[bsg] Fw: eBird Report - Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Headquarters Unit, Aug 18, 2013
- From: Terry Davis <trdavis22@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds <LABIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 16:59:40 -0700 (PDT)
Hi all, A recent post on the Okbirds listserv on "presumptive bias" reminds me
of what may have happened to me regarding my recent "Mourning Warbler photo". I
consider myself very familiar with fall Mourning Warbler in any "normal"
plumage that might be expected- vs Common Yellowthroat or any other warbler
that would be predominately yellow below. I had first heard, then studied a
definite MOWA hy, and most probably female, closely, at differing angles on and
off for several minutes before backing away and hiding to try for photos after
a lull in activity immediately after the initial sighting. I'll be the first to
admit that I'm rather poor at photography. Moreover, the images on the LCD
screen on my "point and shoot" 50x Canon are very shaky when zoomed up and the
image is somewhat blurred. Although something seemed wrong to me about the
image on the screen frpm the get-go after taking the picture, I remained rather
sure anyway due to the amount of
yellow visible on the bird below in the pic- this combined with the fact of
having actually seen the Mourning Warbler just prior to snapping the photo.
However, after looking at the pic again on the computer, I'm now almost 100%
sure that a Common Yellowthroat was actually photoed. There are several reasons
why I say this. First off, the blurred quality and light angle of the image
appears to be making the yellow more prevalent/spread out than it actually was-
pale spot noted in belly. Although I've seen MOWA do this somewhat, the tail
looks cocked a little too much in comparison to plane of back- but this could
be posture of bird/ angle of photo. What can be seen of the secondaries look
grayish. The head and bill shape look more COYE to me but.. The diffuse but
broad and pale supercilium in photo looks funky. There were also 3-4 birds
moving back and forth from the undergrowth to the sticks where the bird was
photoed, including the MOWA, two
female-type COYE and one of the four female YEWA that were also found at the
immediate location- with at least three birds present in the sticks at one
time- this for much of the duration after I'd set up the EASO tape, hid myself,
then pulled out the camera.
I sent the photo to a couple of people yesterday but still am not entirely
sure they saw my follow-up e-mails sent shortly afterward- or have looked at
the photo very closely for themselves. I could be wrong on both this and my
interpretation of the rather poor photo, though...........
Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Headquarters Unit, Bossier, US-LA
Aug 18, 2013 6:10 AM - 10:05 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: Birded with Ronnie Maum. 2 observers, 3 hrs, 55 mins (0610-1005)
1 mile (.1 mile building area, .9 miles Chocolate trail). Clear, 67 degrees,
calm/ light NNe beginning. Clear, 80 degrees, calm/ light ~N ending. Arrived a
little earlier to try for recording of naturally-calling GHOW early. Ronnie was
already there, saw and heard one but nothing afterward. We birded the building
area and overlook until around 0730 before driving to the back of the refuge
and birding the Chocolate trail. Activity levels were lower than on the 16th
for most spp and the area was notably more quiet. We found a few noteworthy
things such as continuing large nos of GRHE, differing detections/ nos of both
locals and migs/dispersals, then influx of shorebirds.
Two numbers spearated by commas beginning the notes indicate birds found near
building/ overlook (1st number), then along Chocolate trail (2nd number). I did
one more brief scan before leaving building and added 2 more EABL. Vultures and
MIKI were also noted milling overhead closer to and above the Chocolate trail
area to the S-w- as seen from the overlook.
75 species (+1 other taxa)
Wood Duck 61 55, 6. Including 40 feeding on gravel landing on opposite
side of shore from overlook.
Pied-billed Grebe 8 5, 3
Double-crested Cormorant 11 11, 0. Early flybys to N at overlook of 7,
then 4 juv
Anhinga 25 22, 3. Slightly higher no of males but 90%+ f-t.
Great Blue Heron 18 12, 6
Great Egret 63 14, 49. No arrival noted to group at mid-lake beyond
overlook.
Snowy Egret 32 0, 32. Same as GREG
Little Blue Heron 26 1ad, 25- later group at Chocolate ~50/50% hy/ ad
Cattle Egret 55 55, 0. First group perched early at usual roost area for
this season.
Green Heron 36 33, 3. Twenty individuals within a single ~100' stretch
mid-lake early. Ten birds observed with brief second look just before leaving
around 11 a.m.
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 0, 1. Sy
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 5 0, 5. 1 juv, 2sy, 1 ad in back. Ronnie
photo'd sy eating a crawfish.
White Ibis 24 9, 15. Five juv
Black Vulture 1 0, 1
Turkey Vulture 3 0, 3
Mississippi Kite 2 0, 2 ad- one briefly harassing TUVU.
Cooper's Hawk 2 1, 1. Juv, prob m at overlook, then juv f at Choc.
Red-tailed Hawk 1 1, 0- single bird giving incessant begging-type
"ruh-lee...." calls. Called entire time early, also for entire time during 2nd
visit.
Common Gallinule 2 0, 2 ad.
Semipalmated Plover 1 0, 1 by several clear calls
Killdeer 17 2, 15
Black-necked Stilt 1 0, 1
Spotted Sandpiper 5 3, 2. No hy yet observed
Solitary Sandpiper 4 0, 4. Individuals N-bound, then dropping into mud
flats on pond S of Chocolate.
Greater Yellowlegs 1 0, 1 by calls.
Upland Sandpiper 1 1, 0. Calling overhead at overlook early.
Least Sandpiper 3 0, 3
Least Tern 1 1, 0
Rock Pigeon 21 21, 0. Commuters- 20, 1 S early
Mourning Dove 14 10, 4
Eastern Screech-Owl 2 0, 2
Great Horned Owl 1 1, 0
Chimney Swift 6 6, 0
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5 2, 3. Most f-t
Belted Kingfisher 3 2, 1. First increase
Red-headed Woodpecker 1 1, 0
Red-bellied Woodpecker 9 3, 6
Downy Woodpecker 9 2, 7. Missed HAWO today.
Northern Flicker 4 0, 4
Eastern Wood-Pewee 4 4, 0
Alder Flycatcher 9 1, 8. 1 near overlook. Single group of 4 close bird on
Choc, then singles
Empidonax sp. 1 Very brief "wit" series near overlook. Sounded more LEFL
Eastern Phoebe 3 3, 0. Good dispersal numbers for so early! All in
immediate vicinity of overlook. 2 were ad.
Great Crested Flycatcher 6 2, 4
Eastern Kingbird 5 5, 0
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 2, 0
Loggerhead Shrike 1 1, 0
White-eyed Vireo 4 0, 4
Red-eyed Vireo 2 1,1. By song at both areas.
Blue Jay 3 2, 1. No crows
Purple Martin 1 1, 0. Numerous "chur" calls.
Barn Swallow 3 0, 3
Carolina Chickadee 12 1, 11
Tufted Titmouse 2 0, 2
Carolina Wren 18 8, 10
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 9 1, 8. Including groups of 2, 3, then singles on
chocolate.
Eastern Bluebird 3 3, 0.
American Robin 42 15, 27- most hy.
Gray Catbird 1 0, 1. Fos here, poss local breeder- as early. With 3 YEWA
in low scrub edging pond.
Northern Mockingbird 5 3, 2
Brown Thrasher 2 2, 0. Single group.
European Starling 5 5, 0
Kentucky Warbler 1 0, 1.- prob adm.
Common Yellowthroat 2 0, 2
Yellow Warbler 10 5, 5. ~50% m,f. Sigle groups of 4 and 3 seen today, then
singles
Yellow-breasted Chat 3 0, 3. Singles- Two ad, 1 by call
Summer Tanager 3 2f, 1f
Northern Cardinal 39 11, 28.
Blue Grosbeak 1 1 call, 0
Indigo Bunting 5 2, 3
Red-winged Blackbird 3 3, 0. Group f to S
Common Grackle 10 2, 8
Orchard Oriole 4 4f, 0. In same large pecan that prev had YTWA. In company
of 2 f SUTA and 4 YEWA.
Baltimore Oriole 3 2, 1f
House Finch 6 3, 3 flight- calls at Choc
House Sparrow 1 1, 0
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14951752
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Good birding,
Terry
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