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Updated on Wednesday, May 16 at 03:44 PM EST
The most recently received Mail is at the top.
Golden-billed Saltator,©Dan Lane

16 May Re: New yard bird/Life bird...Black-billed cuckoo Folsom, La St Tammany parish [william jones ]
16 May Re: roof top tern colony [David Muth ]
16 May roof top tern colony ["Steven W. Cardiff" ]
16 May Audubon Day at LSU libraries ["Steven W. Cardiff" ]
16 May Shorebird Blitz Area 4, 6 May 2012 [Erik Johnson ]
16 May Honey Island bird banding ["Henry, Donata R" ]
16 May New yard bird/Life bird...Black-billed cuckoo Folsom, La St Tammany parish [janine robin ]
15 May Re: Ten Warblers and Several Flycatchers - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 15, 2012 [Terry Davis ]
15 May Ten Warblers and Several Flycatchers - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 15, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
15 May Re: Lake Martin rookery update ["Driscoll, Melanie" ]
15 May Lake Martin rookery update ["Katherine C. King" ]
15 May Stunning TED video about pollination, including that done by hummers. ["David J. L'Hoste" ]
15 May Cameron Parish, LA, May 14, 2012 [Michael Musumeche ]
15 May Birding the Bogue Chitto NWR and Honey Island Swamp on Sat., May 19 [Jennifer Coulson ]
14 May Possible Chihuahuan Raven [Michael Musumeche ]
14 May Fw: eBird Report - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 14, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
14 May Fw: eBird Report - Black Bayou Lake NWR, May 14, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
14 May Cameron photos ["Purrington, Robert D" ]
14 May Osprey nest, other stuff. [Jonathan Clark ]
14 May Fw: eBird Report -BBBT- Catahoula NWR--Bushley Bayou Unit, Apr 25, 2012 [Jonathan Clark ]
14 May Fw: eBird Report -BBBT - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 30, 2012 [Jonathan Clark ]
14 May Fw: eBird Report -BBBT- Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 21, 2012 [Jonathan Clark ]
14 May Fw: eBird Report- BBBT - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 14, 2012 [Jonathan Clark ]
13 May Western Tanager, Glaucous Gull, decent day in Cameron [Ryan Terrill ]
13 May Cave Swallows [thomas finnie ]
13 May Baton Rouge Audubon End of year get together 5/17 [Jane Patterson ]
13 May Mississippi Kites on the ground! [Bill Wood ]
13 May NEXRAD radar observations of migrating birds in the western Gulf coast region, 5/13 [John Arvin ]
13 May FW: eBird Report - Bayou Macon WMA, May 13, 2012 [Roselie Overby ]
13 May White-winged dove [Roselie Overby ]
13 May Fw: eBird Report - Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Yates tract, Bayou Pierre, May 5, 2012 [Terry Davis ]
13 May Fw: eBird Report - Sentell Rd, May 5, 2012 [Terry Davis ]
12 May FOS Birds - Black Bayou Lake NWR, May 12, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
12 May Shorebird knockdown; other highlights [John Dillon ]
12 May Bay-breasted Warbler [JAKE FONTENOT ]
12 May Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour [jwn ]
12 May Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour [Jane Patterson ]
12 May migrants in NE LA [Roselie Overby ]
12 May Yellow-Green Vireo [David Muth ]
12 May Grand isle [Ed Wallace ]
12 May Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour [Jane Patterson ]
12 May Burrowing Owl [David Muth ]
12 May Fw: BBBT eBird Report - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 7, 2012 [Jonathan Clark ]
12 May Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour [James Remsen ]
12 May Re: Couch's Kingbird [David Muth ]
12 May Neotropical Songbird Tour CANCELLED ["Steven W. Cardiff" ]
11 May Neotropical Songbird Tour [birds ]
11 May Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour [Jane Patterson ]
11 May Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour ["Steven W. Cardiff" ]
11 May Fw: eBird Report - Tiger Bend Road, May 11, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
11 May Couch's Kingbird [David Muth ]
11 May whooping cranes [Gary Broussard ]
11 May Canceled: Bird-banding demo at Sherburne ["Seymour, Michael" ]
11 May Re: Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour circa 10 AM 5/11/12 ["Seymour, Michael" ]
11 May Re: NEXRAD radar observations of migrating birds in the western Gulf coast region; 5/11 [Clairedthomas ]
11 May Atchafalaya Basin bout [jwn ]
11 May NEXRAD radar observations of migrating birds in the western Gulf coast region; 5/11 [John Arvin ]
11 May Re: Bluebonnet Banding 2012 Annual Report [Beverly Smiley ]
11 May Bluebonnet Banding 2012 Annual Report [jared wolfe ]
11 May Louisiana Nest Record Database [Richard Gibbons ]
11 May Rusty Blackbird Results [Emma DeLeon ]
11 May Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour circa 10 AM 5/11/12 [Jay V Huner ]
11 May Re: Value of Old Growth [miriam ]
11 May Swainson's W habitat, timberland [miriam ]
11 May Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour - Weather Issues [Jay V Huner ]
10 May migrants in Lafayette [Paul Conover ]
10 May Nesting Tree Swallows at Cotile Lake, Rapides Parish and Other Birding in Area - Alexandria--The Lakes District, May 10, 2012 [Jay V Huner ]
10 May Re: Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
10 May Re: Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012 [John Dillon ]
10 May Fw: [LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
10 May Can anyone recommend a Guide to Quebec birds? []
10 May Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012 [Stephen Pagans ]
10 May Nesting Tree Swallows at Bichkam Dickson Park, Shreveport [Bill Wood ]
10 May Fwd: eBird Report - Bogue Chitto SP, May 9, 2012 Washington parish Swainson's warbler/Bachman's sparrow/ [janine robin ]
10 May Cameron - May 9, 2012 [thomas finnie ]
10 May Bay-breasted Warblers in City Park [Wendy Rihner ]

Subject: Re: New yard bird/Life bird...Black-billed cuckoo Folsom, La St Tammany parish
From: william jones <defrog AT CAMTEL.NET>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 20:39:35 GMT
Congrats Janine I have seen about 30 yellow bills so far this year but no black 
billed 

Billy
-----Original Message-----
From: "janine robin" 
Sent 5/16/2012 9:33:19 AM
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Subject: [LABIRD-L] New yard bird/Life bird...Black-billed cuckoo Folsom, La St 
Tammany parishHi All, 

I have been on birding field trips where Black-billed cuckoo was put
on the list, but I have never seen one,so I have always deleted from
my shared list. So, this morning, at 8:30, I went out to watch a pair
of titmice as they went in and out of a nest box with food for their
babies. In the background,a ruckus started amongst great-crested
flycatchers and blue jays. A few cardinals flew in to see what was
going on and then....a cuckoo. I thought yellow-billed, but luckily I
had my nocs with me. I got a clear,long look at this bird. Red eye
ring, totally black bill,upper and lower mandibles. The tail almost
had a "frosty" look to it. Small spots, not large and bold like a
yellow-billed.
Nice to get a life bird in one's own backyard!
I tried to get a picture, but by the time I ran in and got my camera,
it had moved on.
Janine Robin
Folsom, LA
St Tammany parish
Subject: Re: roof top tern colony
From: David Muth <MuthD AT NWF.ORG>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 16:13:27 -0400
Steve:

Good to hear. The last time I drove by there, which I think was April 20, there 
was no activity visible from the GIWW bridge. 


David Muth
New Orleans


-----Original Message-----
From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds 
[mailto:LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Steven W. Cardiff 

Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:10 PM
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Subject: [LABIRD-L] roof top tern colony

New Orleans area birders probably know about it, but I can't remember it
being specifically mentioned of late.....  While travelling over the
General De Gaulle bridge over the intracoastal this morning, Donna and I
spotted a large tern colony on the gravel roof of a large building near De
Gaulle and Woodland.  GPS = 29.907236/89.99081.  Did not have time to stop
and ID to species or numbers, but looked like hundreds.

Steve Cardiff
Subject: roof top tern colony
From: "Steven W. Cardiff" <scardif AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 15:10:21 -0500
New Orleans area birders probably know about it, but I can't remember it
being specifically mentioned of late.....  While travelling over the
General De Gaulle bridge over the intracoastal this morning, Donna and I
spotted a large tern colony on the gravel roof of a large building near De
Gaulle and Woodland.  GPS = 29.907236/89.99081.  Did not have time to stop
and ID to species or numbers, but looked like hundreds.

Steve Cardiff
Subject: Audubon Day at LSU libraries
From: "Steven W. Cardiff" <scardif AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 15:02:48 -0500
*
See below, of possible interest to labirders.

Steve Cardiff
#####################

Audubon Day Scheduled for June 16, 2012

*The LSU Libraries will host a viewing of the famed double elephant folio
edition of John James Audubon’s *Birds of America* (London, 1827-1838). The
viewing will be held in the McIlhenny Room of Hill Memorial Library on the
LSU campus, on Saturday, June 16, from 10 a.m. till 2 p.m.

In 2008, the Coypu Foundation made a donation of $99,000 to enable
conservation of this treasure by Etherington Conservation Services. After
more than a year of painstaking work, conservation of all four folio
volumes was completed and the final volume returned to the library on
December 28, 2009. A celebratory Audubon Day showing was held on January
23, 2010. Pictures from that event can be seen on the *Special Collections
blog* <*

http://hill.blogs.lib.lsu.edu/2011/04/lsu-libraries-hosts-viewing-of-audubon%e2%80%99s-birds-of-america/ 

*> .

Audubon Day in 2011 was the focus of a feature article in the Wall Street
Journal entitled “*The Joys of Slow Looking* <*
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703421204576327750299277440.html
*> ,” by Willard Spiegelman, who noted the dazzling colors and rich visual
texture of the original etchings.

Audubon Day is free and the public is invited, but reservations are
required. Viewings of the folio volumes are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.,
11 a.m., 12 noon, and 1 p.m. Only 40 people per hour will be admitted, so
that everyone has a chance to view the four folio volumes.

To request a reservation, please use our *online registration form * <*
http://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/audubon/reservations.html*> or call
225-578-6544 during business hours.
Subject: Shorebird Blitz Area 4, 6 May 2012
From: Erik Johnson <ejohn33 AT TIGERS.LSU.EDU>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 09:50:50 -0500
LAbird,

Sorry for the delay posting this summary.  Mike Musumeche, Melanie
Driscoll, Kimberly Lanka, and I covered the eastern-most section of the
Shorebird Blitz organized by Steve Cardiff and Donna Dittmann.  This area
is bordered by LA-14, LA-343, US-167, and I-10, making it the most urban of
the 4 main sections of rice country covered.  Melanie and Mike took the
southern half while Kimberly and I took the northern half.  Our two groups
traveled 124 miles, not including back-tracked areas.  I very much
appreciate everyone's help getting this area covered!

It was pretty abysmal in terms of shorebird numbers.  Even though we
tallied 14 species (including Killdeer), we collectively found only about
500 individual birds.  Two years ago, the same area produced 20 shorebird
species and 6000 individuals.

We also only found 5 Loggerhead Shrikes, which worked out to be 0.04/mi -
this is about 3 times lower than densities I've had in the same area during
Winter Bird Atlas averaged across 2008-2011.  Is this reduced detection
during breeding, wintering birds migrating north, a recent sharp decline,
or some combination of these things?  Two years ago, the same area had 13
shrikes during the Shorebird Blitz, or about 0.20/mi.  hmmm....

Also only 1 Eastern Kingbird this year; 6 in 2010.  Zero Orchard Orioles
this year, but also zero in 2010.

83 species this year total in Area 4.  3 warbler species: Common
Yellowthroat, Bay-breasted Warbler, American Redstart, and a
Yellow-breasted Chat (rare breeder in Lafayette Parish/rice country).

Happy birding,
Erik Johnson
S Lafayette, LA
ejohnson AT audubon.org
ejohn33 AT lsu.edu
Subject: Honey Island bird banding
From: "Henry, Donata R" <droome AT TULANE.EDU>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 14:43:43 +0000
We had a great start to our 8TH MAPS season in the Honey Island Swamp on 
Mother's Day! A total of 74 birds were captured. The highlights were a 
gray-cheeked thrush, yellow-billed cuckoo (my personal favorite), and an entire 
family of titmice. This was our third highest capture record for the first 
session, up from 58 last year. I found one hooded warbler nest that has already 
fledged, consistent with other observations of early nest starts this year. 


Captures in order of abundance:
White-eyed Vireo (14)
Hooded Warbler (11)
Swainson's Warbler (11)
Northern Cardinal (10)
Tufted Titmouse (8)
Kentucky Warbler (5)
Carolina Wren (4)
Prothonotary Warbler (3)
Red-eyed Vireo (1)
Carolina Chickadee (1)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (1)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1)

Our remaining dates:

Monday, May 21
Saturday, June 2nd
Saturday, June 16th
Saturday, June 23rd
Saturday, July 7th
Saturday, July 14th
Saturday, July 28th
Saturday, August 4th

You are welcome to come out and visit the station. Our nets are open at 5:30am, 
but you do not need to get there at the crack of dawn to see great birds. We 
keep the nets open until 11:30am. The station is about an hour and ten minutes 
outside of New Orleans north of Slidell. From where you park it is a quarter of 
a mile walk down an ATV trail to get to the banding tent. The old swamp 
favorites abound, including mosquitoes and poison ivy, so long pants are 
recommended. If there have been heavy rains then some trails may be partially 
flooded. Wear whatever keeps your feet comfortable. 


Please send me an e-mail if you are planning to visit and I will forward you 
directions to the site. 


Hope to see you in the swamp!

Donata
Subject: New yard bird/Life bird...Black-billed cuckoo Folsom, La St Tammany parish
From: janine robin <janinerobin1982 AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 09:33:19 -0500
Hi All,
I have been on birding field trips where Black-billed cuckoo was put
on the list, but I have never seen one,so I have always deleted from
my shared list. So, this morning, at 8:30, I went out to watch a pair
of titmice as they went in and out of a nest box with food for their
babies. In the background,a ruckus started amongst great-crested
flycatchers and blue jays. A few cardinals flew in to see what was
going on and then....a cuckoo. I thought yellow-billed, but luckily I
had my nocs with me. I got a clear,long look at this bird. Red eye
ring, totally black bill,upper and lower mandibles. The tail almost
had a "frosty" look to it. Small spots, not large and bold like a
yellow-billed.
Nice to get a life bird in one's own backyard!
I tried to get a picture, but by the time I ran in and got my camera,
it had moved on.
Janine Robin
Folsom, LA
St Tammany parish
Subject: Re: Ten Warblers and Several Flycatchers - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 15, 2012
From: Terry Davis <trdavis22 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 19:33:24 -0700
Steve, Nice list! I also had an Ovenbird singing on and off all morning in the 
500 block of Elmvvood in Shreveport today. 


Additional counts for NAMC Sat, May 12- There vvas also an Ovenbird at Stoner 
on along vvith a grand slam on Catharus thrushes (minus Hermit and Bicknell's, 
of course) vvith a good fallout of those including 3 Veery, 2 Grey-cheeked and 
61 Svvainson's! (rec'd 2-3 simultaneous singers + others calling) VVarbler 
shovving vvas notably poor but also got 3 Mourning, including 2 males (rec'd 
one singer) and a fevv other expecteds. Flycatchers vvere also in good nos 
vvith lots of E. VVood Pevvee, Great Crested, several Acadian and a couple of 
Least. 


Shortly later at Cane's Landing I found 3 VVillovv Fly males singing on 
territories at the usual spot, another nearby and 5 singing and/or calling 
Alder at different vvillovv stands. I also added 8-10 other Svvainson's there 
but no additional Mourning VVarblers vvhich vvas somevvhat surprising. An adult 
male each of Canada- singing loudly and follovved for avvhile as it foraged 
along in rough-leaf dogvvood, then a silent probable adult male (very orangy 
pileolata-ish-looking indiv at that) VVilson's VVa in ragvveed-edged black 
vvillovv kinda made up for that. Singing Gray Catbirds here seemed a little 
higher in no than the past couple of seasons as vvell. 


Hubert and I did a shorebird count at Yates later that afternoon. VVe had an 
Olive-sided Flycatcher on a vvillovv snag near the levee bend. I missed 
(actually vvalked right past) the best bird of the day vvhich vvas a Piping 
Plover spotted by Hubert in unit 2. He also reported a yellovv flag/band on a 
VVhite-rumped there- of vvhich vve had 10 total. Other good ones among usuals 
vvere 20 Semipalmated Sandpiper (only 6 Least), 2 VVestern, 8 Stilt, 2 
Solitary, 2 Greater Yellovvlegs and lots of Pec and Lesser legs. 120+ 
Blue-vvinged Teal vvas equally amazing!! 


Hopefully I'll be able to get around to e-birding our finds soon!

Terry



________________________________
 From: Stephen Pagans 
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU 
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 8:01 PM
Subject: [LABIRD-L] Ten Warblers and Several Flycatchers - Ouachita River, S of 
Forsythe Park, May 15, 2012 

 
This site was not just overly busy with bird activity this morning, but the 
birds were there.  I just had to stay with it.

Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, Ouachita, US-LA
May 15, 2012 7:40 AM - 12:04 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.2 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather was clear and cool to begin with and then went to mild.  I 

walked the entire distance.
38 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Duck  2
Green Heron  1
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Killdeer  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1    FOS
Acadian Flycatcher  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  4
Loggerhead Shrike  2
White-eyed Vireo  3
Warbling Vireo  1    singing
Red-eyed Vireo  2
American Crow  1
Purple Martin  1
Cliff Swallow  8
Carolina Chickadee  8
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  6
Swainson's Thrush  1
Catharus sp.  1    Singing.  I recorded it but will have to listen to 
recordings.
European Starling  6
Ovenbird  1     FOS
Northern Waterthrush  1  singing
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  1
American Redstart  1
Yellow Warbler  5  most singing
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2   singing
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Canada Warbler  2    singing
Wilson's Warbler  3    singing
Northern Cardinal  7
Common Grackle  32
Orchard Oriole  1
Baltimore Oriole  2
House Sparrow  1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Ten Warblers and Several Flycatchers - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 15, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 18:01:40 -0700
This site was not just overly busy with bird activity this morning, but the 
birds were there.  I just had to stay with it.

Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, Ouachita, US-LA
May 15, 2012 7:40 AM - 12:04 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.2 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather was clear and cool to begin with and then went to mild.  I 

walked the entire distance.
38 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Duck  2
Green Heron  1
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Killdeer  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1    FOS
Acadian Flycatcher  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  4
Loggerhead Shrike  2
White-eyed Vireo  3
Warbling Vireo  1    singing
Red-eyed Vireo  2
American Crow  1
Purple Martin  1
Cliff Swallow  8
Carolina Chickadee  8
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  6
Swainson's Thrush  1
Catharus sp.  1    Singing.  I recorded it but will have to listen to 
recordings.
European Starling  6
Ovenbird  1     FOS
Northern Waterthrush  1  singing
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  1
American Redstart  1
Yellow Warbler  5  most singing
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2   singing
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Canada Warbler  2    singing
Wilson's Warbler  3    singing
Northern Cardinal  7
Common Grackle  32
Orchard Oriole  1
Baltimore Oriole  2
House Sparrow  1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Re: Lake Martin rookery update
From: "Driscoll, Melanie" <mdriscoll AT AUDUBON.ORG>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 12:02:50 -0700
Kacy and LABIRD,

Kacy's update came just as I was receiving an update about Important Bird Areas 
(IBAs) in Louisiana that have been prioritized as globally important. 


Lake Martin has been prioritized as globally important for Great Egret, with an 
estimated 4,000 breeding pair as recently as 2010, and globally significant 
numbers of Great Egrets in 7 out of the past 8 years. Lake Martin also supports 
continentally important populations of breeding Little Blue Herons. 


Atchafalaya Delta IBA was prioritized as globally important for Gadwall, 
Northern Pintail, Canvasback, and White Ibis, and continentally important for 
Black Skimmer and Mottled Duck. Lake Pontchartrain IBA was prioritized as 
globally significant for Lesser Scaup, with counts of between 1/4 of a million 
and more than 1 million birds from the federal Midwinter Waterfowl Surveys 
conducted annually by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 


Coastal Prairie IBA (the rice region of SW Louisiana) was prioritized as 
globally important for Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Snow Goose, Greater 
White-fronted Goose, Yellow Rail, Long-billed Dowitcher, White Ibis, and 
White-faced Ibis. Many of the counts of these birds came from the Christmas 
Bird Count, the Audubon citizen science project many of you have supported for 
many years. As more data become available from other citizen science projects 
such as Yellow Rails and Rice Festival counts and Shorebird Blitz, the site 
will end up better supported by data. 


Many thanks to the National IBA Technical Committee, the group of U.S. 
scientists responsible for evaluating U.S. IBAs for prioritization to global or 
continental status. Also, many thanks to each birder who contributes to e-bird, 
CBC, Great Backyard Bird Count, LA Winter and Summer Bird Atlas, and other 
publicly available bird data sources. I use the data from each of these sources 
to support Louisiana IBAs, as well as data generously contributed by 
professional scientists. As a result, Louisiana's IBAs have some of the 
strongest data support of any of the IBA programs with which I am familiar. Our 
outstanding avifauna and concentrations of birds are being recognized as a 
result of your efforts and the Louisiana IBA program. 


Best regards,

Melanie
______________________________
Melanie Driscoll

Director of Bird Conservation
Gulf Coast Conservation/Mississippi Flyway
National Audubon Society

6160 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
work:  225-768-0820
cell:    225-938-7209
mdriscoll AT audubon.org
www.audubon.org




________________________________________
From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds 
[LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Katherine C. King [kking AT TNC.ORG] 

Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:08 PM
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Subject: [LABIRD-L] Lake Martin rookery update

Hello, I was out of town for a week and came back to white chicks covering the 
button bush on the eastern side of the rookery along Rookery Road. Chicks seem 
to be everywhere! The Little Blues were a bit early this year, and seem to have 
been very successful. Great Egret seem to be successful as well, the nests are 
filled with chicks of varying sizes. Along with the Little Blue Herons, there 
are Cattle Egrets and Snowy Egrets and Tricolored Herons with chicks. We have 
recorded well over 300 Cattle Egrets leaving the rookery at the same time in 
our pre-and-post dawn flyover counts. I am unsure where the bulk of the nests 
are, somewhere in the interior. We have also recorded well over 100 Roseate 
Spoonbills entering the rookery at the same time, although, again, their nests 
are difficult to spot. Many can be seen from the walking trail on the western 
side of the rookery. Please remember that we will close the walking trail on 
June 1st for alligator nesting season. Thanks to Da! 

 nny Dobbs for his early morning help with flyover counts.

As always, please contact me directly with any interesting news to note or 
questions. 


Katherine C. King
Cypress Island Program Manager

kking AT tnc.org
(337) 342-2475 (Phone)
(337) 356-1373 (Mobile)
Subject: Lake Martin rookery update
From: "Katherine C. King" <kking AT TNC.ORG>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 17:08:26 +0000
Hello, I was out of town for a week and came back to white chicks covering the 
button bush on the eastern side of the rookery along Rookery Road. Chicks seem 
to be everywhere! The Little Blues were a bit early this year, and seem to have 
been very successful. Great Egret seem to be successful as well, the nests are 
filled with chicks of varying sizes. Along with the Little Blue Herons, there 
are Cattle Egrets and Snowy Egrets and Tricolored Herons with chicks. We have 
recorded well over 300 Cattle Egrets leaving the rookery at the same time in 
our pre-and-post dawn flyover counts. I am unsure where the bulk of the nests 
are, somewhere in the interior. We have also recorded well over 100 Roseate 
Spoonbills entering the rookery at the same time, although, again, their nests 
are difficult to spot. Many can be seen from the walking trail on the western 
side of the rookery. Please remember that we will close the walking trail on 
June 1st for alligator nesting season. Thanks to Da! 

 nny Dobbs for his early morning help with flyover counts.

As always, please contact me directly with any interesting news to note or 
questions. 


Katherine C. King
Cypress Island Program Manager

kking AT tnc.org
(337) 342-2475 (Phone) 
(337) 356-1373 (Mobile)
Subject: Stunning TED video about pollination, including that done by hummers.
From: "David J. L'Hoste" <lhoste AT LHOSTELAW.COM>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 10:30:07 -0500
Stunning video about pollination, including that of hummers:
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xHkq1edcbk4?rel=0

Full TED talk here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/louie_schwartzberg_the_hidden_beauty_of_pollination.html 


-- 
David J. L'Hoste
Law Offices of David J. L'Hoste, LLC
1615 Poydras Street, Suite 1275
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112-1275
t 504.566.0056
f 504.754.7855
c 504.920.1505
Subject: Cameron Parish, LA, May 14, 2012
From: Michael Musumeche <mjmusumeche AT COX.NET>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 07:12:54 -0500
LaBirders,

Kimberly Lanka and I spent the day birding primarily Peveto Woods.  We also 
birded the Oak Grove Sanctuary, Cameron Prairie and Lacassine N.W.R. Birding 
was fair with several late spring migrants present.  Deer flies were very 
much evident; be prepared.

Mike


Cameron Parish, LA, Cameron, US-LA
May 14, 2012 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
75.0 mile(s)
118 species

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  2
Fulvous Whistling-Duck  8
Gadwall  1
Mottled Duck  7
Blue-winged Teal  66
Lesser Scaup  22
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Neotropic Cormorant  29
Anhinga  2
American White Pelican  5
Brown Pelican  120
Least Bittern  5
Great Blue Heron  6
Great Egret  23
Snowy Egret  32
Little Blue Heron  15
Tricolored Heron  18
Reddish Egret  2
Cattle Egret  21
Green Heron  35
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  15
White Ibis  26
White-faced Ibis  79
Roseate Spoonbill  17
Black Vulture  18
Turkey Vulture  6
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Swainson's Hawk  1     photo
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Clapper Rail  3
Purple Gallinule  15
Common Gallinule  20
American Coot  45
Black-bellied Plover  16
Wilson's Plover  2
Semipalmated Plover  1
Killdeer  19
Black-necked Stilt  66
American Avocet  14
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Willet  24
Lesser Yellowlegs  15
Whimbrel  1
Long-billed Curlew  1
Marbled Godwit  1
Ruddy Turnstone  35
Sanderling  45
Semipalmated Sandpiper  45
White-rumped Sandpiper  90
Pectoral Sandpiper  1
Dunlin  250
Stilt Sandpiper  23
Short-billed Dowitcher  1
Laughing Gull  400
Herring Gull  5
Least Tern  23
Caspian Tern  15
Forster's Tern  33
Royal Tern  35
Sandwich Tern  7
Black Skimmer  3
Rock Pigeon  6
Eurasian Collared-Dove  2
Mourning Dove  25
Inca Dove  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  6
Black-billed Cuckoo  1
Common Nighthawk  7
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Eastern Kingbird  41
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  1
Loggerhead Shrike  9
Red-eyed Vireo  6
Blue Jay  15
American Crow  2
Fish Crow  1
Purple Martin  14
Tree Swallow  5
Bank Swallow  3
Barn Swallow  150
Cliff Swallow  1
Carolina Wren  2
Marsh Wren  1
Swainson's Thrush  12
Gray Catbird  2
Northern Mockingbird  25
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  35
Black-and-white Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  2
American Redstart  10
Magnolia Warbler  7
Bay-breasted Warbler  8
Blackburnian Warbler  5
Yellow Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1
Blackpoll Warbler  1
Lark Sparrow  1     photo
Summer Tanager  2
Northern Cardinal  25
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Blue Grosbeak  6
Indigo Bunting  30     25 female type, 5 males
Red-winged Blackbird  150
Eastern Meadowlark  3
Common Grackle  25
Boat-tailed Grackle  70
Great-tailed Grackle  15
Bronzed Cowbird  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  11
Orchard Oriole  12
House Sparrow  8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)




_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Michael Musumeche
New Iberia, Louisiana
mjmusumeche AT cox.net
Subject: Birding the Bogue Chitto NWR and Honey Island Swamp on Sat., May 19
From: Jennifer Coulson <jacoulson AT AOL.COM>
Date: Tue, 15 May 2012 08:01:33 -0400
Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge and Honey Island
 
Half Day Trip
 
Saturday, May 19, 2012
 
Time: 7:00 a.m.
 
Meet at the entrance to Pearl River Wildlife Management Area, Exit 5b, (Honey 
Island Swamp) off of I-59. 

Good chance to see Swallow-tailed Kite and 10 species of breeding warblers 
including Swainson’s Warbler. 

 
Leader: Glenn Ousset (504) 495-4284 

 
This birding trip is co-sponsored by the Orleans Audubon Society and the 
Crescent Bird Club. 



Orleans Audubon Society
orleansaudubon AT aol.com
www.jjaudubon.net
Subject: Possible Chihuahuan Raven
From: Michael Musumeche <mjmusumeche AT COX.NET>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 20:44:53 -0500
LaBirders,

While waiting upon the Cameron ferry to go to the east side of the Calcasieu 
River, a very large all black Corvid flew directly across the front of the 
ferry about 10 feet from where I was situated. I immediately thought Chihuahuan 
Raven. It appeared to be about 1/3 larger than an American Crow, had a massive 
bill and the tail appeared to be slightly longer than a crow would have. I 
could not discern a wedge-shaped tail since the bird flew parallel to the water 
and its tail was not flared. It was being mobbed by Barn Swallows as it flew 
out of sight. If anyone is in that area, be on the lookout for this bird. 


Mike


_______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Michael Musumeche
New Iberia, Louisiana
mjmusumeche AT cox.net
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 14, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 18:42:12 -0700
Even though it was getting late in the day, I decided to stop by the river 
site.  Bird activity was a bit slow in there but I didn't cover the entire 
area.  I was a bit tired from my earlier walk on Black Bayou Lake NWR.  I saw a 

number of other small birds that could have been warblers but could not connect 

with them.

Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, Ouachita, US-LA
May 14, 2012 11:52 AM - 1:52 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather was clear and warm.
26 species

Wood Duck  2
Green Heron  2
Killdeer  1
Rock Pigeon  3
Mourning Dove  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  4
Downy Woodpecker  2
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Acadian Flycatcher  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  3
Blue Jay  1
Purple Martin  1
Cliff Swallow  8
Carolina Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Swainson's Thrush  1
Gray Catbird  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  3
Northern Cardinal  4
Common Grackle  18
Orchard Oriole  2
Baltimore Oriole  3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Black Bayou Lake NWR, May 14, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 18:40:04 -0700
I got off to a slow start this morning but decided to go to the refuge to see 
if 

I could cross paths with a Swainson's Warbler.  I didn't.  Last year I did hear 

one singing on the north end while observing mist net operations but didn't 
think about doing an incidental report.  I had a good walk but stayed to the 
roads.



Black Bayou Lake NWR, Ouachita, US-LA
May 14, 2012 8:50 AM - 11:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.85 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather was clear and mild.  I started the survey at the end of 
the 

road that runs north from the shop and then went southeast and east.  The 
survey 

rand adjacent to upland sites with pine and pine/hardwood.  I walked the entire 

distance.
35 species

Anhinga  1
Green Heron  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Mourning Dove  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  3
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Acadian Flycatcher  5
White-eyed Vireo  8
Yellow-throated Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  9
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  4
Fish Crow  1
Carolina Chickadee  8
Tufted Titmouse  7
Carolina Wren  8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  6
Prothonotary Warbler  2
Kentucky Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  3
Hooded Warbler  2
Northern Parula  3
Pine Warbler  4
Yellow-throated Warbler  1
Yellow-breasted Chat  2
Eastern Towhee  2
Summer Tanager  8
Northern Cardinal  9
Blue Grosbeak  2
Indigo Bunting  6
Painted Bunting  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Cameron photos
From: "Purrington, Robert D" <danny AT TULANE.EDU>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 21:17:03 +0000
I have posted some photos of the Couch's Kingbird at Oak Grove, taken on Friday 
(May 11). The bird responded very vigorously to its taped call/song, and then 
began loudly responding. 


For lagniappe, there are photos of Wilson's Phalarope, Am. Avocet, and Surf 
Scoter. They are at 
http://www.tulane.edu/~danny/cameron051112.html 



There were good numbers of birds all three days, including a lot of warblers, 
dominated by redstarts, blackburnians, bay-breasts, and chestnut-sided. 
Apparently due mostly to friday's rain. Saturday morning was good, but the rain 
offshore came to Cameron too early, and then moved well to the east. Only 
modest turn-over for sunday. Only Paul got a photo of the Yellow-green Vireo. 


Dan Purrington
Subject: Osprey nest, other stuff.
From: Jonathan Clark <falloutbird_1 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 10:24:17 -0700
On 5/10/12, while making my weekly trip to the headquarters unit of Catahoula 
NWR,  I found a pair of Osprey in one of the big old cypress trees in Duck Lake 
near the road at the north end. After watching them for a moment I realized 
that there were a few sticks and a beard of Spanish moss placed in a high fork 
of the bare old tree. The beginings of a nest! I was at that spot for a while 
and got to watch one of the pair make frequent trips to pick a stick or other 
item from the surface of the water, fly around in circles with it, and return 
to the tree. Sometimes he'd drop it after fiddling with it for a while, 
sometimes he'd add it to the pile. I look forward to checking up on their 
progress each week. Good luck Ospreys! 

   Also, at the same spot, on March 30 or so, I had my first Red-breasted 
Merganser. 

   I'll be posting the checklists for both those and other spring birding 
sometime soon. Just wanted to share while I had a minute. 

 
Happy Birding,
Jonathan Clark
Subject: Fw: eBird Report -BBBT- Catahoula NWR--Bushley Bayou Unit, Apr 25, 2012
From: Jonathan Clark <falloutbird_1 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 10:08:41 -0700
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" 
To: falloutbird_1 AT yahoo.com 
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:42 AM
Subject: eBird Report - Catahoula NWR--Bushley Bayou Unit, Apr 25, 2012
  
Catahoula NWR--Bushley Bayou Unit, Catahoula, US-LA
Apr 25, 2012 6:21 AM - 9:34 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Bayou Birding Bon Temps. Conditions: 57 to 72 degrees f, sunny, 
calm to light and variable breeze with med. gusts developing late. Walked 
around 1 mile on gravel road (part of Farris Road on some maps) from the 
entrance on hwy 8 by the fish farm. Several FOS species for the refuge. Other 
wildlife detected includes Cricket Frog, Green Treefrog, Bronze Frog, Green 
Anole, Hispid Cotton Rat, and tracks of Nine-banded Armadillo, Northern 
Raccoon, and White-tailed Deer. 

41 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Duck  6
Blue-winged Teal  2
duck sp.  1
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  10
Little Blue Heron  4
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Mississippi Kite  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2    Pair seen in the area where they can almost always be 
found. 

Mourning Dove  8
Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Eastern Kingbird  2
White-eyed Vireo  5
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  3
Purple Martin  1
Carolina Chickadee  5
Carolina Wren  3
Gray Catbird  2     pair.
Cedar Waxwing  37
Prothonotary Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  5
Hooded Warbler  1
Northern Parula  1
Prairie Warbler  3     FOS
Yellow-breasted Chat  9
Eastern Towhee  3
Lincoln's Sparrow  4
Swamp Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  7
Blue Grosbeak  4
Indigo Bunting  15
Painted Bunting  3
Dickcissel  4     FOS
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Common Grackle  6
Brown-headed Cowbird  5
Orchard Oriole  7    One of the females observed singing. I did not know they 
did that. 

Baltimore Oriole  1   FOS

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: eBird Report -BBBT - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 30, 2012
From: Jonathan Clark <falloutbird_1 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 10:07:10 -0700
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" 
To: falloutbird_1 AT yahoo.com 
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:52 AM
Subject: eBird Report - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 30, 2012
  
Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), La Salle, US-LA
Apr 30, 2012 7:23 AM - 9:38 AM
Protocol: Traveling
9.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Bayou Birding Bon Temps. Conditions: 73 to 79 degrees f, mostly 
cloudy with some sun, calm with some light breeze. Water level marker in Duck 
Lake shows 38.4, dropping. Drove refuge loop with numerous stops and stand 
around periods including long one at north end of Duck Lake. Other wildlife 
detected includes Northern Cricket Frog, Green Treefrog, Cope's Gray Treefrog, 
Bronze Frog, American Alligator, Green Anole, Nerodia watersnake sp., Fox 
Squirrel, Northern Raccoon. 

46 species

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  4    Not too far from the spot where I saw 10 of  
them earlier in the month. 

Wood Duck  18    A pair with 10 young seen swimming across the slough that 
flows out of the north end of Duck Lake. 

Blue-winged Teal  2
Anhinga  8
Great Blue Heron  3
Great Egret  9
Little Blue Heron  9
Turkey Vulture  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Spotted Sandpiper  2     Startled to flight by a watersnake.
Mourning Dove  7
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  4
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Acadian Flycatcher  5
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Eastern Kingbird  2
White-eyed Vireo  5
Red-eyed Vireo  8
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  6
Barn Swallow  3
Carolina Chickadee  9
Tufted Titmouse  7
Carolina Wren  14
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Cedar Waxwing  15
Prothonotary Warbler  13
Tennessee Warbler  10
Kentucky Warbler  4
Common Yellowthroat  1
Northern Parula  7
Yellow-throated Warbler  1
Yellow-breasted Chat  1
Summer Tanager  7
Northern Cardinal  21
Blue Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  17
Painted Bunting  17
Red-winged Blackbird  4
Common Grackle  4
Brown-headed Cowbird  12
Orchard Oriole  7

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: eBird Report -BBBT- Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 21, 2012
From: Jonathan Clark <falloutbird_1 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 09:56:51 -0700
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" 
To: falloutbird_1 AT yahoo.com 
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:49 AM
Subject: eBird Report - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 21, 2012
  
Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), La Salle, US-LA
Apr 21, 2012 6:23 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
9.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Bayou Birding Bon Temps. Conditions: 55 to 58 degrees f, overcast 
with some fine mist of rain, wind pretty constant, wind speed variable with 
moderately strong gusts in open areas. Almost wintery day in the midst of a 
warm April.  Water level marker in Duck Lake shows 38.8 feet. Drove refuge loop 
with numerous stops and stand-around periods including a long one at the north 
end of Duck Lake. Some FOS for this location. Best finds include large group of 
swallows, Merlin, some transient neotropic FOS's. 

54 species (+5 other taxa)

Wood Duck  9
Blue-winged Teal  2
duck sp.  3
Anhinga  10
Great Blue Heron  6
Great Egret  22
Snowy Egret  3
Little Blue Heron  18
Cattle Egret  36
White Ibis  8
Plegadis sp.  3
Turkey Vulture  2
Red-shouldered Hawk  1
Buteo sp.  1
Merlin  1     Apparently hunting the flocks of swallows over Duck Lake.
American Coot  4
Spotted Sandpiper  3
Mourning Dove  4
Barred Owl  1
Chimney Swift  63    Swirling flocks seen joining up with swallow swarm at 
north end of Duck Lake. 

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Acadian Flycatcher  4
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Eastern Kingbird  3
White-eyed Vireo  6
Red-eyed Vireo  7
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  14
Bank Swallow  5
Barn Swallow  800    Large numbers of swallows making there way up Duck Lake, 
mostly Barn Swallow. See comments under "swallow sp." for more details. 

Cliff Swallow  25
swallow sp.  400    Large masses of swallows making their way up Duck Lake 
(roughly south to north) against a chilly head wind. Swirling masses of birds 
could be seen, and waves would pass around me and low over my possition on the 
levee-top road at north end of Duck Lake. Most swallows appeared to be Barn, 
but likely more of Rough-winged, Bank, Cliff than listed were present, and 
maybe others were present aswell. Rough estimates for Barn Swallow and swallow 
sp. numbers. 

Carolina Chickadee  13
Tufted Titmouse  13
Carolina Wren  16
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Cedar Waxwing  2
Prothonotary Warbler  11
Tennessee Warbler  2     FOS
Kentucky Warbler  1     FOS. singing.
Hooded Warbler  1     FOS. singing.
Northern Parula  5
Yellow-throated Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  2     FOS
Savannah Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  3
Summer Tanager  6
Northern Cardinal  22
Indigo Bunting  18
Painted Bunting  12
Red-winged Blackbird  11
Common Grackle  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  20
Orchard Oriole  3
blackbird sp.  3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: eBird Report- BBBT - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 14, 2012
From: Jonathan Clark <falloutbird_1 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 09:54:20 -0700
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" 
To: falloutbird_1 AT yahoo.com 
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:46 AM
Subject: eBird Report - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 14, 2012
  
Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), La Salle, US-LA
Apr 14, 2012 5:32 PM - 7:51 PM
Protocol: Traveling
9.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Bayou Birding Bon Temps. Conditons: warm, sunny, breeze to light 
or moderate wind in open places. Water level marker in Duck Lake reads 38.9 
feet (dropping). "Normal" sort of water level in the lake. Drove the refuge 
loop (south first, then up the west side and coming around to north end of Duck 
Lake. Opposite of my usual morning direction.) with many stops and stand around 
periods. Some FOS species for this location. Other wildlife detected includes 
Fowler's Toad, Northern Cricket Frog, Green Treefrog, Cope's Gray Treefrog, 
Bronze Frog, Common Kingsnake, Colubrid snake sp., Fox Squirrel. 

41 species

Wood Duck  6
Ring-necked Duck  10     Last ones seen this season.
Double-crested Cormorant  41
Anhinga  8
Great Blue Heron  4
Great Egret  15
Snowy Egret  2     FOS
Little Blue Heron  30
Cattle Egret  17     FOS
White Ibis  1     FOS
Turkey Vulture  3
Spotted Sandpiper  1
Mourning Dove  6
Barred Owl  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Acadian Flycatcher  1     FOS
White-eyed Vireo  5
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  4
Purple Martin  9
Barn Swallow  10
Cliff Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  5
Carolina Wren  14
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  3
Prothonotary Warbler  3
Northern Parula  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  2     Last ones seen for the season.
Yellow-breasted Chat  1     FOS
Savannah Sparrow  6
Summer Tanager  2     FOS
Northern Cardinal  16
Blue Grosbeak  1     FOS
Indigo Bunting  1     FOS
Painted Bunting  3     FOS
Red-winged Blackbird  25
Common Grackle  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
Orchard Oriole  1     FOS. singing

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Western Tanager, Glaucous Gull, decent day in Cameron
From: Ryan Terrill <enicurus AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 22:08:55 -0700
Today Glenn Seeholzer and I hit a few of the Cameron spot
Hi everyone-

Today Glenn Seeholzer and I hit a few of the Cameron spots. Best were a Western 
Tanager in the oaks along Cedar lane between Broussard Beach and Cameron, a 
late Blue-headed Vireo at Peveto, and a Glaucous Gull on Rutherford beach. We 
were unable to find either the Couch's Kingbird nor the Yellow-green Vireo. All 
in all, the day was good for migrants, with many Thrushes around and decent 
numbers of Warblers, maybe most notably were one or two Bay-breasted Warblers 
at just about every stop. 


On a side note, it seems like every Mockingbird from Grand Chenier to Oak Grove 
puts Kiskadee in their song now; and at Cedar lane I even heard one switch from 
Kiskadee straight into Ash-throated Flycatcher. 


Good luck, and Good birding!




________________________________

 
 
Ryan S. Terrill          

      
Museum of Natural Science
Department of Biological Sciences

119 Foster Hall
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
70803-3216
rterri2 AT lsu.edu
Subject: Cave Swallows
From: thomas finnie <finnie.tom AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 20:49:12 -0500
Labirders,

After church, a Mother's Day dinner at our house with parents, kids, eight
grandkids and playing softball there was still time to check to see if the
Cave Swallows on Gum Island Road in Calcasieu Parish had returned this
year. There were Barn Swallows, Cliff Swallows and Cave Swallows showing
off their aerial acrobatics making effortless sharp turns at high speeds
high in the sky. They have returned to the same area around the first of
May for at least four years. It was great to see them as they are always a
pleasure to see.

Cave Swallow picture at: http://i45.tinypic.com/imnmrl.jpg

Have a Great Week, :)
Tom
Subject: Baton Rouge Audubon End of year get together 5/17
From: Jane Patterson <seejanebird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 18:35:51 -0500
Dear Baton Rouge Audubon members,

We will be having our end of year party this coming Thursday, May 17 from
6:30 to 8pm (we generally take a hiatus in the summer) .  This will be a
potluck-style party, with everyone bringing something to share.  Finger
foods, chips or veggies, appetizers, are perfect.  BRAS will supply wine,
beer, and soft drinks.  Guests are welcome.  The location is the LSU Museum
of Natural Science in Foster Hall on the LSU campus (Dalrymple Dr. across
from the Greek amphitheater).  We will be recognizing our many volunteers
that have helped with events this year, as well as holding our annual
elections.  It will also be a chance to gather, get to know each other a
bit better and talk about birds!

For planning purposes, please let me know if you'll be attending this
Thursday evening.  You can send an email to President AT braudubon.org.  For
those that have already sent an RSVP, thanks and no need to duplicate!

Hope to see everyone there!

--Jane Patterson
Baton Rouge Audubon Society
Subject: Mississippi Kites on the ground!
From: Bill Wood <labirder11 AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 23:16:28 +0000
To all,

Saw 20-30 Mississippi Kites this morning at C. Bickham Dickson Park. Many were 
on the ground, feeding drinking?, as were the 10 in this photo at: 


http://www.pbase.com/labirder/image/143286734

More pics at:  http://www.pbase.com/labirder/recent

Did not see the Tree Swallows today at their nesting site.

As Always, Good Birding

Bill Wood
Shreveport, LA
Subject: NEXRAD radar observations of migrating birds in the western Gulf coast region, 5/13
From: John Arvin <jarvin AT GCBO.ORG>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 16:10:13 -0500
Ground-thruthing via the internet it would appear that my forecast for the 
weekend was largely on target. That is extremely gratifying. Given the 
continuing N winds (until tomorrow) at coastal stopovers I expect good 
birding for trans-Gulf and circum-Gulf migrants for at least one more day. 
After tomorrow the spring migration should quickly wind down with a last 
gasp in early June. I will continue this exercise next spring.
jca 

John C. Arvin
Research Associate
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
103 West Hwy 332
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
jarvin AT gcbo.org
www.gcbo.org

Austin, Texas
Subject: FW: eBird Report - Bayou Macon WMA, May 13, 2012
From: Roselie Overby <rosebird8791 AT BELLSOUTH.NET>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 15:54:09 -0500
Very slow birding.  I saw most of the warblers in a couple of willow trees.
There were more warbler type songs that I could not definitely id even with
the birdjam.  They all started running together!
Roselie Overby



Bayou Macon WMA, East Carroll, US-LA
May 13, 2012 7:50 AM - 9:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments:     Skies heavy overcast, 65 to 71 degrees.  Walking on trail
north of Hwy 2.
33 species

Great Egret  2     feeding in ditch in front of WMA unit
Mississippi Kite  1
Mourning Dove  2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  6
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  4
Red-bellied Woodpecker  7
Downy Woodpecker  4
Pileated Woodpecker  4
Eastern Wood-Pewee  6
Acadian Flycatcher  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  4
White-eyed Vireo  9
Red-eyed Vireo  4
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  4
Carolina Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  10
Carolina Wren  4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  6
Gray Catbird  1
Prothonotary Warbler  4
Tennessee Warbler  4
American Redstart  2
Yellow Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  3
Yellow-throated Warbler  1
Yellow-breasted Chat  1
Eastern Towhee  5
Summer Tanager  3
Northern Cardinal  9
Indigo Bunting  10
Painted Bunting  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  7

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: White-winged dove
From: Roselie Overby <rosebird8791 AT BELLSOUTH.NET>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 15:51:54 -0500
A friend called to let me know that a White-winged Dove was at her feeders.
She has seen 2 of them in the past week or two.  I stopped by briefly
between errands and generated the list below.
Roselie Overby
Oak Grove in W. Carroll Parish


Oak Grove , West Carroll, US-LA
May 13, 2012 2:35 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments:     private yard in town. overcast, 75 degrees
10 species

Eurasian Collared-Dove  1
White-winged Dove  1
Mourning Dove  2
Eastern Kingbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  1
Brown Thrasher  2
European Starling  4
Northern Cardinal  2
Common Grackle  4
House Finch  5

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Yates tract, Bayou Pierre, May 5, 2012
From: Terry Davis <trdavis22 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 11:15:11 -0700
Things got better later in the day, although migrant passerines such as 
vvarblers vvere still notably poor!! The possible breeding Grasshopper Sparrovv 
vvas interesting. 


 

Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Yates tract, Bayou Pierre, Red River, US-LA
May 5, 2012 3:15 PM - 7:50 PM
Protocol: Traveling
4.8 mile(s)
Comments:    2 observers, 4 hrs, 35 mins, 4.8 miles. 50% clouds, 90 deg, ind 8 
svv beginning, hot, mostly clear vvind 10-12 ending. Had an enjoyable and 
notably productive afternoon birding here vvith Hubert Hervey. VVe found some 
interesting things. The number of Blue-vvinged Teal vvas nothing short of 
amazing for this date!! Hovvever, vve also had very high nos yesterday during 
the NAMC on 05/12- to be posted later. 

77 species (+1 other taxa)

Mallard  2     pr/ unit 3
Blue-winged Teal  124     units- good nos!!
Northern Shoveler  2     males/ unit 2
Pied-billed Grebe  2     also very vocal/ barn pond
Great Blue Heron  2     1 units, 1 flyby
Great Egret  12     7 in units, rest flybys- a couple of dingy-billed hy
Snowy Egret  30     all units.
Little Blue Heron  18     16 units, 2 flybys. Approx 80% adult
Cattle Egret  23     15 flyby, rest units.
Green Heron  1     flyby
Black Vulture  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2     ad
Sora  3     calling in tall grass/vveeds in unit 4
American Coot  12     4 barn pond, rest units
Semipalmated Plover  5     unit 2=4, 7=1
Killdeer  13     2 near barn, rest units
Black-necked Stilt  4     prs/units 3 and 1
Spotted Sandpiper  2     unit 1 and 2
Solitary Sandpiper  4     unit 2=2, 3=2
Greater Yellowlegs  5     unit 1=2, 7=3
Lesser Yellowlegs  102     units
Semipalmated Sandpiper  5     unit 2
Least Sandpiper  181     seemed avvfully high!! units.
White-rumped Sandpiper  7     unit 2
Pectoral Sandpiper  132     units
Stilt Sandpiper  12    unit 2- These vvere not fully alternate ith little 
streaking belovv- maybe 2nd year? 

peep sp.  30     distants in units 7 and 2
Buff-breasted Sandpiper  2
Short-billed Dowitcher  18    unit 2=8, unit 3=10 hendersoni, most apparently 
adults, studied closely. Heard flight- calls as vvell in unit 2 

Long-billed Dowitcher  40     cohesive gp unit 2
Wilson's Phalarope  3     unit 2= 2m, 1f
Rock Pigeon  2
Eurasian Collared-Dove  2
Mourning Dove  3
Inca Dove  1     calling just vv of farmhouse
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  7     scatt
Chimney Swift  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
Great Crested Flycatcher  4
Eastern Kingbird  2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  1
White-eyed Vireo  5
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  3
Fish Crow  1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Purple Martin  6
Barn Swallow  10
Carolina Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  3
Eastern Bluebird  3
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  4
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  4
Cedar Waxwing  13     11 and 2
Northern Waterthrush  1     near levee bend
Common Yellowthroat  9     Scatt- nearly all singing males
Yellow-breasted Chat  10
Savannah Sparrow  3
Grasshopper Sparrow  1    indiv flushed from edge of airstrip into lovv vveed 
and observed at close range vvith apparent fecal sac in it's bill- the grass 
overall in the area appears too thick to support nesters, although the one 
exception might vvell be here along the airstrip. 

Summer Tanager  5
Northern Cardinal  11
Blue Grosbeak  2     extremely lovv!!
Indigo Bunting  8
Painted Bunting  7
Dickcissel  130    Nos seemed very high for here!! Lots of singing and quite a 
fevv females noted as vvell. 

Bobolink  30    The final total vvas excessively lovv!! small gs of singers 
overhead moving east along rd early, 2-3 gps near unit 6 and other flyby 
singers later. Observed a gp of males perched in vveeds singing and 10 bathing 
in shallovv vvater in unit 6 at edge of taller grass. 2 females also obs. 

Red-winged Blackbird  23     Scatt singing males and f
Eastern Meadowlark  3     along parish rd on the vvay in
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Orchard Oriole  6
Baltimore Oriole  1
House Sparrow  4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Sentell Rd, May 5, 2012
From: Terry Davis <trdavis22 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2012 11:10:45 -0700
 Hi all, Here's Sentell rd from last vveek......... that I finally vvas able to 
get around to posting......\-: Forgive the double v's used in place of the 
double-u's- Lol. Still haven't had time to shop for a nevv unit! 




Sentell Rd, Caddo, US-LA
May 5, 2012 7:00 AM - 10:40 AM
Protocol: Traveling
8.0 mile(s)
Comments:    2 observers, 3 hours, 40 minutes. 8 miles (7.5 driven, .5 
vvalked). 75% cloudy, vvind 5-7 s, vvarmish begining, 30% cloudy, vvinds 8-10 
ending. Birded Sentell rd, not including stretch of 3049 betvveen n and south 
ends of Sentell vvith Ben Robbins. The day vvas terribly slovv in most 
respects, especially in comparison to time of year and in regard to migrants, 
although vve did succeed in finding a fevv interesting birds, both local and 
migrant. 

59 species (+1 other taxa)

Wood Duck  1    fem at creek near n confluence vvith 3049. An almost tame 
vvhite-tailed doe there as vvell. She slovvly vvalked into the underbrush as 
vve exited the car. Ben said "look" as vve vvere birding. I turned to see her 
only mere feet avvay from us on the road- She just stood there and vvatched us 
before vvalking back into the vvoods on the north side of the road. 

Mallard (Domestic type)  20     sod farm pond
Blue-winged Teal  1     male, sfp
Great Blue Heron  2     flyby and sfp
Great Egret  4     all early commuters
Little Blue Heron  1     e comm
Turkey Vulture  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1     ad
Killdeer  4
Spotted Sandpiper  1     sfp
Eurasian Collared-Dove  1
Mourning Dove  21     scatt singles, gps
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  6     decent nos for here
Chimney Swift  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  2     both spp lovv, surprisingly no flickers.
Eastern Wood-Pewee  6     various pecan orchards
Least Flycatcher  1     creek, n confluence vv/3049
Great Crested Flycatcher  12     orchards, very vocal.
Western Kingbird  2    pr prospecting a support pole for highvvires for nesting 
site on south side of rd near 9726 (Ben's GPS coordinate) - approx .5 miles 
east of n confluence vvith 3049. 

Eastern Kingbird  19    most gps and singles along n to s stretch along the 
levee, as usual. 

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  16     scatt  prs and singles.
Loggerhead Shrike  2     prob pr near n confluence vvith 3049
White-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  6
American Crow  5     x-lovv for here
Horned Lark  5     4 at sf, 1 in field on n end of rd
Purple Martin  4     svvallovvs notably lovv
Barn Swallow  9
Cliff Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  6
Tufted Titmouse  5
Carolina Wren  11
Eastern Bluebird  11     scatt
Swainson's Thrush  1     vveedy pecan orchard near southeast bend.
Northern Mockingbird  28     ubiq throughout
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  8
Cedar Waxwing  4
Common Yellowthroat  1     vvarblers very lovv!!
Yellow-breasted Chat  1
Lark Sparrow  16     at least 3 fully fledged imms seen
Savannah Sparrow  11     most sf
Grasshopper Sparrow  10    6m, 2f, 2 juv? Very good nos!! VVe vvalked the area 
throughly and had at least 6 singing males. At one location adjacent the 
alfalfa field just east of the cattle yard, vve had 2 hidden prob 
fledgeling/imm giving high, thin "tic" calls in response to prob adf. giving 
"titic" calls. The area farther south vvhich vve did not vvalk no doubt held 
more prs! 

Summer Tanager  2
Northern Cardinal  15
Blue Grosbeak  6
Indigo Bunting  8     buntings very lovv!!
Painted Bunting  1     ad male- that vvas it!!
Dickcissel  133    very lovv so close to peak time of movement!!- yet 
surprisingly flagged, anyvvay?? 

Bobolink  1     perched singing male at sf near Grasshopper Sparrovv area
Red-winged Blackbird  28
Eastern Meadowlark  17     most sf
Yellow-headed Blackbird  4    2 females and 2 prob 2nd year males at first 
cattle yard near edge of pond- foraging near other cattle, along vvith the 
BIG-horned VVatusi pr. They seem to be getting more scarce in spring in our 
area by the year, though still regular. 

Common Grackle  5
Brown-headed Cowbird  14    most seen adjacent territories/sightings of Lark 
Sparrovv 

Orchard Oriole  6     most scatt males
Baltimore Oriole  12    Scatt/mostly singing  males and a couple f, except one 
gp of 6 ad males just south of sod farm. A sight to behold- that NEVER grovvs 
tiring!! 

Pine Siskin  1    Nice end to the day- indiv observed flying to northeast 
giving the loudish buzzy "vvhzivv" flight-call. 

House Sparrow  4

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: FOS Birds - Black Bayou Lake NWR, May 12, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 18:48:46 -0700
It was nice to hear the Mourning Warbler singing but also wanted to see it.  It 

eluded us.  I managed to record it singing twice.  Also, earlier at the visitor 

center we had two Black-bellied Whistling Ducks fly by.  A little later while 
down the Art Road at the end, I saw four Black-bellied Whistling Ducks flying 
north but they were well off the refuge.



Black Bayou Lake NWR, Ouachita, US-LA
May 12, 2012 9:20 AM - 12:16 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather was overcast with occasional drizzle and cool.  Joan Brown 

and I did this survey.
40 species

Great Egret  8
Little Blue Heron  1
Green Heron  5
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Mourning Dove  1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  2
Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Eastern Kingbird  2
White-eyed Vireo  4
Red-eyed Vireo  2
American Crow  1
Tree Swallow  4
Barn Swallow  4
Carolina Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  1
Carolina Wren  7
Marsh Wren  1    FOS
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Prothonotary Warbler  2
Mourning Warbler  1    FOS.  Heard singing from dense cover beside visitor 
center.
Common Yellowthroat  4
Northern Parula  1
Yellow Warbler  2
Yellow-breasted Chat  3
Eastern Towhee  2
Lincoln's Sparrow  1  (interesting to see along road shoulder of the Art Road)
Summer Tanager  2
Northern Cardinal  4
Blue Grosbeak  3
Indigo Bunting  14
Painted Bunting  3
Dickcissel  1
Red-winged Blackbird  3
Common Grackle  10
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
Orchard Oriole  3
Baltimore Oriole  1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Shorebird knockdown; other highlights
From: John Dillon <kisforkryptonite AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 20:46:38 -0500
Could only bird Corney Lake and LSU Hill Farm this morning, despite plans for 
more. Tough week at work prevented much else. But a nice morning! 


Had my FOS Alder Flycatcher at Corney at the dam, a Philadelphia Vireo singing 
10 feet away, and a Yellow Warbler singing 20 feet away. Worm-eating Warbler 
still singing quite a bit in the right habitat out there. 


Stopped by a private farm in Colquitt with a roadside Wild Turkey hen on the 
way there. Had a group of 14 Eastern Kingbirds fly in over the farmhouse, land 
in the tops of 2 oak trees, call, and take off. Also had a single Least 
Sandpiper fly in. 


Got to the Hill Farm by 11:00 but had to wait out a heavy rainfall for an hour. 
I suppose the rain was responsible for what followed. I was with Mary Ellen 
Lewis and Linda Adrion, and we had 1 group of about 40 Pectoral Sandpipers and 
another group of at least 60 near the same area. Also had a group of about 12 
Baird's Sandpipers in a mown field. Also had 4 Least Sandpipers in the red mud 
near a pond. Then, at the edge of another nearby pond, we had 5-6 Pecs, 2 
Baird's, 2 Solitarys, 1 Spotted, and at least a couple Leasts all in the same 
area. 11 Blue-winged Teal there, too. Plus, Mary Ellen spotted a single male 
Boblink on a fence. 


John Dillon
Athens, LA

Sent from my iPhone
Subject: Bay-breasted Warbler
From: JAKE FONTENOT <black.swan.nest AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 18:13:28 -0500
Lone male in full breeding plumage. Also, a nighthawk sitting on a
branch and two loud Great-creasted Flycatchers.
W Beauregard St., Ville Platte

J. Fontenot
Subject: Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: jwn <jwnix AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 14:50:05 -0500
….and they were not miserably hot from too much sun!!!

how lovely that some of you remained flexible enough to forge ahead and provide 
this fabulous experience as it was intended!!!! 


since apparently you were unable to show them one of our precious whoopers, I 
do hope somewhere in the day was a bit of explanation to these up and coming 
naturalists ABOUT THE BIRD and the exciting prospects of reintroducing a 
species. 


I was recently given a small book entitled, WILL WE MISS THEM, Endangered 
Species, Alexanra Wright. (she was ELEVEN when she wrote it!!) it includes a 
page about WC. seems Ms Wright has gone on to write more books in her teens and 
I think that is exciting. 


http://www.amazon.com/Will-Endangered-Species-Natures-Treasures/dp/0881064882/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1 


KUDOS to all involved in the Step Outside Day!!!
Josephine
Avery Island
On May 12, 2012, at 2:17 PM, Jane Patterson wrote:

Well, you just can never tell. The hot dog eating contest was cancelled because 
we didn't get a speck of rain here at Step Outside Day. Kids got to call ducks 
and turkeys, go boating and fishing, learn about bears and birds and meet Jacob 
Landry of Swamp People fame. Over 200 door prizes were given out including bird 
field guides, courtesy of BR Audubon. I even saw a couple of kids reading them 
:). 


Now to see if I can find a Whooping Crane. 

-- Jane

On May 12, 2012, at 8:57 AM, James Remsen  wrote:

> On May 11, 2012, at 9:15 PM, Jane Patterson wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Step Outside Day, the annual event designed to introduce kids to outdoor
>> activities, is planned to go forward. <<>> In fact, I think they're planning 
a hot dog 

>> eating contest as an alternate activity.
> 
> 
> A hot dog eating contest vs. Step Outside Day? seriously? don't the 
organizers see a little problem there, or are they aspiring writers for SNL? 

> 
> *****************************
> Dr. J. V. Remsen
> Prof. of Natural Science and Curator of Birds
> Museum of Natural Science/Dept. Biological Sciences
> LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
> najamesLSU.edu
Subject: Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: Jane Patterson <seejanebird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 14:17:15 -0500
Well, you just can never tell. The hot dog eating contest was cancelled because 
we didn't get a speck of rain here at Step Outside Day. Kids got to call ducks 
and turkeys, go boating and fishing, learn about bears and birds and meet Jacob 
Landry of Swamp People fame. Over 200 door prizes were given out including bird 
field guides, courtesy of BR Audubon. I even saw a couple of kids reading them 
:). 


Now to see if I can find a Whooping Crane. 

-- Jane

On May 12, 2012, at 8:57 AM, James Remsen  wrote:

> On May 11, 2012, at 9:15 PM, Jane Patterson wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Step Outside Day, the annual event designed to introduce kids to outdoor
>> activities, is planned to go forward. <<>> In fact, I think they're planning 
a hot dog 

>> eating contest as an alternate activity.
> 
> 
> A hot dog eating contest vs. Step Outside Day? seriously? don't the 
organizers see a little problem there, or are they aspiring writers for SNL? 

> 
> *****************************
> Dr. J. V. Remsen
> Prof. of Natural Science and Curator of Birds
> Museum of Natural Science/Dept. Biological Sciences
> LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
> najamesLSU.edu
Subject: migrants in NE LA
From: Roselie Overby <rosebird8791 AT BELLSOUTH.NET>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 12:32:57 -0500
A warbler's song beckoned me out the back door right after a shower had
ended.  I was delighted to find one of my favorite migrants, the
Chestnut-sided Warbler.  It was a beautiful male, singing away.  In the same
area were a female Am. Redstart and a female Bay-breasted Warbler.  A
Red-eyed Vireo was also working the trees.  A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
checked out the empty sunflower feeder and unripe cherries on the Wild-black
Cherry tree. 

 

The sun is peeking out, so I'd better see if I can find more migrants on the
property. 

Roselie Overby

Oak Grove in W. Carroll Parish
Subject: Yellow-Green Vireo
From: David Muth <MuthD AT NWF.ORG>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 12:39:02 -0400
YGVI Peveto by Mac Myers et al; fallout in progress
Subject: Grand isle
From: Ed Wallace <tapacula AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 10:52:11 -0500
Mini fallout. Sureway woods full of birds. Not too much variety. Lots of 
Swainsons thrushes, red eyes vireos, redstarts, summer tanagers, magnolia 
warblers. Interesting that most warblers and tanagers are females. 



Sent from my iPhone
Subject: Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: Jane Patterson <seejanebird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 10:38:18 -0500
The record's 22 so far. If you hurry, Van, they'll probably let you enter. 

-- Jane

On May 12, 2012, at 8:57 AM, James Remsen  wrote:

> On May 11, 2012, at 9:15 PM, Jane Patterson wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Step Outside Day, the annual event designed to introduce kids to outdoor
>> activities, is planned to go forward. <<>> In fact, I think they're planning 
a hot dog 

>> eating contest as an alternate activity.
> 
> 
> A hot dog eating contest vs. Step Outside Day? seriously? don't the 
organizers see a little problem there, or are they aspiring writers for SNL? 

> 
> *****************************
> Dr. J. V. Remsen
> Prof. of Natural Science and Curator of Birds
> Museum of Natural Science/Dept. Biological Sciences
> LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
> najamesLSU.edu
Subject: Burrowing Owl
From: David Muth <MuthD AT NWF.ORG>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 11:09:31 -0400
BUOR just west Holly Bch behind Apache. Perches on post in pasture.
Subject: Fw: BBBT eBird Report - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 7, 2012
From: Jonathan Clark <falloutbird_1 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 08:04:31 -0700
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" 
To: falloutbird_1 AT yahoo.com 
Sent: Saturday, May 12, 2012 9:58 AM
Subject: eBird Report - Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), Apr 7, 2012
  
Catahoula NWR (La Salle Parish), La Salle, US-LA
Apr 7, 2012 6:41 AM - 9:01 AM
Protocol: Traveling
9.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Bayou Birding Bon Temps trip. Conditions: cool, near calm, sunny 
with some clouds early. Water level on Duck Lake marker was 41 feet: high-ish 
to normal. Drove the refuge loop with numerous stops and stand-around periods 
including a long stand-around at north end of Duck Lake. Some FOS spp, best 
find Black-bellied Whistling-Duck. Other wildlife noted includes Northern 
Cricket Frog, Green Treefrog, American Bullfrog, watersnake sp., Fox Squirrel. 

42 species (+1 other taxa)

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  10    10 seen in flight at close range while at 
"the big culvert" on SE part of refuge loop. 

Wood Duck  5
Blue-winged Teal  32
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Double-crested Cormorant  10
Great Blue Heron  6
Great Egret  4
Little Blue Heron  23
Turkey Vulture  1
Bald Eagle  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Coot  17
Solitary Sandpiper  1    2 more visible from refuge but just over the boundary. 

Mourning Dove  5
Barred Owl  2     One seen having just caught some small prey item.
Red-bellied Woodpecker  4
Downy Woodpecker  4
Pileated Woodpecker  1
White-eyed Vireo  11
Yellow-throated Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  4
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2
Barn Swallow  5
Carolina Chickadee  17
Tufted Titmouse  17
Carolina Wren  9
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  11
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Hermit Thrush  2
Northern Mockingbird  1
Prothonotary Warbler  21
Common Yellowthroat  1
Northern Parula  10
Yellow-throated Warbler  1
Savannah Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  25
Red-winged Blackbird  17
Common Grackle  4
Brown-headed Cowbird  13
blackbird sp.  25
American Goldfinch  2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: James Remsen <najames AT LSU.EDU>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 08:57:04 -0500
On May 11, 2012, at 9:15 PM, Jane Patterson wrote:
>
>
> Step Outside Day, the annual event designed to introduce kids to  
> outdoor
> activities, is planned to go forward.  <<>>   In fact, I think  
> they're planning a hot dog
> eating contest as an alternate activity.


A hot dog eating contest vs. Step Outside Day?  seriously?  don't the  
organizers see a little problem there, or are they aspiring writers  
for SNL?

*****************************
Dr. J. V. Remsen
Prof. of Natural Science and Curator of Birds
Museum of Natural Science/Dept. Biological Sciences
LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
najamesLSU.edu
Subject: Re: Couch's Kingbird
From: David Muth <MuthD AT NWF.ORG>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 09:42:41 -0400
The kingbird was hanging around above the blacktop road toward the west end 
near the gap where one traditionally parks. 


----- Original Message -----
From: David Muth
Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 07:27 PM
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU 
Subject: [LABIRD-L] Couch's Kingbird

Paul Conover refound a Trop-Couch's kingbird reported earlier at Oak Grove by 
Bacon and Broussard. We got it to call and it is a Couch's. 


D. Muth
Subject: Neotropical Songbird Tour CANCELLED
From: "Steven W. Cardiff" <scardif AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 12 May 2012 05:11:40 -0500
Songbird Tourers-
     At 5:00 AM there is a substantial mass of rain in SW LA extending east
past Lake Charles that will continue to push east through the AM.  As far
as I can tell, the main mass is not moving that fast, but there are some
other cells to the south near Cameron that are moving east at 40-50 mph.
So, it's possible that the Neotropical Songbird Tour would not be impacted
until mid-morning.  But, I believe the prudent thing is to cancel.  All
that really means is that Steve and Donna have decided not to show up and
Faciliate.  As I said earlier, Jay Huner will still be stationed  at the
south end of Whiskey Bay Road, and there's a chance that Facilitator
Musumeche will be at the Happytown Bridge (but I don't blame Mike if he
also aborts).  Be safe and have fun if you do go, and enjoy Step Outside
Day.

Steve Cardiff

On Fri, May 11, 2012 at 8:13 PM, Steven W. Cardiff wrote:

> Labird-
>      On behalf of Jay Huner.....  Weather forecasts continue to look grim
> for tomorrow morning's Neotropical Songbird Tour.  In addition to the
> now-confirmed cancellation of the LDWF bird banding demonstration (as per
> earlier message from Michael Seymour), the presence of your "complimentary
> bird ID Facilitators" (Mike Musumeche, Donna Dittmann, yours truly) at the
> Happytown Road bridge will be a "game time decision."  Facilitators will
> assess weather radar around 5-6 AM and make a decision on whether or not to
> make the trip.  HOWEVER, for you optimists who are going to go
> regardless, Jay Huner will be stationed on Whiskey Bay Road/Hwy.975 at I-10
> RAIN OR SHINE to hand out printed materials and give directions, etc.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Steve Cardiff
>
>
> On Fri, May 11, 2012 at 9:55 AM, Jay V Huner wrote:
>
>> The Songbird Tour is held in conjunction with the major children oriented
>> Step Outside Day at Sherburne HQs. The Step Outside Day event is not going
>> to be canceled.
>>
>> I have no way of knowing if we will have showers, steady rain, or no rain
>> tomorrow morning. I suspect it will be very wet. If it is very wet and
>> nasty, there is no point in coming and we'll not have any facilitators.
>> But, I'll be pleased to give people maps and checklists if they show up and
>> direct them up the road.
>>
>> I don't know if Michael Seymour will have his banding set up regardless
>> of the weather. Perhaps he can post and let LABIRD subscribers know?
>>
>> Jay Huner
>>
>
>
Subject: Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: birds <Birds AT BIRDNERDS.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 21:25:29 -0500
For those who plan to attend the Neotropical Songbird Tour tomorrow, Eric 
Liffiman and I still plan to meet at Coffee Call on Collage Dr. at 6:00am. If 
the weather is reasonably decent we plan to depart for the Happy Town Bridge at 
6:15am. 


If the weather is less than hoped for I plan to console myself with coffee and 
biegnets. 


Dan Mooney
Subject: Re: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: Jane Patterson <seejanebird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 21:15:16 -0500
I've not seen or heard anything from the BR Audubon trip leaders about
canceling tomorrow, so I'm assuming they're still planning to be at Coffee
Call at 6:00am tomorrow morning to lead a trip to Sherburne.  Eric or Dan,
if that's not true, speak up!

Step Outside Day, the annual event designed to introduce kids to outdoor
activities, is planned to go forward.  We'll be at the Sherburne WMA
Headquarters, about 3 miles south of hwy 190 on hwy 975.  The activities
may be somewhat curtailed if it's pouring rain, but there will be plenty of
free food and door prizes.  In fact, I think they're planning a hot dog
eating contest as an alternate activity.

--Jane Patterson
BR Audubon
Subject: Update on Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour
From: "Steven W. Cardiff" <scardif AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 20:13:24 -0500
Labird-
     On behalf of Jay Huner.....  Weather forecasts continue to look grim
for tomorrow morning's Neotropical Songbird Tour.  In addition to the
now-confirmed cancellation of the LDWF bird banding demonstration (as per
earlier message from Michael Seymour), the presence of your "complimentary
bird ID Facilitators" (Mike Musumeche, Donna Dittmann, yours truly) at the
Happytown Road bridge will be a "game time decision."  Facilitators will
assess weather radar around 5-6 AM and make a decision on whether or not to
make the trip.  HOWEVER, for you optimists who are going to go
regardless, Jay Huner will be stationed on Whiskey Bay Road/Hwy.975 at I-10
RAIN OR SHINE to hand out printed materials and give directions, etc.

Cheers,

Steve Cardiff


On Fri, May 11, 2012 at 9:55 AM, Jay V Huner  wrote:

> The Songbird Tour is held in conjunction with the major children oriented
> Step Outside Day at Sherburne HQs. The Step Outside Day event is not going
> to be canceled.
>
> I have no way of knowing if we will have showers, steady rain, or no rain
> tomorrow morning. I suspect it will be very wet. If it is very wet and
> nasty, there is no point in coming and we'll not have any facilitators.
> But, I'll be pleased to give people maps and checklists if they show up and
> direct them up the road.
>
> I don't know if Michael Seymour will have his banding set up regardless of
> the weather. Perhaps he can post and let LABIRD subscribers know?
>
> Jay Huner
>
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Tiger Bend Road, May 11, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 17:48:08 -0700
Our goal today was primarily finding Swainson's Warblers.  I did not keep 
accurate records of distance or a complete list of other birds seen or heard.  
Today was more of a fun day of birding with good company, Willie Mathews, and 
lots of conversation.  Besides finding the Swainson's today, the weather was 
great for driving along with windows down while listening. 

Willie and I first went to a spot where I recently found a Swainson's singing.  

As before, the bird could not be coaxed out of its cover for viewing.  However, 

birds in heavy cover have a distinct advantage.  They can be back in the cover 
looking out at two birders standing on the side of the road and decide 
that they 

want no part of this charade.  The bird could easily see us but not vice 
versa.  

We finally gave up on the first bird which was south of D'Arbonne Lake and 
south 

of Farmerville.  We traveled more parish roads and found three more Swainson's 
that were north to northeast (eight miles at most) of Farmerville.  Two of the 
birds were singing less than enthusiastically.  One was singing pretty strongly 

but would not come to its song on playback with Birdjam.  Last night I had a 
light epiphany and decided that maybe their call note would be more enticing.  
So I went to the Macaulay Library site and made two recordings of its call note 

-- a sharp chip.  After the third Swainson's had declined to respond to a 
recording of its song, Willie and I got closer and then I played its call note 
with my small handheld digital recorder.  It promptly flew out of the cover and 

around several times.  It finally sat in the open long enough for Willie and I 
to get a decent view of it while it sang its song.  I had also tried the call 
note recording on the other Swainsons but they might have been too far away to 
be interested.  Besides the first one we encountered, I have to wonder if the 
other two were really settled into the spot where they wanted to set up a 
territory that they would be willing to defend.  Also, we passed by the 
location 

of one of the Swainson's without hearing it sing.  We didn't go too far down 
that road before turning around and on passing back by the same spot heard the 
Swainson's singing.

Steve


Tiger Bend Road, Union, US-LA
May 11, 2012 8:15 AM - 1:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
30.0 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather was overcast and cool.  Willie Mathews and I traveled some 

parish roads today while listening for Swainson's Warblers singing.
1 species

Swainson's Warbler  4    All were singing but only one could be coaxed out of 
cover for viewing.

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Couch's Kingbird
From: David Muth <MuthD AT NWF.ORG>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 19:27:56 -0400
Paul Conover refound a Trop-Couch's kingbird reported earlier at Oak Grove by 
Bacon and Broussard. We got it to call and it is a Couch's. 


D. Muth
Subject: whooping cranes
From: Gary Broussard <redeyedvireo AT COX.NET>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 17:54:50 -0500
Whooping cranes were very close to highway 700 yesterday afternoon.here are
a few pics.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38971561 AT N07/7174394196/in/photostream
Subject: Canceled: Bird-banding demo at Sherburne
From: "Seymour, Michael" <mseymour AT WLF.LA.GOV>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 16:19:45 -0500
Sorry for double-posting, but I realized this message may be best under
different subject line!  Sorry!

___________________________
Howdy folks,

It is with tremendous disappointment that I am canceling La. Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries' contribution to the Neotropical Migratory
Songbird Tour this year.  Despite my technicians working diligently to
prepare for our bird banding demo, I feel it best to not risk opening
mist nets in potentially torrential rain and wind.  This is for the
protection of the birds, equipment, and people.

Thank you for your understanding.  I will, certainly, keep LABIRD
informed of any future public bird- or bird banding-related demos that
become available.

Good birding!

Respectfully,

Michael Seymour
Ornithologist &
Scientific Collecting Permits Coordinator
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
Louisiana Natural Heritage Program
2000 Quail Drive, Room 429
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
Office: 225-763-3554
Fax: 225-765-2818 
mseymour AT wlf.louisiana.gov
_______________________________
Subject: Re: Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour circa 10 AM 5/11/12
From: "Seymour, Michael" <mseymour AT WLF.LA.GOV>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 16:16:44 -0500
Howdy folks,

It is with tremendous disappointment that I am canceling La. Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries' contribution to the Neotropical Migratory
Songbird Tour this year.  Despite my technicians working diligently to
prepare for our bird banding demo, I feel it best to not risk opening
mist nets in potentially torrential rain and wind.  This is for the
protection of the birds, equipment, and people.

Thank you for your understanding.  I will, certainly, keep LABIRD
informed of any future public bird- or bird banding-related demos that
become available.

Good birding!

Respectfully,

Michael Seymour
Ornithologist &
Scientific Collecting Permits Coordinator
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
Louisiana Natural Heritage Program
2000 Quail Drive, Room 429
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
Office: 225-763-3554
Fax: 225-765-2818 
mseymour AT wlf.louisiana.gov
Subject: Re: NEXRAD radar observations of migrating birds in the western Gulf coast region; 5/11
From: Clairedthomas <claire AT CLAIREDTHOMAS.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 14:58:14 -0500
I'm on Perdido Key now. Does anyone know a good spot to go this afternoon or 
tomorrow morning? 


Sent from my iPhone

On May 11, 2012, at 12:39 PM, John Arvin  wrote:

> The deep low pressure center that crossed Texas yesterday and last night 
> brought locally heavy rain and some flooding. It has mostly moved offshore 
> into the Gulf as of this morning with a massive rain shield with the 
> northern periphery still bringing rain to southern Louisiana, but it 
> appears to be dissipating. All stations are showing trans-Gulf arrivals, no 
> doubt birds that bucked the turbulent weather over the Gulf last night and 
> this morning. These will probably arrive on the coast through the day in an 
> exhausted state. Yesterday in inland Texas it rained lightly most of the 
> day and trans-Gulf migrants peaked for the season (so far). This morning a 
> few lingered early but appear to have moved on. The coastal stopover sites 
> should be good this afternoon with fair numbers lingering into the 
> weekend.
> 
> John C. Arvin
> Research Associate
> Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
> 103 West Hwy 332
> Lake Jackson, TX 77566
> jarvin AT gcbo.org
> www.gcbo.org
> 
> Austin, Texas
Subject: Atchafalaya Basin bout
From: jwn <jwnix AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 14:34:14 -0500
I would view this opening line as an UNDERSTATEMENT!!!  
A legal brawl seems to be a brewing 

 my very first thought was that of course they have to get permitted to do 
ANYTHING on wetlands……do you suppose they have inventoried that acreage and 
found ZERO ACTIVE NESTS of migratory birds? 


there is no point in my delineating why we need trees to this audience……and as 
oft happens, something like this hits the news friday afternoon!!!! they could 
have the trees down before monday 

josephine
avery island





Atchafalaya Basin bout

  
1
Written by Wynce Nolley   
Friday, May 11, 2012

A legal brawl seems to be a brewing surrounding the decision the St. Martin 
Parish School Board made at its May 2 meeting to log and sell 450 acres of 
cypress-tupelo trees on a patch of swamp it owns in Section 16 of the 
Atchafalaya Basin. 


“It’s a done deal,” said St. Martin Parish School Board President Jimmy 
Blanchard of the contract the board has with the Good Hope timber company. “The 
contract has been signed. I personally, as president of the board, signed as 
seller for the St. Martin Parish School Board and the Good Hope tree company 
signed as purchaser. Right now all they’re waiting for is the permits from the 
state to start the cutting.” 


Blanchard adds that according to the board’s attorney Mark Boyer the contract 
is completely legal and that the decision to log the cypress doesn’t violate 
state and local laws. And according to Blanchard the logging won’t interfere 
with the Endangered Species Act despite the fact that the endangered Louisiana 
Black Bear calls the Atchafalaya home. 


He also says the land in question is not state owned water bottom land so it 
doesn’t violate state law prohibiting the cutting and/or sale of cypress timber 
on such lands. Superintendent Richard Lavergne confirms this saying that the 
land is actually on dry land and that the purpose of the Section 16 land is to 
produce revenue to help run St. Martin Parish schools. 


“It’s not state bottom water land,” says Blanchard. “That’s one of the 
questions that our attorney researched for us. He answered every question that 
they had (at the meeting) and none of what they presented was a problem. We 
followed everything as required by law.” 


However, Dean Wilson with the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper still disagrees. Wilson 
mentions that he met with Superintendent Lavergne and Henderson Mayor Sherbin 
Collette back in February just before the papers for the sale were signed in an 
effort to convince the two that the trees should be preserved. Wison says 
Collette and Lavergne agreed not to sign the documents until they could all 
meet with the school board. 


“When Mr. Blanchard found out that we did that, he went around and signed the 
documents the same day that we met with the superintendent to stop him from 
getting the school board members to back out of the sale,” says Wilson. 


But Blanchard says he still stands behind the board's decision. “This board may 
make a lot of decisions that a lot of the public is not in agreement with,” he 
says, "but we make our decisions based on facts and what is in the best 
interest for the St. Martin Parish School Board.” 


Wilson and the rest in league with the Atchafalaya Basinkeeper aren’t swayed. 
In addition to the letters of intent they have sent against both the Good Hope 
timber company and the St. Martin Parish School Board, they are also 
challenging Good Hope’s permit for the landing area to be built in the basin 
for the logging. 


To find out how you can help Atchafalaya Basinkeeper protect the basin, visit 
BasinKeeper.org.
Subject: NEXRAD radar observations of migrating birds in the western Gulf coast region; 5/11
From: John Arvin <jarvin AT GCBO.ORG>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 12:39:49 -0500
The deep low pressure center that crossed Texas yesterday and last night 
brought locally heavy rain and some flooding. It has mostly moved offshore 
into the Gulf as of this morning with a massive rain shield with the 
northern periphery still bringing rain to southern Louisiana, but it 
appears to be dissipating. All stations are showing trans-Gulf arrivals, no 
doubt birds that bucked the turbulent weather over the Gulf last night and 
this morning. These will probably arrive on the coast through the day in an 
exhausted state. Yesterday in inland Texas it rained lightly most of the 
day and trans-Gulf migrants peaked for the season (so far). This morning a 
few lingered early but appear to have moved on. The coastal stopover sites 
should be good this afternoon with fair numbers lingering into the 
weekend.

John C. Arvin
Research Associate
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
103 West Hwy 332
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
jarvin AT gcbo.org
www.gcbo.org

Austin, Texas
Subject: Re: Bluebonnet Banding 2012 Annual Report
From: Beverly Smiley <bcsmiley AT COX.NET>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 12:33:07 -0500
Congratulations, Jared! Beautiful work in every way. I was expecting the charts 
and list but the gorgeous photography and art work were a wonderful surprise. 
Thank you for posting it and for all you do for birding. 

Beverly

On May 11, 2012, at 12:24 PM, jared wolfe wrote:

> BLUEBONNET BIRD BANDING UPDATE 11-MAY-2012
> 
> We recently finished a brief 2012 annual report for the Bluebonnet Bird 
Monitoring Project. You can download the report by clicking on the following 
link: 

> 
> https://filestogeaux.lsu.edu/public/download.php?FILE=jwolfe5/84124htD3qn
> 
> Or by downloading it from our website: 
> 
> 
http://bluebonnetbirdmonitoringproject.shutterfly.com/documentsandpublications 

> 
> The 2012 annual report details events and capture trends since our first bird 
banding effort in March 2010. Over the past two years we have continuously 
operated the bird monitoring station (banding at least twice a month), have 
captured approximately 2000 birds, provided unique environmental outreach to 
over 200 children, published several scholarly articles and received 
recognition in the form of research awards from the Western Bird Banding 
Association, Eastern Bird Banding Association and the Louisiana Environmental 
Education Commission. 

> 
> Thanks to all the volunteers who dedicated their time to running the station, 
working with children, recording data, digitizing data, and curating our 
database. Also, thanks to our partners at BREC, LSU and BRAS for supporting our 
efforts. 

> 
> Happy Birding,
> 
> -- 
> Jared Wolfe, MSc
> 
> PhD Student
> Louisiana State University
> School of Renewable Natural Resources
> Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Subject: Bluebonnet Banding 2012 Annual Report
From: jared wolfe <jdwolfe80 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 10:24:04 -0700
BLUEBONNET BIRD BANDING UPDATE 11-MAY-2012

We recently finished a brief 2012 annual report for the Bluebonnet Bird 
Monitoring Project. You can download the report by clicking on the following 
link: 


https://filestogeaux.lsu.edu/public/download.php?FILE=jwolfe5/84124htD3qn

Or by downloading it from our website: 

http://bluebonnetbirdmonitoringproject.shutterfly.com/documentsandpublications

The 2012 annual report details events and capture trends since our first bird 
banding effort in March 2010. Over the past two years we have 
continuously operated the bird monitoring station (banding at least twice a 
month), have captured approximately 2000 birds, provided unique environmental 
outreach to over 200 children, published several scholarly articles and 
received recognition in the form of research awards from the Western Bird 
Banding Association, Eastern Bird Banding Association and the Louisiana 
Environmental Education Commission.  


Thanks to all the volunteers who dedicated their time to running the station, 
working with children,  recording data, digitizing data, and curating our 
database. Also, thanks to our partners at BREC, LSU and BRAS for supporting our 
efforts. 


Happy Birding,

-- 
Jared Wolfe, MSc

PhD Student
Louisiana State University
School of Renewable Natural Resources
Baton Rouge, LA 70803  
Subject: Louisiana Nest Record Database
From: Richard Gibbons <rgibbo3 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 08:52:19 -0700
Dear LABIRDers,


The Tree Swallow messages prompted me to remind everyone that the Bird Resource 
Office has a repository for nesting records. This database allows online entry 
and retrieval of 

data on individual bird nests found in Louisiana. Anyone who finds an 
active bird nest in Louisiana is encouraged to submit data to the 
project. Whether a single visit to a nest of an abundant species or 
multiple visits to a nest of a rarity, all data are welcome. 


http://birdoffice.lsu.edu/Programs/NestRecordProgram/item33305.html



Richard Gibbons
Coordinator, Louisiana Bird Resource Office
LSU Museum of Natural Science
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Subject: Rusty Blackbird Results
From: Emma DeLeon <edeleo5 AT TIGERS.LSU.EDU>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 10:46:53 -0500
Hello LABIRDers,

                I just wanted to send out a final thanks to everyone who
helped me out with my Rusty Blackbird project over the past 3 winters.  Without
all of your reports, pictures and comments this project wouldn’t have been
possible.  I was able to look at some interesting aspects of variation in
seasonal timing, flock composition, and use of shallow water resources, and
the groundwork has been laid for the project to continue with a new student
next year.  I am scheduled to defend my thesis (Ecology of Rusty Blackbirds
Wintering in Louisiana: Seasonal Trends, Flock Composition and Habitat
Associations) Tuesday the 15th at 10:30 in room 142 of the Renewable
Natural Resources Building at LSU.  If any of you are interested in seeing
what I did with all those sighting reports feel free to come see the talk,
or contact me and I’d be happy to send you a copy of the thesis or a
summary of the final results.

Again … thanks so much for all your help!

    -Emma DeLeon


-- 
Emma DeLeon
Graduate Student
Louisiana State University
Renewable Natural Resources
edeleo5 AT lsu.edu
<%28716%29783-1226>
Subject: Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour circa 10 AM 5/11/12
From: Jay V Huner <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 09:55:06 -0500
The Songbird Tour is held in conjunction with the major children oriented Step 
Outside Day at Sherburne HQs. The Step Outside Day event is not going to be 
canceled. 


I have no way of knowing if we will have showers, steady rain, or no rain 
tomorrow morning. I suspect it will be very wet. If it is very wet and nasty, 
there is no point in coming and we'll not have any facilitators. But, I'll be 
pleased to give people maps and checklists if they show up and direct them up 
the road. 


I don't know if Michael Seymour will have his banding set up regardless of the 
weather. Perhaps he can post and let LABIRD subscribers know? 


Jay Huner
Subject: Re: Value of Old Growth
From: miriam <athena_9 AT BELLSOUTH.NET>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 08:19:48 -0500
Labird
 
In re-reading my post, I neglected to mention that our 39 acre oasis of old
growth is really more like 80 acres, because it has lots of topographic
relief.  Very folded.  And, I also consider 11 adjacent acres that belongs
to a cousin, as part of the oasis.  
 
There is also a spring-fed pond, waterfall, and brook which feeds into a
rocky bottomed creek , "Rock Creek", which has never been dammed nor
cleared.  It's a place where 2 natural eco-zones come together,  a nexus for
lots of wildlife.  As such, we are the watering hole, grocery store, and
hideout for critters for miles around.  And, we are one of the few remaining
repositories for many native woodland and woods-edge plant species which are
totally gone from much of the surrounding area.  It's a fern paradise, and
when the pink native azaleas and dogwoods are in bloom it's breathtaking.
And we may have a bear quietly trying to make a cave-home beneath a fern and
moss-covered hematite boulder on the steep creek embankment.
 
So while adjacent landowners reap financial reward from their cattle and
horse pastures, timber harvests, truck farms, and even chicken houses, we
provide , gratis, major sustenance for the game they like to harvest and the
wild creatures in which they marvel and tell stories about.   Oh....and
without our giant "swamp cooler" air conditioner, the area's micro-climate
might well be 5-10 degrees hotter.
 
At some point, perhaps we'll all decide supporting "the commons" is worth
something other than an occasional thank-you from a fellow nature lover.
Even if Rex and I never clear it, our descendants might not have that kind
of financial security.  Oh, yeah, and simply making new laws taking away the
right to realize profit from such land, is not the way to go.  Yet another
unfunded mandate, penalizing those who've been doing the right thing, in
effect, rewarding those who've long ago cashed out.
 
End of philosophical rant...
 
MiriamLDavey
BatonRougeLA
Subject: Swainson's W habitat, timberland
From: miriam <athena_9 AT BELLSOUTH.NET>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 07:36:04 -0500
Labird
 
Steve's assessment of last few yrs' changes in commercial timber managment
also jive with my own observations.  There also seems to be little riparian
buffer zones, and companies don't seem to mind clearing every single tree on
a parcel, even ancient hardwoods along the public roadways.  Big oaks that
have been growing near the roadside forever, shading many a lunching logging
crew, are being felled along with the money crop.  It's so bad now, that we
have to run logging crews on break off our shady roadside-adjacent property.
It's shady, because our woods hasn't been logged in well over 100 years.
 
My husband's family own 39 acres of Union Parish mixed upland harwoods, in
climax stage.  As such, those 39 acres furnish the mast crop (acorns, beech
nuts, hickories) for countless game species including deer, squirrels,
turkeys.  Wild Turkeys, a species that really needs big woods somewhere
close by, also roost there.  The un-cleared riparian zone has been home to
otters, Wood Ducks, and even Swainson's Warblers (Steve give me call if you
want to visit).  I've suspected but never confirmed other not-so-common
species breeding there.  Our property is surrounded by commercial timberland
that's been harvested as many as three times since I've been a member of the
family in '78, and pastureland that once was bottomland forest even older
than ours.
 
Which brings me to my point:  There is "0" financial incentive for us to
keep this land in this extremely ecosystem-productive manner.  There is
every financial incentive to clear it.  Unless we as a society decide to do
something different in our collective way of thinking about the value of
land, we will continue to find fewer and fewer individuals of species like
Swainson's Warbler.
 
MiriamLDavey
BatonRougeLA
Subject: Status of Neotropical Songbird Tour - Weather Issues
From: Jay V Huner <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 06:56:15 -0500
Good Morning,

Weather radar shows a huge mass of heavy rain in SE Texas moving NE into 
Louisiana. I have no idea what tomorrow morning will look like in terms of 
rain. I am leaving to go to Sherburne around noon today and will try to get 
someone to post an update about the weather situation late this afternoon. 


There is no sign up list for the songbird tour so there is no way to contact 
everyone who might be coming about weather issues. So, I'll be at the 
intersection of LA 975 x I-10 tomorrow morning even if I have to dress in a 
rain suit for folks who haven't figured out that driving rains don't make for 
good birding. But, maybe the weather will be nice? 


Besides, if folks are coming from an easterly direction and its raining, they 
can continue to Cameron for a potentially good fall out situation from this 
afternoon continuing into tommorrow! 


Jay Huner
Subject: migrants in Lafayette
From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT LUSFIBER.NET>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 21:29:45 -0500
Labird,

        Numbers of migrants in Lafayette have been good the past few days.
On the 8th I had only one warbler, but it was the always hoped for
Golden-winged.  On the 9th I had 18 individuals of 6 warbler species,
including multiples of Redstart, Magnolia, Blackburnian, and Chestnut-sided.
Fewer individuals today, but 7 species were present, including Bay-breasted.
All of these birds were observed within 2 Live Oaks.  Other trees in the
neighborhood yielded nothing.   

 

Paul Conover

Lafayette
Subject: Nesting Tree Swallows at Cotile Lake, Rapides Parish and Other Birding in Area - Alexandria--The Lakes District, May 10, 2012
From: Jay V Huner <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 21:07:10 -0500
Made a run to the Cotile Lake dam 4:30-5:15 PM. Had at least 200 Cliff Swallows 
at the LA 1200 bridge across the SE arm of the lake. Also had a full adult Bald 
Eagle in the SE arm. Then, getting close to home, I checked out a swallow at a 
snag where the SE arm of the lake joins the main body of the lake and found a 
pair of Tree Swallows where I've found Tree Swallows breeding in past springs. 
Nice to hear that Bill Wood found a nesting pair using a manufactured nesting 
site. Makes one wonder what would happen if nest boxes were put on snags in 
lakes in the state? Also had a flock of 40-50 Cedar Waxwings flying around the 
neighborhood near dark. My holly bushes are still full of red berries. Wonder 
if the waxwings will pick them clean before they go north to nest? 


Sort of interesting to work the Lake District coming up with a nice potpourri 
of shorebirds in a site that is destined to become a commercial building 
location, probably sooner than later. Will miss it when the economy picks up 
and the open vista disappears under a carpet of concrete. The redstarts and the 
Magnolia Warbler were the closest I could get to passing migrants. Still, 
couldn't go to Grand Isle and will be tied up and unable to go to Cameron over 
the weekend. 


Jay Huner


> Alexandria--The Lakes District, Rapides, US-LA
> May 10, 2012 8:40 AM - 11:15 AM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 2.5 mile(s)
> Comments: Shorebirds in ephemeral wetland area - 0.1 acre - on west side of 
Versailles Blvd. near intersection with Provine Ave. Most birding on east side 
of area along Diversion Canal and natural slough. 

> 49 species
> 
> Canada Goose  2
> Wood Duck  6     One hen with at least 10 ducklings.
> Great Egret  1
> Little Blue Heron  1
> Green Heron 2 Interesting to see one with a speared warmouth sunfish. Never 
saw a heron spear a fish like Anhingas spear fish. 

> Killdeer  12
> Spotted Sandpiper  2
> Solitary Sandpiper  2
> Semipalmated Sandpiper  2
> Least Sandpiper  8
> Baird's Sandpiper  1
> Pectoral Sandpiper  9
> Eurasian Collared-Dove  3
> Mourning Dove  12
> Yellow-billed Cuckoo  2
> Barred Owl  2
> Chimney Swift  1
> Red-bellied Woodpecker  4
> Pileated Woodpecker  2
> Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
> Yellow-bellied Flycatcher  1
> Great Crested Flycatcher  3
> Eastern Kingbird  2
> Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  2
> Loggerhead Shrike  5
> Red-eyed Vireo  2
> Blue Jay  4
> American Crow  2
> Fish Crow  3
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
> Purple Martin  6
> Barn Swallow  8
> Cliff Swallow  2
> Carolina Chickadee  6
> Tufted Titmouse  2
> Carolina Wren  6
> Eastern Bluebird  3
> Northern Mockingbird  25
> European Starling  25
> American Redstart  4
> Magnolia Warbler  1
> Northern Cardinal  7
> Indigo Bunting  1
> Dickcissel  4
> Red-winged Blackbird  20
> Eastern Meadowlark  3
> Common Grackle  6
> Brown-headed Cowbird  3
> House Sparrow  20
> 
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Re: Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 17:22:32 -0700
John, LABIRD,

I didn't post my surveys from yesterday where I also covered some other rural 
roads in Ouachita and Union Parishes.  So, for the two days combined, I covered 

almost 62 miles of rural roads and found only one Swainson's Warbler singing.  
Obviously, not every mile has acceptable habitat for the species.  However, 
like 

John, after two days of this much travel, I am wondering about the status of 
the 

Swainson's Warbler.  I started keeping records on Swainson's found by year 
since 

2010, including date and GPS coordinates.  I also photographed many of them by 
using Birdjam to confirm the ID before I had heard about the one Hooded Warbler 

that mimicked the Swainson's.  In 2010, I found 21 Swainson's with all but 
one during the SBA.  In 2011, I found 9 with 6 of 9 being during the SBA.  So 
far this year I have found four.

I know in places the timber companies are thinning young pine plantations quite 

early and removing the requisite thick understory that the Swainson's looks 
for.  Also, I'm seeing what appears to be an increase in use of herbicides to 
control the hardwood brush and vines in the pine plantation areas that prevents 

the development of dense understory.  Also, in the last couple of years, there 
appears to be more clearcuts occurring which may or may not be true.  
Nevertheless, I have to believe that the Swainson's is being habitat 
challenged.  I don't know if it might be a little early for most of the 
Swainson's to have arrived in north Louisiana or not.

Of course, finding Swainson's means that one has to be willing to drive the 
parish roads while listening for their song which takes some patience.  
Sometimes, other birding desires limits our time.  I am retired and like to 
chase the birds and do surveys, but most people cannot do what I do or choose 
to 

do it.  Bottomline, I miss hearing the Swainson's song.

Steve



----- Original Message ----
From: John Dillon 
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Sent: Thu, May 10, 2012 6:10:29 PM
Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012

Steve, LABIRD,

In response to the concerns about Swainson's Warbler, I have yet to find a 
single one this spring. I've searched nearly all their usual haunts in the 
parish and have had zero. 2 years ago, they were basically easy to find here, 
just very habitat specific. Last year began that way, and then they seemed to 
nealy disappear completely. This year, nothing. I suppose it could be weather 
related, having had noticeable fluctuations in rain and temperature in the last 

2 years, but that's so obviously speculation. The habitat seems to be intact 
from what I can see, but I'm no Swainson's Warbler. I'm somewhat alarmed to 
hear 

they've become difficult to find in Steve's part of the state, too. 


John Dillon
Athens, LA

Sent from my iPhone

On May 10, 2012, at 5:38 PM, Stephen Pagans  wrote:

> I went for a ride hoping to find more Swainson's Warblers.  I went by a fair 
> amount of acceptable looking habitat but did not find them.  The one I did 
find 

>
> sang about three times as I was easing by it while looking for a place to 
pull 


> off.  I went back and played its song on Birdjam and it did not respond.  
There 

>
> was a fair amount of traffic going by at the same time that may have pushed 
it 


> deeper.  I hope their numbers are not steeply declining.  In the past I have 
> found more consistent habitat conditions for them when traveling through 
timber 

>
> company lands with all their young pine stands.  Still, finding 11 warbler 
> species was okay.
> 
> 
> 
> Union Parish, South, Union, US-LA
> May 10, 2012 7:46 AM - 12:12 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 35.4 mile(s)
> Comments:    Weather started out clear and cool but ended up fairly warm.  I 
> traveled parish roads and saw various habitat conditions.
> 54 species (+1 other taxa)
> 
> Great Blue Heron  3
> Black Vulture  7
> Turkey Vulture  12
> Buteo sp.  1
> Killdeer  1
> Mourning Dove  7
> Chimney Swift  2
> Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
> Red-headed Woodpecker  3
> Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
> Pileated Woodpecker  3
> Eastern Wood-Pewee  8
> Acadian Flycatcher  5
> Eastern Phoebe  1    Singing persistently
> Great Crested Flycatcher  6
> Eastern Kingbird  3
> Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  2    At a nest site south of Farmerville.
> White-eyed Vireo  29
> Yellow-throated Vireo  3
> Red-eyed Vireo  33
> Blue Jay  20
> American Crow  16
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow  4
> Barn Swallow  1
> Carolina Chickadee  5
> Tufted Titmouse  24
> Carolina Wren  24
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
> Eastern Bluebird  7
> Wood Thrush  1
> Northern Mockingbird  18
> European Starling  2
> Louisiana Waterthrush  1
> Black-and-white Warbler  1
> Prothonotary Warbler  2
> Swainson's Warbler  1
> Kentucky Warbler  5
> Common Yellowthroat  6
> Hooded Warbler  18
> Northern Parula  1
> Pine Warbler  10
> Prairie Warbler  5
> Yellow-breasted Chat  21
> Eastern Towhee  2
> Savannah Sparrow  2
> Summer Tanager  6
> Northern Cardinal  75
> Blue Grosbeak  5
> Indigo Bunting  36
> Painted Bunting  3
> Dickcissel  8
> Red-winged Blackbird  8
> Brown-headed Cowbird  3
> Orchard Oriole  7
> House Sparrow  8
> 
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Re: Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012
From: John Dillon <kisforkryptonite AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 18:02:03 -0500
Steve, LABIRD,

In response to the concerns about Swainson's Warbler, I have yet to find a 
single one this spring. I've searched nearly all their usual haunts in the 
parish and have had zero. 2 years ago, they were basically easy to find here, 
just very habitat specific. Last year began that way, and then they seemed to 
nealy disappear completely. This year, nothing. I suppose it could be weather 
related, having had noticeable fluctuations in rain and temperature in the last 
2 years, but that's so obviously speculation. The habitat seems to be intact 
from what I can see, but I'm no Swainson's Warbler. I'm somewhat alarmed to 
hear they've become difficult to find in Steve's part of the state, too. 


John Dillon
Athens, LA

Sent from my iPhone

On May 10, 2012, at 5:38 PM, Stephen Pagans  wrote:

> I went for a ride hoping to find more Swainson's Warblers.  I went by a fair 
> amount of acceptable looking habitat but did not find them. The one I did 
find 

> sang about three times as I was easing by it while looking for a place to 
pull 

> off. I went back and played its song on Birdjam and it did not respond. There 

> was a fair amount of traffic going by at the same time that may have pushed 
it 

> deeper.  I hope their numbers are not steeply declining.  In the past I have 
> found more consistent habitat conditions for them when traveling through 
timber 

> company lands with all their young pine stands.  Still, finding 11 warbler 
> species was okay.
> 
> 
> 
> Union Parish, South, Union, US-LA
> May 10, 2012 7:46 AM - 12:12 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 35.4 mile(s)
> Comments:    Weather started out clear and cool but ended up fairly warm.  I 
> traveled parish roads and saw various habitat conditions.
> 54 species (+1 other taxa)
> 
> Great Blue Heron  3
> Black Vulture  7
> Turkey Vulture  12
> Buteo sp.  1
> Killdeer  1
> Mourning Dove  7
> Chimney Swift  2
> Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
> Red-headed Woodpecker  3
> Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
> Pileated Woodpecker  3
> Eastern Wood-Pewee  8
> Acadian Flycatcher  5
> Eastern Phoebe  1    Singing persistently
> Great Crested Flycatcher  6
> Eastern Kingbird  3
> Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  2    At a nest site south of Farmerville.
> White-eyed Vireo  29
> Yellow-throated Vireo  3
> Red-eyed Vireo  33
> Blue Jay  20
> American Crow  16
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow  4
> Barn Swallow  1
> Carolina Chickadee  5
> Tufted Titmouse  24
> Carolina Wren  24
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
> Eastern Bluebird  7
> Wood Thrush  1
> Northern Mockingbird  18
> European Starling  2
> Louisiana Waterthrush  1
> Black-and-white Warbler  1
> Prothonotary Warbler  2
> Swainson's Warbler  1
> Kentucky Warbler  5
> Common Yellowthroat  6
> Hooded Warbler  18
> Northern Parula  1
> Pine Warbler  10
> Prairie Warbler  5
> Yellow-breasted Chat  21
> Eastern Towhee  2
> Savannah Sparrow  2
> Summer Tanager  6
> Northern Cardinal  75
> Blue Grosbeak  5
> Indigo Bunting  36
> Painted Bunting  3
> Dickcissel  8
> Red-winged Blackbird  8
> Brown-headed Cowbird  3
> Orchard Oriole  7
> House Sparrow  8
> 
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Fw: [LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 15:49:35 -0700
I forgot to say that Richard Lowery of Farmerville first told me about the 
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers' nest.



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Stephen Pagans 
To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Sent: Thu, May 10, 2012 5:38:44 PM
Subject: [LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012

I went for a ride hoping to find more Swainson's Warblers.  I went by a fair 
amount of acceptable looking habitat but did not find them.  The one I did find 

sang about three times as I was easing by it while looking for a place to pull 
off.  I went back and played its song on Birdjam and it did not respond.  There 

was a fair amount of traffic going by at the same time that may have pushed it 
deeper.  I hope their numbers are not steeply declining.  In the past I have 
found more consistent habitat conditions for them when traveling through timber 

company lands with all their young pine stands.  Still, finding 11 warbler 
species was okay.



Union Parish, South, Union, US-LA
May 10, 2012 7:46 AM - 12:12 PM
Protocol: Traveling
35.4 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather started out clear and cool but ended up fairly warm.  I 
traveled parish roads and saw various habitat conditions.
54 species (+1 other taxa)

Great Blue Heron  3
Black Vulture  7
Turkey Vulture  12
Buteo sp.  1
Killdeer  1
Mourning Dove  7
Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-headed Woodpecker  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  8
Acadian Flycatcher  5
Eastern Phoebe  1    Singing persistently
Great Crested Flycatcher  6
Eastern Kingbird  3
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  2    At a nest site south of Farmerville.
White-eyed Vireo  29
Yellow-throated Vireo  3
Red-eyed Vireo  33
Blue Jay  20
American Crow  16
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  4
Barn Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  24
Carolina Wren  24
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Eastern Bluebird  7
Wood Thrush  1
Northern Mockingbird  18
European Starling  2
Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Prothonotary Warbler  2
Swainson's Warbler  1
Kentucky Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  6
Hooded Warbler  18
Northern Parula  1
Pine Warbler  10
Prairie Warbler  5
Yellow-breasted Chat  21
Eastern Towhee  2
Savannah Sparrow  2
Summer Tanager  6
Northern Cardinal  75
Blue Grosbeak  5
Indigo Bunting  36
Painted Bunting  3
Dickcissel  8
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Orchard Oriole  7
House Sparrow  8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Can anyone recommend a Guide to Quebec birds?
From: Michaelcav AT AOL.COM
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 18:44:40 -0400
Friends, We are going to Quebec this summer, and are looking for a guide  
similar to the "Lane" Guides for Texas and other places.  Does anyone have  a 
recommendation?  Or a group like LaBird I can write in Canada?
 
Google hasn't helped much.
 
Thanks,
Michael
Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Union Parish, South, May 10, 2012
From: Stephen Pagans <slp_4-7 AT ATT.NET>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 15:38:07 -0700
I went for a ride hoping to find more Swainson's Warblers.  I went by a fair 
amount of acceptable looking habitat but did not find them.  The one I did find 

sang about three times as I was easing by it while looking for a place to pull 
off.  I went back and played its song on Birdjam and it did not respond.  There 

was a fair amount of traffic going by at the same time that may have pushed it 
deeper.  I hope their numbers are not steeply declining.  In the past I have 
found more consistent habitat conditions for them when traveling through timber 

company lands with all their young pine stands.  Still, finding 11 warbler 
species was okay.



Union Parish, South, Union, US-LA
May 10, 2012 7:46 AM - 12:12 PM
Protocol: Traveling
35.4 mile(s)
Comments:    Weather started out clear and cool but ended up fairly warm.  I 
traveled parish roads and saw various habitat conditions.
54 species (+1 other taxa)

Great Blue Heron  3
Black Vulture  7
Turkey Vulture  12
Buteo sp.  1
Killdeer  1
Mourning Dove  7
Chimney Swift  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Red-headed Woodpecker  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  8
Acadian Flycatcher  5
Eastern Phoebe  1    Singing persistently
Great Crested Flycatcher  6
Eastern Kingbird  3
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  2    At a nest site south of Farmerville.
White-eyed Vireo  29
Yellow-throated Vireo  3
Red-eyed Vireo  33
Blue Jay  20
American Crow  16
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  4
Barn Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  5
Tufted Titmouse  24
Carolina Wren  24
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Eastern Bluebird  7
Wood Thrush  1
Northern Mockingbird  18
European Starling  2
Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Prothonotary Warbler  2
Swainson's Warbler  1
Kentucky Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  6
Hooded Warbler  18
Northern Parula  1
Pine Warbler  10
Prairie Warbler  5
Yellow-breasted Chat  21
Eastern Towhee  2
Savannah Sparrow  2
Summer Tanager  6
Northern Cardinal  75
Blue Grosbeak  5
Indigo Bunting  36
Painted Bunting  3
Dickcissel  8
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Orchard Oriole  7
House Sparrow  8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Nesting Tree Swallows at Bichkam Dickson Park, Shreveport
From: Bill Wood <labirder11 AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 22:24:33 +0000
To all,

Visited Bickham Dickson Park (BDP) yesterday afternoon for no good reason than 
to get out of the house. As I drove the back loop I spotted a swallow sitting 
on one of the old poles used to hold up a volleyball net. Checked it out and it 
was a Tree Swallow. Great photo opp if it stays. As I shot off a bunch of shot 
and inching closer I spotted another Tree Swallow. The second one flies into an 
old bluebird box attached to the same pole. Got within 25 feet or so and got 
some nice shots of the male but began wondering if this was a nesting pair. I 
moved where I could see the entrance hole to the box and the female, after a 5 
minute wait, poked her head out before flying off. During the time the male 
stayed perched atop the pole. I didn't look into the box as I didn't want to 
get any closer. 


Photos at: http://www.pbase.com/labirder/recent

Talked with Jeff Trahan and he does not know of a nesting record for the park.

I also spotted two Yellow-shafted Flickers copulating and then fly to a hole in 
a large power pole in the same area. Thought that might unusual as well, but 
not sure. 




As Always, Good Birding

Bill Wood
Shreveport, LA
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Bogue Chitto SP, May 9, 2012 Washington parish Swainson's warbler/Bachman's sparrow/
From: janine robin <janinerobin1982 AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 15:52:17 -0500
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:  
Date: Thu, May 10, 2012 at 3:48 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Bogue Chitto SP, May 9, 2012
To: janinerobin1982 AT gmail.com


Bogue Chitto SP, Washington, US-LA
May 9, 2012 8:30 AM - 1:25 PM
Protocol: Traveling
7.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Weather was coolish and overcast. Nice breeze by the
river. Observers: Tom Trenchard and Janine Robin. Highlights were
Swainson's warbler and Bachman's sparrow although both were only
heard. Also checking the Little Blue nesting tree(a large tallow),we
saw at least 6 adults come out of the tree. Could clearly see 2 nests.
RSHA nest has not one,but 2 nestlings(see photo)
66 species

Wood Duck  2
Northern Bobwhite  7
Anhinga  1
Great Blue Heron  8
Great Egret  1
Little Blue Heron  8
Green Heron  3
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  1     on nest
Black Vulture  5
Turkey Vulture  4
Swallow-tailed Kite  1
Mississippi Kite  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-shouldered Hawk  3     Also 2 nestlingsRS hawk nestlings.One facing forward,one facing away.
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  5
Barred Owl  2
Chimney Swift  11
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  3
Belted Kingfisher  3     One at the nest cavity, other 2 in different
areas, but all near the river.
Red-headed Woodpecker  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  9
Downy Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
Acadian Flycatcher  6
Great Crested Flycatcher  15
Eastern Kingbird  3
White-eyed Vireo  33
Yellow-throated Vireo  3
Red-eyed Vireo  16
Blue Jay  14
American Crow  11
Fish Crow  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  10
Carolina Chickadee  19
Tufted Titmouse  7
Brown-headed Nuthatch  4
Carolina Wren  15
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  16     One pair relentlessly diving at a blue jay
Eastern Bluebird  4
Northern Mockingbird  19
Brown Thrasher  4
Worm-eating Warbler  3
Prothonotary Warbler  17
Swainson's Warbler  2
Kentucky Warbler  5
Common Yellowthroat  4
Hooded Warbler  9
Northern Parula  18
Magnolia Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  5
Yellow-throated Warbler  2
Yellow-breasted Chat  19
Eastern Towhee  15
Bachman's Sparrow  2     Both in the shrubby/weedy area under tall
pines along the main loop across from the group meeting entrance.
Heard only.
Summer Tanager  6
Northern Cardinal  35
Indigo Bunting  21
Red-winged Blackbird  4
Common Grackle  3
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Orchard Oriole  1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Subject: Cameron - May 9, 2012
From: thomas finnie <finnie.tom AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 15:50:44 -0500
Labirders,

It was a good day to be birding at Peveto during spring migration. The
mosquitos and flies were hardly noticeable in the woodlot and we saw a
total of 14 species between the three of us.

There was an Ovenbird with a strange hairdo (see pictures).

Pictures at http://tfinnie.blogspot.com/

Have a Good Day / Weekend, :)
Tom
Subject: Bay-breasted Warblers in City Park
From: Wendy Rihner <wrihner AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 11:05:16 -0500
Labird:

The only highlights this a.m. in City Park were a singing male Painted
Bunting and three very accommodating and cooperative male Bay-breasted
Warblers.  Many of the expected E. Kingbirds and Great Crested Flycatchers.

Wendy Rihner