[bsg] Fw: eBird Report - Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Headquarters Unit, Nov 3, 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, 3 Nov 2013 15:53:29 -0800 (PST)





On Sunday, November 3, 2013 5:44 PM, "do-not-reply@xxxxxxxxx" 
<do-not-reply@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
 
Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Headquarters Unit, Bossier, US-LA
Nov 3, 2013 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Birded with Ronnie Maum and Herb Pierce from Boston. Ronnie was 
very busy with the camera and got numerous outstanding shots!! Herb said it was 
a really good birding day for he as well! 3 observers, 6 hours (0600-1200, 
although nearly an hour of that walking slowly back looking at plants/ 
habitat), 3 miles (1.9 thoroughly surveyed). Clear/ foggy, 42 degrees, wind 
calm/ trace ENE beginning, variable light to 10 S-e much of survey. Clear, 61 
degrees, wind 8-10 S-e ending. THREE Spotted Towhee and Cave Swallow were best 
birds. Single apparently "clean" pink-sided junco was also a great find. 
Black-throated Green Wa, Nashville Wa, Franklin's Gull, PILES of arriving 
winter sparrows and FOS Canvasback also good to see!
As usual, no locals/ common residents were counted at the levee confluence, 
Arthur Ray Teague Parkway and recently added back road through the open. This 
road which has been entirely dead for several months except for MODO, NOMO and 
NOCA was alive with arriving winter sparrows for the first time today. Locals 
were also left off during that brief portion of the survey. The only additional 
spp recorded outside the usual 1-1.1 mile were 2 LOSH along the parkway and the 
Black-throated Green Wa.
83 species (+1 other taxa)

Snow Goose  7     Single tight group high N with 1 dark phase and 1 Ross's.
Ross's Goose  1
Canada Goose  4     4, 0. Part of long term feral population
Wood Duck  36     17, 19. Groups 6, 11 from overlook then 19 S-w over Chocolate 
trail.
Gadwall  123     12, 111. 20 with AMCO, then scat groups of 10-12 birds S from 
Choc trail.
Northern Shoveler  6     2, 4
Green-winged Teal  41     40, 1. 40 high S at overlook then single f w/ Gadwall 
group in back
Canvasback  24     0, 24. 4, 20 to S-e FOS
Pied-billed Grebe  32     26, 6
Double-crested Cormorant  175     25, 150. Conservative! Single group at roost, 
then many groups of 8-12 low to high S over back trail
American White Pelican  27     11, 16. Groups briefly circling, then to s
Great Blue Heron  8     6, 2
Great Egret  28     26, 2. Initial count at roost.
Snowy Egret  8     8, 2. Early group S-e low toward back unit with 3 TRHE
Tricolored Heron  4     4, 0. Add single to N-w alone in cove
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1     1, 0 S-y
White Ibis  3     3, 0. Juv
Turkey Vulture  3     0, 3
Cooper's Hawk  1     0, 1. Fem, prob sy (brownish-gray above)
Red-shouldered Hawk  2     0, 2. Ad, juv
Red-tailed Hawk  5     0, 5. Ad. Sep soaring + small trickle of 2 sep ad 
overhead to S
American Coot  575     275, 300. Group split at lotus roost area with half 
toward back today. Not previously noted
Killdeer  5     4, 1. Displaying pairs beyond overlook
Greater Yellowlegs  1     0, 1 calls
Franklin's Gull  8     Tight group high s as leaving overlook.
Ring-billed Gull  3     3, 0. Two first winter, one ad.
Rock Pigeon  1     1, 0. Commuter S-e
Mourning Dove  353     350, 3. Enormous group early just at dawn to W/S-w 
beyond overlook. This group probably originates from roost along ART Parkway 
just to the S-e of the building a half-mile or so. It would be interesting to 
get a count leaving there- as areas farther to the S are much more open- loaded 
with Croton, etc.
Great Horned Owl  1     1, 0. Calling at dawn
Belted Kingfisher  4     2, 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  12     4, 8
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  6     5, 1. First noted or minor increase
Downy Woodpecker  9     2, 7
Hairy Woodpecker  3     0, 3. Found in willows as 1, 2 on W half of Chocolate 
trail.
Northern Flicker  11     2, 9. Minor increase but no big moves yet
Eastern Phoebe  16     3, 13
Loggerhead Shrike  2     0, 2
Blue Jay  6     4, 2. Low!!
American Crow  1     0, 1
Fish Crow  8     6, 2. Early group very high to N-w, 2 high n over Choc.
Tree Swallow  250     250, 0- although visible on both trails. Conservative. 
Ronnie photo's small portion of group tightly packed on dead willow.
Cave Swallow  1     Circling w/ Tree- at first from great distance was thought 
to be NRSW- until bird banked and pale buff crisply delineated rump patch 
noted. Circled closer to our observation point and pale buff-pinkish throat was 
seen well
Carolina Chickadee  9     3, 6
Tufted Titmouse  7     3, 4
Brown Creeper  2     2, 0. Separate singles in pecans at building and levee/rd 
confluence.
House Wren  15     2, 13
Winter Wren  14     2, 12. Counted in areas with 1-3 birds within close range- 
several individuals giving song
Sedge Wren  1     0, 1. Narrow-leaved aster. Again, poorest season ever thus 
far.
Carolina Wren  8     3, 5. Very low!
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  2     0, 2. Widely separated singles in dense black 
willow/ mix along Chocolate trail
Golden-crowned Kinglet  6     5, 1. First noted increase. Single group of 5 in 
pecans at building/ overlook.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  35     12, 23. First noted increase.
Eastern Bluebird  9     3, 6. Three W-S-w at overlook, then scattered 1-3 ~S 
high over Choc.
Hermit Thrush  4     1, 3. First noted increase. Found as 2, 1 along Choc trail 
in thickets edging W end.
American Robin  269     237, 32. First majot increase. Few on ground except 
tight group of 40 along levee. Two-hundred counted at single loc near levee 
confluence w/ road to back with most high in trees. Passing overhead in 
variable directions entire (except late) morning, mostly to S/S-e or gen, few 
small groups to N-w.
Brown Thrasher  15     6, 9. Scatt groups 1-6 birds
Northern Mockingbird  7     1, 6.
European Starling  43     3, 40. Found as 2 W, 1 SSE, then 40 N.
American Pipit  6     3, 3. All recorded as spaced single flyovers to S and S-w
Nashville Warbler  1     0, 1. In marsh elder and adjacent large buttonbush- 
largish, brightly-plumaged indiv.
Common Yellowthroat  4     0, 4. Found as 1,2,1 - including 2 sep ad m
Pine Warbler  2     1, 1. Hyf, adm.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  65     15, 50. First noted increase. 
Individuals counted along choc mostly on W end of trail.
Black-throated Green Warbler  1     1, 0. Incessantly-chipping indiv in large 
pecans at brief levee confluence stop. Another probable along Choc in black 
willow.
Spotted Towhee  3     Found as 1, 2 along West and central West portions of 
Chocolate trail. First was heard-only giving 2-3 "growl"-calls at close range 
in dense roughleaf dogwood edged with grasses and various weeds / vines- near W 
end of trail- near first curve to right if walking E and on N side of path. The 
pr was prob ad f (deep but warmish dark brown above- not blackish gray like 
some prob hy m I've seen) and ad m (black-backed) in mixed dense thicket edged 
with marsh elder approx 200 yards E of first location on S side of path- with 
numerous other sparrows including WCSP, WTSP, SWSP, SOSP LISP. Ronnie obtained 
excellent photos of the male and possibly f. I obtained poor recordings of male 
which was vocal, but comparatively more spaced with it's calls. I've found 
three in a day over several locations and miles a couple of times in the past 
but this is a first for three birds at one spot!! The female did not appear to 
have any white at base of
 primaries suggesting hybrid. The male in photos showed some extremely faint 
spotting there but was looking at camera screen afield and was hard to see. All 
appeared to be heavily-spotted "plains" arcticus. More later!!
Eastern Towhee  1     1, 0
Chipping Sparrow  4     Found as 2, 2 at building, levee convergence
Vesper Sparrow  1     0, 1. Perched in large lime prickly ash on W end of Choc.
Savannah Sparrow  4     0, 4. Found as 2,1,1 back rd and Choc
Le Conte's Sparrow  1     0, 1
Fox Sparrow  1     0, 1. Brief incessant smacking + few notes near SPTO pr.
Song Sparrow  32     2, 30. First noted increase
Lincoln's Sparrow  9     0, 9. Found as 1,1,5,1,1. Largest concentration just E 
of SPTO pr. Dense black willow/ marsh elder/ weedy mix
Swamp Sparrow  46     1, 45.
White-throated Sparrow  190     80, 110. Conservative! First major increase. 
Two largest loose groups of 60+ individuals
White-crowned Sparrow  21     0, 21. Scatt smaller groups of 1-5 including back 
trail and Choc. Definite increase for HQ.
Dark-eyed Junco  9     2, 7. One and 2 of two separate groups looked too clean 
to be "slate-colored" but not clean enough for "pink-sided". No "good" hyemalis 
were seen, although several individuals were listed on basis of "titititit" and 
smacking calls.
Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided)  1     Possibly hy male? Comparatively largish to 
two others in same group-Pale gray head/ nape, contrasting dark/ blackish 
lores, bright pink wash at sides. Convex (bulge toward lower breast/belly) 
breast pattern.
Northern Cardinal  36     10, 26
Red-winged Blackbird  60     50, 10. Most groups W and N. Several smallish 
groups of males only, rest mostly f.
Common Grackle  30     26, 4. Groups N and E
Brown-headed Cowbird  6     1, 5. Single group of 5 f, 1 m along Choc (opposite 
of breeding season scenarios....(;)
House Finch  9     0, 9. Two emerging from within Marsh elder (Iva annua) 
thicket, probably were feeding on the vast abundance of ripening fruit. Other 
singles and prs in various directions high overhead throughout first half of 
Choc trail walk.
American Goldfinch  8     Fos here- Found as 2,3,2,1- with 2,3 also rising from 
fruiting marsh elder.

View this checklist online at 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S15555887

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

Left off single Brewer's Blackbird calling to E from Yesterday's Yates list- 
also single Indigo Bunting slumming with SASP on barbed-wire fence edging 401 
at first opening/ beginning of pasture to West of the farm house. Good birding,

Terry

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  • » [bsg] Fw: eBird Report - Red River National Wildlife Refuge- Headquarters Unit, Nov 3, 2013 - Terry Davis