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BIRDCHAT for Friday, April 11, 2008
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Subject: What variety of fruits are Waxwings feeding on?
From: "Dana" <danafox(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 4:05am
Massbirders -
I am attempting to more deeply understand what specific fruit trees the
waxwings particularly the Bohemian (BOWA) have been feeding on this winter
in the northeast - and maybe the sequence of their choice. Recent posts by
Jim Berry, Steve Mirick and Doug Chickering on Massbird have commented on
the fact that the current crab apples the BOWA have been feeding on have the
fruits strongly attached to the stem. I agree with Steve that they are
likely to be feeding on this variety so late in the season - it is April -
since that variety of crab apple is one that does not seem to get mushy and
clings tightly to the stem even after a long, cold winter. It also seems to
be a variety chosen by Dunken Donuts and commercial plantings.
What variety is it?
What is the order that these birds choose to eat the fruits throughout the
season? Which specific varieties do they like in what order?
I have assembled a list of recommendations of fruiting trees attractive to
birds - the Mass Audubon one and Rick Heil's specific list posted on
Massbird and would like to keep refining it. All additions are appreciated
and I will forward them to any and all.
Thanks in advance for your help,
Dana
Dana Duxbury-Fox
No. Andover, MA 01845
danafox(AT)comcast.net
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Subject: Oaxaca trip photos posted.
From: Borealowl(AT)aol.com
Date: 11 Apr 2008 4:42am
I have posted about 220 images from a late March trip to Oaxaca to my flickr
photo site.There are also field notes and daylists on my home page at
http://hometown.aol.com/borealowl/ (with links to the photo site) look toward
the
bottom of the page under the Oaxaca link.
Jerry R. Oldenettel
Socorro, NM
**************
Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel
Guides.
(http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?ncid=aoltrv00030000000016)
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Subject: Re: Oaxaca trip photos posted.
From: Jerry Friedman <jerry_friedman(AT)yahoo.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 7:27am
Very impressive... especially compared to my pictures from
Oaxaca a few years ago.
I'm posting a non-bird comment here so other people don't have
to tell you the same thing. I believe you're right that the
apparent flower you photographed was a fungus, namely an
earthstar. You can get started at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geastraceae>.
Jerry Friedman
--- Jerry Oldenettel <Borealowl(AT)AOL.COM> wrote:
> I have posted about 220 images from a late March trip to Oaxaca to my
> flickr
> photo site.There are also field notes and daylists on my home page at
> http://hometown.aol.com/borealowl/ (with links to the photo site) look
> toward the
> bottom of the page under the Oaxaca link.
>
> Jerry R. Oldenettel
> Socorro, NM
__________________________________________________
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Subject: Texas Whooping Cranes - 10 April 2008 - migration update
From: Patty Waits Beasley <patty(AT)ccbirding.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 11:00am
Greetings all!
The following report is forwarded with permission from Tom Stehn, USFWS
biologist and US Whooping Crane Coordinator.
------------- begin report --------------
An aerial whooping crane census was conducted April 10, 2008 at the Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas. A total of 34 whooping
cranes were located. The rest of the flock has started the migration.
The estimated size of the flock remains a record 266. The flock consists
of an estimated 144 adults, 83 subadults, and 39 juveniles. There is no
evidence of any whooping crane mortality having occurred this winter.
Recap of cranes found at Aransas (34):
Adults + young
Refuge
12 + 0
Lamar
2 + 0
San Jose
7 + 0
Matagorda
9 + 0
Welder Flats
4 + 0
Total
34 + 0 = 34
The whooping crane survey was conducted in a Cessna 210 piloted by Gary
Ritchey of Air Logistic Solutions of San Antonio, Texas with USFWS
observers Tom Stehn and Darrin Welchert. The 3-hour flight covered nearly
the entire wintering area, but the wide transects flown may have resulted
in a few cranes being overlooked. Census conditions were okay with
sunshine, but were very hazy which limited visibility.
I estimate that 87% of the whooping crane flock has started the
migration. Seventeen groups of whooping crane have been reported so far
all the way from central Texas to South Dakota. Most sightings have come
from Kansas and Nebraska. It is interesting to note that the cranes
currently as far north as Nebraska will be held up by a snow storm and
unfavorable winds in that state over the next few days.
At Aransas, all 34 cranes still present may be subaults. In only one
instance was a duo seen on Ayres Island that could have been an adult
breeding pair. Thus, the breeding pairs have started the migration earlier
this year than in years past, since frequently some adult cranes dont start
the migration until mid-April. I think this earlier migration may be tied
to the good food resources available to the cranes throughout most of the
winter, leaving them in good condition to start the migration. The
pre-migration body condition of the cranes at Aransas is very important
since the 3-4 week migration to Canada will not include much feeding, and
conditions may be still very cold with only limited food available when
they first reach the nesting grounds. Migration is generally a hard time
for wildlife species with long-distance movements allowing little time to
find food to eat.
The family group of territorial cranes seen all winter from the refuge
observation tower has apparently started the migration. On the flight, 31
cranes were in salt marsh habitat and 3 cranes were on an upland island on
San Jose Island that is surrounded by marsh. No cranes were on prescribed
burns or at fresh water sources. Tides were moderately high, with flooded
marsh seen on the Lamar Peninsula, but average conditions seen on San
Jose. The water on the gulf beach was nearly up to the dunes with little
beach exposed.
The next census flight is scheduled for April 22.
Tom Stehn, Whooping Crane Coordinator
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Aransas NWR
P.O. Box 100
Austwell, TX 77950
(361) 286-3559 Ext. 221
fax (361) 286-3722
E:mail: tom_stehn(AT)fws.gov
------------- end report ----------------
Where applicable, CWS stands for Canadian Wildlife Service; USFWS is US
Fish and Wildlife Service. Crane monitoring involves cooperative efforts
and support by both countries, plus many volunteers and non-profit
organizations along the way.
Anyone wanting to contact Tom about the report or the whooping crane
projects can reach him via email at: tom_stehn(AT)fws.gov. Other information,
including archived copies of these reports, can be found at the Texas
Whooping Crane web site at http://www.ccbirding.com/
Patty Waits Beasley
Corpus Christi, TX
email: patty(AT)ccbirding.com
web: http://www.ccbirding.com/
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Subject: RFI: Birding 'Lodge" or Guide (person), southern Japan
From: David M Mark <dmark(AT)buffalo.edu>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 1:33pm
Hello.
If anyone can recommend a birding lodge, or a birding guide/driver, for
areas in southern Japan, I would greatly appreciate hearing about it.
I am considering a birding trip to somewhere in the southern half of
Japan, for some time in July. A 'lodge' atmosphere with trails and a bird
guide and possible day trips would be great, but if not, we might hire a
driver/guide.
Thanks in advance for any information.
David
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David M. Mark
Amherst, New York (near Buffalo; home location)
dmark(AT)buffalo.edu
http://www.geog.buffalo.edu/~dmark/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Subject: Petition to Protect Boreal Birds
From: "Matthew Medler" <mattmedler(AT)borealbirds.org>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 1:52pm
BirdChatters,
I wanted to pass along a link to an on-line petition being organized by
several Canadian conservation groups and the Boreal Songbird Initiative.
The petition calls on the Canadian government to protect more of the
Boreal Forest region, which is home to billions of breeding birds each
year and is rightfully called "North America's Bird Nursery."
The petition can be found at: www.saveourborealbirds.org In addition
to the on-line petition, which is open to Canadians and non-Canadians
alike, this site contains information about the many birds of the Boreal
Forest, threats to the Boreal, and what you can do to help Boreal birds.
I encourage you to sign the petition and join the nearly 5,000 people
who have already done so. And, I would ask that you consider passing
along news of the petition to your own state/provincial/local listserve
in order to get the word out to as many people as possible.
Thanks,
Matt
Matthew Medler
Science Coordinator
Boreal Songbird Initiative
www.borealbirds.org
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Subject: Boreal Bird Quiz
From: "Matthew Medler" <mattmedler(AT)borealbirds.org>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 2:15pm
BirdChatters,
I thought I'd also pass along the link to a new Boreal Bird Quiz that I
created for the Boreal Songbird Initiative web site. It can be found in
the middle of the BSI home page in the "What's New" section:
www.borealbirds.org
Good luck!
Matt
Matthew Medler
Science Coordinator
Boreal Songbird Initiative
www.borealbirds.org
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Subject: Re: What variety of fruits are Waxwings feeding
on?
From: "Julian Bell" <jules(AT)naturalbornbirder.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 2:21pm
Although not the best pictures in the world, there are some really illustrative
shots of waxwings eating mistletoe berries and the subsequent after-effects near
the bottom of this page:
http://www.naturalbornbirder.com/gallery/shit_pictures.html
It really shows how effective the mistletoe way of using birds to distribute
seeds is....
Cheers
Julian Bell
SW Norway
>Massbirders -
>
>I am attempting to more deeply understand what specific fruit trees the
>waxwings particularly the Bohemian (BOWA) have been feeding on this winter
>in the northeast - and maybe the sequence of their choice. Recent posts by
>Jim Berry, Steve Mirick and Doug Chickering on Massbird have commented on
>the fact that the current crab apples the BOWA have been feeding on have the
>fruits strongly attached to the stem. I agree with Steve that they are
>likely to be feeding on this variety so late in the season - it is April -
>since that variety of crab apple is one that does not seem to get mushy and
>clings tightly to the stem even after a long, cold winter. It also seems to
>be a variety chosen by Dunken Donuts and commercial plantings.
>
>What variety is it?
>
>What is the order that these birds choose to eat the fruits throughout the
>season? Which specific varieties do they like in what order?
>
>I have assembled a list of recommendations of fruiting trees attractive to
>birds - the Mass Audubon one and Rick Heil's specific list posted on
>Massbird and would like to keep refining it. All additions are appreciated
>and I will forward them to any and all.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help,
>Dana
>
>Dana Duxbury-Fox
>No. Andover, MA 01845
>danafox(AT)comcast.net
>
>BirdChat Guidelines: http://www.ksu.edu/audubon/chatguidelines.html
>Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdchat.html
--
http://www.naturalbornbirder.com
BirdChat Guidelines: http://www.ksu.edu/audubon/chatguidelines.html
Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdchat.html
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Subject: Re: What variety of fruits are Waxwings feeding
on?
From: Jerry Blinn <support(AT)avisys.net>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 4:08pm
This is not responsive to the original message, but I thought I would
pass on that I am one of the observers of the famous, but by some
considered apocryphal, behavior of Cedar Waxwings when in a good mood
and surrounded by the best quality food.
As a youngster in the 50s (that's 1950s, not 1850's thank you) I
spent summers in Wenatchee, WA, every day in orchards picking fruit,
which included thinning apples, picking apricots, and picking
cherries -- and getting badly sunburned.
On several occasions I observed Cedar Waxwings eating ripe
cherries. These were big Bing cherries, the most luscious and sweet
variety. And the waxwings had billions available to them by just
moving from one limb to the next. It was common to see the birds,
sated, line up on a power line, maybe a dozen or more, with exact
distances between each bird, performing the following ritual:
The bird at the left end of the line flies to a tree, and selects a
cherry. It carries the cherry to its perching place and passes the
cherry to the bird on its right. (It was always the bird on the left,
passing to the right, from the birds' perspective.) The receiving
bird passes the cherry to the bird on its right, etc., etc., until
the cherry, undamaged, reaches the bird on the end, which consumes it
-- or drops it. The original cherry picker then goes to the tree and
selects another cherry, returns to the lineup, and repeats the
ritual, but this time the next to the end bird consumes the
cherry. This continued until the party broke up, for some unknown
reason, or until a bird couldn't muster the discipline and ate out of
turn. I have seen the entire lineup succeed in the ritual, but not
nearly always.
Waxwings were also frequent in the winter, cleaning up the cherries,
apricots, peaches, apples, and pears that had been left on the
trees. They had no trouble surviving year-round in the Wenatchee area.
Jerry
Jerry Blinn
Perceptive Systems
Placitas, NM
505-867-6255
jerry(AT)avisys.net
Web Site: www.avisys.net
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Subject: Boreal Forests and birds
From: "R.D. Everhart" <everhart(AT)black-hole.com>
Date: 11 Apr 2008 5:49pm
Hey everybody,
I recently heard an interview with Jeff Wells, the author of
Birder's Conservation Handbook on a Scientific American podcast. It
was quite good and had a positive message. The focus of much of the
podcast is the North American Boreal Forest and it's importance to
birds. I have added a link to the podcast on my blog at:
http://minnesotabirdnerd.blogspot.com
Lots of juncos and a lone Fox sparrow trying to ride out this lousy
weather in my backyard under the feeder. Luckily it sounds like this
slush will be gone by Monday.
Hang in there.
Roger Everhart
Apple Valley, MN
www.ncbo.org
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