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Printed From Acorn-Online.com Bird Notes
Rare rusties A century ago, the Rusty Blackbird was an incredibly abundant bird, reports Pat Leonard at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Accounts from the period detail spectacular spring migrations between the species’ wintering grounds in the bottomland forests of the southeastern United States and its breeding grounds in the forested wetlands of North America’s vast boreal forest. Ornithological reports from New England and southern Canada describe waves of tens to hundreds of thousands of Rusty Blackbirds blackening the earth and clouding the sky in the spring. In many communities, the migration of Rusty Blackbirds was likened to the year’s first chorus of tree frogs, a sign that spring had finally arrived.” Today, however, populations of Rusty Blackbirds are crashing. “Rusty Blackbirds populations have suffered one of most staggering population declines of any bird in North America,” Pat says. “Their numbers have plummeted as much as 88-98% over the last few decades, according to data gathered from 1966 to 2006 by the North American Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count.” And almost as strange as the decline itself is the fact that ornithologists don’t know why it’s happening, though they suspect it may have something to do with habitat requirements. Bird watchers across North America are being asked to help scientists track migrating Rusty Blackbirds through April 7. They can enter their tallies and other information online at eBird, www.eBird.org, a bird checklist project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon:
Trio of big birds Geoff Dodge of Lewisboro saw last week’s report on ravens at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and says: “Ravens are pretty common over here on Old Church Lane in South Salem. I hear and see them frequently. In fact I have the symbiotic trio of eagles, ravens and turkeys. I have photographed the eagles and turkeys but the ravens are harder to catch. “I am also delighted to know where there is a woodcock sitting on eggs.” Geoff apparently lives in a wildlife paradise. “I have seen Red-headed Mergansers, Piliateds, a completely white deer, bear, bobcat, mink. I gave a Hot Pocket to a fox. I have seen and hear owls sometimes many times a day. He adds that despite all the variety, “The birds I like to watch the most are those that can be trusted to stay in one place while I get binoculars adjusted.” Eagle overhead Speaking of seeing eagles, Joan Mannion of Ridgefield reports: “On Saturday, March 22, my husband and I were amazed at the size of the ‘vulture’ flying over our Benson Road home in Ridgebury. As it came closer, we saw the distinctive white head and tail of a Bald Eagle! We were elated as we had never seen one here before, although we have heard of other sightings in Ridgefield. What a gift to celebrate the beginning of spring.” While the Turkey Vulture is our largest common bird, with a wingspan of up to 67 inches, the Bald Eagle — at 80 inches — can make vultures seem like pipsqueaks. Coming Up Bird Walk, Saturday, April 5, April 12, 7 to 8:45 a.m., Audubon Greenwich, meeting in parking lot, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272 x221, greenwich.audubon.org Early Spring Migrations, birding class, Saturday, April 5, 9:30 to noon, $15/$12, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272 x221, greenwich.audubon.org. “Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs - A Delicate Balance Overthrown,” with Larry Niles, Ph.D., expert on shorebirds, Wednesday, April 9, 7:30 p.m., free, Bedford Audubon, at Katonah Village Library, 26 Bedford Road, Katonah, info @ bedfordaudubon.org, 914- 232-1999, bedfordaudubon.org Osprey Cruise on Connecticut River, Saturday, April 12, 10 to 11:30 a.m, $35, Connecticut Audubon, 860-767-0660, pwood @ ctaudubon.org All About Woodpeckers, bird class, Saturday, April 12, 9:30 to noon, $15/$12, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272 x221, greenwich.audubon.org Eastern Bluebirds, with John Rogers, co-founder of New York State Bluebird Society, Saturday, April 12, 3:30 to 5, Quaker Ridge Bird Club, at Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, 203-869-5272, greenwich.audubon.org Bird walks with Luke Tiller, mostly Saturdays at 8 a.m.: April 15, Compo to Sasco Beach Tour; April 19, Wilton Birding; May 3, Poverty Hollow; May 10, Saugatuck Falls; $10 each; to register, www. sunrisebirding. com/ walks.htm; 203-981-9924, luke.tiller @ gmail.com. Early Morning Bird Walk, with Tait Johansson, Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 to 9:30, Bedford Audubon, meet at Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah, register 914- 232-4806, jebecker@bedfordaudubon.org. Cape May Migration, weekend trip, April 25 to 27, Connecticut Audubon, 1-800-996-8747, ecotravel @ ctaudubon.org Dance of the Woodcock, with John Askildsen of Bedford Audubon, Saturday, April 26, 7:15 p.m., Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, register 914- 232-4806, jebecker@bedfordaudubon.org. Birding Ice Pond, in Putnam County, field trip with Bedford Audubon, Tuesday, April 29, 9 to 11 a.m., meet at Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah, register 914- 232-4806, jebecker@bedfordaudubon.org. Birding Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Mass. Trip, May 9 to 11, Connecticut Audubon, 1-800-996-8747, ecotravel @ ctaudubon.org. First Sundays, birding at Greenwich Point with Meredith Sampson of Wild Wings, and other guides, April 6, May 4, 9 a.m., meet at the second concession stand, 203-637-9822. Bird walks, first Saturday at 7:30 a.m., free, meet at Wild Bird Center of Norwalk, 335 Westport Avenue (Route 1), www. wildbird. com/ Norwalk, 203-846-BIRD. Copyright (c) 2008 by Jack Sanders. Send sightings or comments to: jackfsanders [at sign] yahoo.com, or to Bird Notes, Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT 06877; or call 203-438-1183, extension BIRD (2473), and leave a message with your report, spelling your first and last names and telling us your town. If you need help identifying a bird, try your local nature center. If you find an injured bird, call wildlife rehabilitator Darlene Wimbrow of Redding, 203-438-0618, Wildlife in Crisis of Weston, 203-544-9913, or Wild Wings of Greenwich, 203-637-9822. The columnist’s website is www. sandersbooks. com. © Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers |
