Delaware (Statewide) RBA
January 29, 2010
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:05:58 -0500
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From: Andy Ednie <ednieap@verizon.net>
Subject: [BIRDEAST] RBA: Birdline Delaware, January 29th, 2010
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RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* January 29, 2010
* DEST1001.29
*Birds mentioned
Cackling Goose
Mute Swan
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Long-tailed Duck
Common Eider
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Common Loon
Red-throated Loon
Great Cormorant
American Bittern
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Coot
Black-bellied Plover
American Avocet
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Purple Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Eastern Phoebe
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Gray Catbird
American Pipits
Cedar Waxwing
Palm Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Lapland Longspur
Purple Finch
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: January 29, 2010
Number: 302-658-2747
To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE)
Compiler: Andy Ednie (ednieap@verizon.net)
Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern
New Jersey, Maryland
Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap@verizon.net)
For Friday, January 29th, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum
of Natural History in Greenville. The 2010 Unofficial Delaware State Year
List now stands at 153 species.
This week a pair of WILLETS were seen at Short's Beach, also known as Prime
Hook Beach in Sussex Co. Four LESSER YELLOWLEGS were also seen there. MUTE
SWAN was also reported along the Prime Hook Beach Rd. BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS
were seen at Fowler's Beach. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were seen at the refuge
headquarters.
An AMERICAN AVOCET was seen at Bombay Hook NWR near Smyrna, the first of the
year. 2 CACKLING GEESE were also among the CANADA GEESE behind the Alle
House. All three species of MERGANSER found in North America were found at
the refuge this week; RED-BREASTED, COMMON, and HOODED.
4 LAPLAND LONGSPURS were reported along Cartanza Road. 50 AMERICAN PIPITS
and many HORNED LARKS were also seen. An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen at the
Logan Tract near Kitts Hummock.
A big load of ducks was reported at Indian River Inlet. There was a peak
count of 10 COMMON EIDER, including one adult drake. Lots of LONG-TAILED
DUCK, BLACK and SURF SCOTER were also reported. GREAT CORMORANT,
RED-THROATED and COMMON LOON were seen. PURPLE SANDPIPER and RUDDY TURNSTONE
were seen on the rocks. A GRAY CATBIRD was found in the brush to Burton's
Island along with a large flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS.
The previous reported REDHEAD was not found this weekend at Silver Lake in
Rehoboth Beach. About 400 CANVASBACK, along with RUDDY DUCKS, NORTHERN
SHOVELER, and 2 AMERICAN COOTS were seen. 2 HOODED MERGANSERS and a few
RUDDY DUCKS were seen at nearby Spring Lake. BUFFLEHEAD, RED-BREASTED
MERGANSER, and RUDDY DUCKS were also seen at Bald Eagle Creek near Old
Landing.
A hen REDHEAD was found at the Wilmington Sewage Treatment Plant, along with
a COMMON GOLDENEYE. Downriver, LESSER SCAUP and RUDDY DUCKS were seen along
the Delaware River below New Castle at Army Creek. 2 BALD EAGLES and a GREAT
CORMORANT were also seen there.
There were a phenomenal count of gulls at the Cherry Island Landfill last
weekend. Highlights of the count there included 20+ LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULLS, 10 ICELAND GULLS and 2 sub-adult GLAUCOUS GULLS.
A pair of BALD EAGLES were also seen at Hoopes' Reservoir. About 50 COMMON
MERGANSERS and several HOODED MERGANSERS were seen there. HOODED MERGANSER
and RING-NECKED DUCK were seen at the Rt. 100 ponds across from Brandywine
Creek State Park.
The state survey of BALD EAGLES reported 120 birds this year, 77 adults and
43 immatures. Two new nests were found, making 42 known in the state. 34
BALD EAGLES were seen on the Bombay Hook Christmas count while 41 were seen
at the Cape Henlopen- Prime Hook count, 11 on one hammock along Prime Hook
Beach Road. 6 more BALD EAGLES were seen at the Newark Reservoir last week.
Holy cow, I remember when seeing one EAGLE a year was a big event!
Some more birds in northern Delaware includes 2 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES
still coming to Ester Speck's feeder in Walnut Ridge. PURPLE FINCHES were
reported coming to a feeder near Hockessin. A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH was
reported at Carpenter Recreation Area near Newark. Ashland Nature Center had
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, WINTER WREN, and YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER.
Spring is just around the corner, although it might not seem that way this
weekend. AMERICAN WOODCOCK were doing their courtship display, the
timberdoodle dance last week at the Barr Tract of Redden State Forest.
RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS were also seen doing courtship near Georgetown. EASTERN
PHOEBE, PALM WARBLER and 6 CHIPPING SPARROWS were seen at Oak Grove near
Seaford.
Now from this week's special feature from WILM News Radio:
Feathers are a uniquely avian feature. Birds use them for flight, courtship,
and protection. But ornithologists are just now beginning to unlock their
secrets.
Feathers are epidermal growths made of Keratin. It's the same protein that
forms our hair and fingernails. The feather is composed of a hollow shaft,
vein, barbs, and rachis with a downy afterfeather. They grow in tracts on
the skin, each feather has a unique placement to protect the bird and
improve flight.
Every year, sometimes twice a year, a bird molts to produce new feathers.
During breeding season, fueled by raging hormones, these feathers can be
ornate shafts. EGRETS and HERONS produce a downy plumage to attract mates.
The MAGNIFICENT QUETZAL, the sacred bird of the Mayans, grows meter-long
iridescent green tail feathers for courtship. The best feathers though are
from the BIRDS OF PARADISE in New Guinea.
Some feathers are made for protective coloration. Doc Sutton, the primer
ornithologist of the 20th century, maintained no camouflage was better then
a PAURAQUE'S tail. A recent discovery was that the PITOHOUI'S of New Guinea
produces a toxin in its feathers to discourage predators. Clever creatures!
Remember, Birds of a feather flock together.
Special thanks this week to Lynn Smith, Randy Murphy, Jason Beale, Glen
Lovelace, Sharon Lynn, Rod Murray, Steve Graff, Bill Stewart, Derek Stoner,
and Chuck Fullmer for their observations. You can call 302-792-9591 or email
ednieap@verizon.net to report your observations or make a contribution to
the Unofficial Delaware State Year List for 2010. Thanks for calling and
until next week, good birding.
-end transcript
Andy Ednie
Claymont, Delaware
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