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11 May Re: What was it? [Herschel Raney ] 11 May What was it? [Jim Dixon ] 11 May Craighead [Nick Anich ] 11 May Re: FW: Commercial appeal - Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy -- Google Alert - ivory-billed woodpecker ["George R. Hoelzeman" ] 11 May Re: Lollie [David Ray ] 11 May FW: Commercial appeal - Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy -- Google Alert - ivory-billed woodpecker ["FENNELL, Ellen" ] 10 May Re: Black-billed Cuckoo [Dale Provost ] 10 May Grosbeaks and Orioles ["Donna M. Haynes" ] 10 May Re: Migration Day [Jim Dixon ] 10 May Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos ["Jeff R. Wilson" ] 10 May Migration Day [Herschel Raney ] 10 May Craighead [Richard Baxter ] 10 May Re: Lollie [Jim Dixon ] 10 May Lollie [Herschel Raney ] 10 May Black-billed Cuckoo [Robert Herron ] 10 May Veery at Pinnacle Mountain SP Arboretum [Dennis Braddy ] 10 May Chesney email clarification [Lyndal York ] 9 May Followup to Yesterday's 'Troubling Nature Observation' [Barry Haas ] 9 May White Ibis at Rookery in Ouachita county [Kelly Chitwood ] 9 May Paron Birds [Ben Meadors ] 9 May Re: Two Rivers Park ["Curry, Neil" ] 9 May morning Mourning [Michael Verser ] 9 May Two Rivers Park [Dottie Boyles ] 9 May Craighead [Richard Baxter ] 9 May Re: Chesney Prairie ["FENNELL, Ellen" ] 9 May Re: Chesney Prairie ["J. O. and Sally Jo Gibson" ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation ["FENNELL, Ellen" ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation [Hope Coulter ] 9 May Chesney Prairie [Lyndal York ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation [Nick Anich ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation ["George R. Hoelzeman" ] 9 May New Life Bird in the Yard ["Jobe, Kelly" ] 9 May Thursday yard birds [Jacque Brown ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation ["FENNELL, Ellen" ] 9 May Mt. Sequoyah, Fayetteville ["Jason D. Luscier" ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation [David Ray ] 9 May Birdiest month correction [David Ray ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation [john ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation ["FENNELL, Ellen" ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation [hawkcenter ] 9 May Re: Troubling Nature Observation ["George R. Hoelzeman" ] 8 May Troubling Nature Observation [Barry Haas ] 8 May Black Rails, SE Missouri [Richard Baxter ] 8 May Rookery in Ouachita County [Kelly Chitwood ] 8 May Rhône, Warblers, and Sushi [Dennis Braddy ] 8 May Life and State Bird [Sandy Berger ] 8 May Nighthawks [Gail Miller ] 8 May Recommended Daily Allowance of Birds? ["FENNELL, Ellen" ] 8 May RBA-Arkansas-May 8,2008 [DeLynn Hearn ] 8 May Veery [Steve Duzan ] 8 May Birdiest month? [David Ray ] 8 May Migration count - May 10,11th a few final changes [Leif E Anderson ] Subject: Re: What was it? From: Herschel Raney <herschel.raney AT CONWAYCORP.NET> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 19:05:11 -0500 I will reply here since I have not been able to get any messages through to Jim directly. It was either a thrush or it is unexplainable. You know Ovenbirds and they are not clear breasted. Veery have very plain faces and breasts but are not notably smaller than either Gray-cheeks or Swainsons. And Palm Warblers are significantly smaller than any of the thrushes. Herschel Raney Conway AR Jim Dixon wrote: > At Bell Slough today, I saw a bird that I couldn't figure out. > Actually there was more than one of those but this one I might be able > to provide enough details for an identification. > > Think small thrush. It had a slender longish beak. It was > reminiscent of a Swainson's Thrush in coloring but the chest and belly > were almost completely clear. There was a hint of darker plumage at > the center of the chest. No eye-ring, eye-stripe, or wing-bars. I > saw two of these, one at the start of the Bell North levee and the > other much further in. > > thanks in advance. > Subject: What was it? From: Jim Dixon <jamesdixonlr AT ATT.NET> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 17:35:44 -0500 At Bell Slough today, I saw a bird that I couldn't figure out. Actually there was more than one of those but this one I might be able to provide enough details for an identification. Think small thrush. It had a slender longish beak. It was reminiscent of a Swainson's Thrush in coloring but the chest and belly were almost completely clear. There was a hint of darker plumage at the center of the chest. No eye-ring, eye-stripe, or wing-bars. I saw two of these, one at the start of the Bell North levee and the other much further in. thanks in advance. -- Jim Dixon Little Rock, AR www.jamesdixon.us Subject: Craighead From: Nick Anich <nicka29 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 13:52:18 -0700 Despite a very windy morning, warblers continued at Craighead Forest Park in Jonesboro, though not as many as Dick et al. had yesterday: Tennessee Nashville N. Parula Yellow Chestnut-sided Magnolia Yellow-rumped BT Green Blackburnian Pine Palm Bay-breasted (at least 5) Blackpoll Black-and-white Am. Redstart other notables were at least 3 Philadelphia Vireos and a lingering Greater White-fronted Goose. Nick Anich Jonesboro, AR ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Re: FW: Commercial appeal - Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy -- Google Alert - ivory-billed woodpecker From: "George R. Hoelzeman" <uiogd AT ARKANSAS.NET> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 14:46:00 -0500 This makes me think. . . Two days ago I watched one of our Pileateds foraging near the ground in the pines behind the house. Every time I see one, I think about Ivory Bills and if I would confuse one with the other. Sitting there, I saw no way a Pileated could be confused with an Ivory Bill - but then, I've not seen many Ivory Bills. As the bird flew away, the undersides of its wings flashed a LOT of white. The famous video came to mind. I could then see how the confusion could take place. I still believe that they saw an Ivory Bill, but do better understand how those who didn't would not be convinced by the video. George (n. Conway Co. thinking he may not be seeing any Ivory Bills around the house). On Sun, 11 May 2008 09:32:11 -0400, FENNELL, Ellen wrote: >_______________________________________ >From: Tom_MacKenzie AT fws.gov [Tom_MacKenzie AT fws.gov] >Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 6:36 AM >Subject: Commercial appeal - Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy -- Google Alert - ivory-billed woodpecker >Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy >Millions have been spent on the hunt, but there's still no definitive proof >of the ivory-billed woodpecker >By Tom Charlier (Contact) >Sunday, May 11, 2008 >BRINKLEY, Ark. -- The life jackets have been stowed, the paddles secured >and the water bottles packed. But as far as Allan Mueller is concerned, the >canoes aren't quite ready. >"Every boat needs a camera," says Mueller, avian conservation project >manager for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, as he totes digital >equipment to a canoe that's about to be launched. Subject: Re: Lollie From: David Ray <cardcards AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 13:06:11 -0500 The 4 yellow-headed blackbirds & phalarope are still present as of Sunday morning, May 11th, AT Lollie Bottoms. David Ray Subject: FW: Commercial appeal - Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy -- Google Alert - ivory-billed woodpecker From: "FENNELL, Ellen" <EFENNELL AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 09:32:11 -0400 _______________________________________ From: Tom_MacKenzie AT fws.gov [Tom_MacKenzie AT fws.gov] Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 6:36 AM Subject: Commercial appeal - Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy -- Google Alert - ivory-billed woodpecker Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy Millions have been spent on the hunt, but there's still no definitive proof of the ivory-billed woodpecker By Tom Charlier (Contact) Sunday, May 11, 2008 BRINKLEY, Ark. -- The life jackets have been stowed, the paddles secured and the water bottles packed. But as far as Allan Mueller is concerned, the canoes aren't quite ready. "Every boat needs a camera," says Mueller, avian conservation project manager for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas, as he totes digital equipment to a canoe that's about to be launched. (Embedded image moved to file: pic16512.jpg)Allan Mueller of The Nature Conservancy trolls through Bayou DeView in east Arkansas, where there were several ivory-billed woodpeckers sighted in 2004. The continuing search has been fruitless -- and expensive -- with development projects delayed. "We've got to get a picture," he says. Photos by Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal Allan Mueller of The Nature Conservancy trolls through Bayou DeView in east Arkansas, where there were several ivory-billed woodpeckers sighted in 2004. The continuing search has been fruitless -- and expensive -- with development projects delayed. "We've got to get a picture," he says. Here in Bayou DeView, a languid stream that seeps through a trackless realm of tupelos and several-hundred-year-old cypress trees, Mueller has every reason to be obsessed with photography. In this swamp 75 miles west of Memphis, he and others have been trying to solve a tantalizing mystery and intensifying debate over an iconic, majestic bird -- the ivory-billed woodpecker -- thought to be extinct since World War II. And there's only one way to do it: "We've got to get a picture," Mueller says. Although federal officials announced the apparent rediscovery of the woodpecker here three years ago, questions about the existence of the bird -- and the money and effort devoted to it -- have been mounting ever since. In east Arkansas alone, the federal government and its partners have spent more than $5 million on searches, land acquisition and conservation work related to the woodpecker. And the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently set forth a $27 million recovery plan aimed at securing the bird's long-term survival. At the same time, concerns about the woodpecker have delayed a major irrigation project, adding as much as $54million to its cost. Now, despite surveillance involving robotic cameras, helicopters, remote sensing equipment and thousands of hours spent by volunteers and experts, another search season has ended with no definitive proof of the woodpecker known as the "Lord God Bird." Many officials remain convinced of the bird's existence, but as far as skeptics are concerned, the searchers might as well be looking for Bigfoot. "This is a big bird. They haven't found a feather, they haven't found a pile of dung," said Dennis Carman, chief engineer and director of the White River Irrigation District; the district's Grand Prairie irrigation project costs have soared during a delay for environmental studies of possible impacts on the woodpecker. But it's not just area officials who doubt the bird's existence. Some leading ornithologists believe the sightings, recordings and brief video that led to the rediscovery announcement might involve the similarly colored but more common pileated woodpecker instead of the ivory-billed. "I think it would be something short of a miracle if it is there," said Jerome Jackson, professor of ecological sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University, who has spent decades looking for the bird and wrote the book "In Search of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker." "I think that any betting person would have to say it's probably extinct." The debate over the bird's existence has grown increasingly heated, with some bloggers deriding the government's claims about the ivory-billed's rediscovery as "Peckergate." After the Fish and Wildlife Service unveiled its recovery plan, NBC Nightly News pilloried it in a "Fleecing of America" report questioning the spending of millions on a bird whose existence hasn't been confirmed. Jackson said the rediscovery announcement not only was unfounded but has obscured the importance of protecting the habitat needed by other birds. He also criticizes the search effort as poorly run and often lacking in expertise. "We're also talking about millions of dollars of public money that's been spent based on no really good scientific evidence," Jackson said. The bird at the center of the issue is an icon of the ornithological world. With a wingspan that can reach nearly three feet, the ivory-billed is North America's largest woodpecker. Its nickname supposedly derives from the typical response of people seeing it for the first time: "Lord God, what a bird!" Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ivory-billed dwindled in numbers as its habitat -- bottomland hardwood forests from the Carolinas to Texas -- was cleared or reduced to fragments. Some also were shot by people who mistakenly thought the birds' bills actually were made of ivory. The last confirmed sightings of the bird were in a Louisiana forest clear-cut by German prisoners of war in 1944. The ivory-billed was placed on the federal endangered species list in 1967. Since then, there have been scattered sightings reported across the South. But none of those was as convincing as the cluster of sightings reported in Bayou DeView, which is part of Cache River National Wildlife Refuge and within the 120-mile-long "Big Woods" area of east Arkansas, beginning in 2004. In February of that year, a kayaker caught a glimpse of an unusually large woodpecker in the swamp. Two months later, a University of Arkansas-Little Rock professor made a four-second video of what many believe is an ivory-billed in flight. In the following months, researchers with Cornell University and The Nature Conservancy reported more sightings and gathered more evidence. To Mueller and others, there's no doubt the ivory-billed exists in the swamp. "We've got sound recordings, we've got the four-second video and, depending on how you count them, quite a number of observations," he said. "This is the first time we've had a clumping of sightings in the same spot about the same time." Researchers also say they have found telltale signs of the bird, such as recently dead trees with the bark stripped back. That's how the ivory-billed feeds on insects. Nature Conservancy spokesman Jay Harrod said experts believe they're dealing with more than one ivory-billed. "The odds of us seeing the last one on Earth are so much lower than seeing the last few of a small population," he said. The April 2005 announcement by federal officials triggered a rush of excitement through conservation circles and brought a wave of tourism and business activity to Brinkley, a depressed Delta town of 3,900. "Right now we're back to normal. We had a big boom for a year," said Brinkley Mayor Barbara Skouras. Through it all, the search has continued by The Nature Conservancy, Cornell ornithologists and others. Venturing into the swamp one recent morning, Mueller and his fellow searchers gazed high into the craggy cypress trunks looking for signs of the woodpecker. In the distance, the tapping of pileated woodpeckers and the calls of Carolina wrens resounded through the trees. Stopping at an island in the bayou, Mueller used an improvised device designed to mimic the "double-knock" call made on trees by the ivory-billed. A series of "knock-KNOCK" noises echoed through the forest. "The idea is to mimic the double knock in hopes that Elvis is going to answer," Mueller said, comparing the elusive bird to the King of curious sightings. "We want to hear something like that coming back at us." Much of the search activity has been funded by the Fish and Wildlife Service, which has been spending $1.1 million to $1.2 million annually in recovery efforts in Arkansas and other states. While the work continues, so does a court order halting the irrigation project, which would pipe water from the White River to rice-growers in the Grand Prairie region of east-central Arkansas. Two federal agencies have asked U.S. Dist. Judge William R. Wilson to lift the order, citing evidence the project wouldn't harm the woodpecker. But after a hearing less than two weeks ago, Wilson said he needed more time to study the matter and refused to end the delay, which a recent University of Arkansas report estimated is adding $8 million to $18 million annually to the project's cost. Despite the controversy surrounding the bird, agency spokesman Jeff Fleming said the search effort is well worth it. "We believe the evidence, the sightings, while not enough to be considered confirmation, is certainly tantalizing enough that the search activities should continue," he said. "Sure, there's some disagreement in the birding world. I think it's healthy -- we're OK with that." Rebuffing criticism of the $27 million recovery plan, Fleming said nearly all of that money will remain unspent unless the woodpecker's presence is confirmed. "We've got to ask for that money, and we're not going to until we find the nest cavities, until we find the birds," he said. And the money being spent to preserve and enhance the woodpecker's habitat will benefit a wide range of species, officials say. "The same habitat that's good for the woodpeckers is good for bears, waterfowl and all the other species that use the woods," said Scott Simon, Arkansas director for The Nature Conservancy. -- Tom Charlier: 529-2572 Ivory-billed or pileated woodpecker A number of ornithologists and naturalists insist they've seen the ivory-billed woodpecker in the Bayou DeView area of east Arkansas, but skeptics question whether the sightings were of the more common pileated woodpecker. The two are similar, although the ivory-billed is larger and has a considerable amount of white on the lower halves of its wings. A costly bird Since the April 2005 announcement of the apparent rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker in Bayou DeView in east Arkansas, millions of dollars have been spent on searches, habitat protection and planning. Here's a breakdown of some of the spending: $3.5 million in recovery funds spent by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly half of which went for search activities in Arkansas and other states. $3.3 million on land acquisitions for the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses Bayou DeView. $1 million in Recovery Land Acquisition Funds awarded to Arkansas to purchase land in the Big Woods area, which includes Bayou DeView. $800,000 to restore 2,500 acres in Arkansas through the Private Stewardship Grants Program. A three-year delay for environmental studies has added an estimated $24 million to $54 million to the cost of the Grand Prairie irrigation project. The $420 million project will be funded by the federal government and farmers benefiting from it. (Embedded image moved to file: pic24767.gif)Comments There are no comments yet. Start the conversation! Tom R. MacKenzie Chief, Media Relations U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Southeast Region 1875 Century Blvd Ste 410 Atlanta, GA 30345-3319 404-679-7291 Fax:404-679-7286 Cell: 678-296-6400 http://www.fws.gov/southeast Google News Alert for: ivory-billed woodpecker Elusive woodpecker hatches controversy commercialappeal.com (subscription) - Memphis,TN,USA With a wingspan that can reach nearly three feet, the ivory-billed is North America's largest woodpecker. Its nickname supposedly derives from the typical ... See all stories on this topic This as-it-happens Google Alert is brought to you by Google. Remove this alert. Create another alert. Manage your alerts. Subject: Re: Black-billed Cuckoo From: Dale Provost <dprovost AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 22:10:49 -0500 Photos of the Black-billed Cuckoo at: http://upload.pbase.com/daleprovost/may_10_2008 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Herron" To: Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 10:47 AM Subject: Black-billed Cuckoo > ASca has sighted one in Allsopp park this morning. Subject: Grosbeaks and Orioles From: "Donna M. Haynes" <dmhaynes AT ARISTOTLE.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 21:55:55 -0500 Did no "real" birding today, but I had my first ever Baltimore Oriole in the yard! An adult male visited the grape jelly feeder twice, then the third time, two males showed up! I think I saw a female across the street, but didn't get a great look! Also had 1 male, 2 female Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks today. Pretty good for having spent most of the day at work and runnig errands! Hope everyone came out safe after the storms this evening. Donna Haynes West Pulaski Co Subject: Re: Migration Day From: Jim Dixon <jamesdixonlr AT ATT.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 20:19:31 -0500 Sounds like Bell Slough would be a good place to go Sunday morning. You talk about a levee loop but the levee has always ended at water (at one spot or another) when I've been there. Is there more to it than I realize? Thanks, Jim Dixon LR Herschel Raney wrote: > Okay, Good Lord, I am retiring from Migration day. Yikes. Bell was > thrumming with birds this morning. I was there at 6 am. Walked the > full levee loop and up the road towards the dam for a short distance. > Had 19 warblers there (and 2 elsewhere) including a county record Cape > May Warbler and Bell bird number 205. She was with two active and > noisy male Redstarts or I would not have seen her. They were on the > levee loop which was just sick with warblers. I think I got some > Prothonotary poop on me. Had my once a year Canada Warbler as well. > The Veery was on the north trail making some lovely chirps that did > not compute. Popped up right on top of me. > > Most impressive nonbird was a young Raccoon (one of two out this > morning) who was basically hopping along with his front hands in the > water and feeling around like a little madman. Takes courage in > totally muddy water if you can imagine it. I think he averaged a > crayfish every minute. I was impressed. He would crunch some of the > big ones with his eyes closed looking nearly ecstatic. Hell, I wanted > some. He was oblivious to me until he was within ten feet. Then he got > a very worried look on his face and high-tailed it (literally) out of > there. I was sorry to disturb him. Also stepped on a Cottonmouth tail > tip. Which made us both leap into the air. He had has mouth open and > was trying his best to let me know he was there. I was warbering > however, which is one of the reason I wear boots in the spring. > Stumbling backward with binoculars up will get you doused in a pool > and snakebit with enough effort at it. > > Took a short break at home which turned into a 'I think I will walk > around the land' break. The land was crawling with warblers as well. > And vireos. Calling Philadelphias all over the place and a single > Blue-headed. > > Found two new locations for Painted Bunting. And watched two males at > close range (not in Bell). > > While sorting through teal looking for Cinnamons I came on the county > record Black-bellied Whistling Duck at Lollie. Sitting on a levee at > close range. Looked a bit lost. Also had two Dunlin there attaining > black bellies. > > I could not find the Yellow-headed Blackbird at the old pool location. > There was a male Wilson's Phalarope to replace the record female from > last month. And a single Least Tern was cruising the mudflats there. > Checking around at the big pool on the main road I found a group of 7 > more Phalarope including two lovely females. And then Bobolink hell > broke loose and I had 400 or so Bobs singing and flying around me with > another 300 redwings and 50 or more cowbirds. Out of this swirl a > chunky looking blackbird fell onto the road and I could see it was a > Yellow-head. Not quite as golden as last month's but nearly full. > There was another male and two females with him and then the group > lifted out into the wheat before I could check them all. I believe > there were about 10 Yellow-heads. > > Art emailed me at home and I took off for Cadron flats which turned > out to be the wrong spot. I scanned out toward the east looking for > the reported bird and found a single bird in a giant flat that was a > full-plumaged American Avocet. I have never seen one here in full > colors. Corrected my location over to Highway 65 and there was the > third county record for the day. A feat which I doubt will ever be > repeated. It was a bright and fearless White-faced Ibis in a large > flat that stretched to the distance. Hundreds of teal and a few more > Phalarope (from record to common in a month, hmm). > > 120 species for me for the day. And I am sure the other guys had more. > Three county records bringing Faulkner up to 287 birds. Rain off and > on but it justed seemed to get things going every time it happened. > > Hope you got out somewhere. > > Herschel Raney > Faulkner county > -- Jim Dixon Little Rock, AR www.jamesdixon.us Subject: Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos From: "Jeff R. Wilson" <OLCOOT1 AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 20:59:23 EDT May 10, 2008 Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. Memphis TN I've posted a series of photos showing the unique mating ritual of Black-necked Stilts. If interested try: _http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual_ (http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual) Good Birding !!! Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6300 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens. **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Migration Day From: Herschel Raney <herschel.raney AT CONWAYCORP.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 19:47:36 -0500 Okay, Good Lord, I am retiring from Migration day. Yikes. Bell was thrumming with birds this morning. I was there at 6 am. Walked the full levee loop and up the road towards the dam for a short distance. Had 19 warblers there (and 2 elsewhere) including a county record Cape May Warbler and Bell bird number 205. She was with two active and noisy male Redstarts or I would not have seen her. They were on the levee loop which was just sick with warblers. I think I got some Prothonotary poop on me. Had my once a year Canada Warbler as well. The Veery was on the north trail making some lovely chirps that did not compute. Popped up right on top of me. Most impressive nonbird was a young Raccoon (one of two out this morning) who was basically hopping along with his front hands in the water and feeling around like a little madman. Takes courage in totally muddy water if you can imagine it. I think he averaged a crayfish every minute. I was impressed. He would crunch some of the big ones with his eyes closed looking nearly ecstatic. Hell, I wanted some. He was oblivious to me until he was within ten feet. Then he got a very worried look on his face and high-tailed it (literally) out of there. I was sorry to disturb him. Also stepped on a Cottonmouth tail tip. Which made us both leap into the air. He had has mouth open and was trying his best to let me know he was there. I was warbering however, which is one of the reason I wear boots in the spring. Stumbling backward with binoculars up will get you doused in a pool and snakebit with enough effort at it. Took a short break at home which turned into a 'I think I will walk around the land' break. The land was crawling with warblers as well. And vireos. Calling Philadelphias all over the place and a single Blue-headed. Found two new locations for Painted Bunting. And watched two males at close range (not in Bell). While sorting through teal looking for Cinnamons I came on the county record Black-bellied Whistling Duck at Lollie. Sitting on a levee at close range. Looked a bit lost. Also had two Dunlin there attaining black bellies. I could not find the Yellow-headed Blackbird at the old pool location. There was a male Wilson's Phalarope to replace the record female from last month. And a single Least Tern was cruising the mudflats there. Checking around at the big pool on the main road I found a group of 7 more Phalarope including two lovely females. And then Bobolink hell broke loose and I had 400 or so Bobs singing and flying around me with another 300 redwings and 50 or more cowbirds. Out of this swirl a chunky looking blackbird fell onto the road and I could see it was a Yellow-head. Not quite as golden as last month's but nearly full. There was another male and two females with him and then the group lifted out into the wheat before I could check them all. I believe there were about 10 Yellow-heads. Art emailed me at home and I took off for Cadron flats which turned out to be the wrong spot. I scanned out toward the east looking for the reported bird and found a single bird in a giant flat that was a full-plumaged American Avocet. I have never seen one here in full colors. Corrected my location over to Highway 65 and there was the third county record for the day. A feat which I doubt will ever be repeated. It was a bright and fearless White-faced Ibis in a large flat that stretched to the distance. Hundreds of teal and a few more Phalarope (from record to common in a month, hmm). 120 species for me for the day. And I am sure the other guys had more. Three county records bringing Faulkner up to 287 birds. Rain off and on but it justed seemed to get things going every time it happened. Hope you got out somewhere. Herschel Raney Faulkner county Subject: Craighead From: Richard Baxter <dickbaxter100 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 18:59:51 -0500 I birded Craighead today with Ron Howard, and Kenny and LaDonna Nichols today. We had 22 warbler species including *522 individuals.* Warblers were everywhere. Other good birds included 2 Painted Buntings, 1 Lark Sparrow, 1 Veery, and 2 late RB Nuthatches. The bird of the day award goes to a *Clay-colored Sparrow* at the Sage Thrasher spot. I also got a call from Nick Anich that there was an adult male Painted Bunting at the Nature Center. Warbler list: Tennessee Nashville Parula Yellow Chestnut-sided Magnolia *Cape May* Yellow-rumped BT Green Blackburnian Pine Palm Bay-breasted Blackpoll Black-and-white Redstart Ovenbird N. Waterthrush Kentucky Yellowthroat Wilson's *Canada* ** Good birding! Dick Baxter Subject: Re: Lollie From: Jim Dixon <jamesdixonlr AT ATT.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 16:49:53 -0500 Thank you, Herschel. I just got back from my first trip to Lollie and did see the Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Alas, I saw no Phalaropes or Whistling Ducks. Jim Dixon Herschel Raney wrote: > Short note just to say there are now 4 Yellow-headed Blackbirds at > Lollie, a Black-bellied Whistling Duck and 10 Wilson's Phalaropes. > > Herschel Raney > Conway AR > -- Jim Dixon Little Rock, AR www.jamesdixon.us Subject: Lollie From: Herschel Raney <herschel.raney AT CONWAYCORP.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 13:18:48 -0500 Short note just to say there are now 4 Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Lollie, a Black-bellied Whistling Duck and 10 Wilson's Phalaropes. Herschel Raney Conway AR Subject: Black-billed Cuckoo From: Robert Herron <r2herron AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 10:47:40 -0500 ASca has sighted one in Allsopp park this morning. Subject: Veery at Pinnacle Mountain SP Arboretum From: Dennis Braddy <dmbraddy AT MAC.COM> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 10:28:08 -0500 Skip and I headed for Pinnacle Mountain State Park this morning specifically looking for Veery. We kept our eyes low; easier for Skip than me. At Kingfisher Trail we had no thrushes at all. We did see our 3rd Kentucky Warbler for that trail this spring and an Eastern Phoebe with 3 fledglings. At the Arboretum we had good looks at a Barred Owl. (Okay, so we looked up once.) There were 3 Yellow-billed Cuckoos calling on the side trail to the Little Maumelle River. Having nearly completed the Arboretum circuit, we had seen or heard 5 thrushes, all looked/sounded like Swainson's. None responded to a Veery recording. While conversing with another visitor near the trailhead, I heard a Veery's song. I reached into my pocket to turn off the iPhone, but it was already off. The Veery called two more times. Though it did not come in to the Veery recording, the other visitor was able to confirm the Veery's call. Veery is a life bird for Skip and state bird #315 for me. Dennis Braddy and Skip Little Rock, AR http://www.arkansasbirder.net "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx Subject: Chesney email clarification From: Lyndal York <lrbluejay AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 08:26:51 -0700 Arbirders; I apologize for not making it clear that Joe Neal had ask me to post the announcement about the addition of the Couch place to Chesney Prairie. In a rush to get to my grandson's college graduation in Memphis, I failed to make it clear the post was from Joe. Lyndal York Little Rock Subject: Followup to Yesterday's 'Troubling Nature Observation' From: Barry Haas <bhaas AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 23:21:32 -0500 George, John & Others, So many questions. First, the wood duck chick extracted whole from the egg by the adult female wood duck did not appear to be alive. I watched closely for any signs of movement and saw none. Re predators- both of our wood duck nest boxes are mounted on metal poles with predator guards (round metal cylinders that are 30" long and 8" in diameter). Since mounting the nest boxes this way and far away from the nearest tree (sorry, squirrels) we have never seen any indication of predation from black rat snakes or anything else. Other than of course adult wood ducks that can fly! Re how close are the 2 nest boxes to each other- too close at no more than 50-75', which is not recommended. But over the years both have been used, though not necessarily at the exact same time. There may have been some overlap with both boxes in use at the same time during laying and brooding of the eggs, but I can't say for sure. And it was definitely a wood duck egg. Right color, right size. We haven't had any cowbirds that I know of this year, and their eggs are much smaller with speckles. Much more likely is dumping (eggs laid in the same nest box by multiple females), which has been mentioned by others, and is fairly common from what I've read. Sure wish the woodies had license plates, so we would know if the same female is entering a box and laying an egg each day. She goes into the box, lays an egg and within 5 minutes or less comes out and flies down to the pond to join her mate. No way for us to know if the eaten egg contents contained a defective chick. It looked close to or fully ready to hatch, but again everything happened in a span of no more than 2 minutes so I know I didn't see or remember everything there was to observe. Speculation on my part- given the hen's very erratic behavior during this act, I'm wondering if she was so troubled by having to do this to survive that she was in a mental frenzy at the time. Or it could easily have been an egg laid by a competing hen and thus subject to destruction for competitive reasons. Or the egg may have been cracked or otherwise slightly damaged (although I was not able to observe any obvious defects), and therefore no good other than as a necessary source of nutrition and too precious to be wasted. There are so many possibilities. All the more reason for a remote wireless camera in the nest box next year. From the deep woods just west of Little Rock, Barry Haas Subject: White Ibis at Rookery in Ouachita county From: Kelly Chitwood <kchitwood AT CABLELYNX.COM> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 22:12:20 -0500 Earlier this evening a White Ibis joined the nesting Blue Herons, Cattle Egrets, Great Egrets and possibly more species within the dense pine rows. Kelly Chitwood Camden, AR Subject: Paron Birds From: Ben Meadors <aximdude AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 15:33:41 -0700 I went for an afternoon migrant run, on friends' property near Paron. They have a bunch of deciduous forest with a creek running through much of it. So I thought today, after all of the rain would be a good day to make a run at some warblers which I've neglected this season because of school. Anyway, pishing today seemed much more effective than usual. Here's my list for the afternoon: Black and White Warbler Tennessee Warbler American Redstart(FOS - My first time to see a male too!) Chestnut-sided Warbler(FOS) Magnolia Warbler(FOS) Pine Warbler Northern Parula Yellow-rumped Warbler Red-eyed Vireo(In concentrations that would make your head spin) White-eyed Vireo(Almost as bad) Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Indigo Bunting Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Swainson's Thrush Summer Tanager Turkey Vulture Red-tailed Hawk Purple Martin Barn Swallow Eastern Bluebird Eastern Phoebe Great-crested Flycatcher Spotted Sandpiper Mallard(Which my friends own) That's all that comes to mind, but I had a very enjoyable birding run today. ...Now I have to pay for it, by getting all of the ticks off. -Ben Meadors, North Little Rock, Ar. Subject: Re: Two Rivers Park From: "Curry, Neil" <ncurry AT AGFC.STATE.AR.US> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 14:22:32 -0500 If the folks are still staying in a downtown hotel they can also have a good chance to see more Scissortail Flycatchers on either side of the Clinton Library. Had a good look at one yesterday along the lower side walk on the east side of the library. Baltimore Orioles are also present along the nature center walk toward the I-30 bridge. Neil Curry, Central AR Nature Center LR. -----Original Message----- From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [mailto:ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of Dottie Boyles Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 2:01 PM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Two Rivers Park Mom (aka Doris) picked up Mr and Mrs Salzberg from New Jersey and took them to Two Rivers Park yesterday afternoon, after a quick drive around the State Capitol. Just before they entered the swamp area at TRP they were greeted by 9 Mississippi Kites flying low in the fields. The Salzberg's were so thrilled at the sight, it was hard to get them past that area. I can't remember the entire list Mom recited last night, but she managed to get a lifebird...a Blackpoll Warbler! They really wanted to see a Scissortail Flycatcher but none was to be found until they were leaving the park. Suddenly one flew up in front of the car, then several more appeared, as well as, an Eastern Kingbird and an Eastern Bluebird. Mom tried hard to find a Pileated Woodpecker but it was a no show. Mrs. Salzberg has only seen two in her life. Only the Downy and Red-bellied could be seen. After a drive to Maumelle Park, the Pinnacle Mountain Visitor Center (which closed 15 min before they arrived) and Pinnacle Mountain, they headed back to the hotel with some good memories of Little Rock and Arkansas birds. They will also be joining the ASCA field trip to Allsopp Park tomorrow. Dottie Boyles Little Rock Subject: morning Mourning From: Michael Verser <ozarkwildbird AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 12:19:10 -0700 I had a nice male singing Morning Warbler adjacent to my yard this AM. The lister in me noted that I could still hear him singing as I stepped back on to my property and thus added a new yard bird. Other singing warblers in this area this morning were: Tennessee- several Black & white Blackburnian Chestnut-sided Yellow-throated Pine Am. Redstart- several The Northern Waterthrush present most of the week seems to have moved on. I haven't seen a Yellow-rumped since Sunday 5/3. Bo Verser West of Heber Springs, where my brisk morning walks have been slowed considerably by new birdsong. Subject: Two Rivers Park From: Dottie Boyles <ctboyles AT ARISTOTLE.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 14:00:51 -0500 Mom (aka Doris) picked up Mr and Mrs Salzberg from New Jersey and took them to Two Rivers Park yesterday afternoon, after a quick drive around the State Capitol. Just before they entered the swamp area at TRP they were greeted by 9 Mississippi Kites flying low in the fields. The Salzberg's were so thrilled at the sight, it was hard to get them past that area. I can't remember the entire list Mom recited last night, but she managed to get a lifebird...a Blackpoll Warbler! They really wanted to see a Scissortail Flycatcher but none was to be found until they were leaving the park. Suddenly one flew up in front of the car, then several more appeared, as well as, an Eastern Kingbird and an Eastern Bluebird. Mom tried hard to find a Pileated Woodpecker but it was a no show. Mrs. Salzberg has only seen two in her life. Only the Downy and Red-bellied could be seen. After a drive to Maumelle Park, the Pinnacle Mountain Visitor Center (which closed 15 min before they arrived) and Pinnacle Mountain, they headed back to the hotel with some good memories of Little Rock and Arkansas birds. They will also be joining the ASCA field trip to Allsopp Park tomorrow. Dottie Boyles Little Rock Subject: Craighead From: Richard Baxter <dickbaxter100 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 12:55:13 -0500 This a.m. at Craighead Forest Park in Jonesboro: Tennessee Yellow Chestnut-sided Magnolia *Cape May* Yellow-rumped BT Green Blackburnian- *20+* Pine Bay-breasted-*12+* Blackpoll Black-and-white Redstart Ovenbird Kentucky *Mourning* Yellowthroat Good birding! Dick Baxter Subject: Re: Chesney Prairie From: "FENNELL, Ellen" <EFENNELL AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 12:04:28 -0400 Martha is such a good egg! I recall she was instrumental in the Nature Conservancy/Heritage Commission's work to acquire Baker Prairie in the early '90s, as Sally Jo points out. Ellen M. Fennell Director of Development Audubon Arkansas 201 East Markham Street, Suite 450 Little Rock, AR 72201 Tel: 501.244.2229 Fax: 501.244.2231 www.ar.audubon.org DONATE ONLINE to protect the Little River Bottoms https://loon.audubon.org/payment/donate/ARLRBDF.html When one tugs at a single thing in nature; he finds it attached to the rest of the world. -- John Muir -----Original Message----- From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [mailto:ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of J. O. and Sally Jo Gibson Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 10:57 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Chesney Prairie I just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the "proper" equipment! (I do like electronic toys though I'm not as proficient in using them as I hope to be. Ha!) Martha doesn't have a computer or IPhone, however she does have a physical address and land-line telephone. She has been more than generous throughout her lifetime to many, many conservation efforts all over the world including a substantial gift to Baker Prairie. Martha has traveled extensively. In fact, she traveled around the world when she was 28 years old....by train, plane, automobile, merchant ships, possibly by camel, etc., etc. She also has a beautiful, trained, alto voice and sang in the Un. Methodist Church choir that I directed for several years. She's a most interesting person, but very private. She'd want to "swat me one, or more" if she knew I was tooting her horn like this. Each of us can help in conservation efforts, even if we can only give small sums. Remember, if everyone contributed just $5.00 to one of the projects supported by AAS (such as the Ecology Camp, land purchases, etc.), it would quickly add up to a significant amount. Must get ready to go with Martha to attend the Boone County Historical Society's meeting at noon. A video of the Harrison Flood from the early 70's is being shown. Conservation efforts since that time have made a difference in what Harrison looks like today. Sally Jo Gibson Harrison, AR From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [mailto:ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of Lyndal York Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 9:50 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Chesney Prairie Arbirders: Joe Woolbright called me Thursday with the really terrific news that the 24 acre Couch place has been sold to us, the People of Arkansas, and is added to Chesney Prairie NA at Siloam Springs. As far as we know, these are the last of the last unplowed Tallgrass Prairie acres in NW Ark. Native plant diversity on the Couch is very high and it has been a productive place for birding, includes cool stuff like prairie mole crickets, prairie mounds, crayfish, etc. The acquisition was put over the top by a generous gift by one of our own, Martha Milburn of Harrison, who rode to the rescue when the deal stalled early in the spring. Sally Jo Gibson can tell this story better, but as I understand it, she, Martha, and others in the Disorganized Birders Club were out birding when my appeal about the Couch was posted to ARBIRD. Sally Jo got my appeal in the field, via her blackberry or iphone, showed it to Martha, and Martha said something to the effect, "I will do that!" and a call was placed, on the spot, to Joe Woolbright. The rest is history, as they say, and a fine moment in the history of conservation in Arkansas it is. There is an upcoming field trip to Chesney, now including the Couch, Saturday May 24 (get details from Joan Reynolds, joanreynolds AT gmail.com). -Joe Subject: Re: Chesney Prairie From: "J. O. and Sally Jo Gibson" <sjogibson AT ALLTEL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 10:56:56 -0500 I just happened to be in the right place at the right time with the "proper" equipment! (I do like electronic toys though I'm not as proficient in using them as I hope to be. Ha!) Martha doesn't have a computer or IPhone, however she does have a physical address and land-line telephone. She has been more than generous throughout her lifetime to many, many conservation efforts all over the world including a substantial gift to Baker Prairie. Martha has traveled extensively. In fact, she traveled around the world when she was 28 years old..by train, plane, automobile, merchant ships, possibly by camel, etc., etc. She also has a beautiful, trained, alto voice and sang in the Un. Methodist Church choir that I directed for several years. She's a most interesting person, but very private. She'd want to "swat me one, or more" if she knew I was tooting her horn like this. Each of us can help in conservation efforts, even if we can only give small sums. Remember, if everyone contributed just $5.00 to one of the projects supported by AAS (such as the Ecology Camp, land purchases, etc.), it would quickly add up to a significant amount. Must get ready to go with Martha to attend the Boone County Historical Society's meeting at noon. A video of the Harrison Flood from the early 70's is being shown. Conservation efforts since that time have made a difference in what Harrison looks like today. Sally Jo Gibson Harrison, AR From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [mailto:ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of Lyndal York Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 9:50 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Chesney Prairie Arbirders: Joe Woolbright called me Thursday with the really terrific news that the 24 acre Couch place has been sold to us, the People of Arkansas, and is added to Chesney Prairie NA at Siloam Springs. As far as we know, these are the last of the last unplowed Tallgrass Prairie acres in NW Ark. Native plant diversity on the Couch is very high and it has been a productive place for birding, includes cool stuff like prairie mole crickets, prairie mounds, crayfish, etc. The acquisition was put over the top by a generous gift by one of our own, Martha Milburn of Harrison, who rode to the rescue when the deal stalled early in the spring. Sally Jo Gibson can tell this story better, but as I understand it, she, Martha, and others in the Disorganized Birders Club were out birding when my appeal about the Couch was posted to ARBIRD. Sally Jo got my appeal in the field, via her blackberry or iphone, showed it to Martha, and Martha said something to the effect, "I will do that!" and a call was placed, on the spot, to Joe Woolbright. The rest is history, as they say, and a fine moment in the history of conservation in Arkansas it is. There is an upcoming field trip to Chesney, now including the Couch, Saturday May 24 (get details from Joan Reynolds, joanreynolds AT gmail.com). -Joe Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: "FENNELL, Ellen" <EFENNELL AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 11:46:14 -0400 No wonder we give them presents. Ellen M. Fennell Director of Development Audubon Arkansas 201 East Markham Street, Suite 450 Little Rock, AR 72201 Tel: 501.244.2229 Fax: 501.244.2231 www.ar.audubon.org DONATE ONLINE to protect the Little River Bottoms https://loon.audubon.org/payment/donate/ARLRBDF.html When one tugs at a single thing in nature; he finds it attached to the rest of the world. -- John Muir -----Original Message----- From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [mailto:ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of Hope Coulter Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 11:09 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation Gee. This is a whole new perspective on Mother's Day. Hope Coulter Little Rock Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: Hope Coulter <hopecoulter99 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 10:09:11 -0600 Gee. This is a whole new perspective on Mother's Day. Hope Coulter Little Rock Subject: Chesney Prairie From: Lyndal York <lrbluejay AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 07:49:41 -0700 Arbirders: Joe Woolbright called me Thursday with the really terrific news that the 24 acre Couch place has been sold to us, the People of Arkansas, and is added to Chesney Prairie NA at Siloam Springs. As far as we know, these are the last of the last unplowed Tallgrass Prairie acres in NW Ark. Native plant diversity on the Couch is very high and it has been a productive place for birding, includes cool stuff like prairie mole crickets, prairie mounds, crayfish, etc. The acquisition was put over the top by a generous gift by one of our own, Martha Milburn of Harrison, who rode to the rescue when the deal stalled early in the spring. Sally Jo Gibson can tell this story better, but as I understand it, she, Martha, and others in the Disorganized Birders Club were out birding when my appeal about the Couch was posted to ARBIRD. Sally Jo got my appeal in the field, via her blackberry or iphone, showed it to Martha, and Martha said something to the effect, "I will do that!" and a call was placed, on the spot, to Joe Woolbright. The rest is history, as they say, and a fine moment in the history of conservation in Arkansas it is. There is an upcoming field trip to Chesney, now including the Couch, Saturday May 24 (get details from Joan Reynolds, joanreynolds AT gmail.com). -Joe Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: Nick Anich <nicka29 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 07:35:09 -0700 From "Dyamics of nest parasitism in Wood Ducks" Semel and Sherman, Auk: Vol. 103, No. 4, October-December, 1986. Available here: http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v103n04/p0813-p0816.pdf Occasionally, eggs disappeared from nests. In 18 of 20 cases (90%) a missing egg was known to have been damaged before its disappearance. Eggs were sometimes cracked by the ducks themselves (n = 6), especially on days of peak parasitism when many females entered and exited a box in quick succession. More frequently (n = 12), Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Melanerpes carolinus) entered unattended boxes, pecked a hole in an egg, and ate some of the contents. We directly observed the fate of damaged eggs five times. In every case a female Wood Duck carried the damaged egg from a box to the water in her bill, broke it open, and quickly ate the contents. Nick Anich Jonesboro, AR ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: "George R. Hoelzeman" <uiogd AT ARKANSAS.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 08:50:03 -0500 Forget cannibalistic squirrels. I have this brother . . . George (n. Conway Co. with carnivorous siblings) On Fri, 9 May 2008 09:20:25 -0400, FENNELL, Ellen wrote: >me too. it has genetic properties we may need to capture/clone. >________________________________________ >From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of David Ray [cardcards AT SBCGLOBAL.NET] >Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 7:59 AM >To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU >Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation >If you can catch that cannilbalizing squirrel, I would be interested in >turning it loose in my backyard where it could feast for awhile. >David Ray Subject: New Life Bird in the Yard From: "Jobe, Kelly" <JOBE AT ADEQ.STATE.AR.US> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 08:33:36 -0500 I've had several new yard birds this week, as described in previous posts. It's been a long time though, since I've gotten a new life bird in my own back yard. Yesterday, it happened. A beautiful female Cerulean Warbler spent a good deal of time feeding on worms in the oak trees behind the house. It was joined by a couple of Tennessee and Nashville Warblers. I also saw my FOS Common Nighthawk late yesterday afternoon. Kelly Jobe North Little Rock Subject: Thursday yard birds From: Jacque Brown <bluebird2 AT COX.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 09:32:11 -0400 I am up to 4 male and 3 female RB Grosbeaks. I am trying to get a photo of one of each on the feeder. Yesterday I got fuzzy pictures of a Red Eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo and what I think is a Philadelphia Vireo. It was heavily overcast, and they were high in the trees. But when enlarged you can vaguely see the eye color. I'm going to walmart to get prints to show Mike Mlodinow tomorrow. all three are FOYard. I also had Common Yellowthroat and Magnolia Warbler, FOYard. Philadephia Vireo and Magnolia Warbler being lifers too. With the low light I couldn't spot most of the birds I heard. I must have 20 or more Goldfinch at any given time, the Hummers are having Hummer wars, I have several Brown Thrashers, Swainson's Thrush, Cardinals, C Wrens, C Chicadees, Crows,american from the weird call I described the other day, Blue Jays, Titmice, Robins, Baltimore Orioles, Chipping Sparrows, A White Throated Sparrow - Tan Striped, Indigo Bunting, Myrtle warbler, Red Bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Phoebe, Starlings, Grackles, BH Cowbirds and Bluebirds and 2 Am. Redstart. Jacque. -- Jacque Brown Bella Vista, Benton, Co AR, bluebird2 AT cox.net Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: "FENNELL, Ellen" <EFENNELL AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 09:20:25 -0400 me too. it has genetic properties we may need to capture/clone. ________________________________________ From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of David Ray [cardcards AT SBCGLOBAL.NET] Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 7:59 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation If you can catch that cannilbalizing squirrel, I would be interested in turning it loose in my backyard where it could feast for awhile. David Ray Subject: Mt. Sequoyah, Fayetteville From: "Jason D. Luscier" <jluscie AT UARK.EDU> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 08:04:46 -0500 I birded Sequoyah Woods City Park on Mt. Sequoyah in Fayetteville this morning. Below are the species I detected. Ruby-throated Hummingbird Downy Woodpecker Eastern Wood-Pewee Acadian Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Red-eyed Vireo American Crow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch Carolina Wren Eastern Bluebird Swainson's Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Tennessee Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Worm-eating Warbler Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Indigo Bunting House Finch Jason D. Luscier http://comp.uark.edu/~jluscie/ Dept. of Biological Sciences - SCEN 632 1 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201 Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: David Ray <cardcards AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 07:59:09 -0500 If you can catch that cannilbalizing squirrel, I would be interested in turning it loose in my backyard where it could feast for awhile. David Ray Subject: Birdiest month correction From: David Ray <cardcards AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 07:52:07 -0500 Thanks to Dale Provost pointing out that the year does not have two Aprils in it. The first April (top of list) is correct. The second "April" should be the month of August. (Hey, they both start with an "A", give me a break!) David Ray Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: john <jjthaden AT FLASH.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 05:50:04 -0500 Barry, How far apart are the boxes? Your food supply idea (or a protein or mineral supply alternative) seems reasonable, but have you considered that the egg may not have been hers? From the box of another hen? Or the result of nest parasitism (another hen caught laying an egg in her own box)? I guess you would have known if it were a cowbird egg (are wood ducks targets for cowbirds? I doubt it.). Or could these eggs have contained defective or dead fetuses, detectable perhaps by temperature difference? -John Thaden ======= At 2008-05-08, 23:10:36 you wrote: ======= >Dear ARBIRDers, > >For those who are squeamish I suggest you not read this post. You are >forewarned. > >This afternoon about 1:15 I was home for a brief time and decided to >look out back at our pond to see if there was any activity. The near >edge of the pond is no more than 40' from the back of our house. We >have nesting wood ducks, so any day we can expect to see Mom and her >youngsters on the water for awhile at least before they typically head >into the woods for parts unknown. Anyway, while looking toward the >pond I saw an adult female wood duck fly down and land on the pond >from the direction of the newest of our two nest boxes. I quickly saw >she was holding an egg in her bill. She took it to the near bank, >punched a hole in it and I thought she was partaking of liquid egg. >She then swam with the egg to another bank and continued her feeding, >with her swimming between the banks being a frenzied effort unlike her >normal smooth movements. Then she swam to what we call the 'party >barge', a floating wooden platform 2 by 4 feet, where she pulled the >entire unhatched chick from the shell! With that in mouth she >continued her frenzied swimming around the pond until she managed to >consume the chick in its entirety. The remnants of the egg shell were >left on the near bank, and were gone when I returned home some hours >later. This entire event took no more than two minutes, and I had to >keep telling myself I had really seen this happen, it was so >unbelievable. > >At our Audubon chapter meeting tonight I told the story to everyone. >One theory is that food sources might be tight and the adult woodie >had to cannibalize her potential offspring to stay alive. We do put >cracked corn and milo in shallow water along the edge of the pond, but >it's possible an acorn shortage, a major part of the wood duck's diet, >may be in short supply or missing. You'll remember the late freeze on >Easter morning last spring that may be causing problems with this >year's mast crop. > >Four weeks ago my wife found another wood duck egg, this one with a >cracked shell, but with the unhatched chick still inside. I had fed >the birds maybe 20 minutes before the egg was found, putting cracked >corn and milo mere feet from where the cracked egg was discovered. We >surmised tonight that a similar act was taking place then, but my wife >may have interrupted the process before the egg's contents could be >eaten. > >Some years ago I had watched as an adult female wood duck had caught >and then eaten a fairly large frog. Bill Shepherd suggested then that >I report this first person account, as such observations were uncommon >and vertebrates are a rarely observed part of a wood duck's diet (hope >I've remembered that right, Bill). Like today's event, that frog was >large enough to cause the woodie trouble in finding a way to get it >down whole. After considerable effort and multiple attempts, it >finally softened up the frog's body enough by chomping all around the >edges to swallow it whole. > >I've been saying for years that we need to mount cameras in our wood >duck nest boxes to get a better sense of what is going on. Guess I'm >going to have to follow through on that. > > From the deep woods just west of Little Rock, >Barry Haas = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Best regards. john jjthaden AT flash.net 2008-05-09 Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: "FENNELL, Ellen" <EFENNELL AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 06:09:56 -0400 obviously the occasional cannabalism isn't threatening the survival of squirrels. Eating unhatched chicks or eggs is somehow more reasonable to consider in a very hungry duck. The way birds protect their young once they are out of the nest; it is hard to imagine cannabalism taking place at that stage. I think George may be on to something with his clean the nest theory, too. Wasting protein would not be wise. Thanks for a very interesting subject, Barry. Ellen Fennell Litltle Rock ________________________________________ From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of George R. Hoelzeman [uiogd AT ARKANSAS.NET] Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 12:07 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation I'm wondering - was the chick already dead? Could this have been done to prevent a predator finding the nest? In other words, eat the egg/dead chick so its not laying around as a predator magnet. George (n. Conway Co. who didn't know Wood Ducks did this either) On Thu, 8 May 2008 23:10:16 -0500, Barry Haas wrote: >Dear ARBIRDers, >For those who are squeamish I suggest you not read this post. You are >forewarned. >This afternoon about 1:15 I was home for a brief time and decided to >look out back at our pond to see if there was any activity. The near >edge of the pond is no more than 40' from the back of our house. We >have nesting wood ducks, so any day we can expect to see Mom and her >youngsters on the water for awhile at least before they typically head >into the woods for parts unknown. Anyway, while looking toward the >pond I saw an adult female wood duck fly down and land on the pond >from the direction of the newest of our two nest boxes. I quickly saw >she was holding an egg in her bill. She took it to the near bank, >punched a hole in it and I thought she was partaking of liquid egg. >She then swam with the egg to another bank and continued her feeding, >with her swimming between the banks being a frenzied effort unlike her >normal smooth movements. Then she swam to what we call the 'party >barge', a floating wooden platform 2 by 4 feet, where she pulled the >entire unhatched chick from the shell! With that in mouth she >continued her frenzied swimming around the pond until she managed to >consume the chick in its entirety. The remnants of the egg shell were >left on the near bank, and were gone when I returned home some hours >later. This entire event took no more than two minutes, and I had to >keep telling myself I had really seen this happen, it was so >unbelievable. >At our Audubon chapter meeting tonight I told the story to everyone. >One theory is that food sources might be tight and the adult woodie >had to cannibalize her potential offspring to stay alive. We do put >cracked corn and milo in shallow water along the edge of the pond, but >it's possible an acorn shortage, a major part of the wood duck's diet, >may be in short supply or missing. You'll remember the late freeze on >Easter morning last spring that may be causing problems with this >year's mast crop. >Four weeks ago my wife found another wood duck egg, this one with a >cracked shell, but with the unhatched chick still inside. I had fed >the birds maybe 20 minutes before the egg was found, putting cracked >corn and milo mere feet from where the cracked egg was discovered. We >surmised tonight that a similar act was taking place then, but my wife >may have interrupted the process before the egg's contents could be >eaten. >Some years ago I had watched as an adult female wood duck had caught >and then eaten a fairly large frog. Bill Shepherd suggested then that >I report this first person account, as such observations were uncommon >and vertebrates are a rarely observed part of a wood duck's diet (hope >I've remembered that right, Bill). Like today's event, that frog was >large enough to cause the woodie trouble in finding a way to get it >down whole. After considerable effort and multiple attempts, it >finally softened up the frog's body enough by chomping all around the >edges to swallow it whole. >I've been saying for years that we need to mount cameras in our wood >duck nest boxes to get a better sense of what is going on. Guess I'm >going to have to follow through on that. > From the deep woods just west of Little Rock, >Barry Haas Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: hawkcenter <hawkcenter AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 00:35:03 -0500 That's the same thing I was thinking. I saw one of my back yard squirrels eating one of her own young a few weeks ago. I thought she'd caught a bird until I got the binocs out and saw what she was really chewing on. Lynne Slater HAWK Center (Helping Arkansas Wild "Kritters") PO Box 1922, Russellville, Arkansas 72811-1922 www.hawkcenter.org myspace.com/hawk_center -----Original Message----- From: The Birds of Arkansas Discussion List [mailto:ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU] On Behalf Of George R. Hoelzeman Sent: Friday, May 09, 2008 12:07 AM To: ARBIRD-L AT LISTSERV.UARK.EDU Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation I'm wondering - was the chick already dead? Could this have been done to prevent a predator finding the nest? In other words, eat the egg/dead chick so its not laying around as a predator magnet. George (n. Conway Co. who didn't know Wood Ducks did this either) Subject: Re: Troubling Nature Observation From: "George R. Hoelzeman" <uiogd AT ARKANSAS.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 00:07:08 -0500 I'm wondering - was the chick already dead? Could this have been done to prevent a predator finding the nest? In other words, eat the egg/dead chick so its not laying around as a predator magnet. George (n. Conway Co. who didn't know Wood Ducks did this either) On Thu, 8 May 2008 23:10:16 -0500, Barry Haas wrote: >Dear ARBIRDers, >For those who are squeamish I suggest you not read this post. You are >forewarned. >This afternoon about 1:15 I was home for a brief time and decided to >look out back at our pond to see if there was any activity. The near >edge of the pond is no more than 40' from the back of our house. We >have nesting wood ducks, so any day we can expect to see Mom and her >youngsters on the water for awhile at least before they typically head >into the woods for parts unknown. Anyway, while looking toward the >pond I saw an adult female wood duck fly down and land on the pond >from the direction of the newest of our two nest boxes. I quickly saw >she was holding an egg in her bill. She took it to the near bank, >punched a hole in it and I thought she was partaking of liquid egg. >She then swam with the egg to another bank and continued her feeding, >with her swimming between the banks being a frenzied effort unlike her >normal smooth movements. Then she swam to what we call the 'party >barge', a floating wooden platform 2 by 4 feet, where she pulled the >entire unhatched chick from the shell! With that in mouth she >continued her frenzied swimming around the pond until she managed to >consume the chick in its entirety. The remnants of the egg shell were >left on the near bank, and were gone when I returned home some hours >later. This entire event took no more than two minutes, and I had to >keep telling myself I had really seen this happen, it was so >unbelievable. >At our Audubon chapter meeting tonight I told the story to everyone. >One theory is that food sources might be tight and the adult woodie >had to cannibalize her potential offspring to stay alive. We do put >cracked corn and milo in shallow water along the edge of the pond, but >it's possible an acorn shortage, a major part of the wood duck's diet, >may be in short supply or missing. You'll remember the late freeze on >Easter morning last spring that may be causing problems with this >year's mast crop. >Four weeks ago my wife found another wood duck egg, this one with a >cracked shell, but with the unhatched chick still inside. I had fed >the birds maybe 20 minutes before the egg was found, putting cracked >corn and milo mere feet from where the cracked egg was discovered. We >surmised tonight that a similar act was taking place then, but my wife >may have interrupted the process before the egg's contents could be >eaten. >Some years ago I had watched as an adult female wood duck had caught >and then eaten a fairly large frog. Bill Shepherd suggested then that >I report this first person account, as such observations were uncommon >and vertebrates are a rarely observed part of a wood duck's diet (hope >I've remembered that right, Bill). Like today's event, that frog was >large enough to cause the woodie trouble in finding a way to get it >down whole. After considerable effort and multiple attempts, it >finally softened up the frog's body enough by chomping all around the >edges to swallow it whole. >I've been saying for years that we need to mount cameras in our wood >duck nest boxes to get a better sense of what is going on. Guess I'm >going to have to follow through on that. > From the deep woods just west of Little Rock, >Barry Haas Subject: Troubling Nature Observation From: Barry Haas <bhaas AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 23:10:16 -0500 Dear ARBIRDers, For those who are squeamish I suggest you not read this post. You are forewarned. This afternoon about 1:15 I was home for a brief time and decided to look out back at our pond to see if there was any activity. The near edge of the pond is no more than 40' from the back of our house. We have nesting wood ducks, so any day we can expect to see Mom and her youngsters on the water for awhile at least before they typically head into the woods for parts unknown. Anyway, while looking toward the pond I saw an adult female wood duck fly down and land on the pond from the direction of the newest of our two nest boxes. I quickly saw she was holding an egg in her bill. She took it to the near bank, punched a hole in it and I thought she was partaking of liquid egg. She then swam with the egg to another bank and continued her feeding, with her swimming between the banks being a frenzied effort unlike her normal smooth movements. Then she swam to what we call the 'party barge', a floating wooden platform 2 by 4 feet, where she pulled the entire unhatched chick from the shell! With that in mouth she continued her frenzied swimming around the pond until she managed to consume the chick in its entirety. The remnants of the egg shell were left on the near bank, and were gone when I returned home some hours later. This entire event took no more than two minutes, and I had to keep telling myself I had really seen this happen, it was so unbelievable. At our Audubon chapter meeting tonight I told the story to everyone. One theory is that food sources might be tight and the adult woodie had to cannibalize her potential offspring to stay alive. We do put cracked corn and milo in shallow water along the edge of the pond, but it's possible an acorn shortage, a major part of the wood duck's diet, may be in short supply or missing. You'll remember the late freeze on Easter morning last spring that may be causing problems with this year's mast crop. Four weeks ago my wife found another wood duck egg, this one with a cracked shell, but with the unhatched chick still inside. I had fed the birds maybe 20 minutes before the egg was found, putting cracked corn and milo mere feet from where the cracked egg was discovered. We surmised tonight that a similar act was taking place then, but my wife may have interrupted the process before the egg's contents could be eaten. Some years ago I had watched as an adult female wood duck had caught and then eaten a fairly large frog. Bill Shepherd suggested then that I report this first person account, as such observations were uncommon and vertebrates are a rarely observed part of a wood duck's diet (hope I've remembered that right, Bill). Like today's event, that frog was large enough to cause the woodie trouble in finding a way to get it down whole. After considerable effort and multiple attempts, it finally softened up the frog's body enough by chomping all around the edges to swallow it whole. I've been saying for years that we need to mount cameras in our wood duck nest boxes to get a better sense of what is going on. Guess I'm going to have to follow through on that. From the deep woods just west of Little Rock, Barry Haas Subject: Black Rails, SE Missouri From: Richard Baxter <dickbaxter100 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 21:30:17 -0500 From the Missouri RBA: SOUTHEAST The highlight of this report comes from Chris Barrigar. Chris has had 1 to 2 calling BLACK RAILS near his Stoddard County yard from Saturday, May 3, to Tuesday, May 6. The rails have been beginning to call around 9:30 PM. If interested in listening for these birds, please contact Chris directly at chrisbarrigar AT hotmail.com. Additionally, Chris and others have heard BARN OWLS calling in the distance while listening to the rails. Stoddard County isn't far from Arkansas at all, so keep your ears on. Good birding! Dick Baxter Subject: Rookery in Ouachita County From: Kelly Chitwood <kchitwood AT CABLELYNX.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 20:05:07 -0500 This morning I had about a half hour to search for the rookery mentioned in Terri Walker's post. I turned West on County Road Ouachita 37 and drove almost two miles until it came to a T in the road. Discouraged, but not giving up, I found a couple preparing to tend to their cattle. I stopped and asked them, and while they had not seen a large group of nesting birds, they had seen a large number of 'beautiful blue herons' (about 25) in their backyard. Encouraged, I turned and drove back with my windows rolled down and bingo, I heard the squawks. But not where I would have expected to find them. Not that I am any expert on rookerys. But I was expecting cypress trees, I guess. The rookery is in a tight stand of planted pines. The trees look to be about 15 years old. The birds were in various stages of preparing their nests and from what I could tell about 300 - 500 birds. I found at least three species in order of population: Cattle Egret, Little Blue Heron and Great Egret. In addition, they were not very active except within the pines, which made it hard to see them. There isn't much of a place to park, but a lesser road just past the rookery on the left. I believe County Road 423. The neighbor across the street is enthusiastic about the birds and his mailbox, which I am going to use as a landmark is #317. He said they were not here last year, but the year before. I might add that the aroma from Japanese Honeysuckle that ladens the fence is a very nice addition. The birds were more active this afternoon when I drove by, so you shouldn't have any problem, if you plan to see them. Oh, and one more thing, I found Dickcissels in the pasture on the east side of 79 just past Ouachita 37, so if you miss your turn like I did, you can take the next exit, loop under 79 and stay right, and find them in the pasture to the left. I've attempted to a link from google earth. If it doesn't work, email off list, and I'll send an image of the area. Cheers! Kelly Chitwood Camden, AR Subject: Rhône, Warblers, and Sushi From: Dennis Braddy <dmbraddy AT MAC.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 19:07:18 -0500 A glass of '05 Côtes du Rhône in one hand and binocular in the other, these intrepid birders braved the wilds of their patio early this evening. (Skip doesn't drink wine. Well, except for the Dom Perignon he had to celebrate the completion of Dennis's '07 Big Year.) First warbler, an outlandishly gorgeous adult male Chestnut-sided. Next, Tennessee Warbler. Finally, two, maybe three, Bay-breasted Warblers including at least one male and one female. Bay-breasted is a life bird for Pat and Skip and yard bird #111. Now for some sushi and hot saki. Yeah, birding can be tough, but somebody's got to do it. Dennis and Patricia Braddy and Skip Little Rock, AR http://www.arkansasbirder.net "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx Subject: Life and State Bird From: Sandy Berger <fsbirdlady AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 16:34:58 -0700 Thanks to Toka and Bill Beall, I have finally seen a Lazuli Bunting. They have had one in their yard for the last week. Couldn't get over there till today. Woohoo! It appears to be a 1st Spring male. Mississippi Kites are back in town. Bill still has White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows too. Sandy B. FS, AR ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Nighthawks From: Gail Miller <gail.miller AT CONWAYCORP.NET> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 17:45:32 -0500 I saw my first nighthawk at work today. I often find it a lot more interesting to look out a window during meetings than to pay close attention to the meeting agenda. Gail in Conway (Faulkner Co.) AR Subject: Recommended Daily Allowance of Birds? From: "FENNELL, Ellen" <EFENNELL AT AUDUBON.ORG> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 16:39:53 -0400 [cid:image001.gif AT 01C8B121.7A3749E0] Common caws By VAL CUNNINGHAM, Contributing Writer May 6, 2008 Bird books and magazines are bursting with advice on how to become a better birder. It seems like everywhere you turn, someone is printing tips on how to identify birds in flight, how to distinguish drab first-year gulls from older gulls or how to differentiate between look-alike female ducks. There are even workbooks designed to "upgrade" your birding skills. Workbooks? Wait a minute. This is starting to sound like work. Watching these agile creatures as they go about their busy lives is fascinating to me. If I were only looking for a particular feather pattern in order to nail down an identification, I'd miss so much. That's why I'm spending less time trying to identify birds and going back to good, old-fashioned bird watching, where the focus is less about the subtleties of a bird's appearance and more with what it's doing. Everyday birds Some of the most rewarding birds to watch are the year-rounders -- the birds you can see any day of the week. The neighborhood crows are among my favorites. Big and easy to spot, they're demonstrably smart and always up to something. American crows are members of a big-brained bird family whose intelligence allows them to zip through each day's survival chores, leaving them with time for mischief. It seems to me that crows just want to have fun. You can watch them cavorting in springtime's wind currents or sliding down snowy slopes in winter. In fact, I've seen crows playing what looks like a game of tag with a batch of newly fledged kestrels. Chickadee watching is tons of fun. Among the busiest of birds, chickadees always are dashing about, hanging upside down under branches and flitting through treetops. Watch a chickadee grab a seed from your feeder, then fly to a nearby perch to peck open the shell and extract bits of seed. And if you whistle the familiar "feebee" song to the neighborhood chickadees, they might just reply. RDA of birds Instead of buying bird workbooks or starting a competitive bird list, consider giving yourself a Recommended Daily Allowance of birds. It's an idea I adopted from Rob Fergus of the National Audubon Society. Fergus says we'd be better off if we met a daily RDA of 20 bird species -- a number you could easily meet during a 3-mile walk. Whatever your level of interest, whether you're content to observe birds out the window or like to hike around parks and woodlands to find them, the point is to enjoy -- not necessarily to excel at -- watching these wondrous creatures. Val Cunningham, a St. Paul nature writer, can be reached at valwrites AT comcast.net. (c) 2008 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. Ellen M. Fennell Director of Development Audubon Arkansas 201 East Markham Street, Suite 450 Little Rock, AR 72201 Tel: 501.244.2229 Fax: 501.244.2231 www.ar.audubon.org DONATE ONLINE to protect the Little River Bottoms https://loon.audubon.org/payment/donate/ARLRBDF.html When one tugs at a single thing in nature; he finds it attached to the rest of the world. -- John Muir Subject: RBA-Arkansas-May 8,2008 From: DeLynn Hearn <delynnh AT IWON.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 13:15:53 -0400 -RBA *Arkansas *Statewide *May 8, 2008 *ARST08.05.08 -Species Mentioned Sanderling Whimbrel Sanderling Forster's Tern Alder Flycatcher Blackpoll Painted Bunting Rufous-Crowned Sparrows Wilson’s Phalaropes SWAINSON'S HAWK Bobolink CINNAMON TEAL x Blue-winged Teal hybrid Black-billed Cuckoo Common Ground-Dove Veery -Transcript Welcome to the Arkansas Rare Bird Alert for May 8, 2008, sponsored by the Audubon Society of Central Arkansas (ASCA). ASCA meets at 7:00pm the second Thursday of each month at the John Gould Fletcher Library, located at 823 Buchanan St. on the corner of Buchanan and H Streets in Little Rock. The ASCA will conduct a field trip May 10, 2008 to Allsopp and Murray Parks, plus Terry Lock & Dam. The parks have great habitat for spring migrants. We will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the lower entrance to Allsopp Park. To get there from west Little Rock, take Cantrell Road to Cedar Hill Road, at the bottom of Cantrell Hill. Turn right at the traffic light, go about 1 block and turn right into the park. We will meet at the far end of the parking lot, closest to the trail. From Allsopp, we will travel to nearby Murray Park. Afterwards, we will meet for lunch at Whole Hog Cafe, located at 2516 Cantrell Road. For those who wish to continue birding after lunch, we will go on to Terry Lock & Dam. Our target bird there is the Painted Bunting. All birders are welcome to join us. Spring migrants are being seen throughout the state—keep your eyes and ears open! From around the state recent sightings are: At Centerton Fish Hatchery in the Northwest part of the state a Sanderling in transistional plumage is present. In the Southwest corner of the state at the Okay Levee on Lake Millwood, Whimbrel, Sanderling-2, Forster's Tern, Alder Flycatcher- calling, Blackpoll, and Painted Bunting have been seen. The Whimbrel is about halfway down the levee just past an isolated strip of trees at its base. One pair of Rufous-Crowned Sparrows are at Mt. Magazine directly below the restaurant. A single bird has been seen at the hang glider’s launch site. Two-hundred fifty Wilson’s Phalaropes were together in one small pond along HWY 155 west of Holla Bend NWR and another 43 were seen in Holla Bend. Also seen along HWY 155 were 5 SWAINSON'S HAWKS. They were following a tractor as it plowed a large field. There are still many hundreds of Bobolinks in Holla Bend. Also at Holla Bend was a CINNAMON TEAL/ Blue-winged Teal hybrid. The head looked pretty much like BWTE and the body was like CITE. Bobolinks are also in the wheat fields of Arkansas County. A Black-billed Cuckoo was seen in Gillam Park in Little Rock. From the parking lot inside the park walk down the trail past the swinging gate several yards and take the right fork. Approximately 300 feet along the trail there is a downed oak tree on the right side. The cuckoo was in the trees above that. A Common Ground-Dove was present 2mi North of Hector on Hwy 27, along the road edge and a pasture. Two Veery were at Craighead Forest Park in Northeast Arkansas. Thanks for calling the Arkansas Rare Bird Alert. Your contributions make the Rare Bird Alert possible. If you would like to leave a message, please wait for the chirp. Good Birding! Hotline: Arkansas Date: May 8, 2008 Phone number: (501)753-5853 To Report: (501)753-5853, ARBird email discussion list, BRC forms available at ARBirds.org Compiler/Transcriber: DeLynn Hearn Coverage: Statewide -End transcript DeLynn Hearn Senior Consultant, Mary Kay Cosmetics 317 West K St. N. Little Rock, AR 72116 (501)771-4686 www.marykay.com/dhearn1 _______________________________________________ Subject: Veery From: Steve Duzan <sduzan AT FS.FED.US> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 10:21:58 -0400 When I got home from work yesterday (between Russellville and Dover) there was a Veery singing. This is one of my favorite bird songs. The swirling notes are amazing. If you are not familiar with their song you can listen at this web site. http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird_details.aspx?id=350 Steve Duzan Planning Biologist Ozark-St. Francis NFs sduzan AT fs.fed.us (479) 964-7282 Subject: Birdiest month? From: David Ray <cardcards AT SBCGLOBAL.NET> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 09:17:17 -0500 Which month of the year would you think that you have the greatest possibility to spot the most birds in the state of Arkansas? Take a guess before you read on. (You may or may not be surprised). After breaking down the AAS 50th Anniversary Arkansas Bird List by month this is what I found: April-299 October-288 May-262 September-257 November-238 March-230 April-215 December-211 January-195 February-190 July-185 June-183 Looks like we need to make the most of this month before the "summer doldrums" set in. For those of you new to ARBird I have made available an excel file that you may download that lists birds by month in the state of Arkansas based on the AAS 50th Anniversary Arkansas Bird List. You can also obtain a hard copy of the taxonomic list from the Arkansas Audubon Society. If you would like the files, you may contact me off the list. David Ray Subject: Migration count - May 10,11th a few final changes From: Leif E Anderson <leanderson AT FS.FED.US> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 10:16:02 -0400 Greetings all, The 2008 Migration count is just around the corner. It is a great opportunity to practice citizen science and get out and enjoy spring migration. It is much like a Christmas Bird Count, but on a county-wide level. Mostly May 10th with a few counties counting on the 11th Any skill level or amount of time would be helpful. Keep track of hrs/ miles on foot, by car, ect. Keep track of the number of birds by species. The compilers send the data to me (preferably by mid June) and I add it to the state database and do an article in AAS's newsletter, w/ copies to all compilers. You can enter your personal sightings into ebird and I'll enter each counties totals into ebird, back through 1992. Please try to give your compiler plenty of time by letting them know ahead of time if you want to help. Generally we try to get one person to compile a county on one day. The compiler assigns search areas and everyone sends their data to the compiler. Sometimes a person cannot find any help and does a county by themselves. You will find more birds with multiple people, but the statistics will be ok because of "normalizing" the numbers by the hrs/miles completed. Contact a compiler, or if you do not see your county listed let me know and I will add you to the list. Counties I've heard from so far: county - date - compiler - contact info Benton - 10th - Michael Mlodinow - mamlod AT hotmail.com Boone - 10th - Sheree Rogers - sl-rogers AT hotmail.com 870-741-8412 Cleburne - 11th - Bo Verser - ozarkwildbird AT sbcglobal.net Garland - ? - Marty Lynch - wlynch AT cablelynx.com Faulkner - 10th - Martha Johnson - amjohnson AT conwaycorp.net 501-329-5214 Jefferson - ? - Delos McCauley - edelos AT cablelynx.com Logan - 11th - Don Simon - don.simons AT arkansas.gov Lonoke - 10th - Leslie Peacock - leslie_peacock AT sbcglobal.net Newton - 10th - Tim Barr - barrfam AT eritter.net Ouachita - 10th - Dick Taylor - raet AT arkansas.net Phillips - 11th - Leif Anderson - Leanderson AT fs.fed.us - 479-284-3402h, - 479-284-3150w Pope - 10th - John Andre - jandre AT fs.fed.us - 479-284-3150w Pulaski - 10th - Dan Scheiman - birddan AT comcast.net Washington - 10th - Michael Mlodinow - mamlod AT hotmail.com I hope you can join us in a celebration of spring, the return of neotropical migrants and hopefully the end of flooding. (for most, but unfortunately not all.) Again, Everyone is welcome to participate. If you have any questions please give me a holler. Cheers, Leif AT Caglesville, a suburb of Hector Leanderson AT fs.fed.us 479-284-3150w 479-284-3402h