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NH.Birds for Sunday, June 22, 2008
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Subject: Re: Identify a hawk picture?
From: Jon Woolf <jsw(AT)jwoolfden.com>
Date: 22 Jun 2008 7:27am
At 03:57 PM 6/21/2008, I wrote:
>Calling all hawk experts:
>
>I was at a horse show this morning, at a place in Webster NH, when
>this hawk flew overhead:
>
>http://www.jwoolfden.com/bird_photos/unident_hawk.jpg
>
>I heard a Red-shouldered Hawk calling somewhere nearby, but I'm sure
>this is not that. After perusing my various field guides, I believe
>this is an adult Broad-winged Hawk, based on the dark outline to the
>wings and the single white band visible on the long tail. Am I
>correct, or is this some other hawk?
Well, I've gotten nine replies on- and off-list, and seven of them
agree: adult Broad-winged Hawk. I think that qualifies as a consensus. :-)
I'm happy. It seems like I'm slowly getting better at identifying
hawks in flight. Used to be I only knew two: one was a Red-tailed
and the other wasn't. Now I'm reasonably confident of Red-tailed,
Red-shouldered, Broad-winged, Osprey, and Harrier. Still working on
the rest.
-- Jon Woolf
Manchester, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Identify a hawk picture?
From: Bruce Boyer <bboyer192(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 22 Jun 2008 7:53am
If you ever go to a "hawk watch" on some mountain top during fall
migration, you may be awed and intimidated (as I was) by the ability
of expert birders to identify hawks which can barely be seen.
On Jun 22, 2008, at 7:27 AM, Jon Woolf wrote:
> At 03:57 PM 6/21/2008, I wrote:
>> Calling all hawk experts:
>>
>> I was at a horse show this morning, at a place in Webster NH, when
>> this hawk flew overhead:
>>
>> http://www.jwoolfden.com/bird_photos/unident_hawk.jpg
>>
>> I heard a Red-shouldered Hawk calling somewhere nearby, but I'm
>> sure this is not that. After perusing my various field guides, I
>> believe this is an adult Broad-winged Hawk, based on the dark
>> outline to the wings and the single white band visible on the long
>> tail. Am I correct, or is this some other hawk?
>
> Well, I've gotten nine replies on- and off-list, and seven of them
> agree: adult Broad-winged Hawk. I think that qualifies as a
> consensus. :-)
>
> I'm happy. It seems like I'm slowly getting better at identifying
> hawks in flight. Used to be I only knew two: one was a Red-tailed
> and the other wasn't. Now I'm reasonably confident of Red-tailed,
> Red-shouldered, Broad-winged, Osprey, and Harrier. Still working on
> the rest.
>
> -- Jon Woolf
> Manchester, NH
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: New Suncook River/Epsom
From: "sayoung" <sayoung(AT)metrocast.net>
Date: 22 Jun 2008 10:27am
I ventured down to the dunes along the new river course yesterday to check
out the Bank Swallow Colonies. While at the base of one speculating if it was
a bear digging out a tier of nests (claw mark size,diameter of excavation) a
downy four inch chick peered over a clay ledge. Cutest darn thing-Spotted
Sandpiper, mostly legs. Its a stark landscape ( not NH) with its fast
sand/gravel stream bed interspersed with ancient peat and clay formations and
very little vegetation.
Scott Young/Strafford
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sa_young/sets/72157600169445770
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Pittsburg - 6/12-20
From: Erik Nielsen <erikbogh(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 22 Jun 2008 11:51am
My wife and I just returned from 9 days in Pittsburg. The weather was OK
most of the time. It rained most days, but never for a whole day.
On the morning of Sunday the 15'th it rained fairly hard and there had
been some prolonged downpours during the previous night, so we decided
check the lakes and big lawns for unusual ducks (or other water birds).
We had lucked out on other occasions during similar conditions
previously; but the bird we found this time was totally unexpected and
by far the best one on the trip: A Whimbrel on the lawn at the First
Conn. Lake boat launching area.
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/WHIM_IMG_7275.jpg
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/WHIM_IMG_7290.jpg
That's my first inland Whimbrel anywhere, and I think - my first June
one as well. The question is where it's a late spring or early fall
migrant - or a nonbreeding subadult bird. It looked like an adult to me;
but how do you really tell?
Other highlights include:
A couple Wood Ducks at First Conn. Lake boat Launch (we only rarely see
them in Pittsburg):
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/WODU_IMG_7363.jpg
A young Bald Eagle on the 18'th:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/BAEG_IMG_7446.jpg
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/BAEG_IMG_7454.jpg
Young Wild Turkey in a tree:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/WITU_IMG_7542.jpg
and mom nearby:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/WITU_IMG_7537.jpg
Olive-sided Flycathers:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/OSFL_IMG_7371.jpg
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/OSFL_IMG_7376.jpg
Good numbers of Yellow-bellied Flycathers - mostly along East Inlet Road.
A couple of Philadelphia Vireos on Scott's Bog (or Brook) Road
Decent numbers of Gray Jays - Adult:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/GRAJ_IMG_7211.jpg
Young:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/GRAJ_IMG_7443.jpg
Almost daily Boreal Chickadees - they usually are difficult to see in June.
18 Northern Waterthrushes along Indian Stream Road on the 17'th
An Eastern Meadowlark singing right outside our cabin the morning of the
14'th. There is no habitat for Meadowlarks anywhere nearby, so I wonder
what that was all about.
I haven't entered the data for my USGS Breeding Bird Survey route yet;
but our other daily totals can be seen here:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/Birds_2008_06.html
The weather wasn't great for butterflies; but here are a few of the ones
we saw:
Arctic Skipper on Forget-me-nots:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/ARSK_IMG_7573.jpg
Green Comma - dorsal:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/GRNC_IMG_7230.jpg
ventral:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/GRNC_IMG_7235.jpg
Mustard White:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/MUWH_IMG_7160.jpg
Pink-edged Sulphur:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/PESU_IMG_7558.jpg
and a totally unexpected Variegated Fritillary - very much north of its
normal range:
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/VAFR_IMG_7635.jpg
http://boghnielsen.com/Pittsburg/2008-06/VAFR_IMG_7639.jpg
Erik Nielsen
Westwood, MA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Kites and Random Coastal Sightings
From: Steve Mirick <smirick(AT)comcast.net>
Date: 22 Jun 2008 6:26pm
MISSISSIPPI KITE - 2. We only had 2 birds there this morning in the
hour or so we visited. One was ON THE NEST the whole time we were
there. Very hard to see the nest, let alone the bird on it. I thought
they were incubating full-time last Wednesday, but apparently not.
Let's hope they're incubating full time now. Another bird was perched
for a while across the street from the nest which I guess was the young
female. I guess I haven't seen the adult female yet. No major issues
with birders today, however the bird on the nest was vocalizing briefly
when birders were gathered (briefly) underneath the nest tree talking.
My shots from today of the ?sub-adult female?:
http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/photos/mississippikite22.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/photos/mississippikite24.jpg
Casual birding along the coast for a couple of hours later:
-----------------------------------------------------------
White-winged Scoter - 4 off Rye Ledge. One adult male.
Black Scoter - 1 female off Rye Ledge
Northern Gannet - 4 scattered along coast. All appeared to be 1st summer.
Snowy Egret - 3 along coast
Great Egret - 3 along coast
Virginia Rail - 1 behind Little Jack's restaurant in Hampton.
Bald Eagle - 1 adult off Spaulding Turnpike in Newington. Presumably
one of the local pair, I guess.
Peregrine Falcon - 1 adult on I95 bridge. Tucked in, but fairly well
seen considering I was driving!
Roseate Tern - 4 scattered along the coast in Rye with a few dozen Commons.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 in marsh behind Little Jack's.
Vesper Sparrow - 2 (1 singing) off McIntyre Road in Newington (but no
Grasshoppers)
Steve & Jane Mirick
Bradford, MA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Bicknell's Thrushes, Mt Washington
From: "Mark Suomala" <mrsuomala(AT)marksbirdtours.com>
Date: 22 Jun 2008 7:11pm
Found an excellent selection of vocalizing birds while guiding on Mt
Washington this morning, including:
BICKNELL'S THRUSH 1 in the scope plus 2 others heard
Swainson's Thrush several heard "pipping" and singing
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 2 in the scope plus several others heard
Blackpoll Warbler 1 in the scope and numerous heard birds
Yellow-rumped Warblers several scope views
Winter Wren 2 heard only birds
White-throated Sparrow several seen and heard
Mark Suomala
www.marksbirdtours.com
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Kites/questions/photos
From: cmsbirds(AT)comcast.net (Chris Sheridan)
Date: 22 Jun 2008 7:42pm
I arrived at the "kite site "about 12:30. Almost immediately a kite,
vocalizing, soared in and circled gracefully, landing on a dead branch in a
tree opposite the nest tree.
Within moments, the male kite arrived,the two copulated, and the male departed.
The female -- I was told she appeared to be the sub-adult female--
preened for a while, then flew off.
A few minutes later, the male came back and flew into the nest tree,
where he remained as long as I stayed (about an hour.)
(one birder thought he was carrying food and feeding
the female on the nest), I couldn't see much after he went into the tree.
A kite (the juvenile female?) could be spotted occasionally, on both sides of
the road, (as if it were flying in large circles.)
Shortly before I left, a Broad winged hawk, screaming, flew out after a larger
raptor. I'm not sure what the bigger bird was. The small Broad Wing was
definitely the
aggressor. Someone thought it was the juvie female, but it appeared browner and
"ragged", with a banded tail, not like
the female on the branch.
So I have some questions! Is the male also mating with the younger female? Was
the older female on the nest?
Who was the Broad Wing chasing?
I put up some pics, and would love to get others' opinions.
www.pbase.com/cmsbirds/mississippi_kites
While I was there, no one went under the nest tree, and people were quiet and
respectful. There were 5-6 birders there. Several passersby were quite
interested in what was going on.The family at the white fence house had put out
chairs, and were watching the watchers. They did not act "approachable" and I'm
not sure they were happy....
And...a friendly photographer from the Portsmouth Herald passing by on his day
off was attracted to the group with scopes, binoculars and cameras and
interested in the kite's story. It was suggested that he contact NH Audubon for
more info...Hopefully any publicity will not be detrimental to the Kites, or
their neighbors.
Chris Sheridan
Nashua NH
cmsbirdsATcomcast.net
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Re: Kites and Random Coastal Sightings
From: tbbirds(AT)comcast.net (Terry Bronson)
Date: 22 Jun 2008 7:44pm
I was at the coast for only a couple of hours in late morning. I had
1 Roseate Tern in the second cove south of Odiorne with about
60 Common Terns. Also 1 male Long-tailed Duck at Rye Ledge--
if this is the same bird that's been here for a while, it is moving
around. I really didn't scan the ocean--very hazy when I was there.
Nothing but the 3 usual gulls and Common Eiders otherwise.
--
Terry Bronson
Hampton Falls, NH
tbbirds(AT)comcast.net
-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Steve Mirick <smirick(AT)comcast.net>
> MISSISSIPPI KITE - 2. We only had 2 birds there this morning in the
> hour or so we visited. One was ON THE NEST the whole time we were
> there. Very hard to see the nest, let alone the bird on it. I thought
> they were incubating full-time last Wednesday, but apparently not.
> Let's hope they're incubating full time now. Another bird was perched
> for a while across the street from the nest which I guess was the young
> female. I guess I haven't seen the adult female yet. No major issues
> with birders today, however the bird on the nest was vocalizing briefly
> when birders were gathered (briefly) underneath the nest tree talking.
> My shots from today of the ?sub-adult female?:
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/photos/mississippikite22.jpg
>
> http://home.comcast.net/~smirick/photos/mississippikite24.jpg
>
> Casual birding along the coast for a couple of hours later:
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> White-winged Scoter - 4 off Rye Ledge. One adult male.
> Black Scoter - 1 female off Rye Ledge
> Northern Gannet - 4 scattered along coast. All appeared to be 1st summer.
> Snowy Egret - 3 along coast
> Great Egret - 3 along coast
> Virginia Rail - 1 behind Little Jack's restaurant in Hampton.
> Bald Eagle - 1 adult off Spaulding Turnpike in Newington. Presumably
> one of the local pair, I guess.
> Peregrine Falcon - 1 adult on I95 bridge. Tucked in, but fairly well
> seen considering I was driving!
> Roseate Tern - 4 scattered along the coast in Rye with a few dozen Commons.
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 in marsh behind Little Jack's.
> Vesper Sparrow - 2 (1 singing) off McIntyre Road in Newington (but no
> Grasshoppers)
>
> Steve & Jane Mirick
> Bradford, MA
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Refreshed by Northern Gannets
From: newburyportbirders(AT)comcast.net
Date: 22 Jun 2008 9:26pm
New Hampshire Birders,
Susan Sellers and I spent several days with Northern Gannets, they dressed in
crisp,
white wings trimmed in black and heads tinged with a yellow wash. They were
diving at every vantage point on the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec.
Northern Gannets are swift and powerful fliers. Their legs are short with
large, webbed feet that make them awkward in landings and take-offs. We
witnessed that less than graceful activity at the breeding colony on Bonaventure
Island. We watched them glide for hours just above the breaking waves, rarely
moving their wings. Their long wings have an angular look. The wing tips, head
and tail make four points in flight. They are fascinating to observe because
they hover momentarily prior to their vertical dives. These birds can sustain
the force of the impact of their spectacular dives due to special adaptations
and are designed to be superb divers. Their thick skull acts as a hard-hat, and
it's the reinforced skull that cushions the impact. Air sacs [bubble-wrap like]
are strategically located in the neck and shoulder areas; they are inflated
during the plunge-dive. Lacking external nares limits the risk of intake of
water during the dive. They also close their pale, blue-gray
bill very tightly so water doesn't enter their mouth. This streamlined,
torpedo-like body is nearly resistance free.
>From a good height, these birds glided above the swiftly moving water, and with
their binocular vision, they spied the scaled and slippery prey in the turbulent
water. Once they had visually located their next meal, they began the descent.
With wings tucked and back extended, they entered the water. The head-first
dives at amazing speed enthralled us. As they plunged into the water, these
aerialists drew us in. They were under and then resurfaced. We were students of
this vertical diver as we watched intently. The magnificent and dramatic sight
of these accomplished fliers with hollow bones and air sacs continues to
intrigue us. The wedge-shaped head and the bill which is stout at the base and
narrows to the tip are almost arrow-like. Their wings and feet aid in pursuit
of herring, mackerel, capelin and squid underwater.
While on Bonaventure Island, we watched these birds on their breeding ground.
Their feet are totipalmate with all four toes united by webbing. We studied the
pale, green lines along their legs and each of their toes. Both sexes look
alike, lacking sexual dimorphism. Males and females share incubation of a lone,
light, bluish white, kelp-stained egg with their feet since they lack brood
patches. Year after year, they occupy the same nest as it becomes a heap of
feathers, kelp, fish bones and droppings.
We spent some time with some Canadian Wildlife Bird Surveyors and gleaned much
from them. They were conducting surveys off the Perce area and shared the
following with us:
Bonaventure Island ~ Northern Gannet Colony Data
1914 8,000
1938 14,000
1961 26,500
1966 42,000
1995 60,000
2004 106,000
These gentlemen told us that the next survey of Northern Gannets on Bonaventure
Island is scheduled for 2009 at which point they expect it to be the largest and
most easily accessible Northern Gannet colony in the world.
We spent hours with the birds, lured by their ice-blue eyes, their dives and
their crisp plumage. We witnessed billing, copulation, allopreening, nest
construction and nest material delivery.
We now return to our routines refreshed by this field experience.
Best Wishes,
Sue
Sue McGrath
Observe ~ Appreciate ~ Identify
Newburyport Birders
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-462-4785
newburyportbirders(AT)comcast.net
www.newburyportbirders.com
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