Date: 8/6/26 1:29 pm From: Lawrence Gardella via groups.io <lfgardella...> Subject: [ALbirds] Tracking Golden-cheeked Warbler Migration
I sent an email to Jane Kunberger, one of the authors of the article entitled " Miniaturized light-level geolocators provide novel insight into the migration ecology of an endangered songbird" to let her know about Franklin Chalk finding the Golden-cheeked Warbler and several people getting to see it.
She responded:
Thank you so much for sending! It's always exciting when someone spots a golden-cheeked during migration. I'll share the information with the team.
Date: 8/4/26 5:13 pm From: Damien J. Simbeck via groups.io <tnbarredowl...> Subject: [ALbirds] Wheeler Dam roost count
Next Tuesday evening, August 11, I will be leading an AOS trip to Wheeler Dam to count the herons and egrets coming to roost on the island. This trip is open to everyone, not just AOS members. We'll set up in the gravel area at the downstream side if the inlet (boat ramp parking lot) from 4:00 to 8:00ish. Come for all or part of the evening. Bring a comfortable chair, snacks and drinks. Several thousand birds usually fly in each evening. We'll also get to enjoy a nice sunset if the weather cooperates. I plan to get to the fishing area (pier) around 3:30 to get a count/estimate of birds already on the island. Join me for that too, if you want.
Damien Simbeck
Killen AL
Sent from my (non-Apple) phone. You can teach an old dog new tricks!
Date: 8/4/26 12:53 pm From: Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...> Subject: Re: [ALbirds] Golden-cheeked Warb
AL Birders:
This is such an exciting sighting! Congrats to Franklin Chalk!
And its timing is beautiful: last summer there was discussion about shocking geolocator paper that claimed a substantial slice of the Goldencheek population, appeared to move east from central Texas on fall migration, traversing the northern Gulf states before turning south. This despite LA, MS, and AL apparently having no records (but Tampa having some, three I think).
There was some skepticism based on the difficulty of using solar cues (the basis for geolocator data in the paper) for determining latitude near the equinox when most GCWA migrate. Mr. Chalk's record finally provides a supporting record of this crazy idea.
I have pasted the discussion from the Louisiana listserve (LA Bird) below for those interested.
Peter Yaukey
LABirders:
I read a (to me) shocking geolocator paper yesterday that reported that many Golden-cheeked Warblers travel far east from their nesting areas before turning south in fall, many apparently traversing Louisiana. The paper states that 20% of the birds in the study sample migrated across the Gulf in fall, including some going as far east as peninsular Florida. Here are the tracks of the c. 12 (of their total of 61 migrants tracked w geolocators) that went transgulf or through Florida.
[cid:f305e7cc-cdff-4caf-93c5-90673801fc2e]
They had another map that gives stopover points. One of these is on the Chandeleurs. Has the LBRC considered whether a geolocator observation could constitute a first state record? The lead authors of the study are actually at LSU- perhaps they could provide information on the amount of precision in that stopover observation or the flyover tracks?
This is crazy!
[cid:802f4ed2-662d-4260-a94a-50c01f28982b]
[cid:25a18524-ab35-4de1-b9af-eda207161405]
Peter H. Yaukey, Ph.D.
Departmental Chair and Professor of Biology
Department of Biological and Physical Sciences
University of Holy Cross
4123 Woodland Drive
New Orleans, LA 70131
504-398-2312 Direct
504-394-7744 Main
[cid:91D4B89B-2D58-4695-9437-0B7014880A72]
________________________________
From: <ALbirds...> <ALbirds...> on behalf of Lawrence Gardella via groups.io <lfgardella...>
Sent: Monday, August 3, 2026 9:59 PM
To: <ALbirds...> <ALbirds...>
Subject: [ALbirds] Golden-cheeked Warb
You don't often get email from <lfgardella...> Learn why this is important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification> As ma y of you all have heard, Franklin Chalk found a Golden-cheeked Warbler at Fort Morgan this morning, and the bird wss positively identified this afternoon on the basis of the great photographs Franklin took.
Several of us dropped everything and made it down to Ft. Morgan. The bird spent a lot of time in a tree just down the main path in the stables area from the Sargebt bench. A cedar?
I thank the people who were looking at it when I arrived, those who made the ID, and Franklin.
Date: 8/3/26 7:59 pm From: Lawrence Gardella via groups.io <lfgardella...> Subject: [ALbirds] Golden-cheeked Warb
As ma y of you all have heard, Franklin Chalk found a Golden-cheeked Warbler at Fort Morgan this morning, and the bird wss positively identified this afternoon on the basis of the great photographs Franklin took.
Several of us dropped everything and made it down to Ft. Morgan. The bird spent a lot of time in a tree just down the main path in the stables area from the Sargebt bench. A cedar?
I thank the people who were looking at it when I arrived, those who made the ID, and Franklin.
Date: 7/31/26 2:25 pm From: Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...> Subject: [ALbirds] Intermediate Birding Zoom Course starting up Sun Aug 9
MissBirders:
I will be teaching Intermediate Birding for the Orleans Audubon Society, fully on zoom, from 7-9pm on five consecutive Sunday evenings starting Aug 9. The course will cover LA-MS-AL-and northern FL. Recordings of each session will be posted to YouTube for enrollees to review as desired.
Folks who have already taken Intermediate Birding can register again for half price. You don't need to have taken Beginning Birding to enroll.
Flier and outline of topics (for the four courses in the sequence) are attached!
Date: 7/16/26 2:50 pm From: Bob Goss via groups.io <bamajacket...> Subject: Re: [ALbirds] more roosts
I remember many years ago there was a roost just below Wheeler Dam on the North side. I think Alabama Audubon might have made some trips? It must not be active any longer since I haven't seen anything but might be worth checking on.
The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.
Isaac Asimov
On Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 03:16:06 PM CDT, Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...> wrote:
Looks like there are three more roosts, most likely martins, revealed by expanding circles farther upstate (and another just over border into Georgia). Image below from this morning.
Any on-ground intel regarding any of these roosts?
PY
Date: 7/16/26 1:16 pm From: Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...> Subject: [ALbirds] more roosts
Looks like there are three more roosts, most likely martins, revealed by expanding circles farther upstate (and another just over border into Georgia). Image below from this morning.
Any on-ground intel regarding any of these roosts?
________________________________
From: <ALbirds...> <ALbirds...> on behalf of Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 1:28 PM
To: Albirds <ALbirds...>
Subject: Re: [ALbirds] martin roosts
Video link seems to be not working. I will attempt to attach again here.
Peter H. Yaukey, Ph.D.
Departmental Chair and Professor of Biology
Department of Biological and Physical Sciences
University of Holy Cross
4123 Woodland Drive
New Orleans, LA 70131
504-398-2312 Direct
504-394-7744 Main
[cid:91D4B89B-2D58-4695-9437-0B7014880A72]
________________________________
From: <ALbirds...> <ALbirds...> on behalf of Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 1:21 PM
To: Albirds <albirds...>
Subject: [ALbirds] martin roosts
Hello ALBirders:
June-July is prime time for viewing Purple Martin roosts, which can be very impressive. Finding roosts can take some sleuthing, but radar can help. The two images posted below show an expanding donut radar echo near Jackson, AL this morning (about 50 miles north of Mobile), usually indicative of a roost departure, and this time of year usually martins. Images are at 554 and 612 am.
Are folks already aware of this roost?
Toggle to bottom of page for images of the expanding donut from the New Orleans roost at south end of Lake Pontchartrain causeway (blurry-sorry) this past weekend, and a short clip of the roost entry the night before as viewed on an Orleans Audubon excursion.
Date: 7/15/26 11:28 am From: Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...> Subject: Re: [ALbirds] martin roosts
Video link seems to be not working. I will attempt to attach again here.
Peter H. Yaukey, Ph.D.
Departmental Chair and Professor of Biology
Department of Biological and Physical Sciences
University of Holy Cross
4123 Woodland Drive
New Orleans, LA 70131
504-398-2312 Direct
504-394-7744 Main
[cid:91D4B89B-2D58-4695-9437-0B7014880A72]
________________________________
From: <ALbirds...> <ALbirds...> on behalf of Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 1:21 PM
To: Albirds <albirds...>
Subject: [ALbirds] martin roosts
Hello ALBirders:
June-July is prime time for viewing Purple Martin roosts, which can be very impressive. Finding roosts can take some sleuthing, but radar can help. The two images posted below show an expanding donut radar echo near Jackson, AL this morning (about 50 miles north of Mobile), usually indicative of a roost departure, and this time of year usually martins. Images are at 554 and 612 am.
Are folks already aware of this roost?
Toggle to bottom of page for images of the expanding donut from the New Orleans roost at south end of Lake Pontchartrain causeway (blurry-sorry) this past weekend, and a short clip of the roost entry the night before as viewed on an Orleans Audubon excursion.
The following attachments were removed because the message exceeded 15MB. Attachments are automatically removed for messages larger than 15MB to ensure delivery.
Date: 7/15/26 11:21 am From: Yaukey, Peter via groups.io <pyaukey...> Subject: [ALbirds] martin roosts
Hello ALBirders:
June-July is prime time for viewing Purple Martin roosts, which can be very impressive. Finding roosts can take some sleuthing, but radar can help. The two images posted below show an expanding donut radar echo near Jackson, AL this morning (about 50 miles north of Mobile), usually indicative of a roost departure, and this time of year usually martins. Images are at 554 and 612 am.
Are folks already aware of this roost?
Toggle to bottom of page for images of the expanding donut from the New Orleans roost at south end of Lake Pontchartrain causeway (blurry-sorry) this past weekend, and a short clip of the roost entry the night before as viewed on an Orleans Audubon excursion.
