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KSBIRD-L for Friday, August 30, 2002
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Subject: Cheyenne Bottoms shorebirds
From: Helen Hands <helenh(AT)WP.STATE.KS.US>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 9:19am
I did a shorebird survey at Cheyenne Bottoms yesterday morning. =
Shorebird numbers probably are about the same as the last few weeks. =
Although total numbers are lower in Pool 1A, you can see every species I =
saw on the survey right next to the road. On the survey, I saw =
semipalmated plovers; killdeer; black-necked stilts; avocets; greater =
and lesser yellowlegs; willets; spotted, upland, semipalmated, western, =
least, Baird's, pectoral, and stilt sandpipers; a sanderling; =
dowitchers; Wilson's phalaropes; and a ruddy turnstone. Semipalmated, =
western, and Baird's sandpiper numbers seem to be down and least =
sandpiper numbers up from the last few weeks.
I finally counted birds from the Pool 3A/3B dike yesterday. That's =
where a majority of the shorebirds are, although they aren't as easy to =
see as in Pool 1A. If you're interested in seeing about 3000 dowitchers =
and a few hundred avocets, walk about 1/2 mile down the Pool 3A/3B dike =
from the north. =20
Helen Hands, Wildlife Biologist
Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area
56 NE 40 Rd.
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-3066
helenh(AT)wp.state.ks.us
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Eskimo Curlew Sighting
From: Robert Fisher <bobgfisher(AT)COMCAST.NET>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 10:24am
Thanks to Edge Wade for bringing the Missouri listserv's attention to an =
apparently credible sighting of Eskimo Curlew on Martha's Vinyard. =
According the the following web sites, there have been about 70 =
sightings of EC in the last 50 years:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.walker10/_private/Bluelistpages/eskim=
ocurlew.htm
http://www.hillsborough.k12.nj.us/hhs/endspeci/Birds/ESKURLU.HTM
Discussion of some of these sightings can be seen at =
http://www.gov.nt.ca/RWED/plc/wildtimes/spring96/p10spring96.htm
A map of Eskimo Curlew's former range can be seen at =
http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/wildlife/geninfo/game/curlew.htm
According to the last web site given above, the last photograph was =
taken in Texas in 1962. (I seem to remember a bird shot in Barbados in =
1965.)
Photos of the Texas birds can be seen at =
http://members.tripod.com/~tbrc/eskimo.html. They may be the only photos =
of the bird in the wild in existence.
For a long time, the demise of Eskimo Curlew was blamed on market =
hunting. (One of the web sites above mentions 7000 Eskimo Curlews shot =
on Nantucket in one day!) However, many other shore birds that were =
decimated by market hunting (e.g. Golden Plover, Dunlin) have rebounded =
since passage of the Migratory Bird Treay in 1916, which protected them. =
The principal reason given for Eskimo Curlew's failure to rebound is the =
plowing of the Tallgrass Prairie in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South =
Dakota, etc. through which the curlews migrated in spring. Only 1-2% of =
the original Tallgrass Prairie still remains. The principal food of =
Eskimo Curlew on its northern migration was grasshopper eggs deposited =
in the ground. Plowing eliminated habitat for this food source in 98% of =
the bird's former spring flyway. Presumably, as the season advanced, =
other food sources became available on the tundra, where they bred and =
along their southward migration route. Theys migrated south down the =
east coast. However, plowing of the birds' wintering habitat in =
Argentina may also have contributed to its failure to rebound.
If Eskimo Curlews were dependant upon habitat, 98% of which no longer =
exists, chances for a future population rebound don't look good, unless =
the birds can evolve to develop different migration feeding habits (e.g. =
migrating later, when other food sources have become available). It is =
possible, however, that a small, relict population has discovered =
reliable migration food sources in the remaining 2% of Tallgrass Prairie =
and learned to use them annually. I'm wondering if the relatively recent =
practice of burning of the Flint Hills of Kansas in spring may not =
improve the species' chances of survival by making it easier to locate =
grasshopper eggs and other food. (Golden Plovers seem to take advantage =
of burned areas).
An interesting question: How are the feeding habits of Golden Plovers =
and Upland Sandpipers different from those of Eskimo Curlew in a way =
that allows the first two speciesto find food under modern conditions =
along the historic spring migration of Eskimo Curlews, while the curlews =
apparently can't make it?
In any event, the place to look for Eskimo Curlews is the Kansas Flint =
Hills in April. Unfortunately, finding them there would be something =
like trying to find a needle in a haystack. The only recent allegation =
of Eskimo Curlew in Kansas that I know of is hearsay that Dan LaShelle =
believed he saw one at Lassiter Marsh, Jefferson County, KS. We didn't =
believe Dan when he reported a Spotted Redshank in breeding plumage, but =
he showed us! A few years later, he also showed us a Garganey at =
Lassiter Marsh.=20
Anyone who thinks he is seeing an Eskimo Curlew should be careful to =
distinguish it from the very-similar Eurasian Little Curlew, which has =
occurred in California.
Bob Fisher
Independence, Missouri
bobgfisher(AT)comcast.net
For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Eskimo Curlew Sighting
From: John Northrup <waxwing4(AT)HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 2:23pm
Seeing as Eskimo Curlews are, along with Golden Plovers, attracted to burned
grasslands, has it ever been proposed to conduct a controlled burn in the
Flinthills (maybe Konza?) in Spring and to monitor such a spot? I realize
the problems involved with this thought, such as: destruction of habitat for
Kansas breeders, logistics problems in just how to effectively monitor a
large area like that, along with the very slim likelihood of success in
spotting an Eskimo Curlew. Still, I'm curious if anything like this has been
conducted or even discussed.
J. Northrup
>Thanks to Edge Wade for bringing the Missouri listserv's attention to an
>apparently credible sighting of Eskimo Curlew on Martha's Vinyard.
>According the the following web sites, there have been about 70 sightings
>of EC in the last 50 years:
>
>http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.walker10/_private/Bluelistpages/eskimocurlew.htm
>
>http://www.hillsborough.k12.nj.us/hhs/endspeci/Birds/ESKURLU.HTM
>
>Discussion of some of these sightings can be seen at
>http://www.gov.nt.ca/RWED/plc/wildtimes/spring96/p10spring96.htm
>
>A map of Eskimo Curlew's former range can be seen at
>http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/wildlife/geninfo/game/curlew.htm
>
>According to the last web site given above, the last photograph was taken
>in Texas in 1962. (I seem to remember a bird shot in Barbados in 1965.)
>
>Photos of the Texas birds can be seen at
>http://members.tripod.com/~tbrc/eskimo.html. They may be the only photos of
>the bird in the wild in existence.
>
>For a long time, the demise of Eskimo Curlew was blamed on market hunting.
>(One of the web sites above mentions 7000 Eskimo Curlews shot on Nantucket
>in one day!) However, many other shore birds that were decimated by market
>hunting (e.g. Golden Plover, Dunlin) have rebounded since passage of the
>Migratory Bird Treay in 1916, which protected them. The principal reason
>given for Eskimo Curlew's failure to rebound is the plowing of the
>Tallgrass Prairie in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, etc. through
>which the curlews migrated in spring. Only 1-2% of the original Tallgrass
>Prairie still remains. The principal food of Eskimo Curlew on its northern
>migration was grasshopper eggs deposited in the ground. Plowing eliminated
>habitat for this food source in 98% of the bird's former spring flyway.
>Presumably, as the season advanced, other food sources became available on
>the tundra, where they bred and along their southward migration route.
>Theys migrated south down the east coast. However, plowing of the birds'
>wintering habitat in Argentina may also have contributed to its failure to
>rebound.
>
>If Eskimo Curlews were dependant upon habitat, 98% of which no longer
>exists, chances for a future population rebound don't look good, unless the
>birds can evolve to develop different migration feeding habits (e.g.
>migrating later, when other food sources have become available). It is
>possible, however, that a small, relict population has discovered reliable
>migration food sources in the remaining 2% of Tallgrass Prairie and learned
>to use them annually. I'm wondering if the relatively recent practice of
>burning of the Flint Hills of Kansas in spring may not improve the
>species' chances of survival by making it easier to locate grasshopper eggs
>and other food. (Golden Plovers seem to take advantage of burned areas).
>
>An interesting question: How are the feeding habits of Golden Plovers and
>Upland Sandpipers different from those of Eskimo Curlew in a way that
>allows the first two speciesto find food under modern conditions along the
>historic spring migration of Eskimo Curlews, while the curlews apparently
>can't make it?
>
>In any event, the place to look for Eskimo Curlews is the Kansas Flint
>Hills in April. Unfortunately, finding them there would be something like
>trying to find a needle in a haystack. The only recent allegation of Eskimo
>Curlew in Kansas that I know of is hearsay that Dan LaShelle believed he
>saw one at Lassiter Marsh, Jefferson County, KS. We didn't believe Dan when
>he reported a Spotted Redshank in breeding plumage, but he showed us! A few
>years later, he also showed us a Garganey at Lassiter Marsh.
>
>Anyone who thinks he is seeing an Eskimo Curlew should be careful to
>distinguish it from the very-similar Eurasian Little Curlew, which has
>occurred in California.
>
>
>Bob Fisher
>Independence, Missouri
>bobgfisher(AT)comcast.net
>
>For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
>http://listserv.ksu.edu/archives/ksbird-l.html
>To contact a listowner, send a message to
>mailto:ksbird-l-request(AT)listserv.ksu.edu
John Northrup
waxwing4(AT)hotmail.com
9100 Hickory Lane
Wichita, Kansas 67212
_________________________________________________________________
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: NAB article about Flint Hills
From: Pete Janzen <prarybrd(AT)SOUTHWIND.NET>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 5:52pm
Seeing John's post about buring and curlews reminded of me of something. =
=20
Mark Robbins and Town Peterson had an excellent article on the drastic =
effects of the new fad in Flint Hills land management-annual burning =
instead of the more traditional 3-5 year cycles of burning, and the =
loading up of the prairie with massive numbers of cattle in spring and =
summer. These two combine to create a real devastaion of native plant =
and animal communities. The old good land steward thing is swirling =
down the toilet, and now here come the wind farms. Who'd have thought =
they'd find a way to destroy the Flint Hills! I had to think of that =
while driving up to Topeka and back earlier this week. You can sure see =
what Mark and Town are talking about. Some stretches of miles upon =
miles look like overgrazed horse pastures with a few non-edible forbs =
sticking out everywhere. And don't blame it on the drought, when you =
get to the edge of the fenceline on non-grazed land you could see it =
from the space shuttle I think. I know Scott and others have mentioned =
this before with more in this forum, but the NAB article really laid =
down the facts and figures in a very chilling way. It is good to bring =
this matter to the attention of the larger birding community. It is =
unfortunate that the magazine enjoys such a limited readership. I'm =
surprised that this article hasn't been mentioned so far on KSBIRD =
because it sure deserved some applause, if not some serious discussion.
Any of you serious birders that don't subscribe to North American Birds =
are really missing out on one excellent magazine. You don't get info =
like that anywhere else, period. =20
Pete Janzen
3137 Mascot
Wichita, Ks. 67204
phone 316-832-0182
e-mail: prarybrd(AT)southwind.net
For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Eskimo Curlew Sighting
From: Robert Fisher <bobgfisher(AT)COMCAST.NET>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 6:00pm
John Northrup asks:
has it ever been proposed to conduct a controlled burn in the
> Flinthills (maybe Konza?) in Spring and to monitor such a spot [for Eskimo
Curlews]?
Actually, there are controlled burns at Konza annually, and they are studied
for various purposes by K-State scientists. In addition, many thousands of
acres in the Flint Hills and environs are burned annually by ranchers, who
have learned from earlier Konza research that it makes the grass healthier.
I remember driving home from Cheyenne Bottoms/Quivira at night one year when
it seemed that the entire stretch of K-150 between Marion and Strong City
was ablaze. Would carefully watching a small tract of the total of burned
land produce Eskimo Curlews? Maybe. More probably not, since such a tract
would be only a tiny sample of the total burned over area.
Nevertheless, John's idea is a good one, if it were applied more loosely. If
enough birders had a heightened awareness of the possibility that Eskimo
Curlews may be on burned prairie, and made it a general practice to look
over burned areas whenever practicable, the chances that someone would find
Eskimo Curlew in central Kansas in April would go up.
I follow a simple practice. If there are Killdeers on burned grassland, I
take a second, more careful look. I've found quite a few Golden Plovers
that way in April, although I probably won't find an Eskimo Curlew in
western Missouri and eastern Kansas, where I usually look, because their
migration route is probably a little farther to the west.
Bob Fisher
Independence, Missouri
bobgfisher(AT)comcast.net
For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
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Subject: Report from Meade County
From: Tom and Audrey Flowers <tlf(AT)RAHAB.NET>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 7:13pm
August 30, 2002.
Mississippi Kite...common in Meade and at Meade State Lake
Least Flycatcher
Traills Flycatcher
Hammond's Flycatcher (new for county)
Great-crested Flycatcher
Brown Thrasher
Warbling Vireo
Painted Bunting (first fall record, adult female)
Black-headed Grosbeak
Habitat is improving with recent rains
Tom Flowers
Meade County
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Subject: Re: Eskimo Curlew Sighting
From: Chris Hobbs <chobbs3(AT)KC.RR.COM>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 10:14pm
Perhaps Bob meant to say, "K-State agriculturists taught the ranchers how to
make the Mexican cows healthier by sacrificing the Flint Hills and all its
bird, herp, etc. life?? My simple practice is, If you see Killdeers, you
might be on a mudflat. If you see Killdeer AND have black soot on your
shoes, you're in the Flint Hills!
Chris Hobbs
Shawnee, KS
chobbs3(AT)kc.rr.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Fisher" <bobgfisher(AT)COMCAST.NET>
> Actually, there are controlled burns at Konza annually, and they are
studied
> for various purposes by K-State scientists. In addition, many thousands of
> acres in the Flint Hills and environs are burned annually by ranchers, who
> have learned from earlier Konza research that it makes the grass
healthier.
> I remember driving home from Cheyenne Bottoms/Quivira at night one year
when
> it seemed that the entire stretch of K-150 between Marion and Strong City
> was ablaze. Would carefully watching a small tract of the total of burned
> land produce Eskimo Curlews? Maybe. More probably not, since such a tract
> would be only a tiny sample of the total burned over area.
>
> Nevertheless, John's idea is a good one, if it were applied more loosely.
If
> enough birders had a heightened awareness of the possibility that Eskimo
> Curlews may be on burned prairie, and made it a general practice to look
> over burned areas whenever practicable, the chances that someone would
find
> Eskimo Curlew in central Kansas in April would go up.
>
> I follow a simple practice. If there are Killdeers on burned grassland, I
> take a second, more careful look. I've found quite a few Golden Plovers
> that way in April, although I probably won't find an Eskimo Curlew in
> western Missouri and eastern Kansas, where I usually look, because their
> migration route is probably a little farther to the west.
For KSBIRD-L archives or to change your subscription options, go to
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Observations from Elk Falls
From: Gloria Jones-Wolf <gjoneswolf(AT)SKTC.NET>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 9:50pm
i just got a worm virus from the message titled "Honey." My virus detector
noted it and says it has now healed it.
Gloria Wolf
Elk Falls
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Subject: Flint Hills burning
From: Robert Fisher <bobgfisher(AT)COMCAST.NET>
Date: 30 Aug 2002 11:42pm
Please don't count my posts about Eskimo Curlews as favoring annual prairie
burning and/or other high intensity ranching practices. Those practices may have
an overall negative effect on the prairie ecosystem. I'm sure they are
particularly hard on Henslow's Sparrows. I do wonder, however, how burning
impacts the relict population of Eskimo Curlews, if such a population exists.
Since so many other birds, including Killdeers and Golden Plovers, congregate at
burned areas for easy feeding, perhaps Eskimo Curlews will show up there, too.
If that is a faint flash of silver lining in what otherwise may be a dark cloud
over the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, I hope we can take advantage of it by
spotting the species in a burned area in Kansas one of these years.
Bob Fisher
Independence, Missouri
bobgfisher(AT)comcast.net
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