Ended yesterday with 115 spp found within the six areas in lists below. I
failed to mention the heard-only but definitely good singing NELSON'S
SPARROW yesterday near Clark's Marina (with directions in that list
included). Here are yesterday's lists-
RRNWR HQ-
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22824753
La 71 southeast to Ash Point Rd/ Taylortown
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22826812
La 71 southeast from Ash Point to Elm Grove/ Oil Field Rd-
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22827101
La 71 and White House Plantation-
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22828003
La 71 southeast from McDade Rd to Clark's Marina-
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22829270
La 71 at Cooterville oxbow southeast to Red river lock and dam #5-
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22831192
Cheers and good birding, (:
Terry
On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 1:18 AM, Terry Davis <terkchip@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Labirders, Birded Red River National Wildlife Refuge headquarters unit
this (now yesterday) morning, then moved south along La 71 generating 6
separate lists (to be posted soon, with yesterday's) between HQ and Lock
and dam # 5, including the old Clark's Marina area and White House
Plantation. A Red-winged Blackbird movement of over 5000 birds headed north
started the day off with a bang, followed by a movement of 28 juv
Ring-billed Gull headed south. Double-crested Cormorant began moving N in
large numbers (for this late, anyway) also after mid-morning. Otherwise, in
reference to the cormorants, water birding was terribly slow here. Shortly
after dawn, the pecan orchard was crawling with Yellow-rumped Warblers and
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Common Yellowthroat, Northern Parula, White-eyed
Vireo and House Wren were also in good numbers, most singing. I spied an
Ovenbird walking on a fairly large branch at 30' above the ground. It then
gave two short "teacher" as a partial song, flew out and over my head and
disappeared. A Blue-winged Warbler began singing from another pecan nearby.
I made some distant recordings of song, with bird high in tree. Another
Blue-winged and Prairie Warbler were also found a hundred yards west over
the levee, in dense rough-leaf dogwood. Prairie Wa is another that can be
slightly tough to find in our area as a spring migrant away from breeding
grounds. A fos male Blue Grosbeak was recorded giving its metallic "temp"
note in this same area. Numbers of Lincoln's Sparrow are now beginning to
build, with most found today by their quiet, bubbly thrush-like song.
White-throated Sparrow remain in high numbers.
Leaving there, I wasted some major time in non-productive areas between
there and White House Plantation in Elm Grove- but I did find another
Ovenbird and migrant Black-and-White Warbler in Taylortown, among others.
White House gave me fos singing Baltimore Oriole and Indigo Bunting. I had
a few ducks and shorebirds as well, then good numbers of Virginia rail and
especially Sora. I have a pic of two female scaup together and thinking one
is possibly greater. Shows an ear patch and rounded head shape looks right
with comparatively largish bill. However, I also had a group of 4 females
at lock 5, another of which had a patch- but head shape, comparative size
and bill certainly looked Lesser through the scope. Seven Canvasback (6,1)
9 Ruddy (8,1- including pics of 6 of the 8) and a male Ring-necked duck
were found. Earlier near Clark's the shorebird numbers were good with 283
American Golden Plover. I also remember wondering whether I'd see the
Ring-billed Gull later in the day farther south after watching them fly
over me. As it turns out, I may have? I photographed most of a group of 38
in the pool just out from Clark's- all 2y birds. A tight group of two male
Indigo Bunting sitting, looking tired in an entirely leafless pecan, along
with a third invisible calling bird very close by finished the day at Lock
5. Again, it was quite slow in terms of what the date-potential could have
shown. East winds might not have helped, either- but it was fun!
Good birding,
Terry Davis
