Delaware (Statewide) RBA
March 12, 2010
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:57:46 -0500
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From: Andy Ednie <ednieap@verizon.net>
Subject: [BIRDEAST] RBA: Birdline Delaware, March 12th, 2010
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RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* March 12, 2010
* DEST1003.12
*Birds mentioned
Snow Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Egyptian Goose
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Canvasback
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Common Eider
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Red-breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Common Loon
Red-throated Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Great Egret
Black Vulture
Bald Eagle
Osprey
Peregrine Falcon
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Purple Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull
Glaucous Gull
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
Brown Thrasher
American Pipit
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: March 12, 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, March 12th, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum
of Natural History in Greenville. The 2010 Unofficial Delaware State Year
List now stands at 167 species.
The drake EURASIAN WIGEON at the North Pond in the Logan Tract off the Kitts
Hummock Rd. continues to be seen this week. There were also 12 AMERICAN
AVOCETS seen flying over the pond on Sunday. Other species seen there
included WOOD DUCK, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, RUDDY DUCK, AMERICAN
COOT, and all three MERGANSERS, COMMON, HOODED, and RED-BREASTED. 20+
BONAPARTE'S GULLS were also present.
Another EURASIAN WIGEON was also found at the Pickering Beach side of Little
Creek WMA this week. That bird was on the west side of the dike 2 drake
REDHEADS were also seen at the west pool, along with LESSER SCAUP,
RING-NECKED DUCK, 20+ HOODED MERGANSERS, RUDDY DUCK and 300-400 AMERICAN
WIGEON. You can access Pickering Beach by parking along the road and walking
in.
30+ BONAPARTE'S GULLS were flying off Kitt Hummock. Other birds reported
round Kitts included 6 BLACK VULTURES, BALD EAGLE, RING-NECKED DUCK, TUNDRA
SWAN, all three species of MERGANSERS, and AMERICAN PIPIT.
Signs of spring included a GREAT EGRET seen flying over I-95 at Churchman's
Marsh this yesterday. The same day, another was seen at Prime Hook. OSPREYS
have returned to the Delaware beaches, with a pair occupying the nest at Bay
Vista. The first LAUGHING GULL of the season was reported Gordon's Pond.
A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen flying over bear swamp at Bombay Hook NWR near
Smyrna on Tuesday. HORNED GREBE continues to be reported intermittently at
the refuge. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS continue to be seen at the feeders there.
BLUE-WINGED TEAL was reported at Greer's Pond at Thousand Acre Marsh. WOOD
DUCK, GADWALL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and AMERICAN WIGEON were also seen at
Thousand Acre Marsh. PEREGRINE FALCON and BALD EAGLE were also reported.
One COMMON EIDER still remains at Indian River Inlet. 3 GREATER SCAUP and a
couple of BRANT were among the LONG-TAILED DUCKS at the inlet. Large numbers
of RED-THROATED and COMMON LOONS were present, plus 2 GREAT CORMORANTS. 15
PURPLE SANDPIPERS were seen on the jetty. PIED-BILLED GREBE and COMMON
GOLDENEYE were seen from the Burton's Island causeway.
15 RING-NECKED DUCKS were among the CANVASBACK on Silver Lake this week. FOX
SPARROW and HERMIT THRUSH were reported at Thompson's Island. RED-BREASTED
NUTHATCH and EASTERN TOWHEE are still coming to a feeder at Bay Vista.
A huge flock of SCOTERS were seen off Cape Henlopen State Park this week,
only SURF and BLACK SCOTER were reported. RED-BREASTED MERGANSER was seen on
the bay side of the point, NORTHERN GANNETS and LOONS were seen offshore. A
dozen BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were seen in the Youth Camp area behind the
Seaside Nature Center.
A GLAUCOUS GULL was reported at Fowler's Beach at Prime Hook NWR. 5 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS were reported along the Prime Hook Beach Rd. A GREAT HORNED OWL
nesting on an Osprey platform can be seen along the Broadkill Beach Rd.
EASTERN PHOEBE and BROWN THRASHER were seen at the Prime hook headquarters.
TUNDRA SWAN and TREE SWALLOW were also reported.
EGYPTIAN GEESE continue to be seen at the University of Delaware Ag farm in
Newark. You can see these birds from the backside of Ag Hall off Rt. 896
(South College Ave.).
AMERICAN WOODCOCK were peenting at several locations this week. Reports
include Old Landing near Rehoboth Beach, Georgetown, and at Abbott's Mill
near Milford. A half dozen courting males were heard this week behind the
Aquatic Center off Rt. 9 near Woodland Beach. The safe date for calling
WOODCOCKS is after March 20th for the Breeding Bird Atlas.
A BARRED OWL was reported calling in the evening at Ashland Nature Center
this week. There was also a flyover BALD EAGLE. SNOW and CANADA GEESE have
been going overhead at Ashland. PILEATED WOODPECKER has also been reported.
PILEATED WOODPECKER was also reported at Winterthur Museum.
And now for this week's special feature from 1450 WILM News Radio.
Every St. Paddy's Day brings the first harbingers of spring to Delaware, as
the EASTERN PHOEBE arrives back on its nesting territory. Along creeks and
streams, near bridges under which they nest, comes their call, "Dear me,
Phoebe", which means that springtime is just around the corner.
The PHOEBE belongs to the family of tyrant flycatchers found only in the New
World. This is one of the largest, most diverse, family of birds in the
world. Mostly tropical, there are over 400 different species and growing.
The group includes the KINGBIRDS, PEWEES, CRESTED, and EMPIDOMAX
FLYCATCHERS. Many birds in this group look similar, having to find a mate by
song. In most species song is learned, but recent studies show that in
flycatcher's, song is inherited.
A PHOEBE will sit on a snag over a stream, pumping its tail downward. They
have a dark gray back, black head that looks like a cap with a small crest,
and white belly. What differentiates the PHOEBE from other flycatchers is
the lack of an eye ring or wing bars.
One of the first banding experiments done in the New World was documented on
the EASTERN PHOEBE. Audubon, from his childhood home in Mill Grove:
Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania just north of Valley Forge, tied yarn to the
legs of the local PHOEBES. That way, each spring he was able to demonstrate
that the same birds came back to nest in the rocky crags on his property
over the Perkiomen Creek.
And now, just as in Audubon's time, Phoebes are returning to their nest
sites.
Special hanks this week to Lynn Smith, Sharon Lynn, Anthony Gonzon, Maurice
Barnhill, Jim white, Andrew Bogush, Derek Stoner, Judy Montgomery, Brian
McCaffery, and Colin Campbell for their reports. You can report your
sightings or add to the Delaware Year List by calling 302-792-9591 or email
ednieap@verizon.net. Thanks for calling and until next time, good birding!
-end transcript
Andy Ednie
Claymont, Delaware
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