labware cleaner like liqui-nox?
(not to be confused with liquinox, the fertilizer) I have easy access
to the stuff at the lab I work at, where it is used because it doesn't
leave any residues which would interfere with the chemistry we do.
I was reviewing the "Inhibitory Residue Test of LIQUI-NOX on
Glassware", which basically compared how many bacterial colonies will
grow on liqui-nox cleaned glassware vs on a sterile petri dish. There
was a <15% difference between liqui-nox cleaned glassware vs the
sterile glassware. This would lead me to think that using liqui-nox and
rinsing thoroughly should be safe for hummingbirds, since it has little
impact on microbes.
The report and other information is available at:
http://www.alconox.com/
Just select the cleaner from the pull-down menu at the top, and select
the report from the box next to it.
What do y'all think about this?
Michael C. Parrish
Watkinsville, GA (Oconee Co.)
http://www.arches.uga.edu/~parrishm/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Dog hair as nesting material
From: James Coman <hillshepherd(AT)skybest.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 6:53am
Dr. Mueller, and carolinabirds:
Many species also use wool, which a flock of sheep will leave in tufts on
fences, trees, briars, etc. in the pasture. Woolly Orchard Oriole nests are
particularly obvious, looking remarkably like dirty socks hanging in the
trees, and lasting for years. They add a certain "red-neck ambiance" to my
landscaping.
James Coman
Executive Director
Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust
P. O. Box 2557
Boone, N. C. 28607
828-263-8776
info(AT)brrlt.org
www.brrlt.org
Farm Office:
9124 NC Hwy 93
Piney Creek, N. C. 28663
336-359-2909
Fax 336-359-8643
hillshepherd(AT)skybest.com
On 4/4/06 11:32 PM, "Helmut Mueller" <hmuelle(AT)earthlink.net> wrote:
> We have a German Shepherd who sheds copious amounts of hair.
> when we comb him, we place some of the hair next to our feeder in a
> large paper clamp, so that the wind does not blow it away. so far this
> spring, we have had Chickadees, Titmice & Carolina wrens take hair for
> nesting material. It is fun to watch, & since the birds fly directly to
> their nests, it also helps in finding nests. If you don't have a dog,
> they also use human hair trimmings.
>
>
> Helmut C. Mueller
> 409 Moonridge Road
> Chapel Hill, NC 27516
> 919-942-4937
> hmueller(AT)email.unc.edu
>
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Birds as mosquito predators; martins and native
Americans
From: Chris Hill <chill(AT)coastal.edu>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 8:04am
On Tuesday, April 4, 2006, at 10:14 PM, Clyde Sorenson wrote:
> All,
>
> Since almost all mosquitoes (with some important and pernicious
> exceptions) are primarily night or twilight flying, it is most
> unlikely that martins or hummingbirds, etc. are likely to have much
> impact on the adult flies. Since swifts typically forage above the
> tree tops on the "aerial plankton," its unlikely that they, too, have
> much impact, even when foraging at twilight. Even the night-flying
> goatsuckers are not likely to have much impact- they prefer larger
> prey and don't forage at the elevations most host seeking mosquitoes
> use. Even those masters of night-time aerial predation, the bats, eat
> relatively few mosquitoes- again, they generally prefer larger,
> meatier prey. Other insects and spiders probably have much more impact
> on adult mosquitoes than any other taxon.
Good points by Clyde Sorenson, as always.
I'll add that although we think of mosquitoes as flying pests, they
probably spend 23.8 hours out of 24 sitting on the undersides of
leaves, or in grass (humid, shady places), and only take flight when
warm-blooded prey approaches (which explains our misperception!). So
swallows and the like are particularly ill suited to controlling
mosquitoes. Can you easily picture a swift walking through the grass
and gleaning roosting bugs? I thought not. Incidentally, this is also
an argument against bug zappers being effective at controlling
mosquitoes.
Chris Hill
Conway, SC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: RT Hummingbird Returns
From: "Frederick Houk Jr" <woodthrush2263(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 9:14am
I swear that some of the little guys "know" who we are. (Don't laugh too
hard...) I had one buzz me so close, I felt the breeze from his wings
yesterday...same thing was quite frequent when I sat in that same spot last
summer. In past years, if we haven't had the feeders out in time, I've
known the first ones back to fly up to the big glass door where we are most
often seen by them, and hover there until we noticed them, which we take as
a "HELLO!...FEED ME, Dang it!" greeting. (I know...anthropomorphic.)
Another "oddity". My wife has had a titmouse hop on her head to steal hair
for it's nest every spring for the last three years...happened this weekend.
The tiny little bird was somewhat (not too!, obviously) wary, and hopped
on her shoulder, around her feet, and then, after it got the hoped for lack
of retaliation, it went straight to her hair, as it (or one of it's family)
had done previously. She's always sitting in the same spot on the porch,
reading, when it happens.
Magic...
Fred Houk
Chatham County
>From: Jerrold Griggs <griggs(AT)math.sc.edu>
>To: carolinabirds(AT)duke.edu
>Subject: Re: RT Hummingbird Returns
>Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 23:26:49 -0400 (EDT)
>
>Similar to other reports, we rehung our Hummingbird feeders yesterday,
>on April 1 (we took them down a month ago after months of inactivity).
>
>A bright male Ruby-throated made an appearance late this afternoon!
>He may be just passing through--we don't usually get regular feeders
>for several more weeks.
>
>Other signs of spring last evening were a Green Treefrog in our mailbox,
>an early Firefly, and Eastern Mockingbirds singing after midnight.
>
>Jerry Griggs j(AT)sc.edu
>Columbia, SC
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Lake Julian, Buncombe Cty.
From: tominbrevard(AT)webtv.net (Tom Joyce)
Date: 5 Apr 2006 9:45am
C'Birders,
At the lake this morinng, I found a raft of several dozen waterfowl
which included quite a few scaup, several wigeon, a number of
blue-winged teal, a ringed-neck duck, and a red-breasted merganser.
Separately,I observed a single horned grebe, a common loon, and a
pair of ruddy ducks in disparate locations. Flyovers included a dc
cormorant, and an osprey which made a sinlge pass over a corner of
the lake and then, unfortuntely, disappeared from view. I did not
encounter the fish crow reported there yesterday.
Tom Joyce
Brevard, NC (mtns.)
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Birds as mosquito predators; martins and native
Americans
From: miaim(AT)mebtel.net
Date: 5 Apr 2006 9:51am
Josh Rose once pointed out that dragonflies and brown bats eat far more
mosquitoes than martins. In fact, if I remember correctly, Josh mentioned that
martins eat dragonflies. So, as much as I like purple martins, they may
actually
be counterproductive for mosquito control. I've seen a site claiming that a
dragonfly can eat 600 mosquitoes a day, whereas a brown bat might eat up to
1200/hr. I don't know about the accuracy of those claims, any more than the
accuracy of the claims about martins consuming huge numbers of mosquitoes based
on body weight, but it's something to think about.
Mike Swaim
Mebane, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: RT Hummingbird Returns
From: Ric Carter <ricc(AT)mindspring.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 10:15am
I've had the exact same experience with hummers in Washington. They
hover impatiently at the glass door I use to refill the feeder.
Ric Carter
Garner & Little Washington
On Apr 5, 2006, at 9:14 AM, Frederick Houk Jr wrote:
> I swear that some of the little guys "know" who we are. (Don't
> laugh too hard...) I had one buzz me so close, I felt the breeze
> from his wings yesterday...same thing was quite frequent when I sat
> in that same spot last summer. In past years, if we haven't had
> the feeders out in time, I've known the first ones back to fly up
> to the big glass door where we are most often seen by them, and
> hover there until we noticed them, which we take as a
> "HELLO!...FEED ME, Dang it!" greeting. (I know...anthropomorphic.)
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Cackling G. and bird sizes
From: Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 10:35am
Hi birders:
The recent posts about Cackling Goose in NC prompt a couple of
replies. Some of you may remember Gaddy's Goose Refuge, which no longer
exists as far as I know, near Ansonville. It was a spectacular
concentration of waterfowl for the Piedmont, and I was taken there
several times as a young teenager. On one visit, people pointed out a
pair of "Canada Geese" that were the size of Mallards (with which they
were swimming) and called them Cackling Geese (although not then
considered a separate species). I don't know if this record ever made
it into the books, but I have no doubt of the ID (and may even still
have my notes packed away somewhere).
On a more general topic, Dave Hardin twice remarked in his original
post that his small geese did not look like juveniles. This reflects a
very widespread misconception among the general public as well as
birders that juvenile birds are smaller than adults. That is because we
are mammals, and young mammals are smaller than their parents and get
bigger over a long time span. Birds are different. Once a bird fledges
(i. e. is capable of flight and independence), it is as big as it is
ever going to get. All of the increase in size occurs in the nest for
most passerines or others with nest-bound (nidicolous) young, or during
the period of parental dependency for those birds, such as waterfowl,
gallinaceous birds, and shorebirds, that have chicks capable of leaving
the nest immediately (nidifugous). Size would never be an indicator of
age for a wintering goose. If it's small, it probably belongs to a
smaller subspecies or a different species. Of course, there is
variation within populations, but usually much less than between
populations.
If you think about it, this is a very good thing for birders. We
use size all the time to differentiate species, not age categories.
What if Hairy Woodpeckers went through a stage in which they were the
same size as Downies? Or if a young Great Egret could be the size of a
Cattle? Or a young free-flying raven could be the size of a crow?
You'd be surprised how many laymen would think that a Sharp-shinned Hawk
must be a young Cooper's, or that screech owls are just baby Barred or
Great Horned. Juvenile birds can often be identified, of course, but
not on the basis of size.
Doug
--
H. Douglas Pratt, Curator of Birds
Research and Collections
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601-1029
Phone: (919)733-7450 ext. 728
E-mail: doug.pratt(AT)ncmail.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: FW: Birds as mosquito predators; martins and native
Americans
From: "Irvin Pitts" <ipitts(AT)scprt.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 11:05am
Folks-
This discussion reminds me of an observation I made some years back at
Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, Charleston County, SC. On that
day, swarms of dragonflies hawked the multitudes of mosquitoes stirred
up from the fields by bush hogging while a group of Mississippi kites
swooped around snatching dragonflies. During this action, the Park
Technician continuously waved his arms at the hordes of hungry
mosquitoes- a demonstration of the food chain in action!
Irvin Pitts
Lexington, SC
-----Original Message-----
From: carolinabirds-owner(AT)acpub.duke.edu
[mailto:carolinabirds-owner(AT)acpub.duke.edu] On Behalf Of
miaim(AT)mebtel.net
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 10:17 AM
Cc: carolinabirds(AT)duke.edu
Subject: Re: Birds as mosquito predators; martins and native Americans
Josh Rose once pointed out that dragonflies and brown bats eat far more
mosquitoes than martins. In fact, if I remember correctly, Josh
mentioned that
martins eat dragonflies. So, as much as I like purple martins, they may
actually
be counterproductive for mosquito control. I've seen a site claiming
that a
dragonfly can eat 600 mosquitoes a day, whereas a brown bat might eat up
to
1200/hr. I don't know about the accuracy of those claims, any more than
the
accuracy of the claims about martins consuming huge numbers of
mosquitoes based
on body weight, but it's something to think about.
Mike Swaim
Mebane, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Birds as mosquito predators; martins and native
Americans
From: John Connors <John.Connors(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 11:32am
Hi all. Most agree that Purple Martins do little to control mosquitoes,
but I wouldn't be too quick to discount their impact on flies, including
biting flies like deer flies and horseflies. I have seen them in the
company of Barn Swallows foraging among the grazing animals near the
NCSU Vet School. I suspect Barn Swallows have a greater impact on
mosquitoes since they are low fliers and often nest near water.
Flycatchers like Phoebes and Acadian Flycatchers, and gleaners among wet
ground foliage, like Common Yellowthroats, must eat their share. But
mosquitoes are such prolific breeders, the impact of bird predation
probably doesn't make that much of a difference. (Seems I recall there
was a study done to ascertain the impact of birds foraging on
caterpillars...they put nets over a number of trees and watched what
happened...they were defoliated in large measure because of the
exclusion of predators. So who knows?)
This does little for a City Dweller like me. We are beset by Asian Tiger
Mosquitoes and none of these birds live among our downtown houses.
Bats can be effective, but once again this is species specific.
Big Brown Bats sre urban dwellers, but they are a high flying species
that prefer beetles and moths. Little Brown Bats also live in cities and
they do forage on mosquitoes, midges and other small insects often near
water...but they only live in the mountains of North Carolina.
With Asian Tiger Mosquitoes, a low-flying, day active species, I suspect
low flying dragonflies and damselflies would be the best predator. That
might be a good business for someone to get in to...raising damselflies
to release for Asian Tiger Mosquito control.
John Connors @ NC Museum of Natural Sciences.
miaim(AT)mebtel.net wrote:
> Josh Rose once pointed out that dragonflies and brown bats eat far more
> mosquitoes than martins. In fact, if I remember correctly, Josh mentioned
that
> martins eat dragonflies. So, as much as I like purple martins, they may
actually
> be counterproductive for mosquito control. I've seen a site claiming that a
> dragonfly can eat 600 mosquitoes a day, whereas a brown bat might eat up to
> 1200/hr. I don't know about the accuracy of those claims, any more than the
> accuracy of the claims about martins consuming huge numbers of mosquitoes
based
> on body weight, but it's something to think about.
>
>
> Mike Swaim
> Mebane, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Bluebirds vs. Squirrels!
From: "Randy Dunson" <trdunson(AT)nc.rr.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 11:46am
I've had an interesting show to watch the last few days at one of my
bluebird houses. My home office overlooks one of the houses. Even though the
squirrels have not attempted to climb the tree on which the box is mounted
the nesting couple makes darn sure they come no where near the house! It's
really funny watching the bluebirds chase the squirrels down from the trees
and such. I wish I had a digicam to capture the action.
Regards,
Randy Dunson
Hillsborough, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Public Input on Migratory Bird Hunting
From: Jennifer_Koches(AT)fws.gov
Date: 5 Apr 2006 11:53am
PUBLIC INPUT ON MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING TO BE SOUGHT AT APRIL 12 CHARLESTON
MEETING
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold a public meeting
Wednesday, April 12 in Charleston to ask for input into drafting a
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the hunting of migratory
birds.
The public meeting will be 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 at the Fort
Johnson Marine Laboratory, 217 Fort Johnson Road, on James Island in
Charleston. The Charleston meeting is one of 12 public scoping meetings
that will be conducted around the country by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
"Migratory bird management is a key mission of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service," said Service Director H. Dale Hall. "This National
Environmental Policy Act process will ensure that all voices are heard as
we further our nation's migratory bird hunting tradition and examine its
role as a wildlife management tool."
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sets the migratory game
bird seasons in South Carolina using the regulatory processes and season
frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The
Charleston scoping session will allow all sportsmen and wildlife managers
to have input into future migratory game bird regulation.
Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Fish and Wildlife Improvement
Act, the Secretary of the Interior has the authority to determine whether
migratory bird hunting can take place and issue regulations to guide
management. Migratory game birds are species designated in conventions
between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Russia.
The draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, which will
contain management alternatives, will be published for comment next year.
The notice of the public scoping process was published in the March 9
volume of the "Federal Register."
Written comments regarding the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
scoping are due by May 30 to: Chief, Division of Migratory Bird Management,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, MS
MBSP-4107-ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240. Alternately,
comment may be sent by fax to (703) 358-2217 or by e-mail to
huntingseis(AT)fws.gov. All comments received from the initiation of this
process on Sept. 8, 2005, (when the Service published a Notice of Intent to
prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) until May 30 will be
considered.
For more information on the Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement on migratory bird hunting, visit the Web site:
http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/fedreg/MGBHR.HTML.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulates the hunting of waterfowl,
cranes, rails, snipe and woodcock and doves and pigeons. Regulations
governing seasons and limits are created annually since bird populations
change from year to year. The annual regulations have been written by the
Service each year since 1918. Other regulations, termed "basic"
regulations, such as those governing hunting methods, are changed only when
a need to do so arises.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge
System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national
fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services
field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments
with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance
program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes
on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
Jennifer M. Koches
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
176 Croghan Spur Road, Suite 200
Charleston, S.C. 29407
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Cackling/Canada Goose
From: david.f.smith(AT)gsk.com
Date: 5 Apr 2006 11:53am
Fellow birders,
If you haven't found it yet, there's a good essay by David Sibley here:
http://www.sibleyguides.com/canada_cackling.htm. He discusses the
possible 7 subspecies of Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) and 4 of
Cackling Goose (B. hutchinsii) and the overlap and identification problems
among them.
David F. Smith
GlaxoSmithKline, RTP, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Ant Guard
From: <welchd(AT)peoplepc.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 12:00pm
I had lots of trouble keeping ants out of my hummingbird feeder last
year. I saw a new type of ant guard (new to me anyway) that is
bellshaped, into which you put Vaseline, and attach the device over the
hanger of the feeder. Does anyone have experience with this type ant
guard, as to whether it works well? Would summer heat cause any problems
with dripping of the Vaseline? Thanks for any help!
Shelia Welch
Campobello, SC
welchd(AT)peoplepc.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Cackling/Canada Goose
From: miaim(AT)mebtel.net
Date: 5 Apr 2006 12:08pm
Quoting david.f.smith(AT)gsk.com:
> Fellow birders,
>
> If you haven't found it yet, there's a good essay by David Sibley here:
> http://www.sibleyguides.com/canada_cackling.htm. He discusses the
> possible 7 subspecies of Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) and 4 of
> Cackling Goose (B. hutchinsii) and the overlap and identification problems
> among them.
>
> David F. Smith
> GlaxoSmithKline, RTP, NC
David, that was the article I originally linked when I questioned Cackling
Goose
sightings in NC, before a dozen folks chimed in via email and the list to
"correct" me. Since then, I've been having an interesting email discussion
about
that article with a few folks. For those that haven't read the entire article,
one of the interesting bits, and the part that prompted me to answer as I did
is
this.
"Cackling Cackling Goose B. h. minima is strictly a Pacific population, with
few
if any acceptable records east of the Rockies (they are fairly common in
captivity). It is also the smallest and shortest-billed, with no overlap in
size
with Lesser Canada Goose. Aleutian Cackling Goose B. h. leucopareia is a rare
goose with a very limited range and few records east of the Sierra-Cascade
mountains. Taverner's Cackling Goose B. h. taverneri nests in Alaska and
apparently winters mainly in Washington and Oregon, and must be rare east of
the
Rockies. Richardson's Cackling Goose B. h. hutchinsii nests in Arctic Canada
and winters mainly in Texas and Mexico. Thus Richardson's and Taverner's
Cackling Geese are the heart of the problem. Distinguishing both of these from
Lesser Canada Goose will require a better sense of the variation in all three
subspecies, since bill measurements overlap."
Mike Swaim
Mebane, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: martins and native Americans
From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 12:56pm
All:
One theory about Purple Martins and Native Americans
is that they used the Purple Martins to keep the
vultures away from their animal carcasses, since they
were normally left hanging outside.
Jeff Lewis
--- Clyde Sorenson <clyde_sorenson(AT)ncsu.edu> wrote:
> All,
>
> Since almost all mosquitoes (with some important and
> pernicious
> exceptions) are primarily night or twilight flying,
> it is most unlikely
> that martins or hummingbirds, etc. are likely to
> have much impact on the
> adult flies. Since swifts typically forage above the
> tree tops on the
> "aerial plankton," its unlikely that they, too, have
> much impact, even
> when foraging at twilight. Even the night-flying
> goatsuckers are not
> likely to have much impact- they prefer larger prey
> and don't forage at
> the elevations most host seeking mosquitoes use.
> Even those masters of
> night-time aerial predation, the bats, eat
> relatively few mosquitoes-
> again, they generally prefer larger, meatier prey.
> Other insects and
> spiders probably have much more impact on adult
> mosquitoes than any
> other taxon.
>
> Larval mosquitoes are sometimes important prey for
> birds, but
> unfortunately, the relationship between adult
> mosquitoes and birds is
> usually "diner" and "dinner." Mosquitoes are
> important vectors of avian
> diseases (i.e. the infamous West Nile- actually a
> bird virus that
> "accidentally" sickens us).
>
> While I suspect there is some truth to the
> supposition that native
> Americans put up gourds to assist in pest control in
> one way or another,
> I think another possibility might also have been in
> play- don't y'all
> think its likely the First Americans enjoyed simply
> having martins
> around as much as we do?
>
> Take care,
>
> Clyde Sorenson
> Clayton and Raleigh, NC
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Cackling Goose
From: "John Register" <jregister4(AT)cox.net>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 1:04pm
C'Birders...
The Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center near Scotland Neck lists
Cackling Goose among its collection of 170± species of birds. Even if
you're not inclined to go that far to see a Cackling Goose
eyeball-to-eyeball, the othjer 169± species make it a very interesting
place to visit. Go to www.sylvan-heights.org to visit on line.
John Register
Washington, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Aerial plankton
From: Clyde Sorenson <clyde_sorenson(AT)ncsu.edu>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 1:16pm
Kent and all,
Most of the aerial plankton is insects (and other arthropods), in
transit from source areas, seeking new food sources, and to a lesser
extent, new breeding opportunities. On any given summer night, there are
probably billions of insects moving through the skies across a wide
altitudinal range (from a few to thousands of feet) over North Carolina;
any given summer day, almost as many. Some remarkably small insects,
like aphids, may travel at remarkably great altitudes moving from one
field to another, sometimes many miles away; ballooning spiderlings can
ascend to hundreds if not thousands of feet. These critters are pretty
much at the mercy of wind currents, hence the "plankton" appellation. Of
course, there is a huge amount of aerial biomass that does have some
say in the directionality of its movement (like the corn earworm and
armyworm adults), but wind currents still direct in part the movement
of all but the largest and strongest fliers. The swifts you see dancing
through the summer sky hundreds of feet over head are working this
resource- and most bats make their living exclusively from it.
Just as birds can be tracked with radar, so can migratory swarms of
insects- the use of this technique is a whole sub-discipline of entomology.
Take care
Clyde Sorenson
Clayton and Raleigh
Kent Fiala wrote:
> Clyde,
> Your mention of "aerial plankton" prompts me to ask something I've often
wondered about. There's obviously a lot of it since whole families of birds have
evolved to exploit it. What is it doing up there? What is the resource they
live on? (It has to be something more than "each other"). Is it all mating
swarms that have ceased feeding? Are they up there for good once they go up, or
do they return to Earth to feed?
>
> --
> Kent Fiala
> via wireless
>
>
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Osprey nests and new arrivals
From: "Olwen Jarvis" <olwen(AT)coastalnet.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 1:22pm
I am happy to report the Ospreys are re building the nests on NW Creek,
that were destroyed in Monday's storms.
This morning I saw the first Green Heron and the first Eastern Kingbird here
in Fairfield Harbour, New Bern area. NC.
Olwen Jarvis
New Bern NC
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Subject: Re: martins and native Americans
From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 1:26pm
And Martins would have helped keep flies off the
animal carcasses.
Martins also like eating wasps so perhaps they helped
control those insects around Native American
communities (I bet wasp nests in a wigwam/teepee were
not fun).
--- jeff lewis <jlewis_obx(AT)yahoo.com> wrote:
> All:
> One theory about Purple Martins and Native Americans
> is that they used the Purple Martins to keep the
> vultures away from their animal carcasses, since
> they
> were normally left hanging outside.
> Jeff Lewis
>
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Thanks for replies
From: <welchd(AT)peoplepc.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 2:26pm
Thanks for the replies about the ant guards. Now, if the hummers will
just arrive... Last year's first arrival was on an early date for me of
April 10, but hearing all the reports of this year's arrivals, I am
hopeful this year will bring at least one here earlier than that date.
Shelia Welch
Campobello, SC
welchd(AT)peoplepc.com
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Subject: Falls Lake Wildathon
From: "birdranger" <cbockhahn4(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 3:08pm
Hello birders and butterfliers,
I am gearing up for my SIXTH year conducting a 24 hour Wildathon at Falls
Lake to raise money for the New Hope Audubon Socieity. The Wildathon is a
24 hour count of flora and fauna at Falls Lake areas for Charity! I will
again try to do a FULL 24 hour count starting at 6:00 a.m. May 4th to 6:00
a.m. on the 5th, being an insomniac pays off sometimes.
Lets see if I can beat my record of 108 bird species! I restrict myself to
the
Falls Lake watershed of part of four counties.
I will take pledges for each species group counted. If you wish to donate a
dollar for each reptile I count and 10 reptiles are seen during count day,
total donation is $10.00. Below is my average totals for each group, to
help guide your donation (weather can affect numbers seen and as always
pledges can be changed). Flat dollar amount donations will also be
accepted.
Donations can be remitted after the event upon notification of the results.
Checks will be payable to Audubon Birdathon. Included on the web site
(http://www.bwwells.org/wildathon) is the pledge form and a description of
where your wildathon contribution goes.
Here is a list of what species I will be counting, and an approximation of
species totals for each group.
Birds 80-110 species
Mammals 8-12 species
Reptiles 8-12 species
Amphibians 8-12 species
Butterflies 18-25 species
Odonates (Dragonflies and Damsels) 15-20 species
Fireflies 3-7 species
I will also tally Moths, fish and wildflowers.
Anyone interested in donating contact me by EMAIL at
cbockhahn4(AT)earthlink..net or 676-1027.
I have finished my wildathon web site with lots more information at
http://www.bwwells.org/wildathon
***PLEASE FORWARD TO ANYONE YOU THINK MAY BE INTERESTED***
Thank you for your support!
Brian Bockhahn
Falls Lake State Park Ranger
Falls & Kerr Lake CBC Compiler
cbockhahn4(AT)earthlink.net
www.ncsparks.net
www.geocities.com/birdrangerbb
www.bwwells.org
http://www.bwwells.org/wildathon
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Subject: Re: Cackling Goose and Sylvan Heights
From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 3:13pm
Yes, Sylvan Heights is a super place to visit! They
have everything! I have particularly enjoyed studying
our North American species up close, for a change. And
you need to go now. They are giving prearranged tours
for groups of 10 or more for a nominal fee, unless
things have changed from when I was last there.
Beginning in June, after their grand opening, these
behind-the-scene tours will probably not be available.
Jeff Lewis
Manteo, NC
--- John Register <jregister4(AT)cox.net> wrote:
> C'Birders...
> The Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center near
> Scotland Neck lists
> Cackling Goose among its collection of 170± species
> of birds. Even if
> you're not inclined to go that far to see a Cackling
> Goose
> eyeball-to-eyeball, the othjer 169± species make it
> a very interesting
> place to visit. Go to www.sylvan-heights.org to
> visit on line.
> John Register
> Washington, NC
>
>
>
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Subject: American White Pelicans and more
From: "Andrei Podolsky" <andrei_podolsky(AT)bellsouth.net>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 3:24pm
I drove 751 from 64 towards I-40. -\
White Creek area: big Great Blue Heron rookery (seen from the road), at
least 50 nests, birds sit on most of them. OSPREY was building nest on the
edge of this rookery (just a small pile of branches so far). 'She' was
tearing big branches off with her feet while flying over the tree tops and
bringing them to the top of a tall forked snag. COMMON YELLOWTHROATS.
Shortly before the observation platform trail parking, Osprey sat on the
edge of the nest on the top of the tall snag sticking out of the lake.
I scanned the water from the platform: plenty of cormorants and few gulls.
If you walk north from there on unmarked path right along the shore, you
eventually will see a small peninsula on your left (about 1/2 miles south
from the bay where the 751 bridge is. EIGHT AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were
seen there (over the lake right across from the bridge), 12:45 to 1 pm,
soaring/gliding above the water in big 'diagonal' circles (i.e. getting
close to the water surface and then rising up).they never sat on the water
and moved up north along what is an 'arm' of the lake corresponding to new
hope creek. There was intensive shooting going on in that area - maybe that
is why they never sat on the water? On the other hand, gulls and cormorants
didn't care about the shooting, and two bald eagles were actually soaring
above that area (old adult and younger adult). 7 turkey vultures and 1 black
vulture were circling above my head when I watched the pelicans from the
peninsula. It was funny to see them as a part of the same 'flock'.
Yellow-rumps were plentiful and sang. So were gnatcatchers.
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Subject: Re: martins and native Americans
From: "Michael C. Parrish" <pendragon1998(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 4:26pm
I've got a few thoughts on why Native Americans would put up gourds:
In the movie Cold Mountain, Renée Zellweger's character said they
should put up some martin gourds to keep the crows away from the corn
crops. I suppose that might be one explanation.
I'm not so certain about using the martins to keep vultures away. Much
of the meat that would have been temporarily stored outside would have
been at some stage of being preserved (e.g. smoking over a low fire or
covered in salt). Turkey Vultures are attracted to the smell of
rotting meat and I don't really think they would go after fresh meat
being salted or smoked.
Maybe the indians simply liked seeing the martins flying around. I'm
sure they appreciated birds and bird songs just as much as modern
Americans do.
Finally, the native peoples of the eastern US didn't live in tipis.
They lived in lodges, long houses, and wigwams, depending on the area
in question. An interesting map of their dwelling styles is located
at:
http://www.nativeamericans.com/housemap.gif
It's interesting to see that the areas in the east where the indians
lived in permanent dwellings (allowing farming to be possible) roughly
equal the range of the Purple Martin:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/birds/breedrng/maps/flycwren/swallow/puma4.htm
Oh, and I just saw my yard's first (two) Ruby-throated Hummingbirds of
the season. Yay!!
--- Nate Dias <offshorebirder(AT)yahoo.com> wrote:
> And Martins would have helped keep flies off the
> animal carcasses.
>
> Martins also like eating wasps so perhaps they helped
> control those insects around Native American
> communities (I bet wasp nests in a wigwam/teepee were
> not fun).
>
> --- jeff lewis <jlewis_obx(AT)yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > All:
> > One theory about Purple Martins and Native Americans
> > is that they used the Purple Martins to keep the
> > vultures away from their animal carcasses, since
> > they
> > were normally left hanging outside.
Michael C. Parrish
Watkinsville, GA (Oconee Co.)
http://www.arches.uga.edu/~parrishm/
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Subject: and the disputes begin
From: "KC Foggin" <KCFoggin(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 7:39pm
Only here two days and the territorial disputes have begun already. This little
female was charging anything and everything that came anywhere near this
feeder. Have not seen the male since the 3rd.
http://upload.pbase.com/image/58250347
KC Foggin
Socastee
Myrtle Beach SC
www.birdforum.net
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Subject: RTHU
From: "Susan Ladd Miller" <picoidesborealis(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 7:55pm
Count me in - I finally got a look at both a male and female RTHU visiting
my hummingbird feeder this evening (although not at the same time). Time to
make another batch of sugar water and hang some more feeders!
Susan Miller
West End, NC
(Moore County)
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Subject: Re: Cackling/Canada Goose
From: "Will Cook" <cwcook(AT)duke.edu>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 9:11pm
Concerning Cackling Goose ID in North Carolina, there are two separate issues
involved. One is whether the Branta hutchinsii minima Cackling Geese
that have been documented in the state are wild or escapes, and the
other is whether the most expected race of Cackling Goose in the state,
B. hutchinsii hutchinsii, can be reliably separated from Lesser Canada
Goose (B. canadensis parvipes) in the field.
On 11/27/04 Derb Carter photographed a raft of five minima Cackling Geese at
Lake Mattamuskeet:
http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/gallery/cacg_dcarter.html
and on 12/29/04 I photographed a raft of three:
http://www.carolinanature.com/birds/cacklinggoose.html
I don't think there's any dispute about the identification of these
tiny, dark-breasted, stubby-billed, block-headed geese, but how can we
tell whether these were escapees or truly wild? Sibley states that
minima is "strictly a Pacific population," but this is not entirely
correct. It is true that they're primarily found in the Pacific states,
but I don't think you can automatically discount all the records from
elsewhere just because of the possiblity of escapes. Captive waterfowl
do escape from time to time, but a flock of five? The status of
unusual waterfowl often can't be proven 100% either way, but you can
look for trends in these reports to see if patterns of vagrancy
develop.
Angus Wilson (http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html)
states that "A few have been reported from eastern North America as
well as Western Europe. In the Netherlands, minima regularly occurs
in large flocks of Barnacle Geese, but has not been added to the
Dutch list because of its westerly range, and the fact that many of
the birds have had captive-style rings." I did a quick web search
and found reports from Norway, Sweden, the UK, and Japan.
Interestingly, a Barnacle Goose was found at Mattamuskeet the
previous winter. The consensus was this bird was wild because of the
location (mixed in with a flock of Snow Geese, in a wild location)
and the timing (pattern of other reports in late fall). An uninjured
Barnacle or Cackler found in summer would be suspect.
On the second issue, B. hutchinsii hutchinsii is the most expected
subspecies in the state because it has the easternmost range of the
Cackling Goose subspecies, breeding as far east as Baffin Island,
Nunavut. This site has a map of recovery distribution for banded
B.h.h.: http://www.ofo.ca/cackling/ (Fig. 1). As you can see, birds
banded on Baffin Island have been recovered in North Carolina and
most of the other states between NC and Baffin.
The smallest current subspecies of Canada Goose, B. canadensis
parvipes, poses an identification challenge because its size, while
greater on average, overlaps that of B. h. hutchinsii, and the plumage
is only subtly different. This subspecies is more westerly in
distribution than hutchinsii, but it has been reported for NC. In a
message sent to the birding frontiers e-mail group, Ian McLaren pointed
out that "AOU (1952) lists one from N.Carolina".
This website gives extensive details about what to look for to separate
B. h. hutchinsii from B. c. parvipes:
www.idahobirds.net/identification/white-cheeked/subspecies.html
If these criteria are correct, it is possible to separate the two by
shape of the head and bill, even though there is overlap in size.
On 11/27/04 Jonathan Hays photographed this goose in Haywood Co., NC:
http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/gallery/cacg_mays.html
This goose looks to be the right size for hutchinsii, but using the
criteria in the idahobirds.net article, I think the head shape looks a
little better for parvipes -- the forehead doesn't look like it rises
very steeply and the head is not blocky looking. The breast also does
not look very white. I'm not sure I'd be willing to call it either way,
though!
South Carolina has a couple of specimens of hutchinsii -- see Will
Post's summary article in The Chat (with photo, showing blocky head):
http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/chat/issues/2004/v68n3cackling_goose.pdf
Getting back to Dave Hardin's original question, yes Cackling Goose is
possible (and expected) at Pea Island, but I wouldn't add it to my life
list without eliminating the possibility of Lesser Canada Goose first.
On thing's for sure -- there's still plenty to be learned about the
distribution and identification of these little geese!
On 5 Apr 2006 at 12:33, miaim(AT)mebtel.net wrote:
> David, that was the article I originally linked when I questioned Cackling
Goose
> sightings in NC, before a dozen folks chimed in via email and the list to
> "correct" me. Since then, I've been having an interesting email discussion
about
> that article with a few folks. For those that haven't read the entire
article,
> one of the interesting bits, and the part that prompted me to answer as I did
is
> this.
>
> "Cackling Cackling Goose B. h. minima is strictly a Pacific population, with
few
> if any acceptable records east of the Rockies (they are fairly common in
> captivity). It is also the smallest and shortest-billed, with no overlap in
size
> with Lesser Canada Goose. Aleutian Cackling Goose B. h. leucopareia is a rare
> goose with a very limited range and few records east of the Sierra-Cascade
> mountains. Taverner's Cackling Goose B. h. taverneri nests in Alaska and
> apparently winters mainly in Washington and Oregon, and must be rare east of
the
> Rockies. Richardson's Cackling Goose B. h. hutchinsii nests in Arctic Canada
> and winters mainly in Texas and Mexico. Thus Richardson's and Taverner's
> Cackling Geese are the heart of the problem. Distinguishing both of these
from
> Lesser Canada Goose will require a better sense of the variation in all three
> subspecies, since bill measurements overlap."
>
> Mike Swaim
> Mebane, NC
>
--
Will Cook - Durham, NC
http://www.carolinanature.com/
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Subject: RE: Chimney Shifts
From: "Frederick Houk Jr" <woodthrush2263(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 5 Apr 2006 11:31pm
Could you please enlighten us chimney swift lovers who aren't up to speed on
their yearly migration/summer nesting habits?
When they return (presumably from Latin America?), do they "split up" to
breed? I remember hearing that only one nest was present per "chimney",
regardless of the size of the swarm. If so, is there still a chimney swift
dance at sunset around your chimney during the spring, or does that only
occur later in the summer, post-breeding?
Thanks a lot.
Fred Houk
Chapel Hill
>From: "Keith Camburn" <camburn(AT)earthlink.net>
>Reply-To: camburn(AT)earthlink.net
>To: "Carolinabirds: Post" <carolinabirds(AT)duke.edu>
>Subject: Chimney Shifts
>Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 20:27:27 -0400
>
>Over the last 14 years the chimney shifts have usually returned to my
>Gaston County, NC, chimney on April 12th or 13th. They must be in a hurry
>this year as they arrived tonight (April 3rd) at 8:03 p.m. Keith Camburn
>
>Keith E. Camburn
>4435 Huntington Drive
>Gastonia, North Carolina 28056-8276
>704 824-0626
>camburn AT earthlink.net
>Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.
>
>
>
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