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CarolinaBirds for Monday, May 15, 2006
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Subject: Congaree Bluffs 5/13/05
From: James Wilson <toadshade(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 15 May 2006 12:04am
Went out there Saturday and checked out the new trail system. On the
.3 mile approach the path had blooming Prickly Pear Cactus and Spurge
Nettle. Mainly new growth of Loblollies and Sweetgum and saw or heard
2 Towhees, 1 Prairie Warbler, 2 Pine Warblers and several Indigo
Bunting. The Ravine walk mainly goes through Hickory, Sweetgum and
White Oak forest and it was nice to walk on a new path through the
forest that was still soft and springy. Indian Pinks were just
starting to bloom along with Partridgeberry. Heard Red-eyed Vireo on
the path and a couple of others I couldn't ID by sound. On the River
Bluff trail that goes down by the river I heard a Wood Pewee and came
across 2 Wild Turkeys on the path. When I got back up to check out the
observation deck at the Bluffs I startled about 20 Cedar Waxwings.
Thought they had left this region and it's the latest I've seen them.
Plus a male and female Summer Tanager let me have a good close look at
them in the Loblollies near the Bluff. The view from the observation
deck at the bluff looks north over the Congaree National Park. I live
in Lower Richland and it's a 35 miles drive from my house or 20 as the
American Crow flies (according to my GPS). It's nice to have another
protected area so close to the swamp. My full list is below.
Location: Congaree Bluffs
Observation date: 5/13/06
Notes: Cliff Swallows were seen at the Congaree River Bridge on
SC601 as noted previously by Robin Carter. The Cedar Waxwings were the
surprise of the outting.
Number of species: 33
Wild Turkey 2
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vultures 7 (4 on road kill in Eastover, 3 loitering in the middle
of road in Ft Motte)
Mississippi Kite 8
Mourning Dove 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 2
American Crow 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Chickadee 2
Carolina Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Eastern Bluebird 3
American Robin 2
Northern Mockingbird 2
Cedar Waxwing 20
Northern Parula 2
Pine Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Ovenbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Summer Tanager 2
Eastern Towhee 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Blue Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 3
Common Grackle 3
House Sparrow 1
James Wilson - Lower Richland
Columbia, SC 29209
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: The End of the "Vesper" Sparrow
From: Harry LeGrand <harry.legrand(AT)ncmail.net>
Date: 15 May 2006 8:31am
John,
You are beating a dead horse. Your bird is a Savannah Sparrow, as many
of us have mentioned a month or two ago. Also, your good friend in
Gainesville, who is pro-Savannah, knows what he is talking about.
Move on with your life. Spare carolinabirds readers more of this.
Harry LeGrand
John Ennis wrote:
> An update...
>
> In early March, I asked for ID help of a sparrow I photographed at Alligator
> River NWR in mid-February...about the same time, we were having a discussion
> on carolinabirds about the GISS and gestalt of birds...
>
> When I first saw this bird, my mind said Lark Sparrow because it somehow
> favored sub-adult Lark Sparrows...the only plumage I have seen in NC...I
> have, however, seen many Lark Sparrows out west in adult and first-year
> plumages...
>
> When I flushed it, my sparrow flew 80-100 feet across to another small tree
> and the other nearby sparrows flew down to the grass...
>
> Gestalt said "Lark"...however, my brain wrote the sparrow off as a Savannah
> until I started studying the images a few days later, at which point, I
> started to believe "Vesper"...
>
> After receiving input from many of you, the respondents favored Vesper by
> approximately 60-40%, with multiple members of the combined NC/SC bird
> committees on each side...because of its light coloration, one suggested
> maybe "Ipswich" but we agreed it might be a little far from the coast. I
> have only seen NC Ipswich Savannahs at Oregon Inlet....
>
> I stopped the debate, saved all of the e-mail messages, and promised I would
> get back to you once I had time to organize the responses I already had and
> gather more evidence...
>
> It will probably be mid-June before I post a summary of issues & answers
> plus additional photos...I am trying first to rule out Vesper and then to
> rule in Vesper and I have some new information that I am sifting through...
>
> I have learned a fact that may eventually be very helpful - once Vespers
> reach distinctive basic plumage, they molt only once a year and their
> May-August plumage is a "worn" plumage...
>
> Also, I have recently seen lots of sparrows on the TX coast in mid-April...I
> think I have pictures of several Savannahs and at least one Vesper and one
> Lark to study...
>
> On a trip a week later, to the extreme SE corner of CO & OK & KS, I saw and
> photographed dozens of sparrows, mainly Vesper and Lark Sparrows...I
> literally observed over a hundred Vesper Sparrows and found it is very
> difficult to see all 3 main field marks at the same time...and in late
> April, the lesser coverts of some Vespers were rose colored instead of
> chestnut...
>
> Finally, a good friend of mine in Gainesville (he is pro-Savannah) sent me
> photos he took of skins from the Florida museum collection, showing dorsal
> and ventral views of 5 sparrows...a Vesper with 2 Savannahs on each side...
>
> I am trying to develop a ratio for both species of overall length to another
> feature of the skins and compare that ratio to the image of my flying
> bird...very difficult for a number of reasons given live versus skin and
> male versus female size differences...I would not use this ration to
> conclude "Vesper" but it may be accurate enough allow me to rule out
> "'Vesper"...
>
> Incidentally, this guy circulated the picture among other Gainesville
> birders and his responses ran 60-40% for Savannah....confirming it is a
> difficult ID...
>
> My bird and I will be back at you...
>
> John Ennis
> Leland, NC
> 910-371-9729
>
>
--
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
DENR Office of Conservation and Community Affairs
1601 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1601
(919) 715-8697 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand(AT)ncmail.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: NC Mississippi kites
From: Clyde Sorenson <clyde_sorenson(AT)ncsu.edu>
Date: 15 May 2006 10:33am
All,
I saw a Mississippi Kite in the middle Wilson NC (over Barton College)
last Wednesday. I then saw one this morning sitting in the top of a dead
snag near the riverwood schools just outside Clayton, NC. The latter
site was about 1 mile from the Neuse at Covered Bridge road (And only
about 1.5 miles from my house!). This species seems to be making rather
dramatic range expansions that last several years.
Take care,
Clyde Sorenson
Clayton and Raleigh, NC
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Subject: Southern Pines Spring Bird Count
From: "susan(AT)ncaves.com" <ncaves@earthlink.net>
Date: 15 May 2006 1:51pm
(originally sent last Monday but apparently it did not go through)
Dear All,
Despite the rainy weather, we had a very good Spring Bird Count in Southern
Pines on Sunday, May 7th. Preliminary results indicate that our fourteen
teams
managed to tally 134 species--despite the
cool, breezy and very wet conditions. The bird of the day was definitely
the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found in Horse Country (east of town) by Carol
Bowman, Wayne Irvin, Linda Jones and Rosalyn Walk. It was a striking bird
in breeding plumage captured on film by at least two observers. The
Scissor-tailed foraged for about thirty minutes along the fence posts
through Ginny's Field (along Young's Road) for about a half an hour before
heading further east. Attempts to relocate the bird later in the afternoon
in persistent, heavy rain were unsuccessful.
Other species of interest included Red-breasted Merganser (5 on Lake Surf),
Northern Harrier (Ft. Bragg), Red-breasted Nuthatch (2 in Lakeview) and Lark
Sparrow (Ft. Bragg). More details will be forthcoming.
Many thanks to all that participated in the less than optimal conditions.
Very well done!
Susan Campbell
Whispering Pines, NC
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Subject: ultra-tame crane
From: "John Fussell" <jfuss(AT)clis.com>
Date: 15 May 2006 3:05pm
Thanks for all the e-mails regarding the crane situation.
I have learned that extreme tameness does not indicate anything about
the upbringing of a crane. Apparently numerous cranes of wild origin
have become very tame around Homo sapiens, especially in Florida.
I have relayed this information to the rehabber.
As of this morning, she had not heard back from the agency persons she
had called.
John Fussell
Morehead City, NC
jfuss(AT)clis.com
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Subject: NC Spring Bird Counts
From: mjwestphal <mjwestphal(AT)unca.edu>
Date: 15 May 2006 4:13pm
North Carolina Compilers,
I imagine all you have all completed your counts by now (with the exception of
a couple more we are doing in the mountains). That means I'll be ready to get
your data to put in the Carolina Bird Club quarterly, the Chat. Please send
it on as soon as you have it compiled. I'll take it in any form you can send
it, but if you would like a form in Excel format to put it in please let me
know and I'll email it to you. Remember, I need not only species and numbers,
but mileage, hours, participant names, and any comments on the count.
Thanks a bunch,
Marilyn
Marilyn Westphal
Environmental Quality Institute
University of North Carolina-Asheville
One University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804
828/251-6823
mjwestphal(AT)unca.edu
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Subject: Nesting Tree Swallows at Riverbend Park!
From: Dwayne Martin <redxbill(AT)charter.net>
Date: 15 May 2006 7:00pm
There is a pair of Tree Swallows nesting in a Purple Martin gourd here at
Riverbend Park (northern Catawba County). I saw them checking it out a week or
two ago, so today I took the gourd down to see and sure enough there is a nest
and the Swallows were going in and out of it. I put up a nest box near by just
in case they get evicted by some Purple Martins later. As far as I'm aware,
this is the first nesting record of Tree Swallows for Catawba County.
Dwayne
*************
Dwayne Martin
Hickory, NC
redxbill(AT)charter.net
Catwaba County Park Ranger
Riverbend Park - Conover, NC
jdmartin(AT)catawbacountync.gov
http://www.catawbacountync.gov/depts/parks/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Solitary Sandpiper in Avery County
From: Jesse Pope <osprey1014(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 15 May 2006 7:55pm
Hello everyone,
A few weeks ago my co-worker, Gabe Taylor, mentioned
seeing a Sandpiper hanging around his pond at his
home. Today I went over to his house to photograph
some wildflowers in the woods behind his house.
Afterward, while walking past the pond, we both
sighted a Solitary Sandpiper feeding on tadpoles on
the edge of his pond near Newland, NC. I got a couple
pretty good photos of the bird feeding along the edge
of the pond. We watched him for almost 10 minutes
before he flew up and away from Gabe's yard.
According to Gabe, this is the third time the bird had
visited his pond since the first sight about three
weeks ago. There is another pond less than a mile up
the road from his house I'm guessing the bird is also
using. This was an interesting treat for me for
sure!! I'm used to crawling through the Rhodo looking
for warblers. Rarely do I sit lakeside watching
shorebirds! This is the first time I've seen a
solitary sandpiper in Western NC. Quite a treat for
me!
Jesse Pope
Naturalist, Grandfather Mountain
P.O. Box 129
Linville, NC 28646
828-733-4326
www.grandfather.com
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Subject: Sedge Wren, Cattle Egret
From: "Steven Shultz" <SSHULTZ(AT)nc.rr.com>
Date: 15 May 2006 10:17pm
No, neither is particularly rare 'round these parts, but locally can be
uncommon, so I thought I would share...
Sunday afternoon I noticed a short white bird hanging out with the Canada
Geese at the NCSU Dairy Farm off Lake Wheeler Rd in Wake County. Turned out
to be a Cattle Egret, which I've found to be not so frequently observed in
the local area. Also noted a Loggerhead Shrike spending time on a power
wire above the same shrub/tree I suspect one bred in last year. This was on
Johnson Pond Road just south of 1010. Always nice to see this declining
species during breeding season.
Saturday found a couple of us flatlanders checking out the mountain scene on
the Blue Ridge Parkway between Blowing Rock and Mt. Mitchell. Quite slow,
surprisingly so since we at least expected to see/hear the local breeders.
3 species of through migrant: Magnolia Warbler and Palm Warbler and
Northern Waterthrush. Eventually found one or two of most of the species we
expected, but to put things in perspective, we did not see one redstart in
10 hours of birding. Finally got one (one!!) during hour number 11. Weird.
Boone Fork at Price Park provided the expected Alder Flycatchers, and
produced a surprise Sedge Wren. Valle Crucis ponied up Willow Flycatcher
(not in the willows, rather in the cedars in the field next to the park),
Least, and Acadian Flycatchers, so we had a 4 empid day.
Best,
Steve Shultz
Apex, NC
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Swainson's Thrush
From: Guy <guymcgrane(AT)wilkes.net>
Date: 15 May 2006 10:26pm
There were 6 or 7 thrushes singing Saturday morning on a mile long walk
in the upper piedmont woods. I thought the hermit thrushes had
already left, and when one of the thrushes popped up, it turned out
to be a swainson's. I suppose all these thrushes were swainson's.
The song is similar enough to hermit thrush that I would hesitate to
rule them out for the heard-only birds.
This was a lifer for me, totally psyched!!
Guy McGrane
Wilkes county
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Solitary Sandpiper and Painted Bunting at White House Rd
From: James Wilson <toadshade(AT)sc.rr.com>
Date: 15 May 2006 10:23pm
I also had a Solitary Sandpiper sighting in one of the marshy regions
of White House Rd in East Columbia. I don't get around as much as many
other birders so this was a rarity for me also. Saw my first Painted
Bunting of the year out there. I usually see them a good deal earlier.
Blue Grosbeaks are plentiful out there but I didn't see one today.
Here's be eBird Report:
Location: White House Road
Observation date: 5/15/06
Notes: It was odd not to see a Blue Grosbeak at this location.
First sighting of the year for Painted Bunting.
Number of species: 17
Mississippi Kite 2
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 6
Eastern Kingbird 1
American Crow 5
Barn Swallow 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 2
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Indigo Bunting 4
Painted Bunting 1
Bobolink 40
Red-winged Blackbird 6
Common Grackle 8
James Wilson - Lower Richland
Columbia, SC 29209
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