[texbirds] Re: First US and Texas record for the Sumichrast's Meadowlark
- From: James Barnes <txbarnowl@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: scottratkinson@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2013 14:24:35 -0500
Indeed.
Wasn't there a report of an African Swallow carrying a coconut?
James Barnes
Missouri City
On Mon, Apr 1, 2013 at 12:16 PM, Scott Atkinson
<scottratkinson@xxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> Fred: That's a classic! We must have reached April! Scott AtkinsonLake
> Stevens, WAmail to: scottratkinson@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > From: fcndc@xxxxxxxx
> > To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > CC: dawgler@xxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: [texbirds] First US and Texas record for the Sumichrast's
> Meadowlark
> > Date: Mon, 1 Apr 2013 09:12:29 -0500
> >
> > Content-Type: text/plain;
> > charset="us-ascii"
> > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> > This past February while Dennis Shepler and I were taking a birding trip
> to
> > west Texas we discovered this meadowlark near Red Bluff Reservoir in
> Reeves
> > County. We believe it may be a first US record. True to its nature, it
> was
> > with a flock of Western Meadowlark. This bird is very rare and while
> based
> > on the original collection and description it is thought to be a native
> of
> > Mexico, its current breeding grounds are unknown. One would not expect
> it to
> > move north in winter yet it is always associated with the more numerous
> > Western Meadowlark. The only documentation we were able to obtain was
> some
> > digi-scoped images. While they leave a great deal to be desired they are
> > good evidence of the distinctive and rare species. (Pictures can be
> viewed
> > at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kwnp/sets/72157633137187939/
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > photo.photo
> >
> >
> >
> > Sumichrast's Meadowlark (Sturnella sumichrasti)
> >
> > was named in honor of the famous romantic author Frederick Caesar de
> > Sumichrast (1845-1933) currently best known for writing Les miserables.
> He
> > had a varied career and one of his popular works in the mid-1800s was The
> > Captive Bird.
> >
> > The meadowlark was first observed and collected in Veracruz Mexico in
> 1868
> > by ex-Texian naturalist Gideon Lincecum who had moved to Mexico following
> > the Civil War. Gideon was well known to most scientists of his day
> including
> > Charles Darwin who sponsored his publication on agriculture ants
> (harvester
> > ants). His observations and specimens were accepted by Spencer Baird who
> > formally described the species as Sumichrast's Meadowlark much to the
> dismay
> > of Gideon that wanted the bird named Curlew Meadowlark since its mode of
> > living was so like that of the curlews. Baird was hoping the then Harvard
> > professor Sumichrast would donate money to his museum. But
> never-the-less at
> > least he scored points with his wife who adored the professor's work.
> >
> > Lincecum noted one very distinctive behavior for which he took full
> credit
> > of discovery. The Sumichrast's meadowlark is rare and travels among
> flocks
> > of Western Meadowlarks in winter when it subsists almost entirely on
> earth
> > worms. The worms are completely safe from the Western Meadowlarks that
> > cannot probe to the depths capable of the curlew-meadowlark. The
> > unsuspecting worms hearing the passage of harmless meadowlarks above are
> > easily plucked in the same fashion that a Zone-tail Hawk descends on a
> > hapless ground squirrel that paid no attention to the group of Turkey
> > Vultures overhead. And one more thing, happy April fool's day.
> >
> >
> >
> > photo
> >
> >
> >
> > May April be filled with the best birds you can imagine. Good birding
> from
> >
> > Fred Collins and Dennis Shepler
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Fred Collins
> >
> > On the prairie in Waller County Texas
> >
> > TOS Life Member
> >
> > HAS Advisory Board
> >
> > KPC Advisory Board
> >
> >
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > How to Sleep Like a Rock
> > Obey this one natural trick to fall asleep and stay asleep all night.
> > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/515995cc8ee7a15c67014st02duc
> >
> >
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--
James
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