Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Rhode Island Birds > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Saturday, November 7 at 08:16 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Tree Swallows,©Chris Kerrigan

7 Nov Camp Cronin 11/7 - YBCH [Tom Auer ] 6 Nov RBA: Rhode Island, November 6, 2009 [] 6 Nov RFI on a Group of Five Sandhill Cranes from Oct 29th [Fred ] 6 Nov Friday, 11/6 [Philip Budlong ] 5 Nov Greater White-fronted Geese, Dickcissel [] 5 Nov Camp Cronin 11/5 - Purple Sandpipers [Tom Auer ] 3 Nov Long-tailed Ducks [] 03 Nov Block Island - Unk large falcon, dickcissel, orange-crowned and others ["Thomas M" ] 3 Nov ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 11/3 [Philip Budlong ] 3 Nov Lincoln's Sparrow 11/2 [Jim Murphy ] 03 Nov Great Swamp Winter Wren ["Bryan and Sarah" ] 02 Nov East Bay Birds - [ " Jack Sullivan " ] [] 2 Nov Apology ["Nancy H." ] 02 Nov APOLOGIES ["hurricanenancy" ] 2 Nov (unknown) ["Nancy H." ] 01 Nov Blackstone Corridor 10/31 ["Mark Lynch" ] 31 Oct East Bay bikepath ["eric88kp" ] 31 Oct Saturday, 10/31 [Philip Budlong ] 30 Oct Tiverton and Little Compton [] 30 Oct Providence Birds 10/30 ["eric88kp" ] 29 Oct RBA: Rhode Island, October 29, 2009 [] 30 Oct Block Island ["Thomas M" ] 30 Oct Block Island - western kingbird ["Thomas M" ] 29 Oct Vesper Sparrow [] 29 Oct Red Tailed Hawk question [Julie Davids ] 28 Oct Barred Owl at Trustom Pond NWR today 10-28-09 ["ThomasT" ] 28 Oct Block Island - seabirds ["Thomas M" ] 27 Oct 10/27 Camp Cronin - Waterbirds [Tom Auer ] 27 Oct Ipswich Savannah Sparrows [] 27 Oct ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/27 [Philip Budlong ] 26 Oct 10/26 Camp Cronin [Tom Auer ] 26 Oct Sachuest Point NWR on Sunday, October 25. [Bruce Larson ] 25 Oct 10/25 Camp Cronin & Moonstone Beach [Tom Auer ] 25 Oct Block Island ["Thomas M" ] 24 Oct Saturday, 10/24 [Philip Budlong ] 23 Oct Block Island - Late posts ["Thomas M" ] 22 Oct Trustom Pond NWR [] 21 Oct Tennessee Warbler [Jim Murphy ] 21 Oct Camp Cronin 10/21 [Tom Auer ] 20 Oct Camp Cronin 10/20 [Tom Auer ] 20 Oct pelagic results [] 20 Oct East Bay Bikepath ["eric88kp" ] 20 Oct ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/20 [Philip Budlong ] 18 Oct RBA: Rhode Island, October 17, 2009 [] 17 Oct belated Lincoln's Sparrow, plus mystery sandpipers ["eric88kp" ] 17 Oct Saturday, 10/17 [Philip Budlong ] 16 Oct Pt. Judith Harlequin Duck, Orange-crowned Warbler etc. 10/16/09 [Christian Nunes ] 15 Oct pelagic opportunity [] 14 Oct Wednesday, 10/14 [Philip Budlong ] 14 Oct CORRECTION: Block Island Beane Point on Saturday and Sunday 10/10 and 10/11 [Bruce Larson ] 13 Oct some birds from yesterday ["Michael Tucker" ] 13 Oct Blackstone Park, Providence 10/13 ["eric88kp" ] 13 Oct Re: Block Island Beane Point on Saturday and Sunday 10/10 and 10/11 [Bruce Larson ] 13 Oct ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/13 [Philip Budlong ] 13 Oct Scoters, gannets ["Bruce Kindseth" ] 13 Oct Block Island ["Thomas M" ] 12 Oct Common Moorhen [] 12 Oct Avondale & Perryville Trout Hatchery sightings ["Michelle St.Sauveur" ] 12 Oct W Kingston bittern [Glenn Williams ] 12 Oct Monday, 10/12 [Philip Budlong ] 12 Oct Sunday (10-11-09) birds ["birdboy226" ] 11 Oct Walker Farm:Lark Sparrow [Jim Murphy ] 10 Oct Saturday birding, 10/10 [Philip Budlong ] 10 Oct Saturday birds ["slatebluecyn" ] 9 Oct RBA: Rhode Island, October 8, 2009 [] 8 Oct Sedge Wren / Camp Cronin [] 8 Oct Block Island birds, 10/8 [Philip Budlong ] 07 Oct Adult Red Headed Woodpecker, Providence ["r.marrjr" ] 06 Oct Rumford Birds - [ " Jack Sullivan " ] [] 6 Oct Birding trip ["Michael Tucker" ] 6 Oct ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/6 [Philip Budlong ] 1 Oct Sedge Wren ["Michael Tucker" ] 01 Oct Sedge Wren ["bch19821091" ] 30 Sep Western Kingbird photos ["Michael Tucker" ] 30 Sep BI report from Jan St Jean [] 29 Sep RBA: Rhode Island, September 29, 2009 [] Subject: Camp Cronin 11/7 - YBCH From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 09:15:49 -0500 Birders, A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen along the parking lot road at Camp Cronin around 9am. There was a flock of 21 COMMON LOON and 1 HARLEQUIN DUCK seen from the parking lot as well. Otherwise, a bit quiet. Good Birding! Tom Auer Subject: RBA: Rhode Island, November 6, 2009 From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:27:33 EST * RBA * Rhode Island * Statewide * November 6, 2009 * RIRI0911.06 - Birds mentioned: GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Canada Goose DICKCISSEL "Ipswich" Savannah Sparrow Eastern Phoebe EURASION WIGEON American Bittern Lincoln's Sparrow COMMON RAVEN Great Egret Snowy Egret Brant Common Eider Northern Gannet Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover American Oystercatcher Ruddy Turnstone Laughing Gull Tree Swallow Eastern Meadowlark Long-tailed Duck American Pipit Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Snow bunting ICELAND GULL Greater Yellowlegs Merlin Red-necked Grebe Horned Grebe Blackpoll Warbler Baltimore Oriole American Tree Sparrow Winter Wren Purple Finch date: November 6, 2009 (401) 949-5454 or 245-7500 ext 3052 to report: email to: _DLSaint AT aol.com_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol.com) coverage: statewide compiler: Janice St.Jean transcriber: Janice St.Jean (_DLSaint AT aol_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol) ) _www.asri.org_ (http://www.asri.org/) Welcome to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's bird alert for November 6th, 2009. This report covers the period from October 30th to November 5th. The next update will be in about one week. Two juvenile GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen with a flock of CANADA GEESE in Middletown on the 5th. The birds were in a field along Green End Avenue, just east of Third beach Road. Also in Middletown that day, in a weedy lot at the eastern end of Green End Ave, 1 DICKCISSEL, 1 "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROW, and 1 EASTERN PHOEBE. On the 2nd in Barrington, along Lakeshore Drive, 1 EURASION WIGEON was found. An AMERICN BITTERN was seen at Easton's Pond in Newport on the 1st. On the 4th, in Glocester, at Durfee Hill Management Area, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW and a COMMON RAVEN were observed. At Winnipaug Pond salt marsh along Atlantic Avenue in Misquamicut, 1 GREAT EGRET was seen, and a SNOWY EGRET was seen at Avondale Preserve in Westerly on the 3rd. On the 31st at Napatree Point in Westerly, 20 BRANT, 230 COMMON EIDER, 1 NORTHERN GANNET, 12 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 11 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, 4 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 2 LAUGHING GULLS, 1 TREE SWALLOW and 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK were recorded. In Charlestown on the 3rd, 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS were observed in Ninigret Pond. At East Matunuck State Beach, 2 AMERICAN PIPITS and 2 "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROWS were reported this past week. In Tiverton, 2 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS were seen along Seapowet Ave, and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW was found at Pardon Gray Preserve on the 30th. A SNOW BUNTING was observed at Little Compton Beach that day. Highlights from Block Island on the 30th included: 1 ICELAND GULL, 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 25 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 3 GREAT EGRETS, 1 MERLIN, 10 TREE SWALLOWS, 3 RED-NECKED GREBES and 1 HORNED GREBE. Miscellaneous reports this past week included: 1 BLACKPOLL WARBLER near Brown University in Providence on the 4th, 1 BALTIMORE ORILE in Riverside on the 1st, an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW in Warren, a WINTER WREN on the 2nd at the Great Swamp Management Area, and 2 PURPLE FINCHES in Exeter on the 2nd. The total species count for the year at the end of October was 315. (Thanks to Dave Gumbley for the statistics.) That's all for this week, thank you for calling and good birding! - End transcript Subject: RFI on a Group of Five Sandhill Cranes from Oct 29th From: Fred <fred AT cetussoft.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:57:07 -0500 Hello, RI. This may be an unusual request (a "long shot"), but here goes... I am hoping that someone might have seen (and maybe even photographed) a particular group of five sandhill cranes (one having an obvious notch in the left wing - please see photo info below) that recently headed southbound from Wareham Massachusetts, along the south coast of New England, towards Florida (or thereabouts). Here's the story: There is a group of five sandhill cranes that recently left Wareham Massachusetts (just across Buzzards Bay from Cape Cod) on their way to Florida (I would assume). These birds have spent part of each year for the last several years on the cranberry bogs and ponds of Wareham MA, and they have been actively watched by MA birders (especially since sandhill cranes are pretty rare birds "up here" in New England. On October 29th, the last day the cranes were seen in Wareham, a group of five cranes were spotted flying from MA into RI (and followed as far as Portsmouth, I believe), and later that day there was a report from a hawk watch in Greenwich CT recording a tight formation of five cranes heading towards the NYC area. Then, on October 30th, there were two northwestern NJ reports, of a group of five cranes seen both lifting off the ground at Merrill Creek NJ and of a group of five in the air at a hawk watch at Scott's Mountain NJ. And then, on November 3rd, a group of five cranes were heard and then seen overhead at Woodstock GA heading southward (and this was a bit unusual because that was somewhat earlier than the usual migration of sandhill cranes coming through that area from the Hiwassee TN staging). Of course, the big question is, ARE THEY THE SAME FIVE CRANES? While certainly not completely definitive, a comparison of a photo taken of the birds in flight at the Scott's Mountain NJ hawk watch on 10/30 ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrd_photos/4063137832/sizes/l/ ) and my photos from Wareham MA of "our" cranes flying at sunset on 10/26 ( http://fredw.smugmug.com/Animals/WarehamCraneberryCranes-102609/10104828_2y3Tr/1/693923477_HJvqD/Large http://fredw.smugmug.com/Animals/WarehamCraneberryCranes-102609/10104828_2y3Tr/1/693925004_AH4v3/Large ), shows one of the five cranes in each case having what could seem to be the same notch in the left wing. (The notch is quite obvious in a photo, but may not be so obvious to an observer's eyes.) What is most intriguing, I think, is that the cranes may be taking a somewhat inland route, along the Appalachians, rather than a more coastal route. (But, of course, who knows what is a "normal" path for quite uncommon New England sandhill cranes migrating to and from Florida or thereabouts?) So, I have been trying to ask those on the flyways to Florida, where the cranes might be heading for the winter season, if anyone happened to see (and maybe even photographed) a distinctive group of five sandhill cranes going over. The group likely went through MA, RI, CT, and NY (on the way to NJ) on October 29th. I am hoping to hear of any additional reports (or see any additional photographs) from along the way, to "fill in the blanks" on the route taken. So, might there be any other RI reports? Yes, I know that this all sounds like a "wild "Grus" chase", but who knows... Thanks for listening. Fred (Frederick Wasti) Marshfield Massachusetts ("craneberry country") Subject: Friday, 11/6 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:37:13 -0800 (PST) At Trustom Pond NWR (Otter Point Trail), Matunuck, this morning there was 1 Turkey Vulture, Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Ducks, American Coot and 1 Belted Kingfisher. At Winnipaug Pond salt marsh, Atlantic Avenue, Misquamicut, there was 1 GREAT EGRET and 1 Greater Yellowlegs. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Greater White-fronted Geese, Dickcissel From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:05:43 EST At about noon today, in Middletown, along Green End Ave, just east of Third Beach Road, 2 juvenile GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE with about 100 CANADA GEESE. The birds had orange legs and bill, no white coloring at the base of the bill, brown neck, chest and sides without black streaking. At the corner of Green End Ave and Vaucluse Ave, in a weedy lot, 1 DICKCISSEL, 1 EASTERN PHOEBE, 1 "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROW, plus loads of common birds. The owner was very nice, and gave permission to poke around this lot. His name is Henry, and he owns seven acres there. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Camp Cronin 11/5 - Purple Sandpipers From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 11:37:12 -0500 Birders, Had nine PURPLE SANDPIPERS on the PJ safe harbor breakwall from Camp Cronin this morning. My first of the season. Nothing else out of the ordinary. Sparrows were abundant: Song, White-throated, and Swamp. Good Birding! Tom Auer Subject: Long-tailed Ducks From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:37:27 EST At Ninigret Pond, seen from the Grassy Point trail, 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS. At the cut along Moonstone Beach Road, 3 "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 10 DUNLIN. At Green Hill Beach, 1 NORTHERN GANNET. At East Matunuck, 2 AMERICAN PIPITS. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Block Island - Unk large falcon, dickcissel, orange-crowned and others From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:01:05 -0000 First, yesterday I birded briefly in town to get a lifer dicksiccel for Will Young. It was there, an adult male. I last I saw appeared to be a female, so I am unsure, but it appears that two may be hanging around? Today on the north end I had saw a large falco that I will leave as unidentified. It was absolutely massive. I saw it for a minute max. It never flapped, just road teh updraft of the bluff and I saw it soar once. I have seen plenty (hundreds) of peregrines in my days, and if this was a a peregrine it woulf be the fattest, honkenest female that ever took to the skies. It was an immature bird. It jumpedme and I saw it nakedeye and thought, wow my first goshawk for the island and then it turned. That is when I realized it was a falcon. I got my bins on it as it was starting to head away from me. The underside was completely streaked, even on the vent. The body and wings were so broad and huge, massive I have to say. The wings appeared pointed. But the body looked like a stovepipe, hence the first impression of gos. Was it a gyr, your guess is as good as mine, it would havebeen a lifer. I have no experience with them, but I feel I might have blown a stellar call of an incredible bird! Ah well, you win some and lose some! There was an orange-crowned warbler, baltimore oriole, white-crowned sparrow, and snow bunting on the north end of the island. No kinglets were found up there, so they may have gone with the wind. However there were a lot of dark-eyed juncos, so there must have been a flight of that species last night. The rest of this week and this weekend looks really goood for some odd vagrant out here. The more eyes the better. People need to hop a boat and head out! Cheers! -Tom M. Subject: ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 11/3 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:47:42 -0800 (PST) On an ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group walk this morning at Westerly Land Trust's Avondale Farm Preserve: 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 SNOWY EGRET, American Black Ducks, 1 Cooper's Hawk, 1 Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flickers, 2 Northern Mockingbirds, 1 Brown Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbirds and House Finches There also was one peep frog seen and others heard. At Watch Hill Lighthouse there were 2 Common Loons, 100+ Common Eider, 1 White-winged Scoter and 1 Sanderling. In Winnapaug Pond salt marsh, Misquamicut, there was 1 GREAT EGRET. and at Noyes Neck, Weekapaug, there were ~25 Common Eider. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Lincoln's Sparrow 11/2 From: Jim Murphy <jimride0457 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 05:36:37 -0800 (PST) A little late, but yesterday morning I had a Lincoln's Sparrow and a raven around the deer pit at Durfee Hill. The Lincoln's was in the fen next to the deer pit. A very bright buffy bird with fine, heavy streaks, and white eye ring.Remember that deer hunting season begins tomorrow and one needs 200 inches of fluorescence on for safety. Jim Subject: Great Swamp Winter Wren From: "Bryan and Sarah" <nipata AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:09:08 -0000 Monday at 11:30 am, in the Great swamp, I had a Winter Wren just off the main parking lot, among the usual gang of chickadees, titmice, and G.C. kinglets. Bryan Glemboski Narragansett, RI Subject: East Bay Birds - [ " Jack Sullivan " ] From: Jackjsully AT aol.com Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:20:57 -0500 While working with Mike Tucker at the ASRI's Touisset Wildlife Refuge this morning we were able to see a sole American Tree Sparrow. Overall there a paucity of birds. Subject: Apology From: "Nancy H." <hurricanenancy AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 03:57:00 -0800 (PST) I DID NOT post that link to this group. I hope the list owner can delete it. Seems I've been hit with a virus... My apologies. Nancy H. Subject: APOLOGIES From: "hurricanenancy" <hurricanenancy AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:55:37 -0000 I did not post the link that is on this group. Apparently I've been hit with a virus or something. I hope the list owner will delete it. I'm so very sorry! Subject: (unknown) From: "Nancy H." <hurricanenancy AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 02:45:13 -0800 (PST) http://sites.google.com/site/edckhpiach/zyasbzp7ev Subject: Blackstone Corridor 10/31 From: "Mark Lynch" <moa.lynch AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:15:10 -0500 We birded a few ponds in the BLACKSTONE NATIONAL CORRIDOR, mainly to see how waterfowl migration was doing: SNEETCH POND, CUMBERLAND RI: Pied-billed Grebe (3) Wood Duck (25) Mallard (3) American Black Duck (4) Ring-necked Duck (11) E Screech Owl (1) DIAMONDHILL/ARNOLD MILL RESERVOIRS, CUMBERLAND RI: Double-crested Cormorant (4) Great Blue Heron (6) Mute Swan (2) Canada Goose (85) Mallard (30) Green-winged Teal (6) Ring-necked Duck (8) Hooded Merganser (3) Common Merganser (21) Ruddy Duck (102) Osprey (1) Cooper’s Hawk (1) Killdeer (3) Greater Yellowlegs (1) American Pipit (6) PAWTUCKET COUNTRY CLUB, PAWTUCKET RI: Double-crested Cormorant (1) Mute Swan (1) Mallard (45) American Black Duck (3) Hooded Merganser (2) TURNER RESERVOIR, EAST PROVIDENCE RI: Pied-billed Grebe (1) Double-crested Cormorant (7) Mute Swan (28) Canada Goose (62) Mallard (91) A Black Duck (3) American Wigeon (4) Gadwall (2) Lesser Scaup (14) Ruddy Duck (10) SEEKONK RIVER, PROVIDENCE RI: Double-crested Cormorant (23) Mute Swan (30) Mallard (26) American Black Duck (6) Sharp-shinned Hawk (1) Red-tailed Hawk (3) WOONSOCKET RESERVOIR, LINCOLN RI: Bald Eagle (1ad) Red-tailed Hawk (2) Peregrine Falcon (2ad bathing) MEADOW POND, NORTHBRIDGE MA: Mute Swan (10) Mallard (16) Ring-necked Duck (179) Lesser Scaup (1f) Ruddy Duck (4) Common Raven (2) Common Grackle (flock of 600+ working leaf litter in forest) Mark Lynch/Sheila Carroll Moa.lynch AT verizon.net Subject: East Bay bikepath From: "eric88kp" <eric_lopresti AT brown.edu> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:33:58 -0000 Biked down to Barrington and back with Jimmy Tarrant and Orla O'Brien: Ebird totals just for trip down. Location: East Bay Bikepath (E. Prov. - Bristol) Observation date: 10/31/09 Notes: No mimids, song sparrows or carolina wrens! Probably the 10-20 mph sustained winds had something to do with the lack of landbirds. Number of species: 36 Brant 16 Canada Goose 16 Mute Swan 47 Gadwall 44 American Wigeon 216 Everywhere. American Black Duck 59 Mallard 78 Lesser Scaup 22 Hooded Merganser 24 Pied-billed Grebe 3 2 south lake, 1 in res in Barrington. Double-crested Cormorant 6 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 1 Red-tailed Hawk 4 Lesser Yellowlegs 5 Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs 2 distant Ring-billed Gull 161 Herring Gull 120 Great Black-backed Gull 5 Rock Pigeon 10 Mourning Dove 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 woodpecker sp. 1 f/o probably red-bellied. Blue Jay 9 American Crow 1 swallow sp. 1 Brief and distant glance - 90% sure tree swallow, but rather late. Over south lake in Barrington. Black-capped Chickadee 7 Tufted Titmouse 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Robin 16 European Starling 34 Cedar Waxwing 5 White-throated Sparrow 7 Northern Cardinal 4 Common Grackle 120 House Finch 4 House Sparrow 42 Swallow was interesting, one of the PBGB's was close to s. lake drive, giving us great views. Great Egret was in E.Prov in a pool south of Watchemoket. Checked Bold Point, but nothing was out, the winds were particularly intense then. Eric LoPresti Providence, RI Subject: Saturday, 10/31 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:27:03 -0700 (PDT) Birding this morning with Linda Gardrel, Patty O'Neill, Carlos Pedro, Sandy Saunders and Chris Sidler, at Perryville: 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Belted Kingfisher, Savannah Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and 3 White-crowned Sparrows. At Sunset Farm (Kinney Bungalow), Narragansett, there was a Cooper's Hawk and Savannah Sparrows. At Point Judith there were Northern Gannets, Common Eider and Surf Scoters. At Camp Cronin there were Common Eider and a Peep Frog. At Sand Hill Cove there were 15 Snow Buntings in the west end of the parking lot. At Succotash Marsh MA, East Matunuck, there was 1 Great Egret, 1 Black-bellied Plover, 7 Greater Yellowlegs and ~15 Dunlin. In the tern nesting area west of the East Matunuck SB parking lot there were 2 "Ipswich" Savannah Sparrows and 1 Savannah Sparrow. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Tiverton and Little Compton From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:03:48 EDT Linda Gardrel and I birded Tiverton and Little Compton. It was quiet, but a few highlights: 2 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS along Seapowet Ave, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW at Pardon Gray Preserve in Tiverton, 1 SNOW BUNTING at Little Compton beach, and at Sakonnet Point, 10 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, 12 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 1 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, many COMMON EIDER and a few BLACK AND SURF SCOTERS. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Providence Birds 10/30 From: "eric88kp" <eric_lopresti AT brown.edu> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:22:46 -0000 Enjoyed a long walk around the east side today - which resulted in many good birds. At blackstone park - a pair of wood ducks, along with a hybrid black duck x mallard, a cooper's hawk and other common birds. Down by the Providence River, across from the Wild Colonial - an immature Black-Crowned night heron, a red-tailed hawk and two swamp sparrows. Eric LoPresti Providence, RI Subject: RBA: Rhode Island, October 29, 2009 From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:00:14 EDT * RBA * Rhode Island * Statewide * October 29, 2009 * RIRI0910.29 - Birds mentioned: SANDHILL CRANE Tennessee Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Palm Warbler American Pipit Long-tailed Duck Red-necked Grebe Blue-headed Vireo Peregrine Falcon White-crowned Sparrow Nelson's Sparrow DICKCISSEL Western Sandpiper Merlin Lesser Yellowlegs White-rumped Sandpiper VESPER SPARROW Field Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Eastern Bluebird Common Loon Northern Gannet Greater Shearwater Cory's Shearwater Sooty Shearwater Manx Shearwater NORTHERN FULMAR LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Pomarine Jaeger American Bittern Little Blue Heron Green-winged Teal Blue-winged teal Northern Pintail Gadwall American Wigeon Ring-necked Duck Hooded Merganser Ruddy Duck Pied-billed Grebe American Coot Marsh Wren Barred Owl Osprey "Ipswich" Savannah Sparrow Parasitic Jaeger American Woodcock Nashville Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Pine Siskin Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Baltimore Oriole Eastern Meadowlark Cape May Warbler Purple Finch Winter Wren CLAY-COLORED SPARROW WESTERN KINGBID Wilson's Snipe Snow Bunting date: October 29, 2009 (401) 949-5454 or 245-7500 ext 3052 to report: email to: _DLSaint AT aol.com_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol.com) coverage: statewide compiler: Janice St.Jean transcriber: Janice St.Jean (_DLSaint AT aol_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol) ) _www.asri.org_ (http://www.asri.org/) Welcome to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's bird alert for October 29th, 2009. This report covers the period from October 18th to October 29th. The next update will be in about one week. Five SANDHILL CRANES were seen in flight over Portsmouth on the 29th, quite possibly the same five birds that have spent the last several weeks in Wareham, Mass. A TENNESSEE WARBLER was identified in Johnston near the power lines along Route 5 on the 21st. Also seen were several BLACKPOLL WARLBERS and a PALM WARBLER. Also in Johnston, 15 AMERICAN PIPITS were seen in a field at Dame Farm. Birds seen at Camp Cronin in Narraganset included: 1 LONG-TAILED DUCK, 1 RED NECKED GREBE, 3 AMERICAN PIPITS, 1 BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 1 PALM WARBLER, 1 PEREGRINE FALCON, 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and 1 NELSON'S SPARROW. On the 23rd at Brenton Point in Newport, 3 DICKCISSELS, 6 WHITE CROWNED SPARROWS and 10 PALM WARBLERS were found. A WESTERN SANDPIPER was found at Sachuest Point NWR on the 18th along with 1 MERLIN, 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. On the 21st, 5 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS were observed. Another WESTERN SANPIPER was found at Beavertail Point in Jamestown on the 25th. On the 29th, near the Perryville Trout Hatchery in South Kingstown, 1 VESPER SPARROW, 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 3 FIELD SPARROWS, 1 CHIPPING SPARROW and 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were recorded. Birds seen on a dedicated pelagic to Mud Hole/ Cox's Ledge on the 20th included: 3 COMMON LOONS, 73 NORTHERN GANNETS, 286 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 23 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 1 SOOTY SHEARWATER, 3 MANX SHEARWATERS, 14 NORTHERN FULMAR, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 4 POMARINE JAEGERS. At Grassy Point Trail at Ninigret Wildlife Refuge in Charlestown, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL continues. In Westerly, at Misquamicut, 1 AMERICAN BITTERN was reported on the 22nd, and 3 LITTLE BLUE HERONS were found on the 24th. One AMERICAN BITTERN was found at Succotash Marsh in Jerusalem on the 22nd. At Trustom Pond: 28 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 11 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 6 NORTHERN PINTAILS, 26 GADWALL, 111 AMERICAN WIGEONS, 2 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 3 HOODED MERGANSERS, 160 RUDDY DUCKS, 10 PIED-BILLED GREBES and 41 AMERICAN COOT. In the fields on the east side of the pond, 1 PALM WARBLER, 3 MARSH WRENS and 1 NELSON'S SPARROW. One BARRED OWL was observed on the 28th, and 1 OSPREY was seen on the 29th. On the 27th in Tiverton, at Seapowet, in the parking area at the bridge near the Management Fields, 1 "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROW was reported. Finally, highlights from Block Island included: 130 NORTHERN GANNETS, 1 PARSITIC JAEGER, 3 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 1 PEREGRINE FALCON, 1 AMERICAN BITTERN, 1 AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 1 DICKCISSEL, 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, 1 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, 1 PINE SISKIN, 1 AMERICAN PIPIT, 26 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, 60 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 6 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 1 BALTIMORE ORIOLE, 1 VESPER SPARROW, 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK, 1 CAPE MAY WARBLER, 7 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 1 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 6 PURPLE FINCHES, 2 WINTER WRENS and 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. On the 29th, a WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen in flight near the Southeast Light, along with 2 WILSON'S SNIPE. Four SNOW BUNTINGS were also reported that day. That's all for this week, thank you for calling and good birding! - End transcript Subject: Block Island From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:03:26 -0000 I forgot to mention that there is dickcissel in town and field sparrows have been seen in a couple of different locations. Cheers! -Tom M. Subject: Block Island - western kingbird From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:19:30 -0000 This afternoon I was treated to a flyby western kingbird as I walked in to Southeast Light. It is always nice to lookup nakedeye and that is "", and this time it was a western kingbird! A quick pick with the bins confirmed it with a stellar look and the unmistakeable white outer rects were blazing. Number three for Block Island this fall, not to shabby! This siting was followed by two wilson's snipe, also a flyby. This morning there were loads of gannets and laughing gulls off the south end, and my FOS snow buntings. A flock of four. Cheers! -Tom M. Subject: Vesper Sparrow From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:38:14 EDT In South Kingstown, in the weedy dirt mounds on the way into Perryville Trout Hatchery, (near the northern end of Moonstone Beach Road), 1 VESPER SPARROW, 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 3 FIELD SPARROWS, 1 CHIPPING SPARROW, 3 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and numbers of SWAMP, SONG and SAVANNAH SPARROWS. Also, 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. In Johnston, at Dame Farm, 15 AMERICAN PIPITS. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Red Tailed Hawk question From: Julie Davids <jdavids13 AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:30:01 -0400 I live in Edgewood, Cranston a few blocks from Roger Williams Park. Last Friday, a Red-Tailed Hawk caught a full-grown squirrel in a tree by my kitchen window. The same or another hawk had been there in the spring, and it looked like it was trying to get a baby squirrel at that time in a hollow branch but was unsuccessful despite much fur flying... But this time it was successful, and then spent about 1/2 hour flying from tree to tree in my and nearby back yards, with the squirrel dangling... It came back to the original tree where it caught it at least 2 times, while other squirrels cowered on the trunk below and nearby. Why the display/delay in eating it? Julie Subject: Barred Owl at Trustom Pond NWR today 10-28-09 From: "ThomasT" <tjtetzner AT cox.net> Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:13:10 -0000 Hi Today at Trustom Pond NWR Barred Owl 10-28-09 at 11:00 am Osprey trail tom tetzner Subject: Block Island - seabirds From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:02:22 -0000 Seawatching from SE Light the last few days has been fruitful! 26th from 0845-1000 northern gannet - 12 common loon - 9 red-throated loon - 17 black scoter - 270 surf scoter - 166 whiye-winged scoter - 27 red-breasted merganser - 1 laughing gull - 92 herring gull - 18 double-crested cormorant - 27 common eider - 125 great cormorant - 2 27th from 0840-1040 northern gannet - 130 red-throated loon - 6 common loon - 5 black scoter - 285 white-winged scoter - 39 surf scoter - 117 laughing gull - 36 herring gull - 72 ring-billed gull - 1 greta black-backed gull - 35 red-breasted merganser - 5 common eider - 11 lesser scaup - 5 double-crested cormorant - 3 parasitic jaeger - 1 peregrine falcon - 2 28th from 0845-1000 northern gannet - 124 great black-backed gull - 7 herring gull - 23 laughing gull - 9 ring-billed gull - 3 surf scoter - 150 black scoter - 3 white-winged scoter - 2 red-throated loon - 3 mallard - 2 canada goose - 1 cory's shearwater - 3 peregrine falcon - 1 american pipit - 1 One cory's was trailing a small pod of dolphins, which I believe were white-sided. I have also confirmed as occurence of sedge wren on sep 14th. This is a bird I heard and was positive that it was, but needed to research the rattle note. It took me a bit to find it on line, but it confirms what I heard. This is the third record for RI this fall. Not a bad year for this elusive speices. Cheers! -Tom M. Subject: 10/27 Camp Cronin - Waterbirds From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:30:21 -0400 Birders, With fairly brisk east winds, passerines were hard to come by, but waterbirds were moving. My list from counting waterbirds for 25 minutes from Camp Cronin. 3 American Black Duck 1 Green-winged Teal 5 Greater Scaup 650 Common Eider 178 Surf Scoter 10 White-winged Scoter *137 Black Scoter* *1 Long-tailed Duck* 7 Red-breasted Merganser 2 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon *1 Red-necked Grebe* 6 Northern Gannet 120 Double-crested Cormorant 5 Sanderling 10 Laughing Gull 1 Ring-billed Gull 35 Herring Gull 45 Great Black-backed Gull 16 American Robin 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Song Sparrow Tomorrow morning should be even better! Good Birding! Tom Auer Subject: Ipswich Savannah Sparrows From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:38:19 EDT At Seapowet in Tiverton, at the parking area at the bridge near the Management Fields, 1 "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROW, along with dozens of Savannah Sparrows, Song and Swamp Sparrows. Another "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROW with SONG SPARROWS at Briggs Marsh in Little Compton. (private) also: 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, 12 BALCK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 1 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, 160 DINLIN, 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 11 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 1 LEAST SANDPIPER, 2 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 2 TURKEY VULTURS and 1 OSPREY. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/27 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:27:02 -0700 (PDT) On an ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group walk this morning at Sachuest Point NWR (including Third Beach and restoration marsh), Middletown: 1 Red-throated Loon, Common Loons, American Black Ducks, Common Eider, 13 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoter, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Northern Harrier, 4 Semipalmated Plovers and 1 Sanderling. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: 10/26 Camp Cronin From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:43:47 -0400 Birders, Passerine diversity has been dwindling significantly the past two weeks, so I was pleasantly surprised to see: 1 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Field Sparrow ...amongst more seasonable migrants. Other starting-to-get-on-in-the-season birds include: 1 Red-winged Blackbird 9 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 American Pipit 2 Tree Swallow 1 Peregrine Falcon Waterbird movement was practically non-existent prior (at least while I was out before 8am). Good Birding! Tom Auer Subject: Sachuest Point NWR on Sunday, October 25. From: Bruce Larson <bruce.r.larson AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:21:57 -0400 . Here is my report from Sachuest on Sunday October 25. Sunday was the first day of the winter Harlequin survey. Sachuest Salt Marsh -- 8:35 - 9:10AM 55F, wind N 8-10mph, 20% cloud American Black Duck 10 Mallard 4 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Northern Harrier 1 Semipalmated Plover 6 Semipalmated Sandpiper 6 Dunlin 2 Ring-billed Gull 34 Herring Gull 12 Great Black-backed Gull 4 American Crow 4 Fish Crow 1 Tree Swallow 4 Main Refuge -- 9:15AM - 12:15PM: Common Eider 105 HARLEQUIN Duck 15 (9m, 6f) Surf Scoter 52 Common Loon 7 Double-crested Cormorant 77 Black-bellied Plover 1 Sanderling 250 Laughing Gull 9 Ring-billed Gull 12 Herring Gull 5 Great Black-backed Gull 2 American Crow 3 Carolina Wren 1 Gray Catbird 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler 29 Song Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 1 House Finch 2 American Goldfinch 3 Happy Birding! Bruce Larson Milton, MA bruce.r.larson AT verizon.net Subject: 10/25 Camp Cronin & Moonstone Beach From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:29:09 -0400 Birders, Highlights. *Camp Cronin* ~1000 Common Eider 2 Brant Great Cormorant numbers increasing. 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk ~100 Laughing Gull (strong movement) 1 Field Sparrow 2 Swamp Sparrow *Moonstone Beach/Trustom Pond* 5 Hooded Merganser 130 Ruddy Duck 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 White-rumped Sandpiper Good Birding! Tom Auer Subject: Block Island From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:34:21 -0000 On the 23rd there was a clay-colored sparrow on the north end and an adult male dicksissel was in town. A nashville warbler and a fly over pine siskin were also present on the north end. On the 24th an american pipit was on the north end. Cheers! -Tom M. Subject: Saturday, 10/24 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:02:31 -0700 (PDT) Birding this morning with Bob Jones, Paul L'Etoile, Kathy Patric, Carlos Pedro, Sandy Saunders, Chris Sidler and Jun Zhuang with strong SE winds at Point Judith: 1 Common Loon, Northern Gannets, numerous Double-crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Black Scoters, 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Peregrine Falcon and numerous Gull sps. At Camp Cronin, Point Judith: Northern Gannets, Common Eider, all three Scoter sps. and 1 Palm Warbler. There also was a Peep Frog seen and others heard. At Sunset Farm (Kinney Bungalow), Narragansett: 2 Killdeer, Field Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows and a White-crowned Sparrow. At Westerly Land Trust's Avondale Farm Preserve: 1 Cooper's Hawk, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 1 Kinglet sp., Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Palm Warbler, Savannah Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, 1 White-throated Sparrow and 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK. Two Peep Frogs were seen and numerous were heard. At Watch Hill Lighthouse: Northern Gannets, numerous Double-crested Cormorants, 1 Black-bellied Plover and numerous Gull sps. In Winnapaug (Brightman's) Pond salt marsh, Atlantic Avenue, Misquamicut, there were a number of Great Egrets, 3 juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERONS and a Greater Yellowlegs. This afternoon at Trustom Pond NWR, Matunuck, with Kathy Patric, Carlos Pedro, Chris Sidler, Scott Tsagarakis and Jun Zhuang in strong SW winds: Pied-billed Grebe, 11 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks, 1 EASTERN PHOEBE and Golden-crowned Kinglets (heard). Off Card's Pond Road, Matunuck there was 1 Black-bellied Plover and 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Block Island - Late posts From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:30:00 -0000 On the 15th at Andy's Way, there were 30 black-bellied plovers, 30 sanderling, 3 greater yellowlegs, 7 great egerts, 8 green teal, 5 dunlin, 1 nelson's, 2 saltmarsh, and 1 savannah sparrows. On the 16th at SE ligh from 1200-1300, 1 cory's shearwater, 28 laughing gulls, 67 northern gannets, 126 black scoter, 140 surf scoter, 40 white-winged scoter, 200 double=crested cormorants, 5 american black ducks, 7 common loons. On the 17th at SE light from 0850-0950, 9 common loons, 53 northern gannets, 16 laughing gulls, 33 surf scoter, 33 white-winged scoter, 147 black scoter, 15 double-crested cormorants, 1 cory's shearwater, 1 red-brested merganser, and 1 red-throated loon. On the 19th off the south end, 300 common eider, 6 great cormorant, 25 laughing gull, 25 northern gannet, 6 white-winged scoter, 6 common loon, 4 red-breasted merganser, 1 wood duck. Off spring street, 5 semi-palmated sandpipers, 1 sanderling, 2 white-rumped sandpiper. Sachem pond, 45 american black duck, 10 mallard, 2 great blue heron, 1 buffelhead, 2 hooded merganser, 11 ruddy duck, 1 belted kingfisher, 25 red-breasted merganser, 1 pied-billed grebe, 1 green-winged teal, 1 snowy egert, 2 ring-necked duck, 1 american bittern, 1 killdeer, and 1 american woodcok. On the 20th, at the north end, 52 american black duck, 10 mallard, 4 great blue heron, 3 belted kingfisher, 40 ruddy duck, 2 ring-necked duck, 42 red-brested merganser, 425 common eider, 100 white-winged scoter, 13 common loon, 18 laughing gull, 2 ring-billed gull, 1 great cormorant, 4 red-breasted nuthatch, 172 yellow-rumped warbler, 40 song sparrow, 65 american robin, 42 red-winged black bird, 26 ruby-crowned kinglet, 60 golden-crowned kinglet, 6 blue-headed vireo, 1 baltimore oriole, 5 hermit thrush, 14 white-throated sparrow, 1 western palm warbler, 1 vesper sparrow, 1 eastern meadowlark, 10 blackpoll warbler, 1 cape may warbler, 2 brown creeper, 1 white-crowned sparrow, 1 great egert, 1 northen gannet, 1 black-bellied plover, 14 blue jay, 1 black-throated blue warbler, 2 common yellowthroat, 4 swamp sparrow, 1 red-bellied woodpecker, 1 downy wood pecker, 1 pine warbler On the 21st, at the north end, 45 ruddy duck, hooded merganser - 4, 1 peregrine falcon, 3 belted kingfisher, 8 mallard, 1 great blue heron, 1 great egert, 3 ring-necked duck, 50 american black duck, 50 red-breasted merganser, 1 white-rumped sandpiper, 1 blackpoll warbler, 25 golden-crowned kinglet, 1 northern gannet, 80 american robin, 6 purple finch, 7 ruby-crowned kinglet, 1 eastern meadowlark, 3 common loon, 30 cedar waxwing, 70 yellow-rumped warbler, 1 bobolink, 2 red-breasted nuthatch, 2 winter wren, 5 white-throated sparrow, 4 hermit thrush, 1 brown creeper, 115 common eider, 5 swamp sparrow on the 22nd, on the north end, 12 savannah sparrows, 30 song sparrows, 20 yellow-rumped warblers, 7 white-crowned sparrows, 2 western palm warblers, 7 swamp sparrows, 2 house wrens, 1 eastern bluebird, 1 golden-crowned kinglet, 2 ruby-crowned kinglet, 1 eastern phoebe, 1 common yellowthroat, 1 hermit thrush, 1 field sparrow. Good birding! -Tom M. Subject: Trustom Pond NWR From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:10:56 EDT At Trustom Pond (survey for US Fish and Wildlife) 102 MUTE SWAN, 28 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 6 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 94 AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, 49 MALLARD, 6 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 26 GADWALL, 111 AMERICAN WIGEON, 2 RING-NECKED DUCK, 151 GREATER SCAUP, 4 BUFFLEHEAD, 3 HOODED MERGANSER, 160 RUDDY DUCK, 10 PIED-BILLED GREBE, 41 AMERICAN COOT. In the fields on the east side of the pond, 1 PALM WARBLER, 3 MARSH WRENS, 1 NELSON'S SPARROW and numerous SWAMP SPARROWS, also, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER and 1 COOPER'S HAWK. On the beach near Card's Pond, 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL, 2 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 7 DUNLIN and 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and off the beach, 2 RED-THROTED LOONS. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Tennessee Warbler From: Jim Murphy <jimride0457 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:33:57 -0700 (PDT) Birding along the trails around the powerlines in Johnston off route 5 this morning I had a female Tennessee Warbler that appeared to be a female still in summer plumage. This bird was in a small flock that contained a few blackpoll warblers, a palm warbler, yellow-rumps, and my first fall junco! They appeared to be feeding off a black ant hatch that were flying into the trees. Jim Murphy Subject: Camp Cronin 10/21 From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:02:42 -0400 Birders, Highlights from Camp Cronin this morning include the following: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow - feeding in dune grasses past the parking lot towards the sandy beach. ~1000 Common Eiders - pretty steady stream Peregrine Falcon The morning was punctuated with relatively frequent gunshots from hunters taking aim at the migrating waterfowl just beyond the breakwall. Good Birding! Tom Auer Subject: Camp Cronin 10/20 From: Tom Auer <mthomasauer AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:42:56 -0400 Birders, I had a similar list of birds as the ASRI group walk. Highlights early (7am) this morning: 2250 Common Eider, 1 f Harlequin Duck (along the east outside of the breakwall), and 1 Field Sparrow. A full list follows. Good Birding! Tom Auer 6 Brant 2 American Black Duck 3 Mallard 2250 Common Eider 1 Harlequin Duck 5 Black Scoter 3 Common Loon 75 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Osprey 1 Cooper's Hawk 28 Sanderling 6 Laughing Gull 2 Ring-billed Gull 60 Herring Gull 60 Great Black-backed Gull 2 Rock Pigeon 2 Eastern Phoebe 3 American Crow 1 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Carolina Wren 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 30 American Robin 1 Gray Catbird 1 Northern Mockingbird 10 European Starling 3 American Pipit 10 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 1 Field Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow 2 White-throated Sparrow 1 White-crowned Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco 1 Northern Cardinal 12 Red-winged Blackbird 10 House Finch Subject: pelagic results From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:50:59 EDT Birds seen on a dedicated pelagic to Mud Hole/ Cox's Ledge: 3 COMMON LOONS, 73 NORTHERN GANNETS, 286 GREATER SHEARWATERS, 23 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 1 SOOTY SHEARWATER, 3 MANX SHEARWATERS, 14 NORTHERN FULMAR, (including 1 dark) 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and 4 POMARINE JAEGERS. Also, 1 Eastern Phoebe, and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: East Bay Bikepath From: "eric88kp" <eric_lopresti AT brown.edu> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:37:09 -0000 Rode the first 10 miles of the path today at around 11:30, which was pretty much high tide. A kestrel at India point and two pied-billed grebes on S. Lake Drive in Barrington were the highlights. Winter ducks appear to be trickling in, though wigeon numbers seem down. WT sparrows and Juncos were everywhere. Eric LoPresti Providence, RI Subject: ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/20 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:46:56 -0700 (PDT) On an ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group walk this morning at Camp Cronin, Point Judith: ~2000 Common Eider, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, ~20 Sanderlings, 1 Northern Flicker, ~1000 Tree swallows, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Gray Catbird, 1 Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Field Sparrows and 5 House Finches. At Sunset Farm (Kinney Bungalow), Narragansett: 9 Killdeer, 1 Eastern Phoebe, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Savannah Sparrows and 1 White-crowned Sparrow. At Mud Pond, Matunuck: 2 Northern Gannets flying SW, 2 Northern Harriers, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Belted Kingfishers and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Linda Gardrel reported that earlier this morning there were 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Hooded Mergansers and Cedar Waxwings. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: RBA: Rhode Island, October 17, 2009 From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:08:24 EDT * RBA * Rhode Island * Statewide * October 17, 2009 * RIRI0910.17 - Birds mentioned: LARK SPARROW White-crowned Sparrow Indigo Bunting Palm Warbler Blue-headed Vireo COMMON MOORHEN Black-billed Cuckoo Sora CLAY-COLORED SPARROW Lincoln's Sparrow Ruby-crowned Kinglet ORANGE CROWNED WARLBER American Pipit Harlequin Duck Long-tailed Duck Bobolink Wilson's Snipe Brant Common Eider Osprey Northern Harrier American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Caspian Tern Western Sandpiper Nelson's Sparrow LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Bald Eagle Broad-winged Hawk Field Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark American Bittern Green Heron Lesser Scaup Green-winged Teal American Oystercatcher Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Parula Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Tennessee Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Magnolia Warbler American Redstart DICKCISSEL Winter Wren Wood Thrush BICKNELL'S THRUSH Hermit Thrush Swainson's Thrush date: October 17, 2009 (401) 949-5454 or 245-7500 ext 3052 to report: email to: _DLSaint AT aol.com_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol.com) coverage: statewide compiler: Janice St.Jean transcriber: Janice St.Jean (_DLSaint AT aol_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol) ) _www.asri.org_ (http://www.asri.org/) Welcome to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's bird alert for October 17th, 2009. This report covers the period from October 8th to October 17th. The next update will be in about one week. A LARK SPARROW was found at Walkers Farm in Barrington on the 11th. It was still present on the 12th. Other sightings from here included: 3 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 1 INDIGO BUNTING, 1 PALM WARBLER and a BLUE-HEADED VIREO. On the 12th, a COMMON MOORHEN was observed at Trustom Pond, on the west side of the Osprey Point trail. Also, a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was found at Otter Point on the 14th. On the 9th, a SORA was spotted at Mud Pond. The bird was seen in the shrubs near the end of the road as the water level in pond remained high. Along Card's Pond Road, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen on the 10th. At Camp Cronin at Point Judith this week the following birds were noted: 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 1 BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and 1 ORANGE CROWNED WARLBER. On the beach an AMERICN PIPIT was seen on the 16th, and a HARLEQUIN DUCK was also found just off shore. A LONG-TAILED DUCK was seen from the Point Judith Lighthouse parking area on the 16th. At Sunset Farm, along Route 108 in Narraganset on the 10th, 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, 3 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and a BOBOLINK were recorded. On the 17th, 2 WILSON'S SNIPE, 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were found there. On the 10th at Napatree Point in Westerly, 6 BRANT, 250 COMMON EIDER, 2 OSPREY, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER, 1 AMERICAN KESTREL, 9 MERLINS, 1 PEREGRINE FALCONS, 2 CASPIAN TERNS, and 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER. At Succotash Marsh in Jerusalem, 2 NELSON'S SPARROWS were seen on the 10th. One LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found at the Grassy point Trail at Ninigret NWR in Charlestown. In Westerly, at Avondale Farm Preserve, 1 BALD EAGLE, 1 BROAD-WINGED HAWK, 5 MERLINS, 5 PEREGRIENE FALCONS, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW and 4 PALM WARBLERS. At Perryville Trout Hatchery on the 12th, 1 BOBOLINK, 6 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 2 FIELD SPARROWS, and 3 EASTERN MEADOWLARK were reported on the 12th. Lastly, sightings from Block Island included: 6 PEREGRINE FALCON, 5 MERLINS, 1 OSPREY, 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS, 2 GREEN HERONS, 1 LESSER SCAUP, 9 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 2 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, 4 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 2 NORTHERN PARULAS, 1 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, 2 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, 3 BLACKPOLL, 1 MAGNOLIA, 20 PALM WARBLERS, 1 AMERICAN REDSTART, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 8 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 1 DICKCISSEL, 1 WINTER WREN, 1 WOOD THRUSH, 1 BICKNELL'S THRUSH, 2 HERMIT THRUSHES and 1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH. That's all for this week, thank you for calling and good birding! - End transcript Subject: belated Lincoln's Sparrow, plus mystery sandpipers From: "eric88kp" <eric_lopresti AT brown.edu> Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:00:41 -0000 On Thursday, I led a group of the Brown bird club to Blackstone Park and in addition to the normal sparrows around, we had a Lincoln's and an immature White-Crowned. Today while at the fields on Plains street at URI - two sandpipers flew overhead, calling loudly. It was a clear one-syllable note, rather short and abrupt. They had noticeable bills, but not overly long. Unfortunatly, I was there other reasons and thus did not have binoculars. I would be curious to hear what you think. In the shrubs there were Savannah, Song, and Swamp sparrows, in good numbers. Worth checking again. Eric LoPresti Providence, RI Subject: Saturday, 10/17 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:17:55 -0700 (PDT) Birding today with Kathy Patric, Carlos Pedro, Phil Rusch, Sandy Saunders and Scott Tsagarakis, at Succotash Marsh MA, Jerusalem: 4 Great Blue Herons, ~25 Great Egrets, Brant, 1 Kingfisher, Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Nelson's Sparrows and a Saltmarsh Sparrow. At Sunset Farm (Kinney Bungalow), Narragansett: 1 Cooper's Hawk, 6 Killdeer, 2 Wilson's Snipe, 1 Eastern Phoebe, 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (found by Chris Nunes), Common Yellowthroat and 2 White-crowned Sparrows. At Scarborough SB, Narragansett: Common Eider, 2 Black-bellied Plovers, 1 Semipalmated Plover, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sanderlings and Dunlin. At Card's Pond/Moonstone Beach, Matunuck: 6 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Black-bellied Plovers, 11 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 White-rumped Sandpipers and Dunlin. On Moonstone Beach Road, Perryville, there were 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets and 1 White-crowned Sparrow, and at Perry's Mill Pond there were 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Wood Ducks and 2 Red-tailed Hawks. At Quonochontaug there was 1 Red-throated Loon, 5 Common Loons, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 Bufflehead, 8 Black-bellied Plovers, 3 Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, 3 White-rumped Sandpipers and Dunlin. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Pt. Judith Harlequin Duck, Orange-crowned Warbler etc. 10/16/09 From: Christian Nunes <pajaroboy AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:49:21 -0400 Hello everyone, I spent a few hours poking around the Pt. Judith Light and Camp Cronin this morning. Sea watching was spectacular, with hundreds birds in constant motion flying from eastish to westish. Birds flying by the point included: 1 female LONG-TAILED DUCK 200 + SURF SCOTERS 200 + COMMON EIDER (Surf Scoters and Eider flying by in groups of 5-100 every minute or so) 6 COMMON LOON LAUGHING GULL (many, most numerous flying gull out over the water followed by Ring-billeds) NORTHERN GANNET (scores, all ages) 15 BRANT 5 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS At Camp Cronin, there were a few birds to be found in sheltered hedges including 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 3 Myrtle YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET,1 male Slate-colored DARK-EYED JUNCO, 1 immature Taiga WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 6 SWAMP SPARROWS, 15 SONG SPARROWS, 4 (3 tan-striped, 1 white-striped) WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 1 SAVANNAH SPARROW, and 1 bright AMERICAN PIPIT on the beach inside the breakwater. Just off shore near the big rock was a female HARLEQUIN DUCK. This is the first time I have seen this species off Pt. Judith, a fact that I was reminiscing while watching the Long-tailed Duck fly-by earlier at the lighthouse. I like it when that happens. Great birding, Christian Nunes pajaroboy AT hotmail.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/christian_nunes/ _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/171222985/direct/01/ Subject: pelagic opportunity From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:13:12 EDT A pelagic on October 8th had to be postponed due to weather conditions. As a result, the trip was rescheduled for Tuesday,October 20th and there are 2 openings for anyone interested in participating. The trip will depart the Galilee dock on the 'SNAPPA" at 7am and return at 3pm and cost $95. If you are interested please e-mail me at dcpedro AT cox.net . Jan St.Jean for Carlos Pedro Subject: Wednesday, 10/14 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:10:00 -0700 (PDT) This morning (10:15-12:00) at TNC's Tillinghast Pond MA, West Greenwich, there were numerous Blue Jays, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 1 Blackpoll Warbler, 2 Field Sparrows and other common deep woods species. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: CORRECTION: Block Island Beane Point on Saturday and Sunday 10/10 and 10/11 From: Bruce Larson <bruce.r.larson AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:41:12 -0400 CORRECTION I believe the rail that I reported was most likely a virginia rather than a clapper. I think the depth and power of the call was due to my nearness to the bird, it was the first time I heard one calling from so close. My apologies for the confusion or excitement this may have caused.. Bruce Larson Milton, MA bruce.r.larson AT verizon.net Subject: some birds from yesterday From: "Michael Tucker" <mtucker AT asri.org> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:46:19 -0400 Yesterday with Jack Sullivan and Ryan Miller, we stopped at an old quarry/gravel pit area off New London Turnpike in West Greenwich. We had 4 Blackpoll Warblers, several Yellow-rumped Warblers, several White-throated Sparrows, several Juncos, 4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets and 1 Blue-headed Vireo. Mike Tucker Sekkonk, MA Subject: Blackstone Park, Providence 10/13 From: "eric88kp" <eric_lopresti AT brown.edu> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:34:31 -0000 A huge flock of song and white throated sparrows contained a few swamp and at least one immature white-crowned. They were all in the shrubs around the big pond. Eric LoPresti Providence, RI Subject: Re: Block Island Beane Point on Saturday and Sunday 10/10 and 10/11 From: Bruce Larson <bruce.r.larson AT verizon.net> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:04:41 -0400 I was at Block Island NWR Beane Point from mid-afternoon on Saturday until mid-afternoon on Sunday at their open house. This property is directly across the channel from the Coast Guard station on the west side of the island. Andy's Way abuts this property to the north. The biggest surprise was hearing a clapper/king rail issue a pretty relaxed grunt call between 6:30-7:00 AM near Andy's Way along the Great Salt Pond. I listed this bird as clapper because a king isn't likely in that location. Here is my list: Location: Block Island NWR -- Beane Point Observation date: 10/10/09 and 10/11/09 Number of species: 45 Canada Goose 15 Wood Duck 4 American Black Duck 4 Double-crested Cormorant 100 Great Blue Heron 7 Great Egret 3 Snowy Egret 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 7 Saturday at dusk Northern Harrier 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 Clapper Rail 1 Sunday 6:30-7:00AM The bird issued a relaxed grunt call from cover just above the high tide line near where Beane Point meets Andy's Way on Great Salt Pond. The call sounded like the bird was socializing with the other vocal birds in the area. Black-bellied Plover 49 Semipalmated Plover 1 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Sanderling 7 Semipalmated Sandpiper 10 Laughing Gull 2 Ring-billed Gull 25 Herring Gull 50 Great Black-backed Gull 30 Belted Kingfisher 2 Downy Woodpecker 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 2 Eastern Phoebe 3 American Crow 12 Fish Crow 2 Tree Swallow 500 Black-capped Chickadee 5 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Carolina Wren 3 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 American Robin 4 Gray Catbird 2 Brown Thrasher 1 This bird was perched and visible from the beach on the Great Salt Pond. Yellow-rumped Warbler 30 Palm Warbler 1 Eastern Towhee 3 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 12 White-throated Sparrow 3 American Goldfinch 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Bruce Larson Milton, MA bruce.r.larson AT verizon.net Subject: ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/13 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:55:18 -0700 (PDT) On an ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group walk this morning at Ninigret NWR, Charlestown: 2 flyover Common Loons, 2 Great Blue Herons, I Great Egret, 1 Osprey, 1 Merlin, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 6 Northern Flickers, ~1000 Tree Swallows, numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, Field Sparrows and other common woodland species. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Scoters, gannets From: "Bruce Kindseth" <bkindseth AT cox.net> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:12:49 -0400 This morning there is a steady movement all 3 species of scoters and gannets past Pt. Judith. Also a flock of 10 brant. Bruce Kindseth Pt. Judith Subject: Block Island From: "Thomas M" <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:06:11 -0000 Sorry for the hiatus. Good birds of note, on the 9th a tennesse warbler was on the north end. Yellow-rumps have been dripping from the trees for the past week. Peregrine falcons have been easily seen most anywhere, especially along the southern bluffs. Ruddy ducks and red-breatsed mergs are starting to come back. Golden-crowned kinglets are out numbering ruby-crowned, and purple finches were heard this morning. Merlins are still terrorizing anything that moves. Two american bitterns were at Andy'a Way on the 10th. Common eiders and laughing gulls were abundant from the ferry in the morning on the 11th. Gannets were seen in small numbers both ways, and on the way back there was a parasitic jaeger and my FOS red-throated loon. Subject: Common Moorhen From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:37:20 EDT There was a COMMON MOORHEN at Trustom Pond, on the west side of the Osprey Point trail. I saw it with a scope near the rocks and reeds on the far side. Also: 10-12 PIED-BILLED GREBES, 6 AMERICAN COOT, ducks included: NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, BLUE and GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED and GREATER SCAUP. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BLUE-HEADED VIREO and several EASTERN PHOEBES were about it for land birds. Jan St.jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Avondale & Perryville Trout Hatchery sightings From: "Michelle St.Sauveur" <bittern AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:11:42 -0000 This morning at Avondale Preserve in Westerly ... 1 juvenile Bald Eagle, 2 Cooper's Hawks, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 1 WESTERN RACE PALM WARBLER and 3 Eastern Race Palm Warbler, several Savannah, Swamp, Song, and Chipping Sparrows, several Common Yellow-throat and a plethora of Yellow-rumped Warblers. At Perryville Trout Hatchery were dozens of Savannah Sparrows but the highlights were a basic plumage BOBOLINK, 6 juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 2 FIELD SPARROWS, and 3 Eastern Meadowlark. Also ... 1 Northern Harrier, and 1 American Redstart. Most of these birds were found in the weedy area around the mulch and soil piles. Michelle St.Sauveur Coventry, RI Subject: W Kingston bittern From: Glenn Williams <gswilliams9 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:57:33 -0700 (PDT) from Glenn Williams: 10/11 - W. Kingston, Chipuxet River canoing between Rt 138 and Great Swamp-- AMERICAN BITTERN and 12 WOOD DUCKS; on Larkin Pond -- RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH Subject: Monday, 10/12 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:49:28 -0700 (PDT) Late morning at Ninigret NWR, Charlestown, on Grassy Point Trail there were 2 Great Blue Herons, 2 Great Egrets, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 1 Belted Kingfisher, Swamp Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Sunday (10-11-09) birds From: "birdboy226" <birdboy226 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:46:20 -0000 Birds spotted on block island today: Morning, Northern tip of island: Female Ruby Crowned Kinglet (in shrubs along beach) Great Black Backed Gulls (everywhere) Herring Gulls (everywhere) Double Crested Cormorants (everywhere) Common Grackle American Crow Afternoon, Rodham's Hollow Pine Warbler (shortly after overlook on short loop) Yellow Rumped Warbler (short loop) Black Capped Chickadee (begining of trail) Subject: Walker Farm:Lark Sparrow From: Jim Murphy <jimride0457 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:48:25 -0700 (PDT) This morning-9 A.M.- I had a lark sparrow in the grassy area in front of the main gate at Walker Farm in Barrington. The bird flushed-with 40 other sparrows- into the trees next to the gate for a good long look. There were also 3 white-crowned sparrows in the gardens and quite a few more savannah and swamp sparrows than last week. There were also ruby-crowned kinglets, indigo bunting, palm warbler, and a blue-headed vireo seen. Jim Murphy Subject: Saturday birding, 10/10 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:25:51 -0700 (PDT) Birding this morning with Linda Gardrel, Bob Jones, Mary Jo Murray, Kathy Patric, Carlos Pedro, Sandy Saunders, Chris Sidler, Scott Tsagarakis and Jun Zhuang at Camp Cronin, Point Judith: 2 Common Loons, Northern Gannets, 4 flyover Great Cormorants, Common Eider, Scoter sp., 2 Peregrine Falcons (1 juvenile), 1 Northern Flicker, 3 Eastern Phoebes, 1 Blue-headed Vireo, Tree Swallows, 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Chipping Sparrow, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, Field Sparrows, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW, Swamp Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and 1 Dark-eyed Junco. At Sunset Farm (Kinney Bungalow), Narragansett: Sharp-shinned Hawk, ~8 Wild Turkeys, ~20 Killdeer, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Palm Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Savannah Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows and 5 White-crowned Sparrows. At Scarborough SB, Narragansett: Common Eider, White-winged Scoters, 20 Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, 1 Least Sandpiper, Dunlin and 6 Laughing Gulls. Joined by Paul L'Etoile and Jan St. Jean at Succotash Marsh MA, Jerusalem: Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, 1 Northern Harrier and 2 NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS. This afternoon at Westerly Land Trust's Avondale Farm Preserve (1:45-3:00) we had a flight of raptors in the last 45 minutes as the front cleared: 7 Osprey, 7 Northern Harriers, 6 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 2 Cooper's Hawks, 1 BROAD-WINGED HAWK, 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 4 American Kestrels, 5 Merlin, 5 Peregrine Falcons, 2 Eastern Phoebes, Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Palm Warbler, Common Yellowthroats, Savannah Sparrows, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW and Swamp Sparrows. Off Atlantic Avenue, Misquamicut there were numerous Great Egrets and an American Kestrel. At Ninigret Park, Charlestown: 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 BROAD-WINGED HAWK, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Field Sparrows. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Saturday birds From: "slatebluecyn" <clg2381 AT cox.net> Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:12:01 -0000 Birding today with Joe Koger at Kimball WR we had a single Black-throated Blue Warbleralong with a Black and White warbler and some Black poll warblers. At Sunset Farm we had a plethora of sparrows: (2) Lincoln's, (3) White Throated, (3) White Crowned, (5) Swamp and many Savannah, Song and House. We also had a Bobolink, and a warbler that we are still on the fence about. It could be a Mourning or a Yellowthroat. There was also Killdeer, flyover Cedar Waxwings, (1) Cooper's Hawk, (1) Peregrine. Cynthia Glinick Gabriel Cohen-Glinick Subject: RBA: Rhode Island, October 8, 2009 From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2009 20:37:30 EDT * RBA * Rhode Island * Statewide * October 8, 2009 * RIRI0910.08 - Birds mentioned: WESTERN KINGBIRD LARK SPARROW DICKCISSEL BLUE GROSBEAK Lincoln's Sparrow Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Northern Harrier Blue-winged Teal CLAY-COLORED SPARROW White-crowned Sparrow Black-billed Cuckoo Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Swainson's Thrush Philadelphia Vireo YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Nelson's Sparrow Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Eastern Meadowlark Whimbrel Cape May Warbler Hooded Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Northern Waterthrush Ovenbird Chestnut-sided Warbler Prairie Warbler Parasitic Jaeger SEDGE WREN Eastern Wood Pewee Nashville Warbler Magnolia Warbler American Pipit RED-HEADED WOODPECKER Winter Wren COMMON RAVEN date: October 8, 2009 (401) 949-5454 or 245-7500 ext 3052 to report: email to: _DLSaint AT aol.com_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol.com) coverage: statewide compiler: Janice St.Jean transcriber: Janice St.Jean (_DLSaint AT aol_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol) ) _www.asri.org_ (http://www.asri.org/) Welcome to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's bird alert for October 8th, 2009. This report covers the period from September 30th to October 7th. The next update will be in about one week. Block Island continued to produce many unusual species, although the numbers of birds, especially warblers, remain low. The highlights were 2 WESTERN KINGBIRDS, observed and photographed together on the 30th, and 2 LARK SPARROWS also seen on the 30th. One Lark Sparrow was seen at the North End of the island, and the second was seen at the Spring House Garden. Also at the Spring House Gardens were 4 DICKCISSELS, 2 BLUE GROSBEAKS and 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW. Other sightings included: 1 BALD EAGLE, 8 PEREGRINE FALCONS, 3 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 2 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 3 CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS, 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 1 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 1 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, 1 SWAINSON'S THRUSH, 2 PHILADELPHIA VIREOS, 1 YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 1 NELSON'S SPARROW, 3 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, 3 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK and 3 WHIMBREL. Warblers included: 1 CAPE MAY WARBLER, 1 HOODED WARBLER, 2 BAY-BREASTED, 4 BLACK-THROATED BLUE, 1 MAGNOLIA, 1 BLACKBURNIAN, 1 NORTHERN WATERTHRUAH, 1 OVENBIRD, 1 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER and 1 PRAIRIE WARBLER. A PARASITIC JAEGER was seen from the Block Island on the 4th. On the 1st, a SEDGE WREN was found in Jerusalem, in a wet area along Arbeth Ave. It was seen again on the 2nd, but not relocated after that day. On the 8th, another SEDGE WREN was present at Camp Cronin in Narraganset. This bird was seen in the goldenrod along the main dirt road, but only put in a brief appearance. Also seen that day were 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and an EATERN WOOD PEWEE. On the 5th, 4 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, 1 PHILADELPHIA VIREO, 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, 1 MAGNOLIA WARBLER and 2 AMERICAN PIPITS were found there. An adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was observed in Providence on the 7th, and a WINTER WREN was observed on the 4th in a neighborhood on the East side of Providence. At Avondale Farm Preserve in Westerly, 1 BLUE GROSBEAK and 1 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER were reported on the 8th. A COMMON RAVEN was observed in Smithfield on the 30th. At Sunset Farm in Narraganset, 1 LARK SPARROW and 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS were found on the 1st. The total species count through September is 312. (Thanks to Dave Gumbley for the statistics) That's all for this week, thank you for calling and good birding! - End transcript Subject: Sedge Wren / Camp Cronin From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 18:45:48 EDT At Camp Cronin, Narraganset, 1 SEDGE WREN that was seen very briefly around the goldenrod and bushes along the dirt road, on the west side, just past the gate that goes into the area of the buildings. The bird gave several 'chip' notes, suggestive of a Common Yellowthroat. I saw the white thinly streaked back and head, not much in the way of a eyeline, which I think I would have seen on a Marsh Wren, and short bill and tail. I did not see the buffy sides and light belly, as the view was top, tail to bill, and just partly of the side, which just looked brown. Also around the buildings, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, 1 FIELD SPARROW, 1 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, 2 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 3 SWAMP SPARROWS, 1 EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, 1 PALM WARLBER, 2 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS and 1 EASTERN PHOEBE. At Trustom Pond NWR, along the Otter Point trail, 1 PRAIRIE WARBLER, 2 PALM WARBLERS, several YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS, 2 SAVANNAH SPARROWS, 6 EASTERN PHOEBES and a few PIED-BILLED GREBES in the pond. The water level at Mud Pond is just about to go over the road. Jan St.Jean Chepachet, RI Subject: Block Island birds, 10/8 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:52:30 -0700 (PDT) At the north end of Block Island today (9:00-2:15) with Marie McGlynn, Jackie O'Brien, Chris Sidler, Mary Alice Smith, Fred Test and Dorothy Wadlow: 2 Common Loons, 2 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 1 American Kestrel, 2 Merlin, 2 Ring-necked Pheasants, 3 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Northern Flickers, ~7 Eastern Phoebes, 1 Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, ~25 Cedar Waxwings, 1 Northern Parula, 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, Pine Warblers, numerous Palm Warblers, Blackpoll Warblers, 1 Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroats, Chipping Sparrows, Indigo Bunting and other common woodland species. There also were numerous Monarch butterflies. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Adult Red Headed Woodpecker, Providence From: "r.marrjr" <rmarr2 AT cox.net> Date: Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:58:23 -0000 A adult Red Headed Woodpecker was seen today 10/07 Flying from the North Burial ground cemetery along Branch avenue in Providence Just north of the Benny's store He flew pass my car and landed on a utility pole. Then flew down into the tress along 95 north. Lets hope he is calling the north Burial ground home. I will check in the next few days. Raymond Marr Jr Pawtucket rmarr2 AT cox.net Subject: Rumford Birds - [ " Jack Sullivan " ] From: Jackjsully AT aol.com Date: Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:59:10 -0400 Drilling "sap-sucker" holes in the small Chinese Elm in my back yard,1 adult male YELLOW-BELLIED? SAPSUCKER. Yesterday in the maple ?trees in my front yard and interacting with 3 downy woodpeckers, 1 juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. At the East Providence\Turner Reservoir, 6 Wood Ducks, 2 Pied-billed Grebes and 1?Osprey. The Black-crowned Night Herons have been in very short supply this past summer.?? Subject: Birding trip From: "Michael Tucker" <mtucker AT asri.org> Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 14:55:36 -0400 There is still room for ASRI's Fall Birding Van Trip on Thursday. This is a great way to see many of the states hot-spots as we travel throughout RI in search of migrants. We will meet at Audubon's headquarters in Smithfield at 8:00 a.m. and return around 4:00 p.m. If you are interested, please call ASRI at (401) 949-5454, ex 3041 to register. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at mtucker AT asri.org. The fee is $40 for ASRI members and $50 for non-members. Thank you, Mike Mike Tucker Refuge Manager, Caratunk Wildlife Refuge 301 Brown Avenue, Seekonk, MA 02771 Audubon Society of Rhode Island 12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI 02917 Tel: 401-949-5454 ext. 3030 Tel: (refuge) 508-761-8230 mtucker AT asri.org Connecting People With Nature Stay informed all month long with eWing , Audubon's monthly e-newsletter. Follow us online: www.asri.org ~ Twitter ~ Facebook Consider supporting Audubon by making a donation today! Subject: ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group, 10/6 From: Philip Budlong <blp8391 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 10:24:28 -0700 (PDT) On an ASRI Kimball Refuge Tuesday group walk this morning at Sunset Farm (Kinney Bungalow), Narragansett: 1 Cooper's Hawk, ~8 Wild Turkeys, 4 Killdeer, Common Yellowthroats, Savannah Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, White-throated Sparrow and 2 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS. At Camp Cronin, Point Judith: 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 3 COMMON TERNS, 4 Northern Flickers, 2 Eastern Phoebes, 1 House Wren, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, 1 Swamp Sparrow and other common woodland species. Around Bon Vue Restaurant, Point Judith there were 5 Common Eider, 2 Killdeer and 3 Red-winged Blackbirds. At Scarborough SB there were 13 Common Eider, 19 Semipalmated Plovers and 4 Laughing Gulls. Phil Budlong, Westerly Subject: Sedge Wren From: "Michael Tucker" <mtucker AT asri.org> Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 17:36:19 -0400 I went to Jerusalem for the Sedge Wren that Brian Harris found. It was right where he said to look. Thank you Brian and nice job! I managed to get a few shots of the bird before it disappeared. It was in the wetland along Foster Road- directly in front of Arbeth Ave. When I arrived at 1:30 there were several birds active on the right (west) side of the swampy area. I immediately heard the wren and it eventually came out into the open. It flew back and forth from the marsh grass to the sumac on the right side. As it got cooler, all the birds clammed up and it couldn't be relocated. Here's a link to some photos of the bird: http://picasaweb.google.com/naturaleyes/SedgeWren?authkey=Gv1sRgCISCnbTcjf3o pgE# Mike Tucker Seekonk, MA Subject: Sedge Wren From: "bch19821091" <bch19821091 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:18:03 -0000 There was a sedge wren in the wet meadow across from 2Arbeth Ave in Jerusalem all morning and was still present when I left at 830. I watched it for about 10 minutes as it showed very well and is remarkably cooperative and at times quite vocal. There are 3-5 Carolina Wrens in the vicinity too but this bird should be a guarantee if it sticks around. THere were a plethora of migrants in the area this morning and there has also been a sporadic Dickcissel around with house sparrows over the last two weeks. -Brian Harris Subject: Western Kingbird photos From: "Michael Tucker" <mtucker AT asri.org> Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:47:10 -0400 Some photos of the Western Kingbird from yesterday along with a few other shots from the island can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com/naturaleyes/BlockIsland09?authkey=Gv1sRgCNjpuITY uerY3wE# Mike Tucker Seekonk, MA Subject: BI report from Jan St Jean From: mtucker AT asri.org Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:19:53 +0000 Jan St Jean just called me from Block Island to report some nice birds. Several birders have been covering the north end of the island and the some of the highlights include:2 Western Kingbirds- found in the same area as the one yesterday. They were even sitting on the same branch at one point.1 adult Lark Sparrow1 Blue Grosbeak1 Clay-colored Sparrow2 Lincoln’s Sparrows1 Field Sparrow5 Indigo BuntingsWarblers have included Black-throated Green, Nashville, Northern Parula, Palm and Blackpoll. Mike TuckerSeekonk, MA Subject: RBA: Rhode Island, September 29, 2009 From: DLSaint AT aol.com Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:57:44 EDT * RBA * Rhode Island * Statewide * September 29, 2009 * RIRI0909.29 - Birds mentioned: WESTERN KINGBIRDRED RED-HEADED WOODPECKER Yellow-bellied Sapsucker DICKCISSEL CLAY-COLORED SPARROW White-crowned Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Cliff Swallow GRAY-CHEECKED THRUSH Indigo Bunting Brown Creeper Red-breasted Nuthatch American Pipit Peregrine Falcon LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Whimbrel Pectoral Sandpiper Red Knot American Golden Plover YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON Blackpoll Warbler Prairie Warbler Tennessee Warbler Magnolia Warbler Cape May Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Wilson's Warbler Nashville Warbler American Redstart Black-throated Green Warbler Northern Parula Warbler Blue-winged Warbler MARBLED GODWIT Caspian Tern American Bittern Nelson's Sparrow BAIRD'S SANDPIPER Lapland Longspur Piping Plover Wilson's Storm Petrel Solitary Sandpiper COMMON RAVEN Merlin Wood Duck Pied-billed Grebe Blue-wined Teal Spotted Sandpiper Ruby-crowned Kinglet date: September 29, 2009 (401) 949-5454 or 245-7500 ext 3052 to report: email to: _DLSaint AT aol.com_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol.com) coverage: statewide compiler: Janice St.Jean transcriber: Janice St.Jean (_DLSaint AT aol_ (mailto:DLSaint AT aol) ) _www.asri.org_ (http://www.asri.org/) Welcome to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island's bird alert for September 29th, 2009. This report covers the period from September 19th to September 29th. The next update will be in about one week. The highlight bird of the week is a WESTERN KINGBIRD found on the north end of Block Island on the 25th. The bird has been seen every day. Other birds on Block Island included: 1 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, 3 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, 1 DICKCISSEL, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 1 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS, 1 CLIFF SWALLOW,1 GRAY-CHEECKED THRUSH, 2 INDIGO BUNTINGS, 2 BROWN CREEPERS, 1 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 1 AMERICAN PIPIT, 5 PEREGRINE FALCONS, 1 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 2 WHIMBREL, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 20 RED KNOTS, 6 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS and 2 YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS. Warbler sightings included: 52 BLACKPOLL, 1 PRAIRIE WARBLER, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, 1 MAGNOLIA WARBLER, 5 CAPE MAY WARBLERS, 1 BLACK-THROATED BLUE, 2 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER and 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER. Warbler highlights from Miantonomi Park in Newport, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, 6 AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 5 BLACK-THROATED GREEN, 1 BLACK-THROATED BLUE, 1 BLACKBURNIAN, 3 NORHTERN PARULAS and a BLUE-WINGED WARBLER. Three YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS were also noted there. The MARBLED GODWIT continued to be reported at Sachuest Saltmarsh in Middletown until the 24th. On the 21st, 2 CASPAIN TERNS were observed flying west, just off the southern shore of Sachuest Point. At Quonochontaug Marsh in Charlestown, on the 28th, 1 AMERICAN BITTERN and 1 NELSON'S SPARROW. On the 29th, 2 WHIMBREL were present there. On the 28th at Napatree Point in Westerly, 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were found, and on the 26th, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen there. At the Charlestown Breachway tidal flats on the 28th, 1 PIPING PLOVER (late date) and 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER. In upper Narraganset Bay, a WILSON'S STORM-PETREL was seen on the 22nd. At Walkers Farm in Barrington on the 20th and the 22nd, 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, 1 LINCOLN'S SPARROW and 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were recorded. On the 23rd, 2 COMMON RAVENS were observed along Route 1 in South Kingstown. Finally, birds reported from Trustom Pond NWR included: 1 CASPIAN TERN, 1 MERLIN, 1 WOOD DUCK, 5 PIED-BILLED GREBES, 9 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 PRAIRIE WARBLER, 1 WILSON'S WARBLER, 3 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, 2 BLACKBURNIAN, 1 MAGNOLIA WARLBER and 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET. That's all for this week, thank you for calling and good birding! - End transcript