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28 Apr central Florida/east coast report from last week [Charlie Ewell ] 27 Apr FW: [Tweeters] Red Knot Migration [Doug Robberson ] 27 Apr Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Banded Birds [Robert Wallace ] 26 Apr Fw: [BRDBRAIN] St Marks NWR high tide Monday [Robert Wallace ] 23 Apr 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 23 Apr 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 22 Apr Missing WSG Bulletins [Gyorgy Szimuly ] 22 Apr 3,200+ Red Knots (21 color-banded + 'flagged') - Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 22 Apr 3,200+ Red Knots (21 color-banded + 'flagged') - Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 18 Apr Shorebird Numbers Crash in Australia [Jean Iron ] 28 Feb Yellowlegs for sure, but which ones? [Jack Rogers ] 28 Feb FW: [BRDBRAIN] Cedar Key; Ft. Island [Charlie Ewell ] 28 Feb Interesting wader ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 26 Feb Fw: [BIRDWG01] interesting wader ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 25 Feb Re: [BIRDWG01] interesting wader ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 24 Feb Help for Red Knots on the Delaware Bay [Bob Rufe ] 25 Feb interesting wader ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 13 Feb Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Red Knot article [Robert Wallace ] 16 Jan Individual Red Knot apparently returns to winter at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 11 Oct Survey: Sandpiper on brink of extinction [Jay K ] 21 Sep Osprey Sightings? [Peter Doherty ] 20 Sep Images needed [Jennifer Winters ] 11 Sep migration is under way [György Szimuly ] 11 Sep FW: [pacificseabirds] Satellite tracked Bar-tailed Godwit shows annual migration pathway on Pacific Ocean ["Sean E. McAllister" ] 11 Sep Re: 9 Flagged Red Knots at Cape Romain, South Carolina, USA [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 11 Sep 9 Flagged Red Knots at Cape Romain, South Carolina, USA [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 9 Sep Grasspipers and Plovers in northern Virginia, USA [Jay K ] 9 Sep OrnithoCalendar [György Szimuly ] 2 Sep 32 shorebird species yesterday in South Carolina, USA [Nate Dias ] 1 Sep Re: Sanbanze, Tokyo Bay (Chiba), Japan, 31 [György Szimuly ] 31 Aug Sanbanze, Tokyo Bay (Chiba), Japan, 31 [Charles Harper ] 29 Aug Re: Shorebird Killing in Barbados [Charlie Ewell ] 23 Aug follow migrating curlews and godwits [Robert Russell ] 20 Aug Shorebirds in Montgomery County, PA ["Lyman, Michael J" ] 19 Aug Ft Myers, FL (USA) on 18 Aug 2007 [Charlie Ewell ] 19 Aug Re: Red Knot populations plummet [Charlie Ewell ] 19 Aug Re: Shorebird Killing in Barbados [Anthony Levesque ] 19 Aug Shorebird Killing in Barbados [Jim Corven ] 19 Aug Re: Tokyo Bay, Japan [Robert Wallace ] 19 Aug Tokyo Bay, Japan [Charles Harper ] 18 Aug Re: [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] [Shireen Gonzaga ] 18 Aug Banded WESTERN SANDPIPER - Oregon [Russ Namitz ] 17 Aug [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] [DJ Lauten and KACastelein ] 15 Aug Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon [Robert Milburn ] 15 Aug Coos County, OR Big Shorebird Day 8/15 [Russ Namitz ] 15 Aug Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon [Mark Stackhouse ] 15 Aug High species counts Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 15 Aug Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon [Robert Wallace ] 14 Aug 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon [Russ Namitz ] 12 Aug FW: [WestPalBirds] Britain: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Kent, 10-11 August 2007 [Dominic Mitchell ] 8 Aug Re: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 [Robert Wallace ] 8 Aug Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 [Robert Wallace ] Subject: central Florida/east coast report from last week From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:03:15 -0400 [mailto:SpaceCoastAudubon AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of PHYLLIS AND HOWARD Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:25 PM To: SpaceCoastAudubon AT yahoogroups.com; FLORIDABIRDS Subject: [SpaceCoastAudubon] Merrit Island NWR The bird of the day on Peacock Pocket Rd. at MINWR had to be the female Ruff! Also exciting to see was a King Rail highlighted by the morning sun, 1 each- Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers, dozens of Stilt Sandpipers, several Dunlin, a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. On Bio Lab Rd. the bird of the day was the Wimbrel. Semipalmated Plovers and Stilt Sandpipers were abundant-at least 300-400 each; about 75 Black-bellied Plovers in all degrees of color; About 25 Long-billed Dowitchers and more of Short-billed; 1 Solitary Sandpiper. Wading birds are numerous, active and beautiful! Oak/Palm hammock was quiet. In a quick trip through, I saw only 1 Black and White, I male American Redstart, 1 Parula, 1 Black-throated Blue. Phyllis Mansfield, Cocoa Beach Every Day a New Adventure Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com Subject: FW: [Tweeters] Red Knot Migration From: Doug Robberson <dlrobbo AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:43:55 -0700 Doug Robberson Tigard, OR ------ Forwarded Message From: Joe Buchanan Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:32:24 -0700 To: Subject: [Tweeters] Red Knot Migration I saw 7 Red Knots at Ocosta on 25 April. None of them were banded. Joe Buchanan Olympia, Washington buchajbb AT dfw.wa.gov _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters ------ End of Forwarded Message Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Banded Birds From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:37:31 -0700 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Brighthouse To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 8:04:37 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Banded Birds Can someone pass this information on to the proper people? Red Knots: Fort DeSoto ~300 (3 Flocks) Bands Right Leg, Green HK7 Right Leg, Green XY8 Right Leg: Silver/Blue (band) Left Leg Green (Flag) Left Leg, Green XY4 Right Leg, Green KJ3 Right Leg, Green VYJ Right Leg: Light Blue Left Leg Green Right Leg White (couldn't read letter/number) Silver/Blue (right) Green/Yellow (left) Green Flag (Right) There were about 10-15 more banded birds but the wind was making it hard to read the combos and some kids were stressing them in the restricted area so I had to go get a ranger. Merritt Island NWR Ring-Billed Gull: Yellow "Tags" on wings immediately after drawbridge Good Birding Gallus C. Quigley Jr. Park Ranger Lake County Parks and Trails 1650 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Apt. 46 Orlando, FL 32806 gquigley AT lakecountyfl.gov gallusq AT cfl.rr.com To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] St Marks NWR high tide Monday From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:19:26 -0700 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Andy Wraithmell To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 11:58:26 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] St Marks NWR high tide Monday Shorebird numbers on lighthouse pond were high at high tide this evening. 7 Whimbrel 3 Stilt Sandpiper 750 Short-billed Dowitcher 500 Dunlin 250 Western Sandpiper 110 Ruddy Turnstone 22 American Oystercatcher 20 Red Knot 200 Willet 25 Greater Yellowlegs 4 Lesser Yellowlegs 6 Wilson's Plover 2 Semipalmated Plover 75 Black-bellied Plover 100 Least Sandpiper 10 Black-necked Stilt 1 Caspian Tern 2 Least Tern 3 Bald Eagle 3 Orchard Oriole 3 Sora 2 Northern Harrier the highlight was watching a Northern Harrier take a Willet. The commotion attracted an adult Bald Eagle who after a short search found the harrier and its meal and stole it! cheers Andy Wraithmell www.surfbirds.com/blog/limeybirder www.pbase.com/limeybirder To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:27:11 -0400 Shorebird enthusiasts, I am happy to report a record total from this year's midwinter South Carolina Piping Plover Census. The census took place from February 7-11, 2008. Census teams found 125 Piping Plovers along the SC coast, with an additional 10 birds that were known to be present. These additional 10 birds were observed soon before and soon after the survey window, but mundane issues of tide and people's schedules prevented reaching them (by boat) during the official census window. In addition to Piping Plovers, census participants counted 11 wintering Wilson's Plovers and 760 Red Knots. This year's Piping Plover totals comprised the third record-setting effort in a row in South Carolina. During the 2007 census, teams found a record (at the time) 114 Piping Plovers on the SC coast. This total follows a then-record 100 PIPL found during the 2006 International Piping Plover Census (which occurs every 5 years). So it would seem that the increased local focus on wise beach management, public education + awareness programs and other efforts are yielding success. But mild recent winters (global warming) may also be boosting winter survivorship... Whatever the reasons, this positive trend is welcome information among the gloomy shorebird news one hears so much of these days. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT dmzs.com> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:27:11 -0400 Shorebird enthusiasts, I am happy to report a record total from this year's midwinter South Carolina Piping Plover Census. The census took place from February 7-11, 2008. Census teams found 125 Piping Plovers along the SC coast, with an additional 10 birds that were known to be present. These additional 10 birds were observed soon before and soon after the survey window, but mundane issues of tide and people's schedules prevented reaching them (by boat) during the official census window. In addition to Piping Plovers, census participants counted 11 wintering Wilson's Plovers and 760 Red Knots. This year's Piping Plover totals comprised the third record-setting effort in a row in South Carolina. During the 2007 census, teams found a record (at the time) 114 Piping Plovers on the SC coast. This total follows a then-record 100 PIPL found during the 2006 International Piping Plover Census (which occurs every 5 years). So it would seem that the increased local focus on wise beach management, public education + awareness programs and other efforts are yielding success. But mild recent winters (global warming) may also be boosting winter survivorship... Whatever the reasons, this positive trend is welcome information among the gloomy shorebird news one hears so much of these days. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: Missing WSG Bulletins From: Gyorgy Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT T-ONLINE.HU> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:15:39 +0200 Hi Friends, I have an almost complete set of Wader Study Group Bulletin from the beginning except some. I would be very happy if I could complete binding all of them. If you are one can help me getting the missing items I would be very happy. Of course I don't wish them for free. Please, contact me if you can help. The following volumes are missing: Volume 6-22 Volume 43-48 Volume 62-69 Volume 74 Volume 82 Volume 88 Volume 91-99 Volume 101-109 Volume 112 Sorry if cross-posted. BR: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle iChat: gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Blog: http://web.mac.com/gyorgy.szimuly Subject: 3,200+ Red Knots (21 color-banded + 'flagged') - Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:37:33 -0400 In a little over 1.5 hours on April 19, I identified 19 marked individuals among a large flock of Red Knots on east Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Two days prior to that I had 2 additional/different Red Knots with color bands and 'flags'. I was able to photograph (digiscope) the majority of the birds. There were three types of flags - lime green with numbers, yellow with numbers and dark green without numbers. My understanding is that the lime green flags were applied to migrating Knots in Delaware Bay, USA, the yellow flags were applied to wintering Knots in the Dutch Antilles and the dark green band is a "cohort" banding scheme (I'm not sure where they were applied). Photos of several of Saturday's banded + flagged Red Knots have been added to this web page: http://www.crbo.net/SC_Shorebird_resighting_project.html I am sure there are yet more unidentified 'flagged' Knots at east Kiawah Island - I found all 19 birds last Friday in a group of 800+ Knots. Just up the beach were another 2400+ Red Knots, but I was kept quite busy for the remainder of the afternoon light working the smaller flock. On April 17, I found 3 'flagged' Red Knots (out of ~2200 total) at the same site - UWS (yellow flag), PM3 (lime green flag) and CV? (lime green). Kiawah Island is a well-known and important staging spot for Red Knots during spring migration. Kiawah also hosts a wintering population of Red Knots consisting of a few hundred birds. During late April, Kiawah has traditionally hosted several thousand individuals. Chris Snook reports that just to the north, Folly Island, SC is currently hosting roughly 1,000 Red Knots. And last week CRBO observer Burton Moore III found 850+ Red Knots on nearby Sullivans Island, SC. Complete 'flag' info for the April 19 Kiawah birds is below: - PM3 (lime green) - same bird was present on 4/17 - MU4 (lime green) - TUL (yellow) - CP5 (lime green) - VCV (lime green) - JM7 (lime green, flag on left leg) - UMP (yellow) - XX8 (lime green) - PX3 (lime green) - PN4 (lime green) - VHH (lime green) - XL4 (lime green) - LAP (lime green) - TNV (lime green) - MV7 (lime green) - XV4 (lime green) - UXH (yellow) - XX4 (lime green) - Plus 1 individual with a dark green, un-numbered 'flag' on left leg, above joint + blue band left leg, below joint + green over red bands right leg, below joint + metal band right eg, above joint. In closing, I wish to urge all birders in relevant areas to go out and seek color-marked Red Knots for the remainder of spring migration. Each and every reported band/flag combination is valuable to Red Knot researchers struggling to save this charming species. So channel your hobby into something positive and lasting - it is much more rewarding than birding for one's entertainment alone. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: 3,200+ Red Knots (21 color-banded + 'flagged') - Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT dmzs.com> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:37:33 -0400 In a little over 1.5 hours on April 19, I identified 19 marked individuals among a large flock of Red Knots on east Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Two days prior to that I had 2 additional/different Red Knots with color bands and 'flags'. I was able to photograph (digiscope) the majority of the birds. There were three types of flags - lime green with numbers, yellow with numbers and dark green without numbers. My understanding is that the lime green flags were applied to migrating Knots in Delaware Bay, USA, the yellow flags were applied to wintering Knots in the Dutch Antilles and the dark green band is a "cohort" banding scheme (I'm not sure where they were applied). Photos of several of Saturday's banded + flagged Red Knots have been added to this web page: http://www.crbo.net/SC_Shorebird_resighting_project.html I am sure there are yet more unidentified 'flagged' Knots at east Kiawah Island - I found all 19 birds last Friday in a group of 800+ Knots. Just up the beach were another 2400+ Red Knots, but I was kept quite busy for the remainder of the afternoon light working the smaller flock. On April 17, I found 3 'flagged' Red Knots (out of ~2200 total) at the same site - UWS (yellow flag), PM3 (lime green flag) and CV? (lime green). Kiawah Island is a well-known and important staging spot for Red Knots during spring migration. Kiawah also hosts a wintering population of Red Knots consisting of a few hundred birds. During late April, Kiawah has traditionally hosted several thousand individuals. Chris Snook reports that just to the north, Folly Island, SC is currently hosting roughly 1,000 Red Knots. And last week CRBO observer Burton Moore III found 850+ Red Knots on nearby Sullivans Island, SC. Complete 'flag' info for the April 19 Kiawah birds is below: - PM3 (lime green) - same bird was present on 4/17 - MU4 (lime green) - TUL (yellow) - CP5 (lime green) - VCV (lime green) - JM7 (lime green, flag on left leg) - UMP (yellow) - XX8 (lime green) - PX3 (lime green) - PN4 (lime green) - VHH (lime green) - XL4 (lime green) - LAP (lime green) - TNV (lime green) - MV7 (lime green) - XV4 (lime green) - UXH (yellow) - XX4 (lime green) - Plus 1 individual with a dark green, un-numbered 'flag' on left leg, above joint + blue band left leg, below joint + green over red bands right leg, below joint + metal band right eg, above joint. In closing, I wish to urge all birders in relevant areas to go out and seek color-marked Red Knots for the remainder of spring migration. Each and every reported band/flag combination is valuable to Red Knot researchers struggling to save this charming species. So channel your hobby into something positive and lasting - it is much more rewarding than birding for one's entertainment alone. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: Shorebird Numbers Crash in Australia From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:32:17 -0400 Shorebird Numbers Crash In Australia ScienceDaily (Apr. 13, 2008) ­ One of the world's great wildlife spectacles is under way across Australia: as many as two million migratory shorebirds of 36 species are gathering around Broome before an amazing 10,000-kilometre annual flight to their northern hemisphere breeding grounds. But an alarming new study has revealed that both these migrants and Australia's one million resident shorebirds have suffered a massive collapse in numbers over the past 25 years. A large scale aerial survey study covering the eastern third of the continent by researchers at the University of New South Wales has identified that migratory shorebirds populations there plunged by 73% between 1983 and 2006, while Australia's 15 species of resident shorebirds - such as avocets and stilts - have declined by 81%. The study is published in the scientific journal Biological Conservation. It is the first long-term analysis of shorebird populations and health at an almost a continental scale and reveals a disturbing trend of serious long-term decline. "This is a truly alarming result: in effect, three-quarters of eastern Australia's millions of resident and migratory shorebirds have disappeared in just one generation," says an author of the report, Professor Richard Kingsford. "The wetlands and resting places that they rely on for food and recuperation are shrinking virtually all the way along their migration path, from Australia through Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and up through Asia into China and Russia." The study also revealed for the first time that Australia's inland wetlands are particularly important for migratory shorebirds, along with the better-known coastal sites - such as Roebuck Bay, Port Phillip Bay, the Hunter River estuary and Hervey Bay. Of the 10 wetlands supporting the highest number of shorebirds within survey bands across eastern Australia, eight were inland and only two coastal. This makes shorebirds vulnerable to the effects of damming rivers and extraction of water. Four of the ten wetlands had been substantially reduced in size during the survey period. "Loss of wetlands due to river regulation is one of the more significant contributors to this drastic decline, but it appears such a threat is largely unrecognised in Australia's conservation plans and international agreements," says Professor Kingsford, who co-authored the report with Silke Nebel and John Porter, of the UNSW School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. The fact that resident shorebirds in eastern Australia have also suffered dramatic declines points to serious conservation problems within the continent, they say, and reflects the pressures on river systems such as the Murray-Darling Basin. Other shorebird populations in Australia's north and west, however, may not have declined so much. The migratory shorebirds make an annual flight from Australia during March and April to their breeding grounds in northern China, Mongolia, Siberia and Alaska. These birds make the extraordinary journey of to 10,000 kilometres over a period of only a few weeks, some of them flying non-stop. "Australia has international responsibilities for the conservation of these species and it has migratory bird agreements with Korea, Japan and China in place, but these do not appear to be stopping this long term decline," Professor Kingsford says. As the migratory shorebirds wing their way up the east coast of Asia (known as the East Asian--Australasian Flyway), they are increasingly vulnerable to many pressures. Many are hunted but the most serious issue is the loss of their staging habitat, places they stop to recuperate during their arduous journey. Here they need build up body reserves for the next part of their journey. Sometimes, many migratory shorebirds may use a single site. The key staging site for the migratory shorebirds leaving Australia is the Yellow Sea, where all 36 species concentrate, but the river catchments draining into the Yellow Sea host a growing population of about 600 million people in China and South Korea (about 10% of the world's population). "Agriculture and industry are progressively reclaiming the tidal feeding grounds of migratory shorebirds in the Yellow Sea" said Professor Kingsford. "Our international agreements relating to shorebird conservation (Ramsar Convention) the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (JAMBA), the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CAMBA) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) do not seem to be working." Saemangeum, the most important shorebird site in the Yellow Sea, is being reclaimed with no apparent effort on behalf of the South Korean or Australian Government to stop it. "Australia could do better" says Kingsford. "We need to properly recognise our international obligations for shorebirds within our shores when we decide to develop rivers and wetlands. We must try to meet our side of the bargain for their conservation if we are to influence other countries to protect their breeding and staging grounds." Identifying and adequately protecting wetlands of high conservation value for migratory shorebirds and protect their water supply is paramount, he believes. Worldwide, shorebird numbers are in decline. Of the 237 species with trend data, more than half are in decline, while only 8% are increasing. Shorebirds are spectacular migratory birds, travelling almost the whole planet, from north to south. They spend half their lives in Australia and the other half breeding in Russia and China. Adapted from materials provided by University of New South Wales, via EurekAlert, a service of AAAS. Need to cite this story in your essay, paper, or report? Use one of the following formats: University of New South Wales (2008, April 13). Shorebird Numbers Crash In Australia. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 17, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/04/080409170333.htm Subject: Yellowlegs for sure, but which ones? From: Jack Rogers <jrogers62 AT CFL.RR.COM> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:16:31 -0500 Hi All, I'm hoping some more expert observers than me can check out my Yellowlegs images and review my identifications for accuracy. Hard for me to tell them apart unless they are next to one another. I have eight images posted in an online gallery. If you have a minute and want to lend a hand, please go here: http://www.pbase.com/paleojack/yellowlegs Thanks in advance for any help :-) Cheers, Jack Subject: FW: [BRDBRAIN] Cedar Key; Ft. Island From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:23:10 -0500 The following post of interest was posted by Murray Gardler to the Birdbrains list in FL. Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com _____ From: Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History [mailto:BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU] On Behalf Of Murray Gardler Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 3:45 PM To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Cedar Key; Ft. Island Ft. Island highlights; Common Goldeneye 6 (imm males & females Bufflehead 4 (imm males & females Am. Oystercatcher 1 Cedar Key highlights; White Pelican 65 Piping Plover 1 Semipalmated Plover 150 Am. Oystercatcher 8 Am. Avocet 165 Willet 500 Long-billed Curlew 1 Marbled Godwit 65 Dunlin 5000 Western Sandpiper 500 Least Sandpiper 250 peep 1000 Short-billed Dowitcher 2000 Gull-billed Tern 2 Barred Owl 1 Song Sparrow 2 House Finch 7 The exceptionally low tide made for more tidal flats than I have ever observed at Cedar Key. Murray Gardler Brooksville, FL To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Interesting wader From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:51:55 +0100 Encouraged by Kevin Karlson's remarks on first calendar year Knots and the scepticism rolling in from the British Isles I decided to gather some more facts. So yesterday late afternoon I was back at the high-tide roost and found a nice flock of ca. 60 Greenland Knots. Despite the fading light I was able to make some reasonable pictures. What I learned was this: 1) none of the Knots present had the dark clouded pattern of breast and flanks as shown by 'the interesting wader'; 2) none of these Knots showed any active wing-moult as did 'the interesting wader'; 3) there was no sign of dramatic feather wear.; 4) Most birds had grey-green legs, a few birds had yellowish green legs. So it seems fair to give the interesting little bugger a more serious look, isn't it? Cheers, Norman Have a look here please: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/index.htm then click index, then Knot or interesting wader but if you prefer direct links try these: http://home.planet.nl/~swelm001/index.htm http://home.planet.nl/~swelm001/navigationindex.htm http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/waders-knots.htm http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/waders-interesting.htm 'There's a tear in your eye, And I'm wondering why, For it never should be there at all. With such pow'r in your smile, Sure a stone you'd beguile, So there's never a teardrop should fall. When your sweet lilting laughter's Like some fairy song, And your eyes twinkle bright as can be; You should laugh all the while And all other times smile, And now, smile a smile for me.' Subject: Fw: [BIRDWG01] interesting wader From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:48:32 +0100 Kevin I agree that first calendar year birds can look bedraggled in late winter and spring, with worn and tattered retained juvenile wing coverts and tertials contrasting with fresher, replaced nonbreeding feathers. However where we are, feathers do not wear that quickly in winter and ageing waders on feather wear is not easy. Even when in hand one has to look very careful to detect any wear at all! May be the leg colour can help, in breeding plumage Knots have black legs but as soon as they return to the North Sea area from the end of July onwards they become paler. Juvenile Knots arrive in late summer with greenish-yellow legs, I have not been able to establish when their legs become black but it would surprise me if that happens in mid-winter. Our 'interesting wader' seems to have black legs. I guess most of the time you come across birds belonging to the race rufa and I wonder if you would be able and willing to share pictures of those birds in non-breeding and/or 1st spring plumages with us. Norman > Kevin Karlson wrote: > I agree with Julian, and in fact came to the same > conclusion before I read his response. I agree the plumage is not > consistent with the photo of several Red Knots on your website, but first > calendar year birds can look totally bedraggled in late winter and spring, > with worn and tattered retained juvenile wing coverts and tertials > contrasting with fresher, replaced nonbreeding feathers. The bird appears > very thin, which lends to the attenuated look, and it appears to be > leaning into the wind, which also creates a different shape for Red Knot. > The no-necked look is typical of wind influenced Red Knot posture. I have > also seen great variation in Red Knot bill length and shape, with some > birds having thin, drooped bill tips, as your bird does. I would not reach > for a hybrid label on this bird, but just a thin, tapered looking Red > Knot. I do agree, however, that it looks especially tapered in the rear, > which is atypical of Red Knot, but the slightly turned away posture could > add to this impression in a single photo.< Norman D.van Swelm wrote: > Julian thank you for your response. So you're suggesting a Cox Knot! I must admit I am a little allergic for hybrid solutions but I can fully understand your feelings. For those not familiar with winter plumage Knots in Europe please have a look at: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/index.htm then click index, then Knot. Julian Hough wrote: > Your bird is interesting and, as you suggest, superficially resembles White-rumped Sandpiper. However, it does look somewhat strange for a White-rumped in certain ways, mainly the patterning of the underparts, particularly the breast and flanks. I don't have any experience of adult White-rumpeds beyond early October, but the breast pattern and blotch patterning on the flanks isn't correct for White-rumped at all. Looking at the head, I can't help feeling that it reminds me of a winter-plumaged Knot - pale grey head, flared super and paleish ear-coverts (White-rumped's have finely streaked earcoverts and a downward curving super behind the eye - though posture in the photos could affect this). Also, the bill shape doesn't seem typical of a White-rumped - usually shorter, slightly more decurved lower mandible in White-rumped, and again seems somewhat stouter than I am comfortable with. Also, in the same vein, the legs also look rather stout. I'm not entirely sure what the bird is, and am reticent to throw in anyhybrid caveats, but feel sure it's not a typical White-rumped Sand.. Julian Hough, CT, USA Subject: Re: [BIRDWG01] interesting wader From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:25:46 +0100 Julian thank you for your response. So you're suggesting a Cox Knot! I must admit I am a little allergic for hybrid solutions but I can fully understand your feelings. For those not familiar with winter plumage Knots in Europe please have a look at: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/index.htm then click index, then Knot. Cheers, Norman Julian Hough wrote: > Your bird is interesting and, as you suggest, superficially resembles White-rumped Sandpiper. However, it does look somewhat strange for a White-rumped in certain ways, mainly the patterning of the underparts, particularly the breast and flanks. I don't have any experience of adult White-rumpeds beyond early October, but the breast pattern and blotch patterning on the flanks isn't correct for White-rumped at all. Looking at the head, I can't help feeling that it reminds me of a winter-plumaged Knot - pale grey head, flared super and paleish ear-coverts (White-rumped's have finely streaked earcoverts and a downward curving super behind the eye - though posture in the photos could affect this). Also, the bill shape doesn't seem typical of a White-rumped - usually shorter, slightly more decurved lower mandible in White-rumped, and again seems somewhat stouter than I am comfortable with. Also, in the same vein, the legs also look rather stout. I'm not entirely sure what the bird is, and am reticent to throw in any hybrid caveats, but feel sure it's not a typical White-rumped Sand.. Julian Hough, CT, USA jrhough1 AT snet.net www.naturescapeimages.net Subject: Help for Red Knots on the Delaware Bay From: Bob Rufe <Rrufe1 AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 20:21:00 EST Here's a little different twist on how to improve the prospects for Red Knot conditions other than providing testimony at public hearings... Latest Help for Horseshoe Crabs and Red Knots: _http://www.birdchick.com/2008/02/you-can-help-red-knot.html_ (http://www.birdchick.com/2008/02/you-can-help-red-knot.html) Take a look! Bob. **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/ 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598) Subject: interesting wader From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:23:47 +0100 Please have a look at: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/index.htm then click index, then interesting wader. Cheers, Norman Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Red Knot article From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 04:36:58 -0800 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Charlie Ewell To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:07:01 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Red Knot article All, Relevant info on Red Knots in the article link below. Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------- Harvest ban on horseshoe crabs lifted by council By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer, Press of Atlantic City 609-463-6711 Published: February 12, 2008 WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - The New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council on Monday lifted a state ban on horseshoe-crab harvesting and will allow a limited fishery in the Delaware Bay this spring. The 5-4 vote will allow the harvest of 100,000 male horseshoe crabs. It will be the first harvest in two years. You can read the full story online at: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/top_three/story/7535118p-7437918c.html To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Individual Red Knot apparently returns to winter at Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:37:47 -0500 Carolinabirders and shorebird enthusiasts, Last week Ricky Parker contacted us to say he saw a color banded and 'flagged' Red Knot on 12/30/2007 at Huntington Beach State Park on the south side of Murrells Inlet, SC. He described the bird as having a green flag on left leg above the knee, orange band on left leg below knee, metal band on right leg above knee, red band on right leg below knee. The "shorthand description" for this bird's color band combination is: Fg/O:m/R Then on 1/12/2008 Jerry Kerschner photographed the same bird. Bill Pitts of the Endangered & Nongame Species Program, NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife reports that this bird "is not one of the Delaware Bay banding schemes; it seems most likely that it was banded in 2002 in New Jersey. Bill also notes that "it appears this bird has lost a couple of bands." Now the interesting thing is that a bird of this exact color band / flag combination was photographed at Huntington Beach SP on November 25, 2006. Despite the fact that the bird's 'flag' was an early model which lacks an individualized printed number, it is noteworthy that the "cohort banded" bird (one of a small group of birds with same color bands) is missing the same combination of color bands. This seems to imply that it is the same individual returning to winter at the Huntington Beach State Park area. See the following web page for November 2006 and January 2008 photos of the bird and additional details: http://www.crbo.net/SC_Shorebird_resighting_project.html Cases like this demonstrate how color-banded and "flagged" shorebirds such as Red Knots are one of the best ways for birders and "citizen scientists" to make important contributions to bird research and conservation. Happy shorebirding, Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Obsevatory http://www.crbo.net/ PO Box 362 McClellanville, SC, USA 29458 Subject: Survey: Sandpiper on brink of extinction From: Jay K <azure.jay AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 21:17:03 -0400 Survey: Sandpiper on brink of extinction By MICHAEL CASEY AP Environmental Writer © 2007 The Associated Press BANGKOK, Thailand — One of the rarest birds in the world is on the brink of extinction, conservationists warned Friday, after a survey found that the population of spoon-billed sandpiper dropped dramatically at a key breeding site in Russia. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/5207538.html ------------------- Jay Keller, Arlington, VA USA Subject: Osprey Sightings? From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:50:36 -0400 Shorebird folks: Kindly keep an eye out for these marked Osprey in your travels. Thanks, Peter Have You Seen A Banded Osprey? BioDiversity Research Institute, www.briloon.org, of Gorham, Maine, banded and color–marked approximately 70 Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) during the 2007 breeding season throughout a significant portion of the bird’s range in Maine. We are interested in any observations of Ospreys fitting the description below. Description: All Ospreys are banded with a USFWS silver aluminum band on one leg, and one anodized BLUE band (etched with two white vertical characters repeated several times around the band) on the other leg. The characters on the blue bands are unique to individuals and can be reliably read by an observer using a spotting scope. In addition, 6 adults are fitted with dorsally mounted VHF transmitters on their two central retrices. A whip antenna visibly extends beyond the end of the tail. All banding, auxiliary marking and radio tracking activities were performed under appropriate State and Federal permits. If you see a blue banded Osprey: Please note the time, date and location of your observation, the leg of the bird which displayed the blue band, and any characters observed on the blue band (i.e., reported as “C over B”), the presence or absence of a transmitter antenna. Information on the behavior of the Osprey during observation (i.e. flying, perched, fishing, eating) and the presence of other birds, especially Osprey, in the immediate area is also of interest. It is neither essential, nor expected, that each observer will note all of the above information. Partial reports are encouraged and welcomed. Observed Osprey may be promptly reported to Chris DeSorbo, Raptor Program Director, by telephone at 1-207-839-7600 ext 115 or by e-mail: chris.desorbo AT briloon.org. Please pass this information along to other interested parties. Peter Dohertyleasttern AT hotmail.comSharon Springs, NY 13459 Subject: Images needed From: Jennifer Winters <jwinters AT CO.VOLUSIA.FL.US> Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2007 13:58:37 -0400 High-resolution shorebird images needed for a Volusia County, FL specific bird brochure. Proper credit will be given under each photo. Looking for donations only. This brochure is for educating the general public about the birds in our beach vicinity. A list of species that will likely be included is below. A natural beach or shoreline background is preferred. Please forward this message to any photographer friends that may want to help out. -Thanks! 1.) A shorebird nest with some larger background perspective, 2.) A large group of birds on the beach or disappearing Islands of Ponce Inlet or your favorite shot-Needed for the Cover Panel Commonly sighted birds needed are: (any adult plumage is ok) Sanderling Ruddy Turnstone Laughing gull Osprey Royal Tern Pelican Snowy Egret Ring billed Gull Nesting birds: (Adults w/chick would be great!) Wilson's Plover Killdeer American Oystercatcher Willet Black Skimmer (we possibly have that one covered already) Least Tern Great Egret Tri-colored Heron Wintering birds (in winter plumage please) Piping Plover Great black-backed gull Snowy Plover White Pelican Semipalmated Plover Least Sandpiper Black-bellied Plover Red Knot Please send any replies or questions to: Jennifer Winters jwinters AT co.volusia.fl.us Thanks, Jennifer Winters County of Volusia Sea Turtle HCP Program Manager Office (386) 239-6414 X 34 Cell (386) 717-0602 Fax (386) 239-6421 www.volusia.org/environmental/natural_resources/seaturtles/ Subject: migration is under way From: György Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT T-ONLINE.HU> Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:45:00 +0200 Hi Friends, Migration is well under way in Central Europe. The inland shorebird migration is never as impressive as along a lovely coastline but still fine for us making our areas diverse. Due to the unusually cold Atlantic spell from the NW birds are feeding rapidly at any of the suitable habitats (mainly drained fishponds). At my local place I regularly follow the number of shorebirds. Please, find the recent records in my blog: http://szimistyle.blogspot.com/ Have a nice weather while birding. Best Regards: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle iChat: szimistyle.com AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Subject: FW: [pacificseabirds] Satellite tracked Bar-tailed Godwit shows annual migration pathway on Pacific Ocean From: "Sean E. McAllister" <smca AT NORTHCOAST.COM> Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 13:53:44 -0700 Sean McAllister -----Original Message----- From: pacificseabirds-bounces AT lists.fws.gov [mailto:pacificseabirds-bounces AT lists.fws.gov] On Behalf Of Verena_Gill AT fws.gov Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 11:36 AM To: pacificseabirds AT lists.fws.gov Subject: [pacificseabirds] Satellite tracked Bar-tailed Godwit shows annual migration pathway on Pacific Ocean *************************************************************************** You have received this message from the Pacific Seabirds listservr. You can reply to this posting (or send a separate e-mail to pacificseabirds AT lists.fws.gov) and everyone on the listserver will see your message. However, if your message is not of general interest to everyone on the Pacific Seabirds, please send it directly to the intended recipient's individual e-mail address. *************************************************************************** So it's a shorebird but look at its use of the Pacific Ocean. Amazing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Verena A. Gill Wildlife Biologist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Mammals Management 1011 East Tudor Road, MS 341 Anchorage, Alaska 99503 work phone: 907-786-3584 cell phone: 907-250-3721 fax: 907-786-3816 e-mail: verena_gill AT fws.gov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ----- Forwarded by Verena Gill/R7/FWS/DOI on 09/11/2007 10:34 AM ----- Richard Lanctot/R7/FWS/DO I To 09/11/2007 09:12 cc AM Subject Satellite tracked Bar-tailed Godwit shows annual migration pathway on Pacific Ocean Dear all, The first Satellite tracked Bar-tailed Godwit to be tracked from New Zealand to the Yellow Sea on to Alaska is now returned and landed in New Zealand. This will mark a complete record of the most amazing annual migration cycle of a shorebird. For more on this fantastic journey, visit the USGS website that provides an excellent overview of all its PTT marked birds. http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/shorebirds/barg.html The attached image is taken from http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/shorebirds/images/barg/maps/E7_6sep.j pg ------ If you have received this transmission in error please notify us immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of information in the e-mail or attachments. ------(See attached file: Bartailed Godwit Round Trip E7_6sep.jpg) -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Bartailed Godwit Round Trip E7_6sep.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 59501 bytes Desc: not available Url : https://www.fws.gov/lists/private/pacificseabirds/attachments/20070911/e5e41 e63/attachment.jpg *************************************************************************** To unsubscribe, send an email to PacificSeabirds-request AT lists.fws.gov. Enter "unsubscribe" in the subject field. Questions? Contact Verena Gill at verena_gill AT fws.gov *************************************************************************** Subject: Re: 9 Flagged Red Knots at Cape Romain, South Carolina, USA From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:20:30 -0400 Sarah, Thanks for your prompt and informative response. However, despite correct policies and best intents, the fact remains that Turtle Volunteers in the field on Lighthouse Island have been witnessed engaging in "non-aware behavior" more than once over the past couple of years. I have witnessed this personally, as has CRBO board member and McClellanville resident Richard Wyndham and a couple of his friends, as has Chris Snook. Indeed, this past Saturday Dr. Snook was REPEATEDLY prevented from obtaining numbered flag information from the Red Knot flocks he was trying to document. Apparently Saturday was some sort of final "close down" day and repeated trips back and forth were taking place. This is understandable to a degree, but: when an observer is out there studying flagged shorebirds through a spotting scope and writing down information, and trying to wave down the ATV rider at critical junctures, only to be ignored, I respectfully claim that this is a problem. It would seem to indicate that at least one turtle volunteer needs to have shorebird rules of engagement re-stressed to them. It would not be unusual for any group of people to have at least one member who gets "slack" from time to time... But to clarify - most of the "riding the beach with blinders on" comment was aimed at places like Huntington Beach State Park and East Kiawah Island, SC. Sincerely, Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory PO Box 362 McClellanville, SC 29458 http://www.crbo.net/ Sarah_Dawsey AT fws.gov wrote: > Nathan, > > Thank you for the sightings. I must address your comments regarding the > turtle work on the Refuge. The volunteers are not "riding the beach with > blinders on" as you say. They are well aware of the importance of this > area to nesting and migrating shorebirds and many of those same volunteers > help to post the closed areas for nesting sea birds each year. The turtle > crew is very cautious during the nesting season of not disturbing or > harming any of the birds nesting within the posted nesting area or > elsewhere on the beach. The beach is run once a day to carry out turtle > work and whether that be with an ATV or walked, birds would be flushed due > to the narrow width of the beach. This is true for just about any activity > on the beach to include fishing, shell collecting, and bird watching or > surveys. I cannot speak of other beaches and conservation activities that > are carried out but can assure you that shorebirds are taken into account > in all of our management of the refuge. > > Sarah > > > Sarah Dawsey, Biologist > Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge > 5801 Hwy 17 North > Awendaw, SC 29429 > 843/928-3264 office > 843/509-0555 cell > 843/928-3803 fax > Subject: 9 Flagged Red Knots at Cape Romain, South Carolina, USA From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:48:04 -0400 Shorebird people, Chris Snook was scouting locations and working on the protocol for CRBO's 'Marked Shorebird Resightings Project' this past Saturday. His 'playing field' was the northern portions of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Chris found 3 flocks of Red Knots on Lighthouse Island; they consisted of 300+ individuals. Of these, 9 birds were banded and marked with colored + numbered flags! Unfortunately, Chris was only able to make out 7 of the 9 numbered 'flags' attached to the birds. *** It seems that a Sea Turtle volunteer kept flushing the shorebirds with his ATV. This is a sad case of one endangered species causing problems for other species in peril. -- Having Sea Turtle volunteers "riding the beach with blinders on" also causes problems for nesting Wilson's Plovers in many areas, sometimes to the point of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. At any rate, the most noteworthy observation Chris made Saturday was of what seems to be a Red Knot banded in Argentina! Other interesting waterbird observations made by Chris and Captain John Cottingham included a Reddish Egret and 3 Long-billed Curlews. Information on the mixed flocks of Red Knots and other shorebirds that Dr. Snook gathered: === Flock1: 33deg 00'33"N, 070deg 22'14"W AT 0848hrs No colour markings observed. Flock composition: 90 REKN , 5 BBPL (3ad 2juv), 10 RUTU, 3 SAND, 2 WILL Activity: Mostly roosting on sandbar between Cape and Lighthouse Islands. Flock 2: 33deg 00'34"N 079deg 22'46"W AT ~0915hrs Colour markings: L/M:Fl(XAH)/-, B/M:Fl(JPJ)/-, M/?:Fo(CSU?)/?, ?/?:Fl(XPX)/?, ?/?:Fl(ELO)/M, Fl(TXX)/?:O/? Flock Composition: 150 REKN, 50 RUTU, 10 SAND, 30 WILL, 2 STSA, 5 SBDO Activity: Feeding over re-exposed "pluff" mud Note: TXX had what looked like an orange wing tag showing through the back feathers. Flock 3: 33deg 00' 32"N 079deg 23' 19"W AT ~0930hrs Colour markings: Fl(NVC)/-:O/M Flock Composition: 7 REKN, 2 WILL, 1 SBDO, 1 BBPL (juv), 5 SAND, 6 RUTU. Activity: Feeding over re-exposed "pluff mud". === Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory PO Box 362 McClellanville, SC 29458 http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: Grasspipers and Plovers in northern Virginia, USA From: Jay K <azure.jay AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2007 13:54:27 -0400 Hello All, I enjoy the posts on this listserve, and while my report is not of the spectacular lists often seen here from the various shorebird hotspots around the world, I thought some might be interested in some birds viewed in the piedmont region of Culpeper County, Virginia, USA. We get a few migrant species in our area for several weeks per year, usually in the fall, of the more special shorebirds. Many more species can be found in our nearby coastal plain areas, of course, quite regularly. Today I was able to find the following: Killdeer 276 Buff-breasted Sandpiper 1 American Golden-Plover 3 Upland Sandpiper 1 (occ presumed breeder) Take Care, Jay Keller, Arlington, VA USA Subject: OrnithoCalendar From: György Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT T-ONLINE.HU> Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2007 16:34:27 +0200 Sorry if cross-posted!!! Dear Friends, For a forthcoming new website we are collecting details of all the major congresses, conferences, workshops relating to ornithology or their habitat management to be held all over the world. Anyone knows such an event please send details to me including: exact name of the event date of the event (from-to) location of the event contact info of the organizers website of the event few words of the event (if there is any) Events from 01 January 2008 will be included. Thanks for your support. Best Regards: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle iChat: szimistyle.com AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Subject: 32 shorebird species yesterday in South Carolina, USA From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2007 13:43:58 -0700 To update a recent thread on shorebird "big days" - the coastal plain of South Carolina produced 32 shorebird species for me yesterday, thanks to lots of rain over the past few days. Info on the Kiawah portion of the day are here: https://lists.duke.edu/sympa/arc/carolinabirds/2007-09/msg00010.html Nathan Dias ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Nate Dias To: carolinabirds AT duke.edu Subject: 9-1 cont.- Buff B. Sandpipers, Am. Golden-Plovers, Am. Avocets for 32 shorebird sp. day I toured rain-soaked sod farms and agricultural lands in Jasper and Hampton counties yesterday afternoon, after having started the day with a bang at Kiawah Island. East Kiawah produced 26 shorebird species during an hour and a half of birding the beach and the driving range at the Ocean Course... My first stop down south was at Nimmer Turf Farm. There, I re-learned what Perry Nugent taught me close to 20 years ago: shy open-country birds will walk right up to you in the rain if you keep perfectly still. I first saw this demonstrated with Lapland Longspurs and yesterday it was true for BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS. There were 5 Buffies in the first sod field on the right on Nimmer Turf Drive. I got better looks at them than I have ever had before. The closest looks happened while it was raining, so the digiscope photos and video I got were of the buffies at longer range. I posted a few so-so shots of the Buff-breasted Sandpipers here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/offshorebirder/ Also present at Nimmer were 2 American Golden-Plovers, 3 Upland Sandpipers, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper and around 40 Pectoral Sandpipers, in addition to several more common shorebird species. Warbler flocks were also working some low ground cover - one flock kept hopping up onto an irrigation crawler between bouts of eating. There were Pine, Prairie, Yellow-throated, and American Redstart doing this. After spending some time at Nimmer and eating lunch, I drove up Tarboro Road and turned right on SC 27-115. This took me through some cornfields and agricultural areas where I heard the first of many Bobolinks for the day. There were some nice sod fields on the left of 27-115 about 2/3 of the way to SC 652, but all they held was some Killdeer and American Crows strutting around. I then headed up to Furman and toured some sod farms near there - I found 2 more Upland Sandpipers, as well as Pectoral and Leasts. There is a lot of nice corn/millet/sunflower in the area in addition to sod fields - no telling what kind of November rarities the lands east of Furman might yield. After Furman, I hit some sod places near Scotia which were birdless. So I continued up 321 to Estill and headed over on highway 3. A sod field near Peeples (smaller of the 2 big ones) had a big flock of Killdeer, some Pectoral and Least Sandpipers, two American Golden-Plovers and a lone Upland Sandpiper. ... After a while I headed back over to highway 321 and took it south to Savannah NWR. The refuge was dead as a doornail - I did have two Purple Gallinules and some flyover Wood Storks but they were the only birds of note besides calling Ring Rails. There was virtually zero shorebird habitat at Savannah NWR - that place has really gone to the dogs compared to 15-20 years ago. I guess they no longer burn impoundments to maintain shortgrass areas and species composition like they did in the old days... After that, I went up the road to check an open marshy area along US-17 for shorebirds. If you head south and approach the Savannah River marshes, there is an abandoned nudie bar on the left just after you pass the existing one on the right. Since it was a rainy day in broad daylight, I took a chance and stopped in. * There have been several nighttime shootings and bad things along this stretch of road recently - the area is attractive for bad characters from Savannah in the wee hours of weekend mornings... Anyway, I parked out of sight of US-17, hid tempting things in the car as best I could, and put on some tall snake boots. I took the overgrown dirt road behind the abandoned club that leads back into the scrub and then out into the marsh. The plan was to check a couple of good-sized openings in the marsh vegetation that have good mudflats at low water. Since the tide was low there were good numbers of shorebirds and a few waders - nothing super-rare, however. I checked another open area northeast of the first one and had more birds of the common variety. In heading back to the car, I paused at the end of the dirt road and walked up the dike to investigate a weird flycatcher-sounding call unlike anything I had ever heard before. It turned out to be an immature Rough-winged Swallow begging from a parent. I quickly looked over the water-filled impoundment and saw 600+ American Avocets, 300+ Black-necked Stilts, 2 Wilson's Phalaropes, several Stilt Sandpipers and 1 Eared Grebe before heading back to the car. As I tally things, I saw 32 species of shorebirds at 3 sites yesterday in Charleston and Jasper Counties: Black-bellied Plover Wilson's Plover Semipalmated Plover PIPING PLOVER Killdeer American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper UPLAND SANDPIPER AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Stilt Sandpiper Willet Whimbrel Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White Rumped Sandpiper BAIRD'S SANDPIPER Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Short-billed Dowitcher AMERICAN AVOCET Wilson's Snipe WILSON'S PHALAROPE I suspect this is the single-day record for shorebird species in South Carolina, although one of the old timers might correct me on that score. Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC ____________________________________________________________________________________ Got a little couch potato? Check out fun summer activities for kids. http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&cs=bz Subject: Re: Sanbanze, Tokyo Bay (Chiba), Japan, 31 From: György Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT T-ONLINE.HU> Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 11:37:23 +0200 Charles, Is it a classical coastal habitat (mudflat) or a slat pans? Best Regards: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle iChat: szimistyle.com AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com On 2007.08.31., at 15:42, Charles Harper wrote: Another posting from Tokyo Bay, this time from a single location, Sanbanze (Funabashi Keihin Koen), Chiba. I ran up there for an hour and a half (1000-1130) this morning, upon the report of the Spoonbill Sandpiper, a very rare, if regular, migrant. Bar-tailed Godwit (3) Whimbrel (2) Terek Sandpiper (10) Grey-tailed Tattler (40) Ruddy Turnstone (30) Great Knot (5) Sanderling (60) Rufous-necked Stint (300) Dunlin (30) Curlew Sandpiper (1) Spoonbill Sandpiper (1) Broad-billed Sandpiper (2) Ruff (1) Pacific Golden-Plover (20) Little Ringed Plover (1) Kentish Plover (150) Mongolian Plover (50) Subject: Sanbanze, Tokyo Bay (Chiba), Japan, 31 From: Charles Harper <MisterMicawber AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:42:36 -0400 Another posting from Tokyo Bay, this time from a single location, Sanbanze (Funabashi Keihin Koen), Chiba. I ran up there for an hour and a half (1000-1130) this morning, upon the report of the Spoonbill Sandpiper, a very rare, if regular, migrant. Bar-tailed Godwit (3) Whimbrel (2) Terek Sandpiper (10) Grey-tailed Tattler (40) Ruddy Turnstone (30) Great Knot (5) Sanderling (60) Rufous-necked Stint (300) Dunlin (30) Curlew Sandpiper (1) Spoonbill Sandpiper (1) Broad-billed Sandpiper (2) Ruff (1) Pacific Golden-Plover (20) Little Ringed Plover (1) Kentish Plover (150) Mongolian Plover (50) Subject: Re: Shorebird Killing in Barbados From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 15:43:25 -0400 All, Found some interesting info re: the shorebird killings in Barbados (and Guadeloupe) brought up a bit ago: http://discuss.hancockwildlifechannel.org/viewtopic.php?t=1826 Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT earthlink.net Subject: follow migrating curlews and godwits From: Robert Russell <Robert_Russell AT FWS.GOV> Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:47:16 -0500 Great satellite tracking project on Bristle-thighed Curlew from AK to HI and beyond. Check out their web site at http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/shorebirds/index.html for more information. Thanks to Sue Thomas, US Fish and Wildlife Service for this link. Bob Russell Subject: Shorebirds in Montgomery County, PA From: "Lyman, Michael J" <michael_lyman AT MERCK.COM> Date: Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:03:45 -0400 While not a major shorebird trap like other sites on this list. Green Lane's Church road, located in Northwestern Montgomery county, PA provides an important inland layover spot for many migrant shorebirds. A brief stop before work today yielded the following species: Red-necked Phalarope (1, juvenile) Semipalmated Sandpipers (15) Least Sandpipers (100+) Pectoral Sandpipers (6) Solitary Sandpipers (4) Spotted Sandpipers (4) Lesser Yellowlegs (13) Killdeer (50+) Semipalmated Plover (10) Mike Lyman Green Lane, PA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. (One Merck Drive, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA 08889), and/or its affiliates (which may be known outside the United States as Merck Frosst, Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD and in Japan, as Banyu - direct contact information for affiliates is available at http://www.merck.com/contact/contacts.html) that may be confidential, proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged. It is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named on this message. If you are not the intended recipient, and have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by reply e-mail and then delete it from your system. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Subject: Ft Myers, FL (USA) on 18 Aug 2007 From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 20:59:31 -0400 All, Shorebird species seen at Bunche Beach, Ft Myers, Florida (USA) on Saturday 18 August 2007: Piping Plover Semipalmated Plover Wilson's Plover Black-bellied Plover Least Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Short-billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Ruddy Turnstone Sanderling Willet Spotted Sandpiper American Oystercatcher I have it on good word that a Whimbrel and a Long-billed Curlew were seen during the week prior to the field trip. Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT earthlink.net Subject: Re: Red Knot populations plummet From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 18:51:47 -0400 Hi Shireen and All, I have seen this issue/article discussed either here or on another forum recently, and the extinction statement was said (by the authors of the study) to be based more on a model than an actual prediction. Unless, of course, the statement you are referring to is from a different article! Either way, there is certainly concern in both the scientific and birding community about the Red Knot's situation. Cape May/Delaware Bay was involved in the beginning of the problem, but it is becoming apparent it involves more than that now. Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT earthlink.net -----Original Message----- From: Shorebird Discussion Group [mailto:SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Shireen Gonzaga Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2007 5:21 PM To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Subject: Re: [SHOREBIRDS] [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] The article cites lack of hcrab eggs as a major reason for the population drop. Even if there were a moratorium on all harvests, it would take at least 10 years, at the earliest, for the hcrab population to recover, since it takes 8-10 years for juveniles to reach maturity. (The unknown is how many juveniles are in the bay.) The article says the knots could be extinct in 10 years. My questions, for the Red knot rufa experts, what is the critical window of time & actions needed to avoid this catastrophe? What is the minimum number of birds for maintaining a viable breeding population needed for recovery? At some point, the numbers would reach a critical minimum when extinction will become inevitable due to deaths by natural causes, predation, and other risk factors like pollution. Very sad news indeed. - shireen > Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:11:34 -0700 > From: DJ Lauten and KACastelein > Subject: [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] > ... > "A new report has revealed a drastic population decline in the Red > Knot subspecies Calidris canutus rufa. Numbers at their wintering > grounds in southern South America have fallen drastically in recent > years; from 51,300 in 2000 to approximately 30,000 in 2004, and still > further to just 17,200 in 2006. Shireen Gonzaga Baltimore, MD whimbrel AT comcast.net Subject: Re: Shorebird Killing in Barbados From: Anthony Levesque <anthony.levesque AT WANADOO.FR> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:54:56 -0500 Dear shorebirders, after "Dean" hurricane, I observed at Pointe des Châteaux (a salt pond of 15 hectares) in Guadeloupe (FWI), around 750 shorebirds, among them 13 RED KNOT (a rare species there, not observed past year), 2 were banded with lime flag + 1 RUDDY TURNSTONE banded and 1 SANDERLING banded the most common species was the SEMIPALMETED SANDPIPER (50-60%) here we have the same problem of shorebird hunting... and at Port-Louis Swamp, yesterday morning I checked 8 hunters who killed a hundred shorebirds (of wich 3 RED KNOTS), they were at least 30 hunters on this place... shorebirds killed were LEYE, GRYE, SBDO, STSA, AMGP, WHIM, RUTU, REKN, SOSA sorry for the bad news... Anthony Levesque ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Corven" To: Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2007 9:21 AM Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Shorebird Killing in Barbados > Subject: Annual Slaughter of Migrating Waders on Barbados > From: "Cathy Gagliardi" > Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:31:46 -0500 > > > > Annual Slaughter of Migrating Waders on Barbados > > A small minority of Barbadians are responsible for > shooting up to 45,000 migrating waders (shorebirds) > every year between August and November in Barbados, > West Indies. These birds breed in North America, > sometimes as far North as the Arctic, and then migrate > South to spend the winter in Latin America. En route > they fly over Barbados. > > The slaughter on Barbados is highly organized and > takes place in a number of shallow, man-made lakes, > which are made attractive to exhausted migrating > waders. The lakes have up to 4 acres of open water > with specially built mud banks within range of the > shooting hut. Caged birds (maimed from last years' > shoot) are placed close to the mud banks and the > hunters use whistles to imitate the bird calls, which > are supplemented by amplified recording calls to > attract entire flocks. Decoys are also used. > > At this time of year large flocks of exhausted birds > fly in after a storm. They are met by a barrage of > fire from semi-automatic weapons. The shooters often > wait for the birds to settle before firing and it is a > matter of pride not to let one single bird escape. > The lakes (known locally as "shooting swamps") are > often manned all day during the shooting season, seven > days a week and it has actually become a "contest" > amongst the four known swamps to see who gets the most > birds. The social and racial status of the shooters > are mostly white and well-to-do in a nation where 90% > of the people have African roots. > > This practice has been going on for generations but > has become more refined in the last fifty years, with > the introduction of sophisticated weaponry. Such > shooting does not take place on the other Caribbean > Islands, nor further north. The birds being shot are > fully protected all the year round in both Canada and > America, and have been for about a century now. > Barbados has never signed the Migratory Bird Treaty > Act but they did sign the CITES Act back in 1992. > > They include species such as the Lesser Yellowlegs and > Pectoral Sandpiper, but of particular concern is the > American Golden Plover, whose population is declining > rapidly. All species are shot regardless and there is > even an instance of the Eskimo Curlew being shot in > 1963, now thought to be extinct. > > A Barbadian named Maurice Hutt produced a paper in > 1991 on "swamp shooting" and it makes for horrific > reading. Mr. Hutt's efforts to prevent swamp shooting > were suppressed by the powerful shooting lobby in > Barbados and it continues unabated today. In fact > recent estimates indicate that the position may have > worsened and that up to 45,000 birds may be killed > each year. It would seem that the only way to have > this annual slaughter stopped would be if pressure > from the American & Canadian governments and other > outside authorities were to be exerted on the Barbados > government. > > WHSRN is the driving force right now to bring an end > to these barbaric shoots and/or impose a Hunting > Season with limits & restrictions..... our donations > are much welcomed and greatly needed. www.whsrn.org > > > > > > > > > > Jim Corven > > Associate Professor > > Bristol Community College > > 777 Elsbree St. > > Fall River, MA 02720 > > Tel: 508 678-2811, ext. 3047 > > www.Bristol.mass.edu > > www.ebird.org/usvi > > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can > change > the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. " - Margaret Mead > Subject: Shorebird Killing in Barbados From: Jim Corven <calidris1 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:21:55 -0400 Subject: Annual Slaughter of Migrating Waders on Barbados From: "Cathy Gagliardi" Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:31:46 -0500 Annual Slaughter of Migrating Waders on Barbados A small minority of Barbadians are responsible for shooting up to 45,000 migrating waders (shorebirds) every year between August and November in Barbados, West Indies. These birds breed in North America, sometimes as far North as the Arctic, and then migrate South to spend the winter in Latin America. En route they fly over Barbados. The slaughter on Barbados is highly organized and takes place in a number of shallow, man-made lakes, which are made attractive to exhausted migrating waders. The lakes have up to 4 acres of open water with specially built mud banks within range of the shooting hut. Caged birds (maimed from last years' shoot) are placed close to the mud banks and the hunters use whistles to imitate the bird calls, which are supplemented by amplified recording calls to attract entire flocks. Decoys are also used. At this time of year large flocks of exhausted birds fly in after a storm. They are met by a barrage of fire from semi-automatic weapons. The shooters often wait for the birds to settle before firing and it is a matter of pride not to let one single bird escape. The lakes (known locally as "shooting swamps") are often manned all day during the shooting season, seven days a week and it has actually become a "contest" amongst the four known swamps to see who gets the most birds. The social and racial status of the shooters are mostly white and well-to-do in a nation where 90% of the people have African roots. This practice has been going on for generations but has become more refined in the last fifty years, with the introduction of sophisticated weaponry. Such shooting does not take place on the other Caribbean Islands, nor further north. The birds being shot are fully protected all the year round in both Canada and America, and have been for about a century now. Barbados has never signed the Migratory Bird Treaty Act but they did sign the CITES Act back in 1992. They include species such as the Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpiper, but of particular concern is the American Golden Plover, whose population is declining rapidly. All species are shot regardless and there is even an instance of the Eskimo Curlew being shot in 1963, now thought to be extinct. A Barbadian named Maurice Hutt produced a paper in 1991 on "swamp shooting" and it makes for horrific reading. Mr. Hutt's efforts to prevent swamp shooting were suppressed by the powerful shooting lobby in Barbados and it continues unabated today. In fact recent estimates indicate that the position may have worsened and that up to 45,000 birds may be killed each year. It would seem that the only way to have this annual slaughter stopped would be if pressure from the American & Canadian governments and other outside authorities were to be exerted on the Barbados government. WHSRN is the driving force right now to bring an end to these barbaric shoots and/or impose a Hunting Season with limits & restrictions..... our donations are much welcomed and greatly needed. www.whsrn.org Jim Corven Associate Professor Bristol Community College 777 Elsbree St. Fall River, MA 02720 Tel: 508 678-2811, ext. 3047 www.Bristol.mass.edu www.ebird.org/usvi "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. " - Margaret Mead Subject: Re: Tokyo Bay, Japan From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 06:30:22 -0700 Charles - thanks for the international report! Are there other list members who can send in a Shorebird Big Day from other locations around the world? It may not be of high scientific value, but fun to read, none-the-less! What is the best shorebird spot in the world, from a diversity standpoint? Surely the UK and northern Europe have some good collection spots during migration right now. Thanks, Bob Wallace Listowner New Smyrna Beach FL ----- Original Message ---- From: Charles Harper To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2007 8:57:05 AM Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Tokyo Bay, Japan Another erratic listing of shorebird species (and rough numbers) headed south at Tokyo Bay and surrounding rice fields on 19 August 2007: Common Snipe (1) Bar-tailed Godwit (3) Marsh Sandpiper (2) Common Greenshank (10) Wood Sandpiper (10) Terek Sandpiper (4) Common Sandpiper (2) Grey-tailed Tattler (50) Ruddy Turnstone (30) Red Knot (2) Sanderling (100) Rufous-necked Stint (50) Temminck's Stint (2) Long-toed Stint (8) Pectoral Sandpiper (1) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (2) Ruff (4) Pacific Golden-Plover (100) Grey Plover (10) Little Ringed Plover (20) Mongolian Plover (10) Other species seen by party members: Great Knot, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Black-winged Stilt. The only surprise was the Pectoral Sandpiper-- we get very few of these coming through. Subject: Tokyo Bay, Japan From: Charles Harper <MisterMicawber AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:57:05 -0400 Another erratic listing of shorebird species (and rough numbers) headed south at Tokyo Bay and surrounding rice fields on 19 August 2007: Common Snipe (1) Bar-tailed Godwit (3) Marsh Sandpiper (2) Common Greenshank (10) Wood Sandpiper (10) Terek Sandpiper (4) Common Sandpiper (2) Grey-tailed Tattler (50) Ruddy Turnstone (30) Red Knot (2) Sanderling (100) Rufous-necked Stint (50) Temminck's Stint (2) Long-toed Stint (8) Pectoral Sandpiper (1) Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (2) Ruff (4) Pacific Golden-Plover (100) Grey Plover (10) Little Ringed Plover (20) Mongolian Plover (10) Other species seen by party members: Great Knot, Kentish Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Black-winged Stilt. The only surprise was the Pectoral Sandpiper-- we get very few of these coming through. Subject: Re: [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] From: Shireen Gonzaga <whimbrel AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 17:21:04 -0400 The article cites lack of hcrab eggs as a major reason for the population drop. Even if there were a moratorium on all harvests, it would take at least 10 years, at the earliest, for the hcrab population to recover, since it takes 8-10 years for juveniles to reach maturity. (The unknown is how many juveniles are in the bay.) The article says the knots could be extinct in 10 years. My questions, for the Red knot rufa experts, what is the critical window of time & actions needed to avoid this catastrophe? What is the minimum number of birds for maintaining a viable breeding population needed for recovery? At some point, the numbers would reach a critical minimum when extinction will become inevitable due to deaths by natural causes, predation, and other risk factors like pollution. Very sad news indeed. - shireen > Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:11:34 -0700 > From: DJ Lauten and KACastelein > Subject: [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] > ... > "A new report has revealed a drastic population decline in the Red > Knot subspecies Calidris canutus rufa. Numbers at their wintering > grounds in southern South America have fallen drastically in recent > years; from 51,300 in 2000 to approximately 30,000 in 2004, and still > further to just 17,200 in 2006. Shireen Gonzaga Baltimore, MD whimbrel AT comcast.net Subject: Banded WESTERN SANDPIPER - Oregon From: Russ Namitz <namitzr AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2007 11:27:07 -0700 Shorebirders~ There is an adult WESTERN SANDPIPER at Bandon Marsh NWR in Coos County, Oregon. The bird has broken left leg with no color bands, but had a USFW metal band on the right leg. I was able to discern almost all of the numbers. The 4th number was a 7 or a 1. The last number was a 4 or 5. Possible Band #s 17071324 17071325 17011324 17011325 Cheers, Russ Namitz Coos Bay, OR Subject: [Fwd: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet] From: DJ Lauten and KACastelein <deweysage AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:11:34 -0700 -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [NEOORN-L] Red Knot populations plummet Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:49:58 -0300 From: James Lowen Reply-To: Bulletin Board for Ornithologists working with Neotropical Birds To: NEOORN-L AT LISTSERV.LSU.EDU "A new report has revealed a drastic population decline in the Red Knot subspecies Calidris canutus rufa. Numbers at their wintering grounds in southern South America have fallen drastically in recent years; from 51,300 in 2000 to approximately 30,000 in 2004, and still further to just 17,200 in 2006. The 2007 Red Knot Assessment Report, prepared by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and based on demographic studies covering 1994-2002, reveals that the rufa subspecies could become extinct within ten years, if adult survival remains low." see Contributing factors sought as Red Knot population plummets http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2007/08/red_knot_report.html James -- James Lowen Photos at: http://www.pbase.com/james_lowen Editor, Neotropical Birding: http://www.neotropicalbirdclub.org/neobirding.html Skype name: jamesandsharonlowen Skype-In tel: 0208 144 0590 Alternative tel: 0054 11 4790 8582 Subject: Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon From: Robert Milburn <rocky_milburn AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:09:00 -0700 Tim Mann and I had 28 in South Florida August 2005 and missed 2 birds that were seen that day at spots we visited, but we missed. Rocky Milburn Riverview, FL Russ Namitz wrote: Shorebirders~ With only birding 2 sites (Bandon & Coos N. Spit), I managed to pick up 19 species of shorebirds. I think I'll do a shorebird Big Day on Thursday. I'm sure there is a record out there...anybody know it? Species list seen today below. Pacific Golden-Plover Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Short-billed Dowitcher Long-billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Whimbrel Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Black Turnstone Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Red-necked Phalarope --------------------------------- Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. Subject: Coos County, OR Big Shorebird Day 8/15 From: Russ Namitz <namitzr AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 20:47:22 -0700 Shorebirders~ I searched for shorebirds in coastal Coos County, OR today. I was able to find 25 species including a rare fall coastal migrant, but no RBA rarities. The biggest miss was a Whimbrel and other possibles that weren't detected included Wilson's Snipe & Phalarope, American Golden-Plover & Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Below is a list of the birds seen & sites visited with only "new" birds listed for the latter sites. BANDON MARSH/JETTY Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Short-billed Dowitcher Long-billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Greater Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Wanderling Tattler Ruddy Turnstone Black Turnstone Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Red-necked Phalarope CHINA FLAT Black Oystercatcher Sanderling Surfbird LOWER FOUR MILE Baird's Sandpiper Snowy Plover MILLICOMA MARSH Lesser Yellowlegs MOTEL 6 Willet COOS NORTH SPIT Pacific Golden-Plover Long-billed Curlew *Solitary Sandpiper Good birding, Russ Namitz Coos Bay, OR Subject: Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon From: Mark Stackhouse <westwings AT SISNA.COM> Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:32:31 -0600 Russ, That's a great shorebird day. Some years ago (1999 I believe) I had 26 species of shorebirds in about two hours in the afternoon at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge near Brigham City, Utah while guiding a group of Maryland birders in early August. It's a good year there again this year, with a total of at least 22 species that I've seen there in the past week, though the most in one day was 19. The total number of shorebirds estimated by the refuge staff last week was about 150,000 birds. Mark Stackhouse Westwings, Inc. www.westwings.com mark AT westwings.com 801-487-9453 (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) 011-52-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico) On Aug 14, 2007, at 10:29 PM, Russ Namitz wrote: > Shorebirders~ > > With only birding 2 sites (Bandon & Coos N. Spit), I managed to pick > up 19 > species of shorebirds. I think I'll do a shorebird Big Day on > Thursday. > I'm sure there is a record out there...anybody know it? > > Species list seen today below. > > Pacific Golden-Plover > Black-bellied Plover > Semipalmated Plover > Killdeer > Short-billed Dowitcher > Long-billed Dowitcher > Marbled Godwit > Whimbrel > Greater Yellowlegs > Lesser Yellowlegs > Spotted Sandpiper > Ruddy Turnstone > Black Turnstone > Sanderling > Semipalmated Sandpiper > Western Sandpiper > Least Sandpiper > Baird's Sandpiper > Red-necked Phalarope > Subject: High species counts Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 11:05:35 -0400 The most shorebird species I have personally had in one day is 31, at two sites - see below for details of that and some high single-site counts. We really are lucky to have so much good shorebird habitat remaining here in coastal South Carolina. On 4-30-2006, during an ISS (International Shorebird Survey) census, CRBO personnel recorded 27 shorebird species at a single site - the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center in South Carolina. The habitats there included drawn-down waterfowl impoundments, tidal salt marshes, front beach and sandbars, and shallow freshwater areas. Remarkably, there were no real rarities among these 27 species - all could be considered regular visitors. On 5-12-2007, on another ISS survey, we had 25 Shorebird species at Yawkey alone, including a Ruff. On 3-20-2006, I had 24 species at a single site - the north end of Bulls Island, SC - largely thanks to a massive drained waterfowl impoundment complex (Jack's Creek) that occupies the northern end of the island, between Bulls Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. *** On 5-5-2007, I had a combined 31 shorebird species at 2 sites - the Yawkey Center and at nearby Santee Coastal Reserve. Jason Burbage, John Cox and I had started the day with an ISS run at Yawkey and I finished the day by hitting the drawn-down former ricefields at Santee Coastal Reserve. On many occasions (spring, fall and winter) I have had 20+ shorebird species at the eastern tip of Kiawah Island, SC and also at Raccoon Key + Lighthouse Island in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory PO Box 362 McClellanville, SC 29458 http://www.crbo.net/ ================================= From: Russ Namitz Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon Shorebirders~ With only birding 2 sites (Bandon & Coos N. Spit), I managed to pick up 19 species of shorebirds. I think I'll do a shorebird Big Day on Thursday. I'm sure there is a record out there...anybody know it? Subject: Re: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 05:39:54 -0700 Russ - we found 25 species 2 years ago in August in central FL, but with a better route, felt 30 was possible - we missed several key species that were in FL at the time. Bob Wallace Listowner New Smyrna Beach, FL ----- Original Message ---- From: Russ Namitz To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 12:29:59 AM Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon Shorebirders~ With only birding 2 sites (Bandon & Coos N. Spit), I managed to pick up 19 species of shorebirds. I think I'll do a shorebird Big Day on Thursday. I'm sure there is a record out there...anybody know it? Species list seen today below. Pacific Golden-Plover Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Short-billed Dowitcher Long-billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Whimbrel Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Black Turnstone Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Red-necked Phalarope Subject: 19 shorebird species in Coos County, Oregon From: Russ Namitz <namitzr AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:29:59 -0700 Shorebirders~ With only birding 2 sites (Bandon & Coos N. Spit), I managed to pick up 19 species of shorebirds. I think I'll do a shorebird Big Day on Thursday. I'm sure there is a record out there...anybody know it? Species list seen today below. Pacific Golden-Plover Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer Short-billed Dowitcher Long-billed Dowitcher Marbled Godwit Whimbrel Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Spotted Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Black Turnstone Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper Red-necked Phalarope Subject: FW: [WestPalBirds] Britain: Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Kent, 10-11 August 2007 From: Dominic Mitchell <dominic.mitchell AT BIRDWATCH.CO.UK> Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2007 09:49:52 +0100 An adult Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) was found on the east flood of Oare Marshes NR, Kent, Britain, on Friday 10 August and showed well until late yesterday to large crowds, although there is no sign so far today (Sunday). Courtesy of Nathalie Banaigs, a brief video clip of record footage of the bird can be seen on the Birdwatch blog at http://birdwatchmagazine.blogspot.com. It's at least the fourth record in Western Europe in the past month, after reports from The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark in July. Rgds -- Dominic Mitchell Publisher and Editor, Birdwatch Solo Publishing Ltd The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road London N22 6XJ, UK Tel: 020 8881 0550 / Web: www.birdwatch.co.uk http://birdwatchmagazine.blogspot.com/ -- * Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail * The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received it in error, you are on notice of its status. It is intended solely for the addressee. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender immediately and delete the email and any attachments. 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Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity * 2 New Members Visit Your Group SPONSORED LINKS * Oxford university press * Western * Western reserve life insurance * Western nc real estate * Western furniture Y! Sports for TV Access it for free Get Fantasy Sports stats on your TV. Yahoo! TV Staying in tonight? Check listings to see what is on. Yahoo! Finance It's Now Personal Guides, news, advice & more. . __,_._,___ Subject: Re: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 17:38:59 -0700 Sorry Jeff - I forwarded Ken's report - they are from the west central coast of FL. Bob Wallace Listowner ----- Original Message ---- From: "olcoot1 AT aol.com" To: chnuts AT YAHOO.COM Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2007 6:10:24 PM Subject: Re: [SHOREBIRDS] Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 Ken, Great report, nice birds but I'd bet most of us have no idea where you or the causeways are?? ;o) Jeff R. Wilson Ol'coot/Tlba Bartlett, TN -----Original Message----- From: Robert Wallace To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 12:16 pm Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Ken Tracey To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2007 12:39:29 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 Hello; I surveyed the Courtney Campbell Causeway, the Honeymoon Island Causeway, and the Fred Howard Park Causeway this morning from 6:30am to 9:30am, the following 1776 sandpipers were counted, comprising 15 species, plus 6 tern species were found. Sandpipers; 9 Black-bellied Plover 123 Semipalmated Plover 12 Wilson's Plover 19 American Oystercatcher 15 Greater Yellowlegs 218 Willet 1 Spotted Sandpiper 50 Marbled Godwit 107 Ruddy Turnstone 8 Red Knot 254 Sanderling 165 Western Sandpiper 6 Semipalmated Sandpiper 65 Least Sandpiper 724 Short-billed Dowitcher Terns; 11 Royal Tern 10 Sandwich Tern 4 Forster's Tern 134 Least Tern 22 Black Tern 18 Black Skimmer Ken Tracey New Port Richey To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com. Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2007 10:16:40 -0700 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Ken Tracey To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Wednesday, August 8, 2007 12:39:29 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Causeways Survey 8/8/07 Hello; I surveyed the Courtney Campbell Causeway, the Honeymoon Island Causeway, and the Fred Howard Park Causeway this morning from 6:30am to 9:30am, the following 1776 sandpipers were counted, comprising 15 species, plus 6 tern species were found. Sandpipers; 9 Black-bellied Plover 123 Semipalmated Plover 12 Wilson's Plover 19 American Oystercatcher 15 Greater Yellowlegs 218 Willet 1 Spotted Sandpiper 50 Marbled Godwit 107 Ruddy Turnstone 8 Red Knot 254 Sanderling 165 Western Sandpiper 6 Semipalmated Sandpiper 65 Least Sandpiper 724 Short-billed Dowitcher Terns; 11 Royal Tern 10 Sandwich Tern 4 Forster's Tern 134 Least Tern 22 Black Tern 18 Black Skimmer Ken Tracey New Port Richey To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________