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8 Feb sandhill cranes [Pam Potter ] 8 Feb Re: Help requested for a park in west Atlanta [Esther Stokes ] 8 Feb Re: Ivory Gull [Jennifer Griffith ] 8 Feb Rusties?? [Tom Laubenthal ] 8 Feb Gordon County Birding - 2/8/10 [Joshua Spence ] 8 Feb W. Pelican, Henslow's Sparrows, Roseate Spoonbills, Long-billed Curlew, etc.; 8Feb10 [Joel McNeal ] 8 Feb Coastal Georgia Field Trip [Mike ] 8 Feb Re: Sandhill Cranes - Cobb County and Crawford County, GA [Charlie ] 8 Feb Photographer (Sand-Plover), last comment [Ken Blankenship ] 8 Feb Photo Request: Recent Rarities and C.O.P. Migrants [Ken Blankenship ] 8 Feb Sandhill Cranes - Cobb County and Crawford County, GA [Vicki Williams ] 8 Feb Brown Creepers, Kennesaw Mt. Cobb County. [Gene Koziara ] 8 Feb Cochran Shoals (Cobb County), 2-8-10 [Nathan Farnau ] 8 Feb Bradley Unit (Stewart County) - Eufaula NWR 2-7-2010 [Nathan Farnau ] 8 Feb Ivory Gull [Georgann Schmalz ] 8 Feb Help requested for a park in west Atlanta [Steve Holzman ] 8 Feb A couple of links about ethics [Steve Holzman ] 8 Feb Virginia's warbler update & The Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia [john swiderski ] 8 Feb Coastal highlights 7Feb10 [Joel McNeal ] 8 Feb American Woodcock Chickasawhatchee WMA-Swamp of Toa IBA (Dougherty County) [Wayne Schaffner ] 7 Feb more Rusty Blackbirds Brooks Co. [Bradley J Bergstrom ] 7 Feb West Point Lake and Walter F. George Lake - 2/7/10 [Mark McShane ] 7 Feb Lake Hartwell Dam area [krista gridley ] 7 Feb Painted Bunting in McIntosh Co. & Barred Owls after rains [Sheila Willis ] 7 Feb Painted Buntings & Pine Siskin-----Glennville, Tattnall Co. [Gene Wilkinson ] 7 Feb Sandy Springs - Red Headed Woodpeckers [Linda Shipley ] 7 Feb Re: Lk Acworth birds [Pam Potter ] 7 Feb Garden Lakes, Rome [Pam Potter ] 7 Feb Red Headed Woodpeckers [Marty Weems ] 7 Feb Rusty Blackbirds & Purple Finches [Brandon Best ] 7 Feb Redhead, Lake Mayer ["James F. Flynn Jr." ] 7 Feb Charlie Eliott Wildlife Center [djshearer ] 7 Feb Floyd County Tundra Swan [Renee Carleton ] 7 Feb Bald Eagle in western Meriwether County [Pierre Howard ] 7 Feb Tundra swan [Liz Horsey ] 7 Feb Cobb County - Noonday - Chastain Meadows , 2/7/10 [Tom Laubenthal ] 7 Feb Charlton Co. Rusty Blackbird Blitz; South GA road conditions; eagle update [Sheila Willis ] 7 Feb help with I.D.s - Lake Acworth [Pam Potter ] 7 Feb Pine Warblers [Linda Liu ] 7 Feb Re: Savannah Wildlife Refuge [Lois ] 7 Feb Cay Creek Wetland, the coast, and photographers [Giff Beaton ] 7 Feb Re: Photographers (and a suggestion for off-list further discussion) [Marion Dobbs ] 7 Feb Savannah Wildlife Refuge [Sandy McCoy ] 7 Feb Tybee Island/Savannah Refuge ["Lois" ] 7 Feb Tybee Island/Savannah Refuge [Lois ] 7 Feb Photographers (and a suggestion for off-list further discussion) [Steve Holzman ] 7 Feb Birding Photography [mike meadows ] 7 Feb Around birding last week [tyivey ] 7 Feb Vieginia's Warbler update [john swiderski ] 6 Feb Finally found some Rusty Blackbirds, 2/6, Youman's Pond, Great and Lesser Black-backed Gull Tybee Island [Darlene Moore ] 6 Feb Harris Neck NWR, Blackbeard shorebirds, weird AWMA Tree Swallow 2/6/10 [Ken Blankenship ] 6 Feb Snow Goose, Towns Co. [Marion Dobbs ] 6 Feb Morrison Pines Plantation (Colquitt County) [Wayne Schaffner ] 6 Feb Re: Snow Goose in Baldwin County [Joel McNeal ] 6 Feb Robin roost, Bibb County [Anne Armstrong ] 6 Feb BLUE GROSBEAK in Emanuel County [Brenda Brannen ] 6 Feb Snow Goose in Baldwin County ["Lynda Wiggins, CAMELLIA 06-600" ] 6 Feb Macon Bird Report 2/6/10 [Trey Mccuen ] 6 Feb Bluebirds [Chad Skaggs ] 6 Feb The Near Georgia Report* (NGR Summary for January 2010) [Mark McShane ] 6 Feb Redheads, Garden Lakes, Floyd County, Ga. [David Brown ] 5 Feb McIntosh and Glynn Counties [Charlie ] 5 Feb Common Yellowthroats singing - Swamp of Toa IBA-Albany Nursery WMA (Dougherty County) [Wayne Schaffner ] 5 Feb The scoop on Screech Owl boxes [Nate Dias ] 5 Feb Sandhill Cranes , Grasshopper Sparrow [PAUL RANEY ] 5 Feb Sandhill Cranes at Oxbow Meadows - 2/5 [Walt Chambers ] 5 Feb Re: How to hang an owl box [Rusty Trump ] 5 Feb Sharpie near McDonough [James Brooks ] 5 Feb Santee Birding and Nature Festival - April 23, 24, & 25, 2010 [Jennifer Koches ] 5 Feb Jasper County birds-Nov -to date (Feb 5, 2010) [Marjorie Clark ] 5 Feb Re: photographers & gull's injury cause [Sheila Willis ] 5 Feb North GA Birding - 2/4/10 [Joshua Spence ] 5 Feb virginia's warbler update [john swiderski ] 5 Feb Thursday Bird Ramble report on Jekyll [artworksbylydia ] 5 Feb Tundra Swan - Floyd County - 2/4/10, John T. Briscoe Reservoir, Walton County - 2/3/10 [Mark McShane ] 5 Feb Re: How to hang an owl box [Tim Rose ] Subject: sandhill cranes From: Pam Potter <ppotter AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 23:57:24 -0500 My partner in crime, Tina Norris, just told me she saw the cranes over her house in Kingston today. I haven't taught her well enuff to count! lol Pam Potter White, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Help requested for a park in west Atlanta From: Esther Stokes <estherstokes01 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 21:30:06 -0500 Marcia-- Thanks so much for helping Samantha out with this--and Samantha, I hope you find just the information you need either in Marcia's email or in converstion with Emily at Atlanta Audubon! Here's to success in Washington Park! Esther On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 3:36 PM, Marcia wrote: > Dear Samantha, > Your email found its way to me. I am an Atlanta Audubon Society > volunteer and I volunteer with Atlanta's Park Pride, too! > Very glad to hear you'll be doing birding activities in Washington Park > with children! > SHORT ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS: > Paint? No, not necessary to paint bird houses. Also, you definitely > don't want to put a little rod underneath the hole, and if there is one on > your houses, you should snap it off. (Birds fly right in; they don't perch > first. Squirrels, however, love that little rod and will come in and eat > the eggs!) > Which birds? Offhand, I'd say chickadees and bluebirds will likely find > your houses. (Emily might have more ideas) > Where to put your houses? This takes a longer answer! (ask Emily) > Setting up food and water for your Washinton Park birds is another > worthwhile activity. > ARE YOU PLANNING ACTIVITIES WITH CHILDREN TO TEACH THEM ABOUT BIRDS? > We hope you are! Here's where we can help. We have devised some > activity kits which introduce Atlanta kids to the common birds in their > neighborhoods. You can borrow some terrific materials to use with kids. > We'd love for you to join us (no charge) at a LEARNING ABOUT BIRDS workshop > on Saturday morning, March 5, 9 to 12, at our Atlanta Audubon Society center > on Roswell Road. > MORE HELP IS ON THE WAY! > To bring yourself up to speed re: birding, you might join us on our > monthly (free) bird walk in Piedmont Park! Every first Saturday we start at > 8am and go for an hour or more. We meet at 12th and Piedmont. Last > Saturday we saw 22 species! This will help you organize bird walks in > Washington Park! (and maybe we can help you get started). the next walk > in Piedmont Park is Saturday, March 6. > For all your birding activities, I suggest you talk with Emily > Toriani-Moura, our wonderful new environmental educator at the Atlanta > Audubon Society. You can call her at 404 661 6613, or you can email her at > atlantaauduboned AT gmail.com > > I hope to meet you at the march 5 LEARNING ABOUT BIRDS workshop -- you > can bring all your questions there, and meet other folks from schools and > nature centers who are teaching birds to their students! > all best, > marcia > Marcia Klenbort 404 874 9826 > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Esther Stokes > *To:* marcia.klenbort AT comcast.net > *Sent:* Monday, February 08, 2010 10:56 AM > *Subject:* Fwd: [GABO-L] Help requested for a park in west Atlanta > > Marcia-- > > I hope you are well! > > I subscribe to this Georgia Birders Online listserve, and this just came > in. Can you or someone at Atlanta Audubon help Samantha? Somehow there has > got to be a way to bring real knowledge to bear here...e.g. I thought you > did not paint birdhouses but I'm not sure! Obviously she really needs > help!! > > Esther > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Steve Holzman > Date: Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 10:02 AM > Subject: [GABO-L] Help requested for a park in west Atlanta > To: GABO-L AT listserv.uga.edu > > > Hello Georgia Birders, > > I was hoping an Atlanta birder could help Samantha. See her note below. > (getting kids, especially urban kids, interested in birds is a very > noble effort). I hope someone can assist her. > > Thanks in advance, > Steve Holzman > North High Shoals, GA > -------------------------------------------------------- > > Hello, > My name is Samantha Taylor. I am with the Friends of Washington Park. > We are a beltline park in the westside of Atlanta, 30314. I am writing > to you today to ask for assistance. I have about 50 bird houses and a > few pounds of donated bird seed. I am trying to plan a kids day in the > park this early spring. We would be inviting the child and adults to > paint the bird houses and set them up in the park. Some would go in > the woodland area and others would go in the butterfly garden. So here > comes the part where I ask for help. I have no idea what to do. I have > been doing some reseach on birds online. I know that a nesting box has > to be right for the bird. I must first out what are the local birds. > Then I have to check the box dimensions, hole sizes and positions, and > then I have to select an appropriate location for a perfect fit. I am > a bit lost. Is there a certain type of paint to use? I hoping that you > could guide us a bit in this project. I really don't want to have the > kids paint all these houses just to find out later in the year that no > bird wants them. Any advice is welcomed. > Thank You, > > Samantha > greenthumbs AT washingtonparkatlanta.org > > ********** > To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to > http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html > > To contact a listowner, send message to > GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > > To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to > http://www.gos.org/gabo.html > > > > > -- > Esther Stokes > Stokes Landscape Design > 129 Palisades Rd. N.E. > Atlanta, GA 30309 > 404-876-1809 phone > 404-873-1231 FAX > > -- Esther Stokes Stokes Landscape Design 129 Palisades Rd. N.E. Atlanta, GA 30309 404-876-1809 phone 404-873-1231 FAX ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Ivory Gull From: Jennifer Griffith <jbgrif AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 22:21:37 -0500 Thank you to Georgann for posting this update. I hope you don't mind that I copied the post (including the credit to you) for posting to the Carolinabirds group. Apparently a few folks in the Carolinas made the trip down to see this gorgeous bird, & there's been a bit if discussion about it, so this info will definitely be of interest. Glad that the bird will be preserved as well as studied - its loss is sad, but many will benefit from the future study of its remains. Have a bird-i-ful day! Jennifer Griffith Durham, NC (formerly of Stone Mtn.) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Rusties?? From: Tom Laubenthal <tomlaub AT ATT.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 20:54:04 -0500 Folks, 5:45 pm I'm sorry to bother the whole group with this.but I'm a rookie in need of assistance.possible Rusty Blackbirds(?) I have a lot that adjoins others in my neighborhood with very tall, mature hardwoods. For a couple of weeks now we have a group of a couple of hundred "black birds" that are grouping in the treetops right behind my house between about 5 PM and dusk. What I thought were only noisy starlings.after looking with binocs are actually mostly other black birds.the groups flies back and forth to other roosting spots and the distribution changes as I watch. Right now there at least 200 birds chattering away.what I don't know is if the birds other than starlings are grackles or rusty blackbirds, or both (?) I laid on my back on the ground for 20 minutes watching the noisy group seethe in the treetops. I could spot a few well through the branches to be able to note some details. Here's what I'm seeing.there is a light colored eye.and all black. They have tails that seem to be fanned a bit, but not all seem to exhibit this.is the tail one of the big diffs? The books talk about a difference in bills.I'm not sure I can tell. On a couple of the birds the sun was hitting their chests and is seemed to have a uniform bronze tone.but I can't say that for all (typical of a grackle I believe). Should the rusty females be obvious? The starlings are easy enough to eliminate with their light colored bill, their preening behavior and color. My guess is that there are grackles there.from what I believe I've read here is that it is not uncommon for rusties do gather up with grackles and starlings? I have gone through the eBird info.but with the morass of birds in the canopy I guess I don't have the chops yet to quickly discern the diff between grackles and rusties. Any help appreciated. Thanks!! Tom Laubenthal Marietta GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Gordon County Birding - 2/8/10 From: Joshua Spence <spencejoshua AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 21:04:25 -0500 I went out this evening hoping to happen upon more Rusty Blackbirds. I thought I'd check Fite Bend Rd again. No RUBLs, but I did see the most SANDHILL CRANES I've ever observed at this location. There were hoards of cranes foraging in the flooded crop fields just north of the silos. I began counting, but there were so many keeping their heads down in the thick stuff that I could not see them well. I began estimating the numbers of birds grounded and counting the ones that came soaring in to roost. My final figure was between 3000-3500 individuals!!! Waterfowl present: Canada Goose - 200 Gadwall - 4 American Wigeon - one drake Mallard - 6 Northern Pintail - 7 - 5m,2f Ring-necked Duck - 52 After this I went to Pine Chapel Rd to re-try for owls. I finally got an EASTERN SCREECH OWL by the river. Also had two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS displaying along the road. Earlier today I checked the pond on Mashburn Road and found three CANVASBACKS present. Joshua Spence, Murray County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: W. Pelican, Henslow's Sparrows, Roseate Spoonbills, Long-billed Curlew, etc.; 8Feb10 From: Joel McNeal <j.mcneal AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 17:51:52 -0800 Hi folks, I had another good day of coastal/near coastal birding today starting at Andrew's Island Causeway at low tide, where the first bird was a Cooper's Hawk and the second bird was a solitary flyby AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN. Other highlights there included a single AMERICAN AVOCET, a SEASIDE SPARROW, some Horned Grebes, and a lot of shorebirds. Next was Gould's Inlet, where most things were way too far out to see at low tide. I did manage to ID some BLACK SCOTERS and Lesser Scaup, but the majority of Scoters/Scaup were too far out to pick up anything useful. After lunch I headed out to Paulk's Pasture to see if I could pick up my first Henslow's Sparrows in over 7 years. Now that I've seen the flora there, I'm itching to return in spring. I was surprised by the lack of flush-able sparrows and wrens out in the powerline (though it was mid-afternoon), but before I even got off the mowed path a group of Savannah Sparrows with a single HENSLOW'S SPARROW flew into a low shrub with the Henslow's ducking away almost instantly. I ended up with at least 3 different Henslow's on the day. The final one flew out of the field immediately and into the surrounding edge. It perched in a shrub about 5 ft off the ground for a while before moving gradually up to 30 ft off the ground! I've never seen an Ammodramus anywhere close to that elevation. I took a couple quick photos and left the bird in peace to come back down to earth. I spent the later afternoon on Jekyll Island, beginning with the Amphitheatre Pond near high tide. It was fantastic, with 4 ROSEATE SPOONBILLS, 62 Black-crowned Night Herons, and 17 Yellow-crowned Night Herons among the other waders. A large Alligator was within chomping distance of a few large turtles and a couple waders, but it probably wasn't going to make any sudden moves in the cold wind. Jekyll's South Beach was strikingly lame at high tide, with nothing out-of-the-ordinary and even the ordinary being in low numbers. A quick check of the north end for sea ducks came up empty, so I went back out to the causeway and visitor center (the causeway yielded 2 American Kestrels and a Loggerhead Shrike among other fare earlier in the day). I was greeted upon my arrival at the tower by a CLAPPER RAIL who called and flew between Spartina patches right below me. The growing flats out from the visitor center had nearly as many shorebirds as yesterday evening, but many were hiding behind tall patches of Spartina. A MERLIN made a couple passes and stirred everything up but didn't appear to successfully grab anything. There was a noticeably higher proportion of large shorebirds this evening; 6 WHIMBREL, 24 MARBLED GODWIT, and 37 AMERICAN AVOCETS were fantastic, but the unquestioned highlight was a LONG-BILLED CURLEW dwarfing all the other shorebirds! I managed a few mediocre digiscoped photos at 60X in high wind and waning evening light. It was a great way to top off another fun day of coastal birding. Some photos from today are at the link in my signature, and a couple of the more interesting ebird reports from the day are pasted below. Good birding, Joel McNeal Winterville, GA http://www.pbase.com/joelmcneal/7feb10coast Location: Andrew's Island Causeway Observation date: 2/8/10 Notes: Low tide, some shorebirds way too far out to ID. Number of species: 33 Hooded Merganser 8 Only one drake Red-breasted Merganser 41 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Horned Grebe 8 American White Pelican 1 Flyover headed E Double-crested Cormorant 25 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 2 White Ibis 8 Wood Stork 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Black-bellied Plover 55 Semipalmated Plover 300 Killdeer 8 American Avocet 1 Willet 15 Ruddy Turnstone 2 Western Sandpiper 150 Dunlin 800 Short-billed Dowitcher 25 Laughing Gull 4 Ring-billed Gull 12 Forster's Tern 7 Eastern Phoebe 1 Fish Crow 5 Northern Mockingbird 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 15 Palm Warbler (Western) 1 Seaside Sparrow 1 Red-winged Blackbird 15 Eastern Meadowlark 1 Boat-tailed Grackle 8 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Paulk's Pasture WMA Observation date: 2/8/10 Notes: First time to Paulk's Pasture. Number of species: 10 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Carolina Chickadee 1 Brown-headed Nuthatch 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Eastern Bluebird 3 Eastern Towhee 2 Savannah Sparrow (Eastern) 5 Henslow's Sparrow 3 Traditional location for this species. One individual flushed into shrub at edge of woods, then gradually moved up to 30 ft in the canopy. Photographed. Song Sparrow 1 Swamp Sparrow 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Jekyll Island--Amphitheater Pond Observation date: 2/8/10 Notes: Checked at high tide. ROSPs and high density of BCNHs photographed. Number of species: 11 Double-crested Cormorant 5 Anhinga 2 Great Egret 21 Snowy Egret 18 Black-crowned Night-Heron 62 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 17 White Ibis 1 Roseate Spoonbill 4 Black Vulture 2 Turkey Vulture 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 15 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Jekyll Island--Visitor's Center Observation date: 2/8/10 Notes: Freshly receding tide. Most birds hadn't yet started feeding, including LBCU. Many more birds behind Spartina clumps not able to be ID'd. Way fewer SBDOs than yesterday. Number of species: 22 Hooded Merganser 9 Great Egret 5 Snowy Egret 4 Tricolored Heron 2 White Ibis 35 Wood Stork 2 Merlin 1 Put up all the birds a couple times, including the curlew Clapper Rail 6 One sounded off and flew between Spartina patches right below the tower Black-bellied Plover 300 Semipalmated Plover 30 American Avocet 37 Greater Yellowlegs 15 Willet 100 Whimbrel (American) 6 Long-billed Curlew 1 Digiscoped AT 60X with smaller avocets, godwits, willets, etc. Marbled Godwit 24 Western Sandpiper 200 Dunlin 500 Short-billed Dowitcher 50 Ring-billed Gull 5 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Boat-tailed Grackle 12 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Coastal Georgia Field Trip From: Mike <mikelchap AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 17:48:58 -0500 Feb 27th (Saturday) FIELD TRIP TO RACCOON KEY AT 9am AT JEKYLL ISLAND WHARF (near the restaurant Latitude 31, across from the Jekyll Island Hotel.) We will go by boat to the key and then spend 5-6 hours on the key, exploring the island by foot at our leisure. There is a lodge available for rest and bathroom facilities. There are no other facilities such as weather shelters or benches, except for the lodge. Bring your own water, snacks and lunch. The cost of the trip is $50/each. Send a check for that amount by Feb 20th to: Carole Lyons AT 101 Militia Hill Way, St. Simons Island, GA 31522. Only a check (not a promise of) keeps your reservation on this trip. No refunds unless: you find a substitute; the boat is near full or the trip is cancelled. Moderate to heavy rain and lack of adequate participants will cancel the trip. Maximum participants 25 people! Don't miss this opportunity to see birds in the wild on this relatively uninhabited island. Hundreds of Roseate Spoonbills were seen this past week. Birding scopes come in handy. Dress for warmth/unexpected rain. See you there! Coordinator: Carole Lyons AT 912-638-6134. Mike Chapman Brunswick, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Sandhill Cranes - Cobb County and Crawford County, GA From: Charlie <cmmbirds AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 13:15:51 -0800 They're sure passing through. I had 125 at the UGA ag campus in Griffin at 12:30 today. Then I had about 25 at my home in Lamar County at 2pm. Cheers, Charlie Muise Lamar County --- On Mon, 2/8/10, Vicki Williams wrote: > From: Vicki Williams > Subject: [GABO-L] Sandhill Cranes - Cobb County and Crawford County, GA > To: GABO-L AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > Date: Monday, February 8, 2010, 3:39 PM > Hello, > Hal Massie (Nusella Ga/Crawford County) had at least > 4 groups of sandhill cranes fly over headed north between > 11:00 am and 2:30 pm. > > Maybe the sandhill cranes Vic and I (Due West ie > Marietta/Cobb County) just saw fly over were the ones he saw > earlier today. There was one group of about 80, flying > rather fast, headed NW. They did regroup based on the change > in their calling pattern. > > Yesterday I did hear two groups very very faintly > around 4:20 when I was filling the birdfeeders. But the only > reason I heard them was because I was already outside. Never > did see them. > > Enjoy the rest of today while it is dry and > sort of sunny! > > Vicki Williams > Due West > (Marietta) > Cobb County, > Georgia > > > ********** > To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go > to > http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html > > To contact a listowner, send message to > GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > > To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to > http://www.gos.org/gabo.html > > ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Photographer (Sand-Plover), last comment From: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 16:13:22 -0500 For anyone inclined to go searching online (I did not anticipate this, oops)... the photographer I was referring to at the Greater Sand-Plover site was NOT Roger Clark. Roger is a very well-respected and skilled member of the Florida birding community and was one of the first people involved in helping to photograph and identify the bird, along with Doris and Patrick Leary. Sorry - I try to keep my head down and stay out of trouble, but I had to clarify as I did not recall that ABA may have put two photos on "Peeps" at the time, but they did. Ken Blankenship Marietta, GA (Cobb County) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Photo Request: Recent Rarities and C.O.P. Migrants From: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 15:56:18 -0500 Hi, folks. This winter has been full of surprises in Georgia, as we all know. Not only have several mega-rarities been discovered, but many of them were present (or are still present) long enough for many lucky observers and photographers to view. And this has certainly generated much discussion. About the ethics of what we do, and what we try to avoid doing: whether we are guests at someone's home watching a feeder, on the other side of a lens as a dying bird is taking its last breath... and afterwards, as we ask ourselves what ALL of us were really doing. Trying to reach out and touch the impossible? Add a tick to a list? Feel the thrill of a bird that realistically some of us will never see again in our lifetime? Or get a photo published in a widely-distributed ornithological journal? All of the above? Rachel and I are not unscathed by unethical photographers, either. When I saw a photo of the Greater Sand-Plover taken by the very man who brought us very close to "calling him out" on the Florida ListServ published in the ABA online newsletter "Peeps," I was fuming. This person swerved his car around two "slow pokes" on that tiny sand track, got frustrated when he finally got stuck behind more cars, leapt out of his car, turned around and snarled at us "Move back! Let me back! Get outta my way!," parked illegally, and then hustled on foot past the carefully creeping vehicles and their scanning occupants, straight onto the mud flats, and marched right up and started snapping shots before a full 30+ early birders had even found the proper parking lot... disgusting. Yet, amidst all of the discussion and controversy surrounding wildlife photography, sometimes I find myself caught in the middle. Because I recruit and edit photos for the GOS Oriole and send in photos for ABA's North American Birds, of course I try to choose those which best capture the essence of the bird, the best field marks, aesthetics, and so on. Sometimes I just cannot choose, and I allow the NAB Photo Editor to make the final cut among finalists. But I generally have NO IDEA what the circumstances behind the photos were. Having beautiful photographs published is what motivates our wonderful photographers to do what they do. But it is also what motivates the unscrupulous ones to do what they do (see above). Did they push a bird before others could see it? Use audio in a breeding area? Flush a bird 14 times until it's finally exhausted and perches? Yet I digress... Because many, many photographers had a chance to enjoy the Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Virginia's Warbler, and Ivory Gull - I would like to put out a request to send me your best 1-2 shots (only) or link to a photo page for consideration in the journals. Some of you have Flickr pages, some of you do not, and there are many people I do not know exist who may have taken an amazing photo of one of these important rarities. The best photos should be published for the ornithological record. The same goes for the Fall Migrant Madness at Centennial Olympic Park in Fall 2009. This deadline is a little more pressing. I have already collected a number of photos of the birds found in the park between 23 Oct - 12 Dec 2009. But I'd like even more. If you took any photos and would like them considered for a future article about the event, please email those to me or a link to a photo page as well. Thank you, Ken Blankenship Marietta, GA (Cobb County) http://www.wingsoverga.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Sandhill Cranes - Cobb County and Crawford County, GA From: Vicki Williams <masterweeder AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:39:39 -0800 Hello, Hal Massie (Nusella Ga/Crawford County) had at least 4 groups of sandhill cranes fly over headed north between 11:00 am and 2:30 pm. Maybe the sandhill cranes Vic and I (Due West ie Marietta/Cobb County) just saw fly over were the ones he saw earlier today. There was one group of about 80, flying rather fast, headed NW. They did regroup based on the change in their calling pattern. Yesterday I did hear two groups very very faintly around 4:20 when I was filling the birdfeeders. But the only reason I heard them was because I was already outside. Never did see them. Enjoy the rest of today while it is dry and sort of sunny! Vicki Williams Due West (Marietta) Cobb County, Georgia ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Brown Creepers, Kennesaw Mt. Cobb County. From: Gene Koziara <gene.koziara AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:19:44 -0800 I hiked the East-West trail this morning (take a left off the paved road to the top where the dirt trail crosses the paved road) and went as far as the stretch that starts the climb up Little Kennesaw Mountain then I backtracked back to the visitor's center. Last week I saw 2 Brown Creepers on this stretch of trail, and today I wanted to confirm what appeared to be good Brown Creeper habitat this winter. I was not disappointed, seeing at least 3 different Brown Creepers this AM. All 3 today and all 2 last week were seen adjacent to streams, which are abundant this winter along this stretch of trail. They were all seen in context of mixed flocks of other birds. A link to some photos is below the e-bird posting: Location: Kennesaw Mountain Nat. Battlefield Park Observation date: 2/8/10 Notes: Route was visitor center to East-West trail towards spur to climb little Kennesaw Mt then turned around and came back same way without proceeding to little Kennesaw Mt. Objective was to see and photograph Brown Creeper. Number of species: 17 Canada Goose X -heard flying over Turkey Vulture 1 hawk sp. 1 - in flight and not able to ID- no red on tail. Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Blue Jay 4 American Crow 1 Carolina Chickadee 3 Tufted Titmouse 7 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Brown Creeper 3 Carolina Wren 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 10 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 American Robin 8 White-throated Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Link to photos of Brown Creeper: http://www.flickr.com/photos/genekdr/4340902555/ Gene Koziara Kennesaw ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Cochran Shoals (Cobb County), 2-8-10 From: Nathan Farnau <natwan AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 15:00:48 -0500 I took a walk at Cochran Shoals this morning. Most notable were two PURPLE FINCHES near the back trail of the sparrow field (near where it exits to the west trail). Location: Cochran Shoals Unit (Chattahoochee NRA) Observation date: 2/8/10 Number of species: 37 Canada Goose 5 Mallard 11 Double-crested Cormorant 6 Great Blue Heron 6, I enjoyed watching stick presentations on the nest. Red-shouldered Hawk 3, very vocal, calling incessantly. Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-headed Woodpecker 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 Downy Woodpecker 5 Northern Flicker 3 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 6 Blue Jay 8 American Crow 26 - aggressive mobs. The RSHAs got no rest today. Carolina Chickadee 16 Tufted Titmouse 14 White-breasted Nuthatch 7 Brown-headed Nuthatch 4 Carolina Wren 9 Winter Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Eastern Bluebird 8 American Robin 4 Northern Mockingbird 1 Brown Thrasher 3 Cedar Waxwing 7 Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 Pine Warbler 3 Eastern Towhee 11 Field Sparrow 4, also at the back end of the sparrow field. Shy but reliable at this spot. Song Sparrow 18 Swamp Sparrow 7 White-throated Sparrow 12 Northern Cardinal 10 PURPLE FINCH 2 American Goldfinch 12 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Nathan Farnau East Atlanta (DeKalb County) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Bradley Unit (Stewart County) - Eufaula NWR 2-7-2010 From: Nathan Farnau <natwan AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 14:47:39 -0500 Upon my arrival at the Bradley Unit, it was immediately evident that the woods and fields there were essentially all bona fide wetlands. So my better judgement kept me on the roads - which seemed to be the only areas clear of serious water. Since this precluded any good opportunity for Ammodramus sparrows, I tempered my ambitions for the morning. Nonetheless, what the property lacked in "bird-able" fields, it made up for in better-than-usual waterfowl habitat. Here's an annotated list: Location: Eufaula NWR--Bradley Unit Observation date: 2/7/10 Number of species: 53 Wood Duck 6 Gadwall 8 American Wigeon 45+, in small groups all over the property, very vocal Mallard 14 Blue-winged Teal 3 Northern Shoveler 21 Green-winged Teal 4 Ring-necked Duck 62 Bufflehead 5, in the boat accessible backwater contiguous with the river Pied-billed Grebe 2 Double-crested Cormorant 4, fly-overs Great Blue Heron 4 Great Egret 6 Little Blue Heron 1 Black Vulture 2 Turkey Vulture 14 BALD EAGLE 1 juv. soaring over the silos Northern Harrier 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 adult, 1 juv. The latter blasted a feeding flock of YRWAs near the silos. Red-shouldered Hawk 4 Red-tailed Hawk 2 American Kestrel 1 Common Moorhen 6 American Coot 315 Killdeer 1 Wilson's Snipe 3 Ring-billed Gull 72, in streams flying down-river. This group circled over the refuge. Mourning Dove 8 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 Downy Woodpecker 4 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Phoebe 7 Blue Jay 7 American Crow 23 PURPLE MARTIN 1, over the flooded woods near the check station (FOTS) Carolina Chickadee 12 Tufted Titmouse 3 Carolina Wren 12 House Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 American Robin 5 Northern Mockingbird 3 Brown Thrasher 6 Cedar Waxwing 6 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 125 Common Yellowthroat 10 Eastern Towhee 26 Song Sparrow 38 Swamp Sparrow 55 Northern Cardinal 14 Red-winged Blackbird X Common Grackle 25 blackbird sp. 350, heard their cacophony from a distance, and could pick out a few COGR from distant silhouettes, but never got close enough to speciate the rest. Nathan Farnau East Atlanta (DeKalb County) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Ivory Gull From: Georgann Schmalz <georgannschmalz AT WINDSTREAM.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 11:23:03 -0500 Hi All, The Ivory Gull found by Walt Chambers at West Point Lake, GA and viewed by so many between January 25 - 29, 2010, then found in poor condition and subsequently died, was taken to Ed Thompson, taxidermist, last Wednesday, 3 February. Ed called me this morning as he began his work of mounting the bird for display (at a yet-to-be determined location). He has saved the body cavity, eyes and brain for necropsy at UGA. After skinning the bird, he said there were no broken bones in the wings, no signs of any predator attack, and for that matter, no signs of injuries. He looked for fat reserves in the usual places and found little, but also said that the bird did not appear to be in a starving condition typically characterized by a sharp keel and wasting muscles. So, there you have it. Hopefully, the necropsy will show what the bird was eating and any other internal conditions that might explain its death. Later, Georgann Georgann Schmalz Ornithologist Dawson County, GA Birding Adventures, Inc. http://www.birdingadventuresinc.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Help requested for a park in west Atlanta From: Steve Holzman <steve.holzman AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 10:02:35 -0500 Hello Georgia Birders, I was hoping an Atlanta birder could help Samantha. See her note below. (getting kids, especially urban kids, interested in birds is a very noble effort). I hope someone can assist her. Thanks in advance, Steve Holzman North High Shoals, GA -------------------------------------------------------- Hello, My name is Samantha Taylor. I am with the Friends of Washington Park. We are a beltline park in the westside of Atlanta, 30314. I am writing to you today to ask for assistance. I have about 50 bird houses and a few pounds of donated bird seed. I am trying to plan a kids day in the park this early spring. We would be inviting the child and adults to paint the bird houses and set them up in the park. Some would go in the woodland area and others would go in the butterfly garden. So here comes the part where I ask for help. I have no idea what to do. I have been doing some reseach on birds online. I know that a nesting box has to be right for the bird. I must first out what are the local birds. Then I have to check the box dimensions, hole sizes and positions, and then I have to select an appropriate location for a perfect fit. I am a bit lost. Is there a certain type of paint to use? I hoping that you could guide us a bit in this project. I really don't want to have the kids paint all these houses just to find out later in the year that no bird wants them. Any advice is welcomed. Thank You, Samantha greenthumbs AT washingtonparkatlanta.org ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: A couple of links about ethics From: Steve Holzman <steve.holzman AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 08:42:39 -0500 I was asked off-list if there was a statement of ethics for birding. There are two that I'll list. American Birding Association http://www.aba.org/bigday/ethics.pdf Georgia Ornithological Society http://www.gos.org/orginfo/codeofethics.htm (we had these printed up on field cards and would be glad to provide them to any Audubon groups in the state. Just email Ashley Harrington and he'll get some out to you. harringanj AT yahoo.com Marion Dobbs also tracked down a "Principles of Ethical Field Practices" by the North American Nature Photography Association http://www.nanpa.org/docs/principles.pdf (thanks Marion) Again, as this topic as been beat to death (by a tripod, most likely) ;-) please conduct further discussion off-list at: http://www.quicktopic.com/43/H/VeTWTwZgZbDM Thank you for your time. -- Steve Holzman, North High Shoals, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Virginia's warbler update & The Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia From: john swiderski <swiderskij AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 08:39:34 -0500 Hi all, The VIWA continues but it was sort of a heart stopper this morning. Ever since Jan 16th the bird has been regular in hitting the nectar feeder a few minutes after first light. This morning I did not see the VIWA until 7:45, must have slept in I suppose! So it continues with us today. I will not be posting again until closer to the weekend - unless there is a change in status of course. On another subject: We received our copy of "The Breeding Bird Atlas of Georgia" from The UGA Press Saturday. The finished product is a first class book and you will want this basic reference along with your Annotated Checklist of Georgia (2003) and your favorite field guide(s). Congratulations to everyone connected with the field research, authoring species accounts and the many other tasks connected with such a large undertaking. Special thanks to DNR's Todd Schneider, the BBA committee and the organizations which supported the endeavor financially and in other ways. cu - John and Kate Swiderski ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Coastal highlights 7Feb10 From: Joel McNeal <j.mcneal AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 01:53:52 -0800 Hi GA birders, I found myself in the coastal Carolinas this weekend anyway and hadn't yet been to the GA coast in mid-winter, so I decided to head on down yesterday to try to pick up a few birds I hadn't yet seen since moving to GA (particular targets included American Bittern, Purple Sandpiper, American Avocet, and Henslow's Sparrow). So far so good. I started my day at Savannah NWR across the border in SC where my first birds of the day were 5 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS in a tree between the exit and entrance to the Laurel Hill Wildlife loop. Waterfowl numbers were lower than I expected, but there was still plenty to see including at least 5 Northern Harriers (at least 2 of which were adult males seen from the same vantage point at once), the cooperative Great Horned Owl near the entrance (couldn't find its mate anywhere), and 3 rail species (Virginia, King, and Sora) sounding off. Last but not least was a very cooperative/photogenic AMERICAN BITTERN not far from the roadside. He never flushed, but he did do a goofy little merengue for me in an attempt to mimic the surrounding cattail stalks blowing in the wind. Next stop was the north beach of Tybee Island at high tide, where the highlights were a close Red-throated Loon off the rock jetty (ssp. Darlenei?), a PIPING PLOVER amidst a pretty good-sized group of shorebirds, and 18 PURPLE SANDPIPERS roosting in the company of a few dozen Ruddy Turnstones on the upper beach away from all the other roosting birds. There was a cold, crisp wind blowing, and the pack of turnstones/purps were huddled neatly downwind of a slight sand drift for shelter. I wasn't able to relocate the plover after a jogger ran straight through the larger shorebird flock while I was obviously scanning them, but I refrained from swinging my tripod in vengeance (it would be a shame to damage my tripod). My final destination of the day was the Jekyll Island Causeway, where I was first greeted by a low flyover PEREGRINE FALCON. Not too much further down the causeway, a young BALD EAGLE looked positively gigantic sitting on one of the lower poles. There was a lot going on in the marsh out from the Visitor's Center, as 4000+ shorebirds swarmed over the freshly exposed mudflats. Among them were 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS, 2 Whimbrels, and 4 Marbled Godwits. Most numerous were dowitchers, all of whom that I scanned looked good for Short-bills. Lots of Clapper Rails were sounding off in all directions, including two below the tower who were chasing each other through the Spartina. A few photos from the day (mostly the bittern and Purple Sandpipers) are at the link in my signature; no rocks were thrown at any of the birds to obtain flight shots... Joel McNeal Winterville, GA http://www.pbase.com/joelmcneal/7feb10coast Location: Savannah NWR Observation date: 2/7/10 Notes: Drove around the Laurel Dr. loop twice. No other cars the first time, not as good the second time. Number of species: 59 Gadwall 2 Mottled Duck 2 Pair near the exit of the loop; flushed by another vehicle just as I was depressing the shutter on my camera... Blue-winged Teal 65 Northern Shoveler 9 Green-winged Teal (American) 4 Ring-necked Duck 350 Ruddy Duck 5 Pied-billed Grebe 15 Double-crested Cormorant 12 Anhinga 2 American Bittern 1 Very cooperative for photos. Snowy Egret 5 Little Blue Heron 7 Tricolored Heron 5 Black Vulture 5 Turkey Vulture 1 Bald Eagle 1 Adult in distant treeline Northern Harrier 5 2 males seen at once in different directions from the same location. Cooper's Hawk 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 American Kestrel 1 King Rail 1 Heard only. Virginia Rail 1 Heard only (called in response to my car starting). Sora 5 1 seen briefly. Common Moorhen 75 American Coot 200 Wilson's Snipe 1 Mourning Dove 5 Great Horned Owl 1 On nest in crotch of extremely old Quercus virginiana. Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 3 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 3 Blue Jay 1 Tree Swallow 20 Carolina Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 5 Carolina Wren 2 Winter Wren 1 Marsh Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Hermit Thrush 5 American Robin 35 Gray Catbird 1 Northern Mockingbird 7 Cedar Waxwing 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 85 Common Yellowthroat 11 Eastern Towhee 2 Song Sparrow 16 Swamp Sparrow 45 White-throated Sparrow 25 Northern Cardinal 8 Red-winged Blackbird 250 Eastern Meadowlark 5 Rusty Blackbird 5 In tree seen from main road between entrance and exit of Laurel Hill Dr. loop. This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Tybee Island--North Beach Observation date: 2/7/10 Notes: Successful trip to see my first PUSA since moving away from MA. Surprisingly few gulls and terns. Number of species: 21 Bufflehead 1 Off rock jetty Red-breasted Merganser 1 Flyby Red-throated Loon 1 Very close in to rock jetty Double-crested Cormorant 25 Piping Plover 1 Unbanded; briefly seen with large shorebird group until flushed by jogger. Not relocated. American Oystercatcher 28 Willet (Western) 7 Ruddy Turnstone 115 Sanderling 25 Western Sandpiper 45 Purple Sandpiper 18 Sheltering from wind behind mini-dune on upper beach with Ruddy Turnstones but away from other spp. Dunlin 200 Laughing Gull 18 Ring-billed Gull 240 Herring Gull (American) 35 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 1st cy Great Black-backed Gull 2 1 adult, 1 1st cy Royal Tern 4 Black Skimmer 70 offshore flybys headed toward N. beach Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 15 Boat-tailed Grackle 75 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Location: Jekyll Island--Visitor's Center Observation date: 2/7/10 Notes: From observation tower at freshly receding tide. Large flocks of shorebirds arriving from 5:00 onward. Number of species: 27 Hooded Merganser 12 All female Double-crested Cormorant 3 Great Egret 10 Snowy Egret 8 Tricolored Heron 12 White Ibis 25 Wood Stork 2 1 flyby at eye level just out from tower. Clapper Rail 20 Almost all of them sounded off concurrently at one point, 2 calling right below the tower seen chasing each other. Black-bellied Plover 150 Semipalmated Plover 5 American Avocet 2 My first in GA Greater Yellowlegs 28 Willet 90 Most likely all or predominantly Westerns. Whimbrel (American) 2 Marbled Godwit 4 Ruddy Turnstone 15 Western Sandpiper 500 Dunlin 800 Short-billed Dowitcher 2000 All birds fit a pale-flanked, *relatively* short bill (grain of salt taken), and FLAT-BACKED profile while actively feeding. 'Tututu' notes could be heard from closest group of birds when they flushed into flight. Ring-billed Gull 10 Tree Swallow 15 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 30 Common Yellowthroat 1 Song Sparrow 2 Red-winged Blackbird 150 Boat-tailed Grackle 18 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: American Woodcock Chickasawhatchee WMA-Swamp of Toa IBA (Dougherty County) From: Wayne Schaffner <wschaffner AT LIVE.COM> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 00:15:43 -0500 After finishing my Bluebird nesting box route I had about three hours of daylight left which I spent on the IBA. Highlight was my first American Woodcock out there. I heard three 1-mile south of the Mud Creek Road Gate at dusk. One was 25 feet from the road. It flew as I got out of the truck. I heard one of the others fly. Location: Swamp of Toa IBA--Chickasawhatchee WMA Observation date: 2/7/10 Number of species reported: 42 (0-RUBL) Number of species identified: 41 Wood Duck 2 Turkey Vulture 4 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern) 1 American Kestrel 1 American Woodcock 3 Mourning Dove 3 Great Horned Owl 1 Barred Owl 1 Red-headed Woodpecker 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker 5 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 5 Downy Woodpecker 6 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2 Pileated Woodpecker 4 Eastern Phoebe 2 White-eyed Vireo 4 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 2 Carolina Chickadee 7 Tufted Titmouse 6 White-breasted Nuthatch 4 Carolina Wren 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6 Eastern Bluebird 3 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 4 Northern Mockingbird 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 8 Pine Warbler 4 Palm Warbler 8 Common Yellowthroat 6 Eastern Towhee 4 Chipping Sparrow 600 Field Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow 2 Swamp Sparrow 16 White-throated Sparrow 4 Northern Cardinal 7 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Rusty Blackbird 0 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Wayne Schaffner Tifton, Georgia _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469229/direct/01/ ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: more Rusty Blackbirds Brooks Co. From: Bradley J Bergstrom <bergstrm AT VALDOSTA.EDU> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 22:33:02 -0500 The Okapilco Creek floodplain just east of Quitman was even more flooded today than one week ago. At 2 pm no blackbirds were in sight, but at 5 pm, a very dynamic flock of nearly 2,000 birds (considerably smaller than last week) included an estimated 500 Rusty Blackbirds, and over 1,000 Brown-headed Cowbirds. Much smaller numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds than last week, but there are so many of the latter in the area. The icterids at this locality were at times feeding on piles of cattle feed freshly put out in the pasture. Just prior to 5 pm, 3 mi SW of the above location, we (Marvin Smith and I) encountered a smaller icterid flock in a small swamp and adjacent fields off US-221 near Singhal Rd. We counted ca. 100 Rusty Blackbirds, 200 Red-winged Blackbirds, and 250 Common Grackles in this flock. They were feeding on crop residues (some of which looked like peanuts) and going to the swamp's trees to roost. (I've reported the above and last week's sightings to e-bird). Brad Bergstrom Valdosta, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: West Point Lake and Walter F. George Lake - 2/7/10 From: Mark McShane <eagleeyed AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 22:09:38 -0500 Hi All, I went to West Point Lake early this morning to search for rare loons, grebes, and gulls, etc., and then somehow contracted wanderlust and decided to check Walter F. George Lake further south as well! On the way home I stopped by West Point Lake again, very glad I did! All of the usual February Big Georgia Water loons (Common), grebes (Pied- billed and Horned), cormorants (Double-crested), herons (Great Blue), eagles (Bald), gulls (Bonaparte's, Ring-billed, and Herring), and terns (Forster's) were in evidence on both lakes and below the dams as well (well no loons or grebes below the dams), and in very good numbers too! Highlights included: Walter F. George Lake --------------------- Northern Pintail, 2 in the center of the lake Brown Pelican, 1 above the dam on the floats West Point Lake - Evening Stop ------------------------------ American Wigeon, 2 Bufflehead, 26 Common Goldeneye, 49 in one raft off of the center of the dam, maybe best to get there late afternoon to watch them come in, they put their heads down toward evening! Gulls, 5000-7000, huge rafts in the main body of the lake continued up the western arm! Good Birding All! Mark Mark McShane Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia http://neargareport.blogspot.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Lake Hartwell Dam area From: krista gridley <kgridley AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 21:25:01 -0500 Nice sunny day at the Lake Hartwell Dam. Seemed like every cove and open area I checked had Common Loons! Tried really hard to turn one into a Yellow-billed, but my scope just wouldn't do it for me... Also Horned Grebes, Ring-billed Gulls, Coots, Mallards, a Sharp-shinned Hawk up close, and a gorgeous Red-breasted Merganser. Not to mention, a few Canadian Geese. Krista Gridley Athens, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Painted Bunting in McIntosh Co. & Barred Owls after rains From: Sheila Willis <swillis AT WAYXCABLE.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 21:06:14 -0500 Hey folks, Hope you are fine. Gene Wilkinson's recent post reminded me that a friend of mine, Emmy Minor, said on 2/5 that she has had a male PAINTED BUNTING at her feeders in Pine Harbor, McIntosh Co. She is a former wildlife rehabilitator that specialized in birds, and she also mentioned that with heavy rains (especially after droughts) lots of BARRED OWLs would be brought in to the center after being hit by cars. They go to the roads to catch the frogs that come out on highways during such times. I believe 14 was one of her highest numbers, and these are the ones that survived. I remember seeing both BARRED OWLs and EASTERN SCREECH-OWLs more often along the roadsides around the western Okefenokee Swamp when I would drive back home at night during those times. In that same vein, I recall hearing that the screeches are often hit when trying for mice that eat apples & other food thrown from cars. It was said that if you are going to pitch out your biodegradable snacks, such as apple cores, that you should toss them as far out as you can away from the road. I think that the many ways that animals & roads are connected, both good & bad, is most interesting. Take care. Sincerely, Sheila Willis Native American-Naturalist Talks & Tours Waycross, Ware Co., GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Painted Buntings & Pine Siskin-----Glennville, Tattnall Co. From: Gene Wilkinson <glwfishing AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 17:39:04 -0800 Hello All, Today the birds were very active in my yard and I had a good count of my sightings. Highlights of them were the (2) Painting buntings and (1) Pine Siskin feeding with the American Goldfinch at the thistle feeder.  Below is a list of what I saw in my yard today. Mourning Dove-----(2) Eurasian Dove------(2) Red-bellied Woodpecker--(2) Downy Woodpecker--(1) Northern Flicker---(1) Pileated Woodpecker--(1) Blue Jay-----(1) Carolina Chickadee--(1) Tufted Titmouse---(1) Carolina Wren---(2) Ruby-crowned Kinglet--(1) American Robin---(50)+ Northern Mockingbird---(2) Cedar Waxwing---(17) Yellow-rump Warbler--(8) Chipping Sparrow---(60)+ White-throated Sparrow--(2) Northern Cardinal---(6) Painted Bunting---(2)  The first seen at feeders on 12-1-09, the second was first seen at feeders on 1-22-10. Common Grackle--(3) Pine Siskin---(1) Seen at feeders twice today---Photos taken. American Goldfinch---(60)+ Gene Wilkinson Glennville, Ga. ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Sandy Springs - Red Headed Woodpeckers From: Linda Shipley <Sharja AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:27:57 -0500 We have them on a regular basis here in Sandy Springs. There is a nesting pair that I got to watch raise young this past spring at the Blue Heron Nature Center on Roswell Rd. This winter I've seen them there spending lots of time on the tree with the nest cavity. Linda Shipley Sandy Springs ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Lk Acworth birds From: Pam Potter <ppotter AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:27:27 -0500 Well the census is: hybrid fowl. I was afraid of that...oh well. Thanks for all replies! ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Garden Lakes, Rome From: Pam Potter <ppotter AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:21:03 -0500 Got my friend, Tina Norris, and headed over to Rome to find the Garden Lakes. WOW! I have several new life birds from this trip. I have never seen so many American Coots! Anyway here's a list. On the small lake on Elliot: Am Coots 100+ Am Wigeon 100 approx Ring-necked duck 10 muscovy 5 gulls (too far off to id)4 mallard 2 Redhead 10 Lake Conasauga Am Coot 100-200 Canada Goose 7 mallard 20 fancy white duck with feather knob on head 2 LOL pied-billed grebe 12 Pam Potter White, GA Bartow co ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Red Headed Woodpeckers From: Marty Weems <martydanaphoto AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 19:35:02 -0500 Where have all the Red Headed Woodpeckers gone? I know the "stock" answer is "loss of habitat", but when I lived on what we once called Blackjack Mountain in Marietta, there was always a pair and the area was not nearly as heavily wooded with huge old oaks, sweetgums and pines as I now have all in our yard and on surrounding land. I have not seen even one Red Headed Woodpecker in 12 years. I do so miss the startling beauty of the brilliant red and striking black, then to be delighted to see the brilliant white addition when in flight. I know they are still "out there" as I see reports from some of you who see them, but I wonder if their numbers are on the decline? I sincerely hope not! Marty Weems Paulding County USA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Rusty Blackbirds & Purple Finches From: Brandon Best <sandfalcon AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 19:08:51 -0500 Greetings all, When I got home from work this evening I went into the backyard to fill my sunflower feeder and heard blackbirds in the trees. Ran to grab my binos and discovered a mixed flock of about 40 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS and 60 Common Grackles. This is the third winter I have been able to report RUBL to the Blitz from my home in Lawrenceville (Gwinnett Co). They roost (I think) along the Yellow River which is near my house. This stretch of the river matches their habitat preferences as it is covered up with thick rank early successional woodland. Additionally, I visited Yellow River Park (south of Snellville and about 14 miles drive from my home) last Wednesday. The highlight was at least 4 PURPLE FINCHES, all female plumaged birds. Have others noticed an increase in numbers of PUFI as winter has progressed, in particular since the last half of January? It has seemed that way to me, though my sample size of sightings is decidedly small. Brandon Best Lawrenceville, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Redhead, Lake Mayer From: "James F. Flynn Jr." <jim.flynn AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 18:35:30 -0500 Hi, folks, Earl Horn & I stopped at Lake Mayer in Savannah on the way back from the coast yesterday evening. The most notable species was a female Redhead feeding very close to the shore edge on the northwest corner of the lake. Lots of Ruddy Ducks, coots, cormorants, Tree Swallows, Forster's Terns and Ring-billed Gulls, and an Anhinga were also present. Take care, Jim Flynn Forsyth Co., GA http://www.gos.org http://www.atlantaaudubon.org/ ****************************** ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Charlie Eliott Wildlife Center From: djshearer <djshearer AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 17:52:24 -0500 A first trip here for me to this large area just south of Mansfield, GA in Newton County. Birded the area around the Visitors Center, the nearby woodland Blue Trail, and around Margery and Fox Lakes. The highlight was juncos, a flock of red-winged blackbirds, and a belted kingfisher at Fox Lake. I spent several minutes watching him bashing his catch against a stump before he finally ate it. The dark-eyed juncos were feeding in a grassy area to the left of the Visitors Center. A few chipping sparrows and an occasional pine warbler were in the mix. It was too far away and in bad light, but I thought I saw a single double-crested comorant on the lake. Is this possible at this time of year here? Feb. 7 (12:30 - 3:00) (18 species) Turkey Vulture - 4 Red-tailed Hawk - 2 Ring-billed gull - 1 Belted kingfisher 1 Red-bellied woodpecker - 6 American Crow - 12 Carolina Chickadee - 6 Tufted Titmouse - 4 Rudy-crowned Kinglet - 2 Eastern Bluebird - 2 American Robin - 4 Northern Mockingbird - 2 Pine Warbler - 6 Chipping Sparrow - 2 Savannah Sparrow - 7 Dark-eyed Junco - 30 (24 near visitors center, another 6 feeding on the woodland trail) Northern Cardinal - 4 Red-Winged Blackbird - 100+ (resting in a tree off Murder Creek Church Rd.) Diane Shearer Tucker, GA, DeKalb County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Floyd County Tundra Swan From: Renee Carleton <rcarleton AT BERRY.EDU> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 16:41:01 -0500 The Tundra Swan is still here in Floyd County. We found it today taking a nap on the grassy bank of the Industrial Park pond. I took some pictures from fairly close and it didn't seem particularly bothered by our presence. Also at Paris Lake there was a large (50+) flock of ring-billed gulls and 5 male mallards. Canada geese are so numerous here that they hardly count. I also got a bonus from the Swan. It defecated while I was watching it and being an avian biologist, I just couldn't help but grab the sample when the swan walked off. I'll be checking it for parasites when I get it to the lab tomorrow. Since it was on land I could easily see that it wasn't banded. Links to the pictures: http://miservice.net/~renee/TundraSwan.jpg http://miservice.net/~renee/TundraSwan2.jpg http://miservice.net/~renee/TundraSwan3.jpg Happy birding, Renee Carleton Mount Berry, GA (Berry College) Taylorsville, GA (home) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Bald Eagle in western Meriwether County From: Pierre Howard <h_pierre AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 16:24:26 -0500 To GABO: A highly reliable observer saw an adult Bald Eagle devouring a dead armadillo in a farm field near Stovall in western Meriwether County today. The bird was seen approximately 20-25 miles from West Point Dam as the eagle flies. The farm has several lakes and ponds on it, and it also has numerous mature loblolly pines suitable for eagle nesting. The landowner will keep an eye out for more eagle activity in the area. Pierre Howard Atlanta (Fulton), Georgia ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Tundra swan From: Liz Horsey <erhorsey AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 20:49:20 +0000 staying put in the lake near Steel King where it has been reported for the last few days. Not much of note on Paris Lake except a few hundred ring-billed gulls, kingfisher and great blue heron. Floyd County.  Liz Horsey erhorsey AT comcast.net NW Atlanta, Fulton Co. ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Cobb County - Noonday - Chastain Meadows , 2/7/10 From: Tom Laubenthal <tomlaub AT ATT.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 15:16:40 -0500 Location: Noonday - Chastain Meadows Observation date: 2/7/10 Notes: This is my first time taking a shot at reporting a count. I would love to know how to better estimate the sparrows etc. when you seem surrounded by them. I reported as well as I know how, what I actually had in my binocs or were obvious without. My guess is that I undercounted in many cases. The Eastern Phoebe was thrilling, my first time ID-ing one....he actually sat still for many minutes and gave me a good chance to look through Sibleys completely to be sure the ID was good. The kinglets seemed to be everywhere....on field edges in pine/scrub mix. The robins and cardinals were also everywhere...prob much more than counted. Never a bad day with lots of birds about. Number of species: 27 Black Vulture 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Mourning Dove 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Downy Woodpecker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Blue Jay 6 American Crow 5 Carolina Chickadee 4 Tufted Titmouse 12 White-breasted Nuthatch 5 Carolina Wren 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6 American Robin 25 Northern Mockingbird 2 Brown Thrasher 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Pine Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 3 Chipping Sparrow 8 Song Sparrow 16 White-throated Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 20 Rusty Blackbird 0 House Finch 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Tom Laubenthal Marietta, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Charlton Co. Rusty Blackbird Blitz; South GA road conditions; eagle update From: Sheila Willis <swillis AT WAYXCABLE.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 15:03:03 -0500 Hey folks, Hope you are fine. Guess it was a very windy day all around on Saturday. There were some extremely strong winds in Charlton Co. where the Okefenokee Bird Club had a field trip on 2/6 in order to try to find some RUSTY BLACKBIRDs along with other short birding. The White Bay was really showing the white undersides of its leaves this day! Travel Note: due to heavy recent rains, many of the rivers and creeks in South Georgia are full & overflowing. Be careful if you try to go down dirt roads as many are very boggy or full of deep wet puddles in places, especially as you get closer to the rivers. From another personal trip on 2/2: Big Hammock Wildlife Management Area in Tattnall Co. off GA Hwy #121 is totally flooded and gates are locked on the east section (didn't check the other side). For this weekend, our club had another main goal of also visiting Devils Elbow of the St. Marys River (s. of Traders Hill); however, the various hunt club co-owners who oversee it day-to-day for The Nature Conservancy fell short on their communication again & none of the people who were to help us w/ a key were present at their respective work sites in the vicinity. We will attempt this area again in the future & depending upon circumstances, I'll try to put it on GABO for others who might be interested too. Access to the river is via a ~1 mile long, unmarked dirt road e. of John Burch Rd. Additionally, a Charlton Co. hotspot for eagles was checked; however, we did not find any at all. A secretary at the Chesser Island Road Landfill said that she had not heard of more than 1 BALD EAGLE being seen this season and no GOLDEN EAGLEs; however, it's possible that others there have seen them & not mentioned them to the secretaries. Traditionally, there are up to 8 Bald Eagles (mix of adults & immatures) & 2 Golden Eagles (1 adult, 1 immature) that are seen there. The Goldens are around from late Fall--early Spring while the Balds are year-round residents. This site is located 2.4 miles s. of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge entrance rd s. of Folkston & w. of GA Hwy #121 off Chesser Island Road. At .4 mi. in there is a paved spur road which leads a short distance south to the office where you can park. Typically, the gates are closed mid-day on Saturdays & all day Sundays. With the landfill expanding southward, at this time you can also get some long-distance views by going no further than ~.8 mi. south on GA #121 from the Chesser Island Rd junction to places where there are gaps in the pinelands. While at the landfill, we did encounter swirling overhead a large flock of gulls, the vast majority of which were RING-BILLED with a few HERRING GULLs thrown in. A fair-sized flock of TURKEY VULTUREs was there also with a single BLACK VULTURE. For the rest of the day, we had 11 sites picked out to search for the blitz. A variety of swamp, creek, river, & pastureland was searched to no avail for RUSTY BLACKBIRDs. One site had had a flock of 170 on the Okefenokee NWR CBC of 12/27/09, but was empty on 2/6 except for 2 TURKEY VULTUREs. That spot is Clarks Mill, a marsh .9 mi. s. of Folkston's Main St. junction w/ GA Hwy #121 and on the w. side of that highway. Another location near the w. end of Traders Hill Rd that had 7 of those declining blackbirds on the CBC was also barren during the blitz trip. Two spots did at least have some members of the blackbird family as well as other types of birds. The best was reliable old Murray Farm, n. of Duck Island Rd & just e. of the eastern rim of the Okefenokee Swamp. A mixed flock of BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDs and female RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs were sighted at a cattle trough in the pasture and were flushed by a herd of cows that thought we were bringing food and so came our way. You could see by the "look" on their faces they wondered what was going on when no meal was forthcoming. Luckily, the birds returned so we got better looks. Also present were vivid-yellow EASTERN MEADOWLARKs, noisy KILLDEER, SAVANNAH SPARROWs and AMERICAN CROWs among others. A yard on Sardis Rd just e. of Sardis Church was attractive to a huge flock of AMERICAN ROBINs that also included male RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDs and a few COMMON GRACKLEs. The other species found were few & far between & very little was recorded on the official stops. As I said, the winds were incredible & the water levels high. One of the species located between the stops was WILD TURKEY, a flock of which was seen in their usual eastern field along GA Hwy #121 just s. of Tracys Ferry Rd. Waterways such as Spanish Creek and Hatchers Branch had singles of GREAT EGRET, RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, NORTHERN FLICKER, & HOUSE WREN at their bridges. There were lots of vocal RED-SHOULDERED HAWKs which went along with this being their nesting season. AMERICAN KESTRELs were found sitting on the powerlines in the open areas. A COMMON GROUND-DOVE was spotted near Traders Hill Recreation Area. Additionally, we did have a good little bird wave on Mattox Rd near the end of the day which was made up of very colorful birds such as EASTERN BLUEBIRD, PINE WARBLER, & PALM WARBLER (very bright yellow) among others. The EASTERN PHOEBE there was seen eating an insect from its fence-line perch. Swaying in the high winds, a Red Cedar tree was making strange, squeaking noises which sounded like an odd nuthatch. CHARLTON CO. 2/6/09 (Total 33 species) Canada Goose: 6 GA Hwy #121 opposite elementary school Great Egret: 1 Black Vulture: 1 at Chesser Island Road Landfill Turkey Vulture: 65 (w/ 46 at Chesser Island Road Landfill; 8 Murray farm) Red-shouldered Hawk: 8 American Kestrel: 4 Wild Turkey: 9 e. side GA Hwy #121, s. of Traders Hill Killdeer: 9 (7 Murray farm, 2 GA Hwy #121) Ring-billed Gull: ~620 at Chesser Island Road Landfill Herring Gull: ~18 at Chesser Island Road Landfill unknown Gull: ~100 at Chesser Island Road Landfill Rock Pigeon: 3 Folkston Mourning Dove: 2 Common Ground-Dove: 1 Tracys Ferry Rd Red-bellied Woodpecker:1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker:1 Northern Flicker: 1 Eastern Phoebe: 1 American Crow: 5 (4 Murray farm, 1 Traders Hill Recreation Area) Carolina Wren: 1 House Wren: 1 Eastern Bluebird: 6 American Robin: 321 w/ 1 flock of ~250 at Sardis Rd house Northern Mockingbird:1 European Starling: 22 Folkston Pine Warbler: 1 Palm Warbler: 1 Chipping Sparrow: 10 Savannah Sparrow: 4 Murray farm Red-winged Blackbird: 55 (~25 females at Murray farm; 30 males at Sardis Rd house) Eastern Meadowlark: 4 Murray farm Common Grackle: 5 Sardis Rd house Brown-headed Cowbird: 50 (males & females) at Murray farm House Sparrow: 2 Folkston Take care. Sincerely, Sheila Willis Native American-Naturalist Talks & Tours Waycross, Ware Co., GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: help with I.D.s - Lake Acworth From: Pam Potter <ppotter AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 14:06:21 -0500 Subject: Pine Warblers From: Linda Liu <hummingbird888 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 12:57:09 -0500 Dear Birders, Not sure if anyone knows about this. I was reading about warblers in the world (there are 114 species) and an article about this newly discovered warbler in Vietnam, Limestone Leaf Warbler (*Phylloscopus calciatilis*) caught my eyes. This bird is not a new, new species and only breeds in China, Laos and Vietnam. With the DNA hybridization technology, scientists found out this warbler is closely related to the Yellow-vented warbler from eastern Himalayas, not the Sulphur-breasted warbler as they first thought. I am wondering if anyone has seen this species and if anyone has a good picture of this warbler can send me (or a link to the photo site). Then I decided to put a small clip together for celebrating this Pine Warbler who recently found his way home. Cheers! -- Linda Liu Forsyth County, Georgia, USA www.WingsSpirit.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Savannah Wildlife Refuge From: Lois <croakie AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 12:22:39 -0500 Having just been there I would not have a problem doing the Laurel Dr. loop by myself. Lois Stacey ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Cay Creek Wetland, the coast, and photographers From: Giff Beaton <giffbeaton AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 12:13:11 -0500 GABbers- I just got back from a trip to the coast to participate in the Midwinter Shorebird Survey as well, and even though the weather was a bit challenging it was fun to help out. While I was down there, I went by Cay Creek Wetland in Liberty County (near Midway, DeLorme page 55 E8). I have been intrigued by Sandy Beasley's posts about it, and with some directions from Beth Willis-Stevenson went by there on Thursday looking for Rusty Blackbirds. While I didn't find any, I did find a nice new boardwalk through a cypress-tupelo-gum swamp with some pretty birdy habitat. The boardwalk is a straight shot, not a loop, and is 0.7 mile round trip. It winds around through the swamp and ends up at some salt marsh along Cay Creek. There is an observation tower near the back, good for getting into the canopy a bit. There was a nice little coastal forest flock of birds when I was there, nothing unusual but including some Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, several Hermit Thrushes, Blue-headed Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler, etc. The site is not huge, but it's very close to I-95 and would be a good stop, especially in spring or summer. I would think it's worth checking in migration too, both seasons. Anyway, it's easy to find: Take Exit 76 off I-95, which is US 84 and GA 38 and is the Midway exit. Go inland, toward Midway, for about a mile to Charlie Butler Road, and turn left (there are signs for the wetland here). The first right in 0.2 mile, also signed, takes you into the wetland parking lot. There are signs here and porta-johns, but nothing else. I also went to Tybee Island on Thurs, and also found a couple of Red-throated Loons right next to the shore. Alas, plenty of Ruddy Turnstones but no Purple Sandpipers on a falling mid-tide. Being both a birder and a photographer, I have followed the recent thread about photographers harassing birds with great interest. Like all of you, I have witnessed irresponsible behavior as well, and have not always stepped up to make comments right when they were needed. I certainly intend to in the future, but in the meantime the tone of some of the posts has been very surprising to me. Does anyone really think that Steve was literally suggesting whacking someone with a tripod?? Please. The guy is a committed and tireless advocate for birds and conservation, not a thug, and I agree he should be congratulated for his great track record not vilified for an offhand attempt at humor. Like Ty, I have had many careful stalks of birds flushed by walkers or even other birders who didn't notice what I was doing, but that's just part of the challenge of photography. As a photographer, my take on all this is that we photographers need to police our own ranks better, and not take umbrage when others correctly note that some (a very few, I believe) photographers act irresponsibly. As birders, we could also police our own ranks better when it comes to other irresponsible behavior like trespassing on private property. Mostly I hope that maybe we could all just treat the birds, the environment, and each other courteously. Giff Beaton Marietta GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Photographers (and a suggestion for off-list further discussion) From: Marion Dobbs <catbird500 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 10:17:24 -0500 Ok, at the risk of incurring the wrath of the other administrator of the list and maybe have him hit me with a tripod, I want to offer him my public support in this unfortunate flap. Does anyone who knows him actually think he'd advocate violence against anyone? Does anyone who knows him not understand his passion for birds and their protection? Does anyone who knows him not realize he's given to joking from time to time to make a point? Is he human? Well, I THINK so. :-) Give him a break, folks. Do his critics (OK I have some, too.) forget his years and years of tireless devotion to birds and their conservation and his long, long record of service to GOS and to this community? Do they realize that it is questionable there would even be a forum for almost 1000 people, of varying interests, attitudes, knowledge, abilities, and temperatments, to discuss Georgia birds, birding, and birders, if not for his initiative in founding GABO 12 years ago and maintaining it in the face of many attacks like this and complaints and questions and requests and discussions and criticism, public and private. He has done this with great patience (far greater than my own) and hard work and enormous dedication and has managed to keep things headed in the right direction and has made great efforts to keep the tone of the list at a level of civility not seen on many discussion lists of this type. I repeat, give the man a break. Better yet, give him a round of applause. Marion Dobbs Rome (Floyd Co.) GA catbird500 AT comcast.net http://mamomi.net http://mariondobbs.smugmug.com http://ponddamsel.phanfare.com The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'_ Isaac Asimov ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Holzman" To: Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 9:13 AM Subject: [GABO-L] Photographers (and a suggestion for off-list further discussion) > New location for discussion of this topic) - > http://www.quicktopic.com/43/H/VeTWTwZgZbDM > > Apologies, but I've not been near a real computer since Wed. night. I > can type on my phone but it's a pain and it tends to make my posts > quick and apparently insulting. So I'm finally taking the time to go > back to my original post and see where I went wrong. Here it is. I > will add my comments in parentheses. > ------------------------------------- > I do like the hall of shame concept, and reminders like this are often > needed, but more importantly, birders have a right and a > responsibility to address this type of behavior whenever you see it > happening. (okay, so here I say that birders have a right to address > this type of BEHAVIOR...so I must be talking about BEHAVIOR that is > unrespecting of the others watching a bird or the bird itself. I've > set the stage for my post limiting itself to the exhibition of > inappropriate BEHAVIOR). > > > If I'm there I'll back you up and my tripod is pretty damn heavy if it > gets to that point. (okay, here is the offending passage....am I > talking about hitting all photographers...of course not...I've already > made it clear that I was talking about addressing a type of > behavior.....am I using hyperbole, and my smart-ass nature...yes of > course I am, and those that know me realized that. Was it an > unfortunate 'joke'? Yes, it was. I apologize). > > But it rarely will. Mostly, overzealous birders and photographers just > need to be reminded that they are approaching on harrassement. (and > here is the main message...I guess I buried the lead....OVERZEALOUS > BIRDERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS..... there is NO distinction in my mind, I > am clearly (at least to me) indicating that I am talking about any > person that approaches on harrassement whether they have a scope, > camera, or sketch pad). > > I've seen a lot of these type of complaints on listservs, but I've > rarely seen birders/photogs confronted on site. I think more of that > needs to happen. just my two cents (again I lump birders and > photographers together and say they need to be confronted...okay, > confronted is a poor choice of words, perhaps it would be better to > say, 'talked to'). > > Steve Holzman > North High Shoals, GA > > That was it. My post was obviously not as clear as it should have > been, and offended at least 2 members of GABO-L whose contribution to > birding in Georgia I respect and admire. So let me try again. > > 1) We have all seen bad behavior exhibited by people enjoying birds, > whether taking their picture or viewing them in scopes and binoculars. > 2) Is it better to talk to the person exhibiting the bad behavior, > instead of complaining on a listserv? Yes I believe it is. > 3) We have all heard people making jokes about flushing birds, whether > to see a set of field marks, or to get a flight shot. Is that > insensitive? Sure it is. Do people really throw rocks? In 24 years > of birding, I've NEVER seen it happen. > 4) Honestly, if you are alone, and you are not impinging on anyone > else's desire to see a bird, you flushing an individual bird is > meaningless. Birds are flushed all day, by raptors, by other animals, > and sometimes probably by their own shadow. To me this was a > discussion of flushing a rarity being enjoyed by others, with more > birders or photographers on their way. No one wants to be the person > that flushes a rarity that never is seen again. No one wants to flush > a bird into a power line, or into the attention of a raptor (although > I love raptors and predation is fantastic to experience...I just don't > think most of us want to be the one directly responsible...I hope you > get my point). > 5) Perhaps more importantly (as evidenced at Viera Wetlands recently), > NO ONE wants the bad behavior of a birder or photographer so offending > the landowner that access to these locations is curtailed. > 6) Photographers have really revolutionized birding, by fantastic > documentation of rarities, production of dramatic images that may > spark some kid to say, "hey, birds are awesome, I need to go out and > appreciate them more", and just yesterday, Darlene was able to take > pictures of banded oystercatchers that will help in important research > being done on the coast. AND I love looking at their pictures! > 7) Steve Holzman will never hit anyone with his tripod. I mean, come > on, did you really think I would? > Do you really think I was advocating violence? If you did, I apologize > for giving that impression. I was being flippant, and an ass. Sorry. > > As I was taken to task for not curtailing the discussion quickly, I > would like to do so now, but (as always) I'd like to provide an > alternative location for discussion. > > http://www.quicktopic.com/43/H/VeTWTwZgZbDM > > Thank you for your time, > Steve Holzman, North High Shoals, GA > > > On Sun, Feb 7, 2010 at 7:29 AM, tyivey wrote: >> It was an interesting week in Georgia birding last week. I >> finally got to Valdosta to see the Virginia's Warbler. Thank you John >> and Kate Swiderski. I had dinner last night with a friend who is just >> REALLY getting into birding. He was so excited to finally have found a >> Creeper after trying hard for over two years. This thanks to Vicki >> DeLoach. I reminded him what I had told him about birding being the >> friendliest hobby there was. But then I reflected on some of the other >> weeks activities and I wondered if I had told my friend correctly. You >> see he has purchased a camera with a 300mm lens to document his >> sightings. >> I didn't know until last week that bird photographers were second >> class citizens in the birding community. I learned a lot about bird >> photographers from the almost uncontrollable (And UNCHECKED) outcry >> against them on GABO-L. I thought to myself as a member of the check >> list committee, this is going to make the work of the checklist committee >> much more difficult. Surely no one will want to risk the enmity of his >> fellow birders by pulling out a camera. All of those sightings that have >> been helped by photo documentation will be lost. That is going to make >> the checklist committee unpopular when they reject sightings because of >> the poor field notes of the reporter. Oh well, it wasn't all bad. I >> learned that when I use the techniques of Arthur Morris and spend over >> thirty minutes crawling slowly into position to get pictures of the >> resting birds on the south end of Jekyll Island and some walker or runner >> (usually with a dog) comes nonchalantly through flushing the birds, I >> have some recourse. I can teach them some manners by hitting them with >> my tripod. These people have the audacity to think that they have just >> as much right to the beach at Jekyll that I do. Bird photographers are >> always looking for a good tip on how to improve their field techniques. >> The other thing that I learned this week was on an unfortunate >> note. I learned via a blind copy not sent to the listserve that a >> friend of mind had resigned from the listserve because of the post on >> bird photographers. It seemed that he thought that the listserve was for >> reporting bird sightings and that the administrators would monitor and >> warn against personal and political views stated on the listserve. We >> will miss this person and it made me sad because he is in the time that I >> have know him one of the most even tempered, unflappable people that I >> know. >> Another thing that made me a little sad was the knowledge that I >> may not see some of you as often as I have in the past. I try to keep my >> distance from crowds when I have my camera because crowds make the birds >> uneasy and spoil the picture. Then again, it seems that cameras make the >> crowd uneasy too. >> Ty Ivey >> Macon >> >> PS: to the administrator: No need to admonish me for this post. I know >> that it is inappropriate already. >> > > > > -- > Steve Holzman, North High Shoals, GA > > ********** > To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to > http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html > > To contact a listowner, send message to > GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > > To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to > http://www.gos.org/gabo.html > > ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Savannah Wildlife Refuge From: Sandy McCoy <mccoysgs AT ATT.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 10:11:44 -0500 I'm not sure if this the appropriate place for this question, but I have the opportunity to go to the Savannah Wildlife Refuge next week for the first time. Is it a safe place (relatively) for a woman to go by herself as long as I'm cautious? Sandy McCoy, NE Cobb County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Tybee Island/Savannah Refuge From: "Lois" <croakie AT comcast.net> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 09:57:31 -0500 Augusta-Aiken Audubon sponsored a field trip to the coast this very, very windy weekend. We met up at the Laurel Dr. entrance. When our car got there everyone was looking up into one of the trees, but not the one where the owl nest is. (By the way, the female looked like she hadn't moved in the last two weeks!). In one of the other trees though her mate was calmly sitting near the top. It was a great start to the field trip. We decided to go to Tybee first and faced the 20-40 mph winds to walk down the beach. There wasn't a whole lot of stuff out there but we did end up with 7 Purple Sandpipers, lots of Ruddy Turnstones and a Willet. There were lots of Herring Gulls with Ring-billed Gulls down the beach a way staying on the sand. Among them were 2 Laughing Gulls, 2 Royal Terns and an immature Great Black-backed Gull. All of a sudden there was an adult Great Black-backed Gull sitting calmly on the beach. He had not been there 2 minutes earlier and no one saw him fly in. We still don't know how he got there!! Another mystery guest was an American Oystercatcher who just suddenly appeared as well. A nice addition was meeting Mark Freeman and John Jensen who were doing shorebird surveys. It's always nice to put a face with a name. We went back to Savannah Refuge and drove around the ponds. There were no surprises among the ducks or waders, most of whom were hunkered down. We did have a good number of Harriers including an adult male. We also had several adult Bald Eagles (we started the day with one flying up from a carcass on the side of Hwy 23 near Girard, something none of us had ever seen before). By the end of the day I think we had 4 or 5. One of the best birds of the day though was a Baltimore Oriole in the trees along one of the ponds. One burned off muddy field produced a flock of Snipe and a few Killdeer. It was a good day and we had a good time! Lois Stacey North Augusta, SC (Aiken Cnty) www.augustaaikenaudubon.org Subject: Tybee Island/Savannah Refuge From: Lois <croakie AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 09:57:31 -0500 Augusta-Aiken Audubon sponsored a field trip to the coast this very, very windy weekend. We met up at the Laurel Dr. entrance. When our car got there everyone was looking up into one of the trees, but not the one where the owl nest is. (By the way, the female looked like she hadn't moved in the last two weeks!). In one of the other trees though her mate was calmly sitting near the top. It was a great start to the field trip. We decided to go to Tybee first and faced the 20-40 mph winds to walk down the beach. There wasn't a whole lot of stuff out there but we did end up with 7 Purple Sandpipers, lots of Ruddy Turnstones and a Willet. There were lots of Herring Gulls with Ring-billed Gulls down the beach a way staying on the sand. Among them were 2 Laughing Gulls, 2 Royal Terns and an immature Great Black-backed Gull. All of a sudden there was an adult Great Black-backed Gull sitting calmly on the beach. He had not been there 2 minutes earlier and no one saw him fly in. We still don't know how he got there!! Another mystery guest was an American Oystercatcher who just suddenly appeared as well. A nice addition was meeting Mark Freeman and John Jensen who were doing shorebird surveys. It's always nice to put a face with a name. We went back to Savannah Refuge and drove around the ponds. There were no surprises among the ducks or waders, most of whom were hunkered down. We did have a good number of Harriers including an adult male. We also had several adult Bald Eagles (we started the day with one flying up from a carcass on the side of Hwy 23 near Girard, something none of us had ever seen before). By the end of the day I think we had 4 or 5. One of the best birds of the day though was a Baltimore Oriole in the trees along one of the ponds. One burned off muddy field produced a flock of Snipe and a few Killdeer. It was a good day and we had a good time! Lois Stacey North Augusta, SC (Aiken Cnty) www.augustaaikenaudubon.org ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Photographers (and a suggestion for off-list further discussion) From: Steve Holzman <steve.holzman AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 09:13:15 -0500 New location for discussion of this topic) - http://www.quicktopic.com/43/H/VeTWTwZgZbDM Apologies, but I've not been near a real computer since Wed. night. I can type on my phone but it's a pain and it tends to make my posts quick and apparently insulting. So I'm finally taking the time to go back to my original post and see where I went wrong. Here it is. I will add my comments in parentheses. ------------------------------------- I do like the hall of shame concept, and reminders like this are often needed, but more importantly, birders have a right and a responsibility to address this type of behavior whenever you see it happening. (okay, so here I say that birders have a right to address this type of BEHAVIOR...so I must be talking about BEHAVIOR that is unrespecting of the others watching a bird or the bird itself. I've set the stage for my post limiting itself to the exhibition of inappropriate BEHAVIOR). If I'm there I'll back you up and my tripod is pretty damn heavy if it gets to that point. (okay, here is the offending passage....am I talking about hitting all photographers...of course not...I've already made it clear that I was talking about addressing a type of behavior.....am I using hyperbole, and my smart-ass nature...yes of course I am, and those that know me realized that. Was it an unfortunate 'joke'? Yes, it was. I apologize). But it rarely will. Mostly, overzealous birders and photographers just need to be reminded that they are approaching on harrassement. (and here is the main message...I guess I buried the lead....OVERZEALOUS BIRDERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS..... there is NO distinction in my mind, I am clearly (at least to me) indicating that I am talking about any person that approaches on harrassement whether they have a scope, camera, or sketch pad). I've seen a lot of these type of complaints on listservs, but I've rarely seen birders/photogs confronted on site. I think more of that needs to happen. just my two cents (again I lump birders and photographers together and say they need to be confronted...okay, confronted is a poor choice of words, perhaps it would be better to say, 'talked to'). Steve Holzman North High Shoals, GA That was it. My post was obviously not as clear as it should have been, and offended at least 2 members of GABO-L whose contribution to birding in Georgia I respect and admire. So let me try again. 1) We have all seen bad behavior exhibited by people enjoying birds, whether taking their picture or viewing them in scopes and binoculars. 2) Is it better to talk to the person exhibiting the bad behavior, instead of complaining on a listserv? Yes I believe it is. 3) We have all heard people making jokes about flushing birds, whether to see a set of field marks, or to get a flight shot. Is that insensitive? Sure it is. Do people really throw rocks? In 24 years of birding, I've NEVER seen it happen. 4) Honestly, if you are alone, and you are not impinging on anyone else's desire to see a bird, you flushing an individual bird is meaningless. Birds are flushed all day, by raptors, by other animals, and sometimes probably by their own shadow. To me this was a discussion of flushing a rarity being enjoyed by others, with more birders or photographers on their way. No one wants to be the person that flushes a rarity that never is seen again. No one wants to flush a bird into a power line, or into the attention of a raptor (although I love raptors and predation is fantastic to experience...I just don't think most of us want to be the one directly responsible...I hope you get my point). 5) Perhaps more importantly (as evidenced at Viera Wetlands recently), NO ONE wants the bad behavior of a birder or photographer so offending the landowner that access to these locations is curtailed. 6) Photographers have really revolutionized birding, by fantastic documentation of rarities, production of dramatic images that may spark some kid to say, "hey, birds are awesome, I need to go out and appreciate them more", and just yesterday, Darlene was able to take pictures of banded oystercatchers that will help in important research being done on the coast. AND I love looking at their pictures! 7) Steve Holzman will never hit anyone with his tripod. I mean, come on, did you really think I would? Do you really think I was advocating violence? If you did, I apologize for giving that impression. I was being flippant, and an ass. Sorry. As I was taken to task for not curtailing the discussion quickly, I would like to do so now, but (as always) I'd like to provide an alternative location for discussion. http://www.quicktopic.com/43/H/VeTWTwZgZbDM Thank you for your time, Steve Holzman, North High Shoals, GA On Sun, Feb 7, 2010 at 7:29 AM, tyivey wrote: > It was an interesting week in Georgia birding last week. I > finally got to Valdosta to see the Virginia's Warbler. Thank you John > and Kate Swiderski. I had dinner last night with a friend who is just > REALLY getting into birding. He was so excited to finally have found a > Creeper after trying hard for over two years. This thanks to Vicki > DeLoach. I reminded him what I had told him about birding being the > friendliest hobby there was. But then I reflected on some of the other > weeks activities and I wondered if I had told my friend correctly. You > see he has purchased a camera with a 300mm lens to document his > sightings. > I didn't know until last week that bird photographers were second > class citizens in the birding community. I learned a lot about bird > photographers from the almost uncontrollable (And UNCHECKED) outcry > against them on GABO-L. I thought to myself as a member of the check > list committee, this is going to make the work of the checklist committee > much more difficult. Surely no one will want to risk the enmity of his > fellow birders by pulling out a camera. All of those sightings that have > been helped by photo documentation will be lost. That is going to make > the checklist committee unpopular when they reject sightings because of > the poor field notes of the reporter. Oh well, it wasn't all bad. I > learned that when I use the techniques of Arthur Morris and spend over > thirty minutes crawling slowly into position to get pictures of the > resting birds on the south end of Jekyll Island and some walker or runner > (usually with a dog) comes nonchalantly through flushing the birds, I > have some recourse. I can teach them some manners by hitting them with > my tripod. These people have the audacity to think that they have just > as much right to the beach at Jekyll that I do. Bird photographers are > always looking for a good tip on how to improve their field techniques. > The other thing that I learned this week was on an unfortunate > note. I learned via a blind copy not sent to the listserve that a > friend of mind had resigned from the listserve because of the post on > bird photographers. It seemed that he thought that the listserve was for > reporting bird sightings and that the administrators would monitor and > warn against personal and political views stated on the listserve. We > will miss this person and it made me sad because he is in the time that I > have know him one of the most even tempered, unflappable people that I > know. > Another thing that made me a little sad was the knowledge that I > may not see some of you as often as I have in the past. I try to keep my > distance from crowds when I have my camera because crowds make the birds > uneasy and spoil the picture. Then again, it seems that cameras make the > crowd uneasy too. > Ty Ivey > Macon > > PS: to the administrator: No need to admonish me for this post. I know > that it is inappropriate already. > -- Steve Holzman, North High Shoals, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Birding Photography From: mike meadows <mike7260 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 06:06:42 -0800 Birding photography is a great asset to "birding".  Where would we be in ornithology today without bird photography.  How many of us get excited about, not only the photos in Audubon andThe Living Bird, and others, but also all of the photos published on flicker, etc, that allows all of us to share the excitement of birding.  Photography is a great asset in helping us to verify that a rare species has indeed invaded and area or extended it's range. There will always be those who "abuse", whatever the activity may be, but those few who disturb birds by "throwing stones" should not be a cause for us to discredit the good that is served by good, responsible bird photography.  I, personally, hope to continue to enjoy all of the outstanding photos submitted online for all of us to enjoy and appreciate.  Bird photography is definitely an asset to the modern age of birding. Good birding, AND good photography to all. Mike Meadows Columbus, Georgia ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Around birding last week From: tyivey <tyivey AT JUNO.COM> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 07:29:55 -0500 It was an interesting week in Georgia birding last week. I finally got to Valdosta to see the Virginia's Warbler. Thank you John and Kate Swiderski. I had dinner last night with a friend who is just REALLY getting into birding. He was so excited to finally have found a Creeper after trying hard for over two years. This thanks to Vicki DeLoach. I reminded him what I had told him about birding being the friendliest hobby there was. But then I reflected on some of the other weeks activities and I wondered if I had told my friend correctly. You see he has purchased a camera with a 300mm lens to document his sightings. I didn't know until last week that bird photographers were second class citizens in the birding community. I learned a lot about bird photographers from the almost uncontrollable (And UNCHECKED) outcry against them on GABO-L. I thought to myself as a member of the check list committee, this is going to make the work of the checklist committee much more difficult. Surely no one will want to risk the enmity of his fellow birders by pulling out a camera. All of those sightings that have been helped by photo documentation will be lost. That is going to make the checklist committee unpopular when they reject sightings because of the poor field notes of the reporter. Oh well, it wasn't all bad. I learned that when I use the techniques of Arthur Morris and spend over thirty minutes crawling slowly into position to get pictures of the resting birds on the south end of Jekyll Island and some walker or runner (usually with a dog) comes nonchalantly through flushing the birds, I have some recourse. I can teach them some manners by hitting them with my tripod. These people have the audacity to think that they have just as much right to the beach at Jekyll that I do. Bird photographers are always looking for a good tip on how to improve their field techniques. The other thing that I learned this week was on an unfortunate note. I learned via a blind copy not sent to the listserve that a friend of mind had resigned from the listserve because of the post on bird photographers. It seemed that he thought that the listserve was for reporting bird sightings and that the administrators would monitor and warn against personal and political views stated on the listserve. We will miss this person and it made me sad because he is in the time that I have know him one of the most even tempered, unflappable people that I know. Another thing that made me a little sad was the knowledge that I may not see some of you as often as I have in the past. I try to keep my distance from crowds when I have my camera because crowds make the birds uneasy and spoil the picture. Then again, it seems that cameras make the crowd uneasy too. Ty Ivey Macon PS: to the administrator: No need to admonish me for this post. I know that it is inappropriate already. ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Vieginia's Warbler update From: john swiderski <swiderskij AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sun, 7 Feb 2010 07:25:00 -0500 Hello all, Sorry - we were offline most of yesterday, but the VIWA continues - it hit the feeder at 7:11 this morning, the earliest yet. cu - John and Kate Swiderski ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Finally found some Rusty Blackbirds, 2/6, Youman's Pond, Great and Lesser Black-backed Gull Tybee Island From: Darlene Moore <djmoore67 AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 23:11:52 -0500 GABOers, A long windy day on the coast, but nice to get out birding GA's beautiful barrier islands for the waterbird survey. Such a great bonus to find some Rusty Blackbirds in a mixed flock with Red- winged Blackbirds and Grackles at Youman's Pond. Had Red Knots, Marbled Godwits and Piping Plovers, (none with bands) on the beach at St. Catherines. Stopped on way home to check for Purple Sandpipers at Tybee Island and found some with a bonus Red-throated Loon really close to shore along with both Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.. Good birding, Full ebird list below Darlene Moore Back in Decatur, GA Location: Youman's Pond Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: Birded with Jeff Sewell prior to catching the boat to SCI for waterbird survey. Rusties were mixed in flock with grackles and RWBL Number of species: 10 Great Egret 1 Wood Stork 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Blue Jay 3 Carolina Wren 1 Song Sparrow 4 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird 35 Rusty Blackbird 6 Common Grackle 19 Location: St. Catherine's Island Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: Birded the beach with Steve Holzman from Jungle Rd North as part of waterbird survey Number of species: 16 Bufflehead 1 Hooded Merganser 10 Black-bellied Plover 3 Piping Plover 1 American Oystercatcher 2 Marbled Godwit 4 Ruddy Turnstone 30 Red Knot 5 Sanderling 48 Dunlin 207 Ring-billed Gull 128 Herring Gull 7 Forster's Tern 1 Common Ground-Dove 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Savannah Sparrow 1 Location: St. Catherine's Island Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: This is a report of the birds seen on Oyster rake on boat ride from SCI. Many of the AMOY were banded (earlier by Jen) and will give full report of band codes once photos reviewed. Birders on the boat: Georgann Schmalz, Theresa Hartz, Steve Holzman, Jeff Sewell and Jen Hilburn Number of species: 5 Semipalmated Plover 8 American Oystercatcher 34 Ruddy Turnstone 2 Dunlin 225 Short-billed Dowitcher 110 Location: Tybee Island Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: Birded with Jeff Sewell after waterbird survey, PUSA were on rocks with RUTU. Closest I have ever seen Red-throated Loon to shore. Nice to get both Great and Lesser Black-backed Gull. Number of species: 15 Bufflehead 2 Red-breasted Merganser 1 Red-throated Loon 2 Double-crested Cormorant 3 Willet 2 Ruddy Turnstone 15 Sanderling 45 Purple Sandpiper 4 Dunlin 35 Laughing Gull 6 Ring-billed Gull 75 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1 Great Black-backed Gull 2 Royal Tern 2 Black Skimmer 2 ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Harris Neck NWR, Blackbeard shorebirds, weird AWMA Tree Swallow 2/6/10 From: Ken Blankenship <kenhblankenship AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 21:30:38 -0500 Today, Rachel Cass and I had a great time participating in the Midwinter Waterbird Survey (M.W.S.) simultaneously with many other awesome volunteers all along Georgia's coast. Many thanks to Dot Bambach and Chris Depkin, who organized our team's trip out to Blackbeard Island N.W.R. and made sure we got out there and back safely! Also a huge thanks to Brad Winn of the Georgia DNR and Russ Wigh for their efforts putting together this huge project to help monitor the wintering shorebirds on the Southeastern Atlantic Coast! Here are the birds we found covering the south end of Blackbeard: Location: Blackbeard Island NWR Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: 2 Red Knots, GPS = 31°28'22.19"N / 81°12'17.40"W 3 Piping Plovers, GPS = 31°26'41.45"N / 81°14'2.26"W 1 Piping Plover was banded: left leg one light green band low; right leg one orange flag band high, then yellow band above light green band low. PHOTOS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotbleu1/ Number of species: 20 Red-breasted Merganser 4 Brown Pelican X Double-crested Cormorant X Great Blue Heron X Tricolored Heron X Wood Stork 1 Black Vulture X Turkey Vulture X Bald Eagle 1 American Kestrel 1 Black-bellied Plover 5 Piping Plover 3 American Oystercatcher 2 Willet 37 Red Knot 2 Sanderling 31 Dunlin 460 Ring-billed Gull X Herring Gull X Great Black-backed Gull 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) We also took just a few minutes to check out Woody Pond and a few quick stops at Harris Neck N.W.R. before getting on the boat: Location: Harris Neck NWR Observation date: 2/6/10 Number of species: 39 Green-winged Teal 45 Ring-necked Duck 2 Bufflehead 14 Hooded Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 1 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Double-crested Cormorant 5 Great Egret 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 38 White Ibis 1 Turkey Vulture 2 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Common Moorhen 11 American Coot 45 Killdeer 15 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 White-eyed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 4 American Crow 2 Tree Swallow 25 Tufted Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 American Robin 23 Northern Mockingbird 1 Cedar Waxwing 9 Yellow-rumped Warbler 24 Pine Warbler 2 Song Sparrow 1 White-throated Sparrow 9 Northern Cardinal 8 Red-winged Blackbird 50 American Goldfinch 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Finally, we made a cold, blustery late afternoon stop at Altamaha where I was determined to find a Cave Swallow amidst a huge ball of TREE SWALLOWS. No luck, but a very odd aberrant-plumage bird stood out like a sore thumb. The entire head top and bottom was stark WHITE except a black mask patch connected to the bill. The upperparts were normal, but then the upper tail coverts were a blend of white and glossy-green feathers, with all the tail feathers being pure white except apparently the outer-most feathers. A very striking bird, but in all other ways a Tree Swallow! Ken Blankenship Marietta, GA (Cobb County) http://www.wingsoverga.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Snow Goose, Towns Co. From: Marion Dobbs <catbird500 AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 21:20:45 -0500 Well, mine wasn't engaged in any sort of sporting activity, and Joel will be hard pressed to come up with so clever a reference for it as he did for the Baldwin Co. bird! Gosh, I wish I'd thought of that. This particular Snow Goose was in a field on Upper Bell Creek Rd. in extreme northern Towns Co. with a flock of 40 Canada Geese, just having lunch. Marion Dobbs Rome (Floyd Co.) GA catbird500 AT comcast.net http://mamomi.net http://mariondobbs.smugmug.com http://ponddamsel.phanfare.com Who is so deafe, or so blynde, as is hee, That wilfully will nother here nor see. [1546 J. Heywood Dialogue of Proverbs ii. ix. K4] ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Morrison Pines Plantation (Colquitt County) From: Wayne Schaffner <wschaffner AT LIVE.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 20:19:25 -0500 Location: Morrison Pines Plantation (Colquitt County) Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: Private Property. I was invited by John Carlton to look for Henlow's Sparrows which he has seen recently. It was very windy today and general bird activity was slow at best. We birded a couple of hours while the NOBO hunters were eating dinner. We saw the Vesper Sparrows in a cabbage field. Great habitat for Bachman's Sparrow which John says they have in good number. Plantation is in a conservation easement. Extensive environmental study done in conjuction with that process. Some rare species out there. Will be talking more with John about birding opportunities. There is some interest in opening to birders on some level. Looks good for LeConte's Sparrow also. Number of species reported: 19 Number of species identified: 18 Northern Bobwhite 4 Turkey Vulture 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 4 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3 White-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 5 Carolina Chickadee 4 Brown-headed Nuthatch 11 Carolina Wren 4 House Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 American Robin 2 Common Yellowthroat 4 Eastern Towhee 6 Vesper Sparrow 2 Swamp Sparrow 8 Rusty Blackbird 0 American Goldfinch 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Wayne Schaffner Tifton, Georgia _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469229/direct/01/ ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: Snow Goose in Baldwin County From: Joel McNeal <j.mcneal AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 16:13:41 -0800 > From: "Lynda Wiggins, CAMELLIA 06-600" > Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 17:13:21 -0500 > > We found a Snow Goose at the athletic fields at the > intersection of Hwys. 212 and 441 on the ballfield > nearest the main building. It was sitting near the > pitcher's mound with its team of canada geese playing > infield. 'Goose' Gossage? (sorry, I couldn't resist...) Joel McNeal Winterville, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Robin roost, Bibb County From: Anne Armstrong <anaclef AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 18:43:40 -0500 I have been enjoying watching hundreds of American Robins flying over my yard in Macon near evening every day. For instance, on January 31 from 5:05 to 6:05 p.m., I counted 2155 Robins, all flying approximately north to south. On January 28 during the same time frame, I counted 4000 Robins flying over! Well, this afternoon I was out in my car, so I decided to try to follow them to see where they were going. I kept my eyes on the flocks (and the road) until I pinpointed the spot--a woods/wetland area at the intersection of Brad Walsh Parkway and Williamson Road (behind the car dealerships). What an amazing experience to see and hear hundreds of Robins as they were flying down into the trees. It would be interesting to go there in the morning to watch them all come out! Anne Armstrong Macon, Bibb County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: BLUE GROSBEAK in Emanuel County From: Brenda Brannen <Bgbrannen AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 17:50:38 EST I had quite a surprise around noon today as I was birding at George Smith State Park in Emanuel County. I was walking through a briar/broom sedge area in front of a pine forest trying to flush up sparrows. The first bird to fly up was a male NORTHERN CARDINAL, and immediately afterwards, a rust-colored bird flew up into a small, leafless tree. At first I thought it was the female Cardinal, but when I looked carefully, I realized it was a BLUE GROSBEAK!!! I've never seen this bird in February! It certainly made my day out in the blustery weather worthwhile. E-bird report follows though nothing else was as exciting except seeing the AMERICAN CROW chasing the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK through the cypress trees there. Location: Geo. Smith SP Boat Ramp Area Observation date: 2/6/10 Notes: This was a cold, blustery day with clouds passing over and some misting rain. The Blue Grosbeak flushed up from a briar-broom sedge thicket into a small, leafless tree and perched there turning this way and that for some time before it flew into the pine forest nearby. I was surprised to see this bird in February! It was a first winter bird--all buffy brown with that large, triangular beak. It was a little paler rufous on the breast and belly but uniform in color--even the 2 wingbars were rufous but distinct. Number of species: 22 Wood Duck 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 2 Eastern Phoebe 1 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 1 Carolina Chickadee 1 Tufted Titmouse 10 Brown-headed Nuthatch 5 Carolina Wren 4 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 6 Pine Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 2 Northern Cardinal 2 Blue Grosbeak 1 Red-winged Blackbird 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(_http://ebird.org_ (http://ebird.org) ) Brenda Brannen Statesboro, GA Bulloch County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Snow Goose in Baldwin County From: "Lynda Wiggins, CAMELLIA 06-600" <lyndawiggins AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 17:13:21 -0500 Nita Wynn and I spent a few days this week county birding in Glascock, Putnam, Hancock, Wilkinson, and Baldwin counties. We found a Snow Goose at the athletic fields at the intersection of Hwys. 212 and 441 on the ballfield nearest the main building. It was sitting near the pitcher's mound with its team of canada geese playing infield. Lynda Wiggins Fairburn, GA Fulton County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Macon Bird Report 2/6/10 From: Trey Mccuen <trey.mccuen AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 14:11:36 -0500 I birded Ocmulgee National Monument, Lower Poplar Street and Rivoli Lakes this morning. I got a total of 48 species, not a bad day. Ocmulgee National Monument -------------------------- Red headed Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Winter Wren Lower Poplar Street ------------------- Gadwall Wilson's Snipe Common Yellowthroat Savannah Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark BREWER'S BLACKBIRD- 2 with a flock of a few hundred starlings Brown headed Cowbird Rivoli Lakes ------------ Double crested Cormorant Ruddy Duck Trey Mccuen Macon, GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Bluebirds From: Chad Skaggs <chadskaggs AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 11:43:25 -0500 Three Eastern Bluebirds--two males and a female-- were feeding briefly this morning at the suet block in my yard in a wooded area of Decatur, near Agnes Scott College. First I have seen here in the 12 years I have lived here. Chad Skaggs Decatur DeKalb County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: The Near Georgia Report* (NGR Summary for January 2010) From: Mark McShane <eagleeyed AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 10:38:48 -0500 Hi All, Here is the summary of Near Georgia Reported birds (by NGR post date and state) for January 2010! Each list entry is for a different bird even if posted to the NGR on the same date. Highlights in January included Anna's Hummingbird, IVORY GULL (should soon be, maybe already has been, documented to have been seen in Alabama as well as in Georgia), Burrowing Owl in Alabama, Varied Thrush, Long-eared Owl, Snowy Plover in South Carolina, Red-footed Booby, adule male Masked Duck, Green-tailed Towhee, Dovekie, Little Gull, and American Tree Sparrow to name a few! The NGR - January 2010: Common Merganser - 1/29 - TN Anna's Hummingbird - 1/27 - AL Harlequin Duck - 1/27 - FL Smooth-billed Ani - 1/27 - FL Black-throated Gray Warbler - 1/27 - FL IVORY GULL - 1/25 - GA/AL Western Tanager - 1/24 - FL Thayer's Gull - 1/24 - MS Common Merganser - 1/24 - NC Yellow-rumped "Audubon's" Warbler - 1/22 - TN Burrowing Owl - 1/22 - AL Neotropic Cormorant - 1/22 - FL Western Tanager - 1/20 - NC Bullock's Oriole - 1/20 - NC La Sagra's Flycatcher - 1/20 - FL Smooth-billed Ani - 1/20 - FL Red-necked Grebe - 1/18 - NC Common Eider - 1/18 - FL Red Phalarope - 1/18 - FL Common Eider - 1/13 - SC Crested Caracara - 1/13 - FL Varied Thrush - 1/12 - NC ******************************************* THE NGR GOES CASUAL - 1/11 See notice on the site for more information ******************************************* Brown Booby - 1/10 - FL Parasitic Jaeger - 1/10 - FL Ross's Goose - 1/10 -FL Vermilion Flycatcher - 1/9 - MS Vermilion Flycatcher - 1/9 - MS Long-eared Owl - 1/9 TN Glaucous Gull - 1/9 - FL White-faced Ibis - 1/9 - FL Common Merganser - 1/9 - NC Common Eider - 1/9 - NC Pacific Loon - 1/9 - NC Common Eider - 1/9 - SC Glaucous Gull - 1/9 - SC Common Eider - 1/9 - SC Rufous Hummingbird - 1/9 - NC Tundra Swan - 1/9 - NC Tundra Swan - 1/9 - NC California Gull - 1/9 - SC Snowy Plover - 1/9 - SC Eurasian Wigeon - 1/9 - SC Cackling Goose - 1/9 - TN Red-tailed Hawk (dark-morph) - 1/9 - TN Rough-legged Hawk - 1/9 - TN Lapland Longspur - 1/9 - TN Northern Goshawk - 1/9 - TN Vermilion Flycatcher - 1/9 - TN Calliope Hummingbird - 1/9 - AL Red-footed Booby - 1/9 - FL Tundra Swan - 1/9 - FL Brown Booby - 1/9 - FL Common Eider - 1/9 - FL Masked Duck - 1/9 - FL Vermilion Flycatcher - 1/9 - FL Pacific Loon - 1/8 - FL Green-tailed Towhee - 1/8 - FL Lark Sparrow - 1/8 - FL Common Merganser - 1/8 - FL Brant - 1/5 - NC Common Eider - 1/5 - NC Western Grebe - 1/5 - NC Parasitic Jaeger - 1/5 - NC Dovekie - 1/5 - NC Razorbill - 1/5 - NC Western Tanager - 1/5 - NC Golden Eagle - 1/5 - SC Greater White-fronted Goose - 1/5 - NC Common Eider - 1/5 - NC Pacific Loon - 1/5 - NC Glaucous Gull - 1/5 - NC Razorbill - 1/5 - NC Long-tailed Duck - 1/5 - TN Rufous Hummingbird - 1/5 - TN Buff-bellied Hummingbird - 1/5 - MS Rufous Hummingbird - 1/5 - MS Glaucous Gull - 1/5 - AL Say's Phoebe - 1/5 - FL Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 1/5 - FL Bullock's Oriole - 1/5 - FL Cackling Goose - 1/3 - MS Rufous Hummingbird - 1/3 - FL Long-tailed Duck - 1/3 - FL Brant - 1/3 - NC Eurasian Wigeon - 1/3 - NC Common Eider - 1/3 - NC Greater White-fronted Goose - 1/3 - MS Ross's Goose - 1/3 - MS Clay-colored Sparrow - 1/3 - FL Razorbill - 1/3 - NC Long-billed Curlew - 1/2 - MS Rough-legged Hawk - 1/2 - MS Vermilion Flycatcher - 1/2 - AL Western Tanager - 1/2 - AL White-faced Ibis - 1/2 - FL Cave Swallow - 1/2 - FL Common Eider - 1/2 - SC Cackling Goose - 1/1 - NC Tundra Swan - 1/1 - NC Northern Saw-whet Owl - 1/1 - NC Little Gull - 1/1 - NC American Tree Sparrow - 1/1 - TN Rufous Hummingbird - 1/1 - AL Smooth-billed Ani - 1/1 - FL Follow the regional action, or subscribe (free), see the current NGR Running Chronological List (or archived lists), check out The McShane Angled-Eyepiece Birding Scope Cable-Tie Sight Guide, find some fantastic local, state, regional, and national birding links and resources, see Georgia Swallow-tailed Kite, GREEN-BREASTED MANGO, and IVORY GULL photos taken by some of Georgia's most avid birding photographers, study pelagic trip preparation, check optics, field guide and reference information, and regional checklists, grab the latest weather, tide, or marine conditions, and much, much more on THE SIDEBAR! The Near Georgia Report* http://neargareport.blogspot.com Good Near Georgia Birding All! Mark Mark McShane Georgia Birder-at-Large Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia http://neargareport.blogspot.com The NGR - A Southeastern US Regional Rare Bird Alert * The Near Georgia Report (NGR) serves, on as daily a basis as possible, to help make Georgia birders, and others, aware of rare, casual (occasional), or accidental birds (and sometimes from a Georgia birder's perspective) which are being reported currently in southeastern states which are near Georgia (usually Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina), and exceptionally, a few regional locations further afield. The NGR does not attest to the validity or accuracy of all reports, or directions, etc., contained or referenced herein. ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Redheads, Garden Lakes, Floyd County, Ga. From: David Brown <talikoga AT WINDSTREAM.NET> Date: Sat, 6 Feb 2010 09:00:47 -0500 On February 5, midday, I counted six Redhead males amongst the Widgeons, Ring-bills and Coots on the small pond on Eliott Drive. The big lakes were largely devoid of ducks except for more coots and a few Grebes. David Brown Subligna, Ga. ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: McIntosh and Glynn Counties From: Charlie <cmmbirds AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 20:23:18 -0800 HI folks, Vanessa Lane and I are on the shore for the shorebird count, which was postponed today. We still had a lot of success birding until the rain came! Charlie Muise Georgia IBA Coordinator http://www.atlantaaudubon.org/iba/ Location: Altamaha WMA--Butler Island Observation date: 2/5/10 Notes: The rain threatened, but held off on this warm breezy day. Saw the Solitary very well - spot on the back, facial markings, etc. The Snipe number is likely low. Number of species: 44 American Wigeon 7 Mottled Duck 25 Blue-winged Teal 200 Northern Pintail 30 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Brown Pelican 5 Double-crested Cormorant 100 Anhinga 2 American Bittern 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 25 Snowy Egret 5 Little Blue Heron 4 Tricolored Heron 2 White Ibis 7 Turkey Vulture 5 Osprey 2 Bald Eagle 3 Northern Harrier 3 Cooper's Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Sora 2 Common Moorhen 20 American Coot 125 Killdeer 25 Solitary Sandpiper 1 Lesser Yellowlegs 4 Wilson's Snipe 40 Ring-billed Gull 3 Northern Flicker 3 Eastern Phoebe 2 American Crow 2 Fish Crow 1 crow sp. 4 Tree Swallow 250 Carolina Wren 2 Sedge Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 15 Common Yellowthroat 1 Song Sparrow 3 Swamp Sparrow 4 Red-winged Blackbird 100 Boat-tailed Grackle 4 Location: Altamaha WMA--Champney Island Observation date: 2/5/10 Notes: Rain still held off, despite threatening clouds and occasionally gusty wind. Number of species: 47 Pied-billed Grebe 4 Brown Pelican 1 Double-crested Cormorant 20 Anhinga 4 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 2 Little Blue Heron 4 Tricolored Heron 3 White Ibis 1 Turkey Vulture 6 Osprey 2 Northern Harrier 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Sora 1 American Coot 20 Killdeer 1 Bonaparte's Gull 1 Ring-billed Gull 1 Forster's Tern 1 Rock Pigeon 2 Mourning Dove 25 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Northern Flicker 4 Eastern Phoebe 2 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Tree Swallow 25 Carolina Wren 2 Winter Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 American Robin 1 Gray Catbird 2 Northern Mockingbird 1 Cedar Waxwing 25 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 50 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Chipping Sparrow 4 Field Sparrow 1 Vesper Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow (Eastern) 60 Song Sparrow 8 Swamp Sparrow 8 White-throated Sparrow 10 Northern Cardinal 3 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Eastern Meadowlark 11 Common Grackle 5 Location: DNR Brunswick Observation date: 2/5/10 Notes: The rain STILL held off! THis includes a brief stop at the old bridge to watch Gannets fish. Number of species: 13 Hooded Merganser 6 Northern Gannet 3 Brown Pelican 6 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Egret 1 Cattle Egret 6 White Ibis 10 Wood Stork 1 Royal Tern 1 American Robin 200 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 5 Swamp Sparrow 3 Location: Brunswick Marina Observation date: 2/5/10 Notes: possibly saw a manatee, too! Number of species: 13 Bufflehead 1 Red-breasted Merganser 3 Brown Pelican 3 Double-crested Cormorant 20 Turkey Vulture 1 Killdeer 19 Ring-billed Gull 40 Royal Tern 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 2 Mourning Dove 25 European Starling 8 American Pipit 5 Boat-tailed Grackle 20 Location: Paulk's Pasture WMA Observation date: 2/5/10 Notes: Banded one Henslow's before the rain came. Number of species: 14 Great Egret 1 Turkey Vulture 5 Killdeer 1 Mourning Dove 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 crow sp. 2 Brown-headed Nuthatch 1 Eastern Bluebird 2 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 5 Savannah Sparrow 15 Henslow's Sparrow 2 Swamp Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 2 Location: Jekyll Island--Visitor's Center Observation date: 2/5/10 Number of species: 46 Brown Pelican 15 Double-crested Cormorant 25 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 20 Snowy Egret 8 Little Blue Heron 2 Tricolored Heron 3 White Ibis 4 Wood Stork 2 Turkey Vulture 5 Osprey 1 Clapper Rail 10 Sora 2 Killdeer 2 American Avocet 6 Willet 2 Marbled Godwit 2 Ruddy Turnstone 12 Western Sandpiper 15 Dunlin 50 Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher 12 Wilson's Snipe 4 Ring-billed Gull 20 Royal Tern 2 Rock Pigeon 4 Mourning Dove 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Northern Flicker 2 Eastern Phoebe 1 American Crow 2 crow sp. 10 Tree Swallow 100 Carolina Wren 1 Marsh Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 Eastern Bluebird 2 American Robin 15 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 40 Common Yellowthroat 1 Chipping Sparrow 1 Savannah Sparrow (Eastern) 10 Song Sparrow 4 Swamp Sparrow 3 White-throated Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 3 Red-winged Blackbird 60 Boat-tailed Grackle 30 ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Common Yellowthroats singing - Swamp of Toa IBA-Albany Nursery WMA (Dougherty County) From: Wayne Schaffner <wschaffner AT LIVE.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 21:30:47 -0500 The inclement weather ceased late this afternoon so I headed to Albany Nursery. I arrived at 5:45 PM and the clouds were breaking up offering some clear sky and sunshine. That was short-lived when about 20 minutes into the field a raft of clouds settled on the western horizon. Waning light didn't dampen the spirit of some active sparrows and the singing of 3-Common Yellowthroat. (Total 8-Common Yellowthroat) Other highlights were hearing 3-Barred Owl and 2-Great horned Owl. Location: Swamp of Toa IBA--Albany Nursery WMA Observation date: 2/5/10 Observation Type: Rusty Blackbird Blitz Number of species reported: 24 (0-RUBL) Number of Species identified: 23 Mourning Dove 2 Great Horned Owl 2 Barred Owl 3 Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Carolina Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 4 House Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Hermit Thrush 1 Common Yellowthroat 8 Eastern Towhee 8 Field Sparrow 6 Savannah Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow 13 Swamp Sparrow 18 White-throated Sparrow 11 Northern Cardinal 4 Rusty Blackbird 0 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Wayne Schaffner Tifton, Georgia _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469226/direct/01/ ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: The scoop on Screech Owl boxes From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 15:40:39 -0800 Georgia birders, I have a good bit of experience with Eastern Screech Owls and their nest boxes, having hosted families of EASO for years and helped dozens of other people do so. The way to protect against squirrels is not by mounting the nest box at a certain height - but to use a FACE PLATE around the entrance hole. This prevents the squirrels from chewing the hole larger to gain entry. Since using face plates on my boxes I have had zero squirrel problems. I bought several face plates from a Wild Birds Unlimited store some years back - they had both slate and metal plates at the time. Both seem to work well. * If you make your own metal face plate, be sure not to use thin metal and to hone off any sharp edges. Don't use flashing or sheet metal - too thin. This website also sells protective face plates and they have a photo to give you an idea: http://www.coveside.com/_store/card_view.asp?itemnr=10220 -- Get the 3" size for Screech Owl nest boxes. * Another important requirmeent for Screech Owl nest boxes is that they are properly sized. You want an 8x8 inch floor area - not 6"x6" as many store-bought nest box vendors provide. The 6x6 boxes are too small and this can cause the young to have to fledge too early due to crowding. I have also read that females often lay fewer eggs in too-small nest boxes or cavities. No need to go larger than an 8x8 floor area - to big is also undesireable. When placing the nest box, be sure not to have the entrance hole facing north. This is because the owls often roost in the box year-round and you do not want the cold north wind blowing in the entrance hole - that greatly degrades the box's value as shelter. Late spring cold snaps can also be exacerbated by north-facing entrance holes. This "not facing north" rule also applies to Bluebird boxes for the same reasons. The other rule of thumb is not to have a nest box entrance hole facing in the direction of the prevailing winds for your site. Also be sure to have a clear flight path in front of the nest box, and some thick cover nearby for the male to roost in and as refuge for the fledglings. When Screech Owls fledge, they cannot fly that well and need to be able to hop/climb into shelter where the parents will continue to care for them. If you want to be a very good host/hostess - put up a second nest box nearby for the male to roost in (but perhaps on a different tree). I prefer to use trees for mounting the box, but tall poles work too. Be sure not to have vines or overhanging branches near your nest box (especially tree-mounted ones) - those make it more likely that a Rat Snake might find the owls. Rat Snakes are a serious threat - even in suburbia. I have my boxes mounted on huge Loblolly Pine trunks with clear flight paths out from the entrance and nearby Wax Myrtles and Camellia Sasanqua for cover. Steve's advice about aluminum flashing wrapped around wooden mounting poles is spot-on - not just for Screech Owls but also bluebirds, Great-crested Flycatchers, etc. I put my flashing with the bottom 3 feet off the ground - to make it harder for Raccoons, snakes and other critters to span the flashing. This is a classic on the subject of Screech Owl nest boxes: http://www.audubonmagazine.org/backyard/backyard0201.html Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Sandhill Cranes , Grasshopper Sparrow From: PAUL RANEY <paul-raney-jr AT PEOPLEPC.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 18:02:18 -0500 Thursday 2/4/2010 I visited the Marshallville Sod Farms and other areas in Macon County. Some sod farm roads are nearly impassable due to heavy rains. At Whitewater Park/Pond near hwy 128 (Ga atlas E1) noted 41 Sandhill Cranes flying northward. Near the west edge of Ga Atlas D3 i noted a tiny bird on a power line. Expecting a hummingbird I was surprised to see a Grasshopper Sparrow. Tiny, short tail, short bill, no streaking. No blackbirds anywhere. Best wishes all, Paul Raney Stockbridge ________________________________________ PeoplePC Online A better way to Internet http://www.peoplepc.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Sandhill Cranes at Oxbow Meadows - 2/5 From: Walt Chambers <Walter.Frank.Chambers AT STUDENT.MERCER.EDU> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 16:43:17 -0500 Stopped by Oxbow in the rain this morning and had 35 Sandhill Cranes foraging contently in the north application field. This area doesn't get gobs of cranes generally so I figured I'd throw it there for the locals! Walt Chambers Columbus ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: How to hang an owl box From: Rusty Trump <rusty_trump AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 16:02:22 -0500 Hi Jennifer, For a couple years I had my boxes at about 15-20ft and all I got was squirrels. I tried lowering them to 8-10ft range and have had owls off and on during the winters and have had 4 nests over the past 5 years. My yard is open mature hardwoods with very little cover in the winter. I have three boxes out and make sure that they have an open approach and that the holes are not facing prevailing weather. Mine all face either E, NE, or SE. On cold days the owls seem to like to bask their faces in the sun in the morning. I don't think the squirrels prefer the boxes lower although they will sometimes still get in them, but it is easier to run them out of them. I still get an occasional opposum, they don't seem to care how high the box is to fill it full of leaves. Take Care, Rusty Trump Suwanee, GA > > Just 1 detail seems to be missing here: How high should the box be mounted? > I put a screech owl box onto a tree in our Stone Mountain yard several years > ago, but all the instructions I found lacked that detail, & apparently it > wasn't mounted high enough; all I ever got living in there were squirrels, > rather than the owls I knew were in the area (squirrels are cute, but not > really what I wanted). Next time I try putting up an owl box, I want it to > be the correct height for best chance of actually getting owls. > > Thank you, & have a bird-i-ful day! > > Jennifer Griffith > Durham, NC (formerly of Stone Mtn.) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Sharpie near McDonough From: James Brooks <jrbamc AT JUNO.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 16:01:13 -0500 All the usual seed-eatin' yard birds were having a party out back when they all took off, flying away in all directions. Assuming a Cooper's Hawk came through I looked up just in time to see an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk dart through the yard and make a pass at one of the feeders, and then perch in one of the trees. I was able to get good looks, had scattered white spots on it's back. It sat up there for a few minutes and then whisked off into the yard across the little slough. No luck hunting this time, surely it will try again. I was watching a show on NatGeo about Polar bears, and there were several shots of them eating seals and a whale carcass. I'm sure that some of the gulls also in the various video sequences were Ivory Gulls. James Brooks east of McDonough, Henry Cty ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Santee Birding and Nature Festival - April 23, 24, & 25, 2010 From: Jennifer Koches <Jennifer_Koches AT FWS.GOV> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 13:21:57 -0500 The 3rd annual Santee Birding and Nature Festival is scheduled for April 23rd, 24th, and 25th, 2010. There are over 30 field trips as part of the festival, including an owl prowl at Santee State Park, Birding 101 at Santee National Wildlife Refuge, and the ever popular birding trips to Beidler Forest, Wannamaker Preserve, and Manchester State Forest. The Keynote presentation and banquet dinner will be on Friday evening at the Holiday Inn - Santee and will feature Rudy Mancke. Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to enjoy some of South Carolina's treasures! The festival registration brochure can be found at: www.fws.gov/santee/Santee-birding-festival-2010.pdf Jennifer M. Koches U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Charleston, S.C. ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Jasper County birds-Nov -to date (Feb 5, 2010) From: Marjorie Clark <marjorie-clark AT ATT.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 09:36:32 -0800 Song Sparrow Northern Cardinal Carolina Chick-a-dee Tufted Titmouse Great Blue Heron (visits our small pond regularly) Red-tailed Hawk American Crow Turkey Vulture Red-bellied Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker (Has a nesting hole that it visits often) Belted Kingfisher (visits our pond occasionally) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher American Robin Cooper's Hawk Carolina Wren White-throated Sparrow Mourning Dove Eastern Phoebe Blue Jay Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing  (Large flock in Nov.) Northern Flicker  (three in tree at edge of pond) American Goldfinch (one bird in Nov but have increased now so much that are impossible to count) Downy Woodpecker Golden-crowned Kinglet (first time I had ever seen the goldern crown) Ruby-crowned Kinglet Thrush  (unidentified but probably a Hermit) Eastern Bluebird Wren (unidentified but either a Winter or House) Black Vulture Slate-colored Junco Chipping Sparrow  (large flock) Purple Finch (both male and female-Large flock) Eastern Towhee (male only) Red-shouldered Hawk  (seem to be a pair searching for a nesting site) Pine Warbler (likes our  suet cake) Brown Thrasher European Starling (only one seen) Falcon  (Unidentified but think Perigrene) Birds seen in Jasper County but not at my home: Wild turkey, Canadian Goose, Yellow-rumped Warbler. Marjorie Clark 327Wendy Hill Rd Monticello, GA Jasper County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: photographers & gull's injury cause From: Sheila Willis <swillis AT WAYXCABLE.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 12:56:07 -0500 Hey folks, Hope you are fine. Just a note & 2-cents-worth about the fatal condition of the IVORY GULL. Recent GABO posts have mostly mentioned a weakened state for the bird with a waiting by some people to see if it was going to recover or improve to any degree for most of the day. Only two posts on 1/29 had mentioned a drooping wing &/or "compound fracture" along w/ the lethargy, the latter condition which was apparently first noticed the day before. However, to fill out my last GABO post which relayed some info about the injury, a former post on the Massbird listserv on 1/29 from Dean Edwards indicated that he had gotten a call from Ron Huff & Dollyann Myers who had just seen the bird (around noon) which they said had a broken wing (with bone protruding) along w/ the weakness & panting that all the others were mentioning. Seems like that situation would normally indicate a direct need of a wildlife rehabber as opposed to a weakness which might go away. There was thus no need to wait and see if it was going to be "clear" enough to the majority present that it was "definitely in trouble" by the end of the day, as at least some folks there saw it was quite obviously in a serious condition at mid-day with the broken-wing. It was simply a matter of calling a rehabber, if that was a decision to be made. You can debate naturally-caused injury vs man-caused injury behind any decisions to help or not as you wish. Who of those present should have been the one to decide and how could that have been communicated to all present? Obviously there were parties acting independently of each other over the course of the day. At least two posts that day definitely said that a rehabber had already been called at that time (around noon). Reading the posts that day, it was clear not everyone knew that. A later post said the gull wasn't picked up until close to 6 pm. Not sure what the story was for what happened w/ that first rehabber as to why they apparently didn't come earlier. Perhaps they did come & said nothing could be done and nobody from GABO/GOS/other got the word, hence the latter call by others to the second rehabber who did get the gull. As we all know, not everyone sees/speaks to everyone on the scene and that is nobody's fault. Incidentally, a former coastal wildlife rehabber friend of mine said that by the time the gull had started panting (around when the injury was noticed), then it was really too late for recovery. So the timing of the actual pick-up very late in the day apparently didn't factor in its death for the most part. It would seem that due to the type of injury alone (after which the decline was apparently dramatic), death was not being directly caused or influenced by being so far out-of-range. It is true that the predator which was said to have possibly damaged it might have been different than what it might have experienced regularly up north, but it surely still had to defend itself up there too. Birds are injured by other birds & die all the time, no matter where they are. The species of the predator would seem to matter only as regards the level of force behind the attack or area of the body hit. The bird was said to be showing weakness just one day before an apparent attack, so I don't know if that is enough time for its typical defensive moves to be thrown way off balance, but obviously, birds that are weakened for whatever reason are some of the first to go in an attack. So far as not having its regular foods, gulls are genetically good opportunists, and it was doing o.k. for most of the week according to most reports. I think the results of the examination of its stomach contents & other organs will shed more light on all this. It could have even had an illness not related to its food supply. And if it was trying to cough something up, perhaps it swallowed something it could not digest or which blocked its insides, etc. & that's what led to it starting to get weak. Then getting the broken wing sealed its fate. At any rate, its always good to see that the concern of folks might lead to donations to organizations that work for conservation as well as wildlife rehabilitation. How lucky those who saw this bird were! Take care. Sincerely, Sheila Willis Native American-Naturalist Talks & Tours Waycross, Ware Co., GA ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: North GA Birding - 2/4/10 From: Joshua Spence <spencejoshua AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 11:36:44 -0500 I checked two ponds in Chatsworth yesterday morning and found the following ducks: Ring-necked Duck - 48 Redhead - 9; 8m,1f Bufflehead - 5;2m,3f Hooded Merganser - 14 I had some business in Ellijay, so I decided to go up to Fannin County and try for a few species that have been reported from there over the last several weeks. These are Red-breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, & Red Crossbill. I was able to find two RBNUs at Watson Gap/Jones Mill. I got several PUFIs off of Cashes Valley Rd and at Tom Striker's yard. There was also a single BLUE-HEADED VIREO in Tom's yard. There was a frenzy of feeding American Goldfinches, but no siskins today. Joshua Spence, Murray County ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: virginia's warbler update From: john swiderski <swiderskij AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 11:07:28 -0500 Hello all, Well the predicted heavy rain was tardy and only arrived in Valdosta around 10 a.m., so we were able to see the VIWA frequently earlier this morning. For any weekend visitors that come when we are away from the house, come up the driveway and around to the patio table and chairs. You will see the hummer feeder tucked into the winter honeysuckle bush and it is a favorite stop for the VIWA. Questions: swiderskijATbellsouth.net Good birding - John and Kate Swiderski ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Thursday Bird Ramble report on Jekyll From: artworksbylydia <artworksbylydia AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 10:35:42 -0500 HI Folks, Tide was going to high around noon on Thursday. So I decided to doing some bouncing around on Jekyll Island. As I came over the causeway I noticed a large flock of avocets feeding by the bridge over the Jekyll River. I pick up my small group of birders and we headed for the boat ramp with a stop by the pond near Tideland Nature Center. The center has been putting out underwater structures to allow the small fish to hide and grow. We found three Buffleheads using the pond. I hope these ducks are a good sign. When we got to the boat ramp the avocets were got but we found 3 Wood Storks feeding as well as 3 American Oystercatcher eating oysters. We spent a few hours looking at backyard habitats. It is interesting to see how people care about birds in their own backyards. In my mind, the first step in bird conservation is to get people to notice birds. A person who wants a healthy yard that attract birds is a good first step. My goodness I was impressed how yards were being managed for the birds. Our last stop was the amphitheater pond. There are now two trees down on the trail to the left so I have just been walking to the right around the theater. We finished the morning looking at four Roseate Spoonbill roosting in with the Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night-Herons. The list is below. Good Birding Lydia Lydia C. Thompson St. Simons & Jekyll Islands coastal Glynn County www.coastalgeorgiabirding-lydia.blogspot.com Location: Jekyll Island Observation date: 2/4/10 Notes: The hummingbird was reported to me a couple of weeks back. This was the first time I got to go to the home and watch it. The bird is a female. There was no rusty on her. Her wings appeared pointed not truncate which was my primary reason for calling this bird a Ruby-throated. She also flew right to the feeder. She did not move back and forth at the feeder but stayed feeding for several minutes. Any help is very welcomed. Number of species: 60 Bufflehead 3 Hooded Merganser 5 Red-breasted Merganser 1 Brown Pelican 3 Double-crested Cormorant 20 Anhinga 5 Great Blue Heron 3 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 3 Tricolored Heron 2 Black-crowned Night-Heron 10 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 20 White Ibis 50 Roseate Spoonbill 4 Wood Stork 3 Black Vulture 5 Turkey Vulture 4 Osprey 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 1 Clapper Rail 3 Black-bellied Plover 2 Killdeer 1 American Oystercatcher 3 American Avocet 30 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Willet 15 Whimbrel 1 Marbled Godwit 3 Ruddy Turnstone 2 Laughing Gull 1 Ring-billed Gull 2 Forster's Tern 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 2 Mourning Dove 4 hummingbird 1 (tentatively id as Ruby-throated ) Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 Blue Jay 2 Fish Crow 1 Carolina Chickadee 4 Carolina Wren 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Gray Catbird 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 European Starling 40 Cedar Waxwing 75 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 10 Pine Warbler 2 Eastern Towhee 1 Chipping Sparrow 20 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 6 Boat-tailed Grackle 10 House Finch 2 American Goldfinch 5 House Sparrow 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Tundra Swan - Floyd County - 2/4/10, John T. Briscoe Reservoir, Walton County - 2/3/10 From: Mark McShane <eagleeyed AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 10:24:45 -0500 Hi All, Yesterday afternoon I was able to relocate the Floyd County adult Tundra Swan at the pond near the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and Superior Boulevard near Steel King Industries just north of Paris Lake in Rome. (GPS coordinates: N 34 10.523 W 85 11.883) If you miss the bird there you might check Paris Lake itself on the Georgia Highlands College campus just south of Industrial Blvd and east of Hwy 27. I am always intrigued by the birding possiblities out on the Georgia frontier areas along our borders so after spending some quality time with the very vibrant swan, and despite the very raw and rainy weather, I headed west from Hwy 27 on Blacks Bluff Road to Brushy Branch, a spot about 3 miles east of the Alabama border. I also checked Lock and Dam Park (Floyd County) on the Coosa River, on the north side of Blacks Bluff Road (GPS: N 34 11.982 W 85 15.440), on the way. There are good-sized lake areas where Blacks Bluff Road crosses Brushy Branch on the backwaters of Alabama's Weiss Lake or Georgia's Coosa River, whichever the case may be, there in western Floyd County but I could not find any birds on the water at either Lock and Dam Park, at Brushy Branch, or at any of the small ponds along the way. During the whole trip I kept checking all of the fields I passed for vagrant wintering Snowy Owls, among other things, but didn't even find a single misleading errant white plastic bag out in the fields nor any western raptors. If you go to Google Maps (http://maps.google.com) and then copy GPS coordinates into the search bar there, and either press Enter or click on the Search Maps button, Google Maps will show you the location! If you then click on the Satellite button you can see the aerial photography of the area. Also, on Wednesday at the John T. Briscoe Reservoir, in Walton County, there were about 400 waterfowl on the northern side of the causeway to include 1 female CANVASBACK! Most of the birds were Ring-necked Ducks, but Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, and Pied-billed Grebe were also present. Good Birding All! Mark Mark McShane Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia http://neargareport.blogspot.com ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html Subject: Re: How to hang an owl box From: Tim Rose <feralman AT MINDSPRING.COM> Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2010 09:38:44 -0500 I've had 9 years of success with screech owls with the box mounted about 13 to 15 feet off the ground. I read somewhere that squirrels generally prefer to nest higher than that, though that's not always the case. Tim Rose Lilburn/Snellville, Gwinnett County >Just 1 detail seems to be missing here: How high should the box be mounted? >Jennifer Griffith >Durham, NC (formerly of Stone Mtn.) > > ********** >To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to >http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html > >To contact a listowner, send message to >GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > >To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to >http://www.gos.org/gabo.html > ********** To search GABO-L archives or manage your subscription, go to http://www.listserv.uga.edu/archives/gabo-l.html To contact a listowner, send message to GABO-L-request AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU To view GABO-L information/guidelines, go to http://www.gos.org/gabo.html