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NH.Birds for Thursday, April 17, 2008
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Concord Community Gardens
From: stbnh(AT)comcast.net
Date: 17 Apr 2008 1:55am
Noteworthy arrivals at the Concord Community Gardens:
American Woodcock (heard 4/13)
Wilson's Snipe (seen and heard 4/13) (3 at north end)
Veery - FOY (heard 4/16) (south end before the cornfield)
Pine Warbler - FOY (F) (seen 4/16) (south end before the cornfield)
American Kestrel (pair seen 4/13, 14)
Sheridan Brown & Deb Callahan
Concord, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Spring Arrival Dates
From: "Mark Suomala" <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 8:53am
Birders,
There have been numerous reports of VEERY during the past week. Normally,
they do not arrive in New Hampshire until mid-May, and the earliest
sightings (only a few) of spring migrants on record have been from the last
week of April, or first week in May. As such, the sightings that birders are
reporting as VEERY are likely to actually be HERMIT THRUSH.
Having a reference that provides seasonal occurence information can really
help with identification. I encourage you to get a copy of "A Checklist of
the Birds of New Hampshire" from NH Audubon http://www.nhbirdrecords.org/
It is only $5.95, and has bar graphs that show expected approximate arrival
times. Bird species are remarkably consistent in their spring arrival times
with normally only a small range of days in their earliest arrival dates.
Good birding,
Mark Suomala
mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com
http://www.marksbirdtours.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Spring Arrival Dates
From: "Gwen Jones" <hiker.gwen(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 9:08am
Hi Mark,
I am one of the guilty parties. However, the birds I have heard were
singing long descending fluting songs that sounded for all the world like
Veeries and not like Hermit Thrushes. I did not see the birds. So my
question is: Do Hermit Thrushes start out in the Spring with slightly
different songs and then add the familiar variations (such as starting on
different pitches) later?
Gwen
On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 8:52 AM, Mark Suomala <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com>
wrote:
> Birders,
>
> There have been numerous reports of VEERY during the past week. Normally,
> they do not arrive in New Hampshire until mid-May, and the earliest
> sightings (only a few) of spring migrants on record have been from the last
> week of April, or first week in May. As such, the sightings that birders are
> reporting as VEERY are likely to actually be HERMIT THRUSH.
>
> Having a reference that provides seasonal occurence information can really
> help with identification. I encourage you to get a copy of "A Checklist of
> the Birds of New Hampshire" from NH Audubon http://www.nhbirdrecords.org/
> It is only $5.95, and has bar graphs that show expected approximate
> arrival times. Bird species are remarkably consistent in their spring
> arrival times with normally only a small range of days in their earliest
> arrival dates.
>
> Good birding,
>
> Mark Suomala
> mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com
> http://www.marksbirdtours.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Veery
From: Luckyduck2001(AT)aol.com
Date: 17 Apr 2008 9:17am
Hi there, I also thought we had one in our yard this am but I did not get
the camera fast enough so I cannot say for sure but I have been watching for it
ever since. It was definitely not a Hermit Thrush. So it is quite possible
that they have returned early -- we do not usually see them at all in our
yard.
Debbie Crowley
North Shore Road
Hampton, NH
**************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car
listings at AOL Autos.
(http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Veeries and Hermit Thrushes, Oh My!
From: Steve Mirick <smirick(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 10:33am
Mark is right on with respect to arrival dates for Veery. The first
week of May is typical for the first Veery reports and the EXTREME early
dates for the state are normally the last few days in April. Unlike
fall migrants, spring migrants tend to be more punctual in migration.
In the "Birds of Massachusetts", Petersen and Veit list a bird on
4/23/77 as the earliest for the state of MA. And the amount of data from
MA is extensive.
Confusion with Hermit Thrush is common. The Hermit Thrush has a shwang
call note which can be somewhat Veery like, and the song, if not heard
well, can be easily confused with a Veery. Even fleeting glimpses of a
thrush can be quickly passed off as a Veery if you don't understand that
a Veery is rare. The important thing here is that people LEARN when
birds SHOULD arrive and therefore understand what to expect, and if a
bird is returning earlier than normal. A Veery that is reported right
now, should be supported with good documentation, including a sound
recording or photograph if possible.
I've come to learn, that anything is possible (after all, a Fork-tailed
Flycatcher from South America was in Brighton, MA a couple of days
ago!), however rare birds still require documentation, regardless of who
reports them, and just because you read it on the list, doesn't make it
accurate.
As we get into May, everything starts to return, and anything is
possible, but there are still some basic rules for arrival dates.
As Mark suggested, please consider subscribing to NH Bird Records or
buying a copy of the NH Checklist!!!
http://www.nhbirdrecords.org/
Good luck searching for more signs of spring in the next few days and weeks.
Steve Mirick
Bradford, MA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Buffleheads arrive
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 10:21am
A couple of male Buffleheads FOY yesterday on Scott Pond in
Fitzwilliam, which is now about ice-free. Heard a YB Sapsucker
rapping away yesterday, FOY. Woods are starting to teem with birds.
Multiple juncos singing simultaneously around the house. Saw a Sharpie
swoop into a yard; could mean trouble for the Phoebe singing loudly
there. Watched a Robin relentlessly battering and shaking some large
dark Thing for a couple of minutes and never figured out what It was.
Can anyone recommend which of the many iPod models is best for
carrying bird songs into the field?
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Rare Bird Alert, New Hampshire, April 17, 2008
From: "Mark Suomala" <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 10:50am
This is New Hampshire Audubon's Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, April 17th,
2008.
An EARED GREBE in breeding plumage was seen at Bicentennial Park, located
off of Route 1A in Hampton, on April 16th. Also present were at least 7
HORNED GREBES.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen in dunes on the west side of Route 1A in Seabrook
on April 13th.
A LITTLE BLUE HERON was seen in Rye along Route 1A in tidal pools south of
Rye Harbor State Park.
5 GLOSSY IBIS were seen at NH Audubon's Brookside Sanctuary in South Hampton
on April 12th.
The SANDHILL CRANE that has been spending summers in Monroe for more than
5-years running has returned. Traditionally, it has been seen in fields near
Plains Road, and along the Connecticut River.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen at Great Meadows in Charlestown on April 14th.
A PECTORAL SANDPIPER and 27 WILSON'S SNIPE were seen at Runnymede Farm in
Hampton on April 13th.
2 PIPING PLOVERS were reported from Seabrook beach on April 15th.
63 PURPLE SANDPIPERS were reported from Rye Harbor State Park on April 12th.
19 SNOW GEESE were seen at the Portsmouth Country Club on April 16th, and 7
SNOW GEESE were seen in Amherst on April 12th.
5 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 2 LESSER SCAUP, and 22 RING-NECKED DUCKS were seen at
the Exeter Wastewater Treatment Plant on April 13th.
2 GADWALL, 60 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR, an AMERICAN PIPIT, 60
HORNED LARKS, and 40 WILSON'S SNIPE were seen at Morrill's Farm in Penacook
on April 13th.
17 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 2 GADWALL, 166 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 3 AMERICAN WIGEON,
and 20 WILSON'S SNIPE were seen at Great Meadows in Charlestown on April
13th.
3 GADWALL, 6 LESSER SCAUP, and 2 NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were seen
along the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on April 13th.
A GADWALL was seen from Adam's Point in Durham on April 11th.
A NORTHERN PINTAIL, 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and 4 FISH CROWS were seen at Great
Meadows on Route 11B in Gilford on April 12th.
NORTHERN SHRIKE sightings during the past week included 1 in Keene and 1 in
Hancock.
A PINE GROSBEAK was reported from Mont Vernon on April 12th.
BOHEMIAN WAXWING sightings during the past week included 24 in Newfields on
April 13th, and 25 in Chichester on April 12th.
COMMON REDPOLL sightings during the past week included a large flock in
Ashland, and single birds in Chatham, Merrimack, and Enfield Center.
There were several reports of EVENING GROSBEAKS during the past week,
including 5 in Barnstead, 5 in Keene, 15 in Croydon, 2 in Gilsum, and a
flock in Hancock.
52 TURKEY VULTURES were seen roosting in Keene along the eastern edge of
Green Wagon Farm, next to the Ashuelot River, on April 11th.
A BLUE-HEAD VIREO was reported from Keene on April 14th.
A LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was reported from Meredith, and one was reported
from Amherst, both on April 12th.
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were reported from Hinsdale and Exeter on
April 13th, and Epsom on April 12th.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was reported from Hancock on April 15th.
Other early spring arrivals reported during the past week included BARN and
TREE SWALLOWS, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, PINE, PALM, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER,
SAVANNAH, SWAMP, and FIELD SPARROWS.
There are still good numbers of WILSON'S SNIPE being reported from wet farm
fields, and a few AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS continue to be seen. PURPLE FINCHES
seem to be on the move, as there were several reports of new arrivals at
feeders.
This message is also available by phone recording: call (603) 224-9909 and
press 2 as directed or ask to be transferred. If you have seen any
interesting birds recently, you can leave a message at the end of the
recording or send your sightings to the RBA via e-mail at:
birdsetc(AT)nhaudubon.org. Please put either "bird sighting" or "Rare Bird
Alert" in the subject line and be sure to include your mailing address and
phone number. The RBA is also available on-line at the New Hampshire Audubon
web site, www.nhaudubon.org
Thanks very much and good birding.
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Spring Arrival Dates
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 11:14am
I also think I heard a descending thrushy song recently, but it was
distant and faint and I'm very poor at songs.
Bruce Boyer
On Apr 17, 2008, at 9:07 AM, Gwen Jones wrote:
> Hi Mark,
>
> I am one of the guilty parties. However, the birds I have heard were
> singing long descending fluting songs that sounded for all the world
> like
> Veeries and not like Hermit Thrushes. I did not see the birds. So my
> question is: Do Hermit Thrushes start out in the Spring with slightly
> different songs and then add the familiar variations (such as
> starting on
> different pitches) later?
>
> Gwen
>
> On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 8:52 AM, Mark Suomala <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com
> >
> wrote:
>
>> Birders,
>>
>> There have been numerous reports of VEERY during the past week.
>> Normally,
>> they do not arrive in New Hampshire until mid-May, and the earliest
>> sightings (only a few) of spring migrants on record have been from
>> the last
>> week of April, or first week in May. As such, the sightings that
>> birders are
>> reporting as VEERY are likely to actually be HERMIT THRUSH.
>>
>> Having a reference that provides seasonal occurence information can
>> really
>> help with identification. I encourage you to get a copy of "A
>> Checklist of
>> the Birds of New Hampshire" from NH Audubon http://www.nhbirdrecords.org/
>> It is only $5.95, and has bar graphs that show expected approximate
>> arrival times. Bird species are remarkably consistent in their spring
>> arrival times with normally only a small range of days in their
>> earliest
>> arrival dates.
>>
>> Good birding,
>>
>> Mark Suomala
>> mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com
>> http://www.marksbirdtours.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Eared Grebe at Bicentennial Park
From: donald green <donald_green(AT)mac.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 11:40am
The Eared Grebe was present this morning at Hampton Beach's
Bicentennial Park. I saw it at/near 9:35AM. It was close to shore
maybe 200 feet out and perhaps another 200 feet south of the parking
lot.
Don Green
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: iPods and Birding
From: "David J. Blezard" <djb1(AT)cisunix.unh.edu>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 11:41am
On Apr 17, 2008, at 10:21 AM, Bruce Boyer wrote:
> Can anyone recommend which of the many iPod models is best for
> carrying bird songs into the field?
I'll try to tackle this some since I deal with all sort of tech stuff
all day long.
First, the one to avoid - iPod Shuffle. Really great if you want
music to run/walk/workout/play to, but with no display, it isn't going
to help you located that warbler song you want to check up on.
For most people, I'd say that an iPod Nano would be about right. It
is small (you won't believe it until you hold it small). The 4 GB
one, for $149, is big enough for strictly bird song purposes. My
ripped copy of Peterson's Eastern & Central Bird Songs is only 125 MB
so that's plenty of space! For $199, you get twice the storage.
Another nice option is that you could pair up photos (iTunes Album Art
feature) with the bird songs so you could see as well as listen.
The iPod Classic is bigger physically and uses a hard drive for
storage so it holds a lot more. If you want/need space for lots of
music or videos or whatever, or if you just like the larger size, then
check out these. 80 GB is $249. 160 GB is $349. I do have one
caution, though for field use. Since they have a small hard drive,
these are going to be more likely to suffer damage if dropped than a
flash-memory-based model like an iPod Nano.
Both the Nano and Classic also support audio recording, provided you
purchase a microphone or other compatible recording accessory.
Recording audio eats up both memory and battery charge far more than
audio playback.
If you really like gadgets and/or you want the ability to access
websites and so one, the you might think about an iPod touch or
iPhone. They have really nice screens and lots of capabilities, but
they are really a different kind of beast. The iPod touch only gets
Internet access from Wi-Fi locations so, it would be really great say
at UNH's Durham campus, but totally useless for that purpose a few
hundred feet away. The iPhone can get Internet access through cell
phone networks, if there is cell coverage and you want to pay a lot
each month to AT&T or another carrier.
One other thing to consider is if you want to use the iPod to playback
sounds to call in birds. (Insert usual birding ethics statement
here.) Make sure that you get speakers that would support your
particular iPod. For example, there used to be an accessory connector
on the top of iPods that would supply power to mikes, small speakers,
etc. That no longer exists so you don't want a kind of speaker like
that.
The best source I know for lots of very good information and objective
reviews of iPods and accessories is http://ilounge.com.
-David J. Blezard
NH.BIRDS List Owner
nh.birds-request(AT)lists.unh.edu
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Merlin in Downtown Nashua
From: David.S.Deifik(AT)Hitchcock.ORG (David S. Deifik)
Date: 17 Apr 2008 11:47am
As I was leaving my office last evening, a winged bullet whizzed by not 50 feet
away! Although I only got a flash look at the bird, it impressed me as probably
being a small falcon. A few seconds later it veered around from behind a
nearby building, gained some altitude and landed on the TV antennae of the
Sullivan Tower Elderly housing. Fortunately I had a pair of bins with me and
was able to walk over and get a very nice look at a Merlin perched up on the
building.
I was quite pleased as that was only my second Merlin record for the City of
Nashua.
David Deifik
Nashua, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: More Londonderry FOYs
From: "Sandy" <slmolloy(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 3:52pm
Hermit thrush and brown-headed cowbird appeared in Century Village this
afternoon. As of today, I've tied my own 2007 Bigby list. Guess I'll have
no trouble beating it.
Sndy
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Hinsdale Setbacks / BOWA Keene
From: Byard Miller <byard(AT)virtualflybox.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 4:35pm
Such a gorgeous day, I just had to venture forth and see if last
night's calm winds brought in any early warblers. Last night's Radar
showed we were on the outer fringes of migrating birds. NOPE... not
yet. But it was still a wonderful day to be out and about!
First a quick errand to return movies helped me discover Bohemian
Waxwings in front of the Blockbuster store on West St in Keene. What
a year it's been for BOWAs!
Nothing really out of the ordinary at the Hinsdale Setbacks this
morning. Except that I don't recall ever seeing a Common Loon there
on the River. All dressed up in breeding colors. Another first for me
was watching a Bat flying about in broad daylight. I know nothing of
bat species, but this one was fairly large... a bit bigger than a
Song Sparrow. It initially flew from the spit of land leading to the
towers and then out over the water and eventually landing somewhere
on the causeway. Not knowing my bats, I don't know if this was the
species that has been reported being diseased.
The only Warblers I could come up with were a few Pine Warblers. I'm
hopeful that the others are soon to arrive.
Location: Keene, Cheshire County, NH, US
Observation date: 4/17/08
Notes: Seen in top of tree in front of Blockbuster on West St
Number of species: 1
Bohemian Waxwing 20
Location: Hinsdale Setbacks
Observation date: 4/17/08
Notes: Fairly large Bat flying ... larger than a Song Sparrow.
Number of species: 21
Canada Goose 1
Mute Swan 2
Mallard 1
Ring-necked Duck 17
Common Merganser 5
COMMON LOON 1
Double-crested Cormorant 6
Great Blue Heron 1
Herring Gull 1
Belted Kingfisher 4
EASTERN PHOEBEE 2
Common Raven 1
Tree Swallow 5
Black-capped Chickadee X
Carolina Wren 1
American Robin X
Pine Warbler 4
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Byard Miller
Marlborough NH
Bird Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/9534802@N02/
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: spring arrivals, Blue-headed Vireo
From: "RICHARD FRECHETTE" <frechette7(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 6:21pm
This AM's dog walk produced the first Hermit Thrush and Blue-headed Vireo I
have ever seen while I was standing on snow. (and my first mosquito bite of
the year!)
Rich Frechette
Peterborough
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Osprey in Fitzwilliam
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 6:21pm
Today an Osprey (FOY) flapped all around Scott Pond, apparently
hunting, but I didn't see it dive. Ospreys regularly appear here for a
few days in the spring and erratically during other seasons (except
winter) and I've seen them feeding (or trying to). A migratory Bald
Eagle sometimes appears maybe one day in Spring.
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Injured Thrasher (?) in Greenfield
From: "Janet Romanelli" <jromane202(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 6:27pm
Hello ~
A bird hit my house and is sitting upright. It looks like it might be a
thrasher
Unfortunately, I have to go out to attend to an urgent issue.
Anyone who lives in the Monadnock region and would be interested in helping,
here is where my house is:
About 1 to 2 miles south of Greenfield center on Route 31, turn right at
Zephyr Lake Rd. Take the first left onto Gould Hill. Bear right at the
fork to continue up Gould Hill. House is last on the right before the
cul-de-sac, #89, a brown colonial. The bird is on the left side of the
house as you face it coming up the driveway, below the sliding glass door.
Please reply directly to me at my e-mail below for any follow-up. I will
also post a message tomorrow regarding this.
Thanks for any and all help.
Janet Romanelli
Greenfield, NH
jromane202(AT)verizon.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: iPods and Birding
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 6:25pm
Thanks for the very detailed information. I didn't really plan to do
audio playback, knowing it interferes with bird behavior, but want to
play songs for myself to compare with what I hear in the field. I seem
to have very little ability to memorize and learn bird songs from CDs
back at home.
On Apr 17, 2008, at 11:40 AM, David J. Blezard wrote:
> On Apr 17, 2008, at 10:21 AM, Bruce Boyer wrote:
>
>> Can anyone recommend which of the many iPod models is best for
>> carrying bird songs into the field?
>
> I'll try to tackle this some since I deal with all sort of tech
> stuff all day long.
>
> First, the one to avoid - iPod Shuffle. Really great if you want
> music to run/walk/workout/play to, but with no display, it isn't
> going to help you located that warbler song you want to check up on.
>
> For most people, I'd say that an iPod Nano would be about right. It
> is small (you won't believe it until you hold it small). The 4 GB
> one, for $149, is big enough for strictly bird song purposes. My
> ripped copy of Peterson's Eastern & Central Bird Songs is only 125
> MB so that's plenty of space! For $199, you get twice the storage.
> Another nice option is that you could pair up photos (iTunes Album
> Art feature) with the bird songs so you could see as well as listen.
>
> The iPod Classic is bigger physically and uses a hard drive for
> storage so it holds a lot more. If you want/need space for lots of
> music or videos or whatever, or if you just like the larger size,
> then check out these. 80 GB is $249. 160 GB is $349. I do have
> one caution, though for field use. Since they have a small hard
> drive, these are going to be more likely to suffer damage if dropped
> than a flash-memory-based model like an iPod Nano.
>
> Both the Nano and Classic also support audio recording, provided you
> purchase a microphone or other compatible recording accessory.
> Recording audio eats up both memory and battery charge far more than
> audio playback.
>
> If you really like gadgets and/or you want the ability to access
> websites and so one, the you might think about an iPod touch or
> iPhone. They have really nice screens and lots of capabilities, but
> they are really a different kind of beast. The iPod touch only gets
> Internet access from Wi-Fi locations so, it would be really great
> say at UNH's Durham campus, but totally useless for that purpose a
> few hundred feet away. The iPhone can get Internet access through
> cell phone networks, if there is cell coverage and you want to pay a
> lot each month to AT&T or another carrier.
>
> One other thing to consider is if you want to use the iPod to
> playback sounds to call in birds. (Insert usual birding ethics
> statement here.) Make sure that you get speakers that would support
> your particular iPod. For example, there used to be an accessory
> connector on the top of iPods that would supply power to mikes,
> small speakers, etc. That no longer exists so you don't want a kind
> of speaker like that.
>
> The best source I know for lots of very good information and
> objective reviews of iPods and accessories is http://ilounge.com.
>
>
> -David J. Blezard
> NH.BIRDS List Owner
> nh.birds-request(AT)lists.unh.edu
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: BIGBY Keene: Green Wagon Farm
From: "Lance Tanino" <Lance_Tanino(AT)antiochne.edu>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 7:21pm
Green Wagon Farm
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
4 CHIPPING SPARROW - they sure made their presence felt early this
morning; singing males served as wake up calls
8 SAVANNAH SPARROW
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 Purple Finch
BIGBY = Big Green Big Year
http://www.sparroworks.ca/bigby.html
- Human-powered local birding
- Carbon-neutral birding without any stress
- I found it to be a great way to discover smaller hotspots within
walking distance from home.
Lance Tanino
Keene, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Barnstead: Woodcock + EVGR
From: Jason Lambert <smiley314(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 7:31pm
This morning there were 25 Evening Grosbeaks in the yard. Every night this
week I've walked up to the orchard to watch and listen to the Woodcock,
usually theres anywhere from 10 to 20. Its hard to get a good count from
sound as they fly around in the dark.
http://www.pbase.com/tucky13/image/95738968 (Woodcock, unfortunately I had to
go to work so no Grosbeak pics.)
Jason Lambert
Barnstead, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: FW: Gloucester Eared Grebe
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 17 Apr 2008 8:22pm
Here's a reply to my query of Massbird about the whereabouts
of the Eared Grebe that has overwintered in Gloucester, MA
for several years.
So it is certainly possible that NH's Grebe seen the last
couple of days could either be "Earl," who has been in NH
the last 2 years, or the Gloucester Grebe.
--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: Pamela Cooney <pami-co(AT)COMCAST.NET>
To: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
Subject: Gloucester Eared Grebe
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:11:24 +0000
>
> Hi - According to E-Bird, the last sighting of the Eared Grebe in
> East Gloucester was my sighting on March 6. I birded this location
> today (and do so frequently), and it wasn't here. Today would've been
> perfect conditions for seeing it, as there was full sun and calm
> waters. The tide was in when I got there this morning, which is
> usually when the EG is closer to shore.
>
> I didn't find any grebes in Gloucester today, but I know a spot in
> Manchester-by-the-Sea that has quite a few Horned and RNs. No Eared
> there either. Last year, I saw the EG at EP as late as mid-April. It
> returned in October.
>
> Hope this helps your efforts, and I hope the little guy makes it back
> for another year!
>
> Pamela Cooney, Gloucester
> pami-co(at)comcast.net
From: Pamela Cooney <pami-co(AT)COMCAST.NET>
To: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
Subject: Gloucester Eared Grebe
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:11:24 +0000
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Subject: Concord Silk Farm Sanctuary sightings, Meadowlark in Fremont
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 17 Apr 2008 8:38pm
On my way to Concord for my regular Thursday work day at
NH Audubon Headquarters, I stopped by Martin Road in
Fremont and was rewarded with my first-of-year Eastern
Meadowlark, singing lustily in the shrubs and trees near
the cemetery.
After lunch, Becky Suomala and I spent an hour traipsing
around the field and through the woods to the shore of
Turkey Pond at the Silk Farm Wildlife Sanctuary at
Audubon HQ.
We saw and heard:
13, at least, Northern Flickers in the field
2 Ospreys, one of which was fishing in Turkey Pond. It was
either very inept or had very bad luck--in 5 plunges it was not
successful.
3 Common Loons, 2 of which were doing some major
territorial displaying. Becky doesn't recall loons nesting
there before--maybe this year?
1 Wilson's Snipe, which led us a short chase from the
edge of the field into the woods before flying off
4 White-throated Sparrows
6 Tree Swallows
13 Common Mergansers
2 Buffleheads
2 Wood Ducks
2 Mallards
1 Cormorant, distant, but Becky thought it might be a Great
30 American Robins
1 Pine Warbler heard
1 Northern Cardinal heard
6 Song Sparrows
--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: iPods and Birding
From: Brian Krisler <bkrisler(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 8:40pm
While I can not compete with the excellent info you already have, I
can add some of my own experiences.
I have and iPod Nano 8GB. Beyond the podcasts and songs, I also have
Stokes, Peterson's and the Bird Song Ear Training Guide.
I subscribe to the BirdNote podcast (http://www.birdnote.org/), that I
enjoy
listening to every morning on my commute.
I also spent about 30 min with Raven Lite
(http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/raven/Raven.html), and created
waveforms
for a set of songs (See Singing Life of Birds). I then assigned the
waveform
image as the "album" cover for each bird song.
Another nice feature with the iPod is the use of smart lists. You can
create
a smart list of warblers for example. This will let you select the
list and play
back all the warblers in the list. You can get really creative with
your smart
lists, like a list of Common April Songs, etc.
During this past Super Bowl of Birding, we had a newer birder on our
team, so
I created a smart list with all the expected birds for the SB. Then I
was able to
let her listen to the song almost immediately after hearing it in the
field.
Hope this was helpful.
Brian
On Apr 17, 2008, at 6:24 PM, Bruce Boyer wrote:
> Thanks for the very detailed information. I didn't really plan to do
> audio playback, knowing it interferes with bird behavior, but want
> to play songs for myself to compare with what I hear in the field. I
> seem to have very little ability to memorize and learn bird songs
> from CDs back at home.
>
>
> On Apr 17, 2008, at 11:40 AM, David J. Blezard wrote:
>
>> On Apr 17, 2008, at 10:21 AM, Bruce Boyer wrote:
>>
>>> Can anyone recommend which of the many iPod models is best for
>>> carrying bird songs into the field?
>>
>> I'll try to tackle this some since I deal with all sort of tech
>> stuff all day long.
>>
>> First, the one to avoid - iPod Shuffle. Really great if you want
>> music to run/walk/workout/play to, but with no display, it isn't
>> going to help you located that warbler song you want to check up on.
>>
>> For most people, I'd say that an iPod Nano would be about right.
>> It is small (you won't believe it until you hold it small). The 4
>> GB one, for $149, is big enough for strictly bird song purposes.
>> My ripped copy of Peterson's Eastern & Central Bird Songs is only
>> 125 MB so that's plenty of space! For $199, you get twice the
>> storage. Another nice option is that you could pair up photos
>> (iTunes Album Art feature) with the bird songs so you could see as
>> well as listen.
>>
>> The iPod Classic is bigger physically and uses a hard drive for
>> storage so it holds a lot more. If you want/need space for lots of
>> music or videos or whatever, or if you just like the larger size,
>> then check out these. 80 GB is $249. 160 GB is $349. I do have
>> one caution, though for field use. Since they have a small hard
>> drive, these are going to be more likely to suffer damage if
>> dropped than a flash-memory-based model like an iPod Nano.
>>
>> Both the Nano and Classic also support audio recording, provided
>> you purchase a microphone or other compatible recording accessory.
>> Recording audio eats up both memory and battery charge far more
>> than audio playback.
>>
>> If you really like gadgets and/or you want the ability to access
>> websites and so one, the you might think about an iPod touch or
>> iPhone. They have really nice screens and lots of capabilities,
>> but they are really a different kind of beast. The iPod touch only
>> gets Internet access from Wi-Fi locations so, it would be really
>> great say at UNH's Durham campus, but totally useless for that
>> purpose a few hundred feet away. The iPhone can get Internet
>> access through cell phone networks, if there is cell coverage and
>> you want to pay a lot each month to AT&T or another carrier.
>>
>> One other thing to consider is if you want to use the iPod to
>> playback sounds to call in birds. (Insert usual birding ethics
>> statement here.) Make sure that you get speakers that would
>> support your particular iPod. For example, there used to be an
>> accessory connector on the top of iPods that would supply power to
>> mikes, small speakers, etc. That no longer exists so you don't
>> want a kind of speaker like that.
>>
>> The best source I know for lots of very good information and
>> objective reviews of iPods and accessories is http://ilounge.com.
>>
>>
>> -David J. Blezard
>> NH.BIRDS List Owner
>> nh.birds-request(AT)lists.unh.edu
>
Brian Krisler
Newburyport, MA
bkrisler(AT)gmail.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: FW: Re: [MASSBIRD] Status of Gloucester Eared Grebe
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 17 Apr 2008 8:26pm
Another comment from MA on the Eared Grebe.
--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: "Andrew Birch" <andrewlbirch(AT)gmail.com>
To: "Terry Bronson" <tbbirds(AT)comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [MASSBIRD] Status of Gloucester Eared Grebe
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:33:13 +0000
> Terry,
>
> I just submitted a report to the MARC about an Eared Grebe at the
> Dorchester Shores Reservation in Boston on March 21st - This bird was
> also seen by Ronnie Donavon the following day, but has not been
> refound since.
>
> Best,
>
> Andrew Birch
>
> On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 6:56 AM, Terry Bronson <tbbirds(AT)comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > Yesterday, Denny Abbott and I discovered an Eared Grebe
> > in near breeding plumage at Bicentennial Park in Hampton, NH.
> >
> > This last winter NH had an Eared Grebe, nicknamed "Earl"
> > a couple of miles north in North Hampton. But he or she
> > disappeared in mid-January. We are wondering if this could
> > be the same bird.
> >
> > We are also wondering if the Gloucester Niles Beach
> > Eared Grebe is still around, since there is a possibility it
> > could be that bird. If anyone has any recent sightings, or
> > knowledge of the last date the Gloucester Grebe was
> > sighted, we'd appreciate knowing. Or if anyone in
> > Gloucester could do a quick check to see if it is still
> > there, that would be even better.
> >
> > Eared Grebe in NH is a documentation species, so we'd
> > like to get our ducks--er, Grebes--in a row, so to speak,
> > before submitting the documentation.
> >
> > Thanks very much for any information that anyone can
> > provide.
> >
> > --
> > Terry Bronson
> > Hampton Falls, NH
> > tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
> > Secretary, NH Rare Birds Committee
>
>
>
> --
>
> ____________________
> -----------------------------------
> Andrew Birch
> Boston Birds Moderator
> Medford, MA
> andrewlbirch(AT)gmail.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: RE: Injured Thrasher (?) in Greenfield
From: "Janet Romanelli" <jromane202(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 8:58pm
Hello, again ~ when we got home, the bird was gone, so a) it recovered and
flew off, or b) it was snared by a predator. I guess I'll never know... :(
This bird had a brown head and had brown and whitish mottling on its back.
There was a red band on the back of its neck. I could not identify it using
Peterson's or the Audubon, but I thought it might be a trasher. Any
identification help would be appreciated.
I am planning to get X's for my windows because it is a regular problem for
us; our house is high on a hill.
J. Romanelli
Greenfield
-----Original Message-----
From: Janet Romanelli [mailto:jromane202(AT)verizon.net]
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 6:27 PM
To: 'nh.birds(AT)lists.unh.edu'
Subject: Injured Thrasher (?) in Greenfield
Hello ~
A bird hit my house and is sitting upright. It looks like it might be a
thrasher
Unfortunately, I have to go out to attend to an urgent issue.
Anyone who lives in the Monadnock region and would be interested in helping,
here is where my house is:
About 1 to 2 miles south of Greenfield center on Route 31, turn right at
Zephyr Lake Rd. Take the first left onto Gould Hill. Bear right at the
fork to continue up Gould Hill. House is last on the right before the
cul-de-sac, #89, a brown colonial. The bird is on the left side of the
house as you face it coming up the driveway, below the sliding glass door.
Please reply directly to me at my e-mail below for any follow-up. I will
also post a message tomorrow regarding this.
Thanks for any and all help.
Janet Romanelli
Greenfield, NH
jromane202(AT)verizon.net
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Subject: Pickering Ponds 04-16-17-2008
From: "Chet" <c_farwell(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 17 Apr 2008 10:41pm
04 16:
300+ Gulls
1 Downy Woodpecker having some grub.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2420549444/
1 Red Tailed Hawk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2421631333/
Half dozen American Robins
1 Wild Turkey at farm near Pickering
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2422443452/
_______________________________________
04 17
4 Palm Warblers
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2422410404/
1 American Goldfinch
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2421596907/
7 Robins
1 Northern Flicker
__________________________________
04-16 Salmon Falls River/ Eliot Bridge
33 Double-crested Cormorants
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2419745825/
5 Bufflehead
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2421684711/
2 Osprey
1 Snorkling Gull ( 04-15 )
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150/2416993937/
Chet
Dover, NH
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrc_5150
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Subject: Diver off North Hampton--ID Help
From: cmsbirds(AT)comcast.net (Chris Sheridan)
Date: 17 Apr 2008 10:51pm
Along with some surfers in wetsuits, a Red Breasted Merganser, two girls in
bathing suits, and a couple of Common Eiders, this guy (or girl) was diving off
North Hampton this evening. I can't figure out what it is. Help!
www.pbase.com/cmsbirds/image/95766041
Thanks,
Chris Sheridan
cmsbirds(AT)comcast.net
Nashua NH
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