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CarolinaBirds for Friday, April 7, 2006
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Subject: Re: Flock of ?
From: Charles Boyce <charles.boyce(AT)cubistdude.com>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 6:27am
My guess would be European Starlings
Brian Murphy wrote:
> I hope this is not too vague.
> This afternoon I observed a small flock of birds off to my left while
> driving I540. They caught my eye becasue they flew in tight formation,
> flew quickly, swirled, dipped and climbed. The flock was tight, and
> reminded me of the flight of weaver birds in Africa(?).
>
> Birds the size of finch or sparrow, numbering about 40-60. It looked
> like a swarm of large bees.
>
> I have also seen similar flocks over RDU airport near Brier Creek
> resevoir
>
> So, is that enough information for an ID guess. I had binoculars but
> wanted to live to write this email.
>
> Brian
>
--
Charles Boyce
Mount Pleasant, SC
cubistdude.com
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Subject: Re: Cackling G. and bird sizes
From: Doug Pratt <Doug.Pratt(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 10:52am
Hi Alex: Your terminology is still in use. In fact, I'm not sure why
we have two sets of terms for essentially the same phenomenon, but
scientists love to proliferate jargon. I suspect that most would regard
nidifugous/nidicolous as more specific than precocial/altricial, but
it's a pretty subtle distinction. -Doug
Alex Netherton wrote:
> Doug Pratt wrote:
>
>> passerines or others with nest-bound (nidicolous) young,
>> chicks capable of leaving the nest immediately (nidifugous)
>
>
> Are the terms "altricial" (for Passerines) and "precocial" (for
> Galliforms and such) still acceptable terms? Along with semiprecocial
> for birds like Whip-poor-will and some shore birds. Those were the
> terms when I took graduate level Ornithology, but that was back in
> another century...
>
--
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
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Subject: Conway, SC birds
From: Gary Phillips <carolinensis(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 3:14pm
Hi y'all,
first male Ruby-throated observed Sat. eve 4/1, first
female Wed. eve 4/5. woohoo!
during the course of field work today in Kingston Lake
and Crabtree Canal, heard LOTS of Prothonotary, N.
Parula, one Yellow-throated, one Prairie, one Hooded,
numerous Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (they're everywhere,) a
few Red-eyed Vireo, one Blue-headed Vireo singing
full-bore, numerous small flocks of Am. Goldfinch, all
the locals well-represented.
ah, spring....
cheers,
Gary
Conway, SC
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Subject: Riverbend Park Birds
From: Dwayne Martin <redxbill(AT)charter.net>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 3:37pm
Today has been a good day for birding here at Riverbend Park (northern Catawba
Co.). It started off with several Black-throated Green Warblers (FOS here) in
full song around the office. Since then I have had Northern Parula (FOS),
several Purple Finches (at the feeders), Broad-winged Hawk ( FOS), several
CASPIAN TERNS (they have been flying around for about a week now), 2 Bald Eagles
(one adult and one 2nd year), and many Fish Crows. Maybe the Fish Crows will
nest in the park this year. I've seen more this year than ever before in the
park.
Dwayne
*************
Dwayne Martin
Taylorsville, NC
redxbill(AT)charter.net
Catwaba County Park Ranger
Riverbend Park - Conover, NC
jdmartin(AT)catawbacountync.gov
http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/parks/
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Subject: Jackson Park Update
From: John Lindfors <jwl127(AT)netzero.com>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 4:19pm
Jackson Park, Hendersonville, NC
I got a phone call from Ron Sibley saying that Wayne Forsythe and he
located Orange-crowned Warblers (2 or 3) on the nature trail near the
"new" handicapped parking area. Ron also said he heard White-eyed Vireo
at two different places (Nature Trail? Warbler Trail?) Sorry, I don't
remember.
The twenty-one birds I saw included twenty warblers on the bottomland
trail. You're right, they were all one species! Yellow-rumps.
Some generalizations about comings-and-goings at the park.
Ron Selvey and Wayne Forsythe found Louisiana Waterthrushes on Wash
Creek above the North Mills River Campground at the end of North Mills
River Road in the town of guess where? You've got it, Mills River, NC.
This suggests that we are not likely to find them stopping at Jackson
Park enroute to their breeding locales.
The back-gate seems to have only Virginia Rails. A Sora is yet to be
discovered there.
The White-crowned Sparrow (imm.) that I saw last November of 05 never
showed up at the back-gate in 2006.
At least four Vesper Sparrows can be found at the northeast corner of
the football fields which is often quite wet. The VESPs can be found
around the perimeter of nearby softball fields east of the football field.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch that was in the pine woods south, southeast of
the nature trail seems to be gone, as is the Pine Warbler that Ron
Selvey located there.
A Winter Wren that has been very reliably seen on the bottom land trail
in the wet area directly north of the park administration building did
not show up this morning when I checked for him. (Of course, ole
hawk-eye managed to miss the White-eyed Vireo and the Orange-crowned
Warbler too!)
I can guarantee seeing Ruby-crowned Kinglets along the southern section
of the Nature Trail near the south end of the Cut-Through.
Well, I am off to Jackson Park in pursuit of at least hearing the
White-eyed Vireo.
John Lindfors
Hendersonville, NC
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Subject: Re: Cackling G. and bird sizes
From: Kent Fiala <fiala(AT)ipass.net>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 5:45pm
Actually there is a real distinction between the sets of terms.
Etymologically, nidifugous is "nest-fleeing" and nidicolous is
"nest-dwelling". The terms describe whether young remain in the nest
after hatching. The terms altricial and precocious describe the
condition of the young. Altricial birds hatch with eyes closed, are
incapable of locomotion, and depend on parents for food. Precocial birds
hatch with eyes open, have down, and have locomotion shortly after
hatching. Some species don't fit neatly into either category and are
called semi-altricial or semi-precocious. There is a general correlation
between nidicolous/altricial and nidifugous/precocious but there are
exceptions. Gulls for examples are somewhat precocious but remain in the
nest.
Kent Fiala
Chapel Hill Township, NC
Doug Pratt wrote:
> Hi Alex: Your terminology is still in use. In fact, I'm not sure why
> we have two sets of terms for essentially the same phenomenon, but
> scientists love to proliferate jargon. I suspect that most would regard
> nidifugous/nidicolous as more specific than precocial/altricial, but
> it's a pretty subtle distinction. -Doug
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Subject: Working in North Carolina
From: "Scott Jackson-Ricketts" <scottjr(AT)ls.net>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 6:05pm
Though my mission was to work work work, I took a little time out to see
what it was that just flew by, or stopped on a limb. Following is a short
list of some arrivals perhaps of some note:
3/26: Jordan Lake: Fish crow, Bonaparte's gulls, yellow-throated warbler.
4/1: Hog's Island, Yacht Drive: Ruby-throated hummingbird, many laughing
gulls.
4/3: Timberlake, Jim Latta Rd.: Green heron.
Perhaps of greatest interest to me, was, after 20 years living in Grayson
Co., Va., though mocking birds are around, they do not stay near enough to
us to hear their nocturnal serenade, like I heard in Long Beach. For two
nights in a row, I listened to the amazing repetoir, and was taken back to
my childhood in Durham. Instead of feeling intruded upon, I was grateful to
give up sleep to such wonderful and intricate song. Kroodsma's The Singing
Life of Birds is a new companion, and I highly recommend this book to any
bird fancier.
Scott Jackson-Ricketts
Independence, Va.
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Subject: More Ravens in Person Co., NC
From: Harry LeGrand <harry.legrand(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 8:42pm
I saw and heard two Common Ravens flush up from a roadside at the Hyco
River along the NC/VA state line today, April 7. The site is about two
miles east of After Bay Reservoir, where I heard a Raven a week ago.
They were hanging around whatever was drawing the attention of several
Black and Turkey vultures, as well as my nose. (Thankfully, I didn’t see
what it was.) I wonder if ravens are nesting at some quarry within a few
miles of the area.
As with Will Cook’s sighting of a Woodcock last weekend near the Hyco
River below the reservoir, I had an encounter with one also. After I
immediately stepped into the floodplain, a Woodcock was stealthily
walking away from me, without flushing. The bird was clearly drawing me
away from a nest, which I didn’t bother to look for in fear of stepping
on eggs or chicks.
The usual bottomland suspects were heard today – La. Waterthrush, N.
Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler, BG Gnatcatcher, Ovenbird. No other
summer residents have returned here as yet.
Harry LeGrand
Raleigh, NC
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Subject: Brunswick County Today
From: "John Ennis" <swampwolf(AT)thebusinessbirder.com>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 9:09pm
I have been chained to my laptop the past few days working on a client
project so my only birding has been to watch Hummingbird Wars in the
backyard.
This morning I broke free... and headed out to the Green Swamp to get in
touch with my inner bird. I found 6+ singing Bachman's Sparrows, at least
that many singing Prairie Warblers, and a couple of White-eyed Vireos plus
others.
On my way back home, I made a brief stop at the Brunswick Community College
beaver pond and creek and found birds that included Northern Parula,
Red-eyed Vireo, and Purple Martin.
One more stop that is somewhat on my way home: I stopped at the Rice Creek
Bridge on Governor's Road. It was suppose to be just a quick stop.
It did not work out that way because two Prothonotary Warblers started a dog
fight over the bridge chasing each other in a large circle reminiscent of
vintage aircraft at an aid race. I think I was one of the pylons. Above
me, also watching this spectacle, were Parula, YT Warblers, White-breasted
Nuthatches, and others. My first Prothonotary Warblers of the year!
I also heard my first Acadian Flycatcher of the year at Rice Creek. The
electric hiccup was weak and intermittent enough that I never found the
bird. Maybe he just arrived today and will be at full throttle tomorrow.
For pictures of my new found friends go to:
http://thebusinessbirder.com/bc040706.pdf
John Ennis
Leland, NC
910-371-9729
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Subject: Santee Coastal Reserve, and
From: "Lloyd" <lmoon(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 7 Apr 2006 9:59pm
I did the bike/hike trail yesterday April 6. Few mosquitoes and no
flies--yet. Very dry and dusty, many impoundments dry, not much water in
the others that I saw. There has been some plowing on the roads and
causeways, making progress more difficult. And not a very impressive array
of birds, though a grand day to be out looking.
Later, at Huntington Beach State Park, I found two Ruddy Ducks, two
Buffleheads, a Ring-neck and about 40 Blue-winged Teal, as well as two
Common Moorhens--saw none at SCR.
At Georgetown there were four Lesser Scaup and a couple of Buffleheads.
Also three Least Sandpipers, a couple of Rough-winged Swallows and
Ring-billed and Bonaparte's Gulls.
4/6/2006 ~ Santee Coastal Reserve WMA
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Brown Pelican 3
Double-crested Cormorant 25
Anhinga 6
Great Blue Heron 15
Great Egret 12
Tricolored Heron 30
Little Blue Heron 3
Snowy Egret 3
Green Heron 1
Wood Stork 1
Wood Duck 4 at Washo Reserve
Green-winged Teal 5
Mottled Duck 1
Blue-winged Teal 250
Northern Shoveler 1
Turkey Vulture
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 3
Northern Harrier 5
American Coot 30
Black-necked Stilt 25
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Laughing Gull
Royal Tern
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Savannah Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Lloyd Moon
Sumter SC
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