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11 May Tupelo Water Treatment Facility ["wayne patterson" ] 10 May Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos [] 10 May Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos [] 10 May Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos [] 9 May 32 warbler species April 26 - May 4 [Marion Schiefer ] 09 May Flutes [Ed alexander ] 9 May The Flutes of Spring are upon us ["knights" ] 09 May Re: Pectoral Sandpipers [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ] 9 May Pectoral Sandpipers ["Lucy and Bob Duncan" ] 7 May please remove my name from the listserve [Ken Madsen ] 7 May MCAS Public Meeting ["sharon milligan" ] 06 May Have a look on the job positions available. ["heinz jimmy" ] 6 May Cape May- Knight's Yard ["knights" ] 5 May Wilson's Phalarope ["wayne patterson" ] 5 May Purple Martin nest cam ["REID, Bruce" ] 5 May Purple Martin nest cam ["REID, Bruce" ] 5 May Ebird and Sky Lake WMA ["Rob Heflin" ] 4 May White-eyed Vireo ["RudyDog" ] 4 May Lee County ["wayne patterson" ] 4 May Yellow-billed Cuckoo-Knight's Yard ["knights" ] 4 May birdsbirds.yikes Cottonmouth...birds! ["Jerry L. Litton" ] 4 May 133 species for the day ["knights" ] 4 May RE: Close BBWD ["Jerry L. Litton" ] 03 May Close BBWD [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ] 03 May Kingbird [Ed alexander ] 3 May Kites and Knights [] 02 May Big Day [Ned and Lucy Boyajian ] 2 May MCAS 17 May field trip ["sharon milligan" ] 2 May Grand Bay NWR/NERR birds [Jake Walker ] 02 May Kites(NOT KNIGHTS) are on the way! [] 2 May MCAS May 3 field trip ["sharon milligan" ] 1 May Solitary [] 1 May BW Digest May / June [] 1 May Tupelo Water Treatment Facility ["wayne patterson" ] 30 Apr Thursh day! [] 30 Apr missbird list [Larry Pace ] 29 Apr MISSISSIPPI BIRD SONGS CD BY TURCOTTE ["Mary Stevens" ] 29 Apr RBGB, RBNH [Nick Gault ] 29 Apr Mississippi Kite ["Judy Howle" ] 29 Apr MCAS Field Trip ["sharon milligan" ] 28 Apr Prothonotary at hummingbird feeder ["Joan Clarke" ] 28 Apr Fw: [LABIRD-L] NEXRAD observed bird migration, 4-28-08 ["RudyDog" ] 28 Apr RE: Yazoo Alligators [] 28 Apr RE: Yazoo Alligators ["jerry l. litton" ] 28 Apr Luck [Kenneth Myron Bonnell ] 28 Apr Rig birds, morning 4-28-08 [] 27 Apr Barred owl [harleyiii ] 27 Apr Re: Grosbeaks & Indigo ["Rob Heflin" ] 27 Apr Black-bellied Plover-A & D Turf Farm ["knights" ] 27 Apr Rose-breasted [] 27 Apr Tupelo Water Treatment Facility ["wayne patterson" ] 27 Apr Grosbeaks ["Judy Howle" ] Subject: Tupelo Water Treatment Facility From: "wayne patterson" <wrp6 AT wildblue.net> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 11:16:58 -0500 Early this morning I walked along the western most levee of the North pond and immediately encountered a singing Northern Waterthrush, my first of the season. No more that 50 yards further south along the levee a grackle sized bird moved from water level to about 10 feet up in a pond's edge willow tree, YELLOW HEADED BLACKBIRD and a life bird for me. It is a female due to the lack of yellow on the back of the head and no hint of white wingbars. I continued my walk to the large ditch that separate the facilities two ponds. On my return trip I did not relocate the blackbird. I have attached a couple of photos: http://www.pbase.com/wpatterson/image/96894237 http://www.pbase.com/wpatterson/image/96894505 Wayne Patterson Shannon, MS Lee Co. Subject: Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos From: OLCOOT1 AT aol.com Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 20:59:23 EDT May 10, 2008 Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. Memphis TN I've posted a series of photos showing the unique mating ritual of Black-necked Stilts. If interested try: _http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual_ (http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual) Good Birding !!! Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6300 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens. **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos From: OLCOOT1 AT aol.com Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 20:59:23 EDT May 10, 2008 Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. Memphis TN I've posted a series of photos showing the unique mating ritual of Black-necked Stilts. If interested try: _http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual_ (http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual) Good Birding !!! Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6300 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens. **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird AT freelists.org. _____________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request AT freelists.org with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace AT bristolbirdclub.org ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at http://www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________ Subject: Black-necked Stilt ritual breeding photos From: OLCOOT1 AT aol.com Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 20:59:23 EDT May 10, 2008 Ensley Bottoms Shelby Co. Memphis TN I've posted a series of photos showing the unique mating ritual of Black-necked Stilts. If interested try: _http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual_ (http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/blacknecked_ritual) Good Birding !!! Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6300 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens. **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: 32 warbler species April 26 - May 4 From: Marion Schiefer <marion_schiefer AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 16:59:42 -0500 Terry and I took a week's vacation and birded at local areas not far from Starkville from April 26 - May 4. I always enjoy seeing as many warblers as possible and we ended up with 32 warbler species over the 9 days, including a Cape May and a Wilson's. We had a total of 160 species altogether, which is pretty good for our area. We birded mainly at Noxubee NWR, Jeff Busby Park on the Trace, Oktibbeha County Lake and park area, Plymouth Bluff and other areas along the Tombigbee River, Black Prairie WMA south of Columbus, and of course our own yard. I'm grateful for every spring I have to enjoy seeing and hearing the migrating birds and also our returning nesting birds. I know from all the posts to Missbird (that I'm finally catching up on), most of you are enjoying migration time too. Marion SchieferStarkville Subject: Flutes From: Ed alexander <ebby AT suddenlink.net> Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 12:18:44 -0500 May 09, 2008 Hi Gene----- Re: "The flutes of Spring are upon us" Such a Beautiful email on the thrushes of the Spring !! I do not possess the wonderful ability of absorbing the unique experience of wildlife "flutes". Happy Spring !!!! Ed Alex----- Greenville Subject: The Flutes of Spring are upon us From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 08:26:46 -0500 MISSBIRDERS: For the past week or so we have been listening to the etheral flutelike songs of the Catharus Thrush Family. The upward song of the Swainson's, the downward slide of the Veery, and the ee-o-lay of the Wood Thrush. Gray-cheeked has been present but only the high pitched vee-ah call note has been detected. The chorus is very calming and beautiful to wake up to each morning. Find some woods and enjoy this music. Gene & Shannon Knight Oxford, MS gsknight AT dixie-net.com Subject: Re: Pectoral Sandpipers From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net> Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 07:22:38 -0500 Lucy, Bob and all: Definitely not in normal numbers.Though there are only a couple of places in Hancock Co. where Pectorals congregate, normally they are one of the most numerous shorebirds in those places from early March well into May. This year I did not see any until early April (just one!) and to date have seen less in total than a normal good single day count in previous years. However, it is not easy for me to evaluate contributing factors: Favorable fallout conditions occurred with usual frequency, on the other hand, water levels were higher than normal; may be it was just too deep for them (I seem to remember some posting for northern MS for large numbers). I might add that at these same sites Stilt Sandpipers were as scarce as it is possible to be (0!) and Leasts remarkably scarce. Ned Boyajian Lucy and Bob Duncan wrote: > We have noted a near lack of Pectoral Sandpipers along coastal Alabama > and NW Florida this spring. > What have Mississippi birders noted? Do they seem in normal numbers? > > Bob and Lucy Duncan > Gulf Breeze, Florida > (just south of Pensacola) Subject: Pectoral Sandpipers From: "Lucy and Bob Duncan" <town_point AT bellsouth.net> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 06:38:22 -0500 We have noted a near lack of Pectoral Sandpipers along coastal Alabama and NW Florida this spring. What have Mississippi birders noted? Do they seem in normal numbers? Bob and Lucy Duncan Gulf Breeze, Florida (just south of Pensacola) Subject: please remove my name from the listserve From: Ken Madsen <birdyearken AT yahoo.ca> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 15:45:46 -0400 (EDT) Sorry to send this out to the listserve, but I couldn't figure out how to do it by checking the website. thanks and happy birding. Ken Ken Madsen website: www.birdyear.com email: birdyearken AT yahoo.ca --------------------------------- Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail Subject: MCAS Public Meeting From: "sharon milligan" <2sharon123 AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 12:43:01 -0500 Monday, May 19, 2008 at 6:30 will be Mississippi Coast Audubon Society's next public meeting. Meeting location is the Margaret Sherry Library on Popps Ferry Rd. in Biloxi .Our guest speaker will be Emily from the Mississippi Sandhill Crane Refuge in Gautier. The Refuge is set to reopen sometime this month with a brand new facility. There will be light refreshments served and there is no charge. The public is invited. Any questions call Sharon Milligan at 374-3776. Subject: Have a look on the job positions available. From: "heinz jimmy" <XOjrparrish AT earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 18:05:07 +0000 An international company is looking for someone who could receive text messages in the USA and forward them to us via e-mail. We are willing to pay $2.00 per each text message you receive for us. Get paid instantly with any convenient form of electronic payments such as PayPal, E-gold, E-bullion, etc. You won’t need anything else but a charged cell phone. There is no need to reply to the text messages and you will not be charged for the sent messages. Receive a message, forward it to us, and get paid. Help us with our request and we will help you get your cell phone bills paid off. Thank you in advance. Please do not reply to this e-mail address, instead contact us at ivan.borsenko AT googmail.com for any additional information. Subject: Cape May- Knight's Yard From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 08:30:37 -0500 MISSBIRDERS: This morning there was another adult male CAPE MAY WARBLER in our yard which gave a partial song. Other warblers present were: Tennessee, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, Chestnut-sided, Redstart, Pine, Chat, and Black-and-white. I heard my FOS C. Nighthawk at a jobsite in downtown Oxford yesterday. Gene & Shannon Knight Oxford, MS gsknight AT dixie-net.com Subject: Wilson's Phalarope From: "wayne patterson" <wrp6 AT wildblue.net> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 20:47:04 -0500 This morning at the Tupelo Water Treatment Facility I was surprised by my first ever Spring sighting of a Wilson's Phalarope http://www.pbase.com/wpatterson/image/96650314 The Phalarope along with my first ever area sighting of Willets (52) earlier this week http://www.pbase.com/wpatterson/image/96483344 has made for a good shorebird season so far for me despite the wet spring limiting my available habitat. My numbers are way down from the past few drought years but its been made up by some very interesting sightings. Wayne Patterson Shannon, MS Lee Co. Subject: Purple Martin nest cam From: "REID, Bruce" <breid AT audubon.org> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 12:38:38 -0400 All: Please check out our new Purple Martin nest cam at www.msaudubon.org/martin . The martin pair is now incubating six eggs that should start hatching any day. We are uploading images at one frame per second using a standard DSL connection. The camera is mounted in the top of one of the 24 gourds in the interpretive garden next to our Vicksburg office. We have a live streaming view in our office. We intend to open a nature products store within a month and will have a monitor on the nest in the store. It's great fun to watch the parents stuff dragonflies in the gaping mouths of the young. We've had a camera on one of the gourds for the last two years, but this is the first year we've made it available on the internet. Please pass on the link, which is also on our Audubon at Home website, http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/index.html . We welcome any feedback. Bruce Reid National Audubon Society Lower Mississippi River Program Office 1208 Washington Street Vicksburg MS 39183 601-661-6189 breid AT audubon.org Subject: Purple Martin nest cam From: "REID, Bruce" <breid AT audubon.org> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 12:38:38 -0400 All: Please check out our new Purple Martin nest cam at www.msaudubon.org/martin . The martin pair is now incubating six eggs that should start hatching any day. We are uploading images at one frame per second using a standard DSL connection. The camera is mounted in the top of one of the 24 gourds in the interpretive garden next to our Vicksburg office. We have a live streaming view in our office. We intend to open a nature products store within a month and will have a monitor on the nest in the store. It's great fun to watch the parents stuff dragonflies in the gaping mouths of the young. We've had a camera on one of the gourds for the last two years, but this is the first year we've made it available on the internet. Please pass on the link, which is also on our Audubon at Home website, http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/index.html . We welcome any feedback. Bruce Reid National Audubon Society Lower Mississippi River Program Office 1208 Washington Street Vicksburg MS 39183 601-661-6189 breid AT audubon.org Subject: Ebird and Sky Lake WMA From: "Rob Heflin" <delta_gamekeeper AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 11:14:18 -0500 Anyone else having trouble with ebird lately? I haven't been able to get the site to pull up in about a week. Local news, wood ducklings hatching at Sky Lake WMA, more wrens building nests in my boxes, indigo buntings and bobolinks everywhere, rat snakes dining on wood duck eggs in unprotected boxes (not boxes I put up). Lots of prothonotary warblers seen and heard and a pair of Baltimore Orioles seen as I boated up Bear Creek from Fourmile Lake (Humphreys) to Three Mile Lake (Sunflower) on Macon Lake Road yesterday in the high water. Also, the bluebird box that I put up in Mr. and Mrs. Simmons' yard on the afternoon of the 16th has 5 bluebird eggs in it as of 5/3. I got a call on the evening of April 30th about a pair of bald eagles in an ag field near my house between Belzoni and Isola. By the time I got over there to look, there was only one, but it was plucking fuzz from something in the field. I must have startled it from the highway, and it flew over the nearby catfish ponds and went out of site to the west. Rob Heflin Isola, MS Subject: White-eyed Vireo From: "RudyDog" <cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 23:01:08 -0500 I had a exciting day today, watched a pair of White-eyed Vireos building a nest in our yard. Denise Duvic Vicksburg, MS Warren County Subject: Lee County From: "wayne patterson" <wrp6 AT wildblue.net> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 22:36:13 -0500 Following were the highlights for the weekend: TOMBIGBEE STATE PARK Sat. 5/03/2008 Black Throated Green Warbler Tennessee Warbler Veery Swainson's Thrush (2) TUPELO WATER TREATMENT FACILITY 5/03/2008 Black Tern Forster's Tern Lesser Scaup, female Dunlin (2) TRACE STATE PARK 5/04/2008 Nashville Warbler Bay Breasted Warbler Chestnut Sided Warbler Wayne Patterson Shannon, MS Lee Co. Subject: Yellow-billed Cuckoo-Knight's Yard From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 19:42:51 -0500 MISSBIRDERS: Things were quite slow today but we did see our FOS Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the yard. Gene & Shannon Knight Oxford, MS gsknight AT dixie-net.com Subject: birdsbirds.yikes Cottonmouth...birds! From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 11:44:04 -0500 I went to St. Catherine's Creek NWR yesterday, the second time in two weeks. Canoeing the backwaters while the crest reaches the bluffs is a thrill for me, and it's educational too. The first trip was during the crest spike and yesterday was to see what was deposited along the edge as the waters retreat. Gees, I wish I could give you the names of all the birds seen and heard along the woods while on the water and along Lower Woodville Road and Hutchins Landing Road. It was a spectacular energy of wildlife in the water, along the tops above and at the edges. That which I remember most was finding a serpent swimming the sheet. Having already seen several water moccasins and their mixture of colors, a real Cottonmouth in a mud-bath with its tea stirring spoon shaped head and twig sized neck that just didn't look like it was muscle enough to support its 35-inch long ball bat sized s-shaped body, which was enough clue to wake-up my sight defenses. It was practically hidden lying on top of the mud. Then, swimming across the sheet was an Eastern Hognose, non-venomous reptile. This one was without the usual spotty pattern of color, but was mostly dark, is usually on land eating frogs, not swimming from the direction of the Mississippi River. This animal probably hadn't had much to eat recently, did not dive when I got close, so I knew it was not usually an aquatic species. I suspect, it didn't have the skills for underwater navigation or it would have gone out of sight, or was starving, or was exhausted. I left it alone, and wished it my very best. Jerry L. Litton Jackson MS Subject: 133 species for the day From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 11:37:16 -0500 MISSBIRDERS: Yesterday, 3 May, Shannon and I had the pleasure to bird with David Narins of Sarasota Florida to help him bolster up his MS bird list. David currently has seen more birds in the North America Area (from Panama to Attu, Alaska) than anybody!!! Quite a feat. From 9:00 am to 8:00 pm (Shannon and I started at 8:00 am) we tallied 133 species and more than enough "new birds" for his MS state list to put him over the threshold of 204 species. We birded Sardis Lake (Lower Lake area and Clear Spring Nature Trail), thru Batesville and on to Coldwater River NWR, West of the refuge and back thru Charleston to Oxford (A&D Turf Farm and the Knight's home south of Oxford). Due to the torrential downpours in the wee hours of the morning all shorebird sites were flooded and many creeks and low areas were flowing with new water. Only 10 species of shorebirds were seen (mostly a couple of each)!!! 18 species of warblers helped the cause but again most of the transients were not seen or only 1 was spotted of each. The weather definitely did not cause a fallout! BUT it was a very beautiful Day! Some of the highlights were: White Ibis- 85+ flew over at Coldwater River NWR Mississippi Kite-16 west of Lower Lake-Sardis Bald Eagle- 1 adult at Lower Lake-Sardis Semipalmated Plover-5 at A&D Turf Farm (only 5th time to see at this site) Dunlin- 1 at A&D Turf Farm (only 6th time to see at this site) Barn Owl- 1 at Coldwater River NWR (only owl for the day) Painted Bunting- 4 males at Coldwater River NWR Chuck-will's-widow- at the Knight's at 7:45 pm Whip-poor-will- gravel road north of the Knight's at 8:00 pm Gene & Shannon Knight Oxford, MS gsknight AT dixie-net.com Subject: RE: Close BBWD From: "Jerry L. Litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 11:05:45 -0500 A little farther north, on Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge, the Black-bellied Whistling Duck has nested the last few years. There were several broods: at Cox Ponds and Bear Garden road pond last year. Maybe we can get a report from David Linden about this. I don't know if any survey results have been estimated for this bird, or what the history is for this species. I believe it is reported to be a more to the south bird, not one that nest this far north. Jerry L. Litton Jackson MS -----Original Message----- From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Ned and Lucy Boyajian Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2008 9:08 PM To: MISSBIRD Subject: [MISSBIRD] Close BBWD Missbirders Yesterday, May 2, I saw two Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks at the White Kitchen area south of Slidell. They seem to occur there with some degree of frequency. This location is only about eight miles west of the state line but there is still only one sighting of this species for the coastal counties. (Waveland Lagoon in 2005) Ned Boyajian Subject: Close BBWD From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net> Date: Sat, 03 May 2008 21:08:10 -0500 Missbirders Yesterday, May 2, I saw two Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks at the White Kitchen area south of Slidell. They seem to occur there with some degree of frequency. This location is only about eight miles west of the state line but there is still only one sighting of this species for the coastal counties. (Waveland Lagoon in 2005) Ned Boyajian Subject: Kingbird From: Ed alexander <ebby AT suddenlink.net> Date: Sat, 03 May 2008 12:10:34 -0500 May 03, 2008 Hi Dot-- I'm in receipt of your email on "Kingbird"---23 APR 2008. Re: "Kingbird". Cassin's or Western ?" at Ross Barnett Res. 23 APR '08----on East pipeline just inside the gate-----Lot's of Easterns around----" I refer to my files----Bird Journal #1 book, and my BirdLibrary card file(note below)--- "Western Kingbird---by Elie Ganier 1/2/72---on Washington County Christmas Count----on fence near Hway 61 at his place; Percy, MS." In further research: "Cassin's SPARROW---I saw one at Falcon Park, TX 3-19-78"----No Cassin's KINGBIRDS were noted in my files. It seems that this sighting was likely a "Western Kingbird". Ed Alex----- Greenville Subject: Kites and Knights From: Skipperand AT aol.com Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 07:57:21 EDT While working on a fence Friday after work my son noticed a MS Kite soaring in the wind above us here in Ridgeland. We saw the Knights go by too! (Just kidding). Skipper Anding, Ridgeland, MS **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Big Day From: Ned and Lucy Boyajian <nedlucyboyajian AT bellsouth.net> Date: Fri, 02 May 2008 23:07:07 -0500 On April 28-29, I took a noon to noon big day in Hancock Co. Total was 147 species. Not much in the way of transients despite the promising weather. However, I did witness a major movement of Mississippi Kites on the morning of the 29th; 80 to 100 birds in about two hours in the Jackson Ridge area. Today, May 2, there was a Black-billed Cuckoo in my yard at Henleyfield, Pearl River Co. Ned Boyajian Subject: MCAS 17 May field trip From: "sharon milligan" <2sharon123 AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 18:43:17 -0500 The Mississippi Coast Audubon Society will have a field trip Saturday, May 17. It will be a boat trip on the scenic and natural Pascagoula River with the McCoys River Tour Boat. The cost is $23 for adults and $13 for children 12 and under. Space is limited so call Millie Page for reservations at 228-388-1230. Meet at the Pascagoula River Audubon Center at 8:30 a.m., rain day will be the following Saturday. To get there exit I-10 at exit #68, (Moss Point) head north and take the first rd to the left (next to a gas station, not the on ramp back to I-10), go to the end of the road, take a right and you will see the Audubon Center immediately on your left. For more information about the Audubon Center or the McCoy's check out the web site at www.msaudubon.org/prac/ Subject: Grand Bay NWR/NERR birds From: Jake Walker <jakenwalker AT yahoo.ca> Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 17:43:45 -0400 (EDT) Missbirders- Birding has been good at Grand Bay this week, though I haven't been out too much. Here are some highlights: Yesterday, I watched a Black-Billed Cuckoo hunting caterpillars along the Oak Grove Birding Trail. The cuckoo was mostly catching hairy caterpillars, and swinging them around and around beating them on branches until they stopped squirming. It would then delicately clip their hairs off with its bill, then toss the caterpillars up in the air and gulp them down. Also present on the trail this week were: Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, nesting Gnatcatchers and Cooper's Hawks, and a Chat on territory. On Wednesday, we made it out on the water for a few hours. First we caught a Clapper Rail near its nest, and affixed a radio transmitter to its back. Later, I went out to the Grand Battures to check on the shorebird situation. There were 5 Whimbrels on the ground, and many more flying over. Not quite the ~300 at the farm just over the state line in Grand Bay, AL. Other highlights at the Grand Battures were: a Red Knot, a Reddish Egret, a dozen Sandwich Terns, a pair of Gull-Billed Terns, two pairs of Wilson's Plovers, an Oystercatcher on 3 eggs, and a Willet on 4. There are still some Nelson's Sharp-Tailed Sparrows and Soras around. Marsh and Sedge Wrens are singing like crazy. To our knowledge, the Black-Billed Cuckoo was the first observed at Grand Bay NWR/NERR, bringing our bird list up to 254 species. Hope everyone's enjoying the migration. Jake Walker Grand Bay NERR Moss Point, MS __________________________________________________________________ Instant Messaging, free SMS, sharing photos and more... Try the new Yahoo! Canada Messenger at http://ca.beta.messenger.yahoo.com/ Subject: Kites(NOT KNIGHTS) are on the way! From: ncmwren AT bellsouth.net Date: Fri, 02 May 2008 18:51:46 +0000 Greetings, Well the MS kites are headed your way. There was one flying over I-10 at the Jackson/Harrison counties' line on Thursday and today while waiting at the Hancock bank here on Pass Road in Gulfport another MS kite was doing lazy circles in the sky. It didn't seem to be in a hurry to get anywhere but just enjoying the breezy conditions. It is very muggy and BREEZY down here and the wind is coming from the southeast. The Gulf is certainly churned up an ugly brown with whitecaps. I suppose this is good for migration. The rose-breasted grosbeaks continue to chow down on black oil sunflower seeds working their way through 20 lbs in a hurry! Not much else being seen that constitutes migrants. Hope you all have a great weekend and we are hoping for some much needed rain tomorrow. nancy m Gulfport Subject: MCAS May 3 field trip From: "sharon milligan" <2sharon123 AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 11:02:45 -0500 The field trip to the Ms Sandhill Crane Refuge on Saturday has been changed. The Refuge will be closed on Saturday for additional construction, so we will explore the Fontainebleu Trail located next to the Ocean Springs Middle School. Meet at the school parking lot at the corner of Hanshaw Rd. and Government at 9:00 a.m. Call Millie Page at 228-324-8317 if you need more info or get lost. If it's raining trip is cancelled. Subject: Solitary From: Skipperand AT aol.com Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 21:25:43 EDT Had a single Solitary Sandpiper at the creek in downtown Jackson just like last year. Not far from Farish St. where BB King is planning an establishment (for Blues I would think). Heard a Great Crested Flycatcher at the Capitol today during the National Day of Prayer event. Skipper Anding Ridgeland, MS **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: BW Digest May / June From: Skipperand AT aol.com Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 21:20:15 EDT I enjoyed visiting with Don and Dena McKee at Dauphin Island recently and forgot to mention the Bird Watchers Digest. Don was interviewed for the cover story on Painted Buntings. Nicely done Don - if you're listening! Warblers were slow, but enjoyed shorebirds, tanagers, a beautiful reddish egret in the white phase, and both Cuckoos. Stopped by the Pascagoula River Audubon Center on the way back and enjoyed seeing Mark and the place. Skipper Anding Ridgeland, MS **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Tupelo Water Treatment Facility From: "wayne patterson" <wrp6 AT wildblue.net> Date: Thu, 1 May 2008 17:11:50 -0500 Stopped by for a quick look this afternoon and was stunned to see (52) Willets sitting on the outer mudflats of the first pond. While not a big deal on the coast this is exactly (52) more than I've ever seen in this area. Wayne Patterson Shannon, MS Lee Co. Subject: Thursh day! From: ncmwren AT bellsouth.net Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:43:20 +0000 Hello everyone, Today the train carrying thrushes arrived in Gulfport. So far a Swainson's , veery and wood thrush have been nibbling on bugs in the back yard. My feeders and bird's bath continues to be filled with rose-breasted grosbeaks. I have been having these guys for over 2 weeks. By far this is the best migration for them through my yard. There was one lone female blue grosbeak having to work for her meals catching bugs in the back yard. One empid was also seen but no vocalization and I'm not very good with identification of these small flycatchers. Hope you are ready for these fellows because here they come! nancy gulfport Subject: missbird list From: Larry Pace <larrypace64 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:12:40 -0700 (PDT) Thank you for adding my name to your mailing list and thanks to Stella and Tom Wear for accomplishing that for me. I look forward to posting to your list of birds. Most of my birdwatching buddies are the more traditional find them, identify them, and list them persuasion but my new passion is to photograph as many of our local birds as possible.Wish me luck! A few of the birds seen this morning at Dahomey Wildlife Refuge were an eastern kingbird, painted bunting, indigo bunting, dickcissel, and an orchard oriole.Thanks again, Larry Pace --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. Subject: MISSISSIPPI BIRD SONGS CD BY TURCOTTE From: "Mary Stevens" <library AT mmns.state.ms.us> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:49:38 -0500 TO: MISSBIRDERS: EXCITING NEWS!! The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science has just re-published (in CD format) the Bird Songs recorded by Bill Turcotte. These recordings are very special and are longer than the songs on other publications. Mississippi Bird Songs CD by William H. Turcotte For Sale in the Museum Dragonfly Shop Mississippi Bird Songs CD is a collection of 113 calls and songs of birds found in the Mississippi. First published in cassette in 1985, this two-CD album comes with a 20-page booklet which describes the various songs and calls of each bird on the CD. Each recording is indexed for easy access and the habitat and status of each bird is listed. These recordings are part of a collection of bird sounds made by Bill Turcotte, a 40-year veteran of the state Game and Fish Commission, who devoted most of his life to the study of birds and all kinds of native Mississippi wildlife. Mississippi Bird Songs CD is available from the Museum Dragonfly Shop, 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS 39202. Orders can be made with check, credit card or cash by visiting or calling the Dragonfly Shop AT 601 354-7303. COST: $20 plus $1.40 tax 10% discount for Museum Members: $18 plus $1.26 tax $2 postage and handling Published by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and the Museum Foundation, 2008. Mary P. Stevens Museum Librarian Mississippi Museum of Natural Science 2148 Riverside Drive Jackson, MS 39202 Library AT mmns.state.ms.us Work: 601/354-7303 Fax: 602/354-7227 Subject: RBGB, RBNH From: Nick Gault <saintnick AT cableone.net> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:11:26 -0500 I finally caught up with the rest of the state and had one female Rose Breasted Grosbeak yesterday, and one male Rose Breasted Grosbeak today. I've also had a Red Breasted Nuthatch for a few days. He, along with about four different kinds of woodpeckers, have been frequenting the black oil sunflower seed feeders. I may have seen an Orchard Oriole come through today. But, I didn't have my binocs and couldn't see him well. No Indigo Buntings for me, yet. On the amphibian side, there is a large Bullfrog living in a 12X12 water fountain in the yard that joins the church to my property. They haven't kept it up in a few years, and I enjoy watching the living things take up residence there. Nick Columbus Subject: Mississippi Kite From: "Judy Howle" <howle AT cableone.net> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:31:56 -0500 I saw a Mississippi kite yesterday in my yard. First one I've seen this year but I haven't been out and about much lately and I have only seen one land in a tree in my yard twice in the past 3 yrs. and always near the top! I do see them circling overhead occasionally every summer. First 3 photos in this album: http://ImageEvent.com/jhowle/birdsandsquirrels Judy Howle Columbus Southern Exposures http://southern-exposures.net Digital Photography Class http://digitalphotographyclass.net Subject: MCAS Field Trip From: "sharon milligan" <2sharon123 AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:17:15 -0500 This Saturday May 3rd is an opportunity to see the new facility at the Sandhill Crane Refuge in Jackson County. Take a tour of the building, displays and birding around the area. Facility is site # 12 on your Coastal Birding Trail Map. Take exit 61 from I-10 and head north on Gautier- Vancleave Rd. 0.9 miles and turn right. Meet at the visitor center 9:00 a.m. Need more information, call Millie Page at 228-388-1230. Subject: Prothonotary at hummingbird feeder From: "Joan Clarke" <clarkes AT cablelynx.com> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:26:42 -0500 Yesterday we had a prothonotary warbler come to our hummingbird feeder, along with the usual house finches. Also indigo buntings and two pairs of rose-breasted grosbeaks at the sunflower feeders. I watched a male ruby-throat do his mating display for a female he had chased into a cedar tree. It was amazing how he buzzed back and forth in a tight line and then ascended to do his U-shaped dips. He was so busy showing off that he failed to notice that his intended had lost interest and flown away. Joan Clarke Vicksburg, MS Subject: Fw: [LABIRD-L] NEXRAD observed bird migration, 4-28-08 From: "RudyDog" <cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:06:52 -0500 ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Arvin" To: Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 3:21 PM Subject: [LABIRD-L] NEXRAD observed bird migration, 4-28-08 Predictably, with a strong front with precipitation along most of the coast (but a bit spotty) on the prime date of April 27, a fallout occurred yesterday evening and night. Migrants were reported numerous and varied at most of the coastal sites in Texas and Louisiana with lesser, but still noteworthy, concentrations at inland localities. Today winds are still light N at all coastal stations, but are predicted to swing back onshore by this evening (W) to early tomorrow (E). I expect a dramatic exodus event to be visible a little after sunset, especially from the Texas and Louisiana stations.. For those of you with a subscription to Weathertap you can use the RadarLab program to remove all but the most intense reflectance. This will show where the most intensive use of stopover habitat is occurring. The unfiltered image (lift-offs almost always occur when the NEXRAD is in Clear Air mode) can saturate the screen to the point that "hot spots" are difficult to impossible to pick out. The RAP site, which is free, allows one to view the whole sequence of events either "live" or after the fact. To view the whole show watch a 4 hour loop that starts at 5 p.m. (0000 UTC) and ends at 9:00 p.m. (0400 UTC). You can do this tomorrow or later this evening. Be sure to change the "Products" from the default .05 degree view to the "Regional Reflectance" view, and leave the date column set on the default "Today". Then click on the map either somewhere in southern Texas or Louisiana depending on where your interest lies; I look at them all. This afternoon no bird movement is visible on NEXRAD. Birds that departed the southern Gulf coast yesterday evening will be delayed by the contrary winds they encountered last night and this morning during the crossing. They will arrive later (or perhaps are arriving now flying low to the water where radar does not "see" them). While I expect the exodus this evening to be impressive, not all grounded migrants will depart and new ones will probably land in coastal areas due to the stresses of last night's flight. Just how many will do so I can't say, but I expect coastal woodlot birding to be fair to good for the next several days, especially in the afternoons. John C. Arvin Research Coordinator Gulf Coast Bird Observatory 103 W. Hwy 332 Lake Jackson, TX 77566 (979) 480-0999 Fax: (979) 480-0777 jarvin AT gcbo.org www.gcbo.org eBird.org/gcbo Subject: RE: Yazoo Alligators From: David_Linden AT fws.gov Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:18:24 -0500 Some of you may be interested to know that the cross-jawed alligator that Jerry refers to and many of you may have seen, died of natural causes earlier this year. It was a female and it was here as an adult when I came here 20 years ago. At that time she was in Swan Lake north of Alligator Pond. She raised several broods that I know about, although it couldn't have been easy for her to exist with her jaw like that. I feel that her jaw injury was probably a factor that finally contributed to her demise. She was one alligator that was definitely recognizable and a familiar sight to some people. It's too bad she didn't make it, but she had a long run, and certainly exemplifies the toughness that wild animals can have. No self-pity, just a will to survive and function. Hats off to her. David Linden, Biologist Theodore Roosevelt NWR Complex 728 Yazoo Refuge Road Hollandale, MS 38748 phone: (662) 839-2618 fax: (662) 839-2619 "jerry l. litton" To Sent by: "'Ed alexander'" owner-missbird AT wi , llow.olemiss.edu "'MISSBIRD AT listserve.olemiss.edu'" , "'David Linden'" 04/28/2008 08:24 AM cc Subject Please respond to RE: [MISSBIRD] Yazoo Alligators "jerry l. litton" Hi Ed, I haven't seen Charlie but will look for him. I have seen at Yazoo another gator that has some deformity. It was in Deer Lake. A gator about 8-foot long, was in the grassy lane near the road. I was able to get pretty close to it, thinking it was severaly injured or dead. This one has a broken top-jaw section, has a hunk taken out showing bone and teeth, and I later find out when it is in water, sucks through this opening with a snort or wheeze. Guessing, I suspect this one got in the way of a larger bull. I also have a cougar story at Yazoo that is about 6-years old. Jerry Litton Jackson MS -----Original Message----- From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Ed alexander Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 3:20 PM To: MISSBIRD AT listserve.olemiss.edu; David Linden; G.Edward Alexander,Jr. Subject: [MISSBIRD] Yazoo Alligators April 26, 2008 To my Birding Friends------ I have recently been doing some research on my BirdLibrary-------primarily on my earlier discovery of a Cougar? at the Alligator Pond at Yazoo Nat'l Wildlife Refuge in May, 1974. In so doing, I ran across an interesting note where I had my "meeting" with an Alligator at the Alligator Pond. In 03-25-79 I was birding along the Alligator Pond at the Refuge here in Washington County. The water was VERY HIGH---much like we have recently encountered in our Delta. In birding along the Dike at the Pond, MANY Alligators had come up on the Dike out of the high water to "sun themselves". In my walking along-----the gators would systematically dive back into the water as I would approach. EXCEPT ONE !!! This was a large 10' long Alligator that I found later from the Yazoo people new him as "Charlie". The reason he did not move was because he only had one good eye-----searching into the water area only, and he was blind to the dike walkway area. I left immrdiately !!! Ed Alex--- Greenville P.S. In my recent response on this matter to David Linden, an official at the Refuge, David told me-----"Yes----Charlie is still there (since at least 1979) !! He is now at least 12' long now-----still with only one eye". Subject: RE: Yazoo Alligators From: "jerry l. litton" <littonsphac AT bellsouth.net> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:24:18 -0500 Hi Ed, I haven't seen Charlie but will look for him. I have seen at Yazoo another gator that has some deformity. It was in Deer Lake. A gator about 8-foot long, was in the grassy lane near the road. I was able to get pretty close to it, thinking it was severaly injured or dead. This one has a broken top-jaw section, has a hunk taken out showing bone and teeth, and I later find out when it is in water, sucks through this opening with a snort or wheeze. Guessing, I suspect this one got in the way of a larger bull. I also have a cougar story at Yazoo that is about 6-years old. Jerry Litton Jackson MS -----Original Message----- From: owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu [mailto:owner-missbird AT willow.olemiss.edu] On Behalf Of Ed alexander Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 3:20 PM To: MISSBIRD AT listserve.olemiss.edu; David Linden; G.Edward Alexander,Jr. Subject: [MISSBIRD] Yazoo Alligators April 26, 2008 To my Birding Friends------ I have recently been doing some research on my BirdLibrary-------primarily on my earlier discovery of a Cougar? at the Alligator Pond at Yazoo Nat'l Wildlife Refuge in May, 1974. In so doing, I ran across an interesting note where I had my "meeting" with an Alligator at the Alligator Pond. In 03-25-79 I was birding along the Alligator Pond at the Refuge here in Washington County. The water was VERY HIGH---much like we have recently encountered in our Delta. In birding along the Dike at the Pond, MANY Alligators had come up on the Dike out of the high water to "sun themselves". In my walking along-----the gators would systematically dive back into the water as I would approach. EXCEPT ONE !!! This was a large 10' long Alligator that I found later from the Yazoo people new him as "Charlie". The reason he did not move was because he only had one good eye-----searching into the water area only, and he was blind to the dike walkway area. I left immrdiately !!! Ed Alex--- Greenville P.S. In my recent response on this matter to David Linden, an official at the Refuge, David told me-----"Yes----Charlie is still there (since at least 1979) !! He is now at least 12' long now-----still with only one eye". Subject: Luck From: Kenneth Myron Bonnell <thecob AT tecinfo.net> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:54:23 -0500 7:35 this morning at my tube thistle feeder there was a male Goldfinch on one side, male Indigo Bunting on the other; nice start to the day. That they remained long enough for photos; a great start. Ken Bonnell Greenville, MS Subject: Rig birds, morning 4-28-08 From: cnrdmd AT bellsouth.net Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:59:59 +0000 Good morning all, While making an early morning walk around, I found there are still a few birds hanging around. They include American Redstart, Balt Orioles, B&W warblers, Hooded warblers, Cattle Egrets, Gray Catbirds and RT hummers. There are a few more no ID has been made, finch type birds and flycatchers of some sort. Several specimens were found as well. Winds are out of the WNW 10-15 and excpected to pick up later in the day. More as it dvelops and nothing unexpected comes up today. Troy Reitan, GOM 190 miles SSW of Fouchon, La Subject: Barred owl From: harleyiii <harleyiii AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:00:17 -0400 (EDT) After 24 years in this neighborhood, we finally had a pair of barred owls to come and stay. When they would hoot, I would go down to the garage and answer. Most of the time they would come and light in a tree over the drive and hoot and do their laugh. This was very pleasant and something I found most enjoyable. Two evenings ago a storm came through with some sharp lightning that struck a tree in a neighbors yard. Among the bark blown off of the tree by the lightning was a dead owl. I hope the mate is still alive and perhaps there are some offspring. I've been going out and hooting but no answer yet. My neighbors probably think there is a screw loose over here. Harley Metcalfe Greenville Subject: Re: Grosbeaks & Indigo From: "Rob Heflin" <delta_gamekeeper AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:20:03 -0500 Melissa, Today I drove up on about 40 Indigo's in two groups on the east Whittington Channel Levee just north of Hwy 149 near the Humphreys/Yazoo county line. The first group flew off of the side of the levee where a big group of thistles were growing in the grass. They wouldn't stay still long and most retreated to the thick cover of the woods. Also, driving north of the west levee, I flushed a group of at least 100 bobolinks. I tried to get a few pics, but didn't have much luck. Flushed another group of about 30 a couple of miles north. Rob Heflin Isola Subject: Black-bellied Plover-A & D Turf Farm From: "knights" <gsknight AT dixie-net.com> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:22:26 -0500 MISSBIRDERS: After several inches of rain all day I checked out the A & D Turf Farm at 5:00 pm and found a single alt pl BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER out in the many puddles on the sod. There was also a single White-fronted Goose (he is already 20 days late in leaving) hanging out with the resident Canada's. Yesterday after early rains we check a few local birding spots with no luck with migrants and again today between rain showers...no migrants!!! Maybe in a few days after the front passes. Gene & Shannon Knight Oxford, MS gsknight AT dixie-net.com Subject: Rose-breasted From: Jlarrysmooth AT aol.com Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:50:33 EDT Our Rose-breasteds seem to be increasing. Today at one time I saw at our feeders 6 grown-up males and 5 females/imm. Still have Red-breasted Nuthatch! Also, FOS Yellow Warblers. Larry Smith Hattiesburg **************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851) Subject: Tupelo Water Treatment Facility From: "wayne patterson" <wrp6 AT wildblue.net> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:14:05 -0500 I had hopes that this weather would have dropped some warblers at Trace State Park but I saw only a lone Blue Winged and some Yellow Rumps. The Blue Winged Warbler was nice but it has been my predominant non-resident warbler for the spring. When I went to the Tupelo Water Treatment facility there was a lot more bird activity. Shorebirds were nice but nothing new to report. I did have one Forster's Tern and a Sora. I heard the Sora Whinny first and then got some pretty good looks in the rain. This is the third year in a row I've had one at this location and all during the last week of April. Wayne Patterson Shannon, MS Lee Co. Subject: Grosbeaks From: "Judy Howle" <howle AT cableone.net> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 11:45:08 -0500 Yesterday I counted 5 female and 7 male rose-breasted grosbeaks at the same time on and near the feeders. I put out a 3rd sunflower seed feeder this morning to accommodate all of them! I usually have at least 6 in sight except when all the birds disappear temporarily. I added a few more photos of them to this album: http://imageevent.com/jhowle/rosebreastedgrosbeaks2008 Yesterday after getting a call from Dianne Patterson, I went out to Prairie Waters to see the bobolinks. There were many of them but most were down in the grass so impossible to count. It was a life bird for me. I enjoyed their songs and got some photos. http://imageevent.com/jhowle/bobolinks Judy Howle Columbus Southern Exposures http://ImageEvent.com/jhowle