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UMichBirders for Thursday, March 27, 2008
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Subject: [birders] Killdeer and Great Egret
From: david allen <whiteoakart(AT)hughes.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 2:44am
5 Killdeer were spotted running along Timberlake Road just off of W.
Austin in Manchester on Tuesday. The ground was still covered in snow,
although the road was bare.
Today, we saw a great egret flying over near Grossman and W. Austin,
also in Manchester.
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Subject: [birders] Little Lake, still well populated
From: Lehef(AT)aol.com
Date: 27 Mar 2008 12:29am
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Although one day last week the lake was deserted, almost every day (including
today) I've found canvasbacks and ring-necked ducks, redheads, coots,
hooded mergansers, buffleheads, American Wigeons, and sometimes scaup, Amer.
black
duck. Haven't noticed the pintail or grebes lately but haven't looked very
carefully. One day two trumpeter swans were on the smaller lake on the west
side of Little Lake Drive, but the next day the mutes were back.
Song sparrows, goldfinches, redwings, cardinals, titmice, chickadees,
nuthatches, and bluebirds have been singing up a storm in the adjacent fields
for the
past couple of weeks and there are probably woodcock out there, although I
haven't checked at dawn or dusk. Two weeks ago there was a sapsucker in
Saginaw forest, nearby. In my yard at Sunward Cohousing downeys, hairys, and
redbellys, are devouring my suet., and downys occasionally are drumming. The
coopers and sharp-shinned that haunted my feeders haven't been around lately.
Lee Hefner
**************
Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
Home.
(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom00030000000001)
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Subject: [birders] Re: local robins back - long, science-y
From: "Cendra" <cendra(AT)digitalrealm.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 2:37am
I guess I should have googled first. Back in 1978 there was no google. But
there were stoplights and I guess I'll go out and try to look like one!
Cendra
-----Original Message-----
From: Julie Craves [mailto:jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:00 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] Re: local robins back - long, science-y
> I read 25+ years ago that because robins are so common, no one much
> studies them. At that time nothing was known about them other than
> the color of their eggs, how many they laid, how they built their nests,
and when.
This is erroneous. Researchers are often more likely to pick common birds
simply because they are common.
A quick search of "American Robin" in Google Scholar and the Searchable
Ornithological Research Archive revealed 540 hits of papers, etc.
published prior to 1978. I got over 2000 hits for things published since.
--
Julie A. Craves
Rouge River Bird Observatory
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI 48128
http://www.rrbo.org
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Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
From: "Santner, Steven" <santners(AT)karmanos.org>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 8:06am
Bob:
Along with Blue Jays and crows and possibly even cuckoos (I saw
one chase an adult goldfinch once) and maybe others.
Steve Santner
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Bethune [mailto:poihths(AT)comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 9:42 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
So, grackles join hawks and shrikes in the passerine-eaters club?
Bob Bethune
Freshwater Seas
http://www.freshwaterseas.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Penny [mailto:Jumpthroughhoops(AT)yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 8:55 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
I have seen Grackles attack and kill sparrows in my backyard. The
pigeons without heads looked like they died in a similar manner to the
headless sparrows - decapitated. I couldn't figure out what was killing
them until I actually saw it happen a few times. As near as I can
figure out, it's to reduce competition for food at feeders. It's odd
because they usually even eat side by side on the ground. Then.....it's
like something sets them off. One year I had so many it was getting
disgusting. I have seen them peck at the brain.
---
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No virus found in this incoming message.
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Checked by AVG.
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Subject: [birders] chat/macaw solves tavern puzzle
From: Crystal Keller <crystal(AT)kellerfarm.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 8:54am
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=7134273
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Subject: [birders] Re: Loon behavior
From: "Matthew Valencic" <Matthew.Valencic(AT)AmericanMedicalSystems.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 7:56am
I observed this same loon behavior yesterday (Wednesday) in central Ohio
at Prairie Oaks Metro Park (just west of Columbus on I-70, exit 85 then
go north one mile). One loon way out in the lake splashing, dancing and
diving. I took some pictures with my telephoto lens - not great but I
will post a link soon so you can see some of the postures.
Matt Valencic
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
-----Original Message-----
From: eba(AT)umich.edu [mailto:eba(AT)umich.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 7:17 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] Re: Loon behavior
I have seen similar behavior to this in Canada geese -- they will flip
over
and flap around for a while on their backs, and then right themselves
and
in a great shower of droplets shake themselves off. I took it to be the
equivalent of the bath that smaller birds would take in a puddle or
birdbath.
Eric Arnold
Ann Arbor
--On Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:59 PM -0400 "Janice E. Olesen"
<jeolesen(AT)wideopenwest.com> wrote:
>
> The Common Loon at Stony Creek Park, today was exhibiting some
strange
> behavior. It would flap it's wings furiously then dive under just far
> enough to float head under water with it's big white belly showing for
a
> couple of seconds, then emerge. Basically, it was doing somersaults
in
> the water. I've looked in my one book on loons and this behavior is
not
> mentioned. It mentions foot waves, various loon calls and the
Penguin
> dance. Does anyone know why it somersalts? I think it does it
because
> its fun. Today there were two new species in the water, these being,
one
> Coot and fifty or more Common Mergansers. I check for Barred owls,
but
> didn't see them. ---
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Subject: [birders] Re: chat/macaw solves tavern puzzle
From: "J. Michael Nolan" <mnolan(AT)rainforestandreef.org>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 9:17am
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
I know that birds in captivity are sometimes a bit on the side of =
blasphemy to some Birders. We have an inherited Blue and Gold Macaw and =
a Scarlet Macaw. It is difficult to hang toys from their perches and I =
have tried everything. Only recently started using chains and key rings =
to attach things. Found the even with some smaller key rings, it is no =
problem at all for them to get it off the chain and find it laying on =
the floor. Have recently found a size or thick enough one that they =
can't handle. So, this video is certainly no shock to me. Amazing what =
they can do with these beaks and claws.
Mike Nolan
----------
If we are on another line or away from the phone, please leave your =
number, best time to return your call and/or your e-mail address.
=20
After hours and weekend phone appointments are available upon request.
Sincerely,
J. Michael Nolan, Director
=20
Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit
*************************************************************************=
*************************
"Outstanding-Affordable Field Courses in Rainforest & Marine Ecology"
"Spanish/Cultural Immersion Programs: Spain, Mexico, Central and South =
America"
Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit
P.O. Box 141543
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49514-1543 USA
Local/International Phone: 001.616.604.0546
Toll Free U.S. and Canada: 1.877.255.3721
Skype/MS IM: travelwithrandr
AOL IM: buddythemacaw
E-mail: info(AT)rainforestandreef.org and travelwithrandr(AT)gmail.com
*Note: Please send inquiries to both e-mail addresses
Web: http://rainforestandreef.org
*************************************************************************=
*************************
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Subject: [birders] RE: Great Horned Owlet-sad
From: "Fred Kaluza" <fkaluza(AT)sbcglobal.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 9:50am
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Thanks for the photo Diane. I know you said the nest looked
rickety. Perhaps this is a first-year nester i.e. inexperienced builder
or=85as has happened here with Tree Swallows, the parents somehow =
regarded the
youngster as deficient and gave that one the boot over the edge. Some =
birds
engage in sibling rivalry to the same extent. Does anyone think there =
may
be a baby Cowbird up there? Just kidding.
=20
_____ =20
From: Diane Pruden [mailto:dianepruden(AT)gmail.com]=20
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 11:42 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] Great Horned Owlet-sad
=20
This afternoon, I visited Oakwoods Metro Park with hopes of seeing the =
Great
Horned Owl on the nest that Kevin mentioned a few days ago.=20
=20
As I reached the nest, four of the park naturalists were right behind me =
to
point out the nest. It was a rather rickety looking nest and one side =
was
markedly lower than the other. Mama owl was not visible on the nest.
Kevin began looking around at the ground at the base of the large tree =
which
held the approximately 60' high nest.
He heard and then found a baby owl which did not appear to have been
injured. It was probably only a couple of days old and its eyes were =
till
closed. As the group prepared to head back to the nature center, Mama =
owl
was spotted flying behind some nearby trees.
=20
Initial plans were to take the owlet to the River Raisin Raptor Center =
but
in a phone call the people there said the best thing to do was to get =
the
bird back into the nest. They would not be able to care for it. They
provided a name and phone number of someone from the area who had worked
with birds and had climbed trees to return birds to nests. When I left =
at 3
PM, phone messages had been left for this person. The baby was nestled =
on
soft towels in a card board box and covered with another in the office. =
It
peeped occasionally. I plan to check on its progress tomorrow.
=20
I have posted a picture of the owlet, as found, on the Grove Street =
site. I
suspect that, like me, many on this list have never seen an owl this =
young
and so I thought the picture might be of interest.
=20
Diane Pruden
Milford=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
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No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.0/1344 - Release Date: =
3/26/2008
8:52 AM
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.=20
Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.1/1346 - Release Date: =
3/27/2008
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
From: "Richard Neubig" <rneubig(AT)med.umich.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 9:55am
Last spring I saw a red-bellied woodpecker very methodically march up to a
gnatcatcher nest in the Arb and snatch the baby out - while the parent was
flying at the woodpecker repeatedly to chase it away but to no avail.
Rick
Rick Neubig RNeubig(AT)umich.edu
Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan
Phone (734) 764-8165
FAX (734) 763-4450
Personal web site
http://warbler.med.umich.edu
Center for Chemical Genomics
http://lsi.umich.edu/ccg
>>> "Santner, Steven" <santners(AT)karmanos.org> 03/27/08 8:06 AM >>>
Bob:
Along with Blue Jays and crows and possibly even cuckoos (I saw
one chase an adult goldfinch once) and maybe others.
Steve Santner
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Bethune [mailto:poihths(AT)comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 9:42 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
So, grackles join hawks and shrikes in the passerine-eaters club?
Bob Bethune
Freshwater Seas
http://www.freshwaterseas.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Penny [mailto:Jumpthroughhoops(AT)yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 8:55 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
I have seen Grackles attack and kill sparrows in my backyard. The
pigeons without heads looked like they died in a similar manner to the
headless sparrows - decapitated. I couldn't figure out what was killing
them until I actually saw it happen a few times. As near as I can
figure out, it's to reduce competition for food at feeders. It's odd
because they usually even eat side by side on the ground. Then.....it's
like something sets them off. One year I had so many it was getting
disgusting. I have seen them peck at the brain.
---
* birders FAQ - http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/birders_FAQ.html
* photo sharing site -
http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/se_mich/photos.html
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No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.0/1344 - Release Date:
3/26/2008 8:52 AM
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.0/1344 - Release Date:
3/26/2008 8:52 AM
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
From: avianscout(AT)aol.com
Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:05am
I have watched redheaded woodpeckers repeatedly try to catch ruby-
throated hummingbirds during their nesting cycle.
Dan Thiry
On 27 Mar 08, at 9:55 AM, Richard Neubig wrote:
> Last spring I saw a red-bellied woodpecker very methodically march
> up to a gnatcatcher nest in the Arb and snatch the baby out - while
> the parent was flying at the woodpecker repeatedly to chase it away
> but to no avail.
> Rick
>
> Rick Neubig RNeubig(AT)umich.edu
> Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan
> Phone (734) 764-8165
> FAX (734) 763-4450
>
> Personal web site
> http://warbler.med.umich.edu
>
> Center for Chemical Genomics
> http://lsi.umich.edu/ccg
>
>
>>>> "Santner, Steven" <santners(AT)karmanos.org> 03/27/08 8:06 AM >>>
>
> Bob:
>
> Along with Blue Jays and crows and possibly even cuckoos (I saw
> one chase an adult goldfinch once) and maybe others.
>
> Steve Santner
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Bethune [mailto:poihths(AT)comcast.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 9:42 PM
> To: birders(AT)umich.edu
> Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
>
>
> So, grackles join hawks and shrikes in the passerine-eaters club?
>
> Bob Bethune
> Freshwater Seas
> http://www.freshwaterseas.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Penny [mailto:Jumpthroughhoops(AT)yahoo.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 8:55 PM
> To: birders(AT)umich.edu
> Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
>
> I have seen Grackles attack and kill sparrows in my backyard. The
> pigeons without heads looked like they died in a similar manner to the
> headless sparrows - decapitated. I couldn't figure out what was
> killing
> them until I actually saw it happen a few times. As near as I can
> figure out, it's to reduce competition for food at feeders. It's odd
> because they usually even eat side by side on the ground.
> Then.....it's
> like something sets them off. One year I had so many it was getting
> disgusting. I have seen them peck at the brain.
>
> ---
> * birders FAQ - http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/birders_FAQ.html
> * photo sharing site -
> http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/se_mich/photos.html
>
> * To unsubscribe from birders(AT)umich.edu send a blank message to
> lyris(AT)listserver.itd.umich.edu with UNSUBSCRIBE BIRDERS as the Subject
> line. To resubscribe use SUBSCRIBE BIRDERS Your Name.
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG.
> Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.0/1344 - Release Date:
> 3/26/2008 8:52 AM
>
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG.
> Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.0/1344 - Release Date:
> 3/26/2008 8:52 AM
>
>
>
> ---
> * birders FAQ - http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/birders_FAQ.html
> * photo sharing site -
> http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/se_mich/photos.html
>
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>
>
> ---
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> photos.html
>
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Subject: [birders] grackles
From: Suzanne Vedder <suzeev(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 7:06am
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Driving down Canton Center Rd. this morning I spied two Grackles flying over,
one trailing nesting materials. It has begun.
Suzanne in Canton
Suzanne Vedder
mom to Meredith 13, Bisrat 13, Yabsira 11, Darrin 10, & Mihret 7
"Nature is but a name for the effect in which the cause is God." William Cowper
---------------------------------
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Subject: [birders] returning robins
From: Sherri Smith <grackle(AT)umich.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 11:03am
I used to raise lots of baby wild birds at home. Late in the
afternoon i would clean their cages and take the dirty astroturf off
the cage bottoms and take it outside to wash off. lots of meal worms
went with it. The neighbor hood birds were also raising babies and
eager to get these worms. I would scare off the starlings and let
the robins and jays collect the worms and take them off to feed their
perpetually hungry families.
One off the male robins got my number. When he came back in the
spring if the weather turned snowy and impossible for him, he would
hang about conspicuously, where I couldn't help but see him. I would
go out with his meal worms which he would eat while I noisily fought
off the starlings. This happened frequently. Later in the spring if
I was working in the yard, he would come down to a low branch and
make a great racket so I would notice him. I'd go get worms for him
very reliably. He came back for seven years, the year he didn't
return was very sad.
Sherri Smith
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Subject: [birders] RE: Great Horned Owlet-sad
From: "Santner, Steven" <santners(AT)karmanos.org>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 11:15am
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Fred:
=20
I don't think Great Horned Owls build their own nests - they take
over old nests (or sometimes even newly built ones) of other birds.
=20
Steve Santner
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Kaluza [mailto:fkaluza(AT)sbcglobal.net]=20
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 9:51 AM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: Great Horned Owlet-sad
=09
=09
Thanks for the photo Diane. I know you said the
nest looked rickety. Perhaps this is a first-year nester i.e.
inexperienced builder or...as has happened here with Tree Swallows, the
parents somehow regarded the youngster as deficient and gave that one
the boot over the edge. Some birds engage in sibling rivalry to the
same extent. Does anyone think there may be a baby Cowbird up there?
Just kidding.
=20
=09
________________________________
From: Diane Pruden [mailto:dianepruden(AT)gmail.com]=20
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 11:42 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] Great Horned Owlet-sad
=20
This afternoon, I visited Oakwoods Metro Park with hopes of
seeing the Great Horned Owl on the nest that Kevin mentioned a few days
ago.=20
=20
As I reached the nest, four of the park naturalists were right
behind me to point out the nest. It was a rather rickety looking nest
and one side was markedly lower than the other. Mama owl was not
visible on the nest.
Kevin began looking around at the ground at the base of the
large tree which held the approximately 60' high nest.
He heard and then found a baby owl which did not appear to have
been injured. It was probably only a couple of days old and its eyes
were till closed. As the group prepared to head back to the nature
center, Mama owl was spotted flying behind some nearby trees.
=20
Initial plans were to take the owlet to the River Raisin Raptor
Center but in a phone call the people there said the best thing to do
was to get the bird back into the nest. They would not be able to care
for it. They provided a name and phone number of someone from the area
who had worked with birds and had climbed trees to return birds to
nests. When I left at 3 PM, phone messages had been left for this
person. The baby was nestled on soft towels in a card board box and
covered with another in the office. It peeped occasionally. I plan to
check on its progress tomorrow.
=20
I have posted a picture of the owlet, as found, on the Grove
Street site. I suspect that, like me, many on this list have never seen
an owl this young and so I thought the picture might be of interest.
=20
Diane Pruden
Milford=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
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Subject: [birders] RE: Great Horned Owlet-sad
From: "J. Michael Nolan" <mnolan(AT)rainforestandreef.org>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:17am
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----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
most owls are born in a "stair-step" fashion, that is there is some time =
between the time each egg is laid. obviously a mechanism to reduce =
competition among the hatchlings. often time the youngest one or two is =
tossed out of the nest by older siblings. so, this may look a bit sad =
through out eyes, but actually part of the bigger plan.
i have also seen in some birds, like Boobies. where one of the young =
will sit there and just peck away until his/her sibling is dead. the =
parents just sit and watch, and certainly for the same reason.
have a great thursday and weekend.
go spartans!
mike nolan
----------
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number, best time to return your call and/or your e-mail address.
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After hours and weekend phone appointments are available upon request.
Sincerely,
J. Michael Nolan, Director
=20
Rainforest and Reef 501 (c)(3) non-profit
*************************************************************************=
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Subject: [birders] re: returning robins
From: Julie Craves <jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 11:33am
Sorry, I'm going to keep at this...
I banded a pair of Carolina Wrens in my yard several years ago. One
winter, they came to my office window, where I would put out mealworms
and waxworms for them, something I began just for them as it was a harsh
winter.
Come nesting season, they disappeared, and we didn't see wrens again in
the yard until one or two winters later. Once again, it was two birds,
and they made their presence known by landing on my office windowsill,
although I had not put out any worms for many months. Guess what? They
were new wrens. Had I not banded the original two, I would have sworn
these were the same birds I had fed before.
I'm not trying to be a jerk, so let me explain my position. I don't have
the time to correct all factual errors that appear in this forum.
However, I think one purpose of this list is to share and educate each
other about birds. Certainly public education is part of my job. Many
people on this list do not have the access to scientific literature, or
the background or motivation to assimilate it, that I do. There are many
common, persistent, misconceptions about birds (or ecology). When
something along these lines pops up and I can address it, I do so, since
ignoring it means I have passed up a valuable opportunity to help people
think about the world around them in new and different ways (I hope!).
I sometimes do this with reluctance. Part of my job also depends on the
goodwill and support of the community, and representing the University
in a positive way. I hope that my wet-blanket posts do not seem too
curmudgeonly and are taken in the spirit in which they are intended --
opening windows and not closing doors.
> I used to raise lots of baby wild birds at home. Late in the
> afternoon i would clean their cages and take the dirty astroturf off
> the cage bottoms and take it outside to wash off. lots of meal worms
> went with it. The neighbor hood birds were also raising babies and
> eager to get these worms. I would scare off the starlings and let
> the robins and jays collect the worms and take them off to feed their
> perpetually hungry families.
> One off the male robins got my number. When he came back in the
> spring if the weather turned snowy and impossible for him, he would
> hang about conspicuously, where I couldn't help but see him. I would
> go out with his meal worms which he would eat while I noisily fought
> off the starlings. This happened frequently. Later in the spring if
> I was working in the yard, he would come down to a low branch and
> make a great racket so I would notice him. I'd go get worms for him
> very reliably. He came back for seven years, the year he didn't
> return was very sad.
> Sherri Smith
--
Julie A. Craves
Rouge River Bird Observatory
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI 48128
http://www.rrbo.org
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Subject: [birders] Rusty Blackbirds, Trinkle Marsh, Washtenaw Co.
3/27AM
From: SparksJackson(AT)aol.com
Date: 27 Mar 2008 11:42am
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
There were around a dozen Rusty Blackbirds at the SE corner of Trinkle Marsh
at 9AM this morning. They were actively engaged in leaf-flipping in the wood
ed portion of the marsh alongside Trinkle Road, and also pecking around in
the short grass in the field just to the south. The were in the company of
Common Grackles. Trinkle Marsh is at the NE corner of the intersection of
Trinkle
and Dancer Roads, ESE of Dexter.
I also espied one Rusty at the horse paddock on the west side of Fletcher
Road about 0.25 miles south of Dexter-Chelsea Road.
These seem to be reliable spring locations for this species in Washtenaw
County, and according to my records, especially on drizzly-to-rainy March
mornings. The dreary weather seems to concentrate the migrants of this species
into small flocks around thawing bodies of water. At least its good for
something other than mud production.
Dan S-J
**************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL
Home.
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Subject: [birders] Longevity questions (was: Re: returning robins)
From: eba(AT)umich.edu
Date: 27 Mar 2008 11:53am
The recent discussion about returning birds and the comments by Julie
Craves about the information on longevity causes me to wonder if there is
any information about effects of banding on longevity. It seems that one
of our most significant sources of information about bird lifespan comes
from banded birds; what if unbanded lifespan is different from that of
banded birds? Would we know it?
Questions of interactions with humans, too, enter as I recall the recent
studies at Algonquin of the Grey Jay range shifts where a decrease was
attributed to possible effects of global warming, with consequent reduction
of the late winter food supply due to spoilage. It was observed in that
study that no population reduction seemed to take place there in areas
where feeders were available.
Sherri's story of the long life of her handout-begging robin brings up a
different angle on the question of how our interaction with birds affects
their longevity. We hear from zoos that the lifetime of many animals in
captivity exceeds that of their wild counterparts, and certainly parrots
are known to achieve great age in captivity. That isn't to say that their
quality of life is better than that of a free bird, but it does seem, at
least, that there's a possibility for skewed data if there is no reliable
independent information on bird longevity in unbanded (& perhaps
un-traumatized) birds.
A number of years ago, a friend of mine went out west to work with
fisheries researchers to figure out how to track salmon which were released
from hatcheries to make their way to the ocean where some of them would be
harvested by commercial fishing, and he helped to develop a coding
technique involving the insertion of a very small piece of stainless steel
wire into the snouts of the fingerlings which had a microscopic code etched
in it. The fish with the wires in their snouts could be detected by the
harvesting personnel by passing all of the fish through sensitive
magnetometers (not all stainless steels are non-magnetic) and the ones with
the markers had the wires recovered from their snouts and thus data was
collected on which fish went where in the ocean. While this process didn't
involve returning the fish to the sea to continue their travels, recent
developments with pet ID by implanting chips which can be read
non-invasively suggest that there might be alternative ways for marking
birds, and detectors might be set up at remote places as well as in
familiar areas, e.g. in feeders and nesting boxes, which would report the
presence of a nesting bird.
If there is knowledge within this list of efforts in this or similar
directions, it would be very interesting to hear about it.
Eric Arnold
Ann Arbor
--On Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:03 AM -0400 Sherri Smith
<grackle(AT)umich.edu> wrote:
> I used to raise lots of baby wild birds at home. Late in the afternoon
> i would clean their cages and take the dirty astroturf off the cage
> bottoms and take it outside to wash off. lots of meal worms went with
> it. The neighbor hood birds were also raising babies and eager to get
> these worms. I would scare off the starlings and let the robins and
> jays collect the worms and take them off to feed their perpetually
> hungry families.
> One off the male robins got my number. When he came back in the spring
> if the weather turned snowy and impossible for him, he would hang about
> conspicuously, where I couldn't help but see him. I would go out with
> his meal worms which he would eat while I noisily fought off the
> starlings. This happened frequently. Later in the spring if I was
> working in the yard, he would come down to a low branch and make a great
> racket so I would notice him. I'd go get worms for him very reliably.
> He came back for seven years, the year he didn't return was very sad.
> Sherri Smith
>
> ---
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> line. To
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>
>
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Subject: [birders] re: returning robins
From: "makielb(AT)excite.com" <makielb@excite.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 12:21pm
--- On Thu 03/27, Julie Craves < jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu > wrote:
From: Julie Craves [mailto: jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu]
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:33:28 -0400
Subject: [birders] re: returning robins
Sorry, I'm going to keep at this...I banded a pair of Carolina Wrens in my yard
several years ago. One winter, they came to my office window, where I would put
out mealworms and waxworms for them, something I began just for them as it was a
harsh winter.Come nesting season, they disappeared, and we didn't see wrens
again in the yard until one or two winters later. Once again, it was two birds,
and they made their presence known by landing on my office windowsill, although
I had not put out any worms for many months. Guess what? They were new wrens.
Had I not banded the original two, I would have sworn these were the same birds
I had fed before.I'm not trying to be a jerk, so let me explain my position. I
don't have the time to correct all factual errors that appear in this forum.
However, I think one purpose of this list is to share and educate each other
about birds. Certainly public education is part of my job. Many people on this
list do not have the access to scientific
literature, or the background or motivation to assimilate it, that I do. There
are many common, persistent, misconceptions about birds (or ecology). When
something along these lines pops up and I can address it, I do so, since
ignoring it means I have passed up a valuable opportunity to help people think
about the world around them in new and different ways (I hope!).I sometimes do
this with reluctance. Part of my job also depends on the goodwill and support of
the community, and representing the University in a positive way. I hope that
my wet-blanket posts do not seem too curmudgeonly and are taken in the spirit in
which they are intended -- opening windows and not closing doors.> I used to
raise lots of baby wild birds at home. Late in the > afternoon i would clean
their cages and take the dirty astroturf off > the cage bottoms and take it
outside to wash off. lots of meal worms > went with it. The neighbor hood
birds were also raising babies and > eager to get
these worms. I would scare off the starlings and let > the robins and jays
collect the worms and take them off to feed their > perpetually hungry
families.> One off the male robins got my number. When he came back in the >
spring if the weather turned snowy and impossible for him, he would > hang
about conspicuously, where I couldn't help but see him. I would > go out with
his meal worms which he would eat while I noisily fought > off the starlings.
This happened frequently. Later in the spring if > I was working in the yard,
he would come down to a low branch and > make a great racket so I would notice
him. I'd go get worms for him > very reliably. He came back for seven years,
the year he didn't > return was very sad.> Sherri Smith-- Julie A. CravesRouge
River Bird ObservatoryUniversity of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MI
48128http://www.rrbo.org---* birders FAQ -
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Subject: [birders] Two or Three Loons on Barton Pond Ann Arbor 3/27
From: Roger Kuhlman <rkuhlman(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 12:26pm
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
About mid-morning I drove by Barton Pond to check on the waterfowl present.=
A number of goodies were there including (still) the Oldswquaw, several Ho=
rned Grebes and Pied-billed Grebes and a few Tree Swallows. While scoping t=
he water two Common Loons in breeding plummage swam very close to the shore=
by my position. It gave me an excellent chance to view their magnificent, =
heavy black bills up close. Later I saw another Common Loon at the western=
end of Barton Pond that may have been a third bird.
=20
If you go to Barton Pond check the pond from both the pullout just west of =
the dam and in the Foster Park area further west.
=20
Roger Kuhlman
Ann Arbor, Michigan
3/27/2008=
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Subject: [birders] Oakwoods Metro Park Owlet Update
From: "Diane Pruden" <dianepruden(AT)gmail.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 12:57pm
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
I just spoke with Kevin at the Oakwoods Metro Park Nature Center and
received the following update on the owlet I posted about last night.
The bird is now in the care of raptor rehabilitator Dave Hogan. The bird is
eating well and has even grown noticeably since yesterday! The Nature
Center is still looking for a person to return the bird to the nest - 60' up
an old oak with no lower limbs and no access for motorized equipment. Mama
owl is back on the nest so perhaps there is another nestling. If they can't
get the bird back in the nest, Dave knows of a rehabber with female owls who
may be able to serve as a surrogate mother. Apparently some owls will
accept other babies if the introduction is done at the right time.
The future of this owlet seems much more hopeful today.
Diane Pruden
Milford
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Subject: [birders] Re: Longevity questions (was: Re: returning
robins)
From: Julie Craves <jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 1:23pm
Eric asked: "Is there is any information about effects of banding on
longevity?"
There have been some issues with increased mortality from certain kind
of bands or markers on some suite of birds (shorebirds, vultures, and
waterbirds come to mind). These methods are discontinued if there is any
evidence of injury or death. I've never seen any literature on leg bands
in songbirds impacting mortality. The high number of recaptured birds
most banders encounter after any sort of good effort, which can include
mass gain between captures, indicates that aluminum leg bands are not a
handicap to most songbirds. It also suggests that, in the right hands,
repeated capture and release has little effect on survivorship. If done
correctly, banding is low impact, and certainly the most inexpensive,
low-tech, non-invasive way we have to gather all sorts of information
about birds.
Repeated handling, as Eric was discussing, can be avoided if birds are
color-marked and then re-sighting data is used rather than repeated
capture (to read the band numbers). In one study I came across
survivorship and longevity were higher using resighting data versus
recapture data (although I did not read the paper to examine the methods
or see what research cited it as a follow up to more recent techniques).
Okay, I have a deadline to get some work done. I will mention again a
great, free resource for ornithological research for those interested,
SORA: http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/search.php
--
Julie A. Craves
Rouge River Bird Observatory
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI 48128
http://www.rrbo.org
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Subject: [birders] Re: Oakwoods Metro Park Owlet Update
From: "Sally K Scheer" <winerat(AT)villagecorner.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 2:08pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Look for a rock climber. My own family rock climber is in California so =
I can't volunteer him. However, he has used his rapelling gear for such =
things as roofing a very steep roof in San Francisco successfully.
Sally Scheer
Rogers City MI
Shore of Lake Huron
Presque Isle County
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Diane Pruden=20
To: birders(AT)umich.edu=20
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 12:57 PM
Subject: [birders] Oakwoods Metro Park Owlet Update
I just spoke with Kevin at the Oakwoods Metro Park Nature Center and =
received the following update on the owlet I posted about last night.
The bird is now in the care of raptor rehabilitator Dave Hogan. The =
bird is eating well and has even grown noticeably since yesterday! The =
Nature Center is still looking for a person to return the bird to the =
nest - 60' up an old oak with no lower limbs and no access for motorized =
equipment. Mama owl is back on the nest so perhaps there is another =
nestling. If they can't get the bird back in the nest, Dave knows of a =
rehabber with female owls who may be able to serve as a surrogate =
mother. Apparently some owls will accept other babies if the =
introduction is done at the right time.
The future of this owlet seems much more hopeful today.
Diane Pruden
Milford
--- * birders FAQ - =
http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/birders_FAQ.html * photo sharing =
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [birders] re: returning robins
From: "Cendra" <cendra(AT)digitalrealm.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 3:16pm
I never thought of your posts as curmudgeonly, Julie. But then all the men
in my family were seen that way by outsiders and I knew them as kind,
gentle, and adoring.
I have no use for factoids based on nothing. I joined this list because it
was recommended by a very intelligent person and seems to be populated by a
chunk of the intelligencia. So your contributions are the kind of thing I
came for.
Besides - having graduated from Oberlin in the raucous Sixties, impassioned
discussion and the demand for viable facts seem quite normal.
Thanks for all you do,
Cendra Lynn
A2
-----Original Message-----
From: Julie Craves [mailto:jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu]
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:33 AM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] re: returning robins
Sorry, I'm going to keep at this...
I banded a pair of Carolina Wrens in my yard several years ago. One winter,
they came to my office window, where I would put out mealworms and waxworms
for them, something I began just for them as it was a harsh winter.
Come nesting season, they disappeared, and we didn't see wrens again in the
yard until one or two winters later. Once again, it was two birds, and they
made their presence known by landing on my office windowsill, although I had
not put out any worms for many months. Guess what? They were new wrens. Had
I not banded the original two, I would have sworn these were the same birds
I had fed before.
I'm not trying to be a jerk, so let me explain my position. I don't have the
time to correct all factual errors that appear in this forum.
However, I think one purpose of this list is to share and educate each other
about birds. Certainly public education is part of my job. Many people on
this list do not have the access to scientific literature, or the background
or motivation to assimilate it, that I do. There are many common,
persistent, misconceptions about birds (or ecology). When something along
these lines pops up and I can address it, I do so, since ignoring it means I
have passed up a valuable opportunity to help people think about the world
around them in new and different ways (I hope!).
I sometimes do this with reluctance. Part of my job also depends on the
goodwill and support of the community, and representing the University in a
positive way. I hope that my wet-blanket posts do not seem too curmudgeonly
and are taken in the spirit in which they are intended -- opening windows
and not closing doors.
> I used to raise lots of baby wild birds at home. Late in the
> afternoon i would clean their cages and take the dirty astroturf off
> the cage bottoms and take it outside to wash off. lots of meal worms
> went with it. The neighbor hood birds were also raising babies and
> eager to get these worms. I would scare off the starlings and let the
> robins and jays collect the worms and take them off to feed their
> perpetually hungry families.
> One off the male robins got my number. When he came back in the
> spring if the weather turned snowy and impossible for him, he would
> hang about conspicuously, where I couldn't help but see him. I would
> go out with his meal worms which he would eat while I noisily fought
> off the starlings. This happened frequently. Later in the spring if
> I was working in the yard, he would come down to a low branch and make
> a great racket so I would notice him. I'd go get worms for him very
> reliably. He came back for seven years, the year he didn't return was
> very sad.
> Sherri Smith
--
Julie A. Craves
Rouge River Bird Observatory
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI 48128
http://www.rrbo.org
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Subject: [birders] Re: Oakwoods Metro Park Owlet Update
From: "Cendra" <cendra(AT)digitalrealm.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 3:24pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Call a forester. Bill Lawrence used to be A2 City Forester. I've watched
his son strap on spikes and climbing equipment and just walk up trees. He's
in the book, but contact me if you hit a wall.
Cendra Lynn
A2
_____
From: Sally K Scheer [mailto:winerat(AT)villagecorner.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 2:09 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] Re: Oakwoods Metro Park Owlet Update
Look for a rock climber. My own family rock climber is in California so I
can't volunteer him. However, he has used his rapelling gear for such things
as roofing a very steep roof in San Francisco successfully.
Sally Scheer
Rogers City MI
Shore of Lake Huron
Presque Isle County
----- Original Message -----
From: Diane <mailto:dianepruden(AT)gmail.com> Pruden
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 12:57 PM
Subject: [birders] Oakwoods Metro Park Owlet Update
I just spoke with Kevin at the Oakwoods Metro Park Nature Center and
received the following update on the owlet I posted about last night.
The bird is now in the care of raptor rehabilitator Dave Hogan. The bird is
eating well and has even grown noticeably since yesterday! The Nature
Center is still looking for a person to return the bird to the nest - 60' up
an old oak with no lower limbs and no access for motorized equipment. Mama
owl is back on the nest so perhaps there is another nestling. If they can't
get the bird back in the nest, Dave knows of a rehabber with female owls who
may be able to serve as a surrogate mother. Apparently some owls will
accept other babies if the introduction is done at the right time.
The future of this owlet seems much more hopeful today.
Diane Pruden
Milford
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [birders] Re: local robins back - long, science-y
From: "Russell Emmons" <birdeland(AT)pasty.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 5:26pm
My 1912 issue of "Michigan Bird Life" Prof. Walter B. Barrows Michigan
Agriculture College (MSU) devotes 5 full pages (722 to 727) to American
Robins. > Synonyms, Technical description, distribution, migration habits,
habitat, nesting, food, contents of stomachs, voice, song etc. Some
notations, comments, excerpts going back to 1880s & 1890s! Very thorough,
technical and very impressive!
Russ Emmons, Casco Twp. St. Clair county
----- Original Message -----
From: "Julie Craves" <jcraves(AT)umd.umich.edu>
To: <birders(AT)umich.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 2:59 PM
Subject: [birders] Re: local robins back - long, science-y
>> I read 25+ years ago that because robins are so common, no one much
>> studies
>> them. At that time nothing was known about them other than the color of
>> their eggs, how many they laid, how they built their nests, and when.
>
> This is erroneous. Researchers are often more likely to pick common birds
> simply because they are common.
>
> A quick search of "American Robin" in Google Scholar and the Searchable
> Ornithological Research Archive revealed 540 hits of papers, etc.
> published prior to 1978. I got over 2000 hits for things published since.
>
> --
> Julie A. Craves
> Rouge River Bird Observatory
> University of Michigan-Dearborn
> Dearborn, MI 48128
>
> http://www.rrbo.org
>
> ---
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Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
From: "Russell Emmons" <birdeland(AT)pasty.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 5:46pm
From the observations of this I've seen personally and heard about it seems
a territorial or even "personal space" thing. Sparrows feeding on the
ground near Grackles got too close to the "choice" area the Grackle(s) were
and it lashed out. Yes I've seen evidence of them nest raiding also. Seems
more the males do all this. Testosterone? (the most dangerous chemical in
the world!) The pecking of the backs of heads out is apparently the most
standard method used. Lest we forget House Sparrows notorious raiding of
Bluebird, Tree Swallow, Chickadees and even Purple Martin nest boxes and
viciously pecking out brains of the incubating female. This is why the House
Sparrows bad reputation. I don't know if Starlings though do this even
though they are strong nest site ursurpers. Fred?
House Wrens are known to actually toss out eggs or peck holes in those
of the above mentioned nesters.
Russ Emmons, Casco Twp. St. Clair county
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Neubig" <rneubig(AT)med.umich.edu>
To: <birders(AT)umich.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 9:55 AM
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
Last spring I saw a red-bellied woodpecker very methodically march up to a
gnatcatcher nest in the Arb and snatch the baby out - while the parent was
flying at the woodpecker repeatedly to chase it away but to no avail.
Rick
Rick Neubig RNeubig(AT)umich.edu
Department of Pharmacology University of Michigan
Phone (734) 764-8165
FAX (734) 763-4450
Personal web site
http://warbler.med.umich.edu
Center for Chemical Genomics
http://lsi.umich.edu/ccg
>>> "Santner, Steven" <santners(AT)karmanos.org> 03/27/08 8:06 AM >>>
Bob:
Along with Blue Jays and crows and possibly even cuckoos (I saw
one chase an adult goldfinch once) and maybe others.
Steve Santner
-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Bethune [mailto:poihths(AT)comcast.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 9:42 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
So, grackles join hawks and shrikes in the passerine-eaters club?
Bob Bethune
Freshwater Seas
http://www.freshwaterseas.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Penny [mailto:Jumpthroughhoops(AT)yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 8:55 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] RE: song sparrow
I have seen Grackles attack and kill sparrows in my backyard. The
pigeons without heads looked like they died in a similar manner to the
headless sparrows - decapitated. I couldn't figure out what was killing
them until I actually saw it happen a few times. As near as I can
figure out, it's to reduce competition for food at feeders. It's odd
because they usually even eat side by side on the ground. Then.....it's
like something sets them off. One year I had so many it was getting
disgusting. I have seen them peck at the brain.
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [birders] Tree Swallows & E. Phoebe
From: PATRICK BAIZE <pkbaize(AT)sbcglobal.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 4:10pm
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
Saw 2 Tree Swallows flying over a pond at the corners of Howlett Rd. and M36 in
Unidilla Twp. also had first of the year E. Poebe singing out behind work about
a week later than last year. Pat
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Subject: [birders] Re: returning robins
From: max <biwer(AT)witchmail.zzn.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 8:25pm
An information sheet published by The Raptor Trust, a wildlife
rehabilitation center in New Jersey, lists maximum known ages of wild
birds from banding data. The American Robin is listed at 13 years.
Max
At 11:03 AM 3/27/2008, you wrote:
>I used to raise lots of baby wild birds at home. Late in the
>afternoon i would clean their cages and take the dirty astroturf off
>the cage bottoms and take it outside to wash off. lots of meal worms
>went with it. The neighbor hood birds were also raising babies and
>eager to get these worms. I would scare off the starlings and let
>the robins and jays collect the worms and take them off to feed their
>perpetually hungry families.
>One off the male robins got my number. When he came back in the
>spring if the weather turned snowy and impossible for him, he would
>hang about conspicuously, where I couldn't help but see him. I would
>go out with his meal worms which he would eat while I noisily fought
>off the starlings. This happened frequently. Later in the spring if
>I was working in the yard, he would come down to a low branch and
>make a great racket so I would notice him. I'd go get worms for him
>very reliably. He came back for seven years, the year he didn't
>return was very sad.
>Sherri Smith
>
>---
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>http://www.umich.edu/~bbowman/birds/se_mich/photos.html
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[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: [birders] more returning birds
From: Sherri Smith <grackle(AT)umich.edu>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 9:42pm
i answer the phone for Washtenaw Audubon and get some amazing calls.
a few years ago a woman called me and said that every year she plants
dusty miller and while she is right there planting them, every year a
nuthatch comes and takes leaves to line its nest. (If you don't know
plants, dusty miller has small silver leaves with deep soft velvety
surfaces on both sides. It would make fine nest lining.) I already
thought this was a remarkable story. (Surely the same nuthatch) then
she said that this year when she was planting her dusty miller and
the nuthatch wastaking leaves, a nearby robin noticed the nuthatch's
activity, brightened right up, and came over and took a whole plant.
Sherri Smith
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Subject: [birders] From Ohio Birds - BIRDERS URGENTLY NEEDED TO TRACK
RUSTY BLACKBIRD MIGRATION
From: "Vincent Ste-Marie" <v_ste.marie(AT)sbcglobal.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:00pm
Subject: Bird Watchers Urgently Needed to Track Rusty Blackbirds
From: "Bennett, Gregory" <gbennett AT AKRON.K12.OH.US>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:03:47 -0400
The following is from http://ebird.org/content/ebird/index.html
Peace,
Gregory Bennett
Cuyahoga Falls OH
Bird Watchers Urgently Needed to Track Rusty Blackbirds
March 26, 2008
Populations of Rusty Blackbirds are crashing! Their numbers have plummeted
by
as much as 85-98% over the last few decades, according to data gathered for
the
North American Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count between 1966
and
2006. Your data can help save this species by arming scientists with
information about these birds during migration. Bird watchers across North
America are being asked to help scientists track migrating Rusty Blackbirds
from April 1-7 using the eBird online checklist program. Note: Your
observations from outside this time frame are also sorely needed, so please
enter any and all Rusty Blackbird records into eBird if possible!
A century ago, the Rusty Blackbird was an incredibly abundant bird. Accounts
from the period detail spectacular spring migrations between the species'
wintering grounds in the bottomland forests of the southeastern United
States
and its breeding grounds in the forested wetlands of North America's vast
boreal forest. Ornithological reports from New England and southern Canada
describe waves of tens to hundreds of thousands of Rusty Blackbirds
blackening
the earth and clouding the sky in the spring. In many communities, the
migration of Rusty Blackbirds was likened to the year's first chorus of tree
frog--a sign that spring had finally arrived in the thawing countryside.
Today these reports seem unbelievable since Rusty Blackbirds populations
have
suffered one of most staggering population declines of any bird in North
America. An understanding of the Rusty Blackbird's habitat requirements is
urgently needed to conserve its remaining populations. This is especially
true
during spring migration when Rusty Blackbirds congregate in large flocks
which
may be particularly vulnerable to habitat losses, blackbird control
programs,
or other disturbances. Unfortunately, very little is known about the natural
history requirements of the Rusty Blackbird during its northward migration.
To address this information gap, eBird is calling on bird watchers for help.
April 1-7, look for Rusty Blackbirds on their northward migration. The data
collected will help identify important migration stopover locations and
habitats for conservation and will help researchers examine whether
long-term
changes to key migration habitats are responsible for the species' decline.
If
you are interested in participating, please collect the following
information,
then submit your data to eBird, taking note of the following:
1. Date, time, location of the observations. Area, traveling and stationary
counts are preferred. Be as precise as possible when mapping your location.
2. Rusty Blackbird flock size, including an estimate of number of males vs.
females. Answer 'yes' to the question 'do you want to report age/sex or add
species comments' at the top of the eBird checklist page.
3. General behavior: flying, feeding, loafing (day), roosting (dawn, dusk,
night). Put these in the species comments field.
4. Habitat: agricultural field, scrub-shrub wetland, forested wetland,
shores
of rivers or creeks, shores of lakes or ponds. Put these in general
checklist
comments field.
5. Comments: Please include "Rusty Blackbird Survey" in the general
checklist
comments section so we can determine whether you were specifically looking
for
Rusty Blackbirds during your birding expedition.
6. If possible please submit a complete checklist of the birds you
identified
on your outing, and answer 'yes' to the 'are you reporting all the species
you
saw/heard' question on the eBird checklist page. This will give us an idea
of
what other birds were in the area, as well as whether or not Rusty
Blackbirds
were associating with other blackbirds species during migration.
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Subject: [birders] northern sightings
From: "Sally K Scheer" <winerat(AT)villagecorner.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:11pm
Monday, March 24, I saw four northern shovellers flying north across the
entrance to the Rogers City marina.
Today March 27, I saw several groups of common goldeneys also flying north
along our beach (Lake Huron, 20 miles north of Rogers City). Both male and
female as far as I could tell.
Relating all this by cell phone to my husband stuck down below as I walked
the beach, I was treated to an eagle flyover. I've seen two pairs of eagles,
one at each "end" of the beach, for the past several years. I saw a first
year eagle with the northern end ones pair about three years ago. Not sure
where this one decided to make his permanent home but he was sighted about a
half mile north of our place last year.
I've also had three red breasted nuthatches, two white breasted nuthatches,
downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, chickadees (several), tufted titmouse,
and mourning doves at the feeders on the deck.
Sally Scheer
Rogers City MI
Shore of Lake Huron
Presque Isle County
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Subject: [birders] Re: more returning birds
From: "Dan Sparks-Jackson" <sparksjackson(AT)aol.com>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 10:38pm
Members of the genus Artemisia (which includes Dusty Miller as well as
tarragon and sagebrush) have some interesting aromatic oils in their
tissues. I wonder if perhaps certain bird species to have figured out
that inclusion of these plant materials in a nest acts as a repellant or
other means of controlling nest parasites such as mites. A quick Google
search lead to at least one article that seemed to at least obliquely
indicate that this might be the case: search "artemisia and nest" at
Google and scroll down to Ted R. Anderson's "Biology of the Ubiquitous
House Sparrow: From Genes to Populations".
Dan S-J
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Subject: [birders] RE: White-winged Scoters, Marine City
From: "Cendra" <cendra(AT)digitalrealm.net>
Date: 27 Mar 2008 11:43pm
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I looked up phragmites: any of several tall grasses of the genus Phragmites,
having plumed heads, growing in marshy areas, esp. the common reed P.
australis (or P. communis).
Why is it good that they've been cut?
Cendra Lynn
OWS, A2
_____
From: Russell Emmons [mailto:birdeland(AT)pasty.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 4:52 PM
To: birders(AT)umich.edu
Subject: [birders] White-winged Scoters, Marine City
I've just posted on umich birders Grove Street album a photo of 1 of 2
White-winged Scoters I spotted WAY out on the St.Clair River yesterday just
off downtown Marine City. The pic is small but discernible. (No digiscope or
big lense.) Sorry about the late post. Also on this jaunt along the river
and over to the St. Johns Marsh, Anchor Bay, a few other noteworthy species
were the expected Common Mergansers, Buffleheads, Canvasbacks, Redheads,
Mallards, Canada Geese, Swans, Great Blue Heron (only 1) Killdeer (only a
few) Ring-billed Gulls, Red-tail Hawks (2), Rough-legged Hawk, and hundreds
of Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Brown-Headed Cowbirds, Starlings each
and I suspected a few Rusty Blackbirds mixed in the hordes. Conspicuous by
their absence were Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots, Greater-Black
Backed Gulls, Bonapartes Gulls!
Spring is just not happening up this way. Today blizzard like conditions,
high winds, more snow! The Belle River, adjoining creeks, the St. Johns
Marsh/St. Clair Flats are still mostly froze over! Anchor Bay mostly also
with many ice-fisherman still way out there fishing!
We noted still several dead ducks out on the ice floes along our way!
Vast areas of Phragmites have been cut in the marsh by someone. I assume the
DNR? I say Hooray finally! Keep it up there is MUCH more to be done!
Russ Emmons, Casco Twp. St. Clair county
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