Birdingonthe.Net

Recent Postings from
Mississippi Birding List

> Home > Mail
> Alerts

Updated on Thursday, November 5 at 09:31 AM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.
Bald Eagle,©Barry Kent Mackay

5 Nov Bird Pictures []
5 Nov first Dark-eyed Junco ["David J. Ringer" ]
4 Nov CBC date [Nancy Donald ]
3 Nov Purple Finch and Snow Geese ["knights" ]
3 Nov RE: Woodcock ["Jerry L. Litton" ]
2 Nov Woodcock ["J. Allen Burrows" ]
2 Nov Re: Krider's is back ["knights" ]
2 Nov Hummer report ["stellaandtom" ]
2 Nov Possible Rufous Hummingbird in Madison ["Tom Moorman" ]
2 Nov Tunica Co. and Arkabutla Lake, MS []
2 Nov Krider's is back ["Rob Heflin" ]
1 Nov Re: HUMMER REPORT ["Randy Richardson" ]
1 Nov RE: HUMMER REPORT [Joe McGee ]
1 Nov on the road bird ["Jerry L. Litton" ]
1 Nov Re: HUMMER REPORT [Kathy Shelton ]
1 Nov HUMMER REPORT ["Roger G. McGrath, III" ]
1 Nov Le Fluers Bluff State Park []
1 Nov Aberdeen Lock and Dam in Monroe County [Wayne Patterson ]
31 Oct Lee County [Wayne Patterson ]
31 Oct Brown Creeper at Knight's PN Butter ["knights" ]
29 Oct Sidon CBC count date ["Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS" ]
29 Oct fox sparrow [Jim & Dianne Patterson ]
28 Oct Am Avocet [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ]
28 Oct Re: Another scissortail flycatcher ["G.Edward Alexander,Jr." ]
28 Oct Buff-Bellied Hummingbird ["Amelia Gail" ]
27 Oct Migrants breeding at stopover spots [Nick Winstead ]
26 Oct Re: rainy night ["J. K. Cliburn" ]
26 Oct Another scissortail flycatcher [harleyiii ]
26 Oct Unsubscribe [maury haraway ]
26 Oct Bird pgm at Jackson Audubon Tues Oct 27 []
26 Oct Wearable hummingbird feeder [Matt Smith ]
26 Oct rainy night ["Jerry L. Litton" ]
25 Oct Arkabutla Dam []
25 Oct Le Fluers Bluff State Park []
24 Oct Sabine's Gull [Nick Winstead ]
24 Oct Scissortail Flycatcher [Wayne Patterson ]
23 Oct Re: Banded dove/pigeon leg [Sheri Glowinski ]
23 Oct Banded dove/pigeon leg [Sheri Glowinski ]
22 Oct Rig Birds 10/21 & 10/22 ["RudyDog" ]
21 Oct High water []
20 Oct Rig Birds 10/20 ["RudyDog" ]
20 Oct Re: Announcing Trumpeter Watch [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ]
20 Oct Announcing Trumpeter Watch [Nick Winstead ]
19 Oct Western Strays [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ]
19 Oct Lincolns Sparrow [Wayne Patterson ]
19 Oct MCAS upcoming Field Trips [sharon milligan ]
19 Oct Re: Fw: [ALBIRDS] Fw: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE [Marie Perkins ]
19 Oct Comcast problem resolved []
19 Oct Comcast and Hotmail problems []
19 Oct Birds - Clinton and Reservoir area ["John M. Bonelli" ]
19 Oct October 18, 2009 ["Jerry L. Litton" ]
19 Oct Oh Captain! ["J. Allen Burrows" ]
19 Oct Interesting Finds []
18 Oct Lee County [Wayne Patterson ]
18 Oct Winter birds showing up ["knights" ]
19 Oct Interesting Finds []
18 Oct [MISSIBRD] Invasive species [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ]
18 Oct white throat sparrows ["James and Dianne Patterson" ]
18 Oct white throat sparrow ["James and Dianne Patterson" ]
18 Oct Rig Birds 10/17-10/18 ["RudyDog" ]
17 Oct Wood Stork ["greenmansions" ]
17 Oct RE: Mourning Coffee (Mourning Warbler - Madison ) [Marion Schiefer ]
17 Oct Mourning Coffee (Mourning Warbler - Madison ) []
17 Oct Re: coast list []
14 Oct RE: Hummers still around []
14 Oct RE: Hummers still around ["Dance, Gayla" ]
14 Oct Re: Hummers still around []
13 Oct Hummers still around ["Valery Smith" ]
13 Oct Re: Hummers still around [sharon milligan ]
13 Oct Injured Peregrine ["Rob Heflin" ]
13 Oct Notables from the last few days [harleyiii ]
13 Oct RE: Jerry Litton and Huck Finn ["Jerry L. Litton" ]
13 Oct Fw: [ALBIRDS] Fw: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE [Jake Walker ]
12 Oct Jerry Litton and Huck Finn ["J. Allen Burrows" ]
11 Oct Rig birds 10/11/09 ["RudyDog" ]
11 Oct Mississippi River ["Jerry L. Litton" ]

Subject: Bird Pictures
From: Qgray AT aol.com
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 10:31:25 EST
Missbirders,
Recently my wife and I spent some time in Utah birding and  just looking
over the scenery. While Utah doesn't come to mind as a prime  birding state,
one would be hard pressed to find a more scenic place to bird  than the 
canyons of eastern and southern Utah. I have posted some  pictures of
birds seen which starts here 
_http://www.pbase.com/pintail1/image/119019878_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/pintail1/image/119019878) 

Some of the species of birds pictured here are common in the  east
but look for plumage variations between those pictured here  and the 
easterly ones.
If interested, I have posted some pictures of landscapes of  Utah here
_http://www.pbase.com/pintail1/image/118859056_ 
(http://www.pbase.com/pintail1/image/118859056)  
 
Q.B. Gray
Nesbit Ms.
Subject: first Dark-eyed Junco
From: "David J. Ringer" <djringer AT gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 06:59:34 -0600
It's a lovely fall morning here in Vicksburg, and I just had my first
Dark-eyed Junco of the season -- a lone bird passing through the yard.

David
Vicksburg, MS
http://djringer.com/birding
Subject: CBC date
From: Nancy Donald <nmdonald55 AT att.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 05:29:48 -0800 (PST)
Hey all, 

The Okatibbee Creek AS is conducting the CBC for Lauderdale County on 
1/2/2010. Any one interested in helping out, contact me. Always a great day 
for the birds! 


Nancy Donald
Meridian, MS

After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and 
so on -- have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear -- 
what remains? 

Nature remains. -Walt Whitman, poet (1819-1892)
Subject: Purple Finch and Snow Geese
From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:48:44 -0600
MISSBIRDERS,

Yesterday morning we heard our FOF Purple Finch fly over calling and in the 
afternoon we saw a flock of Snow Geese, also a FOF, fly over our house south of 
Oxford. Many Robins and a few A. Goldfinch were also in the air. 



Gene & Shannon Knight
Oxford, MS
gsknight AT dixie-net.com
Subject: RE: Woodcock
From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:18:34 -0600
A few years ago we had a snow here in Jackson. I went to LeFleur's Bluff
State Park to see what I could photograph. The park entrance was locked so I
walked around some. I parked my truck in the area just outside the park
entrance, and when I was leaving the park I saw two woodcocks working the
thin snow covering the asphalt and short grass for seeds and insects, maybe
some small gravel: what ever they eat. Occasionally they delved in snow deep
as their necks and would dive under to grab something in that shelter of
cover.

The woodcocks did not flush when I approached but they did move away using
short flights like leap-froggers. What seemed to work best for me was to use
my truck as a blind, even though I was moving it some for positioning and
peering out the open window with my camera and lens, I could get closer than
by walking with camera and tripod: and it was easier. I got some pretty good
photos of the woodcocks in snow, except the elevation of a truck blind is
obvious in orientation of subject located so near and looking down to ground
level which sort of spoils the approach and feeling of seeing the birds
naturally. Even though good photos, they don't interest me much since I did
use comfort rather than stealth to make my approach. yep, thinking about it,
I cheated.
The birds were very intense on their pursuit, moving quickly hunt and peck
style, in fact I left the location and they did not. I got bored before they
got full. Maybe they were accustomed to people if they often go to this
place because the baseball fields are often occupied and the parking lot is
often having cars around. Maybe like killdeer, they just develop an urban
strategy of keeping away far enough to be safe, and hunters don't encroach,
except for kids who may be curious and/or also may know a woodcock when they
see one and give it a chase. Had I been a native Indian with a rock, I could
have got me one or maybe two to share with my clan, and my feet and fingers
would have been much colder, but I would have been stronger than the man
with a camera.
Where I have seen woodcocks before is on slopes and uplands, when hunkered
down in thick understory and leaf thatch. When on that slope, breathing
deeply and exhausting vapors, body weary from exhaustion and sweating under
my covers and closer to anything I can find on than slope due to sharing the
elements than any other time I go to the woods. When they flush they usually
leave a dime sized depression on leaves that are slightly warm for a very
short time, and me a quickened heart of my obvious confusion, delight and
freight: sound and motion does shake on up. I usually walk up on them in a
forest of leafless trees so it is colder. I don't remember ever finding a
summer stray, even though it's likely they do nest on occasion in our
tropical climate and can run about in the understory or just sit tight and
not be seen. Ground nesters need to go north where there is less ant
predation: ants probably one of our smartest species for finding stores of
food without an ATV or rifle and hold self contained cultures and societies
without government intervention or help, and survive without a written
constitution, Red Cross or ACLU. I believe they believe, you work,
contribute to colony, you eat, you live. I read recently E. O. Wilson was
ask what to do about some ants that had taken up residence in someone's
kitchen. He replied, "Get down on your knees, watch them and learn." 

"What nature teaches is useful."

Please excuse this ramble, but I just learned my lesson of seeing those
woodcock.

Jerry L. Litton
Jerry L. Litton
Litton's Plumbing and Heating, Inc.
Lightscribe Photography and Publishing, Inc.
Narrative of Nature Calendars
RepAmerica/ MS
3987 Terry Road
Jackson, MS 39212
601 372 1580
601 346 0430 fax.
4jll AT bellsouth.net
www.lightscribesource.com
www.lightscribephotography.com  

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu
[mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of J. Allen Burrows
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 10:02 PM
To: Mississippi Birding List
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Woodcock

Saw a woodcock today in thick cover.  A private garden near the  
intersection of Ridgewood and Meadowbrook Road in Jackson. A life bird  
for me.
Subject: Woodcock
From: "J. Allen Burrows" <rotteral AT aol.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 22:01:34 -0600
Saw a woodcock today in thick cover.  A private garden near the  
intersection of Ridgewood and Meadowbrook Road in Jackson. A life bird  
for me.
Subject: Re: Krider's is back
From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:08:04 -0600
Hi Rob,

Yes, wintering hawks set up their territories just as though they were at home, 
which you could say it was their "wintering" home! We had a Harlan's that came 
back to the same field for over 5 years. We see a lot of that over in Tunica 
Co. Fun Stuff!! 

Gene
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Rob Heflin 
  To: MISSBIRD 
  Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 1:19 AM
  Subject: [MISSBIRD] Krider's is back


 2 weeks ago on October 17, I spotted a Krider's hawk in the same tree where I 
spotted one last year on October 21. I also spotted my first ever Krider's in 
February 2008 on our farm, which is less than 2 miles from the above location. 
So that would make 3 winters I've seen a Krider's in the same area. 


 Do they claim territories on the wintering grounds and come back to the same 
areas year after year? I travel this road several times each week and have not 
seen this bird since last fall/winter. 


  Rob Heflin
  Isola, MS
Subject: Hummer report
From: "stellaandtom" <stellaandtom AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:21:17 -0600
We still have a female RT in Cleveland, MS. She loves the Pineapple Sage that I 
have blooming right now. This is late for us also. Usually our hummers are gone 
by the middle of October. I am studying her just to make sure that she is a RT. 


Stella Wear
Subject: Possible Rufous Hummingbird in Madison
From: "Tom Moorman" <tmoorman AT ducks.org>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 08:12:34 -0600
As of yesterday we still had one female hummingbird hitting our feeder
and hummingbird flowers.  I think it is an immature female ruby-throated
- though it is getting really late in the year and has been making me
wonder if we were lucky enough to attract a female black-chinned hummer.
However, since the other reports of ruby-throats came across over the
weekend, I assume that bird is one of many "running late" this year.
However, this morning I was surprised to see the ruby-throat hummingbird
chased away from a large blooming sage by another hummer, and I caught a
glimpse of orange on the pursuer as the chase occurred.  Shortly
thereafter, I was able to get great looks at the "new" hummer perched on
low dead limb of an oak tree.  I believe it is an immature rufous
hummingbird - it has streaking on the neck but no evidence of a gorget
or any iridescent feathers, so I am guessing it is probably female (I am
by no means an expert on almost impossible to identify hummers like
these).  The bird is very aggressive and spent the time I was able to
watch it this morning hitting flowers, and then "bugging".  If anyone is
interested in trying to see this bird, or if the hummer banders out
there are interested is trying to band it and positively identify it -
shoot me an email at tmoorman AT ducks.org  

 

If the hummer banders are interested in trying to catch the rufous - I'd
also be curious about your id of the other hummer since it is getting so
late, though I am guessing it is a ruby-throated.  I have watched that
bird for a couple of weeks now.  It does hit the feeders, though it hits
the flowers much more often than the feeders.  The probable rufous did
not hit the feeders in the 10 minutes or so I was able to watch it this
morning - but since it is a new arrival it may not have discovered them
as yet.  My wife will be watching today to see if it hangs around, and
if it starts using the feeders.

 

This is the second rufous that has paid us a visit at this location -
the first was about 4-6 years ago!  We feel lucky!

 

Tom Moorman
Subject: Tunica Co. and Arkabutla Lake, MS
From: OLCOOT1 AT aol.com
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 08:23:15 EST
 
Nov. 1, 2009
 
Tunica-DeSoto-Tate Co. MS

 
In Tunica Co, MS, a few shorebirds were scattered in the wet fields, 18  
Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Stilt Sandpipers, 3 Long-billed Dowitchers, 2 Dunlin,  a 
few scattered Least, plus lots of Killdeer. No gull concentration  yet.
 
At Arkabutla Lake, the numbers of Forster's Terns down from last week's  
high of 492 now only 392 counted on Sunday but FRANKLIN'S GULLS numbers  were 
up to 57+ birds; many coming and going from a flock out from the Dam in  
DeSoto Co. Only 1 Herring Gull and a few dozen Ring-billed Gulls were joined by 

 6 Bonaparte's. Thousands of White Pelicans contrasted with equal numbers 
of DC  Cormorants. Also present were lines of Scaup and Gadwall with a male 
and 3 hen  Buffleheads in the mix. 
 

 
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that  lifts my heart to the heavens.
Subject: Krider's is back
From: "Rob Heflin" <delta_gamekeeper AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 01:19:16 -0600
2 weeks ago on October 17, I spotted a Krider's hawk in the same tree where I 
spotted one last year on October 21. I also spotted my first ever Krider's in 
February 2008 on our farm, which is less than 2 miles from the above location. 
So that would make 3 winters I've seen a Krider's in the same area. 


Do they claim territories on the wintering grounds and come back to the same 
areas year after year? I travel this road several times each week and have not 
seen this bird since last fall/winter. 


Rob Heflin
Isola, MS
Subject: Re: HUMMER REPORT
From: "Randy Richardson" <nature_nut AT hughes.net>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:02:41 -0600
I still have a female RT hummer which I saw again today (11-1), and have seen 
her feeding on my hummer flowers and feeders every day since 10/28. Have never 
saw a RT hummer in November here in State Line since I've been here for 9 
years. 


Randy Richardson
State Line, Mississippi
in south east MS 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kathy Shelton 
  To: Roger G. McGrath, III 
  Cc: msbird/posting 
  Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 4:34 PM
  Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] HUMMER REPORT


 I had one buzz me as I walked past the feeder on the way to the mailbox 
yesterday. It was a surprise since I usually don't see them this late. 


  Kathy
  Biloxi MS


 On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:40 PM, Roger G. McGrath, III  
wrote: 


 Today-Sunday-November 1st, we have seen one female Hummer eating at one of the 
8 feeders we still have up. During this last week, we have seen 1-3 each day 
but have only seen one thus far today. We normally don't see any Hummers after 
about October 24th. 


    This is in Yazoo City, MS.

    Barbara & Roger McGrath



  -- 
  Kathy Shelton
  South Mississippi Conservation Program
  Museum of Natural Science
  MS Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
  211 Critz St N
  Wiggins MS 39577
  228-860-0573 (cell)
  601-528-5705 (office)
  601-528-9161 (fax)
Subject: RE: HUMMER REPORT
From: Joe McGee <joe_mcgee43 AT hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:02:40 -0600
I saw a hummingbird leave my feeder yesterday (Oct. 31) as I turned into the 
driveway. I live in Newton County. I'm not sure what species it was. 


Sincerely,
 
Joe McGee
Outreach Naturalist
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science       WWW.MSNATURALSCIENCE.ORG   
2148 Riverside Drive
Jackson, MS 39202-1353
 
Phone  (601) 354-7303
   FAX   (601) 354-7227




 


Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:34:49 -0600
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] HUMMER REPORT
From: krshelton64 AT gmail.com
To: rgmycms AT bellsouth.net
CC: missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu


I had one buzz me as I walked past the feeder on the way to the mailbox 
yesterday. It was a surprise since I usually don't see them this late. 

 
Kathy
Biloxi MS


On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:40 PM, Roger G. McGrath, III  
wrote: 




Today-Sunday-November 1st, we have seen one female Hummer eating at one of the 
8 feeders we still have up. During this last week, we have seen 1-3 each day 
but have only seen one thus far today. We normally don't see any Hummers after 
about October 24th. 

 
This is in Yazoo City, MS.
 
Barbara & Roger McGrath

-- 
Kathy Shelton
South Mississippi Conservation Program
Museum of Natural Science
MS Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
211 Critz St N
Wiggins MS 39577
228-860-0573 (cell)
601-528-5705 (office)
601-528-9161 (fax)
 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/
Subject: on the road bird
From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:36:24 -0600
I was driving south to Natchez this AM on I- 55 south of Byram when a Red-
headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus chased a Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus out of a pine tree thicket. The chase was hot and heavy for
little while but the redhead slowed then turned back to the trees and the
flicker kept going away. The yellow was most striking on the flicker.

 

I had a gliding toward the grasses in the pasture Northern Bobwhite Colinus
virginianus. 

 

Did you see the moon rise this evening about 4:00 or 4:15. When I saw it, it
was about 15 above the east horizon, and was splendid, and seemed when I
saw it the first time was perfectly round so I think a full moon. About that
same time there were some crows along the road side and the one I saw the
most was radiantly black in the almost setting sun.  Amazing how a cool air
atmosphere can give sunlight more radiance. When I got to my south Jackson
office nearly 6 PM the moon was up nearly 25 or 30, blaring bright and
seemed to have a clipped front edge, now waning toward last quarter and the
sun was below the horizon, temperature seemed to have dropped maybe five
degrees as dark emerged and I shivered a little in the cool thinking winter
is coming. Cant wait for frost covered wildflowers.

 

 

Jerry L. Litton

Jerry L. Litton

Litton's Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

Lightscribe Photography and Publishing, Inc.

Narrative of Nature Calendars

RepAmerica/ MS

3987 Terry Road

Jackson, MS 39212

601 372 1580

601 346 0430 fax.

4jll AT bellsouth.net

www.lightscribesource.com

www.lightscribephotography.com
Subject: Re: HUMMER REPORT
From: Kathy Shelton <krshelton64 AT gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 16:34:49 -0600
I had one buzz me as I walked past the feeder on the way to the mailbox
yesterday.  It was a surprise since I usually don't see them this late.

Kathy
Biloxi MS

On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:40 PM, Roger G. McGrath, III  wrote:

>  Today-Sunday-November 1st, we have seen one female Hummer eating at one
> of the 8 feeders we still have up. During this last week, we have seen 1-3
> each day but have only seen one thus far today. We normally don't see any
> Hummers after about October 24th.
>
> This is in Yazoo City, MS.
>
> Barbara & Roger McGrath
>



-- 
Kathy Shelton
South Mississippi Conservation Program
Museum of Natural Science
MS Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
211 Critz St N
Wiggins MS 39577
228-860-0573 (cell)
601-528-5705 (office)
601-528-9161 (fax)
Subject: HUMMER REPORT
From: "Roger G. McGrath, III" <rgmycms AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:40:54 -0600
Today-Sunday-November 1st, we have seen one female Hummer eating at one of the 
8 feeders we still have up. During this last week, we have seen 1-3 each day 
but have only seen one thus far today. We normally don't see any Hummers after 
about October 24th. 


This is in Yazoo City, MS.

Barbara & Roger McGrath
Subject: Le Fluers Bluff State Park
From: PullenWatkins AT comcast.net
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:29:42 +0000 (UTC)
Missibrders,

Just before you get to the concrete bridge in the park, I got a glimspe of an 
American Woodcock. He scared me to death when he flew off. This is a lifer for 
me. 


Thanks,

Pullen
Madison, MS
Subject: Aberdeen Lock and Dam in Monroe County
From: Wayne Patterson <wrp6 AT att.net>
Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 10:38:03 -0800 (PST)
At the beach location just before you get to the dam a seach of the small 
wooded areafacing theBlue Bluff Campgroundproduced a beautiful male 
Wilson's Warbler. Also seen was the First of the Fall Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
and 10 High flying AmericanWhite Pelicans. Beautiful crisp morning for 
birding. 


Wayne Patterson
Shannon, MS Lee Co.
Subject: Lee County
From: Wayne Patterson <wrp6 AT att.net>
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:37:44 -0700 (PDT)
My first House Wren of the fall was seen at Tombigee State Parkthis morning 
and another behind Walmart near the Barnes Crossing Mall this afternoon.. Also 
behindWalmart was another Lincoln's Sparrow. 

 
For two weeks in a row I've seen a Green Heron at the Tupelo Water Treatment 
Ponds that is going to establish a late record for me. Two White Pelicans were 
nice at the Treatment Ponds this morning as were the first Lesser Scaup of the 
Fall. Winter bird numbers are starting to buildwith much larger numbers of 
Swamp, Song & Savannah Sparrows arriving. Very few ducks other than the Scaup, 
a dozen or so Shovelers, and a few Ruddy Ducks. 


Wayne Patterson
Shannon, MS Lee Co.
Subject: Brown Creeper at Knight's PN Butter
From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:21:24 -0500
MISSBIRDERS,

Yesterday in all the rain "OUR" Brown Creeper returned for the 3rd consecutive 
year to feed on the P-Nut Butter we put out for the birds on the deck!!! 


Thursday on the A&D Turf Farm south of Oxford we spotted our first fall Great 
White-fronted Goose feeding with the resident CAGO's. 



Gene & Shannon Knight
Oxford, MS
gsknight AT dixie-net.com
Subject: Sidon CBC count date
From: "Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS" <Philip.Barbour AT ms.usda.gov>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:51:28 -0500
MissBird:

The Sidon CBC 2009 will be Saturday, 2 January 2010.  
See link below for more information.

Thanks,

Philip
  
Shortcut to: http://app.audubon.org/cbcapp/updateCountDate.do
Subject: fox sparrow
From: Jim & Dianne Patterson <hummers2 AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:46:52 -0700 (PDT)
had our first backyard fox sparrow this morning, we still have 2 hummingbirds.

columbus ms.
Subject: Am Avocet
From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:19:20 -0500
Missbirders
Yesterday morning, Oct 27 I was standing in the road outside my home in 
Henleyfield, Pearl River Co enjoying a small flock of late migrant 
warblers when I was amazed to see an American Avocet fly by high 
overhead. Enjoyable of course, but the sort of sighting that always 
makes me reflect on how much must go by undetected and how really 
limited my perspective is of what is really going on.
Ned Boyajian
Subject: Re: Another scissortail flycatcher
From: "G.Edward Alexander,Jr." <ebby AT suddenlink.net>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:34:53 -0500
Harley----I am switching over to Outlook Express----Ed
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "harleyiii" 
To: "missbird" 
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 8:19 PM
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Another scissortail flycatcher


>I saw another scissor tail flycatcher today. This one was 3 miles Northeast 
>of Scott sitting on a light wire. Two hours later when I passed the same 
>spot it was gone.
> Harley Metcalfe III



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 




No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.423 / Virus Database: 270.14.32/2460 - Release Date: 10/26/09 
08:10:00
Subject: Buff-Bellied Hummingbird
From: "Amelia Gail" <ggyoung AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:37:13 -0500
This morning I had a nice surprise while I was outside enjoying the influx 
of
Chipping Sparrows arriving at my feeders.  I was actually following a Wren
with my camera when this beauty came into sight.  My first ever Buff-Bellied
Hummingbird.  I managed to get a couple of shots and thought I would share
them with you.  He or she is such a beauty.

http://imageevent.com/ameliagail/buffbelliedhummingbird

Gail Young
Vancleave
Subject: Migrants breeding at stopover spots
From: Nick Winstead <Nick.Winstead AT mmns.state.ms.us>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:05:35 -0500
This link, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152806.htm, is to 
an article showing five North American breeding songbirds that undergo a second 
breeding season at southbound migration stopover spots in western Mexico. 
Pretty interesting. 


Nick

Nick Winstead
Ornithologist
Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks
Museum of Natural Science
2148 Riverside Drive
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
Phone: 601-354-7303, ext. 108
Fax: 601-354-7227
http://museum.mdwfp.com/


________________________________
Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this email and/or 
document(s) attached is for the exclusive use of the individual named above and 
may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable information. If you 
are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you are strictly 
prohibited from reading, photocopying, distributing or otherwise using this 
e-mail or its contents in any way. If you have received this transmission in 
error, please notify me immediately.
Subject: Re: rainy night
From: "J. K. Cliburn" <jcliburn AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:30:57 -0500
On Oct 26, 2009, at 10:46 AM, Jerry L. Litton wrote:
> Turns out, it was a kill-de as Aunt Lillie use to name them.
>

That's what my grandfather used to call them, too -- Killdee.  He  
also had some other unusual names for birds.

Meadowlark:  Fee lark.
Nighthawk:   Bull bat.
Kingbird:    Bee martin.

Jay
Subject: Another scissortail flycatcher
From: harleyiii <harleyiii AT earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:19:16 -0400 (EDT)
I saw another scissor tail flycatcher today. This one was 3 miles Northeast of 
Scott sitting on a light wire. Two hours later when I passed the same spot it 
was gone. 

Harley Metcalfe III
Subject: Unsubscribe
From: maury haraway <mharaway1 AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:48:30 -0700 (PDT)
Unsubscribe
Subject: Bird pgm at Jackson Audubon Tues Oct 27
From: skipperand AT aol.com
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:40:07 -0400
Missbirders,

I will be doing the program "A Fascination With Birds" and would like to invite 
all of you - Tuesday night at the Welty Library in downtown Jackson. The 
meeting begins at 6:30 and the program around 7:00. 


Skipper Anding,
Ridgeland, MS
Subject: Wearable hummingbird feeder
From: Matt Smith <mcsmitfl AT yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:29:41 -0700 (PDT)
MISSBIRDers,


Which one of you brave souls is willing to test-drive this thing (for "only" 
$79.95!)? I'll chip in a few bucks if you let me try it... 


http://heatstick.com/_eYe2eye.htm

Matt Smith
Subject: rainy night
From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:46:00 -0500
The other night I was waiting at the old Pearl High School football field
for my grandson's game to start at 7 pm. It was raining, the field lights
blasting beams through showers and some winds and there was a lot of talk
and fun being shared by some sitters and more standers, most of us under
some kind of parasol or hooded parka and then some kids splashing in the
puddles, they barefoot and wet as catfish, as the young teams on the field
got wet, warmed-up and pepped up for the scrimmage. Suddenly there was a
Luke Skywalker like flight-maker zipping, dipping and flitting about the
field and lighted sky, zipping so fast I couldn't keep my eyes on it or make
out whether it a bat or sick-o bird gone haywire, as it vanished and
re-appeared several times. Turns out, it was a kill-de as Aunt Lillie use to
name them. It barely missed players on the field, looping over their helmets
and did fast dodge-bys to us on the side lines, then to land with the
quickness of a fly dodging a swat. It walked around the slight opening near
a group of talkers, keeping mostly in the shadows of the sea of legs of
those who did not see or suspect anything but the talk at hand. All I could
think was Geez, field of dreams.

 

I saw a great egret the other day as it flew away from me, not very high
above the pond waterline, already in flight when I saw it. I thought it was
a great egret by wing beat and rear end silhouette but was mystified by the
appearance of black wing tips that seemed to come and go as the wings moved
up then down. The black vee of both wing tips seemed real, but I hope I know
better then to look for them on g. egrets in the future. I suppose light
angle, bird movement and angle opposed to light penetration, reflectance and
shadow making abilities and my horizontal travel at 60 mph may had placed me
at this moment and surprised me with this new experience. Something about
this told me white pelican, something else told me to look a little longer
and there it was.  The eyes have it, the mind gets confused.

 

Jerry L. Litton

Jerry L. Litton

Litton's Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

Lightscribe Photography and Publishing, Inc.

Narrative of Nature Calendars

RepAmerica/ MS

3987 Terry Road

Jackson, MS 39212

601 372 1580

601 346 0430 fax.

4jll AT bellsouth.net

www.lightscribesource.com

www.lightscribephotography.com
Subject: Arkabutla Dam
From: OLCOOT1 AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:36:24 EDT
Oct. 25, 2009
Arkabutla Lake, MS
 
Scanning from the swimming area parking lot, the expected White Pelicans,  
Coots and DC Cormorants were spread across the lake. I photographed and  
counted the Forster's Terns, no Common or Black Terns, but 472+ Forster's is a 

pretty good number for north Mississippi. The surprise bird swimming among 
these  terns was a single Avocet. Ring-billed numbers were way down, less 
than 50  counted, but 8 FRANKLIN'S GULLS were a nice addition to today's list.
 
 
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6300 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135
http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/
What is this feathered thing that  lifts my heart to the heavens.
Subject: Le Fluers Bluff State Park
From: PullenWatkins AT comcast.net
Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:46:39 +0000 (UTC)
Missbirders:

I birded the park this morning and found an interesting array of winter 
arrivals and some late migrants. 


Winter Arrivials: Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker,Golden Crowned Kinglet (heard and 
saw), Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, of course 
Eastern Phoebe (they come around Labor Day and stay until Memorial Day) Winter 
Wren, House Wren, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, and White 
Throated Sparrow (didn't hear until later it was cold this morning) 

no Blue Headed Vireo :(, Brown Creeper, Cedear Waxwings or Dark Eyed Junco, 
theres still alot of winter 


Summer/ Migrants: Eastern Wood Pewee, Red Eyed Vireo, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, 
Gray Catbird, Tennessee Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Indigo Bunting 2 stragglers 
in winter color, and according to Sibley this is a migrant Lincoln Sparrow 


One note: There is a sink hole on the main trail headed toward the boat launch 
of the Pearl River. 


Thanks,

Pullen
Madison, MS
Subject: Sabine's Gull
From: Nick Winstead <Nick.Winstead AT mmns.state.ms.us>
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:41:09 -0500
Yesterday between 2:30 and 3:00 I saw a juvenile Sabine's Gull off and on over 
the spillway at Ross Barnett Reservoir. I got excellent looks at the bird as it 
was flying around the churning water below the spillway and back over the dam 
to the open water of the reservoir. The bird was loosely hanging around a small 
group of Franklin's Gulls. There were also at least hundreds of migrating Tree 
Swallows scattered all over the reservoir. I would have posted sooner but am 
just now getting back to my computer. 


Nick

Nick Winstead
Ornithologist
Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks
Museum of Natural Science
2148 Riverside Drive
Jackson, Mississippi 39202
Phone: 601-354-7303, ext. 108
Fax: 601-354-7227
http://museum.mdwfp.com/

________________________________
Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this email and/or 
document(s) attached is for the exclusive use of the individual named above and 
may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable information. If you 
are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you are strictly 
prohibited from reading, photocopying, distributing or otherwise using this 
e-mail or its contents in any way. If you have received this transmission in 
error, please notify me immediately.
Subject: Scissortail Flycatcher
From: Wayne Patterson <wrp6 AT att.net>
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:58:18 -0700 (PDT)
Coming back from Tombigbee State Parkthis AM on the Verona Plantersville road 
I was stunned to see a male Scissortail onan electricwire. Of course I was 
in a hurry to get back home to get to Clinton and see my son March for Tupelo 
in the State Marching Competition. To see the bird, assuming he's still there, 
take the Verona Exit East off of Hwy 45 onto the Verona Planterville Road. The 
bird was on the wire to the South before you get to town creek and before you 
get to the CREEK BOTTOM, about a mile from the turnoff. There were NO visible 
open fields at this spot so if he flys off the wireand into the surrounding 
area he may not be in a visible spot. I just got lucky. Photos will follow 
tomorrow. GO WAVE!! 


Wayne Patterson
Shannon, MS Lee Co.
Subject: Re: Banded dove/pigeon leg
From: Sheri Glowinski <sheri_glowinski AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:49:21 -0700 (PDT)
That seems to be the correct site to report the band. Many thanks. 
sheri



________________________________
From: Lucy and Bob Duncan 
To: Sheri Glowinski 
Sent: Fri, October 23, 2009 9:37:29 AM
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] Banded dove/pigeon leg


For racing pigeon bands, go to one of these sites. From there you can enter the 
band info, etc.: 

PIGEONS: http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/homepage/recwobnd.cfmwhich takes you to 
the 

American Racing Pigeon Union site http://www.pigeon.org/lostbirdinfo.htm

Lucy Duncan
Gulf Breeze, FL
----- Original Message ----- 
>From: Sheri Glowinski 
>To: missbird AT listserv.olemiss.edu 
>Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 9:27 AM
>Subject: [MISSBIRD] Banded dove/pigeon leg
>
>
>Hi folks,
>A colleague of mine found a dove or pigeon LEG (yes, only the leg!) with a non 
USGS band on it in downtown Hattiesburg. The info on the band was: AV2009 SMRP 
7169. 

>
>I thought I remembered a posting about a banded dove in the not too distant 
past on MISSBIRD, but couldn't remember the resolution. Any help anyone can 
provide on tracking down the bander would be appreciated. 

>
>Best regards,
>sheri
>---------
>Sheri L. Glowinski
>PhD Candidate
>Migratory Bird Research Group
>The University of Southern Mississippi
>Dept. of Biological Sciences 
>118 College Drive [5018] 
>Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 
>Lab: 601-266-4394
>http://www.usm.edu/mbrg/
>
>
>
Subject: Banded dove/pigeon leg
From: Sheri Glowinski <sheri_glowinski AT yahoo.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:27:07 -0700 (PDT)
Hi folks,
A colleague of mine found a dove or pigeon LEG (yes, only the leg!) with a non 
USGS band on it in downtown Hattiesburg. The info on the band was: AV2009 SMRP 
7169. 


I thought I remembered a posting about a banded dove in the not too distant 
past on MISSBIRD, but couldn't remember the resolution. Any help anyone can 
provide on tracking down the bander would be appreciated. 


Best regards,
sheri
---------
Sheri L. Glowinski
PhD Candidate
Migratory Bird Research Group
The University of Southern Mississippi
Dept. of Biological Sciences 
118 College Drive [5018] 
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 
Lab: 601-266-4394
http://www.usm.edu/mbrg/
Subject: Rig Birds 10/21 & 10/22
From: "RudyDog" <cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:19:37 -0500
All,
I've had about a half dozen Cattle egrets the last two days. Yesterday, 
10/21, there was a Black and White warbler along with a Gray
catbird. Today there was a lone Gray Catbird. Later on this afternoon three 
Cattle egrets. Four hawks are still hanging around the rig. The moths are 
all but gone. I'll be leaving the rig in the morning 10/23.

Have a great day,
Troy
Bay of Campeche
Mexico
Subject: High water
From: skipperand AT aol.com
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:23:50 -0400
Mays Lakes was closed for high water today, so I tried the park across Lakeland 
Dr. It was full of C. Wrens and Brown Thrashers. Arriving at the gas facility 
in the back, I looked for and found a way through the fence into the trails 
behind the Wildlife Dept. This didn't take too long. I sure thought I was 
hearing Golden-crowned Kinglets, but didn't stop to check as I had little 
repellant and could not stop long. From the gas facility I took a gravel road 
toward Smith Wills Stadium and back to parking, walking around a cattle gate 
near the ballfield (don't turn back as you can get around it). From the Pearl 
Street overpass I saw the remains of the fair and the old Natural Science 
Museum building, which had been crunched by a big digger. 


Skipper Anding,
Ridgeland, MS
Subject: Rig Birds 10/20
From: "RudyDog" <cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:26:06 -0500
Good evening all,
Where have all the cattle egrets gone? None here today. Not many birds at 
all today. Had one Hooded warbler, one male and female Redstart and one Gray 
Catbird. There have been as many as three hawks flying around the rig the
past couple of days. Not sure what kind they would be. No hummers.


Have a great day,
Troy,
Bay of Campeche
Mexico
Subject: Re: Announcing Trumpeter Watch
From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:15:54 -0500
Missbirders
I personally am not knowledgeable enough on the subject to have formed 
an opinion, but Missbirders should be aware that "reintroduction" of 
this species in the east has by no means met universal acceptance.

*An interesting discussion on the pros and cons of reintroducing this 
species in the east can be found in
Birding 34:4 338-343
Ned Boyajian

Nick Winstead wrote:
>
> Below is an email from John Cornely with the Trumpeter Swan Society 
> about an effort to track Trumpeter Swan distribution from 
> November-May. This effort could yield some good information on the 
> species.
>
> Nick
>
> *TRUMPETER WATCH*
>
> The Trumpeter Swan Society has launched a new Citizen Science project 
> and we hope to encourage your participation and support. If there are 
> specific areas that you would like information to be collected on by 
> volunteer observers, please let us know. Below I outline the project 
> with an invitation for comment if there are additional points you feel 
> we should be making to collect data most useful to your future 
> management efforts. We welcome the participation of agency personnel 
> as well.
>
> For the period Nov 1, 2009  May 1, 2010 we are encouraging birders 
> and wildlife enthusiasts to join our network of volunteer observers to 
> document the changing winter distribution of Trumpeter Swans. 
> Observers are asked to register on our website 
> www.trumpeterswansociety.org . 
> We aim to contact at least 1000 bird watchers over a broad geographic 
> area with hopes of getting reliable coverage over most of our area of 
> interest. Using skilled birders that regularly report sightings we 
> hope to make qualified data available to you by next July.
>
> Our focus for observation in this first year of the effort is on the 
> states of NE, KS, OK, eastern NM & CO, MO, AR, IL, IN, KY, TN, TX, NM, 
> LA, MS, AL, VA, MD, DE (or any other Southern, Central or Eastern 
> State where Trumpeters are observed during the winter).
>
> When asked why we need observers to participate, we are saying:
>
> */Why is your help needed/*?
>
>     * /By 1900 Trumpeter Swans were extirpated from their nesting and
>       wintering areas in Central and Eastern North America. Their
>       historic migrations to southerly wintering sites were totally
>       destroyed./
>     * /In recent decades wild nesting populations of Trumpeters have
>       been successfully restored in several northerly states and
>       Ontario. Most swans now winter near their northern breeding
>       areas, but an unknown number are pioneering southward where they
>       are beginning to establish use of more southerly wintering sites. /
>     * /Little is known regarding the numbers and groupings of
>       southward migrants, the location and characteristics of the
>       sites they are pioneering, the duration of use, or problems they
>       may be encountering./
>     * /By providing information through Trumpeter Watch, observers can
>       help document the changing distribution of wintering Trumpeter
>       Swans and help identify potential new southerly wintering sites./
>     * /Currently there is no coordinated, broad-scale observation
>       effort to monitor Trumpeter Swans during the winter./
>
> / /
>
> / /
>
> Once an observer has registered for TRUMPETER WATCH, we ask:
>
> /- Report any first observation of a Trumpeter Swan at a new location 
> to us by email as soon as possible, using our _TRUMPETER WATCH 
> OBSERVATION FORM_. Even a single observation is helpful, although we 
> hope you will want to monitor the vicinity through the winter or 
> enlist the help of other local observers. /
>
> / /
>
> - /We encourage you to regularly check on this location to observe the 
> duration and patterns of use. Please send summary of observations to 
> us by the 10^th of each month throughout the study period. We want to 
> document key habitat information, as well as details about the swans 
> and their behavior. /
>
> / /
>
> We are asking for the following information, but if you have input on 
> additional information you wish to collect, we can communicate that to 
> observers in your area. We will request that all marked and banded 
> birds be reported to the USGS Bird Banding Lab and that all persons 
> use caution not to disturb swans during observation. These are general 
> guidelines we are giving at the start of the program:
>
> / /
>
> *Clear description of location*
>
> Note name of state, county, closest town or recognizable location such 
> as a lake, park or refuge. Additionally, you may note township, range 
> section, lat-long coordinates, or GPS coordinates if known. If you can 
> paste in a small map of the site, that would be very helpful.
>
> *Details on the sighting*
>
> To the best of your ability, note age class (adult birds are white, 
> juvenile birds (cygnets) are gray. Note total numbers of Trumpeter, 
> Tundra, or unidentified swans. Note behavior (feeding, flying 
> overhead, loafing/resting). General notes on other species in the area 
> are of interest, such as in mixed flock with 300 Snow Geese, etc.
>
> *Details on habitat characteristics*
>
> Notes on human activities in the area and swan reaction, notes on any 
> obvious hazards or attractive attributes of the sites, food resources, 
> water conditions, etc., use by other waterfowl
>
> If Trumpeters are regularly using a location in your area, we would 
> value further details or photo documentation of the habitat if you are 
> willing to provide this level of detail. Details of what to observe in 
> this SITE CHARACTERISTIC ASSESSMENT will be given to regular observers 
> as needed.
>
> By next July we hope to have data summarized and available to public 
> and private land managers.
>
> John Cornely
> Executive Director
> The Trumpeter Swan Society
> 3 Cliffrose
> Littleton, CO 80127
> Res. 303-933-9861
> cell 303-910-9360
>
> jcornely AT trumpeterswansociety.org 
> 
> johncornely AT msn.com 
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this email and/or 
> document(s) attached is for the exclusive use of the individual named 
> above and may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable 
> information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby 
> notified that you are strictly prohibited from reading, photocopying, 
> distributing or otherwise using this e-mail or its contents in any 
> way. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify me 
> immediately.
Subject: Announcing Trumpeter Watch
From: Nick Winstead <Nick.Winstead AT mmns.state.ms.us>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:52:18 -0500
Below is an email from John Cornely with the Trumpeter Swan Society about an 
effort to track Trumpeter Swan distribution from November-May. This effort 
could yield some good information on the species. 


Nick


TRUMPETER WATCH

The Trumpeter Swan Society has launched a new Citizen Science project and we 
hope to encourage your participation and support. If there are specific areas 
that you would like information to be collected on by volunteer observers, 
please let us know. Below I outline the project with an invitation for comment 
if there are additional points you feel we should be making to collect data 
most useful to your future management efforts. We welcome the participation of 
agency personnel as well. 


For the period Nov 1, 2009 - May 1, 2010 we are encouraging birders and 
wildlife enthusiasts to join our network of volunteer observers to document the 
changing winter distribution of Trumpeter Swans. Observers are asked to 
register on our website 
www.trumpeterswansociety.org. We aim to 
contact at least 1000 bird watchers over a broad geographic area with hopes of 
getting reliable coverage over most of our area of interest. Using skilled 
birders that regularly report sightings we hope to make qualified data 
available to you by next July. 


Our focus for observation in this first year of the effort is on the states of 
NE, KS, OK, eastern NM & CO, MO, AR, IL, IN, KY, TN, TX, NM, LA, MS, AL, VA, 
MD, DE (or any other Southern, Central or Eastern State where Trumpeters are 
observed during the winter). 


When asked why we need observers to participate, we are saying:

Why is your help needed?

 * By 1900 Trumpeter Swans were extirpated from their nesting and wintering 
areas in Central and Eastern North America. Their historic migrations to 
southerly wintering sites were totally destroyed. 

 * In recent decades wild nesting populations of Trumpeters have been 
successfully restored in several northerly states and Ontario. Most swans now 
winter near their northern breeding areas, but an unknown number are pioneering 
southward where they are beginning to establish use of more southerly wintering 
sites. 

 * Little is known regarding the numbers and groupings of southward migrants, 
the location and characteristics of the sites they are pioneering, the duration 
of use, or problems they may be encountering. 

 * By providing information through Trumpeter Watch, observers can help 
document the changing distribution of wintering Trumpeter Swans and help 
identify potential new southerly wintering sites. 

 * Currently there is no coordinated, broad-scale observation effort to monitor 
Trumpeter Swans during the winter. 





Once an observer has registered for TRUMPETER WATCH, we ask:

- Report any first observation of a Trumpeter Swan at a new location to us by 
email as soon as possible, using our TRUMPETER WATCH OBSERVATION FORM. Even a 
single observation is helpful, although we hope you will want to monitor the 
vicinity through the winter or enlist the help of other local observers. 


- We encourage you to regularly check on this location to observe the duration 
and patterns of use. Please send summary of observations to us by the 10th of 
each month throughout the study period. We want to document key habitat 
information, as well as details about the swans and their behavior. 


We are asking for the following information, but if you have input on 
additional information you wish to collect, we can communicate that to 
observers in your area. We will request that all marked and banded birds be 
reported to the USGS Bird Banding Lab and that all persons use caution not to 
disturb swans during observation. These are general guidelines we are giving at 
the start of the program: 


Clear description of location
Note name of state, county, closest town or recognizable location such as a 
lake, park or refuge. Additionally, you may note township, range section, 
lat-long coordinates, or GPS coordinates if known. If you can paste in a small 
map of the site, that would be very helpful. 


Details on the sighting
To the best of your ability, note age class (adult birds are white, juvenile 
birds (cygnets) are gray. Note total numbers of Trumpeter, Tundra, or 
unidentified swans. Note behavior (feeding, flying overhead, loafing/resting). 
General notes on other species in the area are of interest, such as in mixed 
flock with 300 Snow Geese, etc. 


Details on habitat characteristics
Notes on human activities in the area and swan reaction, notes on any obvious 
hazards or attractive attributes of the sites, food resources, water 
conditions, etc., use by other waterfowl 


If Trumpeters are regularly using a location in your area, we would value 
further details or photo documentation of the habitat if you are willing to 
provide this level of detail. Details of what to observe in this SITE 
CHARACTERISTIC ASSESSMENT will be given to regular observers as needed. 


By next July we hope to have data summarized and available to public and 
private land managers. 



John Cornely
Executive Director
The Trumpeter Swan Society
3 Cliffrose
Littleton, CO 80127
Res. 303-933-9861
cell 303-910-9360
jcornely AT trumpeterswansociety.org
johncornely AT msn.com

________________________________
Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this email and/or 
document(s) attached is for the exclusive use of the individual named above and 
may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable information. If you 
are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you are strictly 
prohibited from reading, photocopying, distributing or otherwise using this 
e-mail or its contents in any way. If you have received this transmission in 
error, please notify me immediately.
Subject: Western Strays
From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:30:47 -0500
A few western strays are beginning to arrive in coastal Hancock County. 
Seen Today, Oct 19 2009
Franklin's Gull, 2 Washington Street Pier, Bay St Louis.

Considering that there have already been two reported for MS it looks 
like it may be a better than average year for Groove-billed Ani.  Today 
there was one at the Ansley Chenier and another near the RR crossing on 
Heron Bay Road. Both were perched on the sunny (and lee) side of dense 
brush, sunning themselves like absurd little cormorants.

A Yellow-headed Blackbird ( winter male) was at the feeders I maintain 
at my old home site at Heron Bay. (the summer resident Bronzed Cowbirds 
seem to have left -I have not seen any since the first days of the month).
Ned Boyajian
Subject: Lincolns Sparrow
From: Wayne Patterson <wrp6 AT att.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:43:12 -0700 (PDT)
For those of you, me included, who have seen few to no Lincoln's Sparrows, I 
have attached a photo ofone that popped out for me at the Tupelo Water 
Treatment Plant yesterday. Not totally sure of my ID I had to ask, and kindly 
received,verification. In the photo you can see what the guides call Buff 
"looks Orange to me" across the chest, in the malar area and eye ring. The 
dark brown to black streaks are prominant as is the birds peaked crown. In a 
straight on photo the streaks did extend into the throat area. 

http://www.pbase.com/wpatterson/image/118454223/large
While this bird may be common on the coast and the Western part of the state it 
is definitely uncommon for me. 



Wayne Patterson
Shannon, MS Lee Co.
Subject: MCAS upcoming Field Trips
From: sharon milligan <2sharon123 AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:57:44 -0500
This Saturday, October 24, 2009:  Grand Bay NERR, SE Jackson County.  Jake
Walker (228-697-7157)  Meet at 7:30 AM at NERR headquarters building.
Variety of birds possible in several distinct habitats. Bring water, snacks,
bug spray.

Saturday, November 14, 2009:  Old Ft. Bayou Mitigation Bank.  Mark Woodrey
(228-697-0460) Meet at 7:30 AM at Park and Ride in Ocean Springs I-10, Exit
50.  Sparrows, field birds, raptors. If it's been raining, boots might be a
good choice for footwear. Don't forget bugspray, snacks and water.
Subject: Re: Fw: [ALBIRDS] Fw: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE
From: Marie Perkins <mariemperkins AT gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:24:19 -0500
To anyone wondering if this might be a worthwhile trip:

I did my Master's research on rails in southwest Louisiana and spent
weeks (even over Halloween weekend, 2004) trying to capture rails
during the second rice harvest in the area were this festival is being
held. We saw alot of yellow rails, sora, Virginia rails, and a few
king rails. As long as a rice field still had some water on it, there
were rails, often alot of rails. The potential for this to be a great
birding trip is high. Though as a caveat, I would like to add that I
don't know anything about the logistics of this trip or how the second
rice season has been going in LA this year, both could affect how many
birds you will see.

Marie Perkins



On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 7:26 AM, Jake Walker  wrote:
>
>
> --- On Mon, 10/12/09, Greg D. Jackson  wrote:
>
>> From: Greg D. Jackson 
>> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Fw: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE
>> To: "AL Birds" 
>> Received: Monday, October 12, 2009, 12:18 AM
>> AL Birders:
>>
>> Here's a note from our friends in LA concerning what sounds
>> like a fun birding event.
>>
>> Greg
>>
>> Greg D. Jackson
>> Birmingham, AL
>> g_d_jackson AT bellsouth.net
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: Steve Cardiff 
>> Date: Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 3:30 PM
>> Subject: Re: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE
>>
>>
>> Dear Birders-
>>  Here's an update on the upcoming
>> Yellow Rails and Rice Festival (see original announcement at
>> bottom), now only a month away. Dates with scheduled
>> activities have been trimmed down as follows:
>>
>>
>> --FRIDAY & SATURDAY 30-31 OCTOBER. Central
>> meeting location/staging area will be at the LSU AgCenter
>> facility on Hwy. 26 south in JENNINGS, LA.
>> Participants can begin arriving at 9:00 AM. For this
>> year at least, there is no official preregistration, but we
>> would prefer that all participants first check-in at the
>> meeting/staging area so that we have a better handle on
>> number of people and can better coordinate distribution of
>> participants among multiple harvest sites. Information
>> handouts will be available including Yellow Rail "fact
>> sheets," a checklist of the birds of southwest Louisiana's
>> rice-growing region, etc. There will be a brief,
>> repeating powerpoint slideshow on Yellow Rails, and possibly
>> other slideshows to watch. Additional activities,
>> presenters TBA. Starting around 10:00 AM,
>> facilitator-led groups will depart hourly from the staging
>> area and caravan to harvesting sites. Caravan leaders
>> will "hand-off" the arriving group to an onsite
>> facilitator. Once participants are at the harvest
>> site, they can stay as long as they want and they will be on
>> their own when they depart the site. The
>> meeting/staging area will shut down, and the last group(s)
>> will depart for the harvesting site(s), at 4:00 PM each
>> day. Harvesting activities sometimes continue until
>> dusk.
>>
>>
>> --FRIDAY & SATURDAY 6-7 NOVEMBER. Central Meeting
>> location/staging area will be at the Thornwell Warehouse
>> Association building at THORNWELL, Jeff Davis Parish,
>> LA. Otherwise, details as above.
>>
>>
>> --Depending on demand, we may add a mid-week date (e.g., 3
>> or 4 November). We need feedback (see festival email
>> address below)!
>>
>>
>> --Depending on recruitment of farmers, we will do our best
>> to set up limited Yellow Rail viewing activities on Sunday 1
>> November so that LOS Fall Meeting participants (taking
>> advantage on their way home from Cameron) or other visitors
>> don't miss an opportunity. Again, we need feedback on
>> whether there would be enough interest to make this worth
>> the effort (see festival email address below)!
>>
>>
>> IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE FESTIVAL,
>> then please send an email with your contact information to
>> Donna Dittmann at:
>>
>>
>> yellowrailsandrice AT gmail.com
>>
>>
>> Please indicate which festival day(s) you would be most
>> likely to visit. This will help us estimate potential
>> turnout. We will also add you to a group email list and you
>> will receive festival updates, as details may be subject to
>> change.
>>
>>
>> Festival information will also begin appearing at various
>> websites, e.g., Jeff Davis Parish Economic Development and
>> Tourism (http://www.jeffdavis.org/), birdlouisiana.com ,
>> etc. We will provide updates with the web links as
>> they become activated.
>>
>>
>> Let us know OFF-LIST if you have questions. And, of
>> course, by all means spread the word.
>>
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>> Steve Cardiff & Donna Dittmann
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 10:25 PM, Steve Cardiff 
>> wrote:
>>
>>  Dear Labirders-
>>
>>   I'm pleased to announce the
>> First Annual "Yellow Rail and Rice Festival," tentatively
>> scheduled for this coming 30 October-8 November 2009.
>> So, mark your calendars and please stay tuned for further
>> developments.
>>
>>   Until now this has been
>> merely an idea conjured up by Donna Dittmann, rice farmers
>> Kevin & Shirley Berken, and myself, but now we are
>> finally ready to go operational and move into an
>> experimental phase. I must emphasize that this first
>> attempt will be very scaled down and is still somewhat
>> TENTATIVE.
>>
>>
>>
>> Intended goals of the festival are
>> five-fold (at least):
>>
>>
>>
>>  1) To bring birders and rice farmers together during
>> Louisiana's late (second) rice harvest in a more organized
>> format that will make Yellow Rail searching a more reliable
>> endeavor.
>>
>>
>>
>>  2) To give birders (and others) the opportunity to
>> see rice harvesting operations up close and personal and to
>> further appreciate the rich cultural traditions of southwest
>> Louisiana agriculture-based communities.
>>
>>
>>
>>  3) To promote mutually beneficial Agritourism (from
>> the farmers' perspective) and Ecotourism (from the birders'
>> perspective) that will provide recreational enjoyment for
>> birders and generate economic opportunities in southwestern
>> Louisianas rice-growing region and adjacent areas.
>>
>>
>>
>>  4) To further educate the birding public (and
>> others) regarding the critical importance of rice
>> cultivation and other "working wetlands" to bird populations
>> and to encourage cooperation between agricultural and bird
>> conservation interests in a joint effort to preserve these
>> relatively bird friendly agricultural systems.
>>
>>
>>
>>  5) To have fun, see lots of great birds, and meet
>> lots of nice people!
>>
>>
>>
>>  Until festival infrastructure becomes further
>> developed, the inaugural festival will, of course, primarily
>> focus on finding Yellow Rails. Preliminarily, rail
>> searches will be confined to Jefferson Davis Parish, but the
>> activities may expand to other parishes in the future.
>> We anticipate having birders meet at a staging area(s) from
>> where they will be escorted by "facilitators" to actual
>> harvesting operations being conducted by a network of
>> cooperating rice farmers. Once at the fields, birders
>> will (hopefully) have the opportunity to see Yellow Rails
>> that are flushed by the harvesting combines. We are
>> hoping to be able to allow birders to take turns actually
>> riding on the harvester machines, but the details still need
>> to be worked out. In addition to modest numbers of
>> Yellow Rails, observers typically will also be able to enjoy
>> seeing a tremendous variety and abundance of other bird
>> species in the region.
>>
>>
>>
>>  The dates chosen for this fall are intended to
>> maximize the chances that second crop harvesting operations
>> will be in progress and that Yellow Rails will have arrived
>> in the region in substantial numbers. The first
>> weekend also coincides with this year's Louisiana
>> Ornithological Society fall meeting to be held in Cameron
>> Parish 30 October-1 November 2009. So, we hope that
>> this will give birders attending the LOS meeting a great
>> opportunity to attend the Yellow Rail and Rice Festival on
>> their way to, during, or after the meeting. The
>> "Yellow Railing" will continue through the first week of
>> November, with the finale on the weekend of 7-8
>> November. Of course, rice harvesting is dependent on
>> good weather conditions, so any significant rainfall could
>> interfere with our plans. But we hope that having two
>> consecutive weekends to work with will lessen the chances of
>> a complete washout, and we should be able to issue rail
>> watching forecasts in advance.
>>
>>
>>
>>  Tentative supporters of the festival include the
>> Jefferson Davis Parish Rice Growers Association, the LSU
>> AgCenter, and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and
>> Forestry. Of course, we would welcome additional
>> endorsements and sponsors. At some point in the near
>> future, I will provide a point of contact for organizations
>> or individuals interested in signing on as sponsors or
>> volunteers, and we will likely request that festival
>> participants "RSVP" just so we have a rough idea of the
>> potential volume of birders/day.
>>
>>
>>
>>  Sincerely,
>>
>>
>>
>>  Steve Cardiff & Donna Dittmann
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> IMPORTANT ADDRESSES:
>> Post message: albirds AT yahoogroups.com
>> Subscribe: albirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com
>> List owner: albirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com
>> AOS website: http://www.aosbirds.org/
>>
>> This list is sponsored by the Alabama
>> Ornithological Society (AOS) and is provided
>> as a service to the birding community. AOS
>> does not endorse the views or opinions expressed
>> by the members of this discussion group. Nor
>> does AOS support or endorse the advertising
>> provided by the Yahoo Groups list service.Yahoo! Groups
>> Links
>>
>> <*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
>>   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/albirds/
>>
>> <*> Your email settings:
>>   Individual Email | Traditional
>>
>> <*> To change settings online go to:
>>   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/albirds/join
>>   (Yahoo! ID required)
>>
>> <*> To change settings via email:
>>   mailto:albirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com
>>
>>   mailto:albirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com
>>
>> <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
>> to:
>>   albirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com
>>
>> <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
>>   http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>>
>>
>
>
>   __________________________________________________________________
> Looking for the perfect gift? Give the gift of Flickr!
>
> http://www.flickr.com/gift/
>
>
Subject: Comcast problem resolved
From: ulswan AT olemiss.edu
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:49:16 -0600
The Comcast problem has been resolved, thanks to Ole Miss
tech support.
Martha

Martha Swan
1665 Toccopola Jct. Rd.
Thaxton, MS 38871
Subject: Comcast and Hotmail problems
From: ulswan AT olemiss.edu
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:36:25 -0600
Missbirders,
Delete now if you don't use either of these email services!

Last week, there were two brief intervals when Hotmail was
rejecting all Missbird messages, but the problem seems to
have resolved itself.

Now, Comcast is rejecting Missbird messages but I can't tell
whether it is rejecting all of them, or just a few. I don't
get a notice until about five days later. *Please*, Comcast
users, contact your tech support services and tell them that
Missbird is not Spam! I have contacted Ole Miss tech
support, but in my experience, email providers are more
responsive to their own customers than they are to list
administrators. 

Please contact me individually if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Martha

Martha Swan
1665 Toccopola Jct. Rd.
Thaxton, MS 38871
Subject: Birds - Clinton and Reservoir area
From: "John M. Bonelli" <jbonelli AT loansourcems.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:36:22 -0500
Good morning:

Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I went to the Clinton Nature Center. We saw
few birds, but there were a couple that really stood out. We saw an immature
painted bunting and a female painted bunting. Also hanging around appeared
to be a hermit thrush. There was another bird that we saw, but I could not
identify it. Of course, there were the standard birds, titmice, chicadees,
blue jays, cardinals, carolina wrens, downy woodpeckers and red-bellied
woodpeckers.

Saturday, while officiating soccer matches at JFC (north Jackson area), I
saw a huge flock of white pelicans flying over, heading to the southeast. On
Sunday, I heard some birds in the woods behind field 7 that I could not
identify. I believe them to be some warblers, but I cannot remember their
tune.

That's all I have for now....

JMB

John M. Bonelli
Loan Officer - Commercial/Residential
LoanSource Financial Services
112 Village Blvd., Ste. B
Madison, MS 39110
601.856.2717 Phone
601.856.3470 Fax
601.842.9764 Mobile

"We Shop So You Don't Have To."
Subject: October 18, 2009
From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:26:37 -0500
Driving from Jackson to Shelby and back to Pelahatchie:

 

Early morning, driving north on hi-way 49 north of Jackson, had two
White-tailed Deer on the east roadside, does, one a yearling, wanted to get
across so they ran carelessly, and we would have collided if I had not
nearly stopped. The yearling tagged behind about 15', neither animal seemed
to look at me as they ran. On the other side, the two-lane south bound,
another car had to slow to avoid a collision. The deer ran into the yard of
a residence, and had a fence along the sides and back. I didn't hang around
to see where the deer escaped. A little farther north I crossed the flooded
Big Black River and on the north row crop area that was flooded were two
more deer wading about belly deep along the pool. After going toward home
late in the afternoon I approached a fawn, a really young one about 30"
inches tall and had lots of white spots. I did not see its mother, and the
fawn looked healthy so I suspect it is getting plenty to eat.

 

Saw a hawk, probably Red-shoulder on the west side, on a high wire, had its
back-side to the sun, was looking down into the grasses. A little farther
north, less than a quarter mile was a Belted Kingfisher, on the same west
side of the road, facing the sun, looking down into the filled roadside
ditch. I thought it interesting how these birds use directional sun rays the
way I use them for effect, I to get a photograph, they to get breakfast. I
also thought it interesting how they and I must aim our attention to where
something will be when we snap our shutter, talons, and beak to complete our
strike, where the subject will be, not where it is, when we get there.

 

I saw several Red-winged Blackbirds perched on high standing stalks along
heavy cluttered ditches and wonder if they know summer is over, nesting
season has waned. It was males doing this and I could not see if they still
had prominent red wing bars, or if they were defending territory chasing
other males away or chasing females to nesting joy. I only saw males,
females do not usually high perch sit.

 

Just north of Indianola I saw a rarity in my opinion. Had a bird to fly up
and across the highway. A straight flying and rhythmic wing cadence, and I
first suspected some gull or raptor but it was a Black-crowned Night Heron.
I seldom see these in the open, and often see them in swamps or along bayous
densely lined with plants, mud islands and bars, shrubbery and trees, mostly
seen at dusk and dawn. I suspect this was a first year bird and had found
easy pickings in the fish pond, doesn't know yet it is a night heron or
maybe it has poor nocturnal vision and must use sun light.  Usually a shy
bird, seems to have good behavior in heronry locations and is a little
stand-offish how and where it nests. It seems to pick a smallish nest tree,
building near the trunk or center, where no other species are nesting,
however other nesters do move in on the same tree to make things
interesting. I have seen BCNH nestlings unfledged as late as October.

 

I saw two white egrets in a road-side ditch, one a Snowy and I suspect the
other was to but could have been a Great Egret first year because they were
about the same size. The one I identify had the black beak, dark legs and
silky snowy feather feature so prominent to the species. The snowy just
seems to move faster, dart and grab, in its pursuit, the egret uses its long
reach, step, wait, stab, to advantage.

 

Then there were swallows and swifts hunting above the fish ponds. I was
surprised to see this. They were mostly over the water places but mid
morning, driving toward Ruleville there was a flight seeking insects that
must have moved over the highway and I had to slow several times to avoid
them, coming to close to several as they were very eager toward their work.
On the way home I did wreck with a low fast flying dark bird that streaked
about head light high across the road out of no-where going right to left,
hit my truck near the left front side and feathers flew to my sadness.
Reminds me how fast accidents happen.

 

Our farmers are in trouble. There is too much fiber and grain still in the
fields. I suspect fungus and mildew is doing its work. I saw several fields
with green but undeveloped, looked like immature corn. Rice appears to be
harvested, and some corn, but some corn, cotton, and beans may be unusable
or can't be harvested till rains stop and drying occurs. Looking like framed
patch-work mosaics of grasses had several raptors low-flying in the breezes
and many bunches of dark and fast birds congregating over grain fields.
Doves seemed to be doing well and happy.

 

Nature 1, Man/Science/ Schedules 0, the series continues.

 

Jerry L. Litton

Jerry L. Litton

Litton's Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

Lightscribe Photography and Publishing, Inc.

Narrative of Nature Calendars

RepAmerica/ MS

3987 Terry Road

Jackson, MS 39212

601 372 1580

601 346 0430 fax.

4jll AT bellsouth.net

www.lightscribesource.com

www.lightscribephotography.com
Subject: Oh Captain!
From: "J. Allen Burrows" <rotteral AT aol.com>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:30:50 -0500
Saw two Lincoln's Sparrows (separately).  One was actually with two of  
his Chipping brethren but seemed to be keeping his back turned toward  
them. Three immature Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  All were seen at the  
powerline ROW alongside the abandoned GM&O tracks by the water  
treatment plant in the shadow of I55 East of Belhaven at the end of  
Laurel Street.
Sent from my iPhone
Subject: Interesting Finds
From: PullenWatkins AT comcast.net
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:22:49 +0000 (UTC)
Missbirders:

Oct 17-- Harbor Drive- 2nd pipeline Ross Barnett Rez-- 3 Marsh Wrens; 1 Bald 
Eagle 

Oct 18-- Turcotte Lab- Ross Barnett Rez- the Ducks arrived (Green Wing Teal, 
mostly Gadwall, BlueWing Teal, Northern Shovler) Bank Swallows mixed in with 
Northern Roughwings at Turcotte 

my backyard (Madison)- Y all this was rather weird. I was a doing a cheklist 
for my yard. I looked out my kitchen window and saw a female Summer Tanger 
eating my suet that I had put out for birds. 


Thanks,
Pullen
Madison, MS
Subject: Lee County
From: Wayne Patterson <wrp6 AT att.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:59:22 -0700 (PDT)
Today was just a wonderful day to be out. After all the rain and overcast 
days, especially weekends, this day was very much appreciated. I made the 
short walk on the North side of the first pond next to an area thatis 
developinginto a nice cattail marsh. Sparrows have arrived with Savannah, 
Swamp, and Song represented. I had a close but brief view of a Marsh Wren. I 
usually hear them but not nearly as close to me as this one. Soras have been 
making this location a brief spring and fall stop and I heard one there today 
as well. 


Tombigbee State Park had a few warblers today with Yellow-rumped, 
Black-throated Green, Palm and Tennessee having multiplebirds and Orange 
Crowned with a single bird. 


Wayne Patterson
Shannon, MS Lee Co.
Subject: Winter birds showing up
From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:38:10 -0500
MISSBIRDERS,

The past week of rain and now cool fall weather has brought most of the winter 
birds to N. MS. 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, both kinglets, Winter Wren, Blue-headed 
Vireo,Yellow-rumped Warbler, and today White-throated Sparrow. A few 
Warblers---Black-throated Green, Tennessee, Magnolia, Bay-breasted, N. Parula, 
A. Redstart and Black-and-white--- were still seen yesterday at Hurricane 
Landing, Sardis Lake. A calling Acadian Flycatcher, E. Wood-Pewee, female 
Summer Tanager, and 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and 2 Ruby-throated Hummers were 
here at home today. On Wednesday there was 2 A. Pipits and 12 Horned Larks on 
the A&D Turf Farm south of Oxford. 




Gene & Shannon Knight
Oxford, MS
gsknight AT dixie-net.com
Subject: Interesting Finds
From: PullenWatkins AT comcast.net
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:20:35 +0000 (UTC)
Missbirders:

Oct 17-- Harbor Drive- 2nd pipeline Ross Barnett Rez-- 3 Marsh Wrens; 1 Bald 
Eagle 

Oct 18-- Turcotte Lab- Ross Barnett Rez- the Ducks arrived (Green Wing Teal, 
mostly Gadwall, BlueWing Teal, Northern Shovler) Bank Swallows mixed in with 
Northern Roughwings at Turcotte 

my backyard (Madison)- Y all this was rather weird. I was a doing a cheklist 
for my yard. I looked out my kitchen window and saw a female Summer Tanger 
eating my suet that I had put out for birds. 


Thanks,
Pullen
Madison, MS
Subject: [MISSIBRD] Invasive species
From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:29:45 -0500
Missbirders
Those of you who participated in the discussion a few weeks ago about  
invasive species might be interested in a recent study done in Hawaii on 
the effect of the Japanese White-eye on native species. I thought it a 
winner on several levels.
1. Simply as an lesson to me as an amateur of the  hard-nosed, 
disciplined way real pros go about field work.
2. As an insight into how subtle, indirect and gradual influences can be 
and what it really takes to understand them.
3.And conversely, how the kind of observations I (and I suspect other 
amateurs) might make -"golly gee, the seem to get along just fine at my 
feeder"-don't really count for much.

Anyway, you can find the abstract on-line at Current Biology -just plug 
in either "Freed" or "Cann" in the author search.
I also have the full paper.  More than a bit beyond my ken in spots but 
the conclusions are clear enough. If anyone wants to tackle it let me know.
Ned Boyajian
Subject: white throat sparrows
From: "James and Dianne Patterson" <hummers2 AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:00:12 -0500
forgot to post location columbus, north lowndes county
Subject: white throat sparrow
From: "James and Dianne Patterson" <hummers2 AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:57:25 -0500
we had our first white throat sparrows in our yard this morning. we still a few 
hummingbirds.
Subject: Rig Birds 10/17-10/18
From: "RudyDog" <cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:17:26 -0500
All,
Yesterday, 17 Oct, we had a larger number of birds passing as in the 
previous few days. A front passed through yesterday bringing heavy winds and 
rain. Still more Cattle egrets. I have never seen so many during a
migration, either Spring or Fall. Every cow in America must have its on
egret. Along with the Cattle Egrets were Green Herons and Great Egrets. A
few Catbirds were in the mix. Have spotted a couple hawks flying around as
well. This morning around 02:00 a couple hundred birds were circling the
rig. More Cattle Egrets, Herons and Great Egrets. Most all have gone now 
(13:00).

Have a great day,
Troy Reitan
Bay of Campeche
Mexico
Subject: Wood Stork
From: "greenmansions" <greenmansions AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:57:29 -0500
Late yesterday afternoon, one Wood Stork flew over my house in Grenada. Headed 
due north. 


Dennis Welch
Subject: RE: Mourning Coffee (Mourning Warbler - Madison )
From: Marion Schiefer <marion_schiefer AT hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:36:16 -0500
nice serendipity, Ken.  How lucky can you get!

 

Marion
 


Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:06:31 +0000
From: khackman AT comcast.net
To: missbird AT listserv.olemiss.edu
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Mourning Coffee (Mourning Warbler - Madison )





My apologies, I meant to send this with it's own subject line.


----- Forwarded Message -----
From: khackman AT comcast.net
To: missbird AT listserv.olemiss.edu
Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2009 12:03:59 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] coast list





This falls under the "You're not going to believe this." category.  
 

I drove to school this morning, making my usual stop at my favorite coffee shop 
for a mocha, as is my wont. As I pulled up to the drive through window, the 
barista said, "Hey Bird Man, I'm glad you are here. A bird flew in the window a 
while ago and I can't get it out." 


 

The short version of the story is that I chased it around for a short while, 
and knew immediately from the plain olive back, combined with completely yellow 
underparts, pinkish leg color and the olive cap extending over the eye that it 
was an Oporornis species. It took me about five minutes to trap the bird 
against the window, still in the dark of the morning at about 6:20 this a.m. I 
used the bander's grip to secure the bird and then switched over to the 
photographer's grip to get a good look. As soon as I had the bird secure, I 
identified it as an immature female Mourning Warbler. I was incredulous. It 
took me ten years to finally see this species as a birder, finally getting it 
some years ago at High Island, while birding with Curtis and Kathy Ross. And 
this morning, I find one in my favorite coffee shop. I only wish I had a 
camera, because the story is so bizarre. I released the healthy bird in the 
parking lot, and watched it fly off into the still dark sky. I immediately took 
notes, and compared them with Nat. Geo. as soon as I got to school. I don't 
think it could have been anything else. 


 

The barista? She gave me the coffee.

 

Ken Hackman
Subject: Mourning Coffee (Mourning Warbler - Madison )
From: khackman AT comcast.net
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:06:31 +0000 (UTC)

My apologies, I meant to send this with it's own subject line. 


----- Forwarded Message ----- 
From: khackman AT comcast.net 
To: missbird AT listserv.olemiss.edu 
Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2009 12:03:59 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] coast list 


This falls under the "You're not going to believe this." category.  



I drove to school this morning, making my usual stop at my favorite coffee shop 
for a mocha, as is my wont.  As I pulled up to the drive through window, the 
barista said, "Hey Bird Man, I'm glad you are here.  A bird flew in the window 
a while ago and I can't get it out." 




The short version of the story is that I chased it around for a short while, 
and knew immediately from the plain olive back, combined with completely yellow 
underparts, pinkish leg color and the olive cap extending over the eye that it 
was an Oporornis species.   It took me about five minutes to trap the bird 
against the window, still in the dark of the morning at about 6:20 this a.m.  
I used the bander's grip to secure the bird and then switched over to the 
photographer's grip to get a good look.  As soon as I had the bird secure, I 
identified it as an immature female Mourning Warbler.  I was incredulous.  It 
took me ten years to finally see this species as a birder, finally getting it 
some years ago at High Island, while birding with Curtis and Kathy Ross.  And 
this morning, I find one in my favorite coffee shop.  I only wish I had a 
camera, because the story is so bizarre.  I released the healthy bird in the 
parking lot, and watched it fly off into the still dark sky.  I immediately 
took notes, and compared them with Nat. Geo. as soon as I got to school.  I 
don't think it could have been anything else. 




The barista? She gave me the coffee. 



Ken Hackman
Subject: Re: coast list
From: khackman AT comcast.net
Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 05:03:59 +0000 (UTC)
This falls under the "You're not going to believe this." category.  



I drove to school this morning, making my usual stop at my favorite coffee shop 
for a mocha, as is my wont.  As I pulled up to the drive through window, the 
barista said, "Hey Bird Man, I'm glad you are here.  A bird flew in the window 
a while ago and I can't get it out." 




The short version of the story is that I chased it around for a short while, 
and knew immediately from the plain olive back, combined with completely yellow 
underparts, pinkish leg color and the olive cap extending over the eye that it 
was an Oporornis species.   It took me about five minutes to trap the bird 
against the window, still in the dark of the morning at about 6:20 this a.m.  
I used the bander's grip to secure the bird and then switched over to the 
photographer's grip to get a good look.  As soon as I had the bird secure, I 
identified it as an immature female Mourning Warbler.  I was incredulous.  It 
took me ten years to finally see this species as a birder, finally getting it 
some years ago at High Island, while birding with Curtis and Kathy Ross.  And 
this morning, I find one in my favorite coffee shop.  I only wish I had a 
camera, because the story is so bizarre.  I released the healthy bird in the 
parking lot, and watched it fly off into the still dark sky.  I immediately 
took notes, and compared them with Nat. Geo. as soon as I got to school.  I 
don't think it could have been anything else. 




The barista? She gave me the coffee. 



Ken Hackman
Subject: RE: Hummers still around
From: <james.bell AT shell.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:59:18 -0500
Hi Pullen and Missbirds,

 

Like most of you, my Ruby-throated numbers have dropped off in the last week. 
Everything for the past few week has been immature males and females. 


On Winter birds, I hope you all get a winter bird this year, would love to, 
with your permission visit you, band, photograph and let you release it back 
into your yard, so keep us in mind. 


Rufous is the most common we see, Last winter’s numbers were four 
Buff-bellied, one Allen’s, a few Calliope, Black-chinned, Ruby-throated, and 
more than a dozen Rufous in the November to February 


Time frame. My banding numbers were a little down last year in South MS, think 
we still have the birds moving around they just get missed. 


 I did have a Buff return to my yard for the third year, it was a hatch year 
bird when I first banded it, looking for him to show up any day. 


Keep us in-mind would love to have the opportunity to meet you and band your 
winter hummingbird this winter chase - November to Feb. 


 

James Bell

Carriere MS

jbellbirds AT bellsouth.net  

 

From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu 
[mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of 
PullenWatkins AT comcast.net 

Sent: 14 October 2009 09:16
To: missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around

 

Missbirders:

 

As of now October 13, I see 4 regular hummingbirds in my backyard. I have 
reviewed them through binoculars, they aremostly female with a possible 
immature. two of them are extremely aggresive. They're porbally gonna clean out 
my nectar again. I did notice that last week, I had between 15 or 20, the 
numbers seem to be dying. 


 

I hope I can get some winter hummers, that would be cool. I know the most 
common of the winter Gulf Coast hummers are Rufous. Has anyone ever gotten a 
Calliope or a Buff-Bellied or even others over the Winter? 


 

Pullen

Madison, MS

 


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gayla Dance" 
To: "William T. \"Terry\" Thornton" , "Philip - Madison 
Barbour, MS" , "Dick Burkepile" 
, "BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the 
Southeast"  

Cc: "missbird" 
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:45:14 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: RE: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around 

I'm still seeing 4 hummers with great regularity.  

Gayla Dance
Brandon, MS on the Reservoir

________________________________________
From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On 
Behalf Of William T. "Terry" Thornton [thorntonwt AT nexband.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:42 PM
To: Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS; 'Dick Burkepile'; 'BB for Hummingbirds and 
Gardening for them in the Southeast' 

Cc: 'missbird'
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around

Two hummingbird feeders out --- three birds seen daily for past five days.
Two of the birds appears to be "linger-longer" Ruby throated birds but the
other bird who has been around for three weeks or so may be a western
visitor who is very aggressive. Shorter blunt shape and shorter beak plus
some markings makes me think not a linger-longer.  We shall see.

Terry Thornton
Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi

----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS" 
To: "'Dick Burkepile'" ; "'BB for Hummingbirds and
Gardening for them in the Southeast'" 
Cc: "'missbird'" 
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 10:10 AM
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around


> Birders,
>
> My three hummingbird feeders are still hosting 8-10 hummers as of
> yesterday evening,
> Monday,12 October 2009.  Saw one adult male and several females.
> The Setaria glauca or foxtail grass is feeding 40-50 Indigo Buntings.
> Gray Catbirds are migrating through.
>
> My yard id ~ 10 miles south of Greenwood, in Leflore County, MS.
> In the state this is the Delta region,central and west.
>
> ********************************
> Philip J. Barbour, Ph.D.
> Wildlife Biologist
> USDA NRCS
> Agricultural Wildlife Conservation Center
> 100 Webster Circle, Suite 2
> Madison, Mississippi 39110
> Office (601) 607-3131
> Fax (601) 607-3139
> Cellular (601) 260-5158
> philip.barbour AT ms.usda.gov
> http://www.whmi.nrcs.usda.gov/
> ********************************
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu
> [mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Dick Burkepile
> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 1:03 AM
> To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
> Cc: missbird
> Subject: [MISSBIRD] Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records
>
> It has been a different kind of hummingbird year here in Oxford,
> Mississippi.  As I posted several weeks ago, the birds came later than
> previous years. The peak numbers were only half of the past few years, but
> the peak numbers (based on quantity of sugar water consumed) remained the
> same for several days instead of just one or two days.  And the birds have
> stayed later than previous years.  At dusk today (Thurs., 10/8) we saw at
> least a dozen birds around our feeders.
>
> Dick Burkepile
> Oxford, Mississippi
>
> --- On Wed, 10/7/09, Bob Sargent  wrote:
>
>> From: Bob Sargent 
>> Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records
>> To: HUMNET-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
>> Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 11:30 AM
>> Richard
>> Our "oasis'' has 8 of 51 hummers still hanging, but...as of
>> dawn this
>> morning I could count only five hummers in my yard.
>> This is very late for  me
>> to find any at all.  My late date here for banding a
>> fat southbound
>> Ruby-throated is October 11th as I recall.
>>
>> Most are definitely gone from my area of central Alabama.
>> Bob Sargent
>> Clay, Alabama
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 10/7/2009 10:13:39 A.M. Central Daylight
>> Time,
>> picklese AT SUDDENLINK.NET
>> writes:
>>
>> This is  the latest that I have ever noticed hummers
>> at the feeders in
>> Southern  W.V.  It might be due to the amount of
>> feeders I have out.  Normally
>> I would have cut back to one feeder but I left six large
>> perkys out this
>> year.  Do you think the feeders are easier to
>> spot?  I wonder how  high they
>> fly on the way down to Bob Sargent's oasis?  One thing
>> is for  sure.  They
>> are definitely "wide-bodied".
>>
>>
>> Richard  Knapp
>> A little south of the Capitol in West Virginia
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Subject: RE: Hummers still around
From: "Dance, Gayla" <dancegf AT millsaps.edu>
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:54:10 -0500
I had a rufous or rufouses (rufousi?) that over wintered for 3 years.

gayla dance
Brandon, MS near the reseroir
From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu 
[mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of 
PullenWatkins AT comcast.net 

Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:16 AM
To: missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around


Missbirders:



As of now October 13, I see 4 regular hummingbirds in my backyard. I have 
reviewed them through binoculars, they aremostly female with a possible 
immature. two of them are extremely aggresive. They're porbally gonna clean out 
my nectar again. I did notice that last week, I had between 15 or 20, the 
numbers seem to be dying. 




I hope I can get some winter hummers, that would be cool. I know the most 
common of the winter Gulf Coast hummers are Rufous. Has anyone ever gotten a 
Calliope or a Buff-Bellied or even others over the Winter? 




Pullen

Madison, MS



----- Original Message -----
From: "Gayla Dance" 
To: "William T. \"Terry\" Thornton" , "Philip - Madison 
Barbour, MS" , "Dick Burkepile" 
, "BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the 
Southeast"  

Cc: "missbird" 
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:45:14 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: RE: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around

I'm still seeing 4 hummers with great regularity.

Gayla Dance
Brandon, MS on the Reservoir

________________________________________
From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On 
Behalf Of William T. "Terry" Thornton [thorntonwt AT nexband.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:42 PM
To: Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS; 'Dick Burkepile'; 'BB for Hummingbirds and 
Gardening for them in the Southeast' 

Cc: 'missbird'
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around

Two hummingbird feeders out --- three birds seen daily for past five days.
Two of the birds appears to be "linger-longer" Ruby throated birds but the
other bird who has been around for three weeks or so may be a western
visitor who is very aggressive. Shorter blunt shape and shorter beak plus
some markings makes me think not a linger-longer.  We shall see.

Terry Thornton
Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi

----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS" 
To: "'Dick Burkepile'" ; "'BB for Hummingbirds and
Gardening for them in the Southeast'" 
Cc: "'missbird'" 
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 10:10 AM
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around


> Birders,
>
> My three hummingbird feeders are still hosting 8-10 hummers as of
> yesterday evening,
> Monday,12 October 2009.  Saw one adult male and several females.
> The Setaria glauca or foxtail grass is feeding 40-50 Indigo Buntings.
> Gray Catbirds are migrating through.
>
> My yard id ~ 10 miles south of Greenwood, in Leflore County, MS.
> In the state this is the Delta region,central and west.
>
> ********************************
> Philip J. Barbour, Ph.D.
> Wildlife Biologist
> USDA NRCS
> Agricultural Wildlife Conservation Center
> 100 Webster Circle, Suite 2
> Madison, Mississippi 39110
> Office (601) 607-3131
> Fax (601) 607-3139
> Cellular (601) 260-5158
> philip.barbour AT ms.usda.gov
> http://www.whmi.nrcs.usda.gov/
> ********************************
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu
> [mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Dick Burkepile
> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 1:03 AM
> To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
> Cc: missbird
> Subject: [MISSBIRD] Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records
>
> It has been a different kind of hummingbird year here in Oxford,
> Mississippi.  As I posted several weeks ago, the birds came later than
> previous years. The peak numbers were only half of the past few years, but
> the peak numbers (based on quantity of sugar water consumed) remained the
> same for several days instead of just one or two days.  And the birds have
> stayed later than previous years.  At dusk today (Thurs., 10/8) we saw at
> least a dozen birds around our feeders.
>
> Dick Burkepile
> Oxford, Mississippi
>
> --- On Wed, 10/7/09, Bob Sargent  wrote:
>
>> From: Bob Sargent 
>> Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records
>> To: HUMNET-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
>> Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 11:30 AM
>> Richard
>> Our "oasis'' has 8 of 51 hummers still hanging, but...as of
>> dawn this
>> morning I could count only five hummers in my yard.
>> This is very late for  me
>> to find any at all.  My late date here for banding a
>> fat southbound
>> Ruby-throated is October 11th as I recall.
>>
>> Most are definitely gone from my area of central Alabama.
>> Bob Sargent
>> Clay, Alabama
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 10/7/2009 10:13:39 A.M. Central Daylight
>> Time,
>> picklese AT SUDDENLINK.NET
>> writes:
>>
>> This is  the latest that I have ever noticed hummers
>> at the feeders in
>> Southern  W.V.  It might be due to the amount of
>> feeders I have out.  Normally
>> I would have cut back to one feeder but I left six large
>> perkys out this
>> year.  Do you think the feeders are easier to
>> spot?  I wonder how  high they
>> fly on the way down to Bob Sargent's oasis?  One thing
>> is for  sure.  They
>> are definitely "wide-bodied".
>>
>>
>> Richard  Knapp
>> A little south of the Capitol in West Virginia
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Subject: Re: Hummers still around
From: PullenWatkins AT comcast.net
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:16:19 +0000 (UTC)

Missbirders: 



As of now October 13, I see 4 regular hummingbirds in my backyard. I have 
reviewed them through binoculars, they aremostly female with a possible 
immature. two of them are extremely aggresive. They're porbally gonna clean out 
my nectar again. I did notice that last week, I had between 15 or 20, the 
numbers seem to be dying. 




I hope I can get some winter hummers, that would be cool. I know the most 
common of the winter Gulf Coast hummers are Rufous. Has anyone ever gotten 
a Calliope or a Buff-Bellied or even others over the Winter? 




Pullen 

Madison, MS 




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gayla Dance"  
To: "William T. \"Terry\" Thornton" , "Philip - Madison 
Barbour, MS" , "Dick Burkepile" 
, "BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the 
Southeast"  

Cc: "missbird"  
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:45:14 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: RE: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around 

I'm still seeing 4 hummers with great regularity.   

Gayla Dance 
Brandon, MS on the Reservoir 

________________________________________ 
From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On 
Behalf Of William T. "Terry" Thornton [thorntonwt AT nexband.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:42 PM 
To: Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS; 'Dick Burkepile'; 'BB for Hummingbirds and 
Gardening for them in the Southeast' 

Cc: 'missbird' 
Subject: Re: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around 

Two hummingbird feeders out --- three birds seen daily for past five days. 
Two of the birds appears to be "linger-longer" Ruby throated birds but the 
other bird who has been around for three weeks or so may be a western 
visitor who is very aggressive. Shorter blunt shape and shorter beak plus 
some markings makes me think not a linger-longer.  We shall see. 

Terry Thornton 
Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS"  
To: "'Dick Burkepile'" ; "'BB for Hummingbirds and 
Gardening for them in the Southeast'"  
Cc: "'missbird'"  
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 10:10 AM 
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Hummers still around 


> Birders, 
> 
> My three hummingbird feeders are still hosting 8-10 hummers as of 
> yesterday evening, 
> Monday,12 October 2009.  Saw one adult male and several females. 
> The Setaria glauca or foxtail grass is feeding 40-50 Indigo Buntings. 
> Gray Catbirds are migrating through. 
> 
> My yard id ~ 10 miles south of Greenwood, in Leflore County, MS. 
> In the state this is the Delta region,central and west. 
> 
> ******************************** 
> Philip J. Barbour, Ph.D. 
> Wildlife Biologist 
> USDA NRCS 
> Agricultural Wildlife Conservation Center 
> 100 Webster Circle, Suite 2 
> Madison, Mississippi 39110 
> Office (601) 607-3131 
> Fax (601) 607-3139 
> Cellular (601) 260-5158 
> philip.barbour AT ms.usda.gov 
> http://www.whmi.nrcs.usda.gov/ 
> ******************************** 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu 
> [mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Dick Burkepile 
> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 1:03 AM 
> To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast 
> Cc: missbird 
> Subject: [MISSBIRD] Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records 
> 
> It has been a different kind of hummingbird year here in Oxford, 
> Mississippi.  As I posted several weeks ago, the birds came later than 
> previous years. The peak numbers were only half of the past few years, but 
> the peak numbers (based on quantity of sugar water consumed) remained the 
> same for several days instead of just one or two days.  And the birds have 
> stayed later than previous years.  At dusk today (Thurs., 10/8) we saw at 
> least a dozen birds around our feeders. 
> 
> Dick Burkepile 
> Oxford, Mississippi 
> 
> --- On Wed, 10/7/09, Bob Sargent  wrote: 
> 
>> From: Bob Sargent  
>> Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records 
>> To: HUMNET-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU 
>> Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 11:30 AM 
>> Richard 
>> Our "oasis'' has 8 of 51 hummers still hanging, but...as of 
>> dawn this 
>> morning I could count only five hummers in my yard. 
>> This is very late for  me 
>> to find any at all.  My late date here for banding a 
>> fat southbound 
>> Ruby-throated is October 11th as I recall. 
>> 
>> Most are definitely gone from my area of central Alabama. 
>> Bob Sargent 
>> Clay, Alabama 
>> 
>> 
>> In a message dated 10/7/2009 10:13:39 A.M. Central Daylight 
>> Time, 
>> picklese AT SUDDENLINK.NET 
>> writes: 
>> 
>> This is  the latest that I have ever noticed hummers 
>> at the feeders in 
>> Southern  W.V.  It might be due to the amount of 
>> feeders I have out.  Normally 
>> I would have cut back to one feeder but I left six large 
>> perkys out this 
>> year.  Do you think the feeders are easier to 
>> spot?  I wonder how  high they 
>> fly on the way down to Bob Sargent's oasis?  One thing 
>> is for  sure.  They 
>> are definitely "wide-bodied". 
>> 
>> 
>> Richard  Knapp 
>> A little south of the Capitol in West Virginia 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
Subject: Hummers still around
From: "Valery Smith" <wlrehab AT earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:59:43 -0500
I still have 4 RTHB at my feeders and around my Sultan's Cap as of this 
morning. 


I'm in the Eudora Community, between highway 301 and highway 61, Lake 
Cormorant, Desoto County. 


Val

Valery Smith, Director
Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc.
www.mswildliferehab.org





 My three hummingbird feeders are still hosting 8-10 hummers as of yesterday 
evening, 

> Monday,12 October 2009.  Saw one adult male and several females.
> The Setaria glauca or foxtail grass is feeding 40-50 Indigo Buntings.
> Gray Catbirds are migrating through.

> My yard id ~ 10 miles south of Greenwood, in Leflore County, MS.
> In the state this is the Delta region,central and west
Subject: Re: Hummers still around
From: sharon milligan <2sharon123 AT gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:50:11 -0500
What few hummingbirds I had had left a few days ago, but I did see one this
morning.

Sharon Milligan
Biloxi

On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 10:10 AM, Barbour, Philip - Madison, MS <
Philip.Barbour AT ms.usda.gov> wrote:

> Birders,
>
> My three hummingbird feeders are still hosting 8-10 hummers as of yesterday
> evening,
> Monday,12 October 2009.  Saw one adult male and several females.
> The Setaria glauca or foxtail grass is feeding 40-50 Indigo Buntings.
> Gray Catbirds are migrating through.
>
> My yard id ~ 10 miles south of Greenwood, in Leflore County, MS.
> In the state this is the Delta region,central and west.
>
> ********************************
> Philip J. Barbour, Ph.D.
> Wildlife Biologist
> USDA NRCS
> Agricultural Wildlife Conservation Center
> 100 Webster Circle, Suite 2
> Madison, Mississippi 39110
> Office (601) 607-3131
> Fax (601) 607-3139
> Cellular (601) 260-5158
> philip.barbour AT ms.usda.gov
> http://www.whmi.nrcs.usda.gov/
> ********************************
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [mailto:
> owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Dick Burkepile
> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 1:03 AM
> To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
> Cc: missbird
> Subject: [MISSBIRD] Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records
>
> It has been a different kind of hummingbird year here in Oxford,
> Mississippi.  As I posted several weeks ago, the birds came later than
> previous years. The peak numbers were only half of the past few years, but
> the peak numbers (based on quantity of sugar water consumed) remained the
> same for several days instead of just one or two days.  And the birds have
> stayed later than previous years.  At dusk today (Thurs., 10/8) we saw at
> least a dozen birds around our feeders.
>
> Dick Burkepile
> Oxford, Mississippi
>
> --- On Wed, 10/7/09, Bob Sargent  wrote:
>
> > From: Bob Sargent 
> > Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Setting records
> > To: HUMNET-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
> > Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 11:30 AM
> > Richard
> > Our "oasis'' has 8 of 51 hummers still hanging, but...as of
> > dawn this
> > morning I could count only five hummers in my yard.
> > This is very late for  me
> > to find any at all.  My late date here for banding a
> > fat southbound
> > Ruby-throated is October 11th as I recall.
> >
> > Most are definitely gone from my area of central Alabama.
> > Bob Sargent
> > Clay, Alabama
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 10/7/2009 10:13:39 A.M. Central Daylight
> > Time,
> > picklese AT SUDDENLINK.NET
> > writes:
> >
> > This is  the latest that I have ever noticed hummers
> > at the feeders in
> > Southern  W.V.  It might be due to the amount of
> > feeders I have out.  Normally
> > I would have cut back to one feeder but I left six large
> > perkys out this
> > year.  Do you think the feeders are easier to
> > spot?  I wonder how  high they
> > fly on the way down to Bob Sargent's oasis?  One thing
> > is for  sure.  They
> > are definitely "wide-bodied".
> >
> >
> > Richard  Knapp
> > A little south of the Capitol in West Virginia
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Subject: Injured Peregrine
From: "Rob Heflin" <delta_gamekeeper AT yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:51:17 -0500
I got a call last night about an injured "hawk" on the south end of Humphreys 
County near Wolf Lake. When I pulled up to the farm shop this morning, I knew 
immediately that it wasn't a hawk, but looked to me like a Peregrine! While 
awaiting transport to the rehabber, I took a few pictures. The man that picked 
it up from the roadside gave it some water, a couple of mice and believe it or 
not, some baked potato. He said that he found it standing in the road, 
underneath a power line. 


I know that it's a juvenile, but am confused about the particular race. Anatum? 


http://www.yazoovalleywildlife.com/falcon_1.JPG
http://www.yazoovalleywildlife.com/falcon_3.JPG
http://www.yazoovalleywildlife.com/peregrine_4.JPG

Rob Heflin
Isola, MS
Subject: Notables from the last few days
From: harleyiii <harleyiii AT earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:15:18 -0400 (EDT)
A scissor tailed flycatcher just across the river from Greenville. A pair of 
bald eagles in the same location. Hundreds of white pelicans soaring in several 
places. Kestrels on the light wires everywhere. A merlin having a dogfight with 
a cloud of blackbirds, all of which survived. Fifteen roseate spoonbills 
feeding in a line, seen from the levee west of Benoit. 

Harley Metcalfe III
Subject: RE: Jerry Litton and Huck Finn
From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:28:30 -0500
Amen and Amen Brother, YeeHaw!

Jerry L. Litton
Jerry L. Litton
Litton's Plumbing and Heating, Inc.
Lightscribe Photography and Publishing, Inc.
Narrative of Nature Calendars
RepAmerica/ MS
3987 Terry Road
Jackson, MS 39212
601 372 1580
601 346 0430 fax.
4jll AT bellsouth.net
www.lightscribesource.com
www.lightscribephotography.com  


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu
[mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of J. Allen Burrows
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 10:11 PM
To: Mississippi Birding List
Subject: [MISSBIRD] Jerry Litton and Huck Finn

I felt some of the same magic today working in the rain with  
Chickadees and Redstarts following me around making just enough noise  
to let me know where they were.

J. Allen Burrows
Subject: Fw: [ALBIRDS] Fw: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE
From: Jake Walker <jakenwalker AT yahoo.ca>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:26:01 -0700 (PDT)

--- On Mon, 10/12/09, Greg D. Jackson  wrote:

> From: Greg D. Jackson 
> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Fw: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE
> To: "AL Birds" 
> Received: Monday, October 12, 2009, 12:18 AM
> AL Birders:
> 
> Here's a note from our friends in LA concerning what sounds
> like a fun birding event.
> 
> Greg
> 
> Greg D. Jackson
> Birmingham, AL
> g_d_jackson AT bellsouth.net
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Steve Cardiff 
> Date: Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 3:30 PM
> Subject: Re: Yellow Rails and Rice Festival UPDATE
> 
> 
> Dear Birders-
>      Here's an update on the upcoming
> Yellow Rails and Rice Festival (see original announcement at
> bottom), now only a month away.  Dates with scheduled
> activities have been trimmed down as follows:
> 
> 
> --FRIDAY & SATURDAY 30-31 OCTOBER.  Central
> meeting location/staging area will be at the LSU AgCenter
> facility on Hwy. 26 south in JENNINGS, LA. 
> Participants can begin arriving at 9:00 AM.  For this
> year at least, there is no official preregistration, but we
> would prefer that all participants first check-in at the
> meeting/staging area so that we have a better handle on
> number of people and can better coordinate distribution of
> participants among multiple harvest sites.  Information
> handouts will be available including Yellow Rail "fact
> sheets," a checklist of the birds of southwest Louisiana's
> rice-growing region, etc.  There will be a brief,
> repeating powerpoint slideshow on Yellow Rails, and possibly
> other slideshows to watch.  Additional activities,
> presenters TBA.  Starting around 10:00 AM,
> facilitator-led groups will depart hourly from the staging
> area and caravan to harvesting sites.  Caravan leaders
> will "hand-off" the arriving group to an onsite
> facilitator.  Once participants are at the harvest
> site, they can stay as long as they want and they will be on
> their own when they depart the site.  The
> meeting/staging area will shut down, and the last group(s)
> will depart for the harvesting site(s), at 4:00 PM each
> day.  Harvesting activities sometimes continue until
> dusk.
> 
> 
> --FRIDAY & SATURDAY 6-7 NOVEMBER.  Central Meeting
> location/staging area will be at the Thornwell Warehouse
> Association building at THORNWELL, Jeff Davis Parish,
> LA.  Otherwise, details as above.
> 
> 
> --Depending on demand, we may add a mid-week date (e.g., 3
> or 4 November).  We need feedback (see festival email
> address below)!
> 
> 
> --Depending on recruitment of farmers, we will do our best
> to set up limited Yellow Rail viewing activities on Sunday 1
> November so that LOS Fall Meeting participants (taking
> advantage on their way home from Cameron) or other visitors
> don't miss an opportunity.  Again, we need feedback on
> whether there would be enough interest to make this worth
> the effort (see festival email address below)!
> 
> 
> IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE FESTIVAL,
> then please send an email with your contact information to
> Donna Dittmann at:
> 
> 
> yellowrailsandrice AT gmail.com
> 
> 
> Please indicate which festival day(s) you would be most
> likely to visit. This will help us estimate potential
> turnout. We will also add you to a group email list and you
> will receive festival updates, as details may be subject to
> change.
> 
> 
> Festival information will also begin appearing at various
> websites, e.g., Jeff Davis Parish Economic Development and
> Tourism (http://www.jeffdavis.org/), birdlouisiana.com ,
> etc.  We will provide updates with the web links as
> they become activated.
> 
> 
> Let us know OFF-LIST if you have questions.  And, of
> course, by all means spread the word.
> 
> 
> Sincerely,  
> 
> 
> Steve Cardiff & Donna Dittmann
> 
> 
> --
> 
> On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 10:25 PM, Steve Cardiff 
> wrote:
> 
>   Dear Labirders-
> 
>        I'm pleased to announce the
> First Annual "Yellow Rail and Rice Festival," tentatively
> scheduled for this coming 30 October-8 November 2009. 
> So, mark your calendars and please stay tuned for further
> developments.
> 
>        Until now this has been
> merely an idea conjured up by Donna Dittmann, rice farmers
> Kevin & Shirley Berken, and myself, but now we are
> finally ready to go operational and move into an
> experimental phase.  I must emphasize that this first
> attempt will be very scaled down and is still somewhat
> TENTATIVE.
> 
> 
> 
>    Intended goals of the festival are
> five-fold (at least):
> 
> 
> 
>   1) To bring birders and rice farmers together during
> Louisiana's late (second) rice harvest in a more organized
> format that will make Yellow Rail searching a more reliable
> endeavor.
> 
> 
> 
>   2) To give birders (and others) the opportunity to
> see rice harvesting operations up close and personal and to
> further appreciate the rich cultural traditions of southwest
> Louisiana agriculture-based communities.
> 
> 
> 
>   3) To promote mutually beneficial Agritourism (from
> the farmers' perspective) and Ecotourism (from the birders'
> perspective) that will provide recreational enjoyment for
> birders and generate economic opportunities in southwestern
> Louisiana’s rice-growing region and adjacent areas.
> 
> 
> 
>   4) To further educate the birding public (and
> others) regarding the critical importance of rice
> cultivation and other "working wetlands" to bird populations
> and to encourage cooperation between agricultural and bird
> conservation interests in a joint effort to preserve these
> relatively “bird friendly” agricultural systems.
> 
> 
> 
>   5) To have fun, see lots of great birds, and meet
> lots of nice people!
> 
> 
> 
>   Until festival infrastructure becomes further
> developed, the inaugural festival will, of course, primarily
> focus on finding Yellow Rails.  Preliminarily, rail
> searches will be confined to Jefferson Davis Parish, but the
> activities may expand to other parishes in the future. 
> We anticipate having birders meet at a staging area(s) from
> where they will be escorted by "facilitators" to actual
> harvesting operations being conducted by a network of
> cooperating rice farmers.  Once at the fields, birders
> will (hopefully) have the opportunity to see Yellow Rails
> that are flushed by the harvesting combines.  We are
> hoping to be able to allow birders to take turns actually
> riding on the harvester machines, but the details still need
> to be worked out.  In addition to modest numbers of
> Yellow Rails, observers typically will also be able to enjoy
> seeing a tremendous variety and abundance of other bird
> species in the region.
> 
> 
> 
>   The dates chosen for this fall are intended to
> maximize the chances that second crop harvesting operations
> will be in progress and that Yellow Rails will have arrived
> in the region in substantial numbers.  The first
> weekend also coincides with this year's Louisiana
> Ornithological Society fall meeting to be held in Cameron
> Parish 30 October-1 November 2009.  So, we hope that
> this will give birders attending the LOS meeting a great
> opportunity to attend the Yellow Rail and Rice Festival on
> their way to, during, or after the meeting.  The
> "Yellow Railing" will continue through the first week of
> November, with the finale on the weekend of 7-8
> November.  Of course, rice harvesting is dependent on
> good weather conditions, so any significant rainfall could
> interfere with our plans.  But we hope that having two
> consecutive weekends to work with will lessen the chances of
> a complete washout, and we should be able to issue rail
> watching forecasts in advance.
> 
> 
> 
>   Tentative supporters of the festival include the
> Jefferson Davis Parish Rice Growers Association, the LSU
> AgCenter, and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and
> Forestry.  Of course, we would welcome additional
> endorsements and sponsors.  At some point in the near
> future, I will provide a point of contact for organizations
> or individuals interested in signing on as sponsors or
> volunteers, and we will likely request that festival
> participants "RSVP" just so we have a rough idea of the
> potential volume of birders/day.
> 
> 
> 
>   Sincerely,
> 
> 
> 
>   Steve Cardiff & Donna Dittmann
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> IMPORTANT ADDRESSES:
> Post message: albirds AT yahoogroups.com
> Subscribe: albirds-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com
> List owner: albirds-owner AT yahoogroups.com
> AOS website:  http://www.aosbirds.org/
> 
> This list is sponsored by the Alabama
> Ornithological Society (AOS) and is provided 
> as a service to the birding community.  AOS 
> does not endorse the views or opinions expressed
> by the members of this discussion group.  Nor
> does AOS support or endorse the advertising 
> provided by the Yahoo Groups list service.Yahoo! Groups
> Links
> 
> <*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
>     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/albirds/
> 
> <*> Your email settings:
>     Individual Email | Traditional
> 
> <*> To change settings online go to:
>     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/albirds/join
>     (Yahoo! ID required)
> 
> <*> To change settings via email:
>     mailto:albirds-digest AT yahoogroups.com
> 
>     mailto:albirds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com
> 
> <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email
> to:
>     albirds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com
> 
> <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
>     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> 
> 


      __________________________________________________________________
Looking for the perfect gift? Give the gift of Flickr! 

http://www.flickr.com/gift/
Subject: Jerry Litton and Huck Finn
From: "J. Allen Burrows" <rotteral AT aol.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:11:29 -0500
I felt some of the same magic today working in the rain with  
Chickadees and Redstarts following me around making just enough noise  
to let me know where they were.

J. Allen Burrows
Subject: Rig birds 10/11/09
From: "RudyDog" <cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:26:42 -0500
10/11/09
21:50 hrs

Good evening all,
The day started with a huge flight of cattle egrets. I am guessing about 300
or so. In the mix were a few Green herons. As the day progressed the egrets
started to leave and the warblers started coming in. At the same time a 
front with rain passed through. I am guessing about 50 warblers. Also seen 
were female tanagers and
female redstarts. Just now more warblers are showing up. There is a handful 
of egrets left just hanging out here and there. Also, plenty of moths and 
butterflies for the birds for enjoy.

My reports will not necessarily be very specific as I don't have my birding 
books with me. Also, I'm going to be very busy this hitch. So bear with me.

Have a great day,
Troy Reitan
Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche Mexico
Offshore GOM
Water depth 2450'
Subject: Mississippi River
From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net>
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:07:55 -0500
Yesterday I was canoeing on the Mississippi River south of Grand Gulf headed
toward Natchez. There were many, possibly hundreds or even a thousand
Swallows, likely immature Tree Swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, some Chimney
Swifts, Chaetura plegica, and likely others I did not see the detail to make
an identification for watching the currents or have a neck to turn so fast
as they go by, and eyes good enough to see them long enough. All zipping
along straight flying, then darting at times up or down barely inches to do
what appeared as to get something out of the air, slightly above the water,
in search for, invisible to me, I believe to be insects. Sometimes a lone
individual flew and then there seemed to be dozens in an eye full. One came
so close I could have reached out with my paddle to tease it, I believe this
to be an immature tree swallow. Many of them sizzled along the surface,
barely above it, and would sometimes dive down all the way to skim it with
beak or legs and would hardly leave a ring or splash on the surface done so
fast and delicately. I wanted to shout, out of my happiness and joy seeing
them work such precision, and plead, teach me to live so fully. 

 

Then there were American White Pelicans, Plecanus erythynchos. First
sighting to get my interest was five of them. A long way away coming from
down stream, first small specks out of the sky from above some willow tops
then gliding and flying toward the water, they seemed to me to nearly flat
belly the water without getting wet. To my humor and amazement, me watching
them as they dared the many small wave tops and ripples I though might get
them wet, and water levels not at all level in it's forces and movements of
this river, five of them, not in any rhythm or similar patterns, each to
it's own thought, would fly some and then glide, like in a perfection of
drill master precision but one step out of step marching, and I could see
the fine detail of level flight as they soared past, with my eye level on
their flight, wing tips gliding not seeming to vary an inch up or down above
the water for a ten-pace, then flight again. Later in three or four groups
must have seen about five-hundred pelicans, some air borne, with one group
on the water about a mile away toward the west in some flooded forest with
splashing, jump-up short flight rebounds and frolicking included.

 

I believe it is a great day.

 

Jerry L. Litton

Jerry L. Litton

Litton's Plumbing and Heating, Inc.

Lightscribe Photography and Publishing, Inc.

Narrative of Nature Calendars

RepAmerica/ MS

3987 Terry Road

Jackson, MS 39212

601 372 1580

601 346 0430 fax.

4jll AT bellsouth.net

www.lightscribesource.com

www.lightscribephotography.com