Louisiana Birds

[LABIRD-L] Whooping Cranes Vermilion parish 5/23/12

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:33:57 -0500

Hi,
Paul and I had the privilege of seeing 3 whooping cranes on Wednesday.
We spotted them just south of where hwys 700 and 600 intersect. They
were in a field on the west side of hwy 700 about 1 football field in
length behind 4 shiny new rice dryers. The cranes were in

[LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 25, 2012

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:26:40 -0500

The birding at this spot was slow this morning. I suppose that most of the
migration of those birds expected to pass through this area has occurred for
this spring. When those species are passing through, this area is a pretty good
spot to see them. Some neat warblers, vireos and

Re: [LABIRD-L] Here All Along or...

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:08:23 -0500

Miriam, Labird,
From Jay's post I infer that Bob Sargent believes that the
large number of winter hummers is not a modern development. However, that
belief can no more be called "HAA" than it can be called

Re: [LABIRD-L] On requesting eBird HotSpots - please read

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:37:12 -0500

Ed,

I've seen that, too, on ocassion. Saw it once this morning. If you and any other eBird user could email me the specifics, it'd help a lot.

Also, everyone should remember we've now got 3 HotSpot editors in various parts of the state who can supervise those HotSpots better

Re: [LABIRD-L] On requesting eBird HotSpots - please read

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:55:23 -0500

Thank you for doing this. I often see multiple hotspots for locations that can't be more than 100 yards apart. Sometimes it's difficult to choose which one to use.

Ed Wallace
New Orleans

Sent from my iPhone

On May 25, 2012, at 11:00 AM, John Dillon <(email address filtered)> wrote:

>

[LABIRD-L] On requesting eBird HotSpots - please read

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:00:39 -0500

LABIRD,

I just looked through the currently suggested eBird HotSpots (i.e.,
locations only suggested as HotSpots now but not yet accepted as HotSpots).
There were about 45 needing to be reviewed. Of those, I deleted over HALF
because they didn't meet the criteria for what eBird considers a HotSpot or
for some other

[LABIRD-L] Here All Along or...

Fri, 25 May 2012 06:11:30 -0500

Jay, Van, Nancy, Paul...

In my very humble and questionably qualified opinion, the "here all along"
idea for wintering hummingbirds (a.k.a., "HAA") is mostly bogus.

I guess there's a nicer word for it, or certainly a more accurate term, but
my onboard articulatron is still groggy. And, the

[LABIRD-L] Recycled Cliff Swallow Nests? - Cave Swallows New Orleans

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:45:48 -0500

<Erik, Labird,
Is it possible that these nests were originally built by Barns then
recycled with modifications in later seasons by Caves?

Paul Conover
Lafayette>

Hello,

When I first saw the Cave Swallow nests under I-10 at the US 165 intersection a couple of years ago,

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Thu, 24 May 2012 23:30:31 -0500

Erik, Labird,
Is it possible that these nests were originally built by Barns then
recycled with modifications in later seasons by Caves?

Paul Conover
Lafayette

-----Original Message-----
From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds
[mailto:(email address filtered)] On Behalf Of Erik Johnson
Sent: Thursday, May

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:47:44 -0500

Hey all, Interesting nest pics and discussion! The only certain nests I've ever found vvere in a fairly large culvert under a rd near Ballinger in Runnels, Co. Texas vvith adults in attendance. This vvas in the late 90's early 2k's. They reminded me at the time much of Barn

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:28:51 -0500

Bruce/LAbird,

I have photos of the Cave Swallow nests from the Iowa (I-10 x US-165)
colony. From what I've seen, Cave Swallow nests are much more like Barn
Swallow nests, but with lips or cups around each end. Of course, as David
Muth pointed out, nests under construction can get confusing, if

Re: [LABIRD-L] Lowery and Hummingbirds

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:49:15 -0500

> <Indeed an interesting and thought provoking list. What would Lowery have said about the plethora of wintering hummers? NLN>

One of my first CBCs was the Reserve-Bonnet Carre in 1978.

Ron Stein staked me out in his parents' back yard to see a black-chinned
hummingbird which did, indeed, show.

Re: [LABIRD-L] Whooping cranes

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:04:55 -0500

The three whooping cranes were in the same field where I saw them several weeks ago; about a half mile north of the 700/699 intersection west of the highway. They flew from tall grass into an open field and gave us a charming display of dancing before settling

[LABIRD-L] Lowery and Hummingbirds

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:46:28 -0500

<...As on my last local outing, I'm struck by how many species once rare or unknown in the Baton Rouge area are now regular -- George Lowery would have been surprised by ....> - JVR

<Indeed an interesting and thought provoking list. What would Lowery have said about the plethora

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:52:13 -0500

Bruce/Labird:

I went by Seabrook today. It was news to me that any swallows were nesting
there. I have been birding there since about 1975. It has been closed much
of the last 2 years, so I don't know when they started nesting. Anyone? In
any case, every bird I saw, and each of

Re: [LABIRD-L] Am. Avocets and Wood Stork at South Farm

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:22:55 -0500

Van,

On 5/24/2012 2:40 PM, James Remsen wrote:
> LABIRD: finally getting warm enough to take a long walk. Pleasant
> morning at South Farm, with highlights = 3 Am. Avocets (tough bird
> near Baton Rouge), an early Wood Stork, a male Boat-tailed Grackle, a
> Glossy Ibis (only

[LABIRD-L] Central Rapides Parish Birds - Castor Plunge Bottoms, May 24, 2012

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:19:54 -0500

Guess the only bird that might have surprised Dr. Lowery would have been the Barn Swallows nesting under one of the small bridges of 7 or 8 along the bottoms. Castor Plunge Road is nestled in tall bottom deciduous trees adding to its ambiance as a birding/walking/biking site. Sort of

[LABIRD-L] Am. Avocets and Wood Stork at South Farm

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:40:18 -0500

LABIRD: finally getting warm enough to take a long walk. Pleasant
morning at South Farm, with highlights = 3 Am. Avocets (tough bird
near Baton Rouge), an early Wood Stork, a male Boat-tailed Grackle, a
Glossy Ibis (only my 2nd in Baton Rouge area), 64

Re: [LABIRD-L] Whooping cranes

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:13:26 -0500

Janine, Did you see any whoopers yesterday?

Christine Kooi
Baton Rouge

> Date: Sat, 19 May 2012 13:36:20 -0500
> Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Whooping cranes
> From: (email address filtered)
> To: (email address filtered)
> CC: (email address filtered)
>
> I am going that way also this Wednesday and would like to know if the
>

[LABIRD-L] Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

Wed, 23 May 2012 23:42:14 -0500

A friend asked me to report that she had Black-bellied Whistling Ducks show up
on her sea wall on Lake D'Arbonne yesterday. She said that this was the first
time she had seen the ducks on the lake.

[LABIRD-L] recent marsh sightings in Southeast LA

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:13:55 -0500

LABirders:

Some odds and ends from edge-of-marsh surveys in SE LA the last three days:

Horned Grebe- two together a few miles west of the Rigolets from Hwy 11, 5/20

Common Loon- one near Boothville, 5/22

Red-breasted Merganser- one at Grand Bayou Rd, Plaquemines Parish, 5/22

Whimbrels- a handful in three places in the Hwy

[LABIRD-L] Blackpoll Warbler - Garden District, B.R. - May 23, 2012

Wed, 23 May 2012 09:00:52 -0500

Hello All,

I had a female Blackpoll Warbler visit the yard this morning at around 8:30
AM. I could not get a video; she plowed through several trees in less than
a minute. I barely had time to get the binocular on her. Anyway, I felt
it was probably not a

[LABIRD-L] Alder Flycatchers - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 22, 2012

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:25:30 -0500

I had not planned on going back to this site today but glad I did to find the
influx of Alder Flycatchers. I also found a thrush in the same spot as this
past Saturday. It plays hide and seek well in fairly dense cover which keeps me
of identifying

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:41:13 -0500

Thanks John and Jay,

I checked out the Power Dr. bridge this morning and found a nest and about
10 swallows which flew close to me. They had dark throats so I assume they
were Cliff Swallows. The juglike nest was attached to the underside

Re: [LABIRD-L] Honey Island bird banding

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:53:10 -0500

Lots of visitors took advantage of a perfect day in Honey Island on Saturday. Cool, mosquito free, and plenty of good birds. Highlights were a red-shouldered hawk and red-bellied woodpecker. The barred owl fledglings were whistling all morning and the white-eyed vireo near our banding tent was doing an impressive

[LABIRD-L] submitting observations

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:29:07 -0500

Labirders-
Thanks for the nice influx of winter and spring 3 x 5 cards and long
forms. Keep up the good work. Of course, it's never too late to submit
documentation, but the sooner you do it after a sighting, then the better.
I can still

Re: [LABIRD-L] Big Year - Fund Raiser for Baton Rouge Audubon Society

Mon, 21 May 2012 23:31:45 -0500

What
property is being considered??
josephine
avery island
On May 21, 2012, at 8:34 PM, Jay V Huner wrote:

Paul,

Thank you for your generous contribution. Maybe when BRAS secures property, we'll find a review list bird when the site is opened?!

Jay

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Conover" <(email address filtered)>
To: (email address filtered)
Sent: Monday, May 21,

[LABIRD-L] Fwd: eBird Report - Pearl River WMA--Honey Island Swamp, Cave & Cliff swallows

Mon, 21 May 2012 21:53:26 -0500

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <(email address filtered)>
Date: Mon, May 21, 2012 at 9:50 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Pearl River WMA--Honey Island Swamp, May 21, 2012
To: (email address filtered)

Pearl River WMA--Honey Island Swamp, St. Tammany, US-LA
May 21, 2012 7:50 AM - 12:35 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Beginning temp:70,warming up

[LABIRD-L] Eagle, Osprey and Ducks plus Cuckoos - Kincaid Reservoir, May 21, 2012

Mon, 21 May 2012 20:48:12 -0500

This trip started very slowly but the list was respectable. Heck, any day with a Bald Eagle and an Osprey is a good day.

Jay Huner

Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 12:15:15 PM
Subject: Re: eBird Report - Kincaid Reservoir, May 21, 2012

---- (email address filtered) wrote:
> Kincaid Reservoir, Rapides, US-LA
> May

Re: [LABIRD-L] Big Year - Fund Raiser for Baton Rouge Audubon Society

Mon, 21 May 2012 20:34:29 -0500

Paul,

Thank you for your generous contribution. Maybe when BRAS secures property, we'll find a review list bird when the site is opened?!

Jay

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul Conover" <(email address filtered)>
To: (email address filtered)
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 8:04:01 PM
Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Big Year - Fund Raiser for Baton Rouge Audubon

Re: [LABIRD-L] Big Year - Fund Raiser for Baton Rouge Audubon Society

Mon, 21 May 2012 20:04:01 -0500

Jay, Labird,
Sounds like a good cause. I'll contribute $2 for every species you get over the 300 mark.

Good luck,

Paul Conover
Lafayette

-----Original Message-----
From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds [mailto:(email address filtered)] On Behalf Of Jay

[LABIRD-L] FOS Alder Flycatcher - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 21, 2012

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:21:34 -0500

Low on warblers but nice to find the Alder Flycatcher. Prior to this survey, I
spent some time on Black Bayou Lake NWR doing surveys. Will put them on eBird
but not post to LABIRD because there was nothing unusual found there.

Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, Ouachita, US-LA
May 21,

[LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Bogue Chitto NWR, May 19, 2012

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:03:50 -0500

Orleans Audubon Society and Crescent Bird Club held a pleasant trip to Pearl
River WMA (briefly) and Bogue Chitto NWR on 5-19-12. Highlights were a soaring
pair of Swallow-tailed Kites and good looks at most of the breeding warblers and
Acadian Flycatcher.

Glenn Ousset

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "(email address filtered)" <(email address

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Mon, 21 May 2012 17:30:15 -0500

Actually you pish, not push, on the bridge. (amusing typos brought to you
by Apple Computer auto-correction program).

John C. Arvin
Research Associate
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
103 West Hwy 332
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
(email address filtered)
www.gcbo.org

Austin, Texas

----------------------------------------

From: "John Arvin" <(email address filtered)>
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2012 4:04 PM
To: (email address filtered)
Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:04:24 -0500

Bruce,
A classic Cave Swallow nest is an open cup like a Barn Swallow with a
flared lip around the edge. Sometimes, though, the nest will be attached to
the roof all around the edges except for the entrance in front which makes
it look like a cross between a Barn

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:52:52 -0500

Bruce and Others,

Google Cave Swallow Nests to secure information on how their nests differ from those of Cliff Swallows. They are more turret-shaped and open-topped as opposed to the unique, complicated structure of Cliff Swallow nests. This is apparent with the nests under the US 165 x I-10 overpass just

Re: [LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:22:37 -0500

In the last month I have seen what I assume are Cliff Swallows, because
of the buffy rumps, under the Seabrook bridge, The I-10 bridge over the 17th
St. Canal (mixed with Barn Swallows), and the Power Dr. bridge over the
canal north of Vets.

[LABIRD-L] LA Summer Bird Atlas - final season starts 1 June

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:36:25 -0500

LABIRD: The final year of the Louisiana Summer Bird Atlas project
begins 1 June and lasts until 15 July. Everyone is familiar by now
with the project, but just in case, everything you need to know is at:

http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SummerBirdAtlas.html

This year, the priority will be getting as many

[LABIRD-L] Cave Swallows New Orleans

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:34:08 -0500

Labird:

I birded Bayou Sauvage Refuge in New Orleans yesterday, and the adjacent Irish Bayou are. At the Hwy 11/I-10 overpass in the Cliff swallow colony I heard and then saw at least two and possibly more Cave Swallows there. I lucked onto to a couple of shorebird flocks, but was

Re: [LABIRD-L] Am. Kestrel near LSU

Mon, 21 May 2012 01:03:02 -0500

these type of posts are why I stay subscribed.
Thanks for the learned perspective James Remsen...much appreciated

On Sun, May 20, 2012 at 6:46 PM, James Remsen <(email address filtered)> wrote:
> LABIRD: on Ag Center land at LSU today, a female Am. Kestrel caught and ate
> a small bird, almost certainly House

[LABIRD-L] Rapides Parish Birds - Boyce Recreation Area on Red River, May 20, 2012

Sun, 20 May 2012 21:08:56 -0500

I actually had a decent day birding around the house on Cotile Lake - about 4-5 miles SW of the Boyce Recreation Area. Had a single Double-crested Cormorant which is pretty late for around here. Didn't have any migrants but birds around the house plus Boyce Recreation Area birds generated

[LABIRD-L] Decent morning - Corney Lake, Claiborne

Sun, 20 May 2012 20:51:36 -0500

Hit Corney Lake one more time for what has been overall a dismal migration except at the very end. Last weekend was good around here, and today had a few surprises, too. Still hoping the fall will be better.

Worked the dam very carefully first off. Can never tell which

[LABIRD-L] Boat-tailed Grackles fledge young near Baton Rouge

Sun, 20 May 2012 18:51:11 -0500

LABIRD: a quick stop to photograph the territorial male Boat-tailed
Grackle along Hwy. 30 south of Baton Rouge yielded two additional
females plus two recently fledged juvs. They nested at this locality
(Lexington Lakes intersection) a couple of years ago, one of the only
breeding

[LABIRD-L] Am. Kestrel near LSU

Sun, 20 May 2012 18:46:12 -0500

LABIRD: on Ag Center land at LSU today, a female Am. Kestrel caught
and ate a small bird, almost certainly House Sparrow. At this late
date I think summering/breeding might be more likely than a late
migrant. Also present was a late male Blue-winged Teal.

I

[LABIRD-L] Big Year - Fund Raiser for Baton Rouge Audubon Society

Sun, 20 May 2012 10:23:33 -0500

Friends,

Those who follow ebird Top 100 will notice that I have been having a good year in Louisiana. My total of countable birds is 315. Some have asked if I am doing a Big Year for Louisiana? Yes, I am.

Back in January, I was encouraged to do a

[LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 19, 2012

Sat, 19 May 2012 17:07:41 -0500

It seems like the incoming migrants are starting to slow down at least at this
site. That is hard to call for sure but Joan Brown and I saw basically the same
birds today that I did yesterday.

Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, Ouachita, US-LA
May 19, 2012 7:45 AM - 11:35 AM
Protocol:

Re: [LABIRD-L] Whooping cranes

Sat, 19 May 2012 13:36:20 -0500

I am going that way also this Wednesday and would like to know if the
whooping cranes are still in that area.
Janine Robin
Folsom, LA

On Sat, May 19, 2012 at 12:30 PM, Christine Kooi <(email address filtered)> wrote:
> Does anyone know if the whooping cranes are still hanging around the

[LABIRD-L] Alexandria, LA Birds--The Lakes District, May 19, 2012

Sat, 19 May 2012 13:21:15 -0500

Couldn't muster a single warbler today. But heck, still had a decent list. For what it's worth, this is the first time I've had Cliff Swallows in any numbers in the Lake District. They have apparently recently colonized the bridge over the Diversion Canal on Versailles Blvd. They were feeding

[LABIRD-L] Whooping cranes

Sat, 19 May 2012 12:30:56 -0500

Does anyone know if the whooping cranes are still hanging around the intersection of Hwys. 700 and 699? I'd like to take a friend out there to seem them this coming week.

Good birding,

Christine Kooi
Baton Rouge

[LABIRD-L] Fw: eBird Report - Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, May 18, 2012

Fri, 18 May 2012 20:03:06 -0500

The Jackson Parish survey didn't quite satiate my birding appetite this morning
so I went by the river spot. I was glad I did. The Gray-cheeked Thrush is only
the second one I've found and the first for me at this site.

Ouachita River, S of Forsythe Park, Ouachita, US-LA
May 18,