Adam,
I wouldn't assume the bird is a male just because it's leaving the nest tree
regularly to feed. Some reasons for a female behaving like this might be
that 1) it was disturbed by someone getting too close; 2) there is no male
around so it has to forage for itself; 3) the eggs have hatched and again,
with no male around, it has to do all the feeding itself. In all the
references we checked, it seems that the tail length is the way to
distinguish adult male from female. Sibley shows the juvenile's tail as
being short only May through December, so even if this was a young male it
would probably have its full tail by now. So for now we're still thinking
this is a female that we're seeing.
Alyce Quinn
Roanoke
-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of ADAM D'ONOFRIO
Sent: Sunday, July 04, 2004 9:03 PM
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [va-bird] Roanoke Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 7/4
This morning I took the drive to Roanoke to look for the Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher found at the Countryside Golf Course. I arrived at the
course at 7:30 where I met Mike Iwanik from Charlottsville and his
girlfriend Theresa. We met at Laurel Ridge Road to try to see the bird
around the 6th hole without actually going onto the course. After 2
hours of no luck, we decided that we had to go on the course if we were
going to see this bird. We proceeded to the clubhouse to ask for
permission and then headed out to the 5th hole being very careful to
stay out of the way of any golfers. Shortly after, we saw the bird near
the 5th hole. It was in the trees to our left. We watched it as it
headed into a somewhat small pine tree in the middle of the course
before the 5th hole. The bird continued to leave the pine tree
regularly to forage at about 10-20 minute intervals and then would
return to the tree. I have no experience with this bird nesting but
according to the literature I read today, the female lays 4-6 eggs (1
per day) and then begins the incubation period. On Friday, Barry Kinzie
confirmed 5 eggs in the nest so the female should be incubating the
eggs. The male then forages and feeds the female at the nest and also
keeps predators away from the nest. I'm assuming the bird we saw today
flycatching was the male, even though the tail seemed too short. The
bird we saw today also chased away any bird that came near the tree.
Because we didn't want to disturb the nest, we didn't approach the tree
to confirm that there were 2 birds in the tree. Hopefully the folks
from Roanoke will keep us up to date on the nesting. Towards the end of
my day, I had the pleasure of meeting Seth and Betsy Williamson who were
as delighted as I was to see this beautiful rarity on the 4th of July!
Good Birding.
Adam D'Onofrio
Dinwiddie Co.
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