RareBird.org http://www.rarebird.org/forum/ This is an XML content feed of; RareBird.org : Last 10 Posts Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:39:52 +0000 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:03:40 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.07 30 www.rarebird.org/forum/RSS_topic_feed.asp RareBird.org http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_images/RBA4.gif http://www.rarebird.org/forum/ Toledo Area Rare Bird Alert (NW Ohio) : Pipe Creek Little Blue Heron http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3399&PID=9825#9825 Author: Ryan Steiner
Subject: Pipe Creek Little Blue Heron
Posted: 21 July 2008 at 8:03pm

I decided to chase the Pipe Creek Little Blue Heron today (7/21) and found it.  It was originally on the mudflats in impound C but moved to where it has been more often reported on the small pond in impound D.  Here are some low quality pics I managed to get through my scope:
 
 
The second picture here shows a little of the other highlights at pipe creek.  The Little Blue was mingling a lot with these snowy egrets (13 in total) and also there were good number of Black-crowned Night-Heron, several Green-winged Teal, a pair of American Wigeon, and both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos (the black-billed surprised me when I saw him sitting only about 10 feet away from me, out in the wide open.)  Definately worth getting up there to see these great birds!  But a word to the wise, bug spray isn't a bad idea!
 
Good Birding!
 
Ryan Steiner
Smithville, OH
]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:03:40 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3399&PID=9825#9825 Bird Chat : News article about barn swallows http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3398&PID=9824#9824 Author: danb
Subject: News article about barn swallows
Posted: 21 July 2008 at 5:38pm

I noticed this article on the net earlier today.
 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_conjoined_birds
 
danb
]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:38:01 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3398&PID=9824#9824 Toledo Area Rare Bird Alert (NW Ohio) : Metzger Marsh Breeders 07/20/08 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3397&PID=9823#9823 Author: Brian Zwiebel
Subject: Metzger Marsh Breeders 07/20/08
Posted: 21 July 2008 at 9:25am

Hi All,
 
I spent several hours sloshing around within the interior of Metzger Marsh yesterday evening.  Highlights in no particular order:
 
Pied-billed Grebe               (lots of juvies)
Common Moorhen             (adult with young)
Am Coot                            (adults only)
Yellow-headed Blackbird   (adult male fly-by and views of a perched juvenile!)
Black Tern                         (adult carrying food, yeah I know, terns do that)
Marsh Wrens                    (singing their heads off)
Am Bittern                         (calling near sunset) 
Wood Ducks
Common Terns
Caspian Terns
 
Lots of swallows and some martins foraging over the marsh.  Barn and Tree Swallows were common.  Cliff Swallows nest at the water control structure on the outer dike but I didn't spot any of them.  Only one E. Kingbird a fly-over.
 
Good Birding!

BZ
 
 
 
 
]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:25:38 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3397&PID=9823#9823 Ohio Statewide : Remaining Days of Atlasing http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3396&PID=9822#9822 Author: Aaron Boone
Subject: Remaining Days of Atlasing
Posted: 20 July 2008 at 3:20pm

Just a quick reminder to Ohio's birding community:

It's still not too late to get involved with the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II this year! Mid-August is the "unofficial" end of the OBBA2 field season each year so there's still plenty of time to head out into adopted or un-surveyed blocks to help put the nesting birds of Ohio on the map. As of today, 67% of species on the OBBA2 checklist are still within safe dates. This stat will rapidly change by July 31st when most simple detections of birds in Ohio can not be included in the Atlas database.

The great thing about this time of year is the ease with which many species can be confirmed as breeding. In many cases, all it takes is a quick "spish" to lure a food-carrying adult into view. Another useful tip is the sporadic use of screech-owl recordings. If chickadees or titmice are nearby, they'll add their vocalizations to help lure in more birds...again, many of which could be carrying food. This method for increasing detections of birds works wonders on days when there just doesn't seem to be much going on. This technique has also been very successful in other breeding bird atlases throughout North America (Note: tape playback methods like this should be used sparingly and at appropriate times. If in doubt about whether to use call playback, it would be best to refrain from doing so).    

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions about the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II. We would love to answer anyone's questions or help give direction towards areas that are in need of survey coverage.

Good birding!

]]> Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:20:15 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3396&PID=9822#9822 Bird Chat : Fledged American Kestrels http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3395&PID=9821#9821 Author: hallie
Subject: Fledged American Kestrels
Posted: 19 July 2008 at 8:22am

I took Aaron's suggestion to heart about getting out these last two prime weeks for fledglings, and was rewarded by finding a Kestrel family.  I have observed a single Kestrel on the electric line in this vicinity several times over the summer, but was quite surprised to find SEVEN kestrels all in close proximity this morning!  They were chasing each other playfully at times and just sitting by each other at others.  It was around 6:20AM, and the moon was still up and full.  ]]> Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:22:31 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3395&PID=9821#9821 Bird Chat : Baby Barred Owl http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3393&PID=9820#9820 Author: hallie
Subject: Baby Barred Owl
Posted: 18 July 2008 at 9:39pm

I do, indeed, have property adjacent to a  lovely woods of several hundred acres.  I hear them often in the early evening and early morning.  The baby and parent were seen in the evening, around 8:30.  I can call them up, but I am not saying that my calling is very skillful!  They seem to be more curious than agitated when they do respond, and I don't do it very often at all as I do not want to waste their energy.

 
I have been trying to use a tape to call up Screech and Great Horneds.  Do you know of anyone who has had success?  I am covering 2 atlas areas and hope to get some other species in at least one of them.
]]> Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:39:16 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3393&PID=9820#9820 Ohio Statewide : Ohio Statewide RBA - July 18, 2007 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3394&PID=9819#9819 Author: Paul Gardner
Subject: Ohio Statewide RBA - July 18, 2007
Posted: 18 July 2008 at 4:03pm

- RBA
* Ohio
* Statewide
* July 18, 2008
* OHST0807.18

- Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species)

BLACK-NECKED STILT
American Avocet
Willet
Upland Sandpiper
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE
COMMON RAVEN
Clay-colored Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow X Field Sparrow

- Transcript

This is the Ohio Statewide Rare Bird Report for July 18, 2008.
Compiler: Paul Gardner. Email: godwit@sbcglobal.net

SPECIES IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE REVIEW-LIST SPECIES. Details of
these sightings are desired by The Ohio Bird Records Committee. Careful
observation, not ornithological expertise, is the only qualification
for submitting your data. For details and pointers see:
http://www.ohiobirds.org/records/documentation.php

BLACK-NECKED STILT: Although it is hoped that nesting continues out-of-
sight in the vegetation along the pond at TR 80 near Bellevue, the
stilts are no longer reliably seen there. Three were relocated on the
15th at the ponds along TR 81 (Riddle Road) at the railroad tracks.
This is about three miles west of Bellevue. County listers should note
this puts the stilts in Sandusky County.

American Avocet: The previously reported bird from the impoundment near
the pumphouse at Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area was seen on the 13th. By
the 16th the impoundment had been pumped dry. One was at the Lorain
Harbor impoundment on the 14th, and another was at Pike Creek Wildlife
Management Area, Sandusky, on the 16th.

Willet: Bob Krajeski watched one make a touch-and-go at Conneaut on the
13th.

Upland Sandpiper: The Columbus Avid Birders spotted a couple off the
north end of the runway at Harrison County Airport on the 12th. Check-
in with the airport manager before birding this site.

EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE: One continues in Coshocton County southwest of
Baltic near the intersection of TR 236 and TR 237. (Delorme Atlas 6th
edition, page 61 grid A-4.5). Call the Bobolink RBA for more details
(330-763-5119).

COMMON RAVEN: The Columbus Avid Birders saw five or six across the
valley from the overlook at Fernwood State Forest, Jefferson County, on
the 12th. The birds were later encountered at the edge of the small
town of Fernwood along CR 26, but they quickly spooked.

Clay-colored Sparrow: A pair (?) continues at Oak Openings Metropark
(Lucas County) at the sand barrens along the east side of Girdham Road
near the bike path south of Monclova Road.

Clay-Colored Sparrow X Field Sparrow: The bird originally found by
Ethan Kistler at Charlemont Reservation (Lorain Co.) along Quarry Road
was netted and examined by Aaron Boone and Andy Jones on the 16th. It
gives evidence of being a hybrid, perhaps only the third known of this
rare cross.

- End Transcript




Edited by Paul Gardner - 18 July 2008 at 4:04pm]]> Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:03:56 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3394&PID=9819#9819 Bird Chat : Baby Barred Owl http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3393&PID=9818#9818 Author: gcottier
Subject: Baby Barred Owl
Posted: 17 July 2008 at 11:37pm

Thats great; You must have a good woods behind your property. What time of the day was it? I live in western Lucas County where barred owls are increasing; I was walking in a traditional horned owl woods  in the middle of the day when a barred owl began loudly  giving it's traditional call.  My attempts at sneaking up on it were futile. My attempts at mimicking its call were probably laughable.  You must know the secret to a good barred owl call. The best ever barred owl imitation I've ever heard was from a lady named Natalie who works(ed) for Nature's Nursery an animal rescue/rehab organization based in Lucas County. She told me the secret but its easier said than done.]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:37:17 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3393&PID=9818#9818 Bird Chat : Baby Barred Owl http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3393&PID=9817#9817 Author: hallie
Subject: Baby Barred Owl
Posted: 17 July 2008 at 9:47pm

I was out and about in my yard and heard my resident Barred Owls in the woods.  I went back to where they were, and the "owl"armists alerted me to their location.  After a bit of my calling, they showed themselves and there was an adult and a baby.  The baby kept after the parent, and the parent kept flying away.  This is the 3rd year I have had Barred Owls in my area.]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:47:39 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3393&PID=9817#9817 North East Ohio : E. Phoebe / Cowbird Chick - CVNP http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3392&PID=9816#9816 Author: rwjcgc
Subject: E. Phoebe / Cowbird Chick - CVNP
Posted: 17 July 2008 at 7:24pm

I saw a Eastern Phoebe feeding a Brown-headed Cowbird chick
yesterday at the Station Road pond area of the CVNP.  Are they regular
hosts to Cowbirds?
 
There was also a Eastern Kingbird pair at the pond with their 4 fledgelings.  I got to observe them chase off a couple of Bald Eagles (probably the juvenile that fledged this year at the same site and one of the parents) when they flew overhead.  They were also putting a dent in the dragonfly population feeding their brood.

 
Robert Jackson
Broadview Heights, OH
 
 
]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:24:17 +0000 http://www.rarebird.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3392&PID=9816#9816