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IN-BIRD for Tuesday, January 29, 2002
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Subject: correction - SEOW directions
From: Jeff McCoy <jeffmccoy(AT)MAIL.FWI.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 3:14am
If you happened to have noticed, there was some conflict in my directions to
the Whitley County Short-eared Owl:
To reach this site take SR 109 north from US30 in Columbia City and turn right
<should be left, not right>
(west) on CR200N. You will pass some good habitat along this road but when you
reach the first intersection you are in the heart of the grassland area. The
best viewing is from the higher ground near the grain silos a little further
down the road. Good habitat can also be found along CR150N just south of here.
Sorry for the confusion and thanks to Jeff Moore for pointing out the error.
Jeff McCoy
Columbia City, IN
jeffmccoy(AT)fwi.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Ayrshire birds, 1/28/02
From: Jeff McCoy <jeffmccoy(AT)MAIL.FWI.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 4:32am
Regarding the Ferruginous Hawk report, a bird of this caliber (there are only a
few state records) usually means there will be a lot of interested birders,
both in and out-of-state, who will be considering taking the time, effort, and
expense to chase it. With this in mind, it would be helpful if any report such
as this include some details describing the sighting and perhaps how similar
species were eliminated. For this particular species the age of the bird,
especially, is a vital piece of information since, while the adult is a
relatively straight-forward ID, the immature plumage is notoriously difficult
to separate from some plumages of Red-tailed Hawk and is a common pitfall. I
gained a real appreciation of this fact on a recent trip to SE Arizona - there
are many Krider's Red-tailed Hawks wintering here with the Ferruginous Hawks
and with the very little experience I have with Ferruginous Hawk it was quite
confusing.
I do not, by any means, wish to make anyone who is unsure of their sighting
hesitant to report it and have it put up to public scrutiny. This is the only
way to learn. I only want to encourage a least a bare minimum of details for
those birds that are extremely rare or far out of season, which can be easily
determined by refering to the "Official List" on the IAS website (and we are,
by the way, currently revising it to bring it up-to-date).
Good birding,
Jeff McCoy
> This morning, Carolyn and I went birding and saw a number of waterfowl =
> species that are not supposed to be here yet. We also saw a light phase =
> FERRUGINOUS HAWK. The Birds we saw were:
>
>
> Pied-billed Grebe 1
> Double-crested Cormorant 1
> Great Blue Heron 14 (ten were at =
> the rookery)
> Canada Goose 38
> Gadwall 26
> American Wigeon 4
> Mallard 98 =20
> Ring-necked Duck 74
> Northern Harrier 10
> Red-tailed Hawk 6
> FERRUGINOUS HAWK 1 Light phase, =
> photographed and documented.
> American Kestrel 1
> Horned Lark 7
>
> Paul Bennett
> These birds were seen at the Ayrshire reclaimed mine in northwest =
> Warrick county =20
>
Jeff McCoy
Columbia City, IN
jeffmccoy(AT)fwi.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Rare Bird reporting
From: SPancol(AT)AOL.COM
Date: 29 Jan 2002 10:10am
In-birders,
Since the Ferruginous Hawk was photographed, I thought I might
share with In-birders the process by which I report rare species
which are very difficult I.D.'s.
In October of 2000 I photographed a Red Phalarope at Summit Lake.
I was certain it was a Red Phalarope and made Identification
immediately. However, I had never seen a Red Phalarope before, a
lifer!! Since I had no previous experience with this bird, I decided to
get a second confirmation from a birder who had extensive experience
with Red Phalaropes. I rushed the film to one hour photo developing.
With prints in hand, I drove to Indianapolis and got a second
confirmation before posting to In-bird. By doing this, you ensure that
other birders wont spend a lot of money and time chasing a bird which
may not be what you thought it was.
In December I bought a scanner. Now I can scan my rare bird photo
into a file in my hard drive. Then, E-mail one of the top experts in the
State with the photo as an attachment. This will allow you to get a
second opinion without driving a long distance.
I've seen scanners priced from $150.00 to $300.00.
Steve Pancol
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Stillwater Marsh
From: whitehea(AT)INDIANA.EDU
Date: 29 Jan 2002 11:25am
Given how dull things have been on Lake Monroe of late, I decided to
bird Stillwater this morning. A few things of note:
Pied-billed Grebe - 1
Canada Goose - 30
Mallard - 26
Black Duck - 2
No. Pintail - 2 (both males)
Am. Wigeon - 1 (female)
Ring-necked Duck - 216
Lesser Scaup - 1 (female)
Co. Goldeneye - 12
Bufflehead - 2
Hooded Merganser - 2
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 (imm)
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Ayrshire birds, 1/28/02
From: paul bennett <pcbennett1(AT)MINDSPRING.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 11:29am
Jeff,
Thanks for your comments. I would say from my experience with the three
Ferruginous Hawks I have seen at Ayrshire that it may be a waste of time to
try to respond several hours later to a sighting. After first being sighted,
the bird usually disappears. Carolyn and I were told by Don Andrews about
the bird shortly after he spotted it. We were about a mile south of where he
spotted it, so we saw it just after he did. In the two other cases, the bird
was not seen by anyone else. I am aware that a Krider's Hawk could be quite
similar to the bird I saw, but it should show some barring on the underside
of the tail. The acid proof will be in the photos, which have not been
developed yet.
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff McCoy" <jeffmccoy(AT)MAIL.FWI.COM>
To: <IN-BIRD(AT)LIST.AUDUBON.ORG>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 2:40 AM
Subject: Re: [IN-BIRD] Ayrshire birds, 1/28/02
> Regarding the Ferruginous Hawk report, a bird of this caliber (there are
only a
> few state records) usually means there will be a lot of interested
birders,
> both in and out-of-state, who will be considering taking the time, effort,
and
> expense to chase it. With this in mind, it would be helpful if any report
such
> as this include some details describing the sighting and perhaps how
similar
> species were eliminated. For this particular species the age of the bird,
> especially, is a vital piece of information since, while the adult is a
> relatively straight-forward ID, the immature plumage is notoriously
difficult
> to separate from some plumages of Red-tailed Hawk and is a common pitfall.
I
> gained a real appreciation of this fact on a recent trip to SE Arizona -
there
> are many Krider's Red-tailed Hawks wintering here with the Ferruginous
Hawks
> and with the very little experience I have with Ferruginous Hawk it was
quite
> confusing.
>
> I do not, by any means, wish to make anyone who is unsure of their
sighting
> hesitant to report it and have it put up to public scrutiny. This is the
only
> way to learn. I only want to encourage a least a bare minimum of details
for
> those birds that are extremely rare or far out of season, which can be
easily
> determined by refering to the "Official List" on the IAS website (and we
are,
> by the way, currently revising it to bring it up-to-date).
>
> Good birding,
> Jeff McCoy
>
> > This morning, Carolyn and I went birding and saw a number of waterfowl =
> > species that are not supposed to be here yet. We also saw a light phase
=
> > FERRUGINOUS HAWK. The Birds we saw were:
> >
> >
> > Pied-billed Grebe 1
> > Double-crested Cormorant 1
> > Great Blue Heron 14 (ten were at
=
> > the rookery)
> > Canada Goose 38
> > Gadwall 26
> > American Wigeon 4
> > Mallard 98 =20
> > Ring-necked Duck 74
> > Northern Harrier 10
> > Red-tailed Hawk 6
> > FERRUGINOUS HAWK 1 Light phase, =
> > photographed and documented.
> > American Kestrel 1
> > Horned Lark 7
> >
> > Paul Bennett
> > These birds were seen at the Ayrshire reclaimed mine in northwest =
> > Warrick county =20
> >
>
>
> Jeff McCoy
> Columbia City, IN
> jeffmccoy(AT)fwi.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Rare Bird reporting
From: paul bennett <pcbennett1(AT)MINDSPRING.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 11:41am
Steve,
You are right. However, 3 Ferruginous Hawks have been seen at Ayrshire, so
while it is definitely a good bird, it is not unheard of here. I do know
about scanners. I have just finally got my second one working.
Paul
----- Original Message -----
From: <SPancol(AT)AOL.COM>
To: <IN-BIRD(AT)LIST.AUDUBON.ORG>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 9:09 AM
Subject: [IN-BIRD] Rare Bird reporting
> In-birders,
> Since the Ferruginous Hawk was photographed, I thought I might
> share with In-birders the process by which I report rare species
> which are very difficult I.D.'s.
> In October of 2000 I photographed a Red Phalarope at Summit Lake.
> I was certain it was a Red Phalarope and made Identification
> immediately. However, I had never seen a Red Phalarope before, a
> lifer!! Since I had no previous experience with this bird, I decided to
> get a second confirmation from a birder who had extensive experience
> with Red Phalaropes. I rushed the film to one hour photo developing.
> With prints in hand, I drove to Indianapolis and got a second
> confirmation before posting to In-bird. By doing this, you ensure that
> other birders wont spend a lot of money and time chasing a bird which
> may not be what you thought it was.
> In December I bought a scanner. Now I can scan my rare bird photo
> into a file in my hard drive. Then, E-mail one of the top experts in the
> State with the photo as an attachment. This will allow you to get a
> second opinion without driving a long distance.
> I've seen scanners priced from $150.00 to $300.00.
>
> Steve Pancol
>
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: White-headed finch
From: Mary Talbott <Met61bird(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 2:14pm
Hi - My dad has a female house finch who is perfectly normal-looking except for
her completely white head. From the neck up. Not bald, just white. We're
assuming it's just a little mutation. She's seems perfectly okay otherwise. Is
it common in finches? He's curious if anyone has any thoughts. Thanks!
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Harris's Sparrow refound 1/29
From: Joseph T Caruso <carusofamily(AT)JUNO.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 3:51pm
The Harris's Sparrow was seen today (1/29) at 10:40a, 11:25a, and again
at 12:20p. He appeared with numerous House Sparrows along the side of the
road (450W), where some cracked corn had been spread. We got great views
by parking at the red gate and setting up a scope. While waiting, the
owner/manager of the property came to see if we had been successful -
although not a birder, he was very interested in both the presence of the
HS and the fact that so many birders from several states had been there.
As previous posts showed concern about possible road kills of feeding
birds, I asked whether we could place seed inside the red gate (behind
the No Trespassing sign.) He said that would be ok, and that other
birders should feel welcome to do likewise. The advantage of this placing
is that birders can park outside the red gate, have their cars off the
road, and be able to easily view both areas.
Thanks to Don Gorney, et al, who have kept the rest of us up to date.
Joe & Debbie Caruso
New Albany, IN
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: bald eagle questions
From: Dan Kaiser <dhkaiser(AT)SPRYNET.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 6:34pm
John,
Thanks for answering my questions. We have had a lot of fun with the
eagles lately. When the foliage comes on we will not be able to see the
nest and so want to enjoy as much as possible now. Thanks again.
Dan
On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 09:32:29 -0500, you wrote:
>I have provided some comments to Dan Kaiser's questions regarding bald
>eagles.
>John Castrale
>
>My questions...
>
>1. Is it common for hawks to attack eagles? I have read where eagles
>are known to steal food from hawks.
>
><<Hawks, crows, and other birds will "mob" eagles. Mobbing is a common
>behavior where multiple, smaller birds harass a larger bird perceived to
>be a potential threat. Bald eagles frequently kleptoparasitize prey
>from other birds (and even otters), especially osprey and other bald
>eagles.>>
>
>2. The partial white head (I think) is a sign of an immature. Can we
>guess at it's age? It was seen _in_ the nest with the adult 10 minutes
>after it arrived.
>
><<Although there is some variation in when the various plumages are
>attained, the bird with the dirty white head is likely in its 4th year
>of life. The completely white head/white tail is usually obtained
>during the 5th year. "Near" adults will often have some dark spots or a
>band on the tail and some smudges on the head, sometimes a dark
>eyeline. Since both birds were in the nest, we can assume they are
>paired.>>
>
>3. If it is an immature sharing a nest with the adult, is this evidence
>
>of the nest being successful?
><<Some eagles in subadult plumage (even mostly dark birds) have been
>known to breed. The "immature" sharing a nest with an adult would
>indicate that the birds are paired. Success of a nest cannot be
>ascertained until the summer when nestlings take their first flight (or
>is often assumed if older nestlings are observed in the nest).>>
>
>4. Is there a way of id 'ing adult male and female Bald Eagles?
><<Sexes are determined in the field by comparing the sizes of the birds;
>the larger bird is the female.>>
>
>Thanks for your time. It was a very good birding day.
>
>Dan Kaiser
>Columbus
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Franklin Co. Vulture Roost
From: Bill Buskirk <billb(AT)EARLHAM.EDU>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 6:52pm
I checked the Franklin Co. vulture roost this evening with some of my
students. Numbers have increased since January 5. This evening we
had:
60 Turkey Vultures (one with a red back tag #283)
270 Black Vultures
The location is near the intersection of SR 1 and US 52 (between
Brookville and Cedar Grove). From the intersection go S on SR 1
about 0.5 mi. Just after you cross the Whitewater River bridge, turn
left onto River Road. The roost is either in the sycamores between
River Road and the river or on one of the power line towers and
nearby trees to the SW. We were there at 5:30pm and only a few birds
appeared to be arriving; most were already in the roost.
Bill Buskirk
Biology Department
Earlham College
Richmond, IN 47374
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Make that the East side
From: Ron Weiss <chipperwoods(AT)WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Date: 29 Jan 2002 7:49pm
Thanks Liz
Yes, it is the East side of the road, not north side.
Guess I should have turned my GPS on
Ron
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