NH.Birds for Friday, April 11, 2008

Messages are displayed in the order they were received.  Subject  From  Time   What variety of fruits are Waxwings feeding on?   Dana   8:00am   Re: April 9 sightings--PB Grebes, G. Egret, G. Yellowlegs   Terry Bronson   8:04am   YB Sapsucker/Strafford   sayoung   8:01am   Mute Swan- Nashua   Jen Beaudry    8:01am   Savannah Sparrows   Mark Suomala   9:35am   Re: Dead Owl-   JORYANDBRENDA(AT)aol.co   10:36am   Warner Sandhill Cranes - YES   Birds Etc   11:43am   Junco's, Fox and Chipping sparrows , Eastern Bluebird Question   Peter Manship   11:57am   Black/Mallard Hybrid, Charlestown WWTP   Alan Johnson /R.N.Jo   12:07pm   Re: Keene BIGBY Fox Sparrow   Lorianne DiSabato    1:22pm   BIGBY: TUVU roost   Lance Tanino   2:57pm   Coastbirding 04/11   Jon Woolf    3:12pm   RE: Warner Sandhill Cranes - NO   Joy Bockius   3:06pm   FOY - Phoebe - East Kingston   d.skillman(AT)comcast.n   3:36pm   Eastern Phoebe   Lib Ring   4:31pm   Phoebe - FOY   Stoodley's   4:46pm   Gadwall & Hybrid on Little Bay, Lots of Snipe & Bufflehead, Bison   Terry Bronson   5:21pm   Ossipee river grebes & RT Hawk   Joshua Potter   5:18pm   Exeter WWTP - Shovelers, Woodies, Ring-necked, & Snipe   Hank Chary    6:04pm   Field Sparrow in Concord   Mark Suomala   9:29pm   Rising corn price affects bird habitat   Jon Woolf    10:50pm   YB Sapsucker, Common Mergansers on Heron Pond , 4/11/08   Kevin Klasman   11:47pm

To use email addresses replace '(AT)' with '@'. This is done to confuse the spam 'bots.

[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: What variety of fruits are Waxwings feeding on?
From: "Dana" <danafox(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 8:00am

Massbirders -

I am attempting to more deeply understand what specific fruit trees the 
waxwings particularly the Bohemian (BOWA) have been feeding on this winter 
in the northeast - and maybe the sequence of their choice.  Recent posts by 
Jim Berry, Steve Mirick and Doug Chickering on Massbird have commented on 
the fact that the current crab apples the BOWA have been feeding on have the 
fruits strongly attached to the stem.  I agree with Steve that they are 
likely to be feeding on this variety so late in the season - it is April - 
since that variety of crab apple is one that does not seem to get mushy and 
clings tightly to the stem even after a long, cold winter.  It also seems to 
be a variety chosen by Dunken Donuts and commercial plantings.

What variety is it?

What is the order that these birds choose to eat the fruits throughout the 
season?  Which specific varieties do they like in what order?

I have assembled a list of recommendations of fruiting trees attractive to 
birds - the Mass Audubon one and Rick Heil's specific list posted on 
Massbird and would like to keep refining it. All additions are appreciated 
and I will forward them to any and all.

Thanks in advance for your help,
Dana

Dana Duxbury-Fox
No. Andover, MA 01845
danafox(AT)comcast.net


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Re: April 9 sightings--PB Grebes, G. Egret, G. Yellowlegs
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 11 Apr 2008 8:04am

Jon and others,

The usually-flooded spot at pond 3 is flooded to about a foot deep
due to the heavy snow-melt.  Folks have circuited around it on the
right, though I wouldn't be surprised if their footware got a bit damp
in the process.

There is a small flooded spot at the low point where the trail veers
off from pond 5 into the field next to Route 101.  Just a couple of
other damp spots that pose no real problem.

With the rains forecast for this weekend, however, the situation
may change.  Best to wear knee-high waterproof boots if you
have them, or at least mid-calf length.

One other note:  the beavers have been busy!  A lot of saplings
have been chewed down since last fall.  This is a mixed blessing:
the views of some of the ponds have improved, but the diminished
amount of small trees provides less cover for small birds.

--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Jon Woolf <jsw(AT)jwoolfden.com>
> Terry, what condition are the trails in at Brentwood?  I was there a 
> week ago and the trail by Pond 3 was completely flooded, inches deep, 
> just like it was for much of last year.
> 
> -- Jon Woolf
> Manchester, NH
> 
> At 05:54 AM 4/10/2008, you wrote:
> >Yesterday, April 9, I visited the Brentwood Mitigation Area
> >for the first time this year.  Mostly the same birds reported
> >by others in the last week.
> >
> >Pied-billed Grebe--2, maybe 3, 1 in Pond 6, 1 in Pond 8,
> >and possibly 1 in Pond 5.  Just a very brief glimpse of
> >a neck sinking into the water at the last, never to reappear.
> >
> >Great Blue Heron--13 on 13 nests.  Couldn't see anything
> >on the 14th.
> >American Kestrel--a pair flying together along the power line
> >
> >On the way there along Route 1 in Hampton as it crosses
> >the marsh just south of Route 101:
> >
> >Great Egret--1
> >Greater Yellowlegs--2
> >
> >--
> >Terry Bronson
> >Hampton Falls, NH
> >tbbirds(AT)comcast.net


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: YB Sapsucker/Strafford
From: "sayoung" <sayoung(AT)metrocast.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 8:01am

A male YBS came curious into the yard last evening as I was refreshing some
bird song. Its the earliest I recall.
www.flickr.com/photos/sa_young/2404828586/

Scott Young


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Mute Swan- Nashua
From: Jen Beaudry <jenbeaudry(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 8:01am

There is currently one Mute Swan out on Salmon Brook. (8:00 am).

Jen Beaudry
Nashua, NH

____________________

Loans that change lives.

www.kiva.org


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Savannah Sparrows
From: "Mark Suomala" <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 9:35am

Rob Woodward and I checked out Horseshoe Pond in Concord yesterday evening.

Highlights:

Savannah Sparrow 2 with very bright yellow lores and eyebrow stripes
Ring-necked Duck 10
Common Merganser 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Red-winged Blackbird many
Common Grackle many

Muskrat 2 one sitting on the ice nibbling on vegetation, probably cattails

Mark Suomala
mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com
http://www.marksbirdtours.com


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Re: Dead Owl-
From: JORYANDBRENDA(AT)aol.com
Date: 11 Apr 2008 10:36am

Hi,  A few years ago we found a red shouldered hawk in  our backyard that we 
assume had hit a tree while chasing something and we  immediately called fish 
and game and filled out forms etc. and we contacted our  local school to see 
if they would accept the bird and they would so a few phone  calls later to 
fish and game and all was set.  we took the bird to a  taxidermist and also had
a
nameplate made and a case and a base and donated it  to our local school.  It 
cost us some good money for everything but it was  well worth it and we're 
really glad we did it.  Hope we never have another  dead bird but if we do we 
would pay the money again.  Jory and Brenda  Augenti
 
 
In a message dated 4/10/2008 2:27:10 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
selchie(AT)verizon.net writes:

I am  depressed- I found the cutest little owl that had somehow gotten into
our  garage and managed to tangle itself up hoplessly in an old fishing net.
It  must have only been a day or so ago. I think it is a Saw-whet.

Anyone  at Audubon or anywhere that could use it for educational purposes? It
is  still in pretty good shape.

Dan

Durham,  NH

**************Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides.    
  (http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?ncid=aoltrv00030000000016)


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Warner Sandhill Cranes - YES
From: "Birds Etc" <BEtc(AT)NHAudubon.org>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 11:43am

The Audubon Society of NH received word from a woman who lives in the area that
the Sandhill Cranes were present on the 8th, 9th, and 10th.  She had not gone to
 check on them today.  We wanted you to know.


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Junco's, Fox and Chipping sparrows , Eastern Bluebird
         Question
From: "Peter Manship" <maddog54l(AT)tds.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 11:57am

 The numbers of Juncos has been
rising everyday this week in New Hampshire , Vermont and New York. We
now have 31 Junco's here on the lake after non all winter. The
Redpoll's appear to have moved on, Fox and Chipping sparrows are
replacing them.  On a different note if anyone has
ever watched a Eastern Bluebird going in and out of a
Paper Wasp nest/hive would you please email my about it. I am wondering
what they are doing in there. I have posted and image that you can see
the hole they made in the wasp hive, it's the last image here :

http://carolandpetes.blogspot.com/2008/04/hawks-on-rt-22a.html

Good birding!
Pete and Carol
Lake Pauline
Ludlow Vt
http://carolandpetes.blogspot.com


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Black/Mallard Hybrid, Charlestown WWTP
From: "Alan Johnson /R.N.Johnson, Inc." <alan(AT)rnjohnsoninc.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 12:07pm

A very interesting looking male Black/Mallard cross in the puddle to the left
of the Charlestown WWTP access road.

At Great Meadow, in the far southern corner 6 Northern Shovelers, 2 Northern
Pintail, 20 Green-wing Teal amongst less than 75 each Canada Geese, Mallards
and Blacks.
Alan Johnson


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Re: Keene BIGBY Fox Sparrow
From: Lorianne DiSabato <lrschaub(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 1:22pm

There's also at least one fox sparrow lurking in the riparian scrub near the
Keene State College soccer field, accessible via foot if you take the footbridge
 under Rt. 101 from campus.  There are also wood frogs calling from the soggy
sink right next to the field, and spring peepers calling from wooded wetlands.

--L

=======================================
Lorianne DiSabato
http://hoardedordinaries.wordpress.com/

Clifford Seifer <clifdisc(AT)gmail.com> wrote: Jogging affords opportunities to add
 to my human powered bird list and
also to hone my Birding Without Binoculars skills.  (Maybe I should
start a BIGBIWOBBY list.)  Yesterday I added the following species to
my Big Green list:

Fox Sparrow -- East Surry Rd
Raven -- East Surry Rd
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Red-tail Hawk -- Green Wagon Farm
Northern Flicker -- Green Wagon Farm

-- Cliff Seifer
Keene NH


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: BIGBY: TUVU roost
From: "Lance Tanino" <Lance_Tanino(AT)antiochne.edu>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 2:57pm

Location: Green Wagon Farm, Keene (north end of Court St.)
Observation date:     4/11/08
Time: 8:20 - 9:10 AM  
 
TURKEY VULTURE   52; The roost was located along the eastern edge of the
farm, next to the Ashuelot River

Red-tailed Hawk     2; perched near the vultures; whenever one of them
flew to another perch, a large number of vultures flushed then returned to
the roost.

WILSON'S SNIPE    1; low fly-by
Eastern Phoebe     1
TREE SWALLOW     4
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     2
American Goldfinch     3;  first goldfinches in quite a while

Lance Tanino
Keene, NH


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Coastbirding 04/11
From: Jon Woolf <jsw(AT)jwoolfden.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 3:12pm

I spent a few hours today birding along the coast with stops at 
Brentwood and Exeter WWTP between here and there.

Brentwood produced about fifteen species including four 
first-of-years: Pied-billed Grebe, Tree Swallow, American Kestrel, 
and Northern Flicker.  Other sightings of note: a Red-tailed Hawk, 
three pairs of Ring-necked Ducks, a pair of Hooded Mergansers, and 
what looked like a Canada Goose on a nest.

Sadly, Brentwood also produced my first ticks of the year.  Time to 
start using bug repellent again...

At Exeter WWTP, there were no snipe, but there were some Ring-necked 
Ducks, a pair of Buffleheads, three male Northern Shovelers, and a 
male Green-winged Teal.

Along the coast, I added an array of typical birds: the three common 
gulls, Common Loons, Common Eiders, a couple of Red-necked Grebes, 
all three species of scoters, a few Long-tailed Ducks, some Purple 
Sandpipers on Ragged Neck ...

Most interesting was still another first-of-year: on the beach just 
north of Great Boar's Head, a flock of about 80 Sanderlings!  Other 
than Purple Sandpipers, these are the first shorebirds I've seen this 
year.  (Well, I suppose snipe and killdeer are technically 
shorebirds, but I don't _think_ of them as shorebirds.)

-- Jon Woolf
Manchester, NH


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: RE: Warner Sandhill Cranes - NO
From: "Joy Bockius" <jbockius(AT)conknet.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 3:06pm

No cranes on the field between 2:30 and 3:00. I spoke to a man who had seen
them 2 days ago at 8 in the morning and at 6:00 at night. 

Joy Bockius
Warner, NH


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: FOY - Phoebe - East Kingston
From: d.skillman(AT)comcast.net
Date: 11 Apr 2008 3:36pm

FOY - Phoebe - East Kingston - heard in the backyard.

Debby Skillman


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Eastern Phoebe
From: "Lib Ring" <libring(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 4:31pm

FOY here early this afternoon, and again two hours later.

Lib Ring
Exeter NH


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Phoebe - FOY
From: "Stoodley's" <brandybrk(AT)tds.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 4:46pm

They hit Mont Vernon this morning at our place as well.....

Scott & Lara
Mont Vernon


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Gadwall & Hybrid on Little Bay, Lots of Snipe & Bufflehead,
         Bison
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 11 Apr 2008 5:21pm

Today's outing began at Adams Point Wildlife Management
Area in Durham and circled the north side of Great and
Little Bays to Sunset and Great Bay Farms in Greenland.

Birds of the day were a female Gadwall on Little Bay seen
from the Adams Point WMA boat ramp, my first Gadwall of
the year--I'd almost given up on them for this Spring.  It was
near the point located about in the 11 o'clock position when
looking north from the ramp.

And what appeared to be a Gadwall-American Black Duck
hybrid accompanied it.  It had a normal male Gadwall
body, but the head and neck looked most like a Black
Duck, except the bill was black.  The head did not have
that puffy Gadwall look, it was brownish gray, and there
was a definite black line through the eye.  Possibly
it could have been a first-year male not yet completely
molted into adult plumage, or possibly it could have
parasites or abnormal plumage.  The black line through
the eye, however, leads me to think hybrid.

Wilson's Snipe--at least 23 at Great Bay Farm in Greenland.
3 were seen when I arrived, but 20 were seen flying in over
Sunset Farm.  A later check yielded 12 seen birds--all in
the field next to the large wooden Red-headed Woodpecker.

Bufflehead--at least 38 out in Little Bay, the majority of which
were females

An adult Bald Eagle was seen in Dover from Bayview Road
near the NH Audubon Bellamy River Sanctuary.  It soared
from near the Rt. 4 bridge across Bayview Road and towards
the Bellamy River Wildlife Management Area, where it
apparently trespassed into the territory of a Red-tailed Hawk,
which promptly went after it, harassing it with a series of dives
until it disappeared behind or in the trees.

20 American Bison were seen, no surprise, at the Great Bay
Buffalo farm on Langley Road in Durham.

Other highlights:

Tree Swallow--6 flying across Great Bay off Sunset Farm

Red-bellied Woodpecker--3, 1 at Adams Point, 1 across the
straits at Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and 1 at Sunset Farm.
The last 2 were heard-only.

Pileated Woodpecker--1 heard at Durham Town Landing

Great Blue Heron--2 in Great Bay off Adams Point, 1 near Durham
Town Landing

Greater Scaup--estimated 345 seen on Great Bay from Sunset Farm,
but way out

Ring-necked Duck--10 males and 3 females at Horsehide Creek
along Durham Point Road

Double-crested Cormorant--1 adult at Horsehide Creek, 1 in Little Bay

Eastern Phoebe--2 at a wetland along Little Bay Road in Newington,
1 at my house upon my return home

--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Ossipee river grebes & RT Hawk
From: "Joshua Potter" <jpotter(AT)tinmtn.org>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 5:18pm

This morning from the Route 25 bridge over the Ossipee River
(Freedom/Effingham line), a red-tailed hawk alit on the big, dead pine
that sported the bald eagle this winter, and an osprey on Monday.
 
And a good bit upriver were two divers, who based on shape, size, and
apparent marking on the bill, were pied-billed grebes.
 
Happy birding,
Joshua Potter
 
Joshua Potter
Outreach Coordinator
Tin Mountain Conservation Center
1245 Bald Hill Road
Albany, NH  03818
(603)447-6991
www.tinmtn.org


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Exeter WWTP - Shovelers, Woodies, Ring-necked, & Snipe
From: Hank Chary <hankchary(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 6:04pm

Highlights from a brief visit to the Exeter WWTP today:

Northern Shoveler: 4 males, 1 female
Wood Duck: 1 pair
Ring-necked Duck: 25
Wilson's Snipe: 3
Tree Swallow: 3

Also, several singing Northern Cardinals, many many Song Sparrows, and the
ususal plethora of icterids (mostly red-wings and grackles).

Hank Chary
Newmarket
_________________________________________________________________
Use video conversation to talk face-to-face with Windows Live Messenger.
http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/connect_your_way.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_
Refresh_messenger_video_042008


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Field Sparrow in Concord
From: "Mark Suomala" <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 9:29pm

At Horseshoe Pond this evening there was a FIELD SPARROW singing.

Mark Suomala
mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com
http://www.marksbirdtours.com


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: Rising corn price affects bird habitat
From: Jon Woolf <jsw(AT)jwoolfden.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 10:50pm

I don't know if this is directly relevant to New Hampshire, but it's 
a very interesting story nonetheless:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/business/09conserve.html?ex=1365480000&en=0c3c165fb409d740&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Thumbnail summary: the ethanol/biofuel craze has sent prices for 
corn, wheat, and soybeans leaping for the stars.  As a result, many 
farmers are planning to reactivate farmland that has lain fallow for 
a couple of decades.  Good for the farmers, but not so good for the 
many birds that have come to depend on the fallow land for 
habitat.  The affected land includes large tracts in the "duck 
factory" of the Upper Midwest, as well as large swathes of prime 
nesting territory for grassland birds like quail.

-- Jon Woolf
Manchester, NH


[ << | >> | ^^ ]

Subject: YB Sapsucker, Common Mergansers on Heron Pond , 4/11/08
From: "Kevin Klasman" <kevinklasman(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 11:47pm

A male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a lifer for me, and 3 pair of Common
Mergansers were highlights today on Heron Pond. A Great Blue Heron flew
overhead...we've seen it the last few days. Also saw what were probably a
swallow species far out over the pond.

A female Common Merganser has been at the nearby Mill Pond, which has public
access, over the last week, as well as a pair of nesting Canada Geese. 

In total, the biggest day ever for me at home, with 52 individuals (at
least) and 20 definite species.

Location:     Home on Heron Pond
Observation date:     4/11/08
Number of species:     20

Canada Goose     2
Hooded Merganser     6
Common Merganser     6
Great Blue Heron     1
Mourning Dove     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     1
Downy Woodpecker     2
Hairy Woodpecker     1
Blue Jay     2
Black-capped Chickadee     2
Tufted Titmouse     2
White-breasted Nuthatch     2
American Robin     2
Fox Sparrow     1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)     4
Northern Cardinal     1
Red-winged Blackbird     6
Common Grackle     5
Brown-headed Cowbird     3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)