Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from The Louisiana Birding List > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, July 3 at 07:08 PM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Western Sandpiper,©Shawneen Finnegan

3 Jul Re: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! ["James V. Remsen" ] 3 Jul Re: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! ["James V. Remsen" ] 3 Jul Re: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! [Bruce Baird ] 3 Jul Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! ["Harvey L. Patten" ] 3 Jul Cougar Near Powhattan? [Huner Jay V ] 3 Jul Re: south Calcasieu [Ellie Avegno ] 3 Jul south Calcasieu [thomas finnie ] 2 Jul Gardner Quad , 7/2/09, Baltimore Oriole and Double-crested Cormorant [Huner Jay V ] 2 Jul Fw: eBird Report - Gardner Quad , 7/2/09 [Steve Shively ] 2 Jul Fw: eBird Report - Elmer Quad , 7/2/09 [attn. J. Coulson - STKI] [Steve Shively ] 2 Jul Fw: eBird Report - Folsom Quad , 7/2/09 [janine robin ] 2 Jul Fw: eBird Report - Madisonville Quad , 7/2/09 ["Harvey L. Patten" ] 2 Jul FW: eBird Report - Chalmette Quad , 7/2/09 [Glenn Ousset ] 2 Jul Re: Purple Martin Roost in Monroe [Kelby Ouchley ] 1 Jul Purple Martin Roost in Monroe [Robert Rickett ] 1 Jul SBA: Albany Quad, Livingston Parish - 1 Jul 2009 [Devin Bosler ] 1 Jul latest SBA coverage map ["James V. Remsen" ] 1 Jul Church Point Quad , 7/1/09 - Thank a Rice/Crawfish Farmer [Huner Jay V ] 1 Jul Re: Shrikes [Carol Foil ] 1 Jul Re: Shrikes [Paul Conover ] 1 Jul Re: Shrikes [Carol Foil ] 1 Jul Re: Shrikes [miriam ] 1 Jul Black-bellied Whistling Ducks Bayou Desiard [Matt Pardue ] 1 Jul Swainson's Hawk ["Finnie, Tom (thomas)" ] 1 Jul more on Chevron, pelicans. [Paul Conover ] 1 Jul Re: Garden District - July 1, 2009 [Nancy L Newfield ] 1 Jul Garden District - July 1, 2009 ["Jeffrey W. Harris" ] 1 Jul white breasted nuthatch [Steve Shively ] 1 Jul cliff swallows [Steve Shively ] 30 Jun Re: not shrikes, but... [Paul Conover ] 30 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [William McGehee ] 30 Jun Re: not shrikes, but... [Tom Hickcox ] 30 Jun Plaquemine Quad - June 30, 2009 ["Jeffrey W. Harris" ] 30 Jun not shrikes, but... [Paul Conover ] 30 Jun Re: kittiwake ["Woltmann, Stefan" ] 30 Jun kittiwake [eric liffmann ] 30 Jun Re: Small 1st yr. gull [Justin Bosler ] 30 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [Buford Myers ] 30 Jun Fw: eBird Report - Folsom Quad , 6/30/09 [janine robin ] 30 Jun Small 1st yr. gull [eric liffmann ] 30 Jun Re: Current educational paradigms [Ellie Avegno ] 30 Jun Alexandria Quad , 6/30/09 - Persistence of Micro-Habitats [Huner Jay V ] 30 Jun Humlit/Lalit ["Ingold, James" ] 30 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [Paul Conover ] 30 Jun FW: eBird Report - Delacroix Quad , 6/30/09 [Glenn Ousset ] 30 Jun Current educational paradigms [miriam ] 30 Jun eBird Report - Gonzales Quad, 6/27/09 [suebroussard ] 29 Jun Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 [Lindsay Seely ] 29 Jun Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 [Lindsay Seely ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes ["James V. Remsen" ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [Tom Hickcox ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [David Muth ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? [David Muth ] 29 Jun Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 [Lindsay Seely ] 29 Jun Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 [Lindsay Seely ] 29 Jun Gardner Quad , 6/29/09 - White-breasted Nuthatch [Huner Jay V ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? ["James V. Remsen" ] 29 Jun Re: Prothonotary in the yard ["David A. Cagnolatti" ] 29 Jun FW: eBird Report - Little Woods Quad , 6/29/09 [Glenn Ousset ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [Glenn Ousset ] 29 Jun Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? [Huner Jay V ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [Nancy L Newfield ] 29 Jun LA Summer Bird Atlas update ["James V. Remsen" ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes ["Mayberry, Nancy E ACE-IT AT MVN" ] 29 Jun Fw: eBird Report - Portage Quad , 6/28/09 [William Vermillion ] 29 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes ["James V. Remsen" ] 29 Jun Bronzed Cowbirds - LA: St. Gabriel Quad , 6/28/09 ["James V. Remsen" ] 29 Jun White-faced Ibis Ouachita WMA [Matt Pardue ] 29 Jun Re: Prothonotary in the yard [Matt Pardue ] 29 Jun Re: Prothonotary in the yard [Evelyn Cooper ] 28 Jun Prothonotary in the yard [Paul Conover ] 28 Jun Garden District, B. R. - June 28, 2009 ["Jeffrey W. Harris" ] 27 Jun Afeman Quad , 6/27/09, Swallow-tailed Kite in the Piney Woods [Huner Jay V ] 27 Jun Belle D'eau Quad [Marty Floyd ] 27 Jun Re: Loggerhead Shrikes [Paul Conover ] 27 Jun Loggerhead Shrikes ["Harvey L. Patten" ] Subject: Re: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 19:09:11 -0500 On Jul 3, 2009, at 5:00 PM, Harvey L. Patten wrote: > > > If I should do one more survey next week, should I ebird report > their presence with an X or should I even attempt to suggest a > number, which I think would be almost meaningless for any type of > statistical calculation? Harvey/eBirders -- be sure to also see "The Trouble with X" at http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/trouble_with_X ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Re: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 18:57:27 -0500 On Jul 3, 2009, at 5:00 PM, Harvey L. Patten wrote: > I have no way of even beginning to estimated their numbers as they > continue to increase apparently staging for their southward journey, > and so my question is: > > If I should do one more survey next week, should I ebird report > their presence with an X or should I even attempt to suggest a > number, which I think would be almost meaningless for any type of > statistical calculation? > Harvey/LABIRD: an "X" is treated by eBird like a "1", so an X is actually worse than any estimate, no matter how far off. The atlas distribution data will likely be mapped to the nearest order of magnitude, e.g., 0.01, 0.10, 1.00, 10.0 etc. birds/party-hour so your counts will almost certainly be in the uppermost level and therefore whether your absolute estimate is 10K or 100K doesn't affect the analysis. Don't give up so easily on the estimate -- just do your best, and be sure to see my tips on counting large numbers in the LOS News No. 215 (2008), which you can access from the LOS web site. Basically, the idea is to break those swarms down into manageable units of 100s and 1000s by thinking of them as lines, squares, or cubes. Brian Sullivan also has articles about this at eBird web site. ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Re: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! From: Bruce Baird <Bbairdsr AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 18:59:14 EDT Harvey - The highest number of any species reported to eBird for Louisiana is Van Remsen's 10,000,000 Tree Swallows, Aug. 20, 1988, which indicates to me that a SWAG is better than an X. Bruce Baird In a message dated 7/3/2009 5:02:58 P.M. Central Daylight Time, puffin AT BELLSOUTH.NET writes: Labirders All, Since I began atlasing the Guste Island/Port Louis area west of Madisonville south of Hwy 22 on June 2nd, the number of Purple Martins has steadily increased from a few hundred, which were mostly in dead trees just north of Port Louis, to many thousands yesterday (see my ebird estimate that I posted yesterday). Just southwest of the gated entrance to Guste Island (aka Madisonville on the Lake), yesterday the dead trees that also had a good number of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks contained many thousands of martins. I have no way of even beginning to estimated their numbers as they continue to increase apparently staging for their southward journey, and so my question is: If I should do one more survey next week, should I ebird report their presence with an X or should I even attempt to suggest a number, which I think would be almost meaningless for any type of statistical calculation? All input is graciously accepted. Harvey L. Patten Covington **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222585087x1201462804/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd= JulystepsfooterNO62) Subject: Purple Martin Party - Suggestions please !! From: "Harvey L. Patten" <puffin AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 17:00:35 -0500 Labirders All, Since I began atlasing the Guste Island/Port Louis area west of Madisonville south of Hwy 22 on June 2nd, the number of Purple Martins has steadily increased from a few hundred, which were mostly in dead trees just north of Port Louis, to many thousands yesterday (see my ebird estimate that I posted yesterday). Just southwest of the gated entrance to Guste Island (aka Madisonville on the Lake), yesterday the dead trees that also had a good number of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks contained many thousands of martins. I have no way of even beginning to estimated their numbers as they continue to increase apparently staging for their southward journey, and so my question is: If I should do one more survey next week, should I ebird report their presence with an X or should I even attempt to suggest a number, which I think would be almost meaningless for any type of statistical calculation? All input is graciously accepted. Harvey L. Patten Covington Subject: Cougar Near Powhattan? From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 13:44:19 -0500 My sister in law just drove in from NW Texas. She says that she saw a reasonably fresh, dead cougar at the south bound entrance ramp at the Powhattan exit on I-49. This is about 20 miles or so north of Natchitoches. I realize that this is not bird related but figured that folks might be interested in the report. Jay Huner -- Subject: Re: south Calcasieu From: Ellie Avegno <elliea AT COX.NET> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 10:58:11 -0500 Beautiful shots. I saw several Scissortailed flycathchers in W Shreveport and about 30 miles north in Gilliam around the sunflower trail. My shots are not nearly as good as yours and I will post one later that is either a Summer tanager or ? In Gilliam. There is another mystery bird that hangs out with the S-tailed flycather on the electrical wires on W. 70th St, between 3125 and Broadacers Rd, close to Immanuel Baptist Church. I had my mother with me in Gilliam so I could not stay too long trying for good shots. She is almost 91and can't take the heat. Thanks for sharing. Ellie -----Original Message----- From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds [mailto:LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of thomas finnie Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 4:05 AM To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Subject: [LABIRD-L] south Calcasieu The pastureland/plains on Gum Cove Road / Charlie Moss Road / Hwy 108 in south Calcasieu was quiet this afternoon with the usual mourning dove, kingbirds, RWB, the boisterous dickcissels, cardinals, orchard orioles, cattle egrets, scissortailed flycatcher, a red-tailed hawk, brown headed cowbirds, a painted bunting and a deer. The painted bunting flew down from the power line and landed on the barbed wire fence. He was kind enough to allow a picture before he flew off and disappeared in the thick stuff. The painted bunting is the most colorful and prettiest bird in North America IMO. A few pictures: Painted bunting: http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_0130.jpg BH Cowbird: http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_0063.jpg Scissortailed flycatcher: http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_9611.jpg Subject: south Calcasieu From: thomas finnie <finnie.tom AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 04:05:26 -0500 The pastureland/plains on Gum Cove Road / Charlie Moss Road / Hwy 108 in south Calcasieu was quiet this afternoon with the usual mourning dove, kingbirds, RWB, the boisterous dickcissels, cardinals, orchard orioles, cattle egrets, scissortailed flycatcher, a red-tailed hawk, brown headed cowbirds, a painted bunting and a deer. The painted bunting flew down from the power line and landed on the barbed wire fence. He was kind enough to allow a picture before he flew off and disappeared in the thick stuff. The painted bunting is the most colorful and prettiest bird in North America IMO. A few pictures: Painted bunting: http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_0130.jpg BH Cowbird: http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_0063.jpg Scissortailed flycatcher: http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_9611.jpg Subject: Gardner Quad , 7/2/09, Baltimore Oriole and Double-crested Cormorant From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 17:43:47 -0500 Well, when you see a good bird - Jeff Harris' quail, that's when to start a quad survey. The nice thing about the surveys is that my ear birding is improving. Baltimore Orioles and Orchard Orioles have a blackbird rattle - well THEY are blackbirds! I was by the end of my drive way this morning and heard a familar rattle that I couldn't place. I see/hear so few Baltimore Orioles that I have trouble with the songs and rattles. But, I knew I needed to figure out what was making the rattle. About the time I realized that it must be a Baltimore Oriole a really beautiful male flew out of the tree across the sky, over the house, and toward the lake. Interestingly, the few nesting Chipping Sparrows either two or three pairs are calling now. The second Cooper's Hawk made a pass at one of the dumb chippers that landed on a power line. It was really lucky that the hawks were probably just away from mom and pop and it missed! The oriole is new to my Gardner Quad list and may be new to t! he master list. Don't know if quad master Shively has Baltimore Oriole from his birding in the quad. - Jay Location: Gardner Quad Observation date: 7/2/09 Notes: Gardner Quad. Frank McGee Estate off LA 1200 on east side of Cotile Lake. 1 observer, start 7:00 AM CDST, duration 1 hr 10 min., 1.65 miles. Heard an odd rattle when muddling around and found the source - a nice male Baltimore Oriole when it flew out of the tree it was foraging around in. No Baltimore Orioles for my Gardner Quad records so did a quad survey. Didn't really find many songbirds but they were apparently being terrorized by a couple of Cooper's Hawks! Thought I saw a Great Blue Heron out in the lake at some distance. Turned out to be an immature Double-crested Cormorant. Number of species: 28 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Great Egret 2 Cattle Egret 11 Cooper's Hawk 2 Mourning Dove 5 Inca Dove 7 Chimney Swift 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Eastern Kingbird 7 Blue Jay 12 Purple Martin 3 Carolina Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 2 Brown-headed Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 3 Eastern Bluebird 3 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 14 Brown Thrasher 1 Pine Warbler 2 Chipping Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 9 Baltimore Oriole 1 House Finch 5 House Sparrow 7 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) ------- End of Forwarded Message ------- -- Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Gardner Quad , 7/2/09 From: Steve Shively <steveshively AT FS.FED.US> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:29:23 -0500 Steve Shively, Wildlife Biologist Calcasieu Ranger District, Kisatchie National Forest 9912 Hwy 28 West Boyce, LA 71409 318-793-9427 318-793-9430 (fax) steveshively AT fs.fed.us ----- Forwarded by Steve Shively/R8/USDAFS on 07/02/2009 02:29 PM ----- do-not-reply AT ebird.org 07/02/2009 02:13 PM To steveshively AT fs.fed.us cc Subject eBird Report - Gardner Quad , 7/2/09 Location: Gardner Quad Observation date: 7/2/09 Notes: Mostly around Kincaid Lake. 3 party hours, 8.5 miles. Number of species: 35 Anhinga 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 5 Little Blue Heron 2 Turkey Vulture 1 Mississippi Kite 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Broad-winged Hawk 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 Mourning Dove 1 Red-headed Woodpecker 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 2 Fish Crow 2 Purple Martin 5 Barn Swallow 1 Carolina Chickadee 3 Tufted Titmouse 17 Carolina Wren 13 Eastern Bluebird 4 Northern Parula 5 Pine Warbler 7 Prothonotary Warbler 2 Summer Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 15 Indigo Bunting 5 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 House Sparrow 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2( http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Elmer Quad , 7/2/09 [attn. J. Coulson - STKI] From: Steve Shively <steveshively AT FS.FED.US> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:28:56 -0500 Swallow-tailed kite flew over Valentine Lake. Steve Shively, Wildlife Biologist Calcasieu Ranger District, Kisatchie National Forest 9912 Hwy 28 West Boyce, LA 71409 318-793-9427 318-793-9430 (fax) steveshively AT fs.fed.us ----- Forwarded by Steve Shively/R8/USDAFS on 07/02/2009 02:27 PM ----- do-not-reply AT ebird.org 07/02/2009 02:20 PM To steveshively AT fs.fed.us cc Subject eBird Report - Elmer Quad , 7/2/09 Location: Elmer Quad Observation date: 7/2/09 Notes: Kincaid and Valentine Lakes. 1 party hour, 2 miles. Number of species: 24 Great Egret 2 Green Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Swallow-tailed Kite 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Eastern Kingbird 4 White-eyed Vireo 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Purple Martin 3 Barn Swallow 4 Carolina Chickadee 1 Tufted Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 4 Northern Parula 1 Pine Warbler 2 Kentucky Warbler 1 Hooded Warbler 1 Summer Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 5 Red-winged Blackbird 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2( http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Folsom Quad , 7/2/09 From: janine robin <j-probin1982 AT PEOPLEPC.COM> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:28:30 -0500 ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 2:14 PM Subject: eBird Report - Folsom Quad , 7/2/09 > > > Location: Folsom Quad > Observation date: 7/2/09 > Notes: birded my yard,then drove sideroads off of Hwy25 and 450.Many > ponds,but no egrets or herons to be found. Large herds of cattle,but no > cattle egrets. Meadowlark singing an unfamiliar song. > Number of species: 35 >From 7:15-10:45 a.m. 6 miles driving,1/4 mile walking > Black Vulture 3 > Turkey Vulture 4 > Mourning Dove 11 > Chimney Swift 17 > Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3 > Red-headed Woodpecker 2 > Red-bellied Woodpecker 5 > Downy Woodpecker 1 > Northern Flicker 1 > Pileated Woodpecker 2 > Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 > Great Crested Flycatcher 4 > Eastern Kingbird 8 > White-eyed Vireo 4 > Blue Jay 15 > American Crow 5 > Carolina Chickadee 15 > Tufted Titmouse 12 > Brown-headed Nuthatch 4 > Carolina Wren 10 > Eastern Bluebird 6 > Wood Thrush 2 > Gray Catbird 3 > Northern Mockingbird 19 > Brown Thrasher 6 > Hooded Warbler 1 > Eastern Towhee 8 > Northern Cardinal 30 > Blue Grosbeak 2 > Indigo Bunting 4 > Red-winged Blackbird 2 > Eastern Meadowlark 4 > Brown-headed Cowbird 1 > Orchard Oriole 2 > House Finch 10 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird > v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Madisonville Quad , 7/2/09 From: "Harvey L. Patten" <puffin AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 12:50:47 -0500 ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 12:44 PM Subject: eBird Report - Madisonville Quad , 7/2/09 > > > Location: Madisonville Quad > Observation date: 7/2/09 > Notes: Birding for 3.6 miles along Guste Island Rd. to Port Louis > from 5:30-9:00 a.m. > Number of species: 63 > > Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 20 > Wood Duck 6 > Mottled Duck 2 > Anhinga 5 > Least Bittern 1 > Great Blue Heron 5 > Great Egret 59 > Snowy Egret 17 > Little Blue Heron 33 > Tricolored Heron 8 > Cattle Egret 54 > Green Heron 7 > Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 3 > White Ibis 14 > White-faced Ibis 13 > Mississippi Kite 1 > Cooper's Hawk 1 (Unexpected) > Red-tailed Hawk 2 > Common Moorhen 3 > Killdeer 2 > Laughing Gull 1 > Mourning Dove 11 > Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4 > Common Nighthawk 1 > Chimney Swift 2 > Belted Kingfisher 1 > Red-bellied Woodpecker 11 > Downy Woodpecker 2 > Northern Flicker 1 > Pileated Woodpecker 1 > Great Crested Flycatcher 1 > Eastern Kingbird 7 > Loggerhead Shrike 1 > White-eyed Vireo 7 > Blue Jay 8 > American Crow 6 > Fish Crow 7 > Purple Martin 3500 (Probably a low estimate) > Carolina Chickadee 9 > Tufted Titmouse 2 > Carolina Wren 22 > Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 > Eastern Bluebird 5 > Northern Mockingbird 7 > Brown Thrasher 2 > European Starling 24 > Yellow-throated Warbler 2 > Prothonotary Warbler 3 > Common Yellowthroat 1 > Hooded Warbler 1 > Yellow-breasted Chat 2 > Summer Tanager 3 > Eastern Towhee 6 > Northern Cardinal 33 > Blue Grosbeak 2 > Indigo Bunting 9 > Painted Bunting 3 > Red-winged Blackbird 63 > Eastern Meadowlark 2 > Boat-tailed Grackle 6 > Great-tailed Grackle 27 > Brown-headed Cowbird 8 > Orchard Oriole 3 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird > v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) > Subject: FW: eBird Report - Chalmette Quad , 7/2/09 From: Glenn Ousset <gousset AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 16:27:27 +0000 1 observer, 3 hrs 40 min from 5:50am, 9 miles. Interesting but not exciting. Glenn Ousset -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org To: gousset AT bellsouth.net Subject: eBird Report - Chalmette Quad , 7/2/09 Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:19:08 +0000 > > > > Location: Chalmette Quad > Observation date: 7/2/09 Notes: East Bank. Back levee west of Paris Rd, Mississippi River and batture Violet to Chalmette. Batture woodlots, tree lines, brush, fields, > pastures, ponds, shallow open salt water, residences. > Number of species: 41 > > Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1 flyover > Mottled Duck 2 > Anhinga 4 > Great Egret 4 > Little Blue Heron 3 > Cattle Egret 15 > Green Heron 7 > Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 > Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 4 > White Ibis 12 > Black Vulture 3 > Mississippi Kite 4 > Red-shouldered Hawk 1 > Laughing Gull 6 > Gull-billed Tern 4 flyovers > Rock Pigeon 5 flyover > Mourning Dove 6 > Monk Parakeet 2 > Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 > Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 > Downy Woodpecker 2 > Great Crested Flycatcher 1 > Eastern Kingbird 8 > Loggerhead Shrike 4 > Red-eyed Vireo 1 > Blue Jay 6 > American Crow 3 > Purple Martin 4 > Barn Swallow 3 > Carolina Chickadee 6 > Tufted Titmouse 2 > Carolina Wren 2 > Northern Mockingbird 9 > European Starling 75 > Northern Cardinal 5 > Painted Bunting 1 > Red-winged Blackbird 2 > Eastern Meadowlark 1 > Common Grackle 60 > Orchard Oriole 1 > House Sparrow 3 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird > v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Re: Purple Martin Roost in Monroe From: Kelby Ouchley <rockybranch AT CENTURYTEL.NET> Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 06:35:45 -0500 Perhaps these are some of the same birds, numbering in the hundreds, that I saw feeding over Black Bayou Lake yesterday morning. Kelby Ouchley ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Rickett" To: Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 11:10 PM Subject: [LABIRD-L] Purple Martin Roost in Monroe > This evening (July 1) there was a fairly large flock of Purple Martins > roosting in some medium-size trees in the parking lot of St Francis > Community Health Center on Oliver Road, about one block north of the > intersection of Oliver and Louisville Avenue. I estimate the flock to > number over a thousand birds. Hundreds of the birds perched on nearby > electric lines and utility poles as others were spiraling into the area. > Bob Rickett > Monroe, LA > Subject: Purple Martin Roost in Monroe From: Robert Rickett <rrickett AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 23:10:03 -0500 This evening (July 1) there was a fairly large flock of Purple Martins roosting in some medium-size trees in the parking lot of St Francis Community Health Center on Oliver Road, about one block north of the intersection of Oliver and Louisville Avenue. I estimate the flock to number over a thousand birds. Hundreds of the birds perched on nearby electric lines and utility poles as others were spiraling into the area. Bob Rickett Monroe, LA Subject: SBA: Albany Quad, Livingston Parish - 1 Jul 2009 From: Devin Bosler <devinbosler AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:59:44 -0500 LABIRD, Just trying to fill some holes in the western Florida parishes while being back in LA for a little while. The Albany Quad is located in e. Livingston Parish, north of I-12. Big misses this morning, considering the habitat, were YBCU, RHWO, BHNU, and PRAW to name a few. Not the best birding but useful data nonetheless. Location: Albany Quad Observation date: 7/1/09 Notes: A 3-hr (700-1000AM) SBA survey in Albany Quad. Concentrated effort in sw. corner of quad, ca. 1 mi. NW of Albany (Livingston Parish). Traveled ca. 2.5 mi. by foot. Began at 28480 Henry White Rd. nr. Pontchartrain Beagle Club property. Henry White Rd., Forbes Rd., and 0.5 mi. on Pea Ridge Rd. Rural residential, disturbed mixed pine-hardwood forest, early successional edge, and regenerating pine clearcuts at various ages. River otter foraging on crawfish in Parker Branch of Blood River. This portion of the quad seemingly devoid of waterbirds and raptors. Nothing unexpected. Overcast with clearing by mid-morning, 75-93 F, and wind calm. Number of species: 40 Cattle Egret 4 Mourning Dove 6 Chimney Swift 20 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 8 Downy Woodpecker 4 Northern Flicker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Acadian Flycatcher 4 Great Crested Flycatcher 6 (1 at nest box) Eastern Kingbird 3 White-eyed Vireo 10 Yellow-throated Vireo 2 (1 recently fledged) Red-eyed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 18 American Crow 7 Fish Crow 3 Purple Martin 16 Carolina Chickadee 16 Tufted Titmouse 15 Carolina Wren 26 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Eastern Bluebird 12 Wood Thrush 4 (2 singing m) American Robin 2 Northern Mockingbird 3 Brown Thrasher 2 European Starling 1 Northern Parula 2 (1 ad. f, carrying food) Pine Warbler 5 Common Yellowthroat 4 Hooded Warbler 4 Yellow-breasted Chat 3 Summer Tanager 5 Eastern Towhee 4 Northern Cardinal 32 Indigo Bunting 7 Painted Bunting 4 Brown-headed Cowbird 8 House Sparrow 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Good atlasing, Devin Bosler Albany, LA Subject: latest SBA coverage map From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:33:32 -0500 LABIRD -- for Rosemart Seidler's latest map of our coverage for Summer Bird Atlas, see: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/LSBA-coverage.jpg You can tell no one wants to go the rice country, the SW coastal area, or the lower delta in summer by comparison to: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/LWBA-coverage.jpg ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Church Point Quad , 7/1/09 - Thank a Rice/Crawfish Farmer From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 20:45:03 -0500 I wanted to make a morning summer quad census in this quad. I probably could have concentrated on songbirds but just could not get away from the waterbirds. The issue of shrikes has come up and I'm as guilty as anyone in promoting the continuing thread. But, sometimes I wonder if climate and land use changes have anything to do with the changes we see with resident birds? For example, look at Lowery's last distribution information about Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and put STFL in the ebird data consolidation for Louisiana. Look also at where White-winged and Inca Doves are now as well as Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and Crested Caracara. With a change in land use and climate - don't get me started about who is the culprit on this! - should we be surprised that there are changes in bird distributions and numbers? The Church Point Quad includes the Square that Mike Musumeche and I (to a much lesser degree AND Billy Leonard, Tibor Mikuska and Greg Richard) censused at the end of the 1900s. Our total for an annual cycle was around 190 birds. I have now for summer and winter atlases 93 birds. It is 2 hours one way from my home to the quad. I'm sure I'd be around 110 if I lived closer. But, we just did not have any decent woods in the square and there aren't any decent woods in the quad. If I were a Musumeche, Remsen, Dittmann, Cardiff et al. the list might be approaching 125. Still the Working Wetland Landscape is really important habitat. How many of the 20 million or so birders in the country would welcome the opportunity to see ho hum Roseate Spoonbills and Wood Storks up close and personal or use an I-pod to call in King Rails? We take what we have for granted and that's really sad. Working with land owners and conservation organizations is critical to conservation of all of our spec! ies. The four coots were hanging out with Pied-billed Grebes. I have coots in working wetlands EVERY summer for the entire SBA project but STILL cannot see evidence of nesting - little coots! This includes Ascension, Rapides and St. Landry Parishes. By the way, thank you to folks who are good enough to scan my posts. I don't try to intentionally fill inboxes with needless commentary. Jay Huner Location: Church Point Quad Observation date: 7/1/09 Notes: Church Point Quad. General area of LA 358 x LA 751 and toward Church Point south along LA 35. 1 observer, start 7:25 AM CDST, duration 1 hr 20 min., 1 observer. This will probably be my only morning report from this quad. I made an early run this morning going to the Rice Field Day at the LSU Rice Research Station in Crowley. The waterbird report grossly underestimates the wading birds because I could not make it to the area on the west side of the quad where I could tell there were lots of birds in shallow water and dewatered crawfish systems. I could not get to the King Rail site we censused last week with recordings and had between 40 and 60 King Rails in waist high rice. Number of species: 33 Fulvous Whistling-Duck 11 Pied-billed Grebe 35 Great Egret 485 Snowy Egret 250 Little Blue Heron 100 Cattle Egret 11 Green Heron 6 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 White Ibis 270 Glossy Ibis 1 White-faced Ibis 395 Roseate Spoonbill 3 Wood Stork 33 King Rail 1 Common Moorhen 8 American Coot 4 Killdeer 6 Black-necked Stilt 115 Mourning Dove 27 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Blue Jay 4 American Crow 5 Purple Martin 3 Carolina Chickadee 1 Carolina Wren 1 Northern Mockingbird 7 Common Yellowthroat 2 Northern Cardinal 28 Painted Bunting 1 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Eastern Meadowlark 30 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 House Sparrow 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) ------- End of Forwarded Message ------- -- Subject: Re: Shrikes From: Carol Foil <carolsfoil AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 18:12:22 -0500 Thanks Paul. When I did a similar search last week, I found a Florida investigation showing that imported fire ants are NOT a factor in shrike decline there (as could be presumed because shrike decline began well north of fire ant distribution) and in their discussion, the authors discuss the potential role of insectides (including those being used to control ants) that were being used in ag areas at that time (90's) http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/files/issues/v097n04/p1053-p1056.pdf It should be noted that current pasture management does not include chemical control for fire ants in Louisiana, according to Lane the entomologist. On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 1:54 PM, Paul Conover wrote: > Carol Foil wrote: >> Or maybe their insect prey is what is being poisoned on the roadside, >> not their bodies. >> > > > > > Carol, Labird, >        If pesticides are indeed a factor, that's the pathway I'd suspect. > Permanone, the pesticide I mentioned, is "highly toxic to bees," so > presumably it affects insects other than mosquitoes. It is "extremely toxic > to fish and aquatic organisms," so it might well kill other insects with > aquatic stages (such as dragonflies). If the whole community is contracting, > the top tier of the system would presumably show the first effects. >        Pesticide isn't dropping birds on the spot, but maybe there are some > direct effects from spraying. I can't imagine spray would have a positive > effect on nestlings and fledglings. >        Again, all just conjecture. >        We look at the change in numbers, and we can look for changes in the > environment. However, we don't have all the historical background associated > with the numbers, such as: what is the fledgling success rate? were the > fencerows "clean" or "dirty?" how many nest trees were in the area? how many > houses? how much traffic? how was the land being used? main crop? etc, etc. > Unfortunately, so many environmental variables have changed that the magic > bullet might elude us. >        Mac had asked about published findings. The problem is, nobody has > found the direct answer yet. Searching EBSCO, I found the following > abstracts which demonstrate some of the different routes of investigations: > > "ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES ARE NOT IMPLICATED IN THE DECLINE OF THE > LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. > > By: Herkert, James R.. Condor, Aug2004, Vol. 106 Issue 3, p702-705, 4p, 1 > chart; (AN 14233470) > > Abstract: I compared pesticide levels in the eggs of Loggerhead Shrikes > (Lanius ludovicianus) collected from Illinois in 1995-1996 with those > reported for the state in 1971-1972. Pesticides were detected in 19 of 21 > (90%) eggs from 1995-1996. DDE was the most frequently detected pesticide, > occurring in 17 of 21 eggs. DDT was the second most frequent pesticide > detected and was found in nine eggs. Mean DDE levels in shrike eggs from > 1995-1996 were 79% lower than in eggs from 1971-1972. Unlike most bird > species for which pesticide levels are known to have been reduced (whose > populations have tended to increase), Loggerhead Shrike populations have > declined during the period in which pesticide levels within their eggs has > been reduced. These data suggest that organochlorine pesticides are likely > not driving current Loggerhead Shrike declines in Illinois." > > > "The effects of prairie habitat loss and land-use changes on Loggerhead > Shrike populations in Kansas.Citation Only Available > By: Bellar, Christian A.; Maccarone, Alan D. Source: Transactions of the > Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 105 (1-2). April 2002. 51-65. > > The vast expanse of North American prairie has been reduced by at least 90% > of its original area. As a result, the populations of many grassland birds > are in serious decline. This study investigated Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius > ludovicianus) population trends in Kansas by comparing two Breeding Bird > Survey (BBS) routes (16 and 17) in north-central Kansas showing more stable > shrike populations, with two BBS routes (06 and 07) in southern Kansas > showing more dramatic declines during the last 30 years. With the exception > of large increases in pesticide use, there have been few land-use changes > the last 30 years along the two northern routes. Along the southern routes, > land-use changes include large decreases in pasture, urbanization, loss of > tree rows, and large increases in pesticide use. Our land-use survey showed > more pasture, woodland, scattered trees and shrubs, and barbed-wire fences > in the north, and more wheat, residential areas, and tree rows in the south, > indicating significant differences between study areas in key habitat > requirements for breeding Loggerhead Shrikes. Our two-year census of the > four BBS routes showed a higher density of shrike in the north (3.0/census) > than the south (1.9/census). The habitat associated with shrikes in the > north showed a greater amount of pasture and significantly more scattered > trees and shrubs compared to the south, where shrike habitats were more > heterogeneous and usually associated with tree rows. The nesting success in > both areas was relatively low for Loggerhead Shrikes." > > > "The relationship between land-use and the distribution and abundance of > loggerhead shrikes in south-central Illinois > By: Smith, Eric L.; Kruse, Kipp C. Source: Journal of Field Ornithology, > Vol. 63 (4). 1992. 420-427 > > The abundance and distribution of the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius > ludovicianus) was estimated in 32 counties located in south-central Illinois > (USA) on, or immediately adjacent to the "shrike extirpation line" of Graber > et al. (1973). A total of 216 shrikes was observed in 22 of the 32 counties > surveyed, of which only 13 (6%) were north of the extirpation line. Shrikes > were most common near pastures, hedgerows, cornfields, and residential homes > and their lawns. Regression analysis revealed that shrike abundance was > positively correlated with the amount of pasture-hay meadows and covercrops, > and negatively correlated with the amount of harvested cropland and > woodland. Land-use practices appear to have influenced the distribution and > abundance of the Loggerhead Shrike in Illinois." > > > "The role of natural habitats in agricultural systems for bird conservation: > the case of the threatened Lesser Grey Shrike. > Giralt, David , Biodiversity and conservation, 2008 July, v. 17, no. 8, p. > 1997-2012., Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands > > > Birds of agricultural systems are one of the most threatened groups of birds > in Europe mainly due to their sharp population decline in recent decades. > Habitat intensification resulting from more productive agricultural > practices has been proposed as a major cause for these declines. However, > especially in some regions such as Eastern European and Mediterranean > countries, little is known about the ultimate factors linked to habitat > intensification that drive population declines for different species. The > Lesser Grey Shrike is a good study species for a better understanding of > such processes since it is closely related to agricultural habitats in > Europe and has suffered a strong decline in range and population size across > the western half of the continent. In this study, we explored variations in > breeding parameters of this shrike related to habitat composition and food > supply at the territory level. We found that fledgling success of early > breeders was related to the presence of natural (shrub lands) and > semi-natural (fallows) habitats in the predominantly agricultural matrix > that dominated breeding territories. Their influence on fledgling success > appeared to be mediated by a higher arthropod availability on these > habitats. Indeed, Lesser Grey Shrike showed a strong preference for these > habitats as hunting locations. Our results highlight the importance of > natural habitats in intensified agricultural land mosaics for the > conservation of bird species. We suggest that management plans should pay > special attention to the availability of habitats which serve as high > quality food reservoirs and can potentially contribute to enhance the > species population viability in an area. Finally, we discuss the possible > link between agricultural intensification and Lesser Grey Shrike population > declines in Western Europe." > > > > > > > > Paul Conover > Lafayette > -- Carol S Foil Baton Rouge, LA CarolSFoil AT gmail.com Subject: Re: Shrikes From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 13:54:07 -0500 Carol Foil wrote: > Or maybe their insect prey is what is being poisoned on the roadside, > not their bodies. > Carol, Labird, If pesticides are indeed a factor, that's the pathway I'd suspect. Permanone, the pesticide I mentioned, is "highly toxic to bees," so presumably it affects insects other than mosquitoes. It is "extremely toxic to fish and aquatic organisms," so it might well kill other insects with aquatic stages (such as dragonflies). If the whole community is contracting, the top tier of the system would presumably show the first effects. Pesticide isn't dropping birds on the spot, but maybe there are some direct effects from spraying. I can't imagine spray would have a positive effect on nestlings and fledglings. Again, all just conjecture. We look at the change in numbers, and we can look for changes in the environment. However, we don't have all the historical background associated with the numbers, such as: what is the fledgling success rate? were the fencerows "clean" or "dirty?" how many nest trees were in the area? how many houses? how much traffic? how was the land being used? main crop? etc, etc. Unfortunately, so many environmental variables have changed that the magic bullet might elude us. Mac had asked about published findings. The problem is, nobody has found the direct answer yet. Searching EBSCO, I found the following abstracts which demonstrate some of the different routes of investigations: "ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES ARE NOT IMPLICATED IN THE DECLINE OF THE LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. By: Herkert, James R.. Condor, Aug2004, Vol. 106 Issue 3, p702-705, 4p, 1 chart; (AN 14233470) Abstract: I compared pesticide levels in the eggs of Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) collected from Illinois in 1995-1996 with those reported for the state in 1971-1972. Pesticides were detected in 19 of 21 (90%) eggs from 1995-1996. DDE was the most frequently detected pesticide, occurring in 17 of 21 eggs. DDT was the second most frequent pesticide detected and was found in nine eggs. Mean DDE levels in shrike eggs from 1995-1996 were 79% lower than in eggs from 1971-1972. Unlike most bird species for which pesticide levels are known to have been reduced (whose populations have tended to increase), Loggerhead Shrike populations have declined during the period in which pesticide levels within their eggs has been reduced. These data suggest that organochlorine pesticides are likely not driving current Loggerhead Shrike declines in Illinois." "The effects of prairie habitat loss and land-use changes on Loggerhead Shrike populations in Kansas.Citation Only Available By: Bellar, Christian A.; Maccarone, Alan D. Source: Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 105 (1-2). April 2002. 51-65. The vast expanse of North American prairie has been reduced by at least 90% of its original area. As a result, the populations of many grassland birds are in serious decline. This study investigated Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) population trends in Kansas by comparing two Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) routes (16 and 17) in north-central Kansas showing more stable shrike populations, with two BBS routes (06 and 07) in southern Kansas showing more dramatic declines during the last 30 years. With the exception of large increases in pesticide use, there have been few land-use changes the last 30 years along the two northern routes. Along the southern routes, land-use changes include large decreases in pasture, urbanization, loss of tree rows, and large increases in pesticide use. Our land-use survey showed more pasture, woodland, scattered trees and shrubs, and barbed-wire fences in the north, and more wheat, residential areas, and tree rows in the south, indicating significant differences between study areas in key habitat requirements for breeding Loggerhead Shrikes. Our two-year census of the four BBS routes showed a higher density of shrike in the north (3.0/census) than the south (1.9/census). The habitat associated with shrikes in the north showed a greater amount of pasture and significantly more scattered trees and shrubs compared to the south, where shrike habitats were more heterogeneous and usually associated with tree rows. The nesting success in both areas was relatively low for Loggerhead Shrikes." "The relationship between land-use and the distribution and abundance of loggerhead shrikes in south-central Illinois By: Smith, Eric L.; Kruse, Kipp C. Source: Journal of Field Ornithology, Vol. 63 (4). 1992. 420-427 The abundance and distribution of the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) was estimated in 32 counties located in south-central Illinois (USA) on, or immediately adjacent to the "shrike extirpation line" of Graber et al. (1973). A total of 216 shrikes was observed in 22 of the 32 counties surveyed, of which only 13 (6%) were north of the extirpation line. Shrikes were most common near pastures, hedgerows, cornfields, and residential homes and their lawns. Regression analysis revealed that shrike abundance was positively correlated with the amount of pasture-hay meadows and covercrops, and negatively correlated with the amount of harvested cropland and woodland. Land-use practices appear to have influenced the distribution and abundance of the Loggerhead Shrike in Illinois." "The role of natural habitats in agricultural systems for bird conservation: the case of the threatened Lesser Grey Shrike. Giralt, David , Biodiversity and conservation, 2008 July, v. 17, no. 8, p. 1997-2012., Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands Birds of agricultural systems are one of the most threatened groups of birds in Europe mainly due to their sharp population decline in recent decades. Habitat intensification resulting from more productive agricultural practices has been proposed as a major cause for these declines. However, especially in some regions such as Eastern European and Mediterranean countries, little is known about the ultimate factors linked to habitat intensification that drive population declines for different species. The Lesser Grey Shrike is a good study species for a better understanding of such processes since it is closely related to agricultural habitats in Europe and has suffered a strong decline in range and population size across the western half of the continent. In this study, we explored variations in breeding parameters of this shrike related to habitat composition and food supply at the territory level. We found that fledgling success of early breeders was related to the presence of natural (shrub lands) and semi-natural (fallows) habitats in the predominantly agricultural matrix that dominated breeding territories. Their influence on fledgling success appeared to be mediated by a higher arthropod availability on these habitats. Indeed, Lesser Grey Shrike showed a strong preference for these habitats as hunting locations. Our results highlight the importance of natural habitats in intensified agricultural land mosaics for the conservation of bird species. We suggest that management plans should pay special attention to the availability of habitats which serve as high quality food reservoirs and can potentially contribute to enhance the species population viability in an area. Finally, we discuss the possible link between agricultural intensification and Lesser Grey Shrike population declines in Western Europe." Paul Conover Lafayette Subject: Re: Shrikes From: Carol Foil <carolsfoil AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:49:04 -0500 Or maybe their insect prey is what is being poisoned on the roadside, not their bodies. On Wed, Jul 1, 2009 at 11:41 AM, miriam wrote: > LA's ag chemical picture  over last few yrs has moved from widespread & > common application of lots of fairly toxic broad-spectrum pesticides to a > more carefully targetted and net decreased amount of pesticide & herbicide > use because of the use of patented, genetically-modified crop strains.  So I > would tend to not to think toward a direct shrike-poison situation. > > Don't shrikes eat a lot of small reptiles ?  What abt amphibians?  Are both > those on the decline?   Maybe they're having trouble finding enough anoles & > fence lizards to impale on barbed wire. > > Hey....maybe they're not finding enough barbed wire. > > MiriamLDavey > BatonRougeLA > -- Carol S Foil Baton Rouge, LA CarolSFoil AT gmail.com Subject: Re: Shrikes From: miriam <athena_9 AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:41:29 -0500 LA's ag chemical picture over last few yrs has moved from widespread & common application of lots of fairly toxic broad-spectrum pesticides to a more carefully targetted and net decreased amount of pesticide & herbicide use because of the use of patented, genetically-modified crop strains. So I would tend to not to think toward a direct shrike-poison situation. Don't shrikes eat a lot of small reptiles ? What abt amphibians? Are both those on the decline? Maybe they're having trouble finding enough anoles & fence lizards to impale on barbed wire. Hey....maybe they're not finding enough barbed wire. MiriamLDavey BatonRougeLA Subject: Black-bellied Whistling Ducks Bayou Desiard From: Matt Pardue <tmatthewpardue AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 11:46:58 -0400 There were 8 BBWD this morning out near the ULM ski ramp. First I have seen around campus, and actually the first time I have seen one swimming! Always standing on a levee or in a tree. Who knew that these ducks could swim! Subject: Swainson's Hawk From: "Finnie, Tom (thomas)" <tom.finnie AT CPSB.ORG> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 10:17:51 -0500 Driving down Fabacher Road in Calcasieu Parish on this overcast AM produced the usual mourning dove, RW Blackbirds, Orchard Orioles, meadow larks, verbose dickcissels, ibises and cattle egrets. In the distance was a lone hawk perched on a snag searching for breakfast in the field below. My fingers were crossed in hopes that it was the Swainson's Hawk that I have seen in the area. Up went the binoculars. Everything came into view and it was him, the Swainson's Hawk, with his recognizable markings. He stayed idle on the snag allowing a distant photo before departing. It was nice to get a more recognizable image of him and to know that he is still in this area. http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_0036.jpg http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/thomas_1950/DSC_0040.jpg Subject: more on Chevron, pelicans. From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 09:39:43 -0500 Labird, http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/49564027.html?index=1&c=y Qi Wiggins, a spokeswoman for Chevron, said the company self-reported the incident to the U.S. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries after a contractor discovered 35 dead brown pelicans and 11 alive ones inside of a temporary caisson — a retaining watertight structure — at the site. “The pelicans saw a hole and decided to nest and they were unable to fly out once in because of their large wing span,” Wiggins said. Paul Conover Lafayette Subject: Re: Garden District - July 1, 2009 From: Nancy L Newfield <nancy AT CASACOLIBRI.NET> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:40:29 -0500 Jeff et Y'All, At 08:26 AM 7/1/2009, Jeffrey W. Harris wrote: >I saw a first summer male and an adult male orchard oriole this morning >during the AM survey of the yard. Not much else to report. Since the loss of breeding Orchard Orioles in my neighborhood, I wait for the early migrants to appear in late June or early July. Right on schedule, I spied a male working the Trumpet Creeper yesterday and a female today. This species has seemed to be in short supply at the Covington banding site for the last couple of years. In the past, a pair or two have made themselves at home in the yard and have been nuisances in the hummer traps. Last year, there were very few visits and this year, we've recorded a couple of yearling males in April and a female once in May. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds also appear in the Trumpet Creeper as their nesting season wanes. Don't know if these are post-breeding dispersers or actual migrants. A young male made a very, very brief visit on 29 June. NLN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nancy L Newfield Casa Colibrí Metairie, Louisiana USA nancy AT casacolibri.net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Garden District - July 1, 2009 From: "Jeffrey W. Harris" <jwharris30 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:26:40 -0500 Hello Birders, I saw a first summer male and an adult male orchard oriole this morning during the AM survey of the yard. Not much else to report. I do not include this in the SBA because I don't want to over-represent a single location in the Baton Rouge W Quad. Location: Tulip Street, B.R., LA 70806 Observation date: 7/1/09 Number of species: 20 Mississippi Kite 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove 4 Mourning Dove 6 Chimney Swift 5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Blue Jay 2 Fish Crow 3 Barn Swallow 1 Carolina Wren 1 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 5 European Starling 9 Northern Cardinal 3 Orchard Oriole 2 House Finch 3 House Sparrow 7 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Sincerely, Jeff Harris Subject: white breasted nuthatch From: Steve Shively <steveshively AT FS.FED.US> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:02:56 -0500 < < Subject: cliff swallows From: Steve Shively <steveshively AT FS.FED.US> Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 08:01:13 -0500 < < Subject: Re: not shrikes, but... From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:29:52 -0500 Nope, no idea. I guess the 'why' might be that the birds were messing on a rig... Paul Conover Lafayette Tom Hickcox wrote: > At 14:33 6/30/2009, Paul Conover wrote: > >> Oil company accused of killing 35 brown pelicans: >> >> >> http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/49471777.html > > I saw the article, but it doesn't say how Chevron killed the birds. > > Any ideas how? > > Tom Hickcox > Baton Rouge > > Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: William McGehee <msdwmc AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:25:08 -0400 A few months ago, I did a quick-and- dirty analysis of shrike numbers on the last 20 Natchez Audubon Christmas Bird Censuses.?Ouur count circle is a little different in that it straddles the river and takes in a good part of Concordia Parish, most of it open agricultural land. Much of the Mississippi side is similar delta-type habitat. These are the areas where one tends to find most shrikes. It appeared to me that shrike numbers appeared to be holding steady over ?this period,??with fluctuations probably attributable to weather and number of participants. For what it's worth, Bill McGehee Natchez??? -----Original Message----- From: James V. Remsen To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Sent: Mon, Jun 29, 2009 10:51 pm Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Loggerhead Shrikes David/LABIRD: right, and with shrikes seemingly thriving for decades in the rice country, the sugar cane deserts of the Miss. R. floodplain, suburban ballparks, etc., where they've been subjected to who-knows-how-many chemicals since at least the 1940s, if whatever has happened recently is due to any sort of chemical, it has to be a brand new flavor.? ? On Jun 29, 2009, at 9:47 PM, David Muth wrote:? ? > On mosquito spaying and shrikes: if you look at the trend for New > Orleans it? > too shows a steady shrike decline (with a real dip for Katrina). But? > mosquito spraying is not new here. In fact, intense spraying dates > to the? > 1960s when DDT was routinely used. It might be useful to look and > see if the? > decline dates to the switch to a different pesticide.? >? > David Muth? > New Orleans? >? ? *****************************? J. V. Remsen? Museum of Natural Science? Foster Hall 119? LSU? Baton Rouge, LA 70803? 225-578-2855? najamesLSU.edu? Subject: Re: not shrikes, but... From: Tom Hickcox <cometkazie1 AT COX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:17:14 -0500 At 14:33 6/30/2009, Paul Conover wrote: >Oil company accused of killing 35 brown pelicans: > > >http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/49471777.html I saw the article, but it doesn't say how Chevron killed the birds. Any ideas how? Tom Hickcox Baton Rouge Subject: Plaquemine Quad - June 30, 2009 From: "Jeffrey W. Harris" <jwharris30 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:44:47 -0500 Hello Birders, I heard a Northern bobwhite calling/singing as I worked bees. Decided to use lunch break to census my location for the SBA so that the quail could be included. This is only the second time that I have found a bobwhite at the station in 5 years. The stilts were in the wet area north of the Pecans. I saw them as they were spooked by a nearby tractor that was plowing. Effort: 1 person for 1.25 hours; specific location is on the south end of Ben Hur Research Experiment Station; east of Ben Hur Road by a little more than 1/10th mile and near the large Pecan Grove that borders the drainage canal. Not an ideal time (began at 2:00 PM). Location: Plaquemine Quad Observation date: 6/30/09 Number of species: 29 Northern Bobwhite 1 Cattle Egret 12 Turkey Vulture 2 Killdeer 3 Black-necked Stilt 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 Mourning Dove 25 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Loggerhead Shrike 2 Blue Jay 4 American Crow 3 Carolina Chickadee 6 Tufted Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Eastern Bluebird 2 Northern Mockingbird 2 European Starling 10 Prothonotary Warbler 2 Summer Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 5 Painted Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 7 Common Grackle 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 House Sparrow 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2( http://ebird.org/content/la/) Sincerely, Jeff Harris Subject: not shrikes, but... From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:33:06 -0500 Oil company accused of killing 35 brown pelicans: http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/49471777.html Paul Conover Lafayette Subject: Re: kittiwake From: "Woltmann, Stefan" <swoltman AT TULANE.EDU> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:21:59 -0500 Eric/Justin/LABird, Not sure about "black stripe on nape"(?) but the photos are absolutely Black-legged Kittiwake. Good stuff. Stefan Stefan Woltmann Dept. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology 400 Boggs Tulane University New Orleans, LA 70118 swoltman AT tulane.edu http://studentweb.tulane.edu/~swoltman/ ________________________________ From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds on behalf of eric liffmann Sent: Tue 30-Jun-09 14:21 To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Subject: [LABIRD-L] kittiwake Justin/LAbird, Thanks... That's what I was thinking. I checked Kauffmann's and he had listed a black stripe on the nape which is visible in one of the photos. I think that clinches it. Everybody ok with that? E Subject: kittiwake From: eric liffmann <eliffmann AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:21:13 -0500 Justin/LAbird, Thanks... That's what I was thinking. I checked Kauffmann's and he had listed a black stripe on the nape which is visible in one of the photos. I think that clinches it. Everybody ok with that? E Subject: Re: Small 1st yr. gull From: Justin Bosler <justin.bosler AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:48:12 -0700 LABIRD/Eric, Your small gull is a first-summer Black-legged Kittiwake. Notice the black ear spot, plain greenish-yellow bill, and short, blackish legs. Distinguished from a nonbreeding adult by the black 'M' pattern on the upperwings, which is retained through the first pre-alternate molt. Thanks for providing the photos. That's a good record and you should consider submitting it to the Alabama Bird Records Committee (http://www.bham.net/aos/abrc/). Good birding, Justin Bosler On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 11:18 AM, eric liffmann wrote: > Greetings LAbirders, > > Below is a link to some poor qualitiy photos of a small 1st yr. gull I > saw on Dauphin Island on May 20th.  I was rehashing my ID and decided > to ask for help.  If anyone would like to give it a shot, I'd be > appreciative.  As for LA birds I've had a family of GC flycatchers > visiting my backyard in BR in the morning and evenings :) > > All Best, > Eric > > http://picasaweb.google.com/eliffmann/Birds# > -- Justin Bosler Reedsport, OR justin.bosler AT gmail.com 717-475-9998 http://www.flickr.com/photos/29219448 AT N08/ Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: Buford Myers <bmyers990 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:47:11 -0500 All, In the New Orleans area there was occasional spraying (quite possibly DDT) in the 50s. Big time mosquito control didn't get going until the mid-60s with the formation of Orleans Parish Mosquito Control. I forget what their standard insectcide was back then, but I guarantee you it wasn't DDT or similar. Over the years, the insecticides used have changed. The changes may have been in part responding to resistance in mosquitoes. In general, the changes have been to insecticides with less widespread toxicity. I'm not saying that mosquito control programs have no role in the decline of shrikes in LA, but there are several reasons to look elsewhere for reasons. There have been massive applications of insecticides and herbicides to rice, cotton, and other crops at least back to the 40s, but the decline in shrikes in south LA is relatively recent. Are the newer pesticides or other chemicals applied to the fields somehow (whether directly or indirectly) more harmful to shrikes? Maybe; I don't know. Perhaps suburban sprawl has something to do with it, but shrikes generally did quite well in quasi-lawn planet situations. Perhaps the increased road traffic plays a part; shrikes are notoriously low flyers and frequent roadside areas. But it seem very unlikely that increased traffic could contribute significantly to the big declines noted. Loggerhead Shrikes have been declining over many parts of their former range in the U.S. for decades, far longer than they have in LA. And I beleieve that other shrike species in various parts of the world have also undergone declines. I have seen speculation about possible reasons for the decline of Loggerhead Shrikes in other parts of the U.S., but I don't know if there have been any rigorous scientific investigations into the reasons. If there have been, I and others on this list would be grateful for links or citations. Mac ----- Original Message ----- From: "James V. Remsen" To: Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 10:51 PM Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Loggerhead Shrikes > David/LABIRD: right, and with shrikes seemingly thriving for decades in > the rice country, the sugar cane deserts of the Miss. R. floodplain, > suburban ballparks, etc., where they've been subjected to > who-knows-how-many chemicals since at least the 1940s, if whatever has > happened recently is due to any sort of chemical, it has to be a brand > new flavor. > > On Jun 29, 2009, at 9:47 PM, David Muth wrote: > >> On mosquito spaying and shrikes: if you look at the trend for New >> Orleans it >> too shows a steady shrike decline (with a real dip for Katrina). But >> mosquito spraying is not new here. In fact, intense spraying dates to >> the >> 1960s when DDT was routinely used. It might be useful to look and see if >> the >> decline dates to the switch to a different pesticide. >> >> David Muth >> New Orleans >> > > ***************************** > J. V. Remsen > Museum of Natural Science > Foster Hall 119 > LSU > Baton Rouge, LA 70803 > 225-578-2855 > najamesLSU.edu Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Folsom Quad , 6/30/09 From: janine robin <j-probin1982 AT PEOPLEPC.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:42:56 -0500 One observer from 7:00 AM till 10:00 AM. Decidious woods, pond, open grassy area that borders on woods, large flower beds with birdbaths. ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 1:32 PM Subject: eBird Report - Folsom Quad , 6/30/09 > > > Location: Folsom Quad > Observation date: 6/30/09 > Notes: observations done in yard and along the street. > Number of species: 27 > > Turkey Vulture 1 > Mourning Dove 11 > Chimney Swift 5 > Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 > Red-headed Woodpecker 3 Juvie feeding on pears in tree > Red-bellied Woodpecker 3 Juvie in pear tree eating pear > Downy Woodpecker 2 > Northern Flicker 1 > Great Crested Flycatcher 4 > White-eyed Vireo 2 Dark eyes on juvie > Blue Jay 10 > American Crow 3 > Fish Crow 2 > Carolina Chickadee 8 > Tufted Titmouse 7 > Brown-headed Nuthatch 2 > Carolina Wren 7 > Eastern Bluebird 7 > Wood Thrush 2 Female on nest > Gray Catbird 3 youngster following parent and being fed > Northern Mockingbird 4 > Brown Thrasher 4 > Kentucky Warbler 1 > Common Yellowthroat 1 > Eastern Towhee 2 > Northern Cardinal 20 > House Finch 12 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird > v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Small 1st yr. gull From: eric liffmann <eliffmann AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:18:09 -0500 Greetings LAbirders, Below is a link to some poor qualitiy photos of a small 1st yr. gull I saw on Dauphin Island on May 20th. I was rehashing my ID and decided to ask for help. If anyone would like to give it a shot, I'd be appreciative. As for LA birds I've had a family of GC flycatchers visiting my backyard in BR in the morning and evenings :) All Best, Eric http://picasaweb.google.com/eliffmann/Birds# Subject: Re: Current educational paradigms From: Ellie Avegno <elliea AT COX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:16:17 -0500 amen -----Original Message----- From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds [mailto:LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of miriam Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 7:45 AM To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Subject: [LABIRD-L] Current educational paradigms >Will humans ever have the analytical ability to make reasonable risk assessments? Not under current educational paradigms.> Perhaps that's the plan. MiriamLDavey BatonRougeLA Subject: Alexandria Quad , 6/30/09 - Persistence of Micro-Habitats From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:27:58 -0500 The referenced slough is actually a remanent of a swamp/lake complex from the early days of Alexandria's history. The water retention ponds provide, if nothing else, soil to build up the lots for the expensive homes. I'm perplexed that the wooded slough remains as virtually any normal person would consider it to be a real eye-sore. Yet, any birder would find it to be a really good place to visit. I guess the economy is so lousy that the developers can't afford to hit the area with their dozers and create a proper pond with manicured lawns to the water's edge, no unsightly trees, and fountains to keep the water clear. - Jay Huner Location: Alexandria Quad Observation date: 6/30/09 Notes: Alexandria Quad. Lakes Area Behind Menard High School off LA 28 W. 1 observer, start 7:50 AM CDST, duration 1 hr 40 min, 1.65 miles. Juvenile White Ibis makes 100 birds for quad - summer + winter. Wooded slough/pond on east side of complex adjacent to canal obviously important mini-wetland for Wood Ducks. Two broods of downy ducklings, one brood of 1/3 grown ducklings, and one brood of flying ducklets. Have seen no Wood Duck boxes so ducks using cavities in the snags. Number of species: 35 Canada Goose 4 Wood Duck 57 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 2 Little Blue Heron 3 Green Heron 2 White Ibis 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Killdeer 4 Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 Mourning Dove 6 Inca Dove 4 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 5 Northern Flicker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 4 Eastern Kingbird 2 Loggerhead Shrike 3 White-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 7 Purple Martin 120 Barn Swallow 3 Carolina Chickadee 2 Carolina Wren 6 Eastern Bluebird 7 American Robin 4 Northern Mockingbird 38 Brown Thrasher 7 European Starling 5 Northern Cardinal 19 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Eastern Meadowlark 1 Common Grackle 20 House Sparrow 16 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) ------- End of Forwarded Message ------- -- Subject: Humlit/Lalit From: "Ingold, James" <James.Ingold AT LSUS.EDU> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:20:36 -0500 Sorry for the cross posting. Bassett, F. and D. Cubie. 2009. Wintering hummingbirds in Alabama and Florida: species diversity, sex and age ratios, and site fidelity. Journal of Field Ornithology 80(2):154-162. Jim Ingold This message is intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) and may contain information that is PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, and/or EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the information contained herein is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you received this communication in error, please destroy all copies of the message, whether in electronic or hard copy format, as well as attachments and immediately contact the sender by replying to this email. Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:09:00 -0500 David, Van, Labird, I'm only floating pesticide as a possible factor, so none of this is presented as anything more than general info. I would guess that a patchwork of factors is involved. I do think that increased and faster traffic is a big cause. Many roads in the rice country used to be so dead you could park in the middle and stay for hours, just 10 or 15 years ago. Roads that fewer than 10 cars a day once traveled are now busy thoroughfares. That's hard to do now. Rice country itself is shrinking as development spreads, and the latest trend is rural subdivisions. Unbroken expanses of shrike habitat are decreasing. The areas I see with the least development, for instance south of 14 between Kaplan and Gueydan where large family farms are still largely intact, still have decent shrike numbers. Regarding mosquito programs, it should be noted that urban areas have generally had long-running, well-funded mosquito programs. However, even mostly urban Lafayette Parish intensified its efforts recently, with parish-wide fogging via trucks. Many rural parishes haven't been able to provide such coverage (Vermilion Parish is one notable exception). Below are some particulars regarding one parish in the shrike mix, Acadia Parish. Acadia Parish revamped their program in 2008, from a one-person operation to an intensive one: Prior to that, according to KLFY TV, "In the past there was a person employed by the parish to do the job, but she quit without giving any specific reason. Instead of going with one person to get the job done, they contracted a company to do so." Acadia Parish purchased a plane in 2004 for spraying, but the plane needed repairs and was rarely functional. It was for sale as of 2009. Rayne Today, January 21st, 2009: "In April 2008, the Acadia Parish Police Jury, decided to go contract with its’ four-year-old mosquito control program. The Police Jury drew up a set of specifications and advertised for proposals. After receiving three proposals, the Police Jury chose Mosquito Control Contractors, Inc. (MCCI) from New Iberia, who already ran contract programs for Lafayette and St. Mary Parishes." The following changes were made: • Locating “hot spots” for mosquitoes through more extensive surveillance. • Precise spraying in “hot spots” and at peak flight times-morning and night. • Creating spraying barriers to prevent mosquito spread from breeding sites. • Spraying more in April (beginning of season) than was previously done. • Spraying 7 days per week as opposed to 5 days, thus applying constant and continuous “insecticide pressure” on mosquito pests. • Roadside ditch larviciding of mosquito breeding sites on a regular basis. The following excerpts detail the cause for changes in programs: "Distributed 05/21/03 Meanwhile, the May 28 deadline looms for parishes to apply for a share of $500,000 available through the state Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health. Those funds are earmarked to start local mosquito control programs. Book represents one of the 44 parishes in the state without a formal mosquito control district – a key statistic that led the LSU AgCenter and its partners to hold a series of seven informational meetings on mosquito control around the state this spring. The sessions, which also are sponsored by the Office of Public Health, the Louisiana Mosquito Control Association and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, conclude Friday (May 23) in Winnsboro. The West Nile virus is transmitted from birds to humans and other animals by a number of species of mosquitoes, but primarily by the Southern House and Asian Tiger mosquitoes. Both species live near homes. John Quebodeaux, Acadia Parish’s emergency preparedness director, said the state money could help local officials convince voters to pass additional mosquito control taxes locally. "We’re trying everything we can. Last year, we spent $200,000 in one-time (public health) money on spraying (in Acadia). But to do more, it’s going to take more parish support," Quebodeaux said. Acadia Parish has a one-quarter-cent sales tax proposition on its election ballot July 19 to pay for mosquito control outside the city limits of Crowley and Rayne. A parishwide half-cent sales tax failed last year. The quarter-cent tax would raise an estimated $400,000 to $600,000 a year, Quebodeaux said. "If we could start with $400,000 to $600,000, it would be something," he said, adding, "That would give us a start, and if the people were satisfied, we could consider expanding from there in another two years." Others warned West Nile isn’t the only threat. "West Nile probably won’t be our last epidemic," said Yates of East Baton Rouge Parish. "The next threat is just a plane ride away. New mosquito varieties are easily transported into the United States, and mosquitoes don’t recognize political boundaries." Paul Conover Lafayette Subject: FW: eBird Report - Delacroix Quad , 6/30/09 From: Glenn Ousset <gousset AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:07:29 +0000 1 observer, 3 hrs 40 min from 5:50am, 10.5 miles. Glenn Ousset -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org To: gousset AT bellsouth.net Subject: eBird Report - Delacroix Quad , 6/30/09 Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:00:43 +0000 Location: Delacroix Quad Observation date: 6/30/09 Notes: La 46, Bayou Rd. Brackish marsh, spoil bank tree line, Live Oak and hardwood woodland, brush, pastures, dry pond. Number of species: 35 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 12 Great Egret 2 Tricolored Heron 1 flyover Cattle Egret 17 Green Heron 6 Black Vulture 12 Turkey Vulture 4 Mississippi Kite 5 Cooper's Hawk 1 Laughing Gull 3 flyover Rock Pigeon 7 flyover Mourning Dove 5 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 Downy Woodpecker 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 3 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 6 American Crow 14 Purple Martin 50 Carolina Chickadee 7 Tufted Titmouse 5 Carolina Wren 8 Northern Mockingbird 5 European Starling 40 Northern Parula 6 Common Yellowthroat 1 Northern Cardinal 6 Indigo Bunting 1 Painted Bunting 5 Red-winged Blackbird 1 Common Grackle 1 Orchard Oriole 1 House Sparrow 4 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Current educational paradigms From: miriam <athena_9 AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:44:32 -0500 >Will humans ever have the analytical ability to make reasonable risk assessments? Not under current educational paradigms.> Perhaps that's the plan. MiriamLDavey BatonRougeLA Subject: eBird Report - Gonzales Quad, 6/27/09 From: suebroussard <suebrou AT COX.NET> Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:33:21 -0500 Labird, I had two swallows fly over that sure looked to be Tree Swallows, but was not fast enough to get the bins on them. When I turned around a third was flying toward me and was lower than the other two. It flew directly over about 20 feet above my head. Had an excellent view of snow white underside from head to tail. Will submit 3x5 per Van's request. Sadly I found that two more of the woodlots I bird have succumb to the evil bull dozers. :-( Location: Gonzales Quad Observation date: 6/27/09 Notes: One observer, 7:05-9:35am, 14.5 miles. Hwy 30, Robert Wilson Rd, Vulcan Rd. and a stop at one of the bar pits behind the Ms. levee. The Black Vultures were all at one roost on the Brittany communication tower (Hwy 30 at Hwy 941). The majority of the Cattle Egrets were in one recently mown pasture. The Tree Swallows were flyovers while I had stopped at the lake on Rayco Sanders Rd. Number of species: 38 Anhinga 2 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 1 Little Blue Heron 1 Cattle Egret 70 Black Vulture 75 Mississippi Kite 3 Killdeer 8 Mourning Dove 18 Chimney Swift 6 Downy Woodpecker 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Loggerhead Shrike 3 White-eyed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 4 Fish Crow 3 Purple Martin 5 Tree Swallow 3 Carolina Chickadee 5 Carolina Wren 7 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Eastern Bluebird 3 Northern Mockingbird 19 European Starling 50 Prothonotary Warbler 4 Common Yellowthroat 2 Hooded Warbler 1 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Eastern Towhee 5 Northern Cardinal 25 Painted Bunting 1 Red-winged Blackbird 16 Eastern Meadowlark 3 Common Grackle 12 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 Orchard Oriole 5 House Sparrow 8 Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 From: Lindsay Seely <linzseely AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:15:49 -0700 Party hours- 2. Worked NE corner of quad (Hwy 74 to 3115 to River Road to 73). ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: linzseely AT yahoo.com Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 4:21:11 PM Subject: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 Location:    Carville Quad--East Bank Observation date:    6/27/09 Number of species:    43 Mallard    10 Great Blue Heron    4 Great Egret    7 Snowy Egret    7 Little Blue Heron    1 Cattle Egret    60 White Ibis    6 Roseate Spoonbill    3 Black Vulture    3 Mississippi Kite    3 Red-tailed Hawk    1 Killdeer    5 Rock Pigeon    22 Eurasian Collared-Dove    3 Mourning Dove    10 Yellow-billed Cuckoo    1 Chimney Swift    5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird    1 Downy Woodpecker    3 Eastern Kingbird    2 Loggerhead Shrike    2 White-eyed Vireo    4 American Crow    18 Fish Crow    2 Purple Martin    2 Barn Swallow    4 Carolina Chickadee    14 Tufted Titmouse    5 Carolina Wren    18 Eastern Bluebird    10 Northern Mockingbird    18 Brown Thrasher    1 European Starling    20 Prothonotary Warbler    3 Eastern Towhee    3 Northern Cardinal    13 Indigo Bunting    3 Painted Bunting    1 Red-winged Blackbird    26 Eastern Meadowlark    1 Common Grackle    1 Brown-headed Cowbird    20 House Sparrow    3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 From: Lindsay Seely <linzseely AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:18:29 -0700 Party hours- 1. Worked with Dr. Remsen along River Road. Nice numbers of Anhingas. And a few visits from plant security guards! Lindsay Seely   ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: linzseely AT yahoo.com Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 4:34:12 PM Subject: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 Location:    Carville Quad--East Bank Observation date:    6/27/09 Number of species:    37 Anhinga    12 Great Blue Heron    2 Great Egret    8 Snowy Egret    5 Little Blue Heron    7 Cattle Egret    18 Green Heron    1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron    1 White Ibis    4 Black Vulture    7 Mississippi Kite    1 Red-tailed Hawk    1 Killdeer    3 Eurasian Collared-Dove    1 Mourning Dove    7 Yellow-billed Cuckoo    1 Red-bellied Woodpecker    2 Downy Woodpecker    4 Eastern Kingbird    1 Blue Jay    1 American Crow    1 Fish Crow    4 Cliff Swallow    25 Barn Swallow    6 Carolina Chickadee    4 Tufted Titmouse    1 Northern Mockingbird    15 European Starling    12 Prothonotary Warbler    2 Northern Cardinal    7 Painted Bunting    1 Red-winged Blackbird    6 Eastern Meadowlark    1 Common Grackle    8 Brown-headed Cowbird    5 Orchard Oriole    1 House Sparrow    3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:51:24 -0500 David/LABIRD: right, and with shrikes seemingly thriving for decades in the rice country, the sugar cane deserts of the Miss. R. floodplain, suburban ballparks, etc., where they've been subjected to who-knows-how-many chemicals since at least the 1940s, if whatever has happened recently is due to any sort of chemical, it has to be a brand new flavor. On Jun 29, 2009, at 9:47 PM, David Muth wrote: > On mosquito spaying and shrikes: if you look at the trend for New > Orleans it > too shows a steady shrike decline (with a real dip for Katrina). But > mosquito spraying is not new here. In fact, intense spraying dates > to the > 1960s when DDT was routinely used. It might be useful to look and > see if the > decline dates to the switch to a different pesticide. > > David Muth > New Orleans > ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: Tom Hickcox <cometkazie1 AT COX.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:03:28 -0500 At 21:47 6/29/2009, David Muth wrote: >On mosquito spaying and shrikes: if you look at the trend for New Orleans it >too shows a steady shrike decline (with a real dip for Katrina). But >mosquito spraying is not new here. In fact, intense spraying dates to the >1960s when DDT was routinely used. It might be useful to look and see if the >decline dates to the switch to a different pesticide. They were spraying in Shreveport in the '40s when I was a pup. I remember kids running down the street following the truck. My college prof dad forbade me from doing it. It wouldn't surprise me if the spraying in New Orleans went back a couple of decades before the '60s. Tom Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: David Muth <dpmuth AT COX.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:47:42 -0500 On mosquito spaying and shrikes: if you look at the trend for New Orleans it too shows a steady shrike decline (with a real dip for Katrina). But mosquito spraying is not new here. In fact, intense spraying dates to the 1960s when DDT was routinely used. It might be useful to look and see if the decline dates to the switch to a different pesticide. David Muth New Orleans ----- Original Message ----- From: "James V. Remsen" To: Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 9:49 AM Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Loggerhead Shrikes On Jun 27, 2009, at 10:40 AM, Paul Conover wrote: > Harvey, Van, Labird, > Regarding the shrike decline, I've suggested that the building boom > in the country, which results in blacktopping roads and creating > more traffic, might be playing a role. Paul/LABIRD: a role, yes, but minor only? We noticed no difference between the gravel road areas of the Crowley E quad vs. the paved, and many of the latter have been paved for as long as I can remember. I think the recent decline has something specific to do with the rice country. For example, yesterday I had 7 shrikes in ca. 13 miles of heavy traffic, all-paved roads around St. Gabriel (ca. 0.5 shrikes/ mile) vs. only 2 in ca. 38 miles in Crowley E quad (ca. 0.05 shrikes/ mile, i.e., an order of magnitude lower), where we saw dramatically fewer cars/hour. > > Also worth noting is the increase in mosquito spraying in recent > years. Or, as the Lafayette Parish website states, > > "One of the greatest successes for Lafayette Consolidated Government > was its management of the mosquito control program, even when faced > with the challenge of Louisiana’s west nile virus outbreak." > > <> > > This mild sassafrassy savior anoints the roadsides with a thick fog > (apparently only in ditches where no surface water is present when > the wind isn't blowing). Roadsides are, of course, prime Loggerhead > Shrike territory. > > It would be worth investigating the effects on shrikes, but you > could prove it killed Jesus and I'm afraid the people would still > beg for it. I would rather take my chances with the mosquitoes, > personally. This sort of thing sounds more likely, especially if these programs began in late 1990s (or whenever the decline began). Will humans ever have the analytical ability to make reasonable risk assessments? Not under current educational paradigms. ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? From: David Muth <dpmuth AT COX.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:38:53 -0500 Van/Labird: While there seems to be a real (=significant) downward trend, I wonder if there is not the hint of a 20 year cycle, with low points in 1964, 1985,and, maybe, in 2005. David Muth New Orleans ----- Original Message ----- From: "James V. Remsen" To: Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 5:19 PM Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? On Jun 29, 2009, at 12:42 PM, Huner Jay V wrote: >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > I wonder if someone could provide some frame of reference for shrike > numbers? > > -- LABIRD -- as posted previously for similar queries, you can create your own analysis using CBC data at: http://audubon2.org/cbchist/graph.html or BBS data at: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html As far as I know, there isn't anywhere in LA with suitable habitat where shrikes are extinct, so no need to report every observation. ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 From: Lindsay Seely <linzseely AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:18:29 -0700 Party hours- 1. Worked with Dr. Remsen along River Road. Nice numbers of Anhingas. And a few visits from plant security guards! Lindsay Seely   ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: linzseely AT yahoo.com Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 4:34:12 PM Subject: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 Location:    Carville Quad--East Bank Observation date:    6/27/09 Number of species:    37 Anhinga    12 Great Blue Heron    2 Great Egret    8 Snowy Egret    5 Little Blue Heron    7 Cattle Egret    18 Green Heron    1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron    1 White Ibis    4 Black Vulture    7 Mississippi Kite    1 Red-tailed Hawk    1 Killdeer    3 Eurasian Collared-Dove    1 Mourning Dove    7 Yellow-billed Cuckoo    1 Red-bellied Woodpecker    2 Downy Woodpecker    4 Eastern Kingbird    1 Blue Jay    1 American Crow    1 Fish Crow    4 Cliff Swallow    25 Barn Swallow    6 Carolina Chickadee    4 Tufted Titmouse    1 Northern Mockingbird    15 European Starling    12 Prothonotary Warbler    2 Northern Cardinal    7 Painted Bunting    1 Red-winged Blackbird    6 Eastern Meadowlark    1 Common Grackle    8 Brown-headed Cowbird    5 Orchard Oriole    1 House Sparrow    3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 From: Lindsay Seely <linzseely AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:15:49 -0700 Party hours- 2. Worked NE corner of quad (Hwy 74 to 3115 to River Road to 73). ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: linzseely AT yahoo.com Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 4:21:11 PM Subject: eBird Report - Carville Quad--East Bank , 6/27/09 Location:    Carville Quad--East Bank Observation date:    6/27/09 Number of species:    43 Mallard    10 Great Blue Heron    4 Great Egret    7 Snowy Egret    7 Little Blue Heron    1 Cattle Egret    60 White Ibis    6 Roseate Spoonbill    3 Black Vulture    3 Mississippi Kite    3 Red-tailed Hawk    1 Killdeer    5 Rock Pigeon    22 Eurasian Collared-Dove    3 Mourning Dove    10 Yellow-billed Cuckoo    1 Chimney Swift    5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird    1 Downy Woodpecker    3 Eastern Kingbird    2 Loggerhead Shrike    2 White-eyed Vireo    4 American Crow    18 Fish Crow    2 Purple Martin    2 Barn Swallow    4 Carolina Chickadee    14 Tufted Titmouse    5 Carolina Wren    18 Eastern Bluebird    10 Northern Mockingbird    18 Brown Thrasher    1 European Starling    20 Prothonotary Warbler    3 Eastern Towhee    3 Northern Cardinal    13 Indigo Bunting    3 Painted Bunting    1 Red-winged Blackbird    26 Eastern Meadowlark    1 Common Grackle    1 Brown-headed Cowbird    20 House Sparrow    3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Gardner Quad , 6/29/09 - White-breasted Nuthatch From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:37:09 -0500 Picked up a White-breasted Nuthatch this morning so did a Quad report. This is the first one I've seen since back in the winter. I have heard them calling a few times during the spring and earlier in June. One has to be pretty careful on using calls to identify this bird because Blue Jays can make calls like a nuthatch. However, they usually start calling in more conventional jay tones. Nuthatches keep tooting. I just checked and it appears that the White-breasted Nuthatches that Steve Shively is reporting have to be about 10-15 miles away to the south and, likely the east from my location on Cotile Lake. Haven't detected any Brown-headed Nuthatches for a week or more but had at least three different very vocal pairs this morning. - Jay Huner Location: Gardner Quad Observation date: 6/29/09 Notes: Gardner Quad. Frank McGehee Estate, East Side of Cotile Lake off LA 1200. Vernon Parish. 1 observer, start 7:30 AM CDST, duration 1.0 hr, 1.3 miles. Happened on a White-breasted Nuthatch and decided to go ahead and make a quad survey. Number of species: 29 Great Egret 1 Cattle Egret 1 Green Heron 1 Mourning Dove 7 Inca Dove 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Eastern Kingbird 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Blue Jay 7 Purple Martin 15 Barn Swallow 6 Carolina Chickadee 5 Tufted Titmouse 4 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Brown-headed Nuthatch 6 Carolina Wren 5 Eastern Bluebird 6 American Robin 5 Northern Mockingbird 14 Summer Tanager 2 Northern Cardinal 9 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Orchard Oriole 2 House Finch 13 House Sparrow 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) ------- End of Forwarded Message ------- -- Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:19:13 -0500 On Jun 29, 2009, at 12:42 PM, Huner Jay V wrote: >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > I wonder if someone could provide some frame of reference for shrike > numbers? > > -- LABIRD -- as posted previously for similar queries, you can create your own analysis using CBC data at: http://audubon2.org/cbchist/graph.html or BBS data at: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/bbs.html As far as I know, there isn't anywhere in LA with suitable habitat where shrikes are extinct, so no need to report every observation. ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Re: Prothonotary in the yard From: "David A. Cagnolatti" <dcagnolatti AT COX.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:11:04 -0400 For the past two breeding seasons, I have had prothonotary warblers nesting in a small ceramic birdhouse -- one that was never intended for nesting and I thought was for decorative purposes only - on my back patio. THey raised two broods of 4 each last year and they are on the second brood of four this year. Dave Cagnolatti University Club 1 mi north of St. Gabriel On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 4:09 PM , Evelyn Cooper wrote: > Hi Paul: > > Count yourself lucky to even have one in your yard. > > LBBS members former Gov. Mike Foster, Franklin, reported to me he has > had > two nesting on his trail around his property. Bobbie Boykin, > Prairieville, > sent me a picture of a female PROW in her box in her yard. Dennis > LaBatt > near Epps has them nesting in his yard, but no such luck for me. > > Evelyn Cooper > www.labayoubluebirdsociety.org > http://www.purplemartins.com/RTC/index.php > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana > Birds > [mailto:LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Paul Conover > Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:52 PM > To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU > Subject: [LABIRD-L] Prothonotary in the yard > > Labird, > A female Prothonotary Warbler was in my backyard this evening, > bathing in a mister set up in a fig tree. It also sampled some figs. > This bird appears to be a wanderer, as there are no nesters within > miles of my neighborhood. I'm sure we're all wondering what effect > this weather will have on nesting, and sightings such as this may > offer us some clues. > > > Paul Conover > Lafayette > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: > 270.12.93/2206 - Release Date: 06/27/09 > 17:55:00 Subject: FW: eBird Report - Little Woods Quad , 6/29/09 From: Glenn Ousset <gousset AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:05:09 +0000 1 observer, 3 hrs from 6:00am, 3.5 miles. Only limited vocalizing today, except for wrens. Glenn Ousset -------------- Forwarded Message: -------------- From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org To: gousset AT bellsouth.net Subject: eBird Report - Little Woods Quad , 6/29/09 Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:27:17 +0000 Location: Little Woods Quad Observation date: 6/29/09 Notes: Audubon La Nature Center and vicinity in eastern New Orleans. Number of species: 35 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Wood Duck 3 Mallard (Domestic type) 25 Anhinga 4 Great Egret 5 Cattle Egret 1 Green Heron 6 Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 4 White Ibis 4 Mississippi Kite 5 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 American Coot 1 Killdeer 2 Laughing Gull 1 Mourning Dove 1 Monk Parakeet 4 low flyover Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Chimney Swift 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 3 Eastern Kingbird 4 Loggerhead Shrike 4 2 juveniles Blue Jay 3 American Crow 10 Fish Crow 2 Purple Martin 4 Barn Swallow 1 Carolina Chickadee 5 Carolina Wren 6 Northern Mockingbird 3 European Starling 30 Northern Cardinal 7 House Sparrow 10 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: Glenn Ousset <gousset AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:52:39 +0000 Nancy, Labird: The national decline of Loggerhead Shrike is not easy to explain because our past experience in southeast Louisiana has been that they do quite well in even highly urbanized habitat, such as large manicured lawns with scattered small trees. In several past years I saw them occupy such habitat in Lafreniere Park in Metairie. This year they nested in Joe Brown Park in eastern New Orleans and have continuously occupied the abandoned part of the nearby Lake Forest Plaza parking lot. Glenn Ousset -------------- Original message from Nancy L Newfield : -------------- > Nancy et al., > > At 10:59 AM 6/29/2009, Mayberry, Nancy E wrote: > > >Regarding recent posts concerning low numbers of shrikes, I saw an adult > >feeding two fledglings on 24 June, around 5:20 PM. They were on Behrman Hwy > >just before the intersection with Poe St as you head towards Holiday Drive, > >in one of the newly planted trees on the green space immediately next to the > >Brechtal Golf Course fence. > > I observed an adult Loggerhead Shrike on the > corner of General De Gaulle and LB Landry > [westbank New Orleans] one day last week. The > area seems very urban for a shrike, but I saw it > hop down and snag an insect of some kind. Eatin' good in the 'hood. > > NLN > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Nancy L Newfield > Casa Colibrí > Metairie, Louisiana USA > nancy AT casacolibri.net > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: Loggerhead Shrikes - Frame of Reference? From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:42:38 -0500 1. At 10:59 AM 6/29/2009, Mayberry, Nancy E wrote: Regarding recent posts concerning low numbers of shrikes, I saw an adultfeeding two fledglings on 24 June, around 5:20 PM. They were on Behrman Hwy just before the intersection with Poe St as you head towards Holiday Drive,in one of the newly planted trees on the green space immediately next to the Brechtal Golf Course fence. 2. I observed an adult Loggerhead Shrike on thecorner of General De Gaulle and LB Landry [westbank New Orleans] one day last week. The area seems very urban for a shrike, but I saw it hop down and snag an insect of some kind. Eatin' good in the 'hood. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Nancy L Newfield > Casa Colibrí > Metairie, Louisiana USA > nancy AT casacolibri.net > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I wonder if someone could provide some frame of reference for shrike numbers? I find Loggerhead Shrikes in typical open field habitat in Rapides and Vernon Parishes. There are 2-3 pairs in the Lakes area off LA 28 W behind Menard High, 2-3 pairs along the Red River between the old bridge and the recreaton/boat launch area, and 2-3 pairs in the general area between the older Wal-Mart and the NRCS office on Government Street. On my trip to the Afeman Quad in Vernon Parish, I found what seemed to be 2 pairs in a very large - several hundred acre - pasture/hay field area which, incidentally had a lot of meadowlarks. I would rate shrikes in this area as Uncommon - found in expected habiat. So, are these numbers pale remanents of past years where many pairs should have been encountered? Jay Huner -- Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: Nancy L Newfield <nancy AT CASACOLIBRI.NET> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:20:04 -0500 Nancy et al., At 10:59 AM 6/29/2009, Mayberry, Nancy E wrote: >Regarding recent posts concerning low numbers of shrikes, I saw an adult >feeding two fledglings on 24 June, around 5:20 PM. They were on Behrman Hwy >just before the intersection with Poe St as you head towards Holiday Drive, >in one of the newly planted trees on the green space immediately next to the >Brechtal Golf Course fence. I observed an adult Loggerhead Shrike on the corner of General De Gaulle and LB Landry [westbank New Orleans] one day last week. The area seems very urban for a shrike, but I saw it hop down and snag an insect of some kind. Eatin' good in the 'hood. NLN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nancy L Newfield Casa Colibrí Metairie, Louisiana USA nancy AT casacolibri.net ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Subject: LA Summer Bird Atlas update From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:21:35 -0500 LABIRD: tough LA birders continue to pump out quad data, despite the ridiculous heat (overnight low at my place this AM was 80, an all-time high dawn temp). Most recent unofficial (emphasis) stats now posted at: http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/LSBAQuadStats.htm At least 80 quads, i.e., ca. 10% of all LA quads, now have at least 10 p-hrs, and there are dozens that need only one 2-3 hour sample period to reach that threshold. This is all conservative because there are lots of data yet to be entered, including some of my own, and lots of data entered that I don't yet know about (in fact, if your quad is under-represented in the stats, please get me up-to-date). Only 17 more days until the end of atlas period. ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: "Mayberry, Nancy E ACE-IT AT MVN" <Nancy.E.Mayberry@USACE.ARMY.MIL> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:59:06 -0500 Regarding recent posts concerning low numbers of shrikes, I saw an adult feeding two fledglings on 24 June, around 5:20 PM. They were on Behrman Hwy just before the intersection with Poe St as you head towards Holiday Drive, in one of the newly planted trees on the green space immediately next to the Brechtal Golf Course fence. N Nancy E. Mayberry Visual Information Specialist ACE-IT Information Products Services 7400 Leake Avenue New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-1599 Subject: Fw: eBird Report - Portage Quad , 6/28/09 From: William Vermillion <vermillion_william AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:04:02 -0700 3 hours 10 minutes, 2.07 miles on foot. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: vermillion_william AT yahoo.com Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 9:23:08 AM Subject: eBird Report - Portage Quad , 6/28/09 Location: Portage Quad Observation date: 6/28/09 Notes: Portage Quad, Atchafalaya Basin, Indian Bayou Recreation Area (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Young hardwood forest, some open fields, some older forest, drainage canals attracting wading birds. Number of species: 45 Wood Duck 2 Anhinga 3 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 15 Snowy Egret 8 Little Blue Heron 28 Tricolored Heron 1 Cattle Egret 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 16 White Ibis 140 Roseate Spoonbill 1 Swallow-tailed Kite 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 7 Barred Owl 4 Chimney Swift 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5 Red-bellied Woodpecker 8 Downy Woodpecker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 3 Acadian Flycatcher 2 White-eyed Vireo 29 Yellow-throated Vireo 2 Red-eyed Vireo 9 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 15 Fish Crow 3 crow sp. 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4 Carolina Chickadee 3 Tufted Titmouse 5 Carolina Wren 11 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Prothonotary Warbler 4 Swainson's Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 12 Yellow-breasted Chat 27 Eastern Towhee 6 Northern Cardinal 31 Indigo Bunting 10 Painted Bunting 8 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Common Grackle 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 14 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:49:20 -0500 On Jun 27, 2009, at 10:40 AM, Paul Conover wrote: > Harvey, Van, Labird, > Regarding the shrike decline, I've suggested that the building boom > in the country, which results in blacktopping roads and creating > more traffic, might be playing a role. Paul/LABIRD: a role, yes, but minor only? We noticed no difference between the gravel road areas of the Crowley E quad vs. the paved, and many of the latter have been paved for as long as I can remember. I think the recent decline has something specific to do with the rice country. For example, yesterday I had 7 shrikes in ca. 13 miles of heavy traffic, all-paved roads around St. Gabriel (ca. 0.5 shrikes/ mile) vs. only 2 in ca. 38 miles in Crowley E quad (ca. 0.05 shrikes/ mile, i.e., an order of magnitude lower), where we saw dramatically fewer cars/hour. > > Also worth noting is the increase in mosquito spraying in recent > years. Or, as the Lafayette Parish website states, > > "One of the greatest successes for Lafayette Consolidated Government > was its management of the mosquito control program, even when faced > with the challenge of Louisiana’s west nile virus outbreak." > > <> > > This mild sassafrassy savior anoints the roadsides with a thick fog > (apparently only in ditches where no surface water is present when > the wind isn't blowing). Roadsides are, of course, prime Loggerhead > Shrike territory. > > It would be worth investigating the effects on shrikes, but you > could prove it killed Jesus and I'm afraid the people would still > beg for it. I would rather take my chances with the mosquitoes, > personally. This sort of thing sounds more likely, especially if these programs began in late 1990s (or whenever the decline began). Will humans ever have the analytical ability to make reasonable risk assessments? Not under current educational paradigms. ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: Bronzed Cowbirds - LA: St. Gabriel Quad , 6/28/09 From: "James V. Remsen" <najames AT LSU.EDU> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:30:16 -0500 LABIRD: a late morning spin to try to plug a few holes in the St. Gabriel Quad bar chart yielded 2 male Bronzed Cowbirds in two spots on River Road at the outskirts of St. Gabriel. Unfortunately, this is near the southern limit of the breeding range of Baltimore Oriole and one of the only reliable breeding areas for the species near Baton Rouge, as well as an area with reasonably high densities of Orchards. Full list below. Begin forwarded message: > From: do-not-reply AT ebird.org > Date: June 29, 2009 9:22:56 AM CDT > To: najames AT lsu.edu > Subject: eBird Report - LA: St. Gabriel Quad , 6/28/09 > > > > Location: LA: St. Gabriel Quad > Observation date: 6/28/09 > Notes: From Bayou Paul Road to River Road to St. Gabriel to > Hunt Correctional entrance and return on Hwy. 30. 95(!), mostly > sunny, s/0-10. > Number of species: 39 > > Anhinga 1 > Great Blue Heron 1 > Great Egret 1 > Little Blue Heron 2 > Cattle Egret 4 > Green Heron 2 > Black Vulture 10 > Mississippi Kite 4 > Killdeer 4 > Black-necked Stilt 3 > Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 > Mourning Dove 23 > Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 > Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 > Downy Woodpecker 2 > Great Crested Flycatcher 1 > Eastern Kingbird 6 > Loggerhead Shrike 7 > Blue Jay 7 > Fish Crow 2 > Purple Martin 2 > Cliff Swallow 15 > Barn Swallow 4 > Carolina Chickadee 2 > Tufted Titmouse 1 > Eastern Bluebird 1 > Northern Mockingbird 33 > Brown Thrasher 2 > European Starling 13 > Common Yellowthroat 2 > Northern Cardinal 6 > Red-winged Blackbird 17 > Eastern Meadowlark 2 > Common Grackle 21 > Bronzed Cowbird 2 males displaying on lawns in St. Gabriel > Brown-headed Cowbird 1 > Orchard Oriole 2 > Baltimore Oriole 3 > House Sparrow 9 > > This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/ > ) ***************************** J. V. Remsen Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119 LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-2855 najamesLSU.edu Subject: White-faced Ibis Ouachita WMA From: Matt Pardue <tmatthewpardue AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:29:12 -0400 There are about 10 or 12 White-faced Ibis and a few whites also?in the field in front of the observation deck on the waterfowl refuge at Ouachita WMA. They have been there every time I have swung thru for the last 2 weeks. The moist-soil field is now a small ditch so has them and the egrets/herons pretty concentrated. Very photogenic if anyone is interested. Subject: Re: Prothonotary in the yard From: Matt Pardue <tmatthewpardue AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:25:57 -0400 I got a picture a couple of weeks ago of a prothon using a relatives air conditioning unit on Lake D'arbonne for its "cavity", too concealed to get an egg count though -----Original Message----- From: Evelyn Cooper To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Sent: Mon, Jun 29, 2009 6:14 am Subject: Re: [LABIRD-L] Prothonotary in the yard Hi Paul: Count yourself lucky to even have one in your yard. LBBS members former Gov. Mike Foster, Franklin, reported to me he has had two nesting on his trail around his property. Bobbie Boykin, Prairieville, sent me a picture of a female PROW in her box in her yard. Dennis LaBatt near Epps has them nesting in his yard, but no such luck for me. Evelyn Cooper www.labayoubluebirdsociety.org http://www.purplemartins.com/RTC/index.php -----Original Message----- From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds [mailto:LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Paul Conover Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:52 PM To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Subject: [LABIRD-L] Prothonotary in the yard Labird, A female Prothonotary Warbler was in my backyard this evening, bathing in a mister set up in a fig tree. It also sampled some figs. This bird appears to be a wanderer, as there are no nesters within miles of my neighborhood. I'm sure we're all wondering what effect this weather will have on nesting, and sightings such as this may offer us some clues. Paul Conover Lafayette No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.93/2206 - Release Date: 06/27/09 17:55:00 Subject: Re: Prothonotary in the yard From: Evelyn Cooper <emcooper AT BAYOU.COM> Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:14:00 -0500 Hi Paul: Count yourself lucky to even have one in your yard. LBBS members former Gov. Mike Foster, Franklin, reported to me he has had two nesting on his trail around his property. Bobbie Boykin, Prairieville, sent me a picture of a female PROW in her box in her yard. Dennis LaBatt near Epps has them nesting in his yard, but no such luck for me. Evelyn Cooper www.labayoubluebirdsociety.org http://www.purplemartins.com/RTC/index.php -----Original Message----- From: Bulletin Board for Dissemination of Information on Louisiana Birds [mailto:LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Paul Conover Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:52 PM To: LABIRD-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU Subject: [LABIRD-L] Prothonotary in the yard Labird, A female Prothonotary Warbler was in my backyard this evening, bathing in a mister set up in a fig tree. It also sampled some figs. This bird appears to be a wanderer, as there are no nesters within miles of my neighborhood. I'm sure we're all wondering what effect this weather will have on nesting, and sightings such as this may offer us some clues. Paul Conover Lafayette No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.339 / Virus Database: 270.12.93/2206 - Release Date: 06/27/09 17:55:00 Subject: Prothonotary in the yard From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:52:16 -0500 Labird, A female Prothonotary Warbler was in my backyard this evening, bathing in a mister set up in a fig tree. It also sampled some figs. This bird appears to be a wanderer, as there are no nesters within miles of my neighborhood. I'm sure we're all wondering what effect this weather will have on nesting, and sightings such as this may offer us some clues. Paul Conover Lafayette Subject: Garden District, B. R. - June 28, 2009 From: "Jeffrey W. Harris" <jwharris30 AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:13:39 -0500 Hello Birders, Watched for 1.25 hrs on the porch this morning. Picked up a yard bird, an American kestrel as it was being mobbed by the locals. Yard count at 137 (yeah, yeah, Jerry, but who's counting...?). Location: Tulip Street, B.R., LA 70806 Observation date: 6/28/09 Number of species: 21 Mississippi Kite 1 American Kestrel 1 Rock Pigeon 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 3 Mourning Dove 5 Inca Dove 2 Chimney Swift 6 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Blue Jay 2 Fish Crow 2 Carolina Chickadee 2 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 5 European Starling 5 Northern Cardinal 4 Red-winged Blackbird 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 House Finch 5 House Sparrow 10 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Sincerely, Jeff Harris Subject: Afeman Quad , 6/27/09, Swallow-tailed Kite in the Piney Woods From: Huner Jay V <jvh0660 AT LOUISIANA.EDU> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:27:47 -0500 The Afeman Quad is about 20-30 minutes south of home. Have 10 hours for the quads I've been working so thought to see what I could find. The kite was a treat. Still searching for a year roadrunner in ANY quad. Jay Huner Location: Afeman Quad Observation date: 6/27/09 Notes: Afeman Quad. West of Cora along LA 463 in NE Vernon Parish between Pitkin and Hineston. Rolling hills. Mostly pine covered. Low areas with mixed hardwood and pine. Some larger pasture areas. 1 observer, start 6:30 AM CDST, 4.0 hr duration, 12.3 miles. Swallow-tailed Kite nice bird at 10:00 AM about 1.5 miles west of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church on LA 463 around mile marker 14. Second trip to area. First quad survey. Started at Red-cockaded Woodpecker colony at NE corner of Fort Polk. Either it's abandonned or the birds were out of their cavities by 6:30 AM!? Still cannot find a roadrunner in reasonably decent habitat. One resident reported seeing them from time to time running across local roads! Number of species: 55 Wood Duck 4 Wild Turkey 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 1 Little Blue Heron 2 Cattle Egret 43 Green Heron 1 Black Vulture 3 Turkey Vulture 2 Swallow-tailed Kite 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Killdeer 2 Mourning Dove 14 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2 Red-headed Woodpecker 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 10 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Acadian Flycatcher 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 9 Eastern Kingbird 5 Loggerhead Shrike 5 White-eyed Vireo 34 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 15 American Crow 45 Fish Crow 18 Purple Martin 6 Barn Swallow 12 Carolina Chickadee 8 Tufted Titmouse 8 Carolina Wren 5 Eastern Bluebird 3 Wood Thrush 4 Northern Mockingbird 11 European Starling 20 Pine Warbler 2 Prothonotary Warbler 3 Swainson's Warbler 1 Kentucky Warbler 3 Common Yellowthroat 3 Hooded Warbler 13 Yellow-breasted Chat 44 Eastern Towhee 6 Northern Cardinal 33 Blue Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 1 Painted Bunting 1 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Eastern Meadowlark 35 Common Grackle 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 Orchard Oriole 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) ------- End of Forwarded Message ------- -- Subject: Belle D'eau Quad From: Marty Floyd <Progne99 AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:01:43 EDT Van - brings this quad to 10.5 party-hours - Marty Floyd Location: Belle D'eau Quad Observation date: 6/27/09 Number of species: 60 15 miles (13 car, 2 foot) 7:45 - 9:45AM Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 4 Snowy Egret 1 Little Blue Heron 3 Tricolored Heron 1 Cattle Egret 16 Green Heron 1 White Ibis 2 Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 2 Mississippi Kite 4 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Killdeer 3 Eurasian Collared-Dove 3 White-winged Dove 1 Mourning Dove 13 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Common Nighthawk 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 Red-headed Woodpecker 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 6 Downy Woodpecker 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Eastern Kingbird 2 Loggerhead Shrike 2 White-eyed Vireo 7 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Red-eyed Vireo 3 Blue Jay 8 American Crow 4 Fish Crow 2 Purple Martin 12 Tree Swallow 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 15 Carolina Chickadee 9 Tufted Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Eastern Bluebird 2 Northern Mockingbird 26 Brown Thrasher 2 European Starling 14 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Summer Tanager 3 Northern Cardinal 22 Blue Grosbeak 2 Indigo Bunting 21 Painted Bunting 17 Dickcissel 3 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Eastern Meadowlark 8 Common Grackle 7 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 Orchard Oriole 5 House Sparrow 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/content/la/) **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222585065x1201462786/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Jun eExcfooterNO62) Subject: Re: Loggerhead Shrikes From: Paul Conover <zoiseaux AT COX.NET> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:40:00 -0500 Harvey, Van, Labird, Regarding the shrike decline, I've suggested that the building boom in the country, which results in blacktopping roads and creating more traffic, might be playing a role. Also worth noting is the increase in mosquito spraying in recent years. Or, as the Lafayette Parish website states, "One of the greatest successes for Lafayette Consolidated Government was its management of the mosquito control program, even when faced with the challenge of Louisiana’s west nile virus outbreak." Without the spraying, I don't know if there would've been enough left alive to bury the victims of the West Nile plague. Or the Y2K bug, for that matter. The quote bears proof that the spraying was so successful that it reduced the virus from its deadly proper noun form to a relatively harmless common noun. The current poison being used in Lafayette, Acadia, and St. Mary Parishes is Permanone 30-30, whose stat sheet can be found here: http://www.mcci.info/permanone.pdf In addition to its "mild sassafrass-type" odor, Permanone 30-30 provides a "statistically significant increase in the incidence of lung and liver tumors...in female mice receiving diets containing 375 and 750 mg/kg/day of permethrin technical over 85 weeks." As well, "This product is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic organisms. For terrestrial uses, do not apply directly to water, or to areas where surface water is present, or to intertidal areas below mean high water mark. Do not apply when weather conditions favor drift from areas treated. Drift or runoff from treated areas may be hazardous to aquatic organisms in neighboring areas. Do not contaminate water by cleaning of equipment or disposal of equipment wash waters. This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment on blooming crops or weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift to blooming crops or weds while bees are actively visiting the treatment area. Do not apply when winds speeds exceed 10 mph." This mild sassafrassy savior anoints the roadsides with a thick fog (apparently only in ditches where no surface water is present when the wind isn't blowing). Roadsides are, of course, prime Loggerhead Shrike territory. It would be worth investigating the effects on shrikes, but you could prove it killed Jesus and I'm afraid the people would still beg for it. I would rather take my chances with the mosquitoes, personally. Paul Conover Lafayette Harvey L. Patten wrote: > A recent post by Dr. Remsen concerning current low numbers of shrikes prompts this post. This morning at the Mandeville Post Office I spied what I thought was a family of House Sparrows feeding in the shade at the base of a Live Oak tree. On closer inspection they turned out to be a family of two adult Loggerhead Shrikes feeding two chicks. On my way home I spied a fifth on a wire about 1/4 mile from the post office. > > I have seen others in various locations in the Covington/Mandeville area in recent days. > > Harvey L. Patten > Covington > > Subject: Loggerhead Shrikes From: "Harvey L. Patten" <puffin AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:22:23 -0500 A recent post by Dr. Remsen concerning current low numbers of shrikes prompts this post. This morning at the Mandeville Post Office I spied what I thought was a family of House Sparrows feeding in the shade at the base of a Live Oak tree. On closer inspection they turned out to be a family of two adult Loggerhead Shrikes feeding two chicks. On my way home I spied a fifth on a wire about 1/4 mile from the post office. I have seen others in various locations in the Covington/Mandeville area in recent days. Harvey L. Patten Covington