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LABIRD-L for Saturday, February 3, 2001
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Subject: Re: Surf Scoter in BR
From: Gayle Strickland <gstrick2(AT)HOME.COM>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 11:40am
LA Birders,
The Scoter was still present 3 Feb AM in the same place.
Gayle & Jeanell Strickland
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael A. Seymour <caprimulgus(AT)EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <LABIRD-L(AT)listserv.lsu.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 5:24 PM
Subject: Re: Surf Scoter in BR
> Hey folks,
> The female Surf Scoter found by Dan Christian 27 January was relocated
> today despite the nasty front that went through a couple of days ago.
After
> an unsuccessful attempt this morning at 10:30 AM, the bird WAS observed at
> 4:15 PM from the cement platform across from the Lod Cook LSU Alumni
Center
> (spelling probably waaay off). Unfortunately, I can't recall the street
> name, but it is possibly S Lakeshore Drive (anybody?).
> This bird is a must see, as I got great looks even with 8x binoculars.
> Good luck and good birding.
> -Michael Seymour
> BR, LA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Lazuli Bunting/Surf Scoter
From: "R. Martin Guidry" <guidryrm(AT)home.com>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 11:55am
This morning, Saturday February 3rd, several folks observed one of the
Lazuli Buntings at the home of Matt Tourchard. The bird appeared twice
at about 7:00 am and again at 8:00 for about 5 minutes each time. I
left Matt's home about 9:00 am so I don't know if it or additional
Lazuli Buntings appeared later in the day. This was the first
appearance of the Lazuli Bunting at Matt's home since the latter part of
January when the yard received heavy rains. Also present were two
female Painted Buntings, a Pine Warbler, a partially white Red-winged
Blackbird and approximately 50 American Goldfinch.
Matt is located in the Luling, LA area. For information to contact Matt
see the LOS webpage at
www.losbird.org.
Yesterday, Friday, February 2nd, I observed the female Surf Scoter on
LSU Lake about 10:30 am. The bird was at the location described by
Michael Seymour. It can be seen from the elaborate deck opposite the
Lod Cooke Alumni Center off Darymple Street.
Thanks,
Marty
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Pearl River WMA ivory-billed woodpecker helicopter search
(fwd)
From: Van Remsen <najames(AT)unix1.sncc.lsu.edu>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 2:23pm
LABIRD: FYI:
#################################
Van Remsen,
LSU Museum of Natural Science,
najames(AT)unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 08:59:20 -0600
From: "Shively, Steve" <Shively_SH(AT)wlf.state.la.us>
To: "'Remsen, Van'" <najames(AT)unix1.sncc.lsu.edu>
Cc: "Lester, Gary" <Lester_GD(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Prickett, Tommy" <Prickett_TE(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Savoie, Brandt" <Savoie_LB(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Ribbeck, Kenny" <Ribbeck_KF(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Leblanc, Emile" <Leblanc_EP(AT)wlf.state.la.us>
Subject: Pearl River WMA ivory-billed woodpecker helicopter search
Dr. Remsen,
Could you post the following message on LABIRD? Thanks!
On Tuesday, January 23, Bill Vermillion and Steve Shively of the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Clint Jeske of the USGS
flew transects over the forested areas of the Pearl River WMA in hopes of
spotting an ivory-billed woodpecker. The flight was funded by the US Fish
and Wildlife Service. We saw no ivory-billed woodpeckers.
Our transects were 22 east-west lines one half mile apart from US
highway 90 north to the northernmost end of the WMA, plus the 21 short
north-south connections, plus two longer north-south lines. We flew
approximately 107 miles of transects: 75 miles of transects north of
Interstate 10 from 10 a.m. to noon, and 32 miles of transects south of I-10
from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The helicopter flew approximately 40 mph at 125-150
feet above ground (apparently the minimum possible speed and altitude).
Had we seen an ivory-bill, we would have radioed the location to one
of three ground crews in hopes of getting someone on the ground close enough
to document the bird(s). One two-person crew with a boat was deployed at
Crawford Landing (WMA HQ at I-10), another four-person crew waited along old
Hwy 11 in the northern part of the area, and the third three-person crew had
a boat ready at Lock #1 on the Pearl River Canal (we had originally planned
to survey the Bogue Chitto NWR as well). We also had a video camera and 35
mm camera with telephoto lens on board the helicopter.
For the entire area we counted 26 pileated woodpeckers, 10 common
flickers, 7 red-bellied woodpeckers, 5 red-tailed hawks, 5 red-shouldered
hawks, one Cooper's hawk, one osprey, and one bald eagle.
The area surveyed can be divided into three distinct zones, north to
south: the bottomland hardwood forest in the northern part of the area, the
cypress-tupelo swamp south of the bottomland hardwood forest and north of
I-10, and the cypress-tupelo swamp south of I-10. The amount of canopy
closure differed among these three areas. The cypress-tupelo swamp north of
I-10 was relatively more open with numerous breaks in the canopy, while the
canopy of the bottomland hardwood forest to the north was mostly completely
closed and quite dense. In the cypress-tupelo swamp south of I-10, canopy
closure was intermediate to the other two zones.
Beginning the survey at I-10 and working north, we noted that we
could spot woodpeckers, especially pileateds, relatively easily. In this
more open cypress-tupelo swamp zone, I believe we saw most of the pileated
woodpeckers along the transects. We counted 14 pileateds in this area, which
worked out to one bird every 2.67 miles for 37.5 miles of transects.
When we got to the bottomland hardwood zone our ability to detect
birds in and below the canopy declined precipitously. We counted only 4
pileated woodpeckers in this zone, or one every 9.4 miles for 37.5 miles of
transects. Some of the oaks in this zone (i.e. water oak and obtusa oak)
still held some leaves, but, even in areas with no leaves, branches were
dense enough to completely obstruct the view through the canopy. Because of
the apparent difficulty in detecting birds in the bottomland hardwood
habitat, we abandoned our original plan to fly transects over the Bogue
Chitto NWR.
In the cypress-tupelo swamp south of I-10 we counted 8 pileated
woodpeckers, or one every 4 miles of transects for 32 miles of transects.
The upshot is, I believe, that low, slow helicopter transect
searches are effective at detecting woodpeckers in the ideal conditions of
relatively open-canopied forests, whereas in mature, closed-canopied forests
(where one might expect ivory-billed woodpeckers to be more likely to occur)
the technique is not effective.
I propose organizing one last ground search of the area, putting as
many people as possible in as many areas as possible for one day (either
February 24 or March 3, both are Saturdays). If ivory-bills are not
confirmed at that time, LDWF will simply encourage interested parties to
search on their own at their convenience and will continue to consider David
Kullivan's reported sighting unconfirmed.
Steve Shively
Zoologist
LA Natural Heritage Program
LA Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
225-765-2820
225-765-2818 fax
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: SV: Pearl River WMA ivory-billed woodpecker helicopter
search (fw d)
From: Trond Nilsen <trond.nilsen(AT)LARVIK.KOMMUNE.NO>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 3:43pm
Excuse me? Birding by chopper???
Some times you americans are not for real..........
Trond
SE Norway
-----Opprinnelig melding-----
Fra: Van Remsen [SMTP:najames(AT)unix1.sncc.lsu.edu]
Sendt: 3. februar 2001 21:23
Til: LABIRD-L(AT)listserv.lsu.edu
Emne: Pearl River WMA ivory-billed woodpecker helicopter search
(fwd)
LABIRD: FYI:
#################################
Van Remsen,
LSU Museum of Natural Science,
najames(AT)unix1.sncc.lsu.edu
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001 08:59:20 -0600
From: "Shively, Steve" <Shively_SH(AT)wlf.state.la.us>
To: "'Remsen, Van'" <najames(AT)unix1.sncc.lsu.edu>
Cc: "Lester, Gary" <Lester_GD(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Prickett, Tommy" <Prickett_TE(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Savoie, Brandt" <Savoie_LB(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Ribbeck, Kenny" <Ribbeck_KF(AT)wlf.state.la.us>,
"Leblanc, Emile" <Leblanc_EP(AT)wlf.state.la.us>
Subject: Pearl River WMA ivory-billed woodpecker helicopter search
Dr. Remsen,
Could you post the following message on LABIRD? Thanks!
On Tuesday, January 23, Bill Vermillion and Steve Shively of
the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Clint Jeske of
the USGS
flew transects over the forested areas of the Pearl River WMA in
hopes of
spotting an ivory-billed woodpecker. The flight was funded by the US
Fish
and Wildlife Service. We saw no ivory-billed woodpeckers.
Our transects were 22 east-west lines one half mile apart
from US
highway 90 north to the northernmost end of the WMA, plus the 21
short
north-south connections, plus two longer north-south lines. We flew
approximately 107 miles of transects: 75 miles of transects north of
Interstate 10 from 10 a.m. to noon, and 32 miles of transects south
of I-10
from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The helicopter flew approximately 40 mph at
125-150
feet above ground (apparently the minimum possible speed and
altitude).
Had we seen an ivory-bill, we would have radioed the
location to one
of three ground crews in hopes of getting someone on the ground
close enough
to document the bird(s). One two-person crew with a boat was
deployed at
Crawford Landing (WMA HQ at I-10), another four-person crew waited
along old
Hwy 11 in the northern part of the area, and the third three-person
crew had
a boat ready at Lock #1 on the Pearl River Canal (we had originally
planned
to survey the Bogue Chitto NWR as well). We also had a video camera
and 35
mm camera with telephoto lens on board the helicopter.
For the entire area we counted 26 pileated woodpeckers, 10
common
flickers, 7 red-bellied woodpeckers, 5 red-tailed hawks, 5
red-shouldered
hawks, one Cooper's hawk, one osprey, and one bald eagle.
The area surveyed can be divided into three distinct zones,
north to
south: the bottomland hardwood forest in the northern part of the
area, the
cypress-tupelo swamp south of the bottomland hardwood forest and
north of
I-10, and the cypress-tupelo swamp south of I-10. The amount of
canopy
closure differed among these three areas. The cypress-tupelo swamp
north of
I-10 was relatively more open with numerous breaks in the canopy,
while the
canopy of the bottomland hardwood forest to the north was mostly
completely
closed and quite dense. In the cypress-tupelo swamp south of I-10,
canopy
closure was intermediate to the other two zones.
Beginning the survey at I-10 and working north, we noted
that we
could spot woodpeckers, especially pileateds, relatively easily. In
this
more open cypress-tupelo swamp zone, I believe we saw most of the
pileated
woodpeckers along the transects. We counted 14 pileateds in this
area, which
worked out to one bird every 2.67 miles for 37.5 miles of transects.
When we got to the bottomland hardwood zone our ability to
detect
birds in and below the canopy declined precipitously. We counted
only 4
pileated woodpeckers in this zone, or one every 9.4 miles for 37.5
miles of
transects. Some of the oaks in this zone (i.e. water oak and obtusa
oak)
still held some leaves, but, even in areas with no leaves, branches
were
dense enough to completely obstruct the view through the canopy.
Because of
the apparent difficulty in detecting birds in the bottomland
hardwood
habitat, we abandoned our original plan to fly transects over the
Bogue
Chitto NWR.
In the cypress-tupelo swamp south of I-10 we counted 8
pileated
woodpeckers, or one every 4 miles of transects for 32 miles of
transects.
The upshot is, I believe, that low, slow helicopter transect
searches are effective at detecting woodpeckers in the ideal
conditions of
relatively open-canopied forests, whereas in mature, closed-canopied
forests
(where one might expect ivory-billed woodpeckers to be more likely
to occur)
the technique is not effective.
I propose organizing one last ground search of the area,
putting as
many people as possible in as many areas as possible for one day
(either
February 24 or March 3, both are Saturdays). If ivory-bills are not
confirmed at that time, LDWF will simply encourage interested
parties to
search on their own at their convenience and will continue to
consider David
Kullivan's reported sighting unconfirmed.
Steve Shively
Zoologist
LA Natural Heritage Program
LA Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
225-765-2820
225-765-2818 fax
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Pine Siskins in N. O. and Lazuli Bunting
From: "John P. Sevenair" <JSevenair(AT)AOL.COM>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 5:24pm
LABIRDers--
There were two Pine Siskins in my yard around noon, feeding on thistle. I
haven't seen one in my yard since the winter of '89-'90.
Matt Touchard was an awesome host this morning to a group of south Louisiana
bunting-chasers (including me). Many thanks, Matt!
John Sevenair
New Orleans
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: UL Lafayette Experimental Farm Birds, Western St. Martin
Parish, Louisiana - Week of 28 January-3 February 2001
From: "Jay V. Huner" <jjhuner(AT)MINDSPRING.COM>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 6:09pm
UL Lafayette Experimental Farm Birds - Mostly Crawfish Pond and Wooded
Wetland Area - Western St. Martin Parish, Louisiana - Week of 28
Janaury-3 February 2001 - Jay V. Huner.
Weather varied widely from warm and rain with violent frontal passage
on 29 Jan. to mild and winding in mid-week to cold and nasty but
calmish at the end of the week. Weather was SO BAD Monday that I did
very little birding except on the ponds themselves - none in the
woods.
Bill Fontenot Birded the Crawfish Pond/Wooded Wetland Area Wed.
morning. I did not bird the Farm on Thursday as I was traveling away
from Lafayette. The ducks reported for other days during the week were
present on Thursday based on my technician's report. I birded around
northern half of the pond on Saturday (today) looking for juncos and
creepers and only listed species seen - no numbers.
1. Pied-billed Grebe - M-15, Tu-12, W-30, F-22, & S+
2. Neotropic Cormorant - W-1
3. Double-crested Cormorant - W-7, F-5, & S+
4. Great Blue Heron - M-1, W-2, F-3, & S+
5. Great Egret - M-2, Tu-3, W-37 (most flyover), F-3 & S+
6. Snowy Egret - M-2, Tu-3, W-11, F-2 & S+
7. Tricolored Heron - Tu-1, W-1, & S+
8. Cattle Egret - S+ (about 50 flyovers)
9. White Ibis - M-3, Tu-19, W-147 (mostly flyovers), F-27 & S+
10. "White-faced" Ibis - M-1, Tu-38, W-66, F-60, & S+
11. Turkey Vulture - Tu-1 & W-2
12. Snow Goose - W-1 (lonesome flyover)
13. Wood Duck - M-2, Tu-4, W-10, F-2 & S+
14. Gadwall - M-60, Tu-10, W-24, F-60 & S+
15. American Wigeon - M-60, Tu-10, W-10, & F-2
16. Mallard - M-5, Tu-10, W-8, F-2, & S+
17. Blue-winged Teal - M-110, Tu-35, W-300, F-110, & S+
18. Northern Shoveler - M-30, Tu-8, W-26, F-30, & S+
19. Northern Pintail - W-6 & F-5
20. Ring-necked Duck - M-1225, Tu-1400, W-1650, F-1650, & S+
21. Lesser Scaup - M-15, W-6, & F-5
22. Hooded Merganser - F-2
23. Northern Harrier - W-2
24. Cooper's Hawk - W-1
25. Red-shouldered Hawk - M-1, Tu-1, & W-4
26. Red-tailed Hawk - M-1, Tu-2, W-2, F-2 & S+
27. American Kestrel - M-1, W-1, & F-1
28. Merlin - Tu-1
29. American Coot - M-12, Tu-32, W-45, F-68 & S+
30. Killdeer - M-5, Tu-50, W-28, F-20 & S+
31. Greater Yellowlegs - W-2 & F-1 (flyovers)
32. Long-billed Dowitcher - W-40 (flyovers)
33. Common Snipe - W-35
34. Ring-billed Gull - M-1, Tu-2, W-22 (mostly flyovers), F-10, & S+
35. Caspian Tern - F-1
36. Forster's Tern - M-6, F-1 & S+
37. Barn Owl - W-1
38. Barred Owl - W-1
39. Belted Kingfisher - M-1, Tu-1, W-1, F-1 & S+
40. Red-bellied Woodpecker - M-1, Tu-2, W-2, F-2, &S+
41. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - W-2, F-2 & S+
42. Downy Woodpecker - Tu-1 & W-2
43. Hairy Woodpecker - W-1 & F-1
44. Northern Flicker - W-1 & S+
45. Eastern Phoebe - M-1, Tu-2, W-10, F-3 & S+
46. Loggerhead Shrike - M-1, Tu-1, W-2, F-1 & S+
47. Blue Jay - M-1, Tu-3, W-5, F-2 & S+
48. American Crow - M-40, Tu-30, W-57, F-20 & S+
49. Fish Crow - M-2, Tu-10, W-14, F-1 & S+
50. Carolina Chickadee - Tu-2, W-2, F-3 & S+
51. Tufted Titmouse - Tu-1, W-3, F-2 & S+
52. Carolina Wren - M-1, Tu-3, W-7, F-2, & S+
53. House Wren - Tu-1 & W-1
54. Winter Wren - W-1
55. Sedge Wren - W-2
56. Marsh Wren - W-5 & F-1
57. Golden-crowned Kinglet - W-1 & F-1
58. Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Tu-3, W-2, F-1 & S+
59. Eastern Bluebird - W-3
60. Hermit Thrush - Tu-1 & W-1
61. American Robin - M-2, Tu-30, W-30, F-3, & S+
62. Northern Mockingbird - M-1, Tu-3, W-5, F-2 & S+
63. European Starling - W-5, F-1 & S+
64. American Pipit - M-4, Tu-35, W-34, F-20 & S+
65. Orange-crowned Warbler - Tu-2, W-1, &S+
66. Yellow-rumped Warbler - M-3, Tu-25, W-21, F-15, & S+
67. Common Yellowthroat - W-6
68. Wilson's Warbler - Tu-1
69. Chipping Sparrow - S+ (50)
70. Field Sparrow - S+ (2)
71. Savannah Sparrow - M-10, Tu-30, W-225, F-10 & S+ [Note: sparrows
"everywhere" Wed. and hard to come by rest of week.]
72. Song Sparrow - Tu-8, W-14, F-10 & S+
73. Lincoln's Sparrow - S+ (1)
74. Swamp Sparrow - Tu-6, W-29, F-15, & S+
75. White-throated Sparrow - Tu-1, W-3, F-1, & S+
76. Northern Cardinal - Tu-6, W-2, F-5 & S+
77. Red-winged Blackbird - M-30, Tu-150, W-8000 (mostly flyovers),
F-100, & S+
78. Eastern Meadowlark - M-15 & W-18
79. Rusty Blackbird - Tu-30, W-3, & F- 25
80. Brewer's Blackbird - F-2
81. Common Grackle - W-4 & S+
82. Boat-tailed Grackle - M-3
83. Brown-headed Cowbird -S+
84. American Goldfinch - W-3, F-10, & S+
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Ag/Wetland Bird Survey
From: Michael Musumeche <mjmusumeche(AT)COX-INTERNET.COM>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 6:23pm
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
----INCLUDING text/plain MIME SECTION----
LaBirders,
A birding survey conducted by Mike Musumeche and Jay Huner on 3/Feb/01 =
at the Durand farm complex between Catahoula and Coteau Holmes, St. =
Martin Parish, LA yielded 72 species. The roughly 1800 acres consist of =
about 75% farmland (rice/crawfish/sugar cane), 20% wooded, and 5% swamp. =
Currently the majority of the farmland is flooded for crawfish =
production which has recently begun for the late winter/spring season. =
This project is funded by the Louisiana Crawfish Promotion and Research =
Board sponsored by UL of Lafayette.=20
The species and numbers of birds recorded are as follows:
1. Pied-billed Grebe - 30
2. American White Pelican - 21
3. Neotropic Cormorant - 1
4. Double-crested Cormorant - 150=20
5. Great Blue Heron - 17
6. Great Egret - ~300
7. Snowy Egret - 2
8. Tricolored Heron - 1
9. Cattle Egret - ~200
10. White Ibis - 85
11. Black Vulture - 15
12. Turkey Vulture - 75
13. Greater White-fronted Goose - 2
14. Wood Duck - 7
15. Gadwall - 15
16. Mallard - ~200=20
17. Northern Shoveler - 65
18. Ring-necked Duck - ~150
19. Lesser Scaup - ~400
20. Bufflehead - 13
21. Hooded Merganser - 80
22. Red-breasted Merganser - 11
23. Ruddy Duck - 27
24. Northern Harrier - 9
25. Red-shouldered Hawk - 11
26. Red-tailed Hawk - 7
27. American Kestrel - 1
28. American Coot -~4000
29. Killdeer - 28
30. Laughing Gull - 8
31. Ring-billed Gull - 51
32. Caspian Tern - 13
33. Forster's Tern - 1
34. Mourning Dove - 1
35. Barred Owl - 1
36. Belted Kingfisher - 2
37. Red-bellied Woodpecker - 8
38. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 3
39. Downy Woodpecker - 2
40. Northern Flicker - 1
41. Pileated Woodpecker - 1
42. Eastern Phoebe - 12
43. Loggerhead Shrike - 2
44. Blue Jay - 4
45. American Crow - 65
46. Fish Crow - 8
47. Tree Swallow - 10
48. Carolina Chickadee - 4
49. Tufted Titmouse - 8
50. Carolina Wren - 6
51. House Wren - 3
52. Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 6
53. Hermit Thrush - 4
54. American Robin - 18
55. Northern Mockingbird - 3
56. Brown Thrasher - 2
57. European Starling - 1
58. Orange-crowned Warbler -1
59. Yellow-rumped Warbler - 76
60. Common Yellowthroat - 3
61. Chipping Sparrow - 2
62. Savannah Sparrow - 55
63. LeConte's Sparrow - 1
64. Song Sparrow - 23
65. Swamp Sparrow - 45
66. White-throated Sparrow - 9
67. Northern Cardinal - 4
68. Red-winged Blackbird - 65
69. Eastern Meadowlark - 6
70. Common Grackle - 8
71. Brown-headed Cowbird - 5
72. American Goldfinch - 12
*****************************************
Mike Musumeche
mjmusumeche(AT)cox-internet.com
New Iberia, Louisiana
----DELETED text/html MIME SECTION----
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Pine warblers
From: Patrick Willis <p.willis(AT)CENTURYTEL.NET>
Date: 3 Feb 2001 8:03pm
Birders, In regard to Toddy Guidry's note, I also have noticed pine
warblers singing (rattling??) the past several days.
Beth Willis, Jena
LaSalle Parish
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