Date: 8/21/18 9:02 am From: Ken Hare <kmhare46...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Expert Speakers and Field Trips Highlight AOS Fall Meeting
Two expert speakers and four excellent field trips will highlight the Alabama Ornithological Society's fall meeting on Dauphin Island Oct. 12-14. Dr. Jared Wolfe, author and research ornithologist, will speak on “Equatorial Guinea: Exploration and Conservation in the Country Least Known to Science." Author Ken Wills will speak on "Exploring Wild Alabama," an examination of publicly accessible wild spaces in Alabama. Wolfe will lead a field trip to birding spots around Alabama. In addition, AOS shorebird expert Andrew Haffenden will lead a trip along the island's coastline to highlight shorebirds as well as a trip to Fort Morgan in search of migrants. And Larry Gardella will lead a trip to Blakeley Island Mud Lakes in search of shorebirds, ducks and geese. The only requirement for joining AOS is an interest in birds and nature. The cost of membership and attending the society's three meetings each year -- two on Dauphin Island -- is modest. For information, see: www.aosbirds.org
Date: 8/18/18 11:35 am From: Chris Oberholster <chrisoberholster...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Re: Painted Bunting at Birmingham Audubon field trip location was banded
Thanks for sharing Ken. The day after the Birmingham Audubon field trip, my wife and I went back to the same spot near Big Prairie Creek, and within about 20 minutes observed a male Painted Bunting singing. While watching that individual, we heard 2 others singing from different directions, making for a total of three singing at the same time.
Date: 8/17/18 6:54 am From: Ken Hare <kmhare46...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Painted Bunting at Birmingham Audubon field trip location was banded
David McVay and I went to Hale County recently and one stop was at the Big Prairie Creek floodplain on CR 69 a couple of miles north of U.S. 80. That is the same place that I and others on a Greg Harber-led Birmingham Audubon field trip saw a Painted Bunting a few weeks before, and David and I wanted to try for some photos there. We immediately saw the adult male singing, but the back lighting made photos very difficult. David mentioned a few days later that his photos showed the bird was banded, so I processed mine tonight and sure enough, there was a band on the right leg. I thought those on the Birmingham Audubon trip would like to know.
Date: 8/16/18 9:18 am From: Ken Hare <kmhare46...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] AOS highlights "Featured Photographer" on website
Starting in August, the Alabama Ornithological Society will feature a member and the member's best bird photos on its website. Every four to eight weeks, AOS will feature a new member's photographs on the scrolling photos at the top of the AOS website's home page, as well as a short story about the member elsewhere on the page. AOS President Harry Dean is the first "Featured Photographer." There will be a new featured photographer every four to eight weeks. The project seeks to foster an interest in nature photography and in birding. Photos must have been taken in Alabama or on an AOS field trip out of state. If you would like to be considered as a future "Featured Photographer", email Ken Hare at <kmhare46...> for further details. While you must be a current member of AOS to be considered, dues are modest and include many other benefits, such as access to the society's newsletter, The Yellowhammer; to regular field trips; and to programs that involve some of the best birding experts in the nation. To see the photos and for information on AOS, go to: www.aosbirds.org
Date: 8/14/18 12:47 am From: 'Greg D. Jackson' <g_d_jackson...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] BNA hardcopy set and Palmer Handbook available for shipping costs only
AL Birders,
Rick West (of AL BBA fame) is downsizing and has the full hardcopy set of the /Birds of North America Life Histories/ series (published by the Museum of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the AOU) available for shipping costs only. This is a large volume of individual accounts, so would require some shipping expense (or pickup) and a place to put them. (The accounts and updates are available online for a subscription fee, so this is more for collectors.) Also available is the five-volume/Handbook of North American Birds/ by Ralph Palmer (1962-1988, Loons - Raptors), again for shipping costs. Rick would like for these to go to a good home. I already have both sets.
Date: 8/13/18 9:33 am From: Ken Hare <kmhare46...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Roseate Spoonbills
Four Roseate Spoonbills below Henry Lock and Dam, Lowndes County.
Sent from my iPhone
------------------------------------ Posted by: Ken Hare <kmhare46...> ------------------------------------
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Date: 8/10/18 1:50 am From: 'Gregory J. Harber' <gharber...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Birmingham Chimney Swifts and a Peregrine Falcon, cause it's that time of year
Hey All-
Now that fall migration has gotten underway for Chimney Swifts I have started checking some of the usual roost sites here in downtown Birmingham for the presence of "swiftnado" formations. Ansel Payne alerted me to the fact that the roost site near Chez Lulu, in Mountain Brook's English Village, has had about 250-300 birds using it for the past couple weeks. Last Sunday, while trying to locate a better spot to photograph the birds, I found that there are actually three chimneys in the Redmont Gardens apartments that are in use - not just the one visible from the parking lot adjacent to Chez Lulu.
Yesterday after work, following a thunderstorm that passed through downtown about 5:30-5:45, I checked a few locations close to UAB. Railroad Park continues to have swifts coming for a drink of water before they head to their roost sites - look for them right before sunset at the Pavilion Pool. The warehouse building that was situated next to the Sherman Cement Plant (1st Avenue South at 12th Street) is being renovated and that chimney was torn down, which is unfortunate as that chimney routinely hosted 500-600 swifts during the peak of migration.
The vacant Sticks-n-Stuff storefront on 3rd Avenue North and 16th Street showed no signs of swifts last night. Chimney still looks to be intact, so either they have not started using it yet this year, or they had already entered by the time I rode past about 7:35 p.m. The large chimney/roost site at the Mason's Hall (4th Avenue North at 17th Street) had 50-60 swifts flying in formation between 7:40 and 7:45. Hard to say if more birds might have already entered the chimney due to the hard rains about an hour earlier, but I was glad to see that this chimney was being used. Historically, this chimney has hosted the largest numbers of swifts in our area (~4,000 - 6,000 birds at the peak), but some years it has not been used at all. Still haven't figured out why that is.
The chimney at the Birmingham Housing Authority building, west of Publix, did not have any swifts at 7:50 - nor did an adjacent building that is being renovated but which has hosted swifts in the past. Possible reasons are the birds aren't using it yet, I was there too late or the Peregrine Falcom that flew over my head under the brooding and gloaming skies impressed the birds as much as it impressed me.
There are other sites in the vicinity I will continue to check in the coming weeks. Find a swiftnado near you in the coming weeks and enjoy the spectacle! Here in Birmingham the roost sites are used well into October, usually.
------------------------------------ Posted by: "Gregory J. Harber" <gharber...> ------------------------------------
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Date: 8/7/18 12:55 am From: 'Kenneth Ward' <phinken...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] NABS schedule for fall/winter/spring 2018-19 now available
Hi All,
Just wanted to let you know that the North Alabama Birdwatching Society's new schedule/description of birding trips is out. You can find it on our website (you can download a pdf copy there) at www.northalbirding.com <http://www.northalbirding.com> . Our trips, with description, dates, times and directions, can also be found in the calendar of events of our Facebook group page, North Alabama Birdwatchers Society (NABS). If you'd like to be on our email list and receive a copy of the schedule that way, along with reminders of trips, just send me your email and I'll put you there. A short description of NABS follows:
The North Alabama Birdwatchers Society (NABS) is an informal group that focuses on birding in northern Alabama. We have been around since 1976 and are the only birding group in our area to offer a set of regularly scheduled trips each year. We visit a variety of areas across this part of the state, most of which are included on the North Alabama Birding Trail ( <https://alabamabirdingtrails.com/trails/north-alabama/> https://alabamabirdingtrails.com/trails/north-alabama/). Each summer, NABS trip leaders get together and come up with a schedule, which we then post on our website ( <http://www.northalbirding.com> www.northalbirding.com), and send out by email to our members. NABS is open to everyone, including beginners, and especially young folks with an interest in birds; there are no membership dues. If you show up for an outing, you can consider yourself a member.
Date: 8/6/18 12:24 pm From: 'Simbeck, Damien J' <djsimbeck...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Waders and Shorebirds at Walker/Church Ponds
I went by Walker and Church Ponds today at lunch. There are lots of waders and shorebirds (13 species) present. Conditions are good at Walker, with lots of mud exposed. Heat shimmer and distance make ID of the back side difficult (impossible for little peeps). The Canvasback that had been present a few weeks ago at Walker was seen today at Church Pond. Here's my wader/shorebird numbers (Church Pond/Walker Pond):
Great Blue Heron (0/8)
Great Egret (1/104)
Snowy Egret (0/6)
Little Blue Heron (0/14)
Cattle Egret (0/105)
Green Heron (1/0)
Black-necked Stilt (0/1)
Semipalmated Plover (0/14)
Killdeer (55/50), estimates
Stilt Sandpiper (0/6)
Least Sandpiper (17/4)
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (0/1)
Pectoral Sandpiper (11/28)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (6/3)
Peep sp. (0/30)
Short-billed Dowitcher (0/2)
Spotted Sandpiper (1/1)
Solitary Sandpiper (2/0)
Greater Yellowlegs (0/1)
Lesser Yellowlegs (0/15)
Date: 8/5/18 5:15 pm From: 'Gregory J. Harber' <gharber...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: Re: [ALBIRDS] Hale County BAS trip
So glad you could join us, Dee! We added Pied-billed Grebe, Belted Kingfisher, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Little Blue Heron, Green Heron and Bank Swallow at Marion Fish Hatchery, and Acadian Flycatcher at Perry Lakes Park. Once I arrived home I learned from Shelly and that she and Meghan observed three Roseate Spoonbills fly across US Hwy 80 just east of Uniontown (left to right, north side of the road to the south and then out of sight beyond the tree line). All in all, a lovely day of birding in the Black Belt! Next Saturday we head to Gainesville, Aliceville and Livingston. Take care, Greg
-----Original Message----- From: "<deechancey...> [albirds]" Sent: Aug 5, 2018 8:20 AM To: <albirds...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Hale County BAS trip
A great day of birding with BAS around the country roads and catfish ponds of Hale County. Many Swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites (count close to 27) were seen feasting on the wing over a field being plowed.Scissor-tailed flycatchers and dickcissel seen well. Several good looks at Wood Storks. Over 30 species for the day. Thanks for a great outing!
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Date: 8/5/18 6:21 am From: <deechancey...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Hale County BAS trip
A great day of birding with BAS around the country roads and catfish ponds of Hale County. Many Swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites (count close to 27) were seen feasting on the wing over a field being plowed.
Scissor-tailed flycatchers and dickcissel seen well. Several good looks at Wood Storks. Over 30 species for the day. Thanks for a great outing!
Date: 7/30/18 8:32 pm From: 'Damien J. Simbeck' <TNbarredowl...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Wheeler Dam herons and egrets
Jack Paul and I spent about 1.5 hours at the fishing area below Wheeler Dam this evening, counting herons and egrets coming to roost on the island below the dam. The numbers were amazing. We also could not see Cattle Egrets that usually stream down the Second Creek embayment from the north, possibly another 1000+ birds. I assume the Cattle Egrets are coming from all the area pasture lands, but where did all the Little Blue Herons come from? All birds were counted except Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons (see notes below). We also didn't count the starlings. Regina and I spent about 49 minutes there Saturday evening and tallied 63 Black-crowned and 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons.
Damien Simbeck Killen AL
Double-crested Cormorant 184 American White Pelican 2 Great Blue Heron 64 50 estimated on island upon arrival. Others counted as they flew into roost. Great Egret 178 100 estimated on island upon arrival. Others counted as they flew into roost. Snowy Egret 10 Little Blue Heron 497 About 50/50 adult and immature. Cattle Egret 2191 Actual count. Green Heron 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 18 White Ibis 3 Immature birds. Black Vulture 31 Osprey 6 Ring-billed Gull 2 Eastern Kingbird 2 Blue Jay 1 Fish Crow 4 Carolina Wren 1 European Starling 100 Northern Cardinal 1 Common Grackle 15
------------------------------------ Posted by: "Damien J. Simbeck" <tnbarredowl...> ------------------------------------
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This list is sponsored by the Alabama Ornithological Society (AOS) and is provided as a service to the birding community. AOS does not endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Nor does AOS support or endorse the advertising provided by the Yahoo Groups list service. ------------------------------------
Date: 7/24/18 8:25 am From: <TNbarredowl...> [albirds] <albirds-noreply...> Subject: [ALBIRDS] Late summer Fall Bird Walk - Upper Rockpile Trail
The redevelopment area of the TVA Muscle Shoals Reservation officially sold yesterday, so our fall bird walks along the Wetlands Trails will end after 16 years (plus a few spot visits during 5 previous years). I’ll try to find time to write a summary of our walks there; perhaps put an article in The Yellowhammer or Alabama Birdlife. We ended with 156 species during 145 walks there.
The new era of fall bird walks unofficially began this morning when one person joined me for an impromptu walk at the Upper Rockpile Trail (this is actually my 10th walk in this area and I’ve already tallied 98 species). We spent 1.5 hours (0545-0715) and found 40 species. Woodland birds were scarce, but the fields and air were full. Our primary migration observation was Purple Martins. As we walked into the area, many swallows were flying around, including a few Purple Martins. As we headed back to the parking lot, we noticed a large line of birds on the power lines in the area. Our estimate (probably an underestimate) was 400 birds, all Purple Martins. I took some photos with my camera and tried to count birds when I got to my computer. At that distance, the image was not clear, but I did get around 250 birds in one section. Our only warblers were Prothonotary, Yellowthroat and Yellow-throated; we only had 1 White-eyed Vireo; and we missed Chickadee and Titmouse.
Last night, the weatherman said we may get another strong cold front early next week and highs by mid-week may be in the upper 70’s (in early August??). If so, I’ll send out an email about another impromptu walk next week. Here’s the list for today’s venture.
Canada Goose 10. Double-crested Cormorant 5, Great Blue Heron 3, Great Egret 3, Osprey 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Mourning Dove 4, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Chimney Swift 35, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Downy Woodpecker 1, Eastern Wood-Pewee 1, Great Crested Flycatcher 1, Eastern Kingbird 3, White-eyed Vireo 1, Blue Jay 8, American Crow 8, N. Rough-winged Swallow 1, Purple Martin 400, Tree Swallow 5, Barn Swallow 3, Cliff Swallow 50, Carolina Wren 7, Eastern Bluebird 1, Northern Mockingbird 6, European Starling 4, Prothonotary Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 4, Yellow-throated Warbler 1, Eastern Towhee 4, Summer Tanager 3, Northern Cardinal 7, Blue Grosbeak 1, Indigo Bunting 12, Orchard Oriole 2, Red-winged Blackbird 8, Brown-headed Cowbird 2, Common Grackle 1
Damien Simbeck
Killen, AL
Sent from my smart phone. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
