ARBIRD-L for Thursday, June 12, 2008

Messages are displayed in the order they were received.  Subject  From  Time   Arkansas Wren Survey   Dan Scheiman    11:33am   White-winged Dove call?   Cheryl Ness    12:12pm   Wierd Bugs   George R. Hoelzeman   11:38pm

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Subject: Arkansas Wren Survey
From: Dan Scheiman <birddan(AT)COMCAST.NET>
Date: 12 Jun 2008 11:33am

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I'd like to remind everyone that the Arkansas Wren Survey is open for business. 
 Please see http://ar.audubon.org/wren to learn more and sign up.  Please pass
this on to others who may be interested.  You don't have to be an expert birder
or even a birder at all to participate.  Only an interest in nature and the
desire to do something for conservation are needed.  While seeking Bewick's
Wrens in their habitat you'll also be counting Carolina and House Wrens to help
us learn about those species and their potential interactions with Bewick's.

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The Bewick’s Wren is a species of high conservation concern in Arkansas and
throughout much of its range.  Once common, today it is extremely rare east of
the Mississippi River.  The eastern edge of its range currently runs through
Arkansas, making Arkansas the frontline for stemming the decline.  The decline
is probably due to habitat loss as well as competition with the House Wren for
nest sites.  We need YOUR help searching for wrens across the state.

To learn more and sign up visit the Arkansas Wren Survey web site at
http://ar.audubon.org/wren.  The survey is open to anyone of any age and
experience level who can spend at least 4 hours at least twice per year looking
and listening for wrens in appropriate habitat.  We've tried to keep the survey
protocol fairly easy to follow.  Educational and survey materials can be found
online.  Participants also can chat with each other , share stories and
findings, and ask questions through the project’s e-mail discussion group.
There is no fee to participate.

We can definitely use the help of the birding community through your
participation in surveys, by passing along Bewick's Wren sightings to me and
Sarah (sarah.thompson(AT)smail.astate.edu) and by spreading the word about our
survey to anyone or any news outlet.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide.

Dan Scheiman
Audubon Arkansas
Little Rock, AR
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Subject: White-winged Dove call?
From: Cheryl Ness <cherylness(AT)GMAIL.COM>
Date: 12 Jun 2008 12:12pm

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Hi,
Was just out in the backyard and heard the possible call of a White-winged
Dove. (listened to recording on birds.cornell.edu) I've seen one only once a
while back in a small mixed flock on the side of the road not far from here.
I didn't get a visual of this dove and it only called once that I heard.
Lawnmowers and such were going on nearby. I have Mourning Doves nesting
around here, but it didn't sound like them. The call "got my attention"...
was different from the usual stuff I hear everyday. Also have barred owls in
the neighborhood. I don't know what else could give cooing or hooting calls
that live around here. I'll definitely keep a lookout for it, though.

Off-topic: a couple of evenings ago I was very surprised to find a flying
squirrel in my backyard!! I read on one website that they have a nickname..
"Fairy Diddle".  Just thought it was funny and interesting and wanted to
share it..
have a great day!
-Cheryl
Fort Smith

-- 
Cheryl

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Subject: Wierd Bugs
From: "George R. Hoelzeman" <uiogd(AT)ARKANSAS.NET>
Date: 12 Jun 2008 11:38pm

and lots of them.  Vast numbers, in fact.

These things were tiny - about the size of the "i" in this text without the dot
- actually, closer to about 2/3s the size of the "i" (without the dot).  And
there were
millions of them - billions maybe.  So many it looked like someone dumped black
powder on the ground.  They jumped kind of like fleas, but I'm not sure if that
means much - they jumped onto anything that approached them, and they were
swarming over an area about 6 feet one end to the other.  Some old wood and
other junk laying around, sandy-clay soil, not much rock or grass cover.  They
were about the shape of the lower part of an "i" as well.

I sprayed some Bio-spot on them and pretty much wiped them out (didn't want them
 getting in the shop or house). . . I say pretty much because I'm sure I didn't
get them all their numbers were so incredibly vast.

I've never seen anything like this and wondered if someone on this list might
know.

Thanks

George (north conway county about three miles south of Cleveland and 7 north of
Wonderview.)