[bsg] Fw: eBird Report - Allen/ PRFA location and surrounding areas, Dec 31, 2013

  • From: Terry Davis <trdavis22@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds <LABIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2014 00:01:33 -0800 (PST)

Hi all, Ebird forced me lose some characters (limit 4000 or less) and delete 
the fourth paragraph below regarding our Prairie Falcon below before posting- 
so I copied and pasted deleted portion into long form (soon to be sent), then 
re-entered here. I can certainly understand their point of view. However, finds 
like this need to be documented exactly as found- no matter how much space is 
sacrificed!! I was calling off the details mentioned below to Mark during out 
viewing of the bird. I hope Charlie, Clyde and others can re-find and get 
further documentation of this bird tomorrow! Due to a sick member of family and 
other commitments, I won't be able to make it until possibly at a later date.


On Wednesday, January 1, 2014 1:37 AM, "do-not-reply@xxxxxxxxx" 
<do-not-reply@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 
Allen/ PRFA location and surrounding areas, Natchitoches, US-LA
Dec 31, 2013 7:05 AM - 1:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
12.9 mile(s)
Comments:     Birded with Mark Priddy. 2 observers, 6 hrs, 10 minutes 
(0705-1:15 p.m.) 12.9 miles. Mark and I birded portions of I-49, La 485, King 
Hill Rd and Johnson Chute rd- with aforementioned areas closest to Allen, La. 
If eventually accepted, the Prairie Falcon may represent a second state record. 
Although we're certain of the identification, I surely hope that someone can 
get a photo of the bird to 100% confirm for all. Unquestionably finding 5 SEOW 
at area previously producing 3-5 was great, too!! Not only counting this list, 
Mark and I had a total sp list of 89 for the day. Other highlights were well 
over 100 LESA at the large square pond on Old Bayou Pierre Rd was interesting 
as none could be found
 by our group on count day. We also had a single LESA off King Hill for this 
list. We spent much time early looking for hawks and open-country birds with 
few thickets visited- then those visited were mostly devoid of life other than 
WTSP, NOCA and scattered few others. Stopping at Lock 4 on W side of Red River 
on the way home also produced 300+ AWPE and 6-8 each of SORA and VIRA (made 
some hopefully outstanding recordings of both spp calling within feet of where 
we stood!) 2 Common Moorhen (actually low here at this time) and scattered 
flotillas of LESC and other ducks.
69 species

Wood Duck  4
Gadwall  51
American Wigeon  6
Mallard  82
Blue-winged Teal  3     2m, 1 f at crawfish ponds- area formerly frequently 
birded by S'port BSG. Nice spot by Mark!
Northern Shoveler  21
Northern Pintail  17
Green-winged Teal  25
Redhead  38     Large square pond on W side
 of I- 49- Spanish Lake Lowlands area of RRNWR- with 6 AMWI
Ring-necked Duck  11
Pied-billed Grebe  5
Great Blue Heron  2
Great Egret  8
White Ibis  29
Turkey Vulture  42     No BLVU!
Northern Harrier  11
Red-shouldered Hawk  3
Red-tailed Hawk  65     Including one textbook-plumaged each of krider's adult, 
juvenile dark morph calurus and juvenile intermediate/dark morph Harlan's, then 
ad pale morph calurus (entirely dark/ brown throat, tawny/orangish belly and 
dark/ blackish lower belly- odd latter detail?) RTHA ttoal numbers counted by 
1's with at least three groups of 7 observed perched at single locations along 
I-49. More details later.
American Coot  62
Sandhill Crane  133     Initially had 11 on King hill then 3 on Johnson Chute- 
returning later had 130 on King Hill (120 counted by 10's then separate group 
of 10 at immediate PRFA
 location later. Count felt right to conservative.
Killdeer  252
Greater Yellowlegs  3
Least Sandpiper  1
Eurasian Collared-Dove  1
Mourning Dove  8
Short-eared Owl  5     Johnson Chute, same area. Flushed single group of 4 from 
grassy roost, perched in very close proximity to one another, then another 
single which was even closer to us after observing the four, then continuing 
the walk
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  7
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  4
Northern Flicker  1
American Kestrel  8
Prairie Falcon  1     Mark Priddy and I observed the bird sitting perched low 
on Barbed wire fence post facing us/ slightly to side at ~300 yards to our n-e 
for 2+ minutes wherein comparative size, structure and field marks were plainly 
seen. Mark was attempting to set up the camera when the bird relieved itself, 
then promptly relocated to WSW,
 then S. I followed the bird through scope, which actually briefly flew closer 
toward our position before continuing low to S, noting the black axillaries of 
underwing.
Directions- if going S on I 49, exit at La 485 (powhatan/allen exit) and go E 
.3 miles (.1 E if coming from S.). Make left on King Hill Rd and go 3.7 miles. 
Make right at unnamed gravel gas well rd and go .7 miles. Make right at gas 
well rd and go .3 miles. Park beyond well on left side. Bird was observed on 
fence post to N-e, then flying low S-w slightly, then S, whereupon it was lost 
from view flying toward a large pond with dabbling ducks, etc. This pond can be 
seen before the turn off from King Orchard somewhat distant on E side of rd. 
the habitat is open agri/ plowed fields and pasture with scattered stringers of 
trees and weeds along fencerows. there were 7 NOHA in general area + numerous 
KILL.We searched for over an hour but were unable to relocate the PRFA. We are 
absolutely
 certain of the identification. Good luck to those that try relocating this 
awesome bird!!
More details of the observation. The bird was first noted at approx 300 yards 
to the Northeast of our location standing on a standard wooden fencepost a 
little over 4' high- this within a shorter-grass area of cattle pasture. It 
stood facing us, slightly to the side (bird facing ~S-w) and seen to be 
somewhat larger than an American Crow. Although quite distant initially through 
bins, the overall paleness and brown cast to the bird above and narrow 
falcon-like shape was striking. I immediately jumped toward the back of the 
truck and removed the spotting scope, zoomed to 60x and had the bird filling at 
least 1/3 to 1/4 of the viewing field. Immediately, the single, narrow, 
rectangular and distinct dark smudge of moustache was observed protruding below 
into face- narrow but blunt and squarish at bottom. The contrasting white 
auriculars behind the moustache was also
 distinctive and was open and white behind eye. A large dark patch at rear and 
below and behind eye at rear auriculars was also observed with white jutting 
from below in a narrow crescent almost fully setting this patch off from the 
back/ sides of the head from below. The bird had a thin, whitish supercilium 
above the eye to just behind, firmly offsetting the crown which was faintly 
darker than portion of sides of wings and back that could be seen- also thin 
dark postocular stripe continuing behind eye and diffused into darker portion 
behind head. My attention was then drawn to the breast which was whitish in the 
center with very thin, spaced brownish streaks at center, with a thin area of 
darker, heavier and almost blackish blotches observed at sides of breast, 
continuing below into breast and visible against folded wing. The bird turned 
slightly, more sideways to our viewing position- at which point the pale 
brownish back was seen even better- somewhat
 irregularly smudged with pale buff edging- but again, overall strikingly pale. 
The right wing facing us was drooped somewhat briefly, then straightened and 
tail was briefly seen to protrude noticeably beyond the primary tips, although 
this portion of view was brief- bird was also then standing more "at ready" and 
horizontal. A wing was lifted very briefly but enough to give a quick shot of 
the dark axillaries. I wasn't quite sure but thought I'd seen the yellow cere. 
However, I missed an important detail while trying my best to eliminate 
tundrius PEFA by other structural details and marks which struck Mark 
immediately as he looked at the bird through the scope- the bright yellow feet, 
which confirmed the bird as an adult!
The bird then lifted it's tail briefly and forcefully ejected whitish excrement 
before pushing off and flying slightly in our direction before correcting only 
very slightly and flying South. I followed the bird from the perch across it's 
nearly missile-straight trajectory very low over ground and again noting the 
contrastingly dark, almost blackish armpits the entire time bird was in flight 
with strong, quite shallow wingbeats- until bird was moving more away than to 
side from my scoping position. The blackish of axillaries seemed to protrude 
into underwing coverts somewhat but growing dimmer there. The extent of darkish 
coloration into underwing coverts was hard to see with bird flying so low. I 
lost the bird low over taller weeds as it flew S toward a willow-lined bed-pan/ 
horseshoe shaped pond containing MALL, NOPI, NOSH and GWTE. We waited, scoped 
and searched for over an hour, driving up and down the roads before leaving. A 
juvenile
 intermediate/dark morph harlan's RTHA was also seen in the immediate area. 
Numerous KILL, 2 Lapland Longspurs, 1 HOLA and several SASP, EAME and others 
were there/nearby. We tried again to relocate the bird for over an hour later 
in afternoon but were unsuccessful. However, our latter count of Sandhill Crane 
upon returning was 130, not 11 as previously found and we also added a calling 
Sprague's Pipit!
Eastern Phoebe  4
Loggerhead Shrike  6
Blue Jay  8
American Crow  118     No fish- heard elsewhere.
Horned Lark  4     3,1
Carolina Chickadee  3
Tufted
 Titmouse  2
Sedge Wren  1
Carolina Wren  3     House hear elsewhere for day
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3
Eastern Bluebird  7
Hermit Thrush  1
American Robin  3
Northern Mockingbird  10
European Starling  2
American Pipit  347     Single group of 300+ largest group I've seen in a LONG 
TIME!!- on King Hill, approximately 2 miles S-w of PRFA location.
Sprague's Pipit  1     PRFA location- definite, somewhat tinny "skleet" flight 
calls. Heard clearly upon our return to search for PRFA
Lapland Longspur  5     2,1,2- missed prev on Natch CBC
Eastern Towhee  1     female
Chipping Sparrow  1
Vesper Sparrow  8
Savannah Sparrow  185
Le Conte's Sparrow  3
Fox Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  13
Swamp Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  47
White-crowned Sparrow  40
Northern Cardinal  26
Red-winged
 Blackbird  314
Eastern Meadowlark  16
Western Meadowlark  30     Single group. King Hill just S of posted entry gate 
toward Messenger Farms.
Rusty Blackbird  1     fem
Brewer's Blackbird  252
Common Grackle  1910
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
American Goldfinch  3

View this checklist online at 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16152608

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Good birding,

Terry

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  • » [bsg] Fw: eBird Report - Allen/ PRFA location and surrounding areas, Dec 31, 2013 - Terry Davis