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18 Mar FOY N. Rough-winged Swallow [Donna Slyce ] 17 Mar Sandhill Cranes ["Jeff Catlin" ] 17 Mar Yard Birds-Marion,SC [Charles Mc Rae ] 17 Mar RE: Birds and Birders on film [WILLIAM HADDAD ] 17 Mar First 2010 visit to Jackson Park and Walmart Gulls [John Lindfors ] 17 Mar FOY Barn Swallows [Lori Owenby ] 17 Mar Bird Movies [BLAYNE OLSEN ] 17 Mar birders on film - and request for those who saw Crossbills last year near MMSP [Marilyn Westphal ] 17 Mar Re: Another typical TV show bird blunder [Robert Lewis ] 17 Mar Another typical TV show bird blunder [jeff lewis ] 17 Mar Re: Birds and Birders on film [] 17 Mar Purple Finches at Feeders [Greg Massey ] 17 Mar Re: Birds and Birders on film [Daniel Kaplan ] 17 Mar RE: Holly Shelter Gamelands [Robert Biller ] 17 Mar Kiawah Island Bahamas Plover [Peter Doherty ] 17 Mar Re: "The Big Year" [Beth Garver ] 16 Mar Spring Birds [Beth Garver ] 16 Mar Waxwings and massive flocks ["Daniel Hueholt" ] 16 Mar RE: "The Big Year" ["Caroline Eastman" ] 16 Mar Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, SC area [Elisa Enders ] 17 Mar Re: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow [Thierry Besançon ] 16 Mar RE: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow [TNT Sanders ] 16 Mar Re: Birds and Birders on film ["Karen Bearden" ] 16 Mar Birds and Birders on film [] 16 Mar RE: Greater Scaup ["Legrand, Harry" ] 16 Mar RE: Holly Shelter Gamelands ["Legrand, Harry" ] 16 Mar Re: "The Big Year" ["Michael C. Parrish" ] 16 Mar Re: "The Big Year" ["J. BRIAN PATTESON" ] 16 Mar FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow ["Phil Dickinson" ] 16 Mar Immature Cooper's Hawk or Northern Goshawk? [shirley ] 16 Mar Re: Swallow-tailed Kites [jeff lewis ] 16 Mar RE: "The Big Year" ["Beard, Jim (VMNH)" ] 16 Mar Re: "The Big Year" [] 16 Mar Swallow-tailed Kites [jeff lewis ] 16 Mar Re: "The Big Year" ["Mike Tove" ] 15 Mar Re: "The Big Year" [] 15 Mar Re: "The Big Year" ["Ron" ] 15 Mar "The Big Year" ["Mike Tove" ] 15 Mar Spring birds ["Ali Iyoob" ] 15 Mar Bucksport Sod Farm on Mar. 15 ["Jack" ] 15 Mar Orioles ["Mary Bridges" ] 15 Mar Big Year Movie ["KYLE CARLSEN" ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... [Shelley Theye ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... [Lena Gallitano ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... ["John Fussell" ] 15 Mar RE: Just when you think he's gone... ["Amy" ] 15 Mar Purple Finches near Morehead City, NC ["John Fussell" ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... ["John Fussell" ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... ["harrywilson" ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... [Tommy McDonell ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... [Lena Gallitano ] 15 Mar RE: Just when you think he's gone... ["Amy" ] 15 Mar Re: Just when you think he's gone... [jeff lewis ] 15 Mar Western Tanager Still Present [Andy Haines ] 14 Mar Henderson Cty., N. C. ["wforsythe" ] 14 Mar Congaree National Park--March 14 [John and Rhonda Grego ] 14 Mar All roadkill not equal: starved Red-tailed hawk [Frank Enders ] 14 Mar Lake Crabtree (Raleigh, NC) this morning [Thierry Besançon ] 14 Mar Garysburg Gooseponds-- only 8 Ring-necks [Frank Enders ] 14 Mar Odd couple [] 13 Mar Yauhanna Landing Trails ["Jack" ] 13 Mar No Subject [Linda Kolb ] 13 Mar Re: Ring-necked Pheasant in Congaree National Park [John and Rhonda Grego ] 13 Mar RCWOs, Francis Marion NF, SC [Elisa Enders ] 13 Mar FW: Ring-necked Pheasant at Congaree National Park ["Tomm Lorenzin" ] 13 Mar Fw: eBird Report - Lake Conestee , 3/13/10 [Jess Gorzo ] 13 Mar Piping Plovers at Seabrook Island ["Jim Edwards" ] 13 Mar Just when you think he's gone... ["Steve Wedge" ] 13 Mar New Yard Arrival, Soras at Ft Fisher and an ID question ["Amy" ] 13 Mar Baby Woodcocks [Linda Kolb ] 12 Mar Pinewood Lake--160 Rusty Blackbirds [John and Rhonda Grego ] 12 Mar First Bahamas Piping Plover Re-sighted!! [Peter Doherty ] 12 Mar First Bahamas Piping Plover Re-sighted!! [Peter Doherty ] 12 Mar Camp TALON (youth birding opportunity) (Georgia) [Steve Holzman ] 12 Mar Wilson's Plover [Paul Serridge ] 12 Mar Re: No Bachman's Sparrows in Longleaf Restoration Area [Norman Budnitz ] Subject: FOY N. Rough-winged Swallow From: Donna Slyce <pine.siskin AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:27:02 -0400 One lone Northern Rough-winged Swallow flew over the building I work in in northeast Columbia yesterday as I returned from lunch, calling as it passed over me. While the overwintering Song Sparrows have increased the length and volume of their songs, there aren't any spring returnees or resident breeders singing other than the expected Northern Mockingbird (the yard resident, who has been heard doing his nightjar imitation a few times recently), Pine Warblers, and Northern Cardinals. I was fortunate enough the hear the rusty beginnings of the song of the Hermit Thrush who has been in the yard all winter, polishing off the holly berries and starting on the sumac berries, this week. I am hoping he stays long enough for me to hear a complete song before he departs for more northerly climes. Donna Slyce in the community of Longtown near Ridgeway, SC _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID27925::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:032010_1Subject: Sandhill Cranes From: "Jeff Catlin" <shieffcat AT bellsouth.net> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:37:24 -0400 I had 2 Sandhill Cranes (Least, I believe) drop in for a short visit this afternoon at the Robertson's Farm in northwest Greenville (SC) county. Other birds in the fields included Canada Geese, Killdeer and American Pipits. Also, five Purple Martin scouts returned to the gourd colony, yesterday. Jeff Catlin Marietta, SCSubject: Yard Birds-Marion,SC From: Charles Mc Rae <mcmarion2003 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:01:48 -0700 (PDT) The Goldfinches have arrived and some are changing rapidly.
Also my first YARD Catbird is here and not use to them being in the yard this
early so may be a migrant.
Spring is advancing and about time to hit the swamps.
Chas.McRae
Marion,SC
Pee Dee Area
Chas. Mc Rae
www.chasmcraephotography.com
Subject: RE: Birds and Birders on filmFrom: WILLIAM HADDAD <photobill9 AT msn.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:36:25 -0400 I seem to remember a 'Murder She Wrote' episode where the bad guys were exposed because they said they were looking for a species of bird which was either a ground dweller or a high tree dweller (can't remember) and they were pointing their binocs in the opposite direction. Bill Haddad Spruce Pine, N.C. and Palm Coast, Fl. Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:58:13 -0400 Subject: Re: Birds and Birders on film From: danmaxkaplan AT gmail.com To: piephofft AT aol.com CC: carolinabirds AT duke.edu I think all the prime examples have been mentioned, and the Northern Exposure rare bird chase treatment was the best by far (must have had a birder on the writing staff). Just to throw out a couple more: Gilligan once found a Turquoise-browed Motmot on the (Pacific) uncharted desert isle where the group was marooned. In a Simpsons episode in which the TV breaks and the family is forced to resort to other activities, Lisa announces: "Susie and I went birdwatching. We saw a grackle!" Dan Kaplan Durham On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 2:23 PM,Subject: First 2010 visit to Jackson Park and Walmart Gulls From: John Lindfors <lindfors127 AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:23:16 -0400 Carolinabirders: I finally emerged from my melting igloo that kept me alive during our arctic blasts a few weeks ago. I met Stan and Connie Wolkowicz (?) there. They saw a Golden-crowned Kinglet. This one bird far outshone my 14 species which included not one woodpecker, nuthatches etc.My 59 American Robins was a conservative estimate. After leaving the Atlanta Bread Company bakery-restuarant I saw two Ring-billed Gulls finding the Highland Square Mall where the Walmart is located just east of exit 49 of Interstate 26 at route 64. -- John Lindfors Hendersonville, NCSubject: FOY Barn Swallows From: Lori Owenby <loriowenby AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:35:07 -0400 I had my first Barn Swallows of the year flying over a field near my home in Conover today. It is so nice to see them again and know that others are soon to follow! Also, sorry for cross-posting this if you are also on Carolinaleps--but in case you are interested: Several of us here in NC have been "lurking" on the releatively new Tennessee Moth listserve and have found it to be a very useful tool in helping us to both identify species we are also seeing and learn about other species that we are likely to see. This listserve allows you to attach photos to the e-mails so that you can see each moth and either help the person to identify it or just appreciate its beauty. I have decided to start a NC/SC Moth listserve so that we can do the same. I feel like there is an increasing interest in moths in the Carolinas (and a real lack of good field guides) so hopefully this can help all of us develop a better understanding of a very misunderstood and poorly reported genre. If you would like to subscribe, send an email to ncsc-moths-request AT freelists.org with 'subscribe' in the Subject field. I look forward to seeing some of your moths and hope we can all learn from each other! -- ----- Lori Owenby www.reflectionsonthecatawba.blogspot.com Catawba County Parks Conover, NC __________________________ If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive. --Eleanora Duse (1858-1924)Subject: Bird Movies From: BLAYNE OLSEN <bolsen187 AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:39:44 -0700 (PDT) Bruster McCloud was a movie that features Bruster learning to fly like Iccarus, and an ornithology professor who at each scene with him in front of a blackboard got more birdlike until in the last scene he was pecking out of the chalk tray. Every time a body was discovered it was covered in crow poop and you could hear the crows in the background. Anne & Blayne Olsen bolsen187 AT verizon.netSubject: birders on film - and request for those who saw Crossbills last year near MMSP From: Marilyn Westphal <mjwestph AT unca.edu> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:54:05 -0400 On the grizzly side, there have been at least two or three episodes of CSI where birders have discovered the bodies or parts of bodies of murder victims. In one they found a Raven carrying a human eyeball to its nest, and in another an older birdwatching couple came up to a dead person who was statue-fied and looking through binoculars and the older gentleman put a hand on the dead birders shoulder. There was also at least one where the vultures led them to dead people. I think there was another one, but can't remember it now. There must be someone on that writing staff who is curious about birding. Personally, I have yet to discover a body while birding, although the Blue Ridge Parkway seems to be a popular dumping ground for murder victims, so I won't rule it out. On the lighter side, for those of you who came to see the Crossbills at Bald Knob Ridge near Mt Mitchell SP last year, would you please contact me? Matt Young at Cornell, who is working on the sound recordings, wanted to know whether anyone noticed any specific behavior, namely Crossbills picking off cones and carrying them elsewhere to eat. Would you please let me know if you noticed that? Also, for anyone who went to see the Crossbills and kept notes or remembers some detail, if you would let me know what date/s you were there, how many you saw, and what the male/female/juvenile numbers were I would appreciate it. Thanks, Marilyn -- Marilyn Westphal Teaching Fellows Program University of North Carolina Asheville One University Heights Asheville, NC 28804 phone: 828/251-6864 email: mjwestph AT unca.eduSubject: Re: Another typical TV show bird blunder From: Robert Lewis <rfermat AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:16:57 -0700 (PDT) If we started talking about TV blunders, the thread would quickly consume all of cyberspace. The worst one I ever saw was a number of years ago on Discovery channel or one of those. It was a show about "unexplained mysteries". A person from Texas, I think, had recorded an "incredible video" of a strange creature from another planet. The breathless commentator was enthusing about the fifteen-foot wingspan of the "prehistoric monster." It was obviously a turkey vulture. Bob Lewis Sleepy Hollow NY --- On Wed, 3/17/10, jeff lewisSubject: Another typical TV show bird blunder From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:49:30 -0700 (PDT) Was watching an episode on the Animal Planet channel about Homing Pigeons this
week. At one point the pigeon owners were concerned about releasing their
pigeon because "a hawk was seen in the vicinity." They then showed a soaring
Turkey Vulture and played the call of, you guessed it, a Red-tailed Hawk!
Have been enjoying a singing Hermit Thrush here in the Elizabethan Gardens this
week!
Jeff Lewis
Manteo, NC
Subject: Re: Birds and Birders on filmFrom: kde AT angst.engr.utk.edu Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:30:15 -0400 (EDT) To belabor this point further, one good film that hasn't been mentioned is 'Continental Divide' with John Belushi as a reporter doing a story on a biologist studying eagles in the Rockies. Haven't seen that one in about 20 years but I at least remember thinking it was good at the time. Also, 'Northern Exposure' did a few birding shows. I think parts of the Rufous-sided Towhee (pre-split) episode are being confused with the Siberian Tit episode. Pretty sure the towhee is the bird Ruth-Anne missed seeing and I remember Holling saying... 'The towhee is a skulker, Ruth-Anne.' They also showed the towhee (and it really was a Spotted Towhee) which would have been a good bird for Alaska but easily findable and filmable in Washington where the show was filmed. Also, at least once, Chris gave a 'rare bird alert' segment on his radio show though I can't recall what the rare bird was. On the other hand, you have Batman imitating the call of the Red-breasted New--thatch. Dean Edwards Knoxville, TNSubject: Purple Finches at Feeders From: Greg Massey <gregmassey_2 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:06:56 -0700 (PDT) This morning, I counted 11 Purple Finches and over 100 Am. Goldfinches at my
feeders. This is quite an increase in numbers from the past several weeks. Nice
to see those male Purples. Has anyone observed increased numbers of Purple
Finches at their feeders?
Greg Massey
Leland, NC
Subject: Re: Birds and Birders on filmFrom: Daniel Kaplan <danmaxkaplan AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:58:13 -0400 I think all the prime examples have been mentioned, and the Northern Exposure rare bird chase treatment was the best by far (must have had a birder on the writing staff). Just to throw out a couple more: Gilligan once found a Turquoise-browed Motmot on the (Pacific) uncharted desert isle where the group was marooned. In a Simpsons episode in which the TV breaks and the family is forced to resort to other activities, Lisa announces: "Susie and I went birdwatching. We saw a grackle!" Dan Kaplan Durham On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 2:23 PM,Subject: RE: Holly Shelter Gamelands From: Robert Biller <merlin42 AT charter.net> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:34:39 -0400 Hello - I visited the Holly Shelter Gamelands on Saturday March 6. The gate was of course closed so we parked and walked in. About 1/4 to 1/2 mile in, we found a Red-cockaded Woodpecker at about the place where the first tree with a white circle appears marking their nesting trees. We first heard it pecking then found it before it flew back deeper on the left side. If you don't see it flying while walking in, you just about have to walk to about the point that the road curves left just to get past the noise of the cars on Hwy 17. We didn't have any Bachman's Sparrows but I bet they have started singing (or will start very soon). Other birds during out brief visit that day were Brown-headed Nuthatches, Pine Warblers, Palm Warblers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, and many Bluebirds. I was only able to bird this location briefly, but what a great spot to bird. I would imagine spring migration would be spectacular for warbler movement there. Rob Biller Elizabethton, TNSubject: Kiawah Island Bahamas Plover From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:48:29 -0400 Greetings. Tuesday afternoon on the beach at Kiawah Island, South Carolina the second color-banded Bahamas Piping Plover was seen by Aaron Given, a biologist with the Town of Kiawah. This bird was banded on Barbary Beach, Grand Bahama Island, The Bahamas on the late afternoon of January 27, 2010. Kiawah is ~425 air miles from Barbary Beach. No pictures are available, but the identification is solid. Another likely ASY, male plover. Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.comSubject: Re: "The Big Year" From: Beth Garver <bethgarver AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:01:52 -0400 I agree with you, Caroline. Not everyone out there really appreciates birding and birders, but we can still enjoy the humor that a movie of this caliber will afford. I enjoy helping my friends that are non- birders learn about birds and this will be an ideal situation. Good birding! Beth Garver Greensboro, NC On Mar 16, 2010, at 8:52 PM, Caroline Eastman wrote: > I expect this movie to be a hoot. [Surely there will be owls.] > > The potential audience for Steve Martin slapstick is almost > certainly larger > than the potential audience for accurately portrayed birding > movies. No > matter how they approach the subject, we should find something > amusing. We > can attend showings in full birding gear and perhaps get a brief > mention in > a local paper. If there are gross inaccuracies, we can enjoy > pointing them > out with a feeling of superiority. > > Caroline Eastman > Columbia, SC > >Subject: Spring Birds From: Beth Garver <bethgarver AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:57:22 -0400 Today I was in Florence and noticed some birds flying over and calling as they went. Well, they landed in my back yard and there were about 20 American Goldfinches. Unfortunately they didn't stay long since I am not feeding the birds there, cause I've been moving to Greensboro, NC. Into an apartment for the next year and then hopefully to a house in the country! It has been wonderful hearing the birds singing. It's practically spring! Beth Garver now in Greensboro, NCSubject: Waxwings and massive flocks From: "Daniel Hueholt" <jasjedi AT bellsouth.net> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:02:42 -0400 Waxwings were quite conspicuous today which I suspect is related to our sudden semi-cold snap here in Wilmington. There were 200 downtown at the corner of S 3rd St. and Market, 60 in Bayshore on Upland Drive, and 20 near Greenfield Lake. However the best count was at my house where there were at least 1000 waxwings in several flocks that joined together to create a massive whirlwind of birds. There were large amounts of other birds in the yard today such as 215 Common Grackles. Most notable were three Baltimore Orioles (two adult male one adult female) in with a huge frenzy of robins. The full list of birds is below. Location: The Eyrie Homeschool Observation date: 3/16/10 Notes: Site survey. The flocks just kept coming and coming. This is probably the closest I'll ever get to witnessing a Passenger Pigeon migration. Number of species: 37 Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 Cooper's Hawk 1 Laughing Gull 2 Mourning Dove 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2 Blue Jay 15 Carolina Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Brown-headed Nuthatch 6 Carolina Wren 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 Eastern Bluebird 2 American Robin 215 Gray Catbird 2 Northern Mockingbird 3 Brown Thrasher 5 European Starling 105 Cedar Waxwing 1000 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 30 Yellow-throated Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 3 Chipping Sparrow 5 Song Sparrow 2 White-throated Sparrow 15 Dark-eyed Junco 15 Northern Cardinal 18 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Common Grackle 215 Brown-headed Cowbird 15 Baltimore Oriole 3 House Finch 30 Pine Siskin 2 American Goldfinch 85 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Even after I came back inside there were more bird flocks coming over, including many more robins and at least two more flocks of waxwings. Daniel Hueholt Wilmington, NCSubject: RE: "The Big Year" From: "Caroline Eastman" <ceastman AT sc.rr.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:52:33 -0400 I expect this movie to be a hoot. [Surely there will be owls.] The potential audience for Steve Martin slapstick is almost certainly larger than the potential audience for accurately portrayed birding movies. No matter how they approach the subject, we should find something amusing. We can attend showings in full birding gear and perhaps get a brief mention in a local paper. If there are gross inaccuracies, we can enjoy pointing them out with a feeling of superiority. Caroline Eastman Columbia, SCSubject: Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, SC area From: Elisa Enders <elisaenders AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:21:29 -0400 I visited Magnolia Plantation, along the Ashley River, this afternoon. The gardens are very beautiful right now, with many daffodils and camellias blooming. The rookery of Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, and Anhingas is growing in size and other egret species are beginning to make appearances. Yellow-throated and Pine Warblers are singing, and a Yellow-rumped Warbler mumbled a few songs. I also saw my first Purple Martins (2 males) and Caspian Tern of the year. A Orange-crowned Warbler was foraging by the river and American Coot and Common Moorhen were common in the marsh areas. Elisa Enders _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/210850552/direct/01/Subject: Re: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow From: Thierry Besançon <thi.besancon AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:54:39 +0100 Hi, Two Northern Rough-winged Swallow this afternoon at Lake Crabtree County Park Thierry Besançon Raleigh, NC TNT Sanders a écrit : > I too had a FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow amongst some Tree > Swallows today at Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge. > > Tom Sanders > Charlotte, NC > > > From: pdickins AT triad.rr.com > > To: carolinabirds AT duke.edu > > Subject: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow > > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:03:40 -0400 > > > > FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow at the Bethabara wetland today > along with > > some Tree Swallows. There also was a flock of about 200 Cedar Waxwings, > > which have been scarce around here this winter. > > > > Phil Dickinson > > Winston-Salem > >Subject: RE: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow From: TNT Sanders <tsanders1993 AT msn.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:11:02 -0400 I too had a FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow amongst some Tree Swallows today at Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge. Tom Sanders Charlotte, NC > From: pdickins AT triad.rr.com > To: carolinabirds AT duke.edu > Subject: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow > Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:03:40 -0400 > > FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow at the Bethabara wetland today along with > some Tree Swallows. There also was a flock of about 200 Cedar Waxwings, > which have been scarce around here this winter. > > Phil Dickinson > Winston-Salem >Subject: Re: Birds and Birders on film From: "Karen Bearden" <chickadeebirders AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:46:06 -0400 Howdy!! I LOVED Northern Exposure and was thinking of mentioning the same show, Taylor, with the Siberian Tit. Thanks for reminding me of John's great crane dance show, too. Northern Exposure, a TV show that appreciated birds and showed how the characters of the show did, too! I think I remember reading the writer or producers were birders. Joe and I are leading a bird walk for Triangle Land Conservancy this weekend at a new (private) site on the Neuse River in Johnston County. Since I've noticed others mentioning Yellow-throated Warblers, I'm hoping to at least hear one this weekend!! Happy birding! Peace, Karen Bearden Raleigh, NCSubject: Birds and Birders on film From: piephofft AT aol.com Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:23:15 -0400 Over the years Jon Stewart, Steven Cobert, Jerry Seinfeld, and others have taken their shots at "birdwatchers". And yes, I have been asked seriously (I think) if I was a member of the Biddle Birdwatchers. But how about accurate depictions on film of this pursuit? One of the most accurate has to be from the old Northern Exposure series where Holling and Ruth-Anne embark on a trip to see the Siberian Tit. This sub-plot story line refers to such things as life-lists and Bushnell Spacemasters, and the birds shown, if not the real thing, were at least chickadees. The episode captures the passion of the two for birding, and the emotional trauma when Holling separates from Ruth-Anne, finds the bird, photographs it, and ticks it off. Ruth-Anne of course misses out and blames Holling for planning it that way. As I remember, Holling helps Ruth Anne finally see the bird, and the episode ends with the two of them comparing life lists and good-naturedly disputing the rarer species on each list. And in my opinion one of the most unforgettable scenes from the entire series; in a later episode, John Corbett imitates the courtship dance of a sandhill crane and induces the bird to reciprocate. This was about 16 years ago but I think most of this recollection is accurate. To check, try the 4th season of Northern Exposure "Loves Labor Mislaid". Taylor Piephoff Charlotte, NC PiephoffT AT aol.comSubject: RE: Greater Scaup From: "Legrand, Harry" <harry.legrand AT ncdenr.gov> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:49:54 -0400 Greater Scaups are rare inland, mostly as occasional migrants. In the past 5 years, a flock of 50 or more has spent the winter on Brier Creek Reservoir, and occasionally move over to Lake Crabtree. Of course, there are Lessers as well, and because viewing conditions are often not good -- distant birds, difficulty of stopping on Aviation Parkway, etc., most of the time you will end up with "scaup sp." or "probable Greater Scaup". And, because of the viewing conditions -- various birders will certainly report a wide array of both species, even though looking at the same birds in the same day! (Hint, separating the two is VERY tricky except under ideal conditions.) Harry LeGrand Harry LeGrand, Vertebrate Zoologist North Carolina Natural Heritage Program 1601 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1601 Office: (919) 715-8697 harry.legrand AT ncdenr.gov www.ncnhp.org E-mail correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third parties. Note my new e-mail address (above) -----Original Message----- From: Thierry Besançon [mailto:thi.besancon AT gmail.com] Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 8:20 AM To: carolinabirds AT duke.edu Subject: Greater Scaup Hi, Yesterday morning on Lake Crabtree (Wake county), I've still seen 25 Greater Scaups and 15 Lesser Scaups. Is the Greater Scaup a usual species on inland lakes in NC ? A Cooper's Hawk was also perched in a tree, close enough for a good picture :-) Best regards Thierry Besancon Raleigh, NCSubject: RE: Holly Shelter Gamelands From: "Legrand, Harry" <harry.legrand AT ncdenr.gov> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:16:22 -0400 Regarding Holly Shelter Game Land - you will want to visit when the gate on US 17 is open, as walking in when the gate is closed may require a walk of a mile to see a RCW, though I've seen then only a few hundred yards in. The gate on US 17 (about 4 miles NE of Hampstead) is open during the hunting seasons, which with the spring turkey season this year -- April 10 - May 8 - means there is a window of less than a month when it is open to drive in. (I've led some butterfly trips there in late April and the gate has always been open.) It would be safer to go on a Sunday, but in reality, there is little turkey habitat there, and little likelihood of running into hunters. As for where to look - there are several miles of good RCW habitat inside the gate, and you should be able to find the birds (and Bachman's Sparrows) in the first mile or two. As for carnivorous plants, yes, there are flytraps and pitcher-plants, bladderworts, butterworts, etc. But, flytraps would be tricky to spot in April. Harry LeGrand Raleigh From: Mary McDaniel [mailto:marmac1 AT bellsouth.net] Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 3:36 PM To: carolinabirds AT duke.edu; MAS-L AT LISTSERV.UNCC.EDU Subject: Holly Shelter Gamelands We will be in the Wilmington area in April and wondered if any of you have birded the Holly Shelter gamelands. A friend told us that we might be able to see Red- cockeded Woodpecker as well as carnivorous plants. Is this true? Many thanks, Mary McDaniel North of Charlotte on Beautiful Mountain Island LakeSubject: Re: "The Big Year" From: "Michael C. Parrish" <michael AT michael-parrish.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:42:00 -0400 No telling how long this thread will get to continue before somebody whines about it, but while it's going, I thought I'd mention Dr. Stephen Maturin in 'Master and Commander.' Maturin was quite the (fictional) 19th century birder / naturalist; his interest in birds was very important to his character in the Aubrey-Maturin novel series by Patrick O'Brian (himself a birder, apparently). Audubon even makes a minor cameo in the novels. I fairly dread the "The Big Year" movie. I enjoyed the book, but with that cast, I'm afraid the film will be an embarassment. I can only hope that if that's the case, nobody will go see it. Otherwise, for the next decade, we'll all be hearing "Hey, man! You doin' one-a them big yeers?" every time we're spotted by a non-birder in the field.Subject: Re: "The Big Year" From: "J. BRIAN PATTESON" <patteson1 AT embarqmail.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:06:46 -0500 Jim, That's a good analogy because stormy weather and fronts are so integral to birding if you want to see massive "flights" and "fall-outs." It's that kind of wild curiosity that sends you out on the highway in wee hours of the morning, chasing a weakening tropical system a hundred miles inland (and hoping it isn't too weak), trying to get to a big piece of water around daybreak. It's not the mere ticks on a list that fuel that drive when you've seen the birds before (and much better) at sea. It's the needing to know what the storm caught up with, and knowing that you can identify the birds at distances that would confound those inexperienced with the species involved, so why not? When you've got it bad, you will be be irritated when you didn't get a chance to check a spot, not because of the birds you might have missed, but because no one checked it and we will never know what species were there after the blow. I think it's that kind of curiosity what motivates the hardest of the hard core in birding. It's not just a list, but a drive to understand birds and the weather, birds and their habits, birds and their habitat requirements, bird migrations, etc. A big list can be a fringe benefit depending on how you focus your activities. When you've got that "affliction", it can push you to the limits. Parts of life that are priorities for many people will take a back seat to the chase (not bird species in particular, but the flight.) It is a lot like storm-chasing; when you see the conditions likely to produce a fall out or when you see favorable conditions for a nearshore flight of seabirds, "it's on." Brian Patteson Hatteras, NC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Beard, Jim (VMNH)"Subject: FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow From: "Phil Dickinson" <pdickins AT triad.rr.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:03:40 -0400 FOY Northern Rough-winged Swallow at the Bethabara wetland today along with some Tree Swallows. There also was a flock of about 200 Cedar Waxwings, which have been scarce around here this winter. Phil Dickinson Winston-SalemSubject: Immature Cooper's Hawk or Northern Goshawk? From: shirley <pearly823 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:58:41 -0400 Had an immature hawk land in the yard Sunday. The bird was walking around these two large evergreen shrubs for several minutes and I got a very good look at his tail which was very broad- not tapered at all - broad starting at the top and straight all the way down - I said to my husband that it looked like the tail of a turkey. It was large for its body. The birding book described the Northern Goshawk as having a broader tail than that of the Cooper's - I am not really sure which it was. I noticed where its head came on one of the branches and measured it after it left - the height was about 19-22 inches. Yesterday was the first day without the female Painted Bunting. I originally had two but for the last week only had one - and it came several times everyday - it was not eating millet anymore. I saw it either on the black oil sunflower feeders or directly under them. Shirley Remaley Elizabeth CIty NCSubject: Re: Swallow-tailed Kites From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:35:01 -0700 (PDT) Just received a report of another Swallow-tailed Kite sighting yesterday, this one of a single bird seen in Colington Harbor, which is just west of Kill Devil Hills. Of course, this could have been one of the two Point Harbor birds. Jeff Lewis --- On Tue, 3/16/10, jeff lewisSubject: RE: "The Big Year" From: "Beard, Jim (VMNH)" <Jim.Beard AT vmnh.virginia.gov> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:30:03 -0400 The best "birding" movie I ever saw was "Twister". If you watch, you'll recognize many traits among the storm chasers that will remind you of really hard-core birders. Jim Beard Martinsville VA ________________________________ From: AmaSpirit AT aol.com [mailto:AmaSpirit AT aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 10:25 AM To: scompton1251 AT charter.net; mtove AT deltaforce.net; carolinabirds AT duke.edu Subject: Re: "The Big Year" I don't think authenticity and Dreamworks are thoughts that can go in the same sentence unless they're separated by words like "but not". I agree that the cast predicts the tone of the movie. Having read the book (as I'm sure most of you have), I can't imagine any attempt to present it factually ... which would be boring to many ... but don't remember comedic moments in print. So, anyone's who's considering whether a movie will present birding authentically and respectfully is best warned not to hold your breath. Patricia Voelker Lexington, SC In a message dated 3/15/2010 11:10:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, scompton1251 AT charter.net writes: Birders, If it were being shot around here I'd try to work as an extra. I did four days of extra work on the "Patriot" with Mel Gibson and had a ball. They even paid me. Birders would make natural extras since we already have the clothes, the gear, and the moves. Of course, that assumes they would be looking for authenticity. Steve Compton Greenville,SC ---- Mike ToveSubject: Re: "The Big Year" From: AmaSpirit AT aol.com Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:24:32 EDT I don't think authenticity and Dreamworks are thoughts that can go in the same sentence unless they're separated by words like "but not". I agree that the cast predicts the tone of the movie. Having read the book (as I'm sure most of you have), I can't imagine any attempt to present it factually ... which would be boring to many ... but don't remember comedic moments in print. So, anyone's who's considering whether a movie will present birding authentically and respectfully is best warned not to hold your breath. Patricia Voelker Lexington, SC In a message dated 3/15/2010 11:10:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, scompton1251 AT charter.net writes: Birders, If it were being shot around here I'd try to work as an extra. I did four days of extra work on the "Patriot" with Mel Gibson and had a ball. They even paid me. Birders would make natural extras since we already have the clothes, the gear, and the moves. Of course, that assumes they would be looking for authenticity. Steve Compton Greenville,SC ---- Mike ToveSubject: Swallow-tailed Kites From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:29:38 -0700 (PDT) Two Swallow-tailed Kites were seen at Point Harbor, NC yesterday.
Jeff Lewis
Manteo, NC
Subject: Re: "The Big Year"From: "Mike Tove" <mtove AT deltaforce.net> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:59:42 -0400 The sad thing about birders and Hollywood is that we've long been a standing joke. Remember the Jane Hathaway character (and Wally Cox) from the "Beverly Hillbillies?" They were bird-watchers. The closest thing we have to a birder (meaning someone who almost cares) is James Cameron (Avatar) and that's not much of an endorsement. Mike Tove Cary, NCSubject: Re: "The Big Year" From: <scompton1251 AT charter.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:10:11 -0700 Birders, If it were being shot around here I'd try to work as an extra. I did four days of extra work on the "Patriot" with Mel Gibson and had a ball. They even paid me. Birders would make natural extras since we already have the clothes, the gear, and the moves. Of course, that assumes they would be looking for authenticity. Steve Compton Greenville,SC ---- Mike ToveSubject: Re: "The Big Year" From: "Ron" <waxwing AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:52:07 -0400 I hope so, too, but considering the cast, it will probably be exceptionally stupid. I'm not holding my breath. Ron Clark Kings Mtn NC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Tove"Subject: "The Big Year" From: "Mike Tove" <mtove AT deltaforce.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:11:05 -0400 Hi all, I was asked to confirm facts about the upcoming film "The Big Year." It is a Dreamworks comedy distributed by Fox, starring Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson in a birding competition. Shooting starts in May. Point of reference: This is not the first time Hollywood has attempted to portray birding. The last time (that I know of) was in 1980 when Lucie Arnaz starred in a TV movie called "The Mating Season." Shot primarily in western NC (Cashiers), it was a dreadful story filled with all sorts of ornithological absurdities such as Lucie's birding friend weeping wistfully and hugging a feather from the "elusive Hudsonain Godwit!" - that was somewhere lurking in the treetop foliage of a mountain forest - in the Appalachians - in spring (no wonder it was so elusive) - and the film went downhill from there. I only hope "The Big Year" is a little more charitably inclined toward birders. Cheers, Mike Tove Cary, NCSubject: Spring birds From: "Ali Iyoob" <Aliiyoob AT nc.rr.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:28:21 -0400 Over the weekend, I has multiple Ospreys and a Yellow-throated Warbler on the Neuse River. Other highlights were Beaver, River Otter, and some Upland Chorus Frogs. Ali Iyoob North Raleigh, NC www.flickr.com/photos/longspur http://birdingjournal.blogspot.comSubject: Bucksport Sod Farm on Mar. 15 From: "Jack" <jp5810 AT sccoast.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:25:56 -0500 Hi C'birders, Today early afternoon I birded at the Bucksport Sod Farm and adjacent roads. Here is what I found: Location: Bucksport Sod Farm Observation date: 3/15/10 Notes: I birded solo at the sod farm and adjacent roads. Number of species: 12 Great Egret 1 hawk sp. 1 American Kestrel 1 Killdeer 7 Wilson's Snipe 5 Mourning Dove 4 Eastern Phoebe 1 American Crow 5 Eastern Bluebird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 15 Eastern Towhee 1 Swamp Sparrow 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Jack Peachey Conway, SC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.790 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2749 - Release Date: 03/15/10Subject: Orioles From: "Mary Bridges" <MaryHuOT AT nc.rr.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:15:29 -0400 I have been noticing my oriole numbers dwindling over the past couple of weeks too. I had a high count of 15 on Feb. 16, this year, only 6 on the 23rd, and 8 on March 8. Have only seen two or three at a time in the past couple of days, but will be counting for Project Feeder Watch tomorrow and Wed. so we'll see. Looking back over my PFW data, it seems that the first orioles I had show up here were in 2003. I had them in fairly low numbers until 2007 when I had a high of 16 on Jan. 29, which had dwindled to 2 by the last day of the count that year which was March 31. In 2008 I had 0 on the last day (Mar. 31) and in 2009 2 on Mar. 30. They sure can gobble some jelly and oranges; have found they also like bananas and sometimes apples too. Mary Bridges Goldsboro, NCSubject: Big Year Movie From: "KYLE CARLSEN" <kcarl501 AT students.bju.edu> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:04:43 -0400 For those interested, here is some info about the movie that will based on Mark Obmascik's book "The Big Year". The birding trio will be played by Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson.... it'll be interesting to see how this turns out! http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=10068295 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810 Good birding, Kyle Carlsen Greenville, SCSubject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: Shelley Theye <veery AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:09:57 -0400 I hosted a male Baltimore Oriole for 3 winters in a row back in 2000/2001, 2002, 2003. The latest dates I have are 3/30, 3/28, and 4/1, for those 3 years, in Chapel Hill, NC. I guess he could have still been around and just stopped using the feeders, but that is hard to imagine. I always thought those dates were most likely departure dates. Shelley Shelley Theye veery AT bellsouth.net Chatham County, NC On Mar 15, 2010, at 12:10 PM, John Fussell wrote: > I would guess though that a Baltimore Oriole that late in the year (around mid-May) is most likely going to be a migrant from further south. > > If I remember correctly, I've never had a winter (i.e. feeder) bird remain here to May 1, although a few have lingered to the last week in April. > > I am talking about my experience in the coastal area. Wonder if any winter orioles linger later in the spring (after May 1) further inland? > > John Fussell > Morehead City, NC > jfuss AT clis.com > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy"Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: Lena Gallitano <lena_gallitano AT ncsu.edu> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:37:44 -0400 My notes from Project Feeder Watch for 2008-09 show the following for Baltimore Orioles: 2004-05 March 31 - 3 2005-06 March 26 - 5 2006-07 March 21 - 4 2007-08 March 27 - 1 2008-09 March 27 - 0 2009-10 March 11 - 2 After Project Feeder Watch, I don't keep records of the numbers I see but sometimes do note on my calendar the last day sighted. I don't have that information readily available but I'm pretty sure April is the last month I've seen orioles in my yard. The numbers begin to go down in late February/March. Lena Gallitano Raleigh, NC John Fussell wrote: > I would guess though that a Baltimore Oriole that late in the year > (around mid-May) is most likely going to be a migrant from further south. > > If I remember correctly, I've never had a winter (i.e. feeder) bird > remain here to May 1, although a few have lingered to the last week in > April. > > I am talking about my experience in the coastal area. Wonder if any > winter orioles linger later in the spring (after May 1) further inland? > > John Fussell > Morehead City, NC > jfuss AT clis.com > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy"Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: "John Fussell" <jfuss AT clis.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:10:25 -0400 I would guess though that a Baltimore Oriole that late in the year (around mid-May) is most likely going to be a migrant from further south. If I remember correctly, I've never had a winter (i.e. feeder) bird remain here to May 1, although a few have lingered to the last week in April. I am talking about my experience in the coastal area. Wonder if any winter orioles linger later in the spring (after May 1) further inland? John Fussell Morehead City, NC jfuss AT clis.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy"Subject: RE: Just when you think he's gone... From: "Amy" <amyw AT fsow.org> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:32:49 -0400 I just checked the back of John's book (A Birder's Guide to Coastal North Carolina) and found that Baltimore Orioles might be around--at least in coastal areas--until mid May. :) Amy Williamson Wilmington, NC -----Original Message----- From: John Fussell [mailto:jfuss AT clis.com] Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 9:38 AM To: Lena Gallitano Cc: carolinabirds Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... My Baltimore numbers have not dwindled. I had at least 8 back in early winter and I still have at least 8 (probably more). However, I suspect that at least one of my winter hummers has departed in recent days. The Yellow-breasted Chat is still here too. John Fussell ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lena Gallitano"Subject: Purple Finches near Morehead City, NC From: "John Fussell" <jfuss AT clis.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:40:23 -0400 On Saturday, Jack Fennell, who lives near the Mill Creek community, had 3 brown-plumaged Purple Finches at his feeders. These are the only ones I've heard of in our area this winter. John Fussell Morehead City, NC jfuss AT clis.comSubject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: "John Fussell" <jfuss AT clis.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:38:22 -0400 My Baltimore numbers have not dwindled. I had at least 8 back in early winter and I still have at least 8 (probably more). However, I suspect that at least one of my winter hummers has departed in recent days. The Yellow-breasted Chat is still here too. John Fussell ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lena Gallitano"Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: "harrywilson" <harrywilson AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:35:59 -0400 Our 8 orioles are still here and they have plenty of help in eating the grape jelly. Saturday I counted 12 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has now turned its attention to the jelly. A mockingbird takes occasional nibbles and yesterday I saw a first -- a female cardinal ate some as well. A one-pound jar of jelly is lasting from 3-5 days now. Harry Wilson Zebulon, North Carolina ----- Original Message ----- From: "Amy"Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: Tommy McDonell <tbmcdonell AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:07:16 -0400 I had my first. You mean he is going to leave before I get jelly? Tommy B. McDonell, Ph.D. Pinehurst NC http://tbmcdonellart.com Sent from my iPhone On Mar 15, 2010, at 8:28 AM, "Amy"Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: Lena Gallitano <lena_gallitano AT ncsu.edu> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:46:24 -0400 After a high of 14 Baltimore Orioles in my garden in January, the numbers have dwindled to 2. It is nice, however to have one adult male remaining to enjoy his striking colors. Lena Gallitano Raleigh, NC jeff lewis wrote: > Same here Steve, > I had just about written off my two orioles and suddenly yesterday, they were at the grape jelly. > Jeff Lewis > Manteo, NC > > --- On Sat, 3/13/10, Steve WedgeSubject: RE: Just when you think he's gone... From: "Amy" <amyw AT fsow.org> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:28:20 -0400 My two Orioles are still hanging around, as well. I've never had Orioles in my yard over winter before, so I don't have a clue when they'll head out. Probably won't be leaving as long as this strong north wind is blowing! Amy Williamson Wilmington, NC -----Original Message----- From: jeff lewis [mailto:jlewis_obx AT yahoo.com] Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 8:22 AM To: carolinabirds Subject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... Same here Steve, I had just about written off my two orioles and suddenly yesterday, they were at the grape jelly. Jeff Lewis Manteo, NC --- On Sat, 3/13/10, Steve WedgeSubject: Re: Just when you think he's gone... From: jeff lewis <jlewis_obx AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:21:58 -0700 (PDT) Same here Steve, I had just about written off my two orioles and suddenly yesterday, they were at the grape jelly. Jeff Lewis Manteo, NC --- On Sat, 3/13/10, Steve WedgeSubject: Western Tanager Still Present From: Andy Haines <ahainesnd AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:33:29 -0400 Hey guys, Just thought I'd send out a quick message for those interested to let you all know that the Western Tanager is still present in our yard/at our feeder. It was a regular visitor this weekend between about 7 and noon, and I just saw it again this morning. I guess it is liking the Carolina weather! If you want to check it out, feel free to drop by. You can get a good view of the feeder by pulling up along the side of our backyard on North Forty Rd., and the bird is typically either on the platform feeder or in the shrubs/trees along the back of our property. One quick note if you do choose to visit...our house is currently for sale, so if you happen to see a car parked in the front driveway, that probably means we are having a showing, so please hold off in stopping by until the car is gone. Thanks, and enjoy Andy Haines Morehead City, NCSubject: Henderson Cty., N. C. From: "wforsythe" <wforsythe AT morrisbb.net> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:25:11 -0400 Folks,
After a relatively dismal winter, things are starting to happen up
here in the mountains. Today on Hooper Lane, we had 6-8 American Golden
Plovers, 3-4 Pectoral S/P, 10+ Wilson's Snipe, many Killdeer, 1 Fish Crow,
and 1 brilliant Horned Lark and 6 American Pipits!
Wayne
Wayne K. Forsythe
Hendersonville, N. C.
828-697-6628
wforsythe AT morrisbb dot net
Subject: Congaree National Park--March 14From: John and Rhonda Grego <jrgrego AT pop.mindspring.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:55:00 -0500 I hiked the Kingsnake Trail starting at 10 AM, and continued south along the edge of Fishhook Slough. The bird song shut down after 11:30, though I had been hearing Yellow-throated Warblers steadily until that point. There was a nice mix of early arrivals and winter species. Wood Duck 6 Wild Turkey 3 Turkey Vulture 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 5 Barred Owl 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 16 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Downy Woodpecker 9 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 12 Pileated Woodpecker 4 Eastern Phoebe 5 White-eyed Vireo 3 Blue-headed Vireo 1 American Crow 2 Carolina Chickadee 15 Tufted Titmouse 14 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Carolina Wren 11 Winter Wren 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 28 Hermit Thrush 7 American Robin 248 Yellow-rumped Warbler 7 Yellow-throated Warbler 29 Pine Warbler 4 Black-and-white Warbler 1 White-throated Sparrow 6 Dark-eyed Junco 2 Northern Cardinal 22 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Rusty Blackbird 3 Common Grackle 3 American Goldfinch 12 John Grego Columbia SCSubject: All roadkill not equal: starved Red-tailed hawk From: Frank Enders <fkenders AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:46:46 -0400 Red-tailed Hawk found dead on centerline of NC 186 northeast of Seaboard, NC, 2:30 PM 13 March, 2010. Eyes dimpled, carcass not stinky, breastbone sharp, as if starved. I used to think roadkill was just random death of otherwise healthy animals, but, for whatever reason, this hawk was clearly already in trouble when it got too close to a speeding motor vehicle. The weather has not been so terrible that raptors would find it difficult to hunt, but prey must be scarce at the end of winter. It would not be a surprise to find this specimen was an immature, once I get the right books together with the specimen. Frank Enders, Halifax, NC _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/210850553/direct/01/Subject: Lake Crabtree (Raleigh, NC) this morning From: Thierry Besançon <thi.besancon AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:41:29 +0100 Hi, Short trip this morning to Lake Crabtree for about 2 hours. Location: Lake Crabtree County Park Observation date: 3/14/10 Number of species: 38 Canada Goose 8 Mallard 12 Ring-necked Duck 11 Lesser Scaup 17 Ruddy Duck 5 Pied-billed Grebe 3 Horned Grebe 6 Double-crested Cormorant 4 Great Blue Heron 5 Turkey Vulture 6 Osprey 1 Bald Eagle 1 Killdeer 7 Wilson's Snipe 2 Bonaparte's Gull 2 Ring-billed Gull 140 Mourning Dove 1 Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 3 Fish Crow 1 Tree Swallow 4 Carolina Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 6 Brown-headed Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 American Robin 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler 5 Pine Warbler 3 Song Sparrow 37 White-throated Sparrow 2 Dark-eyed Junco 27 Northern Cardinal 5 Red-winged Blackbird 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)Subject: Garysburg Gooseponds-- only 8 Ring-necks From: Frank Enders <fkenders AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:35:46 -0400 13 March, 2010, about 2PM: 120 Canada Geese, 8 Ring-necked Ducks, 3 Pied-billed Grebes, 1 D-c. Cormorant at Garysburg Gooseponds. Frank Enders, Halifax, NC _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/210850552/direct/01/Subject: Odd couple From: Tneklw AT aol.com Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 07:58:17 EDT Hi,
Here in Lenoir is a walking park around a small pond. There are about
a100 Mallards & one male Woodie. For the last month the Woodie has been
paired off with a female Mallard. How unusual is this?
Walt Kent
Lenoir N.C.
Subject: Yauhanna Landing TrailsFrom: "Jack" <jp5810 AT sccoast.net> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:21:13 -0500 Hi C'birders, On Friday, Mar. 12, I birded along the Yauhanna Trails, Horry County, SC parallel to the north side of the Great Pee Dee River. Here is what I found. Location: Yauhanna Landing (Waccamaw NWRJ) Observation date: 3/12/10 Notes: Overcast most of time but warm in the 60's Number of species: 8 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Carolina Chickadee 1 Tufted Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 Northern Cardinal 1 In addition I found a curled up Yellow Rat Snake. Jack Peachey Conway, SC This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Subject: No Subject From: Linda Kolb <rapahana4 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:36:01 -0400 Thanks from everyone on and off the list....The baby woodcocks did not make it...Tried my best but I have no idea when they were found or how long the kids i got them from had had them. Talk to some great rehabbers and now know who to call and when. it was just to late for these little guys. Linda Kolb "There will be dogs. Also, Judy will be there, and Janis, too. Maybe they will sing a duet about roadtrips. But mostly there will be dogs--come rain or come shine." Peter HorstSubject: Re: Ring-necked Pheasant in Congaree National Park From: John and Rhonda Grego <jrgrego AT pop.mindspring.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:01:11 -0500 Tomm--that's an interesting sighting for the park--I agree it's an escapee, but more legitimate than the parrot I once heard, then saw, perched on another hiker's shoulder. And it's funny you should mention the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace. I heard ring-necked pheasant there too (though not my first)--at the Knight's Garden overlooking a particularly pretty piece of the Tuscan countryside. John Grego Columbia SCSubject: RCWOs, Francis Marion NF, SC From: Elisa Enders <elisaenders AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:59:59 -0500 I spent most of the day looking around Francis Marion National Forest. The main area of exploration was around Honey Hill (at SC Route 45) and FR 204 (Echaw Road) in the north section of the national forest. I wanted to see if any Swallow-tailed Kites were there yet, but failed to find any. There were a lot of Yellow-throated Warblers (5) and Pine Warblers (>20) singing. I saw several Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and heard 3 Bachman's Sparrows, along with many Brown-headed Nuthatches. A White-breasted Nuthatch was seen collecting nesting material. Elisa Enders _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/210850553/direct/01/Subject: FW: Ring-necked Pheasant at Congaree National Park From: "Tomm Lorenzin" <Tomm AT 1000plus.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:49:13 -0500 The bird is – no doubt – a “plant” or escapee. These are Asian in origin, and like many partridge-like birds, are familiar exotic transplants as “game birds.” I heard and saw my first “feral” R-n Pheasant in the gardens behind Firenze’s Pitti Palace in Il Bel Paese’s Tuscany region. It was a memorable experience, and has stuck with me ever since. We also had quite a few sightings in the Milwaukee, WI, area on roadways nr stocked gamelands. 7;^) Tomm "the cunning linguist" Lorenzin Mooresville, NC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Why I Like Babies" - an haikuiku Why I like babies: They're unadulterated; Humans at their best; As good as they'll ever be, Laconic, to boot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit me at: http://www.1000plus.com/Cataract/ From: Tomm Lorenzin [mailto:Tomm AT 1000plus.com] Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 17:15 To: 'Kathleen_O'Grady AT nps.gov'; 'jrgrego AT mindspring.com'; 'sparkleclark AT earthlink.net' Cc: 'bill_hulslander AT nps.gov'; 'theresa_thom AT nps.gov' Subject: RE: Ring-necked Pheasant at Congaree National Park I wish that I was familiar with the park boardwalk enough to be more precise, but I’m not. All I can tell you is that 1. I followed boardwalk taking the first left to proceed clockwise on the loop (backwards, for most folks – trail note #s proceeding downward) in order not to be tailing a noisy group of ~ a dozen magpies (fieldtrip teens who would rather have been somewhere else). 2. I heard the sound coming from the left (outside the loop) – prolly 35-50m out, and 3. It was heard about one-half to two-thirds of my 3-hr trek over the loop. And 4. That was at about 1300-1330 hrs. I only heard it at this one point in my walk. And the bird was giving only single notes (raucous honks) of what are usually multiple notes per call. Although I would have to review my recorded and stored notes (I keep notes on an Olympus WS-210S DVR (Digital Voice Recorder)), I believe that I have the sound in the background of my notes. This miniature, hand-help DVR is VERY good at picking up bird sounds, although not quite good enough to make archive recordings for the Cornell Ornith. library. 7;^) Tomm "the REAL amateur" Lorenzin Mooresville, NC + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + per puro diletto dello spirito + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Visit me online: http://www.1000plus.com/BirdSong/ From: Kathleen_O'Grady AT nps.gov [mailto:Kathleen_O'Grady AT nps.gov] Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 15:40 To: jrgrego AT mindspring.com; tomm AT 1000plus.com; sparkleclark AT earthlink.net Cc: bill_hulslander AT nps.gov; theresa_thom AT nps.gov Subject: Ring-necked Pheasant at Congaree National Park Hello Tomm, Sparkle and John, I just wanted to let all of you know that for well over a year Rangers,volunteers and campers here in the Park have been reporting a mystery sound. We have listened to mammal, bird and amphib tapes ( sick Fish Crows and racoon kits)to key out the sound. Many of the reports were heard later in the day and some at night and the "creature" appeared to be moving around at times. When I saw the report of the Pheasant, you could have knocked me over with a feather. One of the people that had reported the sound listened to the Cornell website and he said that was what he had been hearing. Eureka! Thanks Tomm for visiting and helping us with this identification. Would you be able to let me know where you heard the bird? Enjoy the spring migration. Ranger Kathleen O'Grady =Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Lake Conestee , 3/13/10 From: Jess Gorzo <galaxycoff AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:26:21 -0800 (PST) I hung out near the Spanco Drive entrance to the park for about an hour in the
late afternoon today, 3:30-4:30pm. Eventually, the predicted storm caught up
with me so I had to leave; was hoping it would have held off until sunset.
Location: Lake Conestee
Observation date: 3/13/10
Number of species: 25
Canada Goose 2
Wood Duck 1
Mallard 2
Ring-necked Duck 3
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Turkey Vulture 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 2
Tree Swallow 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
Brown-headed Nuthatch 2
American Robin 7
Northern Mockingbird 2
European Starling 6
Cedar Waxwing 12
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1
Song Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 7
Red-winged Blackbird 1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Jessica Gorzo
Subject: Piping Plovers at Seabrook IslandFrom: "Jim Edwards" <Jim.Edwards AT furman.edu> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:11:46 -0500 Jane Chew and I had eight (8) Piping Plovers today on the north beach at Seabrook Island (Charleston Co., SC). There were also a good number of Red Knots across the river on Kiawah Island, along with lots of Black Skimmers. By the way, we had our FOY singing Yellow-throated Warbler back on 9 March, two days earlier than last year. Jim Edwards jim.edwards AT furman.eduSubject: Just when you think he's gone... From: "Steve Wedge" <w1es1982 AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:13:46 -0500 After not seeing him for over two weeks, I just saw "our" Baltimore Oriole perched in one of our dogwoods! Steve Wedge Mebane, NC Alamance Co. "I saw a werewolf drinking a Pina Colada at Trader Vic's; his hair was PERfect!" -Warren Zevon If the above message appears, it came from Steve's Son of Laptop!Subject: New Yard Arrival, Soras at Ft Fisher and an ID question From: "Amy" <amyw AT fsow.org> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:48:11 -0500 Hi Everyone, After not seeing "my" male Painted Bunting for a week, I got up this morning to find him (I'm assuming it is the same bird) at one of my feeders. Then, much to my delight, another Painted Bunting joined him at the feeder--a green bird. Am I correct to assume that if the adult male was allowing this second bird at the feeder that it was probably a female? The second bird stayed quite a while before leaving and then returned again within fifteen minutes. Here's hoping that with the feeders and appropriate yard habitat by Whiskey Creek, they'll decide to stay and nest here over the summer! (PB's have nested out on the spoil island at the mouth of Whiskey Creek over the past few years, but never in the yard or neighborhood.) I went down to Ft Fisher yesterday and picked up a few more species I hadn't seen yet this year. I could have gotten a lot more, but I was too far from the mud flats that were teeming with peeps to identify them all accurately. As a result, I could only ID the big ones like the Marbled Godwits and Willets and Oystercatchers. A group of Short-billed Dowitchers touched down right in front of me, which was helpful, and the air was thick with Forster's Terns and gulls. I also spotted some Buffleheads and Red-breasted Mergansers. I went quietly mucking right along the fence around the pond behind the Aquarium and in return for wet feet, I was rewarded with the sight of not one, but two, Soras! I have never identified an Orange-crowned Warbler, but wonder if I found one yesterday: this bird's back was gray (with a tinge of greenish in the gray) and underneath it was a pale-ish dingy yellow (with just a vague hint of streaking) with brighter yellow on the undertail coverts. I can say for certain it wasn't a Palm or a Prairie, as it didn't have the facial patterns of either of those and it didn't engage in tail flicking. It most certainly wasn't a Yellow-rumped either. I can't say that I saw either the presence or absence of an eye line-which Orange-crowned are supposed to have. The other thing I did notice was that it had a vague suggestion of wingbars, but hardly enough to classify as wingbars. If it wasn't an Orange-crowned, any ideas what else it might have been? (Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture.) Cheers, Amy Williamson Wilmington, NCSubject: Baby Woodcocks From: Linda Kolb <rapahana4 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:52:09 -0500 I need help...someone found a dead woodcock on the side of the road last night and picked up her four orphaned babies and brought them to my place of employment (for a cage and parakeet food!!!) I now have the babies and need to know of a bird rehabber in the upstate... Or if anyone has any ideas on how to keep them going. I think they are atleast a week old and are starting to get pin feathers on their wings. I have them in a set up with lots of leaf matter and worms(what the computer says). But they don't seem to be interested. I am leaving them alone in a quite area but I have not seen any sign of them turning over leaves and looking for food. HELP.... Linda Kolb Seneca, SC you can call me on my cell...864-247-1218 "There will be dogs. Also, Judy will be there, and Janis, too. Maybe they will sing a duet about roadtrips. But mostly there will be dogs--come rain or come shine." Peter HorstSubject: Pinewood Lake--160 Rusty Blackbirds From: John and Rhonda Grego <jrgrego AT pop.mindspring.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:36:37 -0500 I swung by Pinewood Lake again this morning. It's still drained and had the same general set of shorebirds as last time. No Greater Yellowlegs this time, but there was an immature Bald Eagle perched on a stump. I counted the Rusty Blackbird flock there a couple times and saw approximately 160 birds. I still have the sense that the flock could be bigger--I hope to visit it a couple times this weekend. John Grego Columbia SCSubject: First Bahamas Piping Plover Re-sighted!! From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:15:09 -0500 Greetings, all: They are coming. The initial resighting of a Piping Plover marked on February 17, 2010 on Andros Island was made and photographed in Duval County, FL today by Pat Leary. It is ~440 air miles between those points. A picture and additional information will be posted on the First Landing blog at www.cvwo.org. Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.comSubject: First Bahamas Piping Plover Re-sighted!! From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:15:09 -0500 Greetings, all: They are coming. The initial resighting of a Piping Plover marked on February 17, 2010 on Andros Island was made and photographed in Duval County, FL today by Pat Leary. It is ~440 air miles between those points. A picture and additional information will be posted on the First Landing blog at www.cvwo.org. Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com _______________________________________________ va-bird mailing list http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/va-bird Thank you for subscribing to Va-bird, a service of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. Please consider joining the VSO. http://www.virginiabirds.net/Subject: Camp TALON (youth birding opportunity) (Georgia) From: Steve Holzman <steve_holzman AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:03:49 -0800 (PST) Hi, Folks:
Do you know a teenager who is into birding? Do you know one whom you'd
like to introduce to birding? If so, then you'll want to know all about Camp
TALON (Teen Adventures Learning Ornithology and Nature). It's a
week-long (June 5-11) camp for teens who are interested in birds and nature.
Sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia
Ornithological Society, and Atlanta Audubon Society, this year's Camp
TALON will kick off with a Saturday night get-together at Charlie Elliott
Wildlife Center in Mansfield before spending the week based at Epworth by the
Sea
on St. Simons Island. We'll be birding at Harris Neck NWR, Altamaha WMA,
Little St. Simons Island, Ft. Stewart, Sapelo Island, and Jekyll Island.
Besides becoming a better birder, camp participants will learn about
bird migration, conservation, census techniques, photography, journaling, and
more. For additional details, including registration and scholarship
application forms, see the announcement at:
http://www.gos.org/conservation/2010CampTALON.html
Bob Sargent
GA Ornithological Society
Macon, Bibb County
Subject: Wilson's PloverFrom: Paul Serridge <paulserridge AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:35:37 -0800 (PST) 2 Wilson's Plovers (one seen, another heard) and 2 Piping Plovers (neither was
banded) at the south end of Litchfield Beach this afternoon. They were on the
mud flats on the inland side of the point.
Other birds in that general location:
Black Skimmer (100+)
Short-billed Dowitchers (50+)
Dunlin (30+)
Western S/P (few)
Forster's Terns (no other tern species)
Herring, Laughing and Bonaparte's Gulls
Horned Grebe (~20 feeding in the surf with Bonaparte's Gulls).
N. Gannet (several diving)
Red-throated Mergansers (50+)
On Wednesday there were literally hundreds of Red-throated Loons on the ocean
all along S. Litchfield Beach with only one or two Common Loons and about 20
Red Knot at the extreme end of the point.
Paul Serridge
Greenville, SC
Subject: Re: No Bachman's Sparrows in Longleaf Restoration AreaFrom: Norman Budnitz <nbudnitz AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:42:55 -0500 What does the Forest Service do when they "bed" a site? How does this affect the wire grass and the Bachman's? Norm On Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 11:32 AM, John Fussell |