From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 1 02:32:32 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Rachel Lawson via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 1 02:32:38 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] The Birdbooker Report In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Joseph just finished reading Birding with Benefits. He says it's pretty steamy! Rachel Lawson Seattle Get Outlook for iOS ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Ian Paulsen via Tweeters Sent: Monday, July 1, 2024 12:21:10 AM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] The Birdbooker Report HI ALL: I just posted about 2 bird and 3 non-bird books at my blog here: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbirdbookerreport.blogspot.com%2F2024%2F06%2Fnew-titles.html&data=05%7C02%7C%7C6442af63901a4ba9198808dc99531166%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638553829267960291%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=sHT7Dw%2Bk4YApwRFRoobV0Uz2ZfGczmWzfeACg1N5jDo%3D&reserved=0 sincerely Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbirdbookerreport.blogspot.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7C6442af63901a4ba9198808dc99531166%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638553829267973206%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Kt7vXronW8vEKUFAAdGUatyJeTE9kW%2BiwVTgofplIs8%3D&reserved=0 _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman11.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftweeters&data=05%7C02%7C%7C6442af63901a4ba9198808dc99531166%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638553829267979258%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4KNNwW2kFgyh9IdO0AS0%2Fddc%2BCqqPRDYu1lW96laHik%3D&reserved=0 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 2 09:13:03 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 2 09:13:08 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] How can I up my game ... In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20240702091303.Horde.YCeSKqGyimK4x2AQfYrCt61@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi all, ? So the single piece of advice I've received - so far - is to increase my 'birding by ear' skills.? ? ===> Thanks for that. ? My intent is to start using Sound ID (Merlin app) to help id more birds while in the field.? At this time I do not intend to take any of the online/live courses - I have tried those in the past and found, for the most part, I have not learned much.? What actually happened is that I loved the course - but very little of it "stuck".? *Sigh*. ? What I'm hoping for is that the use of Sound ID - coupled with then also finding the bird visually (when possible) will increase my ability to ID by sound. I don't expect this to be a "quick process" ... *G*. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - again - thanks for all your help ... Jim P.S. Whenever I "reply" to a tweeters it always gives me two addressees - do I ? ? ? ? need/want to use both of them or is just one (either?) going to do the job? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 2 12:49:28 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jamie Holland via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 2 12:49:59 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Blackburnian Warbler in Snohomish? Message-ID: My son and I heard an unfamiliar call this morning and after a lot of review and debate, we realized it sounded like a Blackburnian Warbler. We ran back outside and heard it again, but we haven't gotten eyes on it yet. I have a recording (faint!). What's a good way to share it? Jamie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 2 16:56:31 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Heather Gervais via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 2 16:57:06 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] How can I up my game ... In-Reply-To: <20240702091303.Horde.YCeSKqGyimK4x2AQfYrCt61@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240702091303.Horde.YCeSKqGyimK4x2AQfYrCt61@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Here are two of my takeaways from the birding by ear class that I just took and one of my own ideas that might be helpful tricks for you as well while listening to birds: - Think about how you would describe the song to a friend, or to Google if you didn't have Bird ID. The more and more varied ways you think about the song, the more you will commit it to memory. - For similar-sounding species (like Dark Eyed Juncos and Spotted Towhees), count the length of the song. In the example in parenthesis, the former usually has a slightly longer song, which can help you know who's who between the two. (I rhymed. ?) - A tip of my own, for the same reason as I gave in the first tip for memorization: develop mnemonic devices if possible. My own personal ones almost always use letters that occur in the prompt (species) and object I want to commit to memory (an aspect of their sound/song), or rhyming. An example would be that Spotted Towhees trill ('T'), Swainson's Thrush is ethereal ('Th'), or Robins are bobbin' (to me, the song of a Robin has a 'bobbing along' quality to it). I hope this helps. Let us know of any fun mnemonics you come up with! Peace, Heather Heather Gervais Certified Personal Trainer Fitness Instructor Spanish Interpreter Good person ?Be the change you wish to see in the world.? - Mahatma Gandhi Message sent from my iPhone. Please excuse its brevity and occasional typos. > On Jul 2, 2024, at 9:13?AM, via Tweeters wrote: > > ? > Hi all, > > So the single piece of advice I've received - so far - is to increase my 'birding > by ear' skills. > > ===> Thanks for that. > > My intent is to start using Sound ID (Merlin app) to help id more birds while in > the field. At this time I do not intend to take any of the online/live courses - I > have tried those in the past and found, for the most part, I have not learned > much. What actually happened is that I loved the course - but very little of it > "stuck". *Sigh*. > What I'm hoping for is that the use of Sound ID - coupled with then also > finding the bird visually (when possible) will increase my ability to ID by sound. > I don't expect this to be a "quick process" ... *G*. > > - again - thanks for all your help ... Jim > > P.S. Whenever I "reply" to a tweeters it always gives me two addressees - do I > need/want to use both of them or is just one (either?) going to do the job? > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 3 08:30:53 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 3 08:30:58 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] How can I up my game ... In-Reply-To: <20240702091303.Horde.YCeSKqGyimK4x2AQfYrCt61@webmail.jimbetz.com> References: <20240702091303.Horde.YCeSKqGyimK4x2AQfYrCt61@webmail.jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <20240703083053.Horde.4YcSUPl1gSfFGZRGgFC5tNe@webmail.jimbetz.com> Hi again, ? As outlined before I've had a chance to testing Sound ID.? We have family visiting from Florida and so for 2 days now one of us used Sound ID (he doesn't see well enough to spot small birds very far away and so is familiar with Sound ID).? And, with him getting the birds on Sound ID and then my searching for visuals - I was able to add about 30% more birds compared to my typical visits to the same locations.? So that -IS- the part that I was "missing". ? "All" I have to do now is to add to my ability to hear the calls/songs and -know- what birds they are (probably).? I expect that to grow over time - yes, always adding in the visual ID for any birds that I'm not familiar enough with their sounds to say "that's a _____" before I even check Sound ID. ? Thanks again to all the suggestions for adding "birding by ear" to my game. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?- Jim P.S. My personal assessment is that we are solidly in the Summer Doldrums ? ? ? ?here in the lower part of the Skagit Valley.? I've also been adding a new ? ? ? ?birding location or two at the rate of about one a month.? I do that by ? ? ? ?looking at the checklists that others have submitted in the area and ? ? ? ?asking myself "where is this and why haven't I ever gone there?".? *G* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 3 14:40:11 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Loitz via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 3 14:40:26 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] White-tailed Ptarmigan in WA -- confusion re WDFW claims and statements Message-ID: I seek to clear up confusion re WDFW's statements re White-tailed Ptarmigan, the Mt. Rainier subspecies of which has recently received enhanced ESA protection, which is a good thing. WDFW's webpage re the WTPT re the WTPT seems to make inconsistent claims-- WDFW claims that "[t]he Washington population may be about 1,000 individuals" -- but in the immediately preceding paragraph, WDFW states that the species is "common in areas further north, such as the Pasayten Wilderness." How can a bird with only 1,000 individuals state-wide be deemed "common" in a relatively small geographic subset of the state? Furthermore, the "1,000 individuals" claim is contrary to my experience, which I acknowledge to be anecdotal, but nonetheless relevant. I've been mountaineering and birding in the WA Cascades for 40 years, have seen hundreds of WTPT and, although I do acknowledge the long-term threat of climate change, I have not noted any material decline in the numbers of WTPT north of I-90. WTPTs are a common sight in the NCNP on both sides of SR20, e.g., Pickets, Steattle Ridge, Isolation Traverse, Bacon/Hagan/Blum area, Ragged Ridge, Mt. Logan massif, and also in the Glacier Peak WA, Chelan/Sawtooths, Pasayten WA and other areas. WDFW acknowledges that [t]here has been little work done with [the species in WA]." What's going on here? WDFW's claim is not qualified by subspecies and, AFAIK, the Mt. Rainier subspecies is the only WTPT subspecies in the WA Cascades. On what sampling does WDFW rely for the "1,000 individuals" claim? Many, very possibly most, WTPT reside in areas which see little human traffic and, based on my considerable experience mountaineering in WA's WTPT habitat, those areas very likely get virtually zero eBirders. This is not the first time I've been addled by claimed data which reflects the very small overlap of birders and deep wilderness travelers, but it's the most mindboggling. Steve Loitz Ellensburg, WA steveloitz@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 3 15:16:22 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Stephen Chase via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 3 15:16:38 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] White-tailed Ptarmigan in WA -- confusion re WDFW claims and statements In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Appreciate the discussion, Steve. A second point of confusion is that WDFW lists "our" White-tailed Ptarmigan as *Lagopus leucurus saxatilis*. As far as I can tell, *saxatilis* is the subspecies endemic to Vancouver Island. I wondered if it once used to be conspecific with the Mt. Rainier White-tailed Ptarmigan (*L.l.rainierensis*), but I don't see any evidence to corroborate that guess. Oddly, on the same page, WDFW references a thorough resource on White-tailed Ptarmigan that clearly describes *rainierensis* as the subspecies of White-tailed Ptarmigan across the Cascades, to the Canadian border (pgs 21-25 of this document ). Stephen Chase Everson On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 2:40?PM Steve Loitz via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > I seek to clear up confusion re WDFW's statements re White-tailed > Ptarmigan, the Mt. Rainier subspecies of which has recently > received enhanced ESA protection, which is a good thing. > > WDFW's webpage > re > the WTPT re the WTPT seems to make inconsistent claims-- WDFW claims > that "[t]he Washington population may be about 1,000 individuals" > > -- but in the immediately preceding paragraph, WDFW states that the > species is "common in areas further north, such as the Pasayten > Wilderness." > > How can a bird with only 1,000 individuals state-wide be deemed "common" > in a relatively small geographic subset of the state? > > Furthermore, the "1,000 individuals" claim is contrary to my experience, > which I acknowledge to be anecdotal, but nonetheless relevant. I've been > mountaineering and birding in the WA Cascades for 40 years, have seen > hundreds of WTPT and, although I do acknowledge the long-term threat of > climate change, I have not noted any material decline in the numbers of > WTPT north of I-90. WTPTs are a common sight in the NCNP on both sides of > SR20, e.g., Pickets, Steattle Ridge, Isolation Traverse, Bacon/Hagan/Blum > area, Ragged Ridge, Mt. Logan massif, and also in the Glacier Peak WA, > Chelan/Sawtooths, Pasayten WA and other areas. > > WDFW acknowledges that [t]here has been little work done with [the > species in WA]." > > What's going on here? WDFW's claim is not qualified by subspecies and, > AFAIK, the Mt. Rainier subspecies is the only WTPT subspecies in the WA > Cascades. > > On what sampling does WDFW rely for the "1,000 individuals" claim? Many, > very possibly most, WTPT reside in areas which see little human traffic > and, based on my considerable experience mountaineering in WA's WTPT > habitat, those areas very likely get virtually zero eBirders. > > This is not the first time I've been addled by claimed data which reflects > the very small overlap of birders and deep wilderness travelers, but it's > the most mindboggling. > > Steve Loitz > Ellensburg, WA > steveloitz@gmail.com > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 3 15:43:09 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Loitz via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 3 15:43:22 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] White-tailed Ptarmigan in WA -- confusion re WDFW claims and statements In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks, Stephen. Adding to the confusion, this 2005 document , which WDFW links on its WTPT page, distinguishes the North Cascades and South Cascades population as follows: "N. White-tailed Ptarmigan, *L. l. leucurus*, in n. Cascades and Mt. Rainier White-tailed Ptarmigan, *rainierensis*, in the s.Cascades." The document also notes that the species is "widespread and locally fairly common in the Cascades of Washington." This text is inconsistent with the claim on the FB group thread that *rainierensis* is the only subspecies is WA's Cascade mountains. It seems possible that WDFW's "1,000 individuals" claim applies only to the *rainierensis *population and that the WTPT individuals north of I-90 are not included in the 1,000 number. Steve Loitz Ellensburg On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 3:16?PM Stephen Chase wrote: > Appreciate the discussion, Steve. > > A second point of confusion is that WDFW lists > > "our" White-tailed Ptarmigan as *Lagopus leucurus saxatilis*. As far as I > can tell, *saxatilis* is the subspecies endemic to Vancouver Island. I > wondered if it once used to be conspecific with the Mt. Rainier > White-tailed Ptarmigan (*L.l.rainierensis*), but I don't see any evidence > to corroborate that guess. Oddly, on the same page, WDFW references a > thorough resource on White-tailed Ptarmigan that clearly describes > *rainierensis* as the subspecies of White-tailed Ptarmigan across the > Cascades, to the Canadian border (pgs 21-25 of this document > ). > > Stephen Chase > Everson > > On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 2:40?PM Steve Loitz via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > >> I seek to clear up confusion re WDFW's statements re White-tailed >> Ptarmigan, the Mt. Rainier subspecies of which has recently >> received enhanced ESA protection, which is a good thing. >> >> WDFW's webpage >> re >> the WTPT re the WTPT seems to make inconsistent claims-- WDFW claims >> that "[t]he Washington population may be about 1,000 individuals" >> >> -- but in the immediately preceding paragraph, WDFW states that the >> species is "common in areas further north, such as the Pasayten >> Wilderness." >> >> How can a bird with only 1,000 individuals state-wide be deemed "common" >> in a relatively small geographic subset of the state? >> >> Furthermore, the "1,000 individuals" claim is contrary to my experience, >> which I acknowledge to be anecdotal, but nonetheless relevant. I've been >> mountaineering and birding in the WA Cascades for 40 years, have seen >> hundreds of WTPT and, although I do acknowledge the long-term threat of >> climate change, I have not noted any material decline in the numbers of >> WTPT north of I-90. WTPTs are a common sight in the NCNP on both sides of >> SR20, e.g., Pickets, Steattle Ridge, Isolation Traverse, Bacon/Hagan/Blum >> area, Ragged Ridge, Mt. Logan massif, and also in the Glacier Peak WA, >> Chelan/Sawtooths, Pasayten WA and other areas. >> >> WDFW acknowledges that [t]here has been little work done with [the >> species in WA]." >> >> What's going on here? WDFW's claim is not qualified by subspecies and, >> AFAIK, the Mt. Rainier subspecies is the only WTPT subspecies in the WA >> Cascades. >> >> On what sampling does WDFW rely for the "1,000 individuals" claim? Many, >> very possibly most, WTPT reside in areas which see little human traffic >> and, based on my considerable experience mountaineering in WA's WTPT >> habitat, those areas very likely get virtually zero eBirders. >> >> This is not the first time I've been addled by claimed data which >> reflects the very small overlap of birders and deep wilderness travelers, >> but it's the most mindboggling. >> >> Steve Loitz >> Ellensburg, WA >> steveloitz@gmail.com >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > -- Steve Loitz Ellensburg, WA steveloitz@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 3 19:48:30 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Doug Santoni via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 3 19:48:45 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Yellow-rumped Warbler (Seattle/Madison Park) Message-ID: <0923F89B-8632-4693-88B9-69FCE43567C2@gmail.com> I was a bit surprised to see a colorful Yellow-rumped (Audubon?s) Warbler at my suet feeder a few minutes ago (7:30 PM, July 3) in the Madison Park area of Seattle. Shouldn?t they be in a boreal forest and not in Seattle at this point in the year? (I did take a few photos.) Doug Santoni Seattle WA Dougsantoni at gmail dot com From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 4 12:50:32 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Hobbs via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 4 12:50:47 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-07-04 Message-ID: Tweets - Four of us had a fine 4th of July walk this morning, under cloudless and windless skies. Temps were in the 50's and 60's. It was beautiful. Not very birdy though. Highlights: Wood Duck - Female with 5 small ducklings, seen twice (or two families) Mallard - Female with 2 small ducklings, plus a very few more Mallards of uncertain age/gender Rock Pigeon - First in 4 weeks Great Blue Heron - Many fewer un-fledged young in the heronry, total numbers way down, though still in the dozens Four Woodpecker Day - Only missing Pileated Bushtit - Newly active nest in Dog Meadow Cedar Waxwing - Nest building observed Lots of baby birds begging; some needed STUDENT FLIER - PLEASE BE PATIENT bumper stickers Many bunnies, several beavers, the usual number of squirrels, turtles, and bullfrogs Okay, so "Highlights" might have been overstating things. Misses included Hooded Merganser, Band-tailed Pigeon (might have had glimpses at 1-2), Green Heron, Cliff Swallow, and Bullock's Oriole. For the day, 52 species, with none new for the year. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 4 18:48:44 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Vicki via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 4 18:49:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] And then there were 2! (Evening Grosbeaks) Message-ID: Hello, A few weeks ago, my large flock cleared out, but three remained behind for quite a while. Now I have, what seems to be a mated pair. At first they both visited the feeders and waterfall about the same time, but now they?re taking turns! I?ll be anxious to see if any fledglings show up. Happy Day! Vicki Biltz Buckley, WA. vickibiltz@gmail.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/saw-whets_new/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 4 19:54:16 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Stephanie Neis via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 4 19:54:36 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] And then there were 2! (Evening Grosbeaks) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2B0FF665-2D31-4194-8976-4DDBB66C6310@whidbey.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 5 10:27:42 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shep Thorp via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 5 10:27:57 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/3/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets! Approximately 35 of us had a really fun Summer day at the Refuge with overcast skies in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon and temperatures in the 60's to 80's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a Low -2'5" Tide at 10:27am. Highlights included Long-tailed Weasel adult and 2 young in the Orchard, Coyote pup along the entrance road, good numbers and diversity of birds with many juveniles, WILLOW FLYCATCHER at the Twin Barns Overlook, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER in the freshwater marsh, WHIMBREL on the mudflats adjacent to Shannon Slough, and River Otter at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook. For the day we observed 62 species, no firsts of year, we have observed 156 species this year. See eBird report below, photos embedded. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jul 3, 2024 6:44 AM - 4:52 PM Protocol: Traveling 7.952 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Overcast in the morning, sunny in the afternoon, temperatures in the 50?s to 80?s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low -2?5? Tide at 10:27am. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend?s Chipmunk, Long-tailed Weasel, Coyote, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Townsend?s Vole, Harbor Seal and River Otter. Others seen Pacific Tree Frog, and American Bullfrog. 62 species (+4 other taxa) Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 40 Wood Duck 14 Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal 1 Mallard 20 Hooded Merganser 6 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2 Band-tailed Pigeon 10 Mourning Dove 2 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Rufous Hummingbird 2 Virginia Rail 3 Killdeer 1 Whimbrel 1 Photo. Large shorebird with long decurved bill and stripes on head. Grayish breast and belly. Observed foraging on mud flats from 100 yards with 60x spotting scope. Long-billed Dowitcher 2 Wilson's Snipe 4 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Ring-billed Gull 200 California Gull 40 Glaucous-winged Gull 10 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 10 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20 Caspian Tern 40 Brandt's Cormorant 3 Double-crested Cormorant 30 Great Blue Heron 85 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Bald Eagle 25 West Bank of McAllister Creek across from Puget Sound Observation Platform. Red-tailed Hawk 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Western Wood-Pewee 6 Willow Flycatcher 4 Warbling Vireo 4 American Crow 6 Black-capped Chickadee 10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 6 Bank Swallow 3 Tree Swallow 40 Violet-green Swallow 2 Purple Martin 6 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5 Barn Swallow 57 Visitors Center. Cliff Swallow 35 Visitors center. Bushtit 30 Brown Creeper 4 Marsh Wren 10 Bewick's Wren 2 European Starling 200 Swainson's Thrush 45 American Robin 25 Cedar Waxwing 30 House Finch 1 Purple Finch 8 American Goldfinch 8 Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 6 Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 37 Spotted Towhee 1 Bullock's Oriole 2 Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 50 Brown-headed Cowbird 24 Orange-crowned Warbler (lutescens) 1 Common Yellowthroat 18 Yellow Warbler 25 Black-headed Grosbeak 5 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S185199285 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 5 17:45:15 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (jmyb@aol.com via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 5 17:45:20 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] How hot was it on the 5th? References: <529775271.862420.1720226715627.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <529775271.862420.1720226715627@mail.yahoo.com> At Theler Wildlife Reserve in Belfair a female Common Mergazer was sitting, and briefly standing, on the sand at the edge of the Union river? panting. I'd have thought the river water? was cooler. Later we reversed our path, to take advantage of the shade that portion of the trail provided, and the Merganzer was gone. To paraphrae Kipling - "Only mad dogs and Englishmen, (and foolhardy birders) go out in the noon day sun". -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 6 09:55:15 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 6 09:55:22 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks, Motion - and birds ... ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <085bae6d-52d7-42e4-9972-ffc9b485c82b@jimbetz.com> Hi all, ? I did not see much change, if any at all, in the presence of birds at our feeders (seed and hummer) on the morning after the 4th (the 5th).? And the same is true today. ? I'm guessing - and would like confirmation - that unless the fireworks are very close to the bird (roosting/other) that they pretty much don't notice. ? As an overall observation - in terms of birds flushing what I've noticed is that sound and color of clothing make very little difference - and it is motion that is the most important.? With motion that is either fast-and-big (waving your arms) or in the direction of the birds (getting closer) ... that matters the most.? If I move slowly or away from the birds at my feeder/in the field - they seem to not flush. Additionally, each species seems to have its own comfort zone - in fact what I've noticed is that if I have a particular lens on my camera, most of the time, the size of the image of the bird on the camera is pretty much the same ... no matter which species it is. ? Individual birds within a species can vary a LOT - the above are "rules of thumb". ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 6 09:56:12 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jeff Gilligan via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 6 09:56:28 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] SHOREBIRD migration Message-ID: <7D1F8CD1-07E2-4CC3-A8F8-E5EA6DFAD25F@gmail.com> Other than seeing individual Greater Yellowlegs for about a week, I had not seen anything but resident Killdeer at my little bight of Willapa Bay since late May. Today at low tide, a newly formed little depression that retains water had 5 Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 Short-billed Dowitchers, and 7 Western Sandpipers. Jeff Gilligan Long Beach Peninsula From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 6 10:49:45 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 6 10:50:11 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks, Motion - and birds ... ? In-Reply-To: <085bae6d-52d7-42e4-9972-ffc9b485c82b@jimbetz.com> References: <085bae6d-52d7-42e4-9972-ffc9b485c82b@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <91C370BC-3F7B-4081-9B47-DD0A57B426DE@comcast.net> Jim, I agree with everything you said. I have found that motion is much more important in disturbing birds than what color clothing you where when out in the field. Our feeder birds also vary greatly by species in how easily disturbed they are. For example, flickers are much more nervous than Downy, Hairy or Pileated Woodpeckers when in our yard. I think it?s because they are ground feeders, programmed to be much more cautious about predators. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 6, 2024, at 9:55 AM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > Hi all, > > > I did not see much change, if any at all, in the presence of birds at our feeders > > (seed and hummer) on the morning after the 4th (the 5th). And the same is > > true today. > > I'm guessing - and would like confirmation - that unless the fireworks are very > > close to the bird (roosting/other) that they pretty much don't notice. > > > As an overall observation - in terms of birds flushing what I've noticed is that > > sound and color of clothing make very little difference - and it is motion that is > > the most important. With motion that is either fast-and-big (waving your arms) or > > in the direction of the birds (getting closer) ... that matters the most. If I move > > slowly or away from the birds at my feeder/in the field - they seem to not flush. > > Additionally, each species seems to have its own comfort zone - in fact what I've > > noticed is that if I have a particular lens on my camera, most of the time, the > > size of the image of the bird on the camera is pretty much the same ... no > > matter which species it is. > > Individual birds within a species can vary a LOT - the above are "rules of > > thumb". > > - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 6 10:53:52 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 6 10:54:19 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks, Motion - and birds ... ? In-Reply-To: <085bae6d-52d7-42e4-9972-ffc9b485c82b@jimbetz.com> References: <085bae6d-52d7-42e4-9972-ffc9b485c82b@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <669D87A1-48DE-45C2-9921-8FDAF30D6B11@comcast.net> That?s clothing you wear, of course. -------------------------- Jim, I agree with everything you said. I have found that motion is much more important in disturbing birds than what color clothing you where when out in the field. Our feeder birds also vary greatly by species in how easily disturbed they are. For example, flickers are much more nervous than Downy, Hairy or Pileated Woodpeckers when in our yard. I think it?s because they are ground feeders, programmed to be much more cautious about predators. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 6, 2024, at 9:55 AM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > Hi all, > > > I did not see much change, if any at all, in the presence of birds at our feeders > > (seed and hummer) on the morning after the 4th (the 5th). And the same is > > true today. > > I'm guessing - and would like confirmation - that unless the fireworks are very > > close to the bird (roosting/other) that they pretty much don't notice. > > > As an overall observation - in terms of birds flushing what I've noticed is that > > sound and color of clothing make very little difference - and it is motion that is > > the most important. With motion that is either fast-and-big (waving your arms) or > > in the direction of the birds (getting closer) ... that matters the most. If I move > > slowly or away from the birds at my feeder/in the field - they seem to not flush. > > Additionally, each species seems to have its own comfort zone - in fact what I've > > noticed is that if I have a particular lens on my camera, most of the time, the > > size of the image of the bird on the camera is pretty much the same ... no > > matter which species it is. > > Individual birds within a species can vary a LOT - the above are "rules of > > thumb". > > - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 6 13:23:37 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (HAL MICHAEL via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 6 13:24:04 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks, Motion - and birds ... ? Message-ID: <1625487203.2176919.1720297417834@connect.xfinity.com> I think responses to noise, human presence, and such is species and individual specific. Just returned from 3 weeks in Kenya, which was our fourth trip to the Continent. On safari, one of the primary rules is stay in the vehicles. Nothing has seemed to give a rip about our presence except for a bull elephant or two. One lioness was surprised when she looked up and saw us about 5m away. The birds similarly tended to appear to ignore us unless the vehicle almost hit them. Having hunted deer a lot I have been within 10' of some with no issues and had some run when I was 100 yards away. I have seen deer walk across an active rifle range; just ambled through. I think it has to do a lot with what the individual perceives as natural threats and experience with humans. I think, as Dennis says, a calm approach and slow movement probably does a lot to not scaring them. Hal Michael Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 07/06/2024 10:49 AM PDT Dennis Paulson via Tweeters wrote: > > > Jim, I agree with everything you said. I have found that motion is much more important in disturbing birds than what color clothing you where when out in the field. Our feeder birds also vary greatly by species in how easily disturbed they are. For example, flickers are much more nervous than Downy, Hairy or Pileated Woodpeckers when in our yard. I think it?s because they are ground feeders, programmed to be much more cautious about predators. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Jul 6, 2024, at 9:55 AM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > > > Hi all, > > > > > > I did not see much change, if any at all, in the presence of birds at our feeders > > > > (seed and hummer) on the morning after the 4th (the 5th). And the same is > > > > true today. > > > > I'm guessing - and would like confirmation - that unless the fireworks are very > > > > close to the bird (roosting/other) that they pretty much don't notice. > > > > > > As an overall observation - in terms of birds flushing what I've noticed is that > > > > sound and color of clothing make very little difference - and it is motion that is > > > > the most important. With motion that is either fast-and-big (waving your arms) or > > > > in the direction of the birds (getting closer) ... that matters the most. If I move > > > > slowly or away from the birds at my feeder/in the field - they seem to not flush. > > > > Additionally, each species seems to have its own comfort zone - in fact what I've > > > > noticed is that if I have a particular lens on my camera, most of the time, the > > > > size of the image of the bird on the camera is pretty much the same ... no > > > > matter which species it is. > > > > Individual birds within a species can vary a LOT - the above are "rules of > > > > thumb". > > > > - Jim > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 7 10:55:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Hal Opperman via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 7 10:55:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] bring back taxonomy (NY Times) Message-ID: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/07/opinion/to-save-life-on-earth-bring-back-taxonomy.html Hal Opperman Seattle, WA hal at catharus.net From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 7 12:13:45 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Becky Galloway via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 7 12:14:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Common Loon, Western Grebes on Lk Wash Jul 3 Message-ID: I forgot to post this but when I was out on a pontoon boat on Lake Washington between Magnuson and Kenmore on the Magnuson side, there was a gorgeous Common Loon in breeding plumage. A little past Magnuson towards Mercer Is. there were six Western Grebes as well. -- -- Becky Galloway Shoreline, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 07:29:58 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (mary hrudkaj via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 07:30:04 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Refreshing bird generated breeze Message-ID: Having an abundance of Bandtailed Pigeons feeding in my drive just a few feet from the window by my computer, when the flushed the wind generated by the 50 plus birds manages to make its way in and cools me. Not having AC, windows are kept open at night to let cooler air in, then are closed up in order of when the morning sun comes in. So right now, the window on the south side of the house above the feeding area is open. They've flushed 3 times since I started this email and feels so good. The flock size is reduced from a week a week ago. They seem to know to head to cooler climes when we get this heat (it's been in the low to mid 90's the past 5 days now). They often disperse this time of year for nesting in less crowded areas and will be back in a few weeks. Hope you can enjoy some nature made air conditioning. Mary Hrudkaj Tahuya/Belfair -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 12:57:20 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 12:57:33 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] How Early is Early? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi again, ? There are several birding locations I visit repeatedly that have a definite drop off in activity in the middle of the day.? They are all here in Skagit County although I don't suspect that has much to do with it - none of them are much change in elevation from each other - a couple hundred feet or so is about the maximum. ? If this helps - the dawn chorus here at our house starts around 6 and continues until after 7:30.? We see birds at the feeders (hummer and seed) before 7 most days. ? I typically go out for "2 to 4 hours" at a time. ? So, based upon the above - what time would you say is a good "early start"? ???????????????????????????????????????? - Jim in Skagit County From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 13:15:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 13:15:50 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upping my game (sound ID) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <47e7deec-50ca-4795-a19e-4095f14cb391@jimbetz.com> Hi again, So here is the latest update on my adventures into birding by ear ... I went to a location (The "Upland Trail" at Padilla Bay) that I've been going to this summer. I was seeing and hearing about the same number of birds as before ... and I was there at approximately the same time. This location has a lot of times when you are out in the open (grassy fields) and then also a lot of times when you are in the forest/understory - but also a lot of time when the ability to view/look around is seriously impeded by brush/small trees. But! Using Merlin it 'found' no less than 38 different species. Of those 5 or 6 were "uncommon". So using Merlin Sound ID to 'discover what might be around' is definitely good. A couple of gotchas however ... 1) Many of the birds SoundID found were never seen visually. I even spent quite a bit of time sitting on one of the many benches and watching the area and my phone to see if I could find the birds visually. I would say that about half were never seen in the entire 2+ hours. 2) I found it quite disconcerting that SoundId often did not hear bird calls that I was hearing -very- clearly. I could hear the bird calling/singing but SoundId never flagged them on my phone. It didn't flag anything at these times. 3) A lot of the "never seen" birds (see #1) were also flagged ... when I heard nothing at all. Is my hearing really that bad? I intend to test this more ... even enlisting the help of others to confirm that they "heard nothing/something" when I heard nothing and SoundId flagged. 4) I have added several new (to me) bird songs/calls that I had been hearing all along - but didn't know which bird it was. So, overall I am finding SoundID to be a very useful tool for learning bird songs/calls. - Jim P.S. I got a very long look at a nestbox occupied by a family of Tree Swallows where the adults were zooming here and there after insects and then returning to the box to feed the young bird who had its head stuck out of the hole and was blocking the entire hole. At one point I briefly thought I saw a probable second young behind and above its head. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 13:39:20 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jerry Tangren via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 13:39:25 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] How Early is Early? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks for sharing?many places the dawn chorus is that. It begins an hour before sunrise, and ends at sunrise. A few years ago, when we were younger, the wife and I did a Chelan Co. Big Day. We started off with the dawn chorus at the pond near the Forest Service nursery near Camas Meadows. I can?t recite exact numbers, but for a start it was amazing. ?Jerry Tangren, Kloshe Woods East Wenatchee Get Outlook for iOS ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Jim Betz via Tweeters Sent: Monday, July 8, 2024 12:57:20 PM To: via Tweeters Subject: [Tweeters] How Early is Early? Hi again, There are several birding locations I visit repeatedly that have a definite drop off in activity in the middle of the day. They are all here in Skagit County although I don't suspect that has much to do with it - none of them are much change in elevation from each other - a couple hundred feet or so is about the maximum. If this helps - the dawn chorus here at our house starts around 6 and continues until after 7:30. We see birds at the feeders (hummer and seed) before 7 most days. I typically go out for "2 to 4 hours" at a time. So, based upon the above - what time would you say is a good "early start"? - Jim in Skagit County _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman11.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftweeters&data=05%7C02%7C%7C564f96f1815e402fa93e08dc9f88594d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638560655173973360%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=eR1VTB7FQdKCc%2Fq%2BVeTgl0zxRj9Gbv6mkb4S4VNcHNU%3D&reserved=0 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 14:22:04 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Emily Birchman via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 14:22:18 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Info about Sawmill Creek Burn Message-ID: Hi all, I have been noticing lots of exciting species being reported on eBird at a place called ?Sawmill Creek Burn?. When I googled it I can?t tell if this is part of the Sawmill Creek hiking trail or something else. Can someone who has been to it give me some information about what it?s like there? The only time I can go there anytime soon I would have my kids with me. They love nature walks and birding but I wanted to make sure it?s appropriate for them. Thanks! Emily Birchman Kenmore WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 18:31:09 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Price via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 18:31:23 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks, Motion - and birds ... ? Message-ID: Hey tweets Any animal with its eyes on the front of its head which looks at you directly and maintains direct eye contact can safely be classed as a potential predator. If such an animal walks or flies into your panic-radius, you'd be best outta there as quickly as possible, just to be prudent. So eye contact alone may trigger panic/precaution flight. I have often walked past a crow (and this applies anywhere in the city) on the ground at a distance of 4 ft/1.1 meter as long as my face is averted and I'm side-eying without the bird flushing?very wary, yes?but the instant I turn my head and look at it directly, that crow is *gone*. An animal's characteristic panic-radius determines the minimum distance one can approach it. Dennis's flicker is often a ground-feeder so needs an ample open area for visibility; anything within a certain distance will trigger escape flight. As an extreme example, Surf Scoters will flush at any approach on the water of about 75-100ft/23-30 m (?kayakers) and completely vacate an area, sometimes not stopping for several miles/km, while Barrow's Goldeneyes sharing the same littoral waters allow closer approach and, if evicted, unlike the Scoters will simply return to their feeding/resting area after the intruding agent have left. Same for land birds at a feeder: chickadees and bushtits allow much closer approach than juncos and finches, and some scavenging bird species of the Taiga and tundra tend to have very short to no panic-radii at all?food's too short, they can't afford one. best wishes, m -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 18:42:55 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Hampton via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 18:43:09 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks, Motion - and birds ... ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: There are documented cases where fireworks displays have wreaked havoc on seabird colonies. A Brandt's Cormorant colony at Cape Viscaino, CA was once decimated by gulls after fireworks flushed the adults off the eggs and chicks. I've heard of similar concerns at other coastal locations. I assume the fireworks must have been really loud professional ones pretty close to the colony. On Mon, Jul 8, 2024 at 6:32?PM Michael Price via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Hey tweets > > Any animal with its eyes on the front of its head which looks at you > directly and maintains direct eye contact can safely be classed as a > potential predator. If such an animal walks or flies into your > panic-radius, you'd be best outta there as quickly as possible, just to be > prudent. So eye contact alone may trigger panic/precaution flight. I have > often walked past a crow (and this applies anywhere in the city) on the > ground at a distance of 4 ft/1.1 meter as long as my face is averted and > I'm side-eying without the bird flushing?very wary, yes?but the instant I > turn my head and look at it directly, that crow is *gone*. > > > An animal's characteristic panic-radius determines the minimum distance > one can approach it. Dennis's flicker is often a ground-feeder so needs an > ample open area for visibility; anything within a certain distance will > trigger escape flight. As an extreme example, Surf Scoters will flush at > any approach on the water of about 75-100ft/23-30 m (?kayakers) and > completely vacate an area, sometimes not stopping for several miles/km, > while Barrow's Goldeneyes sharing the same littoral waters allow closer > approach and, if evicted, unlike the Scoters will simply return to their > feeding/resting area after the intruding agent have left. Same for land > birds at a feeder: chickadees and bushtits allow much closer approach than > juncos and finches, and some scavenging bird species of the Taiga and > tundra tend to have very short to no panic-radii at all?food's too short, > they can't afford one. > > best wishes, m > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- ?Steve Hampton? Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 8 20:16:07 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Richard Walker via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 8 20:16:13 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Monopod recommendations Message-ID: I use a SonyA7iii and Sigma 150-600 lens. I am looking for some suggestions/recommendations for a monopod. It would have to be tall enough to use without crouching down (I am 6 ft). Besides birds, I often take wildflower pictures so it would need to be able to point high and low. Thanks, Richard Sent from Outlook -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 01:33:37 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Rob Faucett via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 01:34:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upping my game (sound ID) In-Reply-To: <47e7deec-50ca-4795-a19e-4095f14cb391@jimbetz.com> References: <47e7deec-50ca-4795-a19e-4095f14cb391@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <8FCA8ECC-9430-437F-90DC-A382C79F272E@mac.com> Jim - This is very cool. And perhaps more imptly I think it might be useful to the Merlin project managers. Keep it up!! Rob ? Rob Faucett +1(206) 619-5569 robfaucett@mac.com Seattle, WA 98105 > On Jul 8, 2024, at 1:16?PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > ? > Hi again, > > > > So here is the latest update on my adventures into birding by ear ... > > > > I went to a location (The "Upland Trail" at Padilla Bay) that I've been going to > > this summer. I was seeing and hearing about the same number of birds as > > before ... and I was there at approximately the same time. This location has > > a lot of times when you are out in the open (grassy fields) and then also a lot > > of times when you are in the forest/understory - but also a lot of time when > > the ability to view/look around is seriously impeded by brush/small trees. > > But! Using Merlin it 'found' no less than 38 different species. Of those > > 5 or 6 were "uncommon". So using Merlin Sound ID to 'discover what might > > be around' is definitely good. > > A couple of gotchas however ... > > > > 1) Many of the birds SoundID found were never seen visually. I even spent > > quite a bit of time sitting on one of the many benches and watching the > > area and my phone to see if I could find the birds visually. I would say that > > about half were never seen in the entire 2+ hours. > > > > 2) I found it quite disconcerting that SoundId often did not hear bird calls > > that I was hearing -very- clearly. I could hear the bird calling/singing > > but SoundId never flagged them on my phone. It didn't flag anything at > > these times. > > > > 3) A lot of the "never seen" birds (see #1) were also flagged ... when I > > heard nothing at all. Is my hearing really that bad? I intend to test > > this more ... even enlisting the help of others to confirm that they > > "heard nothing/something" when I heard nothing and SoundId flagged. > > > > 4) I have added several new (to me) bird songs/calls that I had been > > hearing all along - but didn't know which bird it was. > > > > So, overall I am finding SoundID to be a very useful tool for learning bird > > songs/calls. > > - Jim > > > > P.S. I got a very long look at a nestbox occupied by a family of Tree Swallows > > where the adults were zooming here and there after insects and then > > returning to the box to feed the young bird who had its head stuck out of > > the hole and was blocking the entire hole. At one point I briefly thought I > > saw a probable second young behind and above its head. > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 10:12:33 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (George Miller via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 10:12:49 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upping my game (sound ID) In-Reply-To: <8FCA8ECC-9430-437F-90DC-A382C79F272E@mac.com> References: <47e7deec-50ca-4795-a19e-4095f14cb391@jimbetz.com> <8FCA8ECC-9430-437F-90DC-A382C79F272E@mac.com> Message-ID: Jim, I?d like to offer some advice: When you go birding, try not to spend your time in your phone. Merlin is a good tool but it?s not as good as your mind. Spend as much time as you can in the field paying full attention to everything you see and hear. Don?t worry about identifying everything, but be super curious. Keep a notebook in your car and write down sightings, questions that came to mind, notes about the weather, other wildlife seen, etc. When you get back home, get on your phone or computer and find the answers to your questions. What you are doing here is building up your birding database, which will serve you well for the rest of your life. It takes time, so have patience and enjoy! Regards, George Miller Longview On Tue, Jul 9, 2024 at 01:34 Rob Faucett via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Jim - This is very cool. And perhaps more imptly I think it might be > useful to the Merlin project managers. > > Keep it up!! > > Rob > ? > Rob Faucett > +1(206) 619-5569 > robfaucett@mac.com > Seattle, WA 98105 > > On Jul 8, 2024, at 1:16?PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > ? > > Hi again, > > So here is the latest update on my adventures into birding by ear ... > > I went to a location (The "Upland Trail" at Padilla Bay) that I've been > going to > > this summer. I was seeing and hearing about the same number of birds as > > before ... and I was there at approximately the same time. This location > has > > a lot of times when you are out in the open (grassy fields) and then also > a lot > > of times when you are in the forest/understory - but also a lot of time > when > > the ability to view/look around is seriously impeded by brush/small trees. > > But! Using Merlin it 'found' no less than 38 different species. Of those > > 5 or 6 were "uncommon". So using Merlin Sound ID to 'discover what might > > be around' is definitely good. > > A couple of gotchas however ... > > 1) Many of the birds SoundID found were never seen visually. I even spent > > quite a bit of time sitting on one of the many benches and watching the > > area and my phone to see if I could find the birds visually. I would say > that > > about half were never seen in the entire 2+ hours. > > 2) I found it quite disconcerting that SoundId often did not hear bird > calls > > that I was hearing -very- clearly. I could hear the bird calling/singing > > but SoundId never flagged them on my phone. It didn't flag anything at > > these times. > > 3) A lot of the "never seen" birds (see #1) were also flagged ... when I > > heard nothing at all. Is my hearing really that bad? I intend to test > > this more ... even enlisting the help of others to confirm that they > > "heard nothing/something" when I heard nothing and SoundId flagged. > > 4) I have added several new (to me) bird songs/calls that I had been > > hearing all along - but didn't know which bird it was. > > So, overall I am finding SoundID to be a very useful tool for learning bird > > songs/calls. > > - Jim > > P.S. I got a very long look at a nestbox occupied by a family of Tree > Swallows > > where the adults were zooming here and there after insects and then > > returning to the box to feed the young bird who had its head stuck out of > > the hole and was blocking the entire hole. At one point I briefly thought I > > saw a probable second young behind and above its head. > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 12:05:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 12:05:44 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upping my game (sound ID) In-Reply-To: <8FCA8ECC-9430-437F-90DC-A382C79F272E@mac.com> References: <47e7deec-50ca-4795-a19e-4095f14cb391@jimbetz.com> <8FCA8ECC-9430-437F-90DC-A382C79F272E@mac.com> Message-ID: <9d18ecd4-afb6-4473-9b69-600e229cd38f@jimbetz.com> Rob/all, ? I would -certainly- like to reach out to the Merlin project managers.? I have tried in the past and they didn't seem to care (probably because mine is just "one voice" ...?).? If anyone on this list has any insider knowledge on how to get experiences/suggestions to the people at Cornell doing these tools I'd certainly like some guidance on how to do that. - jim in Skagit On 7/9/2024 1:33 AM, Rob Faucett wrote: > Jim - ?This is very cool. ?And perhaps more ?imptly I think it might > be useful to the Merlin project managers. > > Keep it up!! > > Rob > ? > Rob Faucett > +1(206) 619-5569 > robfaucett@mac.com > Seattle, WA ?98105 > >> On Jul 8, 2024, at 1:16?PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters >> wrote: >> >> ? >> >> Hi again, >> >> So here is the latest update on my adventures into birding by ear ... >> >> I went to a location (The "Upland Trail" at Padilla Bay) that I've >> been going to >> >> this summer. I was seeing and hearing about the same number of birds as >> >> before ... and I was there at approximately the same time. This >> location has >> >> a lot of times when you are out in the open (grassy fields) and then >> also a lot >> >> of times when you are in the forest/understory - but also a lot of >> time when >> >> the ability to view/look around is seriously impeded by brush/small >> trees. >> >> But! Using Merlin it 'found' no less than 38 different species. Of those >> >> 5 or 6 were "uncommon". So using Merlin Sound ID to 'discover what might >> >> be around' is definitely good. >> >> A couple of gotchas however ... >> >> 1) Many of the birds SoundID found were never seen visually. I even spent >> >> quite a bit of time sitting on one of the many benches and watching the >> >> area and my phone to see if I could find the birds visually. I would >> say that >> >> about half were never seen in the entire 2+ hours. >> >> 2) I found it quite disconcerting that SoundId often did not hear >> bird calls >> >> that I was hearing -very- clearly. I could hear the bird calling/singing >> >> but SoundId never flagged them on my phone. It didn't flag anything at >> >> these times. >> >> 3) A lot of the "never seen" birds (see #1) were also flagged ... when I >> >> heard nothing at all. Is my hearing really that bad? I intend to test >> >> this more ... even enlisting the help of others to confirm that they >> >> "heard nothing/something" when I heard nothing and SoundId flagged. >> >> 4) I have added several new (to me) bird songs/calls that I had been >> >> hearing all along - but didn't know which bird it was. >> >> So, overall I am finding SoundID to be a very useful tool for >> learning bird >> >> songs/calls. >> >> - Jim >> >> P.S. I got a very long look at a nestbox occupied by a family of Tree >> Swallows >> >> where the adults were zooming here and there after insects and then >> >> returning to the box to feed the young bird who had its head stuck out of >> >> the hole and was blocking the entire hole. At one point I briefly >> thought I >> >> saw a probable second young behind and above its head. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 12:35:43 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (George Miller via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 12:36:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upping my game (sound ID) In-Reply-To: <9d18ecd4-afb6-4473-9b69-600e229cd38f@jimbetz.com> References: <47e7deec-50ca-4795-a19e-4095f14cb391@jimbetz.com> <8FCA8ECC-9430-437F-90DC-A382C79F272E@mac.com> <9d18ecd4-afb6-4473-9b69-600e229cd38f@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Hi Jim, That?s great! Do you have the Sibley app? It?s a good source for, well everything, but includes songs and calls for just about every species. Also, there?s an app called Larkwire that allows you to compare similar species and learn by repetitive comparisons. Both are helpful in learning ?birding by ear?. I would like to wish you a happy birthday in advance. That?s awesome!! Thanks for being a good person by caring about birds. Keep us updated on your prowess! Warmest regards, George Miller Longview On Tue, Jul 9, 2024 at 12:06 Jim Betz via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Rob/all, > > > I would -certainly- like to reach out to the Merlin project managers. I > have tried in the > > past and they didn't seem to care (probably because mine is just "one > voice" ...?). If > > anyone on this list has any insider knowledge on how to get > experiences/suggestions > > to the people at Cornell doing these tools I'd certainly like some > guidance on how to > > do that. > > > - jim in Skagit > On 7/9/2024 1:33 AM, Rob Faucett wrote: > > Jim - This is very cool. And perhaps more imptly I think it might be > useful to the Merlin project managers. > > Keep it up!! > > Rob > ? > Rob Faucett > +1(206) 619-5569 > robfaucett@mac.com > Seattle, WA 98105 > > On Jul 8, 2024, at 1:16?PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters > wrote: > > ? > > Hi again, > > So here is the latest update on my adventures into birding by ear ... > > I went to a location (The "Upland Trail" at Padilla Bay) that I've been > going to > > this summer. I was seeing and hearing about the same number of birds as > > before ... and I was there at approximately the same time. This location > has > > a lot of times when you are out in the open (grassy fields) and then also > a lot > > of times when you are in the forest/understory - but also a lot of time > when > > the ability to view/look around is seriously impeded by brush/small trees. > > But! Using Merlin it 'found' no less than 38 different species. Of those > > 5 or 6 were "uncommon". So using Merlin Sound ID to 'discover what might > > be around' is definitely good. > > A couple of gotchas however ... > > 1) Many of the birds SoundID found were never seen visually. I even spent > > quite a bit of time sitting on one of the many benches and watching the > > area and my phone to see if I could find the birds visually. I would say > that > > about half were never seen in the entire 2+ hours. > > 2) I found it quite disconcerting that SoundId often did not hear bird > calls > > that I was hearing -very- clearly. I could hear the bird calling/singing > > but SoundId never flagged them on my phone. It didn't flag anything at > > these times. > > 3) A lot of the "never seen" birds (see #1) were also flagged ... when I > > heard nothing at all. Is my hearing really that bad? I intend to test > > this more ... even enlisting the help of others to confirm that they > > "heard nothing/something" when I heard nothing and SoundId flagged. > > 4) I have added several new (to me) bird songs/calls that I had been > > hearing all along - but didn't know which bird it was. > > So, overall I am finding SoundID to be a very useful tool for learning bird > > songs/calls. > > - Jim > > P.S. I got a very long look at a nestbox occupied by a family of Tree > Swallows > > where the adults were zooming here and there after insects and then > > returning to the box to feed the young bird who had its head stuck out of > > the hole and was blocking the entire hole. At one point I briefly thought I > > saw a probable second young behind and above its head. > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 12:41:33 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 12:42:08 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Monopod recommendations In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Richard, ? I have a couple - and neither gets used as much as I expected. The last one I bought and my preferred monopod is the Sirui P-236.? And it is my car at all times "waiting for the call".? HOWEVER ... ? My bottom line for what I will do/carry around with me all the time is that, for me, my mode of birding/bird photography is "walking around" and so I have been experimenting more with shutter speed - and hand held. I have a fairly light setup (Canon R7 + RF 100-400 + 1.4 extender) which gives me a range of 140mm to 560mm (not including the crop factor adjustment).? I have it all set up for AF with IS and with 3 custom modes for different shutter speeds (all auto ISO and shutter preferred).? The speeds I'm using now are 1/200, 1/500, and 1/2000.? I use 1/200 when the bird is perched, 1/2000 for birds in flight, and 1/500 for things like a bird that is walking or a seabird that is sitting on the water and rising and falling with the swell.? Yes, I loose about a third of the shots I shoot at 1/200.? I did several days (birding trips) that were dedicated to seeing how the shutter speed changes worked (for me with my camera/setup).? I've been using these 3 program modes now for about a month without changing any of them - but I still am open to making a change ... when I discover something better. ? My standard approach is to carry the camera set up for 1/2000, take an initial shot/shots at that speed and then slow the shutter speed down for a lower ISO which results in better detail. ? If I had a gimbal mount on my monopod - or if I decide it is time to do video instead of stills - then the Sirui would come out of the car a lot more often than it does now.? I didn't like the way it is so sensitive with respect to "tilt" ... it is often simply less stable than hand held. - Jim On 7/9/2024 12:04 PM, via Tweeters wrote: > Monopod recommendations -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 13:07:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Joshua Hayes via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 13:07:47 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Upping my game (sound ID) Message-ID: I'll add a couple of things about using Merlin as a birding aid during my largely back-yard birding. First, I'll chime in with the frustration that Merlin refuses to hear some things. I have stood literal feet away from a singing Varied Thrush, for instance, and it insists there are no birds singing. Okay, so I KNOW what a VATH sounds like, but what else might I be missing with my aging ears? Second, on the positive side, it's been really useful at ID-ing things that just sound funny to me. I had a passel of house finches not so long ago, and then I heard one weirdly musical house finch in the mix, fired up Merlin, and it confidently told me THAT one was a Purple Finch, which I was able to track down and distinguish as indeed different. Kudos, Merlin! Josh Hayes Joshuaahayes@proton.me Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/) secure email. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 13:22:13 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Pauline Sterin via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 13:22:51 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't "Hear" Message-ID: <81CCE50C-7470-4E28-8C74-1ACC1CD2FA7D@icloud.com> Several times Merlin has failed to acknowledge a bird call that seems clear to me. In those cases, when I get home, I play back that Merlin record to another birdsong app, BirdNET. This free app is also Cornell-scientist designed. One plays the bird song with Merlin, highlights the resulting sonogram on the BirdNET app, then hits "Identify." Often a correct ID will result. Pauline Sterin Bellingham From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 14:07:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jerry Tangren via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 14:07:44 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't "Hear" In-Reply-To: <81CCE50C-7470-4E28-8C74-1ACC1CD2FA7D@icloud.com> References: <81CCE50C-7470-4E28-8C74-1ACC1CD2FA7D@icloud.com> Message-ID: Merlin has an obvious problem on my iPhone, especially after a period of sustained use, 20 minutes or so. It becomes mostly deaf, but not entirely. My guess is that it?s associated with memory use. The iPhone dynamically assigns memory to Merlin while the app is running. It appears that after time, Merlin is floundering in its memory use. It appears that if you close Merlin, the iPhone or the app is able to recycle the wasted memory. If you then open Merlin it can again id bird sounds. I?m not sure how long the process takes, but it?s at least a few minutes. I first noticed it this last May when we were birding Cuyahoga National Park near Cleveland. We are less familiar with the eastern birds so for periods of time we just left it running. It detected a remarkable number of species we might have otherwise ignored. However, we did not count the species unless we could confirm them ourselves. If you?re interested my trip list is on eBird at https://ebird.org/tripreport/232830 --Jerry Tangren, Kloshe Woods East Wenatchee, WA Get Outlook for iOS ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Pauline Sterin via Tweeters Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2024 1:22:13 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't "Hear" Several times Merlin has failed to acknowledge a bird call that seems clear to me. In those cases, when I get home, I play back that Merlin record to another birdsong app, BirdNET. This free app is also Cornell-scientist designed. One plays the bird song with Merlin, highlights the resulting sonogram on the BirdNET app, then hits "Identify." Often a correct ID will result. Pauline Sterin Bellingham _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmailman11.u.washington.edu%2Fmailman%2Flistinfo%2Ftweeters&data=05%7C02%7C%7C7c9f78f5af9a47eb5c4e08dca05510dd%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638561534435419646%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NBszjCnzgi2thEa5ccekNxMsny6uNhOnKBHBVUcGxWg%3D&reserved=0 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 14:43:52 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 14:43:59 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Need Identification Message-ID: <003001dad249$17ca9950$475fcbf0$@gmail.com> One quick look and slightly out of focus photo and it was gone. A little bit larger than a nearby American Goldfinch. It seems familiar but I can't come up with anything. I have posted it here: https://pbase.com/jvhigbee/gallery/yardnew Joe Higbee -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 15:11:12 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Roger Craik via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 15:11:16 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Need Identification In-Reply-To: <003001dad249$17ca9950$475fcbf0$@gmail.com> References: <003001dad249$17ca9950$475fcbf0$@gmail.com> Message-ID: Looks like a Gold Finch https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/amegfi/cur/introduction?media=photos On 2024-07-09 2:43 p.m., via Tweeters wrote: > > One quick look and slightly out of focus photo and it was gone. A > little bit larger than a nearby American Goldfinch. It seems familiar > but I can?t come up with anything. > > I have posted it here: > > https://pbase.com/jvhigbee/gallery/yardnew > > Joe Higbee > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -- Roger Craik Cell: 604-970-2322 Home: 604-467-5412 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 15:28:50 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 15:28:54 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Need ID Message-ID: <001901dad24f$5f84f7d0$1e8ee770$@gmail.com> Of course it's familiar. Amgo female it is with its head in the shadow. Thanks, Joe -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 9 15:28:29 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (ck park via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 9 15:29:09 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't "Hear" In-Reply-To: <81CCE50C-7470-4E28-8C74-1ACC1CD2FA7D@icloud.com> References: <81CCE50C-7470-4E28-8C74-1ACC1CD2FA7D@icloud.com> Message-ID: merlin on my android stopped "hearing" anything. i know the recording volume is fine, but even with birds chittering feet away, the sonograph barely budges from background noise... even when i speak directly into the microphone, the sonograph barely moves, and nothing comes out where i play it back. phone still works fine, as do media players and the default sound recorder app... it was fine a month ago, so i'm not sure what's happened in the meantime -- no update since that i know of... On Tue, Jul 9, 2024 at 1:23?PM Pauline Sterin via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Several times Merlin has failed to acknowledge a bird call that seems > clear to me. In those cases, when I get home, I play back that Merlin > record to another birdsong app, BirdNET. This free app is also > Cornell-scientist designed. One plays the bird song with Merlin, highlights > the resulting sonogram on the BirdNET app, then hits "Identify." Often a > correct ID will result. > > Pauline Sterin > Bellingham > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 10 14:21:17 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diann MacRae via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 10 14:21:22 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] June 2024 TUVU report Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 10 14:46:43 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 10 14:46:48 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't Hear In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <62f80c09-c9f2-4bdd-8b40-950eb90d3da5@jimbetz.com> Pauline/all, ? I think we are onto something here ... ? Hmmm, I had not noticed that the times when Merlin seems to not ID were also the times when I'd been using it for several minutes.? I'm not sure its "memory" on the phone but this is a good idea and I will stop and restart Merlin and see if that makes it work again.? I strongly suspect it will and will get to test it in a couple of hours.?????????????? - watch this space ... Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 10 16:42:24 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jane Hadley via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 10 16:42:30 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Monopod recommendations Message-ID: I have a Sony RX10 Mark IV camera, which I very much like, but it is too heavy for me to hold still. I knew when I bought the camera that I would require a monopod or tripod. I looked hard for a tripod that would be simple, fast and easy to adjust and light to carry.? (I decided against a monopod, because I didn't want to have to hold the monopod at all times. It is handy to be able to leave a tripod sitting there while I use my hands or move around.) I finally found a good tripod for my purposes, thanks to help from a friend. It is a Sirui A-1005. I got it on sale at Kenmore Camera. It came with a ball head, which I did not like, so I bought the Sirui VA-5 ultra compact video head, which I really like, because it is simple and allows me to use one hand to control the tripod head and the other hand to fiddle with the camera. The A-1005 is a travel tripod with four telescoping sections and is short enough to pack in a suitcase. Crucially, it is light enough to carry comfortably while walking around birdwatching. Some caveats: Because this is a light-weight travel tripod, it will not stand up as well to strong winds as heavier, sturdier tripods would. It also might not be tall enough for a person who is 6 feet tall or taller. But I have found this tripod and video head to be terrific for my birdwatching photography. Jane Hadley Seattle, Wa hadleyj1725@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 11 13:24:21 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 11 13:24:24 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't Hear In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <228f5a40-da0f-49c7-9d3e-5a12cad0f3e7@jimbetz.com> Hi again, ? My testing yesterday proved interesting.? I purposely went to a location where I had previously used Merlin in my last testing/learning how to bird-by-ear.? Merlin SoundID behaved the same as before: ? 1) When I first started it - there was a quick flood of about 6 or 7 species and then ?????? other species were added one at a time not long after. ? 2) Then? it slowed down on adding and finally 'stopped hearing' after about 7 minutes ?????? or so.? Two loud, clear things I expected it to report were the song of a Swainson's ?????? Thrush and the call of a Red-tailed Hawk.? Both of those it had already heard and ?????? reported (lit up the line in the Merlin app for that species). ? 3) Closing out the app on my iPhone and then restarting it "woke it back up again" ?????? and the results were similar to what is in #1 and #2 above.? I did not try the ????? "pause and restart" options in the app - I closed it completely. ? So - for the time being - I feel like I have a bypass/way to go forward ... namely just don't leave SoundID running too long without closing the app and restarting it. ? ===> I have reported this to the Merlin development team. And a couple of other ??????????? things as well.? I have not received any response yet.? I'll advise when I do. ???????????????????????????????? - again ... watch this space ....????????????????????????????? - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 11 15:01:34 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Hobbs via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 11 15:01:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-07-11 Message-ID: Tweets - Another morning with too-nice weather, though at least it was cooler than previous days. Temps in the high-50's and 60's this morning. It almost felt odd to actually feel a bit of chill. But beautiful blue skies and only a hint of a breeze. Willow Flycatchers and Swainson's Thrushes dominated the bird song. Begging baby birds were everywhere. Highlights: Virginia Rail - One responded for only the 2nd time since April Glaucous-winged Gull - One at the lake. Does it qualify as the first of fall ??? Black-throated Gray Warbler - One on the edge of the Dog Meadow - First of Fall (FOF) for sure Black-headed Grosbeak - Mother feeding a baby, Dog Meadow edge We also had a RACCOON in the willows along the slough below the weir, First of Year (FOY) I know I recently posted that rarities almost never show up at this time of year. To mock me, an AMERICAN REDSTART was photographed on Friday, 7/5 by Bill Hubbard, the first AMRE for July and just the 5th for the park ever. Then, on Saturday, 7/6, a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was photographed by Lillian Reis. Quite a few people saw this bird over the weekend. This was just the 3rd sighting for NOMO for the park, with the other two sightings in May and September. AND, AND, AND, on Sunday, 7/7, Timothy Garland photographed an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER in the East Meadow. Surprisingly, ATFL is not nearly as much of a rarity than the other two; this is the 10th record for the park, and the 2nd for July, but *Geesh*. Quite a run of unusual birds. We had none of those birds today. Misses today included Hooded Merganser, Pied-billed Grebe, Green Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Cliff Swallow, and Bullock's Oriole. For the day, 56 species. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 11 18:31:02 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shep Thorp via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 11 18:31:19 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/10/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Approximately 30 of us had a spectacular day at the Refuge with sunny skies and temperatures in the 60's to 80's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a HIgh 10'2" Tide at 8:33am, so we altered our regular walk and skipped the Orchard and Access Roads in the morning to get out on the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail during the falling tide and before the afternoon heat. Highlights included a SANDHILL CRANE spotted by Nate flying and landing on the tidal marsh plain along Shannon Slough closest to I5, WHIMBREL spotted by Jason on the tidal mudflats west of Leschi slough along with 700 peeps approximately 80% WESTERN SANDPIPER/20% LEAST SANDPIPER, many juvenile birds in the Riparian Habitat along the Twin Barns Loop Trail including really cute looks of recently fledged YELLOW WARBLER, BROWN CREEPER, and CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE. Some of our group birded the dike before 8am and picked up early birds YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, SORA and VIRGINIA RAIL. Duck numbers were very low as it is hard to search the overgrown fields and freshwater marsh, however we had good shorebirds with autumnal migration including LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS. For the day we observed 66 species, with FOY Sandhill Crane, we have seen 157 species this year. See eBird report pasted below with embedded photos. Until next week when we meet again at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook at 8am, happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jul 10, 2024 6:57 AM - 3:28 PM Protocol: Traveling 7.23 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Sunny with temperatures in the 60?s to 80?s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 10?2? Tide at 8:33am. Mammals seen Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, and Harbor Seal. Others seen Red-eared Slider. 66 species (+3 other taxa) Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 2 Wood Duck 10 Visitor Center Pond. Mallard 10 Hooded Merganser 2 Visitor Center Pond and Freshwater Marsh. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3 Band-tailed Pigeon 6 Twin Barns Loop Trail. Anna's Hummingbird 1 Rufous Hummingbird 1 hummingbird sp. 1 Virginia Rail 1 Heard tikking Sora 1 Youngster Sandhill Crane 1 Spotted by Nate flying and and later relocated foraging along Shannon Slough near I5. Large wading waterbird with outstretched neck and flat wings, large bustle while walking on tidal marsh plain. Observed by many for 5-10 minutes at 1/2 mile with binoculars and spotting scope. Very unusual to see this species at this time of year. Ruled out GBHE by lack of black flight feathers, flight style, foraging technique and size of bustle. Killdeer 3 Mudflats west of Leschi Slough and Nisqually River Overlook. Whimbrel 1 Spotted by Jason, previously reported large shorebird with long decurved bill and stripes on crown. Seen on mudflats west of Leschi Slough. Long-billed Dowitcher 7 1 roosting in freshwater marsh, 6 others flew into freshwater marsh. Wilson's Snipe 1 Freshwater Marsh. Greater Yellowlegs 6 Freshwater Marsh and channel edges on mudflats along Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Least Sandpiper 100 Good numbers over mudflats during early autumnal migration. Western Sandpiper 600 Upwards of 700 birds seen, 80% Western, 20% Least Sandpiper on Mudflats west of Leschi Slough on falling tide. Counted in groups of 50 with spotting scope. Ring-billed Gull 100 California Gull 10 Glaucous-winged Gull 1 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 1 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20 Caspian Tern 40 Brandt's Cormorant 2 Nisqually River Channel Marker Double-crested Cormorant 50 Great Blue Heron 50 Osprey 1 Bald Eagle 20 Occupied nest on McAllister Creek West Bank hill across from the Puget Sound Observation Platform. Belted Kingfisher 1 Nisqually River. Red-breasted Sapsucker 1 Spotted by Matt along Twin Barns Loop Trail. Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2 Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3 Twin Barns Loop Trail. Northern Flicker 2 Western Wood-Pewee 6 Willow Flycatcher 6 Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope) 1 Riparian Forest Overlook. Steller's Jay 1 Heard from McAllister Creek Observation Platform. American Crow 2 Black-capped Chickadee 10 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4 Bank Swallow 2 Tree Swallow 20 Violet-green Swallow 1 Purple Martin 2 Luhr Beach Boat Ramp Goards. Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6 Barn Swallow (American) 50 Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 50 Bushtit 20 Brown Creeper 8 Marsh Wren 3 Bewick's Wren 4 European Starling 100 Swainson's Thrush 40 American Robin 15 Cedar Waxwing 15 Purple Finch 1 Visitor Center. American Goldfinch 15 Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 7 Song Sparrow 25 Spotted Towhee (oregonus Group) 1 Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 Briefly popped out of the reeds in the freshwater marsh, seen by Nate and I for a split second, but not seen again. Black bird with yellow head (I didn?t get a read on age/sex, but Nate thought it was a female). Continuing this summer although infrequently reported. Bullock's Oriole 1 M Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 50 Brown-headed Cowbird 20 Common Yellowthroat 6 Yellow Warbler (Northern) 15 Wilson's Warbler 1 Heard by Nate around Twin Barns. View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S186397369 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 11 20:38:29 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carlos Andersen via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 11 20:38:43 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts Message-ID: A couple years ago in Skagit County near the Swinomish Reservation around 44 nesting pairs of American White Pelicans were getting established on a nearby island. All was going well until July 5th when it was discovered the Pelicans all abandoned the site. It was suspected the large amount of fireworks from the 4th of July was the cause for them to abandoned the colony. Carlos From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 11 20:46:30 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Nancy Crowell via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 11 20:46:59 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The pelicans are there now. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Carlos Andersen via Tweeters Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2024 8:38:29 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts A couple years ago in Skagit County near the Swinomish Reservation around 44 nesting pairs of American White Pelicans were getting established on a nearby island. All was going well until July 5th when it was discovered the Pelicans all abandoned the site. It was suspected the large amount of fireworks from the 4th of July was the cause for them to abandoned the colony. Carlos _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 12 05:48:45 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carlos Andersen via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 12 05:49:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Maybe they will try again to nest and establish a colony there. However, the only established colonies in the state, to my knowledge at this time, are one or two along the Columbia River. Carlos On Jul 11, 2024, at 20:46, Nancy Crowell wrote: ? The pelicans are there now. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com From: Tweeters on behalf of Carlos Andersen via Tweeters Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2024 8:38:29 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts A couple years ago in Skagit County near the Swinomish Reservation around 44 nesting pairs of American White Pelicans were getting established on a nearby island. All was going well until July 5th when it was discovered the Pelicans all abandoned the site. It was suspected the large amount of fireworks from the 4th of July was the cause for them to abandoned the colony. Carlos _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 12 05:53:12 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Nancy Crowell via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 12 05:53:16 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: They have been returning every year for several years. I don?t think they are nesting but haven?t been monitoring them closely. There is a Facebook group called American White Pelicans of Padilla Bay that tracks their arrival and departure. More than fireworks, I think there was s concerted effort by Swinomish to chase them off a few years ago. They sent boats out to harass them at least once that I am aware of. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com ________________________________ From: Carlos Andersen <2carlosandersen@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 5:48:45 AM To: Nancy Crowell Cc: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts Maybe they will try again to nest and establish a colony there. However, the only established colonies in the state, to my knowledge at this time, are one or two along the Columbia River. Carlos On Jul 11, 2024, at 20:46, Nancy Crowell wrote: ? The pelicans are there now. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Carlos Andersen via Tweeters Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2024 8:38:29 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts A couple years ago in Skagit County near the Swinomish Reservation around 44 nesting pairs of American White Pelicans were getting established on a nearby island. All was going well until July 5th when it was discovered the Pelicans all abandoned the site. It was suspected the large amount of fireworks from the 4th of July was the cause for them to abandoned the colony. Carlos _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 12 06:00:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carlos Andersen via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 12 06:00:51 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <422F9458-037D-4FE5-AF0C-25FCAA155C3D@gmail.com> We also have large numbers of them at Deer Lagoon and Crockett Lake here on Whidbey but they are not nesting. Harassing the Pelicans would be in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and should be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Thanks. Carlos On Jul 12, 2024, at 05:53, Nancy Crowell wrote: ? They have been returning every year for several years. I don?t think they are nesting but haven?t been monitoring them closely. There is a Facebook group called American White Pelicans of Padilla Bay that tracks their arrival and departure. More than fireworks, I think there was s concerted effort by Swinomish to chase them off a few years ago. They sent boats out to harass them at least once that I am aware of. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com From: Carlos Andersen <2carlosandersen@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 5:48:45 AM To: Nancy Crowell Cc: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts Maybe they will try again to nest and establish a colony there. However, the only established colonies in the state, to my knowledge at this time, are one or two along the Columbia River. Carlos On Jul 11, 2024, at 20:46, Nancy Crowell wrote: ? The pelicans are there now. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com From: Tweeters on behalf of Carlos Andersen via Tweeters Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2024 8:38:29 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts A couple years ago in Skagit County near the Swinomish Reservation around 44 nesting pairs of American White Pelicans were getting established on a nearby island. All was going well until July 5th when it was discovered the Pelicans all abandoned the site. It was suspected the large amount of fireworks from the 4th of July was the cause for them to abandoned the colony. Carlos _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 12 06:37:26 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Nancy Crowell via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 12 06:37:30 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts In-Reply-To: <422F9458-037D-4FE5-AF0C-25FCAA155C3D@gmail.com> References: <422F9458-037D-4FE5-AF0C-25FCAA155C3D@gmail.com> Message-ID: It may have been, but it was also official Swinomish patrols who don?t want them eating the fish. It was a few years ago. Obviously didn?t work as they keep returning. Are the back on Deer Lagoon and Crockett Lake now? The ones in Padilla Bay are often too far out for decent photos. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com ________________________________ From: Carlos Andersen <2carlosandersen@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 6:00:35 AM To: Nancy Crowell Cc: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts We also have large numbers of them at Deer Lagoon and Crockett Lake here on Whidbey but they are not nesting. Harassing the Pelicans would be in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and should be reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Thanks. Carlos On Jul 12, 2024, at 05:53, Nancy Crowell wrote: ? They have been returning every year for several years. I don?t think they are nesting but haven?t been monitoring them closely. There is a Facebook group called American White Pelicans of Padilla Bay that tracks their arrival and departure. More than fireworks, I think there was s concerted effort by Swinomish to chase them off a few years ago. They sent boats out to harass them at least once that I am aware of. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com ________________________________ From: Carlos Andersen <2carlosandersen@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 5:48:45 AM To: Nancy Crowell Cc: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts Maybe they will try again to nest and establish a colony there. However, the only established colonies in the state, to my knowledge at this time, are one or two along the Columbia River. Carlos On Jul 11, 2024, at 20:46, Nancy Crowell wrote: ? The pelicans are there now. Nancy "Images for the imagination." www.crowellphotography.com ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Carlos Andersen via Tweeters Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2024 8:38:29 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Fireworks Impacts A couple years ago in Skagit County near the Swinomish Reservation around 44 nesting pairs of American White Pelicans were getting established on a nearby island. All was going well until July 5th when it was discovered the Pelicans all abandoned the site. It was suspected the large amount of fireworks from the 4th of July was the cause for them to abandoned the colony. Carlos _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 12 13:21:06 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 12 13:21:09 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] When Merlin Won't Hear In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4567cb16-1288-4259-b5d2-4439e4a58ac5@jimbetz.com> Hi, ? Just a quick update.? I went out again this morning - to a different location but probably similar in terms of habitat.? The location today was the Skagit Land Trust property known as "Utopia Road" and is East of Sedro along North side of the Skagit River. ? The behavior - SoundId stops hearing/reporting new songs/calls - was essentially the same.? If you let SoundId run continuously it will ask you if you want to continue after 10 minutes.? My observation is that this is not the 'trigger' and that it stops listening/hearing about 5 to 7 minutes from the start. ? However - I again noticed that SoundId seemed to 'ignore' very distinctive and loud songs/calls for species that it had reported just a few minutes before. ? Today's ratio of heard but not seen was about 3 to 1 or more - meaning that it reported species that I never saw/even got a glimpse of a possible.? For today's location that is/was not surprising since it was a trail that wanders in and out between tall trees (alder and evergreens) and open country that had bushes and grasses and berry vines between 4 and 15 feet tall. ? I have not had a response from the Dev team at Cornell yet. Watch this space. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ????????? - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 07:45:09 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 07:45:34 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Kestrel nesting References: Message-ID: <979194F1-D297-4394-9996-5F6190254DF6@comcast.net> This is really neat. Eurasian Kestrels are common all across Eurasia and Africa, with habits much like our American Kestrel. > > https://www.facebook.com/reel/1541454176750965?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v Dennis Paulson Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 09:12:13 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diann MacRae via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 09:12:18 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian kestrel et al Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 10:39:30 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 10:39:45 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Kestrel nesting In-Reply-To: <979194F1-D297-4394-9996-5F6190254DF6@comcast.net> References: <979194F1-D297-4394-9996-5F6190254DF6@comcast.net> Message-ID: Great photo sequence. And thanks Dennis, for the Memories........................................ Eurasian Kestrel--another great Washington Bird of the last century. Zoom in to see all the sightings: https://ebird.org/map/eurkes?neg=true&env.minX=-144.50814843749998&env.minY=37.55361984922765&env.maxX=-95.72885156249998&env.maxY=53.15361034822624&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&excludeExX=false&excludeExAll=false&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2024 Only a single photo on eBird so far and by another Oregon birder, Skip Russel, even though many sightings over a wide area on the Samish Flats by Washingtonians. These were the 'bird slides' days. https://ebird.org/checklist/S186993296 Bob OBrien Portland On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 7:45?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > This is really neat. Eurasian Kestrels are common all across Eurasia and > Africa, with habits much like our American Kestrel. > > > > https://www.facebook.com/reel/1541454176750965?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v > > > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 11:05:47 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 11:06:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Kestrel nesting In-Reply-To: References: <979194F1-D297-4394-9996-5F6190254DF6@comcast.net> Message-ID: More history: As Dennis says, habits are similar to our 'American Kestrel' especially both being cavity nesters that take to bird boxes very regularly; as in the video. Our kestrel was formerly called the 'Sparrow Hawk' but was changed years ago to the current name. It rarely captures sparrows or any birds though. Note in my photo(s) that structurally it is quite different from our Kestrel. Bob OBrien On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 10:39?AM Robert O'Brien wrote: > Great photo sequence. And thanks Dennis, for the > Memories........................................ > Eurasian Kestrel--another great Washington Bird of the last century. > Zoom in to see all the sightings: > > > https://ebird.org/map/eurkes?neg=true&env.minX=-144.50814843749998&env.minY=37.55361984922765&env.maxX=-95.72885156249998&env.maxY=53.15361034822624&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&excludeExX=false&excludeExAll=false&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2024 > > Only a single photo on eBird so far and by another Oregon birder, Skip > Russel, even though many sightings over a wide area on the Samish Flats by > Washingtonians. > > These were the 'bird slides' days. > https://ebird.org/checklist/S186993296 > > Bob OBrien Portland > > > > On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 7:45?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > >> This is really neat. Eurasian Kestrels are common all across Eurasia and >> Africa, with habits much like our American Kestrel. >> >> >> >> https://www.facebook.com/reel/1541454176750965?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v >> >> >> >> Dennis Paulson >> Seattle >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 12:18:42 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Sharon Howard via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 12:18:57 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owl Hooting in Ballard Message-ID: <5A48D478-77C9-4165-9FC5-50B0B2E5F4CE@comcast.net> This morning at about 4:30 I heard a barred owl hooting repeatedly near our Lower Sunset Hill house. I don?t ever recall hearing one near us before. Now I wonder where it was perched and if this is unusual for our location. I have seen one up at 137th and Northwood Road area, but in our neighborhood. A real treat. Sharon Howard Seattle From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 14:28:52 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ellen Blackstone via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 14:29:08 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Tweeters - Eurasian Kestrel nesting In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Love that! Thanks, Dennis. Wow, the color of the eggs is amazing. I remember several years ago that there was a Eurasian Kestrel somewhere up around the West 90 ... or north of Bow or somewhere around there. Several tries and I did not manage to see it, but it sure was fun to try. Cheers, Ellen > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 21:49:04 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Noseworthy via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 21:49:21 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Shearwaters Message-ID: I witnessed the most incredible amount of shearwaters flying by Klipsan beach at about 5 - 5:30 this evening. They streamed by continuously for at least half an hour. I estimate in the 10?s of thousands. Not very far out, just beyond the waves breaking. They seemed long on the wing and sleek. Probably Sooty. Anybody else experience this? Any thoughts? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 14 22:06:48 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (dan&erika via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 14 22:07:18 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Shearwaters In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Erika and I celebrated an anniversary on 17 June 2002 at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino north of Ocean Shores. It was windy and rainy, but we were comfortable on our upper story balcony. There was a large low pressure cell offshore. We saw thousands of shearwaters and one Laysan Albatross. All flew south, just off shore. Dan Tallman On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 9:49?PM Steve Noseworthy via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > I witnessed the most incredible amount of shearwaters flying by Klipsan > beach at about 5 - 5:30 this evening. They streamed by continuously for at > least half an hour. I estimate in the 10?s of thousands. Not very far out, > just beyond the waves breaking. They seemed long on the wing and sleek. > Probably Sooty. Anybody else experience this? Any thoughts? > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- Dan or Erika Tallman Olympia, Washington danerika@gmail.com ".... the best shod travel with wet feet...Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes ....??H. D. Thoreau -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 15 00:36:48 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Greg via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 15 00:37:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Shearwaters In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1A80C3E4-6644-455F-91FC-7C13DAAC05F5@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 15 06:54:53 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 15 06:55:21 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Shearwaters In-Reply-To: <1A80C3E4-6644-455F-91FC-7C13DAAC05F5@gmail.com> References: <1A80C3E4-6644-455F-91FC-7C13DAAC05F5@gmail.com> Message-ID: <91DF6400-9C37-410C-B916-A1627FCA758E@comcast.net> I?ve seen those movements a half-dozen times or more in five decades, always estimated in the tens of thousands, could be heading in either direction. When in those numbers, they are always Sooty Shearwaters, which has been called the most abundant bird in the world. How amazing is it that they come here from New Zealand or other breeding sites thousands of miles to the south in the southern ocean? They come here because our waters are as productive as anywhere in the world and because they can, with their powerful, fast flight and the ability to surf the wind. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 15, 2024, at 12:36 AM, Greg via Tweeters wrote: > > I certainly observed a similar phenomenon some years back. Was it 2002? Was it near Ocean Shores. Regardless, it seemed almost mysticaI. The stream was literally endless, as I did not wait for the end! I remember counting by 25s (like 1, 2, 3, a hundred, etc.) approximately every second until I bored of it! However, I called them Common > Murres. You?ve got me wondering now? > > Greg Pluth > University Place > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Jul 14, 2024, at 10:07 PM, dan&erika via Tweeters wrote: >> >> ? >> Erika and I celebrated an anniversary on 17 June 2002 at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino north of Ocean Shores. It was windy and rainy, but we were comfortable on our upper story balcony. There was a large low pressure cell offshore. We saw thousands of shearwaters and one Laysan Albatross. All flew south, just off shore. Dan Tallman >> >> On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 9:49?PM Steve Noseworthy via Tweeters > wrote: >> I witnessed the most incredible amount of shearwaters flying by Klipsan beach at about 5 - 5:30 this evening. They streamed by continuously for at least half an hour. I estimate in the 10?s of thousands. Not very far out, just beyond the waves breaking. They seemed long on the wing and sleek. Probably Sooty. Anybody else experience this? Any thoughts? _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> >> >> -- >> Dan or Erika Tallman >> Olympia, Washington >> danerika@gmail.com >> >> ".... the best shod travel with wet feet...Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes ....??H. D. Thoreau >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 15 11:05:47 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Caitlin O'Neil via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 15 13:23:23 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Help Us Learn About the Effects of Wildfire Smoke on Birds Message-ID: Dear Washingtonians ? the birds need your help! Climate change is intensifying wildfire activity, and birds are increasingly exposed to hazardous smoke. How does wildfire smoke affect birds, and what can we do to help birds thrive during ever-smokier summers? You can join Project Phoenix and help solve the mystery. Project Phoenix is a community science project led by researchers at UCLA and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County to monitor birds in California, Oregon, and Washington during the 2024 fire season. Volunteers survey birds in their neighborhoods for just *10 minutes a week*. Researchers will use this data to learn more about how smoke impacts bird behavior and species distributions. Data collection is ongoing, now through November 30th, and volunteers are accepted on a rolling basis ? no previous birding experience is required. Sign up today at www.projectphoenix.study! Caitlin O'Neil projectphoenix.socal@gmail.com projectphoenix.study -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 15 18:34:00 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Vicki via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 15 18:34:18 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Crossbill, a young evening Grosbeak and 4 fledged Lessers Message-ID: Today was an eventful finch day. I was especially happy to see a single male crossbill in my pond today! Hadn?t seen one in a couple of years. I?ve had a nice little family of lesser goldfinches in the tree and landing on the feeder as well as the ponds stream. Seems to be about 4 fledged with one family. And then the normal purples, house American goldfinches, and siskins as well. Happy Birding , Vicki Biltz vickibiltz@gmail.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/saw-whets_new/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 08:57:30 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mike Wagenbach via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 08:58:04 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owl Hooting in Ballard Message-ID: I heard two Barred Owls calling back and forth in Discovery Park in the late 1990s, IIRC, so they are around. Eventually we were able to see one of them in a tree near the trail, but it was amazing how hard the bird was to spot when it was only maybe 30 feet away. It was near the point marked 17 in the map here: https: //www.fodp.org/maps/ (remove the space to open link) I'm not thrilled to hear them since they are an invasive species and are said to be tough on the Screech Owls. Mike Wagenbach Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 09:03:20 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Marcus Roening via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 09:03:34 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Fwd=3A_Lesser_Nighthawk_still_at_Getty?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=99s_Cove=2C_Kittitas_County_WA?= References: Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 09:04:10 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Marcus Roening via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 09:04:24 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] =?utf-8?q?Fwd=3A_Lesser_Nighthawk_still_at_Getty?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=99s_Cove=2C_Kittitas_County_WA?= References: Message-ID: <173A7385-B3FB-4462-8D7F-EFC332C9F8F3@rainierconnect.com> > From: Marcus Roening > Date: July 16, 2024 at 9:00:20?AM PDT > To: Tweeters > Subject: Lesser Nighthawk still at Getty?s Cove, Kittitas County WA > > ?Hi Tweets, > > Amazingly, the Lesser Nighthawk at Getty?s Cove (new PUD name is The Cove) just south of Vantage WA is still here! It was originally found on 5/23/24 by Dave Swayne after hearing its unique trilling call. > > It appeared to fly out of one of the trees at the concrete bridge entering into treed area where we?ve found it twice previously. I swear we?ve stared into those same 2 trees for 30 minutes before locating it, even though once found it seems to be in clear view. > > It flew and perched in 2nd tree on left if walking across the concrete bridge straight White primary patches closer to end of more rounded end of wing than Common Nighthawk. Barring on breast brown and black. The key on the roosting bird is to see the buffy spots on primaries in front of white primary patch. > > We saw at least 3 Common Nighthawks, as well. > > This is a day use park on Huntzinger Road with a porta potty and picnic tables under some well appreciated shade trees. You?ll need to walk west through the closed gate on the old paved road which will bring you to the ?concrete bridge? and the old RV campground area filled with large trees. > > Good birding, > > Marcus Roening > Tacoma WA > > Sent from my iPhone > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 09:31:16 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 09:31:44 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owl Hooting in Ballard In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2F6ADD83-0B5C-4608-A610-5161E03CD4A1@comcast.net> Mike, they are thrilling to hear and see. We live above Thornton Creek, where there is a nesting pair, and we hear them from time to time and have seen them in our yard a few times. They seem to be the only owl species in the neighborhood. But I wanted to note that they are not an invasive species. An invasive species is one that humans have transported out of its normal range and, often unfortunately, does very well in its new location at the expense of other species. Barred Owls, on the other hand, expanded their range naturally across the Rockies and then down the Pacific states. The only thing we had to do with that probably involves the habitat changes that we have made over time that facilitated the owl?s expansion. Yes, they are threatening the existence of endangered Spotted Owls, and they may be involved in the disappearance of screech-owls from some urban areas, but they are a natural phenomenon, much like the variety of bird species that have expanded their ranges north from California into Washington without such apparent consequences. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 16, 2024, at 8:57 AM, Mike Wagenbach via Tweeters wrote: > > I heard two Barred Owls calling back and forth in Discovery Park in the late 1990s, IIRC, so they are around. Eventually we were able to see one of them in a tree near the trail, but it was amazing how hard the bird was to spot when it was only maybe 30 feet away. It was near the point marked 17 in the map here: https: //www.fodp.org/maps/ (remove the space to open link) > > I'm not thrilled to hear them since they are an invasive species and are said to be tough on the Screech Owls. > > Mike Wagenbach > Seattle > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 11:35:49 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 11:36:04 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] question about a nest Message-ID: <00b201dad7ae$fca53de0$f5efb9a0$@raehight.com> Hello! I just found a cup-style bird nest with three light colored eggs with spots built on the end of an evergreen branch in a woody area, fully exposed. I didn?t want to disturb it, but with a quick glance, the eggs seemed round, about ? inch? Could this still be an active nest or one that?s most likely been abandoned? Seems like a bird fluttered further into the branch as I stopped. We live in the woods in the Pacific Northwest (Port Orchard) with a lot of evergreen and deciduous trees in our back woods. There were broken shells (blue ? probably a robin?s?) nearby. According to Merlin, the only birds identified in this area are Chestnut-backed Chickadees, but we?ve also heard Dark-eyed Juncos in that same area. Any ideas? Thanks, Rae Hight rae@raehight.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 13:12:33 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diann MacRae via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 13:12:40 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owls Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 15:16:32 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Joshua Hayes via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 15:16:42 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Calling Barred Owls In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Sent with Proton Mail secure email. Former academic ecologist here, and I'll confirm Dennis's notes on the distinction between invasive and expanding range. We have a resident barred owl in our tiny little park here in Licton Springs (my son has an eerie ability to find it during the day; probably just his 27-year-old eyes compared to my 63-year-old ones). I'd also note that we have at least occasional saw-whet owls over on the North Seattle College campus, something I'd have been dubious about except that that same son recovered a dead saw-whet over there in the last couple of years, which we then donated to the Burke. But I've never heard a screech owl in Seattle, it's true. Josh Hayes Joshuaahayes@proton.me Dennis Paulson writes: > Mike, they are thrilling to hear and see. We live above Thornton Creek, where there is a nesting pair, and we hear them from time to time and have seen them in our yard a few times. They seem to be the only owl species in the neighborhood. > > But I wanted to note that they are not an invasive species. An invasive species is one that humans have transported out of its normal range and, often unfortunately, does very well in its new location at the expense of other species. > > Barred Owls, on the other hand, expanded their range naturally across the Rockies and then down the Pacific states. The only thing we had to do with that probably involves the habitat changes that we have made over time that facilitated the owl?s expansion. > > ***************************************** From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 16:14:03 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (John Riegsecker via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 16:13:59 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Port Orchard Caspian Terns Message-ID: <012bc39b-cc32-4360-b909-4d9f2750fb54@pobox.com> All, The past few weeks the morning tides were high enough they forced the terns arriving for the day to within a hundred yards of the path which made it easy to count them and photograph leg bands. The highest count was 405 birds. For the year I have photographed 38 birds with readable codes, and 3 with an older system of banding. The majority of the birds were banded at East Sand Island, Bellingham, Walla Walla and one at Dungeness Spit. There was one notable exception. Here is part of an email I received on one of the birds: Thank you so much for reporting this bird to BBL. It is an exciting resight. This 13-year old individual was banded as a chick in the Copper River Delta in Alaska. The bird was one of just 5 individuals that received a field-readable band that year so it is pretty incredible that you found it. John Riegsecker Gig Harbor -- John Riegsecker From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 17:03:14 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Tom Benedict via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 17:03:25 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Port Orchard Caspian Terns In-Reply-To: <012bc39b-cc32-4360-b909-4d9f2750fb54@pobox.com> References: <012bc39b-cc32-4360-b909-4d9f2750fb54@pobox.com> Message-ID: Thank you for posting this report John. This is the kind of story which really begins to paint a picture of the life of an individual bird. It?s not much, but it?s so much more than the fleeting glimpses we typically get as they pass through ?our? world. 13 years! Flying hither and thither! How marvelous! Of the 38, what kind of age range do they have? Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jul 16, 2024, at 16:14, John Riegsecker via Tweeters wrote: > > All, > > The past few weeks the morning tides were high enough they forced the terns arriving for the day to within a hundred yards of the path which made it easy to count them and photograph leg bands. The highest count was 405 birds. For the year I have photographed 38 birds with readable codes, and 3 with an older system of banding. The majority of the birds were banded at East Sand Island, Bellingham, Walla Walla and one at Dungeness Spit. There was one notable exception. Here is part of an email I received on one of the birds: > > Thank you so much for reporting this bird to BBL. It is an exciting resight. This 13-year old individual was banded as a chick in the Copper River Delta in Alaska. The bird was one of just 5 individuals that received a field-readable band that year so it is pretty incredible that you found it. > > John Riegsecker > Gig Harbor From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 17:14:44 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Tom Benedict via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 17:14:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Calling Barred Owls In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: It?s been a few years, but I?ve heard the diagnostic ?bouncing ball? call of the WESO at our home in Seahurst, WA a couple of times. Otherwise mostly BDOW hooting. As far as the plan to kill 450,000 of them to ?save? the SPOW goes, I gotta confess it makes no sense to me at all. Will be be doing the same things in a few years to ANHU to ?save? RUHU? Tom Benedict Seahurst, WA > On Jul 16, 2024, at 15:16, Joshua Hayes via Tweeters wrote: > > Sent with Proton Mail secure email. > > Former academic ecologist here, and I'll confirm Dennis's notes on the distinction between invasive and expanding range. We have a resident barred owl in our tiny little park here in Licton Springs (my son has an eerie ability to find it during the day; probably just his 27-year-old eyes compared to my 63-year-old ones). I'd also note that we have at least occasional saw-whet owls over on the North Seattle College campus, something I'd have been dubious about except that that same son recovered a dead saw-whet over there in the last couple of years, which we then donated to the Burke. But I've never heard a screech owl in Seattle, it's true. > > Josh Hayes > Joshuaahayes@proton.me > Dennis Paulson writes: > >> Mike, they are thrilling to hear and see. We live above Thornton Creek, where there is a nesting pair, and we hear them from time to time and have seen them in our yard a few times. They seem to be the only owl species in the neighborhood. >> >> But I wanted to note that they are not an invasive species. An invasive species is one that humans have transported out of its normal range and, often unfortunately, does very well in its new location at the expense of other species. >> >> Barred Owls, on the other hand, expanded their range naturally across the Rockies and then down the Pacific states. The only thing we had to do with that probably involves the habitat changes that we have made over time that facilitated the owl?s expansion. From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 17:52:01 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (John Riegsecker via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 17:51:55 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Port Orchard Caspian Terns In-Reply-To: References: <012bc39b-cc32-4360-b909-4d9f2750fb54@pobox.com> Message-ID: For various reasons, I don't have information back from BBL on all 38 birds. The oldest bird was banded in 2003. Four birds were banded between 2005 and 2008. A total of thirteen birds were banded in 2009 and 2010 and a total of seven birds were banded between 2014 and 2016. On 7/16/2024 5:03 PM, Tom Benedict wrote: > Thank you for posting this report John. > > This is the kind of story which really begins to paint a picture of the life of an individual bird. It?s not much, but it?s so much more than the fleeting glimpses we typically get as they pass through ?our? world. 13 years! Flying hither and thither! How marvelous! > > Of the 38, what kind of age range do they have? > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > >> On Jul 16, 2024, at 16:14, John Riegsecker via Tweeters wrote: >> >> All, >> >> The past few weeks the morning tides were high enough they forced the terns arriving for the day to within a hundred yards of the path which made it easy to count them and photograph leg bands. The highest count was 405 birds. For the year I have photographed 38 birds with readable codes, and 3 with an older system of banding. The majority of the birds were banded at East Sand Island, Bellingham, Walla Walla and one at Dungeness Spit. There was one notable exception. Here is part of an email I received on one of the birds: >> >> Thank you so much for reporting this bird to BBL. It is an exciting resight. This 13-year old individual was banded as a chick in the Copper River Delta in Alaska. The bird was one of just 5 individuals that received a field-readable band that year so it is pretty incredible that you found it. >> >> John Riegsecker >> Gig Harbor -- John Riegsecker From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 18:35:43 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Hank Heiberg via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 18:35:58 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Stillwater Bear In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Today we encountered a Black Bear on the Stillwater trail south of the Harris Creek Bridge a little south of milepost 6. We know of at least one other bear sighting in this general area of the trail. Here is a photo of the bear https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/53861829591/in/dateposted/ and the album for the day which includes more bear photos plus the bird photos. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ljcouple/albums/72177720318847565/ Hank & Karen Heiberg Issaquah, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 18:50:52 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Denis DeSilvis via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 18:50:57 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] JBLM Eagle's Pride Golf Course Monthly Birdwalk - Thursday, July 18 Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, The Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course (GC) birdwalk is scheduled for Thursday, July 18. The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM. Starting point is the Driving Range Tee, Eagle's Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. When you turn into the golf course entrance, take an immediate left onto the road to the driving range - that's where we meet. Also, to remind folks that haven't been here before, even though Eagle's Pride is a US Army recreational facility, you don't need any ID to attend these birdwalks. Hope you're able to make it! The weather forecast looks to be 61-78 degrees (real-feel) for the walk - comfortable temps! May all your birds be identified, Denis Denis DeSilvis Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 16 20:31:55 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jenny Easterberg via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 16 20:32:12 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Calling Barred Owls In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I love seeing these owls in our area, all owls really. They are such neat little birds. My thoughts on what I've read regarding the proposed culling of 450,000-500,000 barred owls: It is treating the symptom, rather than the disease. Yes, they have moved to new areas where there used to be Spotted Owls. However, deforestation and logging of old growth has pushed the spotted owl to a much narrower habitat range. Therefore, culling the barred owls won't necessarily help. Protecting old growth forests is at the root of the issue and that is what needs to be addressed first and foremost. It is similar to the countless wolf packs that were decimated in Alaska; it did nothing to bring back the caribou. Climate change is the culprit of the loss of caribou and therefore that is what should have been treated in that situation rather than destroying the wolf packs. Moral of the story, treat the disease, not the symptom. Sincerely, Jenny On Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 5:15?PM Tom Benedict via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > It?s been a few years, but I?ve heard the diagnostic ?bouncing ball? call > of the WESO at our home in Seahurst, WA a couple of times. Otherwise mostly > BDOW hooting. > > As far as the plan to kill 450,000 of them to ?save? the SPOW goes, I > gotta confess it makes no sense to me at all. Will be be doing the same > things in a few years to ANHU to ?save? RUHU? > > Tom Benedict > Seahurst, WA > > > On Jul 16, 2024, at 15:16, Joshua Hayes via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > > > Sent with Proton Mail secure email. > > > > Former academic ecologist here, and I'll confirm Dennis's notes on the > distinction between invasive and expanding range. We have a resident barred > owl in our tiny little park here in Licton Springs (my son has an eerie > ability to find it during the day; probably just his 27-year-old eyes > compared to my 63-year-old ones). I'd also note that we have at least > occasional saw-whet owls over on the North Seattle College campus, > something I'd have been dubious about except that that same son recovered a > dead saw-whet over there in the last couple of years, which we then donated > to the Burke. But I've never heard a screech owl in Seattle, it's true. > > > > Josh Hayes > > Joshuaahayes@proton.me > > Dennis Paulson writes: > > > >> Mike, they are thrilling to hear and see. We live above Thornton Creek, > where there is a nesting pair, and we hear them from time to time and have > seen them in our yard a few times. They seem to be the only owl species in > the neighborhood. > >> > >> But I wanted to note that they are not an invasive species. An invasive > species is one that humans have transported out of its normal range and, > often unfortunately, does very well in its new location at the expense of > other species. > >> > >> Barred Owls, on the other hand, expanded their range naturally across > the Rockies and then down the Pacific states. The only thing we had to do > with that probably involves the habitat changes that we have made over time > that facilitated the owl?s expansion. > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 09:58:23 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jamie Acker via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 09:58:43 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owls & Western Screech-owls Message-ID: <377683fa37ae4515a51c587143f21627@sounddsl.com> Good morning Tweeters! I have been studying and monitoring the Barred owl population on Bainbridge Island for nearly 30 years now. I started my studies in 1994, just after the arrival of the first Barred owl to the Island. Their population has increased since then to an estimated 40+ pairs, much to the demise of the Western Screech-owl. Screech-owls have been gone from the Island for over 14 years. I authored a paper in Northwest Naturalist in 2012 that noted the correlation between the increase in Barred owls and the loss of the Western Screech-owl. I believe that the issue is all about timing. Barred Owls are on eggs the first week in March. Western Screech-owls don't go on eggs until the first week in April. This one month difference means that young Barred owls are out of the nest and moving around just when the young screech-owls fledge. If you have ever witnessed young owls, they tend to hang out in conspicuous perches and scream for food. To an adult barred owl looking to feed young, this is a meal ticket. I believe that the inability to pull off the next generation is what primarily has led to the species disappearance from its former haunts. One of my largest regrets in my owl studies was not to document the locations of screech-owls on the island when I started my observations. They were the most common resident owl on the island and I took their presence for granted. Until they weren't. -Jamie Acker owler637@gmail.com Bainbridge Island, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 10:15:46 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Louise via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 10:16:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owls & Western Screech-owls In-Reply-To: <377683fa37ae4515a51c587143f21627@sounddsl.com> References: <377683fa37ae4515a51c587143f21627@sounddsl.com> Message-ID: I'm sorry to hear about the disappearance of your screech-owls, but it's not surprising. We have barred owls breeding on our property every year, and in 18 years, I've only heard screech-owls calling for one of them. The spotted owls get all the publicity, but they're not the only ones suffering because the barred owls moved in. Louise Rutter Kirkland On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 9:59?AM Jamie Acker via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > Good morning Tweeters! > > I have been studying and monitoring the Barred owl population on > Bainbridge Island for nearly 30 years now. I started my studies in 1994, > just after the arrival of the first Barred owl to the Island. Their > population has increased since then to an estimated 40+ pairs, much to the > demise of the Western Screech-owl. Screech-owls have been gone from the > Island for over 14 years. I authored a paper in Northwest Naturalist in > 2012 that noted the correlation between the increase in Barred owls and the > loss of the Western Screech-owl. I believe that the issue is all about > timing. Barred Owls are on eggs the first week in March. Western > Screech-owls don?t go on eggs until the first week in April. This one > month difference means that young Barred owls are out of the nest and > moving around just when the young screech-owls fledge. If you have ever > witnessed young owls, they tend to hang out in conspicuous perches and > scream for food. To an adult barred owl looking to feed young, this is a > meal ticket. I believe that the inability to pull off the next generation > is what primarily has led to the species disappearance from its former > haunts. One of my largest regrets in my owl studies was not to document > the locations of screech-owls on the island when I started my > observations. They were the most common resident owl on the island and I > took their presence for granted. Until they weren?t. > > -Jamie Acker > owler637@gmail.com > Bainbridge Island, WA > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 10:48:54 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 10:48:59 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Uping my game - a different perspective ... In-Reply-To: <4567cb16-1288-4259-b5d2-4439e4a58ac5@jimbetz.com> References: <4567cb16-1288-4259-b5d2-4439e4a58ac5@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: <376c5345-c2ca-48d9-bb25-09995fbae6bf@jimbetz.com> Hi all, ? So I have a new perspective on this topic.? I don't simply want to hear and see more birds - I also want them to be "near enough to photograph" because that is my primary interest. ? Again, what I do is to walk, stop, listen (including with Sound ID), and look for birds. In general I don't have my binoculars with me and rely upon my camera as my 'binos'. Only when my wife and I are out together do I normally have the binos (because she has hers). ? Let me be clear - it is not the 'technical aspects' of bird photography that I want/need to get better at ... it's being able to get opportunities to take pictures of the birds.? I think that means I need to be able to get close enough for pictures more often.? Yes, I know about being patient and waiting for the opportunities - and do that. ? Sometimes I have been able to anticipate the bird and when that happens I get some incredible shots. ? I don't know if this is important or not (but I think it is) ... I always have more opportunities when we are birding with a guide (professional or not). ? Does this new aspect make any changes in your recommendations of what I should be working on? - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 11:06:04 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 11:07:08 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Summer swifts Message-ID: 66 Vaux?s Swifts spent last night in the Monroe Wagner roost. 140 in Selleck. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 13:13:57 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (MARVIN BREECE via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 13:14:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Valley Shorebirds Message-ID: Today at M Street in Auburn: Greater Yellowlegs - 5 in alternate plumage Lesser Yellowlegs - 1 juv Long-billed Dowitcher - 24 in alternate plumage Spotted Sandpiper - 6 Least Sandpiper - 6 in alternate plumage SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER - 1 in alternate plumage also a fly over American Bittern videos: https://flic.kr/ps/376fhN Marv Breece Tukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 15:31:39 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Bruce LaBar via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 15:33:54 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Westport Pelagic Trip, July 20th Message-ID: I received word that there is one space open for this Saturday's pelagic trip out of Westport. It's a great time for some returning Northern breeders, Leach's Storm Petrels and the usual expected species. If interested go to this website for making a reservation. Probably best by calling the number provided. www.westportseabirds.com Bruce LaBar From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 17:48:05 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 17:48:10 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owls Message-ID: Hello, tweets. I wrote earlier that I didn?t think of Barred Owl as an invasive species, as it is native to North America, but perhaps it is, from the definition given by the USDA National Invasive Species Information Center. I hadn?t looked at that before. 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and, 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Non-native species are plants and animals living in areas where they do not naturally exist. "Non-native species" and "invasive species" can not be used interchangeably. Many commonly grown fruits and vegetables are not native to the U.S. For example, tomatoes and hot peppers originated from South America, while lettuce was first grown by the Egyptians. Domestic cows are non-native to North America and were introduced as a food source, and considered to be a beneficial organism in an agricultural setting. So I guess Barred Owls can be looked at as alien to the ecosystem under consideration, and I guess they are causing harm to one or more species, and perhaps that comes under the umbrella of environmental harm. The owls are surely here only because of massive anthropogenic environmental changes wrought on the North American continent over time. As others have said, it is debatable whether the harvesting of large numbers of them will really assure the continued existence of Spotted Owls in our area, as when a pair of Barred are removed from a territory, it is likely that it wouldn?t take too long for another pair to fill it, which could lead to a long-term fight without a win. It?s all our fault in the first place, of course, for wiping out old-growth forest over large areas. Don?t blame Barred Owls and starlings and rats and cockroaches and locusts and Marmorated Stink Bugs?it?s us. Dennis Paulson Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 17 20:09:06 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jr Mikulec via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 17 20:09:21 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owls In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <6544B223-7FAB-452F-AA90-7F078F505C76@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 18 07:16:18 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ian Paulsen via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 18 07:16:12 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] AOS CLC supplement Message-ID: <1d2967f5-8a81-d4cf-f1eb-595215f91fd@zipcon.net> HI ALL: The 2024 AOS CLC's supplement has been published and say hello to Scopoli's Shearwater, Sargasso Shearwater, Cocos Booby, Western Cattle-Egret, America Barn Owl, Northern House Wren, Siberian Pipit, and say goodbye to Hoary (and Lesser) Redpolls. The Herring Gulls weren't split this year but might be voted upon again next year. https://academic.oup.com/auk/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ornithology/ukae019/7716004 sincerely Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 18 08:44:10 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 18 08:44:24 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Barred Owls In-Reply-To: <6544B223-7FAB-452F-AA90-7F078F505C76@gmail.com> References: <6544B223-7FAB-452F-AA90-7F078F505C76@gmail.com> Message-ID: Further information relative to Barred Owls. A great parallel for Barred Owl removal is North America's native Brown-headed Cowbird, which was in the process of eliminating Kirtland's Warbler from the world's avifauna. Cowbirds have been successfully removed from Kirtland's tiny, unique, northern Michigan, Jack Pine, environment for quite a few decades now; thereby saving Kirtland's Warbler from extinction. To my knowledge there has been no backlash against this program. But, perhaps, Brown-headed Cowbirds are not as valuable; conspicuous; interesting, etc.(?) as Barred Owls. Both these species are now continent-wide abundant in North America. But, in any case, Cowbirds are more abundant but not as large as Barred Owls, and are removed by trapping as opposed to shooting, the latter carrying many current, cultural suppositions or pro and con approbations. For myself, I don't believe that Kirtland's Warblers are any more deserving of salvation (although cuter) than Northern Spotted Owls. . Bob OBrien Portland On Wed, Jul 17, 2024 at 8:09?PM Jr Mikulec via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > Dennis and Tweeters, > > I?d like to agree with some of what you said and disagree with other > parts. Barred Owls are here because of recent intervention in the great > plains and old growth forests. Europeans stopped native people from burning > grasslands (either by law or genocide) and planted tree gardens in the > plains. This let Barred Owls spread to the west. > > That leads us to today where Spotted Owl populations are crashing and if > current rates continue the species won?t make it past 2050. This is largely > because of logging but not exclusively. Mount Rainer has had wonderful > logging protection for 125 years and yet the Spotted Owl population is > plummeting - because of Barred Owl invasion. > > > https://americanornithology.org/despite-habitat-protection-endangered-owls-decline-in-mount-rainier-national-park/ > > It is NOT debatable that shooting Barred Owls in certain areas will help > Spotted Owls. This method has been studied and it has shown to stabilize > Spotted Owl populations. This plan is not based on a hunch. > > https://www.fws.gov/project/barred-owl-study-update > > You can also see in the report (which can be found in the preceding link) > that this culling will only take place in specific areas, mainly far from > population centers. No one is going to shoot the barred owl living in your > neighborhood! Fish and Wildlife knows that the spotted owls aren?t coming > back in your suburb! This is science-based culling, not a mob with pikes > and torches! > > ? Where possible around the edges of the GMAs, we did not include towns > and other human-populated areas. However, some such populated areas do lie > within the boundaries. These areas would generally not be part of any > barred owl management area, and no firearm-based removal activity would > occur within one-quarter mile of any occupied dwellings, established open > campgrounds, and other locations with regular human use (Appendix 2). > Again, barred owls will only be removed from the lands of willing > landowners or land managers.? > > Another thing, if you have not read the report (which can be found on the > preceding link) you have spoken your opinion on the Barred Owl culling > matter in this forum, YOU SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED. You need to READ to > DISAGREE MEANINGFULLY. Otherwise you are just guessing, and this is too > formal a forum to be guessing and influencing others on. Guessing is also > nothing compared to what FWS staff have done to collect the supporting > data. > > If you think that this is just about Spotted Owls, I implore you to think > again. Spotted Owls and Barred Owls have very different habits. Barred Owls > eat during the day and eat more birds and amphibians than Spotted Owls. > Barred Owls replacing Spotted Owls will likely cause a cascading change in > the food web and wider ecosystem. I am an engineer and I can tell you that > can only engineers accomplish great things by making assumptions about our > world. We design a bridge for an assumed max wind speed and building for an > assumed max outdoor temperature. When the world changes and forces exceed > those assumptions, it?s bad! The systems we have designed will fail! With > the world changing so much due to modern human influence, we should > stabilize any earth system that we can. And that includes stabilizing > spotted owl populations because we don?t know what changes their extinction > will behold. > > Please reach out to me individually with questions. I am happy to > entertain individual questions from people with any level of knowledge on > this issue! > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 18 12:35:22 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Hobbs via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 18 12:35:42 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, WA) 2024-07-18 Message-ID: Tweets - Another sunny, warm morning with clear blue skies. Less singing than last week, perhaps. Highlights: Hooded Merganser - Two at Rowing Club pond; first since early April Band-tailed Pigeon - Two big flocks totaling at least 30 Spotted Sandpiper - One at weir - First since late May Belted Kingfisher - Three chasing each other around, same as last week American Goldfinch - Male seen feeding a chick Yellow Warbler - Female feeding baby cowbird :( Black-throated Gray Warbler - One or more along west edge of Dog Meadow - Several sightings Western Tanager - Adult male, west edge of Dog Meadow Non-bird critters were also around: Eastern Cottontail - At least a dozen seen, many quite small Bobcat - Tony saw one pre-dawn Black-tailed Deer - Two below the weir Garter snake sp. - Only our 2nd sighting this year Eight-spotted Skimmer - Several Misses today included Pied-billed Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Rufous Hummingbird, Green Heron, and Cliff Swallow. For the day, 57 species = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 18 15:22:45 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (MARVIN BREECE via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 18 15:22:49 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Kent Valley Shorebirds 7.18.24 Message-ID: Today at M Street in Auburn: Greater Yellowlegs - 10 in alternate plumage Lesser Yellowlegs - 2 juvs Long-billed Dowitcher - 48 in alternate plumage Spotted Sandpiper - 1 Least Sandpiper - 30 in alternate plumage - probably more SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER - 1 in alternate plumage Western Sandpiper - 3 in alternate plumage Marv Breece Tukwila, WA marvbreece@q.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 19 10:11:04 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 19 10:11:20 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Eurasian Kestrel nesting In-Reply-To: References: <979194F1-D297-4394-9996-5F6190254DF6@comcast.net> Message-ID: More info on the 1999 Eurasian Kestrel on the Samish Flats. My photo submission was automatically flagged by the eBird system, apparently because I listed the area we drove to find the bird (about 10 miles) rather than the area we found it in. I can still edit the submission but it is not visible to others. I have reduced the area to 1 mile and 2 acres where we found the kestrel and will see what happens next. It is my understanding that the only way to get a photo into the Macaulay Library is through submitting an eBird checklist. In this case flagged for human reviewer attention. Here is some info from the eBird that describes how this works. *My observation is flagged, what happens next?* An unusual or "flagged" observation will not appear publicly until a volunteer eBird reviewer has evaluated it. They will use any documentation you provide - such as written comments, photos, or recordings - to make their decision. *If you do not provide sufficient evidence, you may be asked for more details before your observation can become public! * Reviewers evaluate each record and determine whether it has enough supporting information to be part of the public database ('Accepted'). If there is not enough supporting documentation, an observation is 'Unconfirmed' and will only be visible to the eBirder(s) who reported it. *Records that are flagged by the automated filters appear in a queue for that region, such as the example below:* *[image: eBird Review queue]* *Processing records in this queue can take just a few seconds if an observation is well documented with detailed notes, photos, and/or recordings.* *The review queue can be organized in different ways, but the default sorting puts the newest records at the top. In some cases, this results in older records waiting a while to be reviewed. A record will never be (sic) leave the review queue until it has been acted on, but for older records or historical data, this can take longer. We appreciate your patience! * On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 11:05?AM Robert O'Brien wrote: > More history: > As Dennis says, habits are similar to our 'American Kestrel' especially > both being cavity nesters that take to bird boxes very regularly; as > in the video. Our kestrel was formerly called the 'Sparrow Hawk' but was > changed years ago to the current name. It rarely captures sparrows or any > birds though. > Note in my photo(s) that structurally it is quite different from our > Kestrel. > Bob OBrien > > > > On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 10:39?AM Robert O'Brien wrote: > >> Great photo sequence. And thanks Dennis, for the >> Memories........................................ >> Eurasian Kestrel--another great Washington Bird of the last century. >> Zoom in to see all the sightings: >> >> >> https://ebird.org/map/eurkes?neg=true&env.minX=-144.50814843749998&env.minY=37.55361984922765&env.maxX=-95.72885156249998&env.maxY=53.15361034822624&zh=true&gp=false&ev=Z&excludeExX=false&excludeExAll=false&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all&byr=1900&eyr=2024 >> >> Only a single photo on eBird so far and by another Oregon birder, Skip >> Russel, even though many sightings over a wide area on the Samish Flats by >> Washingtonians. >> >> These were the 'bird slides' days. >> https://ebird.org/checklist/S186993296 >> >> Bob OBrien Portland >> >> >> >> On Sun, Jul 14, 2024 at 7:45?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < >> tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: >> >>> This is really neat. Eurasian Kestrels are common all across Eurasia and >>> Africa, with habits much like our American Kestrel. >>> >>> >>> >>> https://www.facebook.com/reel/1541454176750965?fs=e&s=cl&mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v >>> >>> >>> >>> Dennis Paulson >>> Seattle >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Tweeters mailing list >>> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >>> >> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 19 10:48:02 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Martha Jordan via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 19 10:48:33 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] TRUS at Bob Heirman Wildlife Park Message-ID: Hi all, Yes, there is a Trumpeter Swan over summering at the BHWP. Will the person who posted to eBird for the July 18th sighting please contact me off list. I want to learn more about what they are seeing. And yes, there is a fully flighted swan flying around in Skagit County. And, has anyone seen the injured swan that was reported for a few weeks at the Fobes Rd wetland area near Snohomish? I am looking to find more info on this bird or if it even survived. Thank you. Martha Jordan -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 19 12:54:46 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 19 12:54:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Please remove this edress from the tweeters email list Message-ID: <000c01dada15$8225ba90$86712fb0$@isomedia.com> Please remove this edress from the tweeters email list bellasoc@isomedia.com Thanks, Penn Bell -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 19 18:57:01 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Denis DeSilvis via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 19 18:57:06 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) Eagle's Pride Golf Course (GC) monthly bird walk - 7-18-2024 Message-ID: Tweeters, Another gorgeous morning (58-72degF - clear skies) for the 22 of us at the JBLM Eagle's Pride GC monthly birdwalk. One of the highlights today was a species most birders in our area wouldn't put as a "highlight," but was the first sighting of this species here this year: BELTED KINGFISHER. A fly-through-the-forest GREAT HORNED OWL, seen by just a few of us, also made the "highlight" list; as well as finding all three typical vireos for the forest: HUTTON'S, CASSIN'S, and WARBLING. Other notables include: PIED-BILLED GREBE - 8 of them, mostly young, at Hodge Lake, the usual nesting site here. PURPLE MARTIN - Not often seen here. SWAINSON'S THRUSH - 30 - a high count. RED CROSSBILL - 9 of them, the first for quite some time. The JBLM Eagle's Pride GC birders meet the third Thursday of each month at 8:00AM. Starting point is the Driving Range building, Eagle's Pride Golf Course, I-5 Exit 116, Mounts Road Exit. (Turn left immediately after entering the parking lot to take the road leading to the driving range building.) Upcoming walks include the following: * August 15 * September 19 * October 17 Everyone is welcome to join us! >From the eBirdPNW report: 49 species (+1 other taxa) Wood Duck 12 Mallard 7 Pied-billed Grebe 8 All on Hodges Lake. Mostly young with some remaining facial striping. Band-tailed Pigeon 2 Anna's Hummingbird 5 Rufous Hummingbird 2 hummingbird sp. 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Great Horned Owl 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 First sighting this year. Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 6 Western Wood-Pewee 20 Willow Flycatcher 6 Western Flycatcher 2 Hutton's Vireo 1 Cassin's Vireo 1 Warbling Vireo 2 Steller's Jay 2 American Crow 2 Black-capped Chickadee 15 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 10 Tree Swallow 12 Violet-green Swallow 6 Purple Martin 1 Barn Swallow 30 Bushtit 40 Golden-crowned Kinglet 3 Red-breasted Nuthatch 12 Brown Creeper 4 Pacific Wren 4 Bewick's Wren 3 European Starling 30 Swainson's Thrush 30 American Robin 80 Cedar Waxwing 24 House Finch 6 Purple Finch 4 Red Crossbill 9 Pine Siskin 10 American Goldfinch 16 Chipping Sparrow 2 Dark-eyed Junco 6 White-crowned Sparrow 15 Song Sparrow 15 Spotted Towhee 5 Brown-headed Cowbird 3 Yellow Warbler 2 Western Tanager 6 Black-headed Grosbeak 1 View this checklist online at https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Fchecklist%2FS187765197&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cf1adf771b11c459a19b708dca83903ae%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638570210027331716%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=BKWmKgi%2Bf4ZRdNarQ18nKoxVgXzwImLqDQEbZSEbm48%3D&reserved=0 May all your birds be identified, Denis Denis DeSilvis Avnacrs 4 birds at outlook dot com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 19 20:03:54 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Roger Moyer via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 19 20:03:58 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Lesser Nighthawk Message-ID: I saw someone reported the Lesser Nighthawk again. When is the best time of day to see it. And where exactly is it being seen. I'm contemplating chasing it this weekend. Roger Moyer Chehalis, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 20 11:59:16 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Odette James via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 20 11:59:21 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Caspian Terns References: <484302438.2517111.1721501956863.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <484302438.2517111.1721501956863@mail.yahoo.com> Today, Saturday July 20, at 11:50 pm, 11 Caspian Terns flying over the Cedar River Delta (south end of Lake Washington) or sitting on the stranded logs on the delta.? All appear to be adults - no young birds.? Looks like a bad breeding season for these individuals. Odette James, Lakeshore Retirement Community -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 20 12:12:34 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Odette James via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 20 12:12:41 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Oops References: <2071936640.395575.1721502754507.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <2071936640.395575.1721502754507@mail.yahoo.com> Caspian Terns seen at 11:50 am, not pm.? Sorry about that. Odette James -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 20 17:26:25 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Roger Moyer via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 20 17:26:30 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Lesser Nighthawk Message-ID: The Lesser Nighthawk is still present at Getty's Cove. I observed and photographed it around 3:45 pm today. It's still at the usual spot near the concrete bridge. Roger Moyer Chehalis, WA Roger Moyer -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 21 08:03:55 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shep Thorp via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 21 08:04:11 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/17/2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweets, Approximately 35 of us had a relatively cool day at the Refuge with overcast skies in the morning, sunny skies in the afternoon and Temperatures in the 60's-80's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a Low -0'4" Tide at 9:24am, so we did our routine walk. Highlights included a good diversity of juvenile species with observation of WOOD DUCK, YELLOW WARBLER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, DOWNY WOODPECKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, BARN SWALLOW, TREE SWALLOW, CINNAMON TEAL, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER and BALD EAGLE, a few nice sightings of WILSON WARBLER on the Twin Barns Loop Trail, and breeding plumage LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS on the Nisqually Estuary Trail. For the day we observed close to 70 species and did not see anything new for the year. See our eBird report pasted below with photos embedded. We struggled to distinguish juvenile Cinnamon Teal from Blue-winged Teal. Until next week when we meet again at 8am, happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jul 17, 2024 6:30 AM - 3:30 PM Protocol: Traveling 8.0 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Cloudy in the morning, sunny in the afternoon. Temperatures in the 60?s to 80?s degrees Fahrenheit. A Low-0?4? Tide at 9:24am. Mammals seen Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Townsend?s Chipmunk, and Harbor Seal. Others seen Red-eared Slider, and Pacific Tree Frog. 🐸 70 species (+5 other taxa) Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 65 Wood Duck 16 Visitor Center Pond and Freshwater Marsh. Blue-winged Teal 1 Freshwater Marsh Cinnamon Teal 3 Freshwater Marsh Blue-winged/Cinnamon Teal 7 Mallard 100 Hooded Merganser 3 Visitor Center Pond. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4 Entrance Gate Band-tailed Pigeon 10 Orchard. Mourning Dove 6 Nisqually River Overlook, and Orchard. Vaux's Swift 3 Anna's Hummingbird 1 Rufous Hummingbird 1 hummingbird sp. 1 Virginia Rail 2 Killdeer 2 Long-billed Dowitcher 9 Greater Yellowlegs 7 Least Sandpiper 36 Ring-billed Gull 185 California Gull 25 Glaucous-winged Gull 4 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 12 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 25 Larus sp. 150 Caspian Tern 4 Brandt's Cormorant 5 Double-crested Cormorant 45 Great Blue Heron 125 Northern Harrier 1 Seen by Sheryl along Nisqually Estuary Trail. Cooper's Hawk 1 Seen by Steve at Visitor Center Pond Overlook. Bald Eagle 7 Occupied nest McAllister Hill West Bank of McAllister Creek from Puget Sound Observation Platform. Red-tailed Hawk 1 Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-breasted Sapsucker 2 Downy Woodpecker 3 Northern Flicker 3 Western Wood-Pewee 6 Willow Flycatcher 3 Western Flycatcher (Pacific-slope) 1 Warbling Vireo 1 Steller's Jay 2 California Scrub-Jay 1 American Crow 8 Black-capped Chickadee 8 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 2 Bank Swallow 6 Counted 1x1, possible more. Tree Swallow 12 Violet-green Swallow 2 Purple Martin 9 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 60 Cliff Swallow 8 Bushtit (Pacific) 22 Brown Creeper 5 Marsh Wren 2 Bewick's Wren 3 European Starling 200 Swainson's Thrush 42 American Robin 20 Cedar Waxwing 20 House Finch 1 Purple Finch 3 Red Crossbill (Douglas-fir or type 4) 1 American Goldfinch 25 Savannah Sparrow 5 Song Sparrow 24 Spotted Towhee 2 Bullock's Oriole 2 Red-winged Blackbird 84 Brown-headed Cowbird 36 Common Yellowthroat 15 Yellow Warbler 25 Wilson's Warbler 3 Black-headed Grosbeak 2 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S187801419 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 21 12:14:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 21 12:14:51 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Vaux's Happening Message-ID: 75 Vaux?s swifts spent the night inside the Monroe Wagner roost last night and left at 9:30 this morning. Double that at Selleck. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 21 17:08:50 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 21 17:08:57 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Uganda Trip Blog Post References: <1330537049.609842.1721606930610.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1330537049.609842.1721606930610@mail.yahoo.com> In June Cindy Bailey and I joined a VENT Birding tour to Uganda - promising Shoebills, Gorillas, Chimpanzees and more.? There were some challenges and disappointments and MANY great moments.? This is the first of what will likely be another 5 or so blog posts about that trip. https://blairbirding.com/2024/07/22/africa-where-next-uganda/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 21 17:35:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carol Riddell via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 21 17:35:49 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - June 2024 Message-ID: <7622B528-9F00-4477-92FF-58B86F331D6F@gmail.com> Hi Tweeters, With June additions we have reached 172 species for our 2024 year list. In taxonomic order, the new species are: Common Nighthawk (code 4), 1 flying north over Lake Ballinger (seen from an Edmonds yard), 6-5-2024. Additional reports of single birds on 6-8-24 and 6-26-24 Wilson?s Phalarope (code 4), 1 at Edmonds marsh (ID photos), 6-26-24 Brown Pelican (code 4), 1 at Edmonds waterfront, 6-30-24 Willow Flycatcher (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh (described), 6-2-24 Rose-breasted Grosbeak (code 5), 1 at Willow Creek Hatchery (ID photos), 6-18-24 (a new species for Edmonds, #282) Our first Green Heron (code 3) of the year was in late April on the Edmonds side of Lake Ballinger. There was a second sighting on 6/5/24 at Edmonds marsh. A Green Heron appeared at Chase Lake in unincorporated Edmonds on 6-24-24 and was seen regularly for about two weeks. There were ticks in multiple eBird checklists for Ring-billed Gull (code 3) and House Wren (code 4), but none was described, recorded, or photographed. They have not been added to our year count. There are too many mistaken IDs with gulls. With no details added to checklists, we also cannot rule out data entry errors for either species. As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or recordings. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2024 city checklist, with 281 species, please request it from checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. The 2024 checklist, with sightings through June, is in the bird information box at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier. Good birding, Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA cariddellwa at gmail dot com Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 21 19:39:15 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Alan Knue via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 21 19:39:39 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - June 2024 In-Reply-To: <7622B528-9F00-4477-92FF-58B86F331D6F@gmail.com> References: <7622B528-9F00-4477-92FF-58B86F331D6F@gmail.com> Message-ID: <30B2E43A-36AD-467A-B3D4-13394D7EDABA@icloud.com> Hello Carol, Your post reminded me to make sure you saw that we had a female kestrel on the Edmonds side of the trail on July 7: https://ebird.org/checklist/S185867816 This is the second time we?ve had a kestrel in July around Lake Balinger. We heard a kestrel in the Park on July 13th as well, but did not see it[ not sure if it was the same individual or not but it seems possible. The park has a lot of large cottonwoods, so it could be a place where kestrels nest in the future especially if the changes they make in the park are good for wildlife (crossing fingers). Also, I did add a description to the House Wren we saw first on May 1, the only date we had it on the Edmonds side of the trail. We also audio recorded this wren on 3 occasions and the recordings I was able to get can be found on these checklists: https://ebird.org/checklist/S171321154 https://ebird.org/checklist/S171974157 https://ebird.org/checklist/S173012753 Charles have taken photos on May 9th- I know he tried but it was rather uncooperative (as it was most days it was present). I?ll have him check. I hope these reports are helpful and you are having g good summer. Best, Alan Alan J. Knue Edmonds, WA > On Jul 21, 2024, at 17:35, Carol Riddell via Tweeters wrote: > > Hi Tweeters, > > With June additions we have reached 172 species for our 2024 year list. In taxonomic order, the new species are: > > Common Nighthawk (code 4), 1 flying north over Lake Ballinger (seen from an Edmonds yard), 6-5-2024. Additional reports of single birds on 6-8-24 and 6-26-24 > > Wilson?s Phalarope (code 4), 1 at Edmonds marsh (ID photos), 6-26-24 > > Brown Pelican (code 4), 1 at Edmonds waterfront, 6-30-24 > > Willow Flycatcher (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh (described), 6-2-24 > > Rose-breasted Grosbeak (code 5), 1 at Willow Creek Hatchery (ID photos), 6-18-24 (a new species for Edmonds, #282) > > Our first Green Heron (code 3) of the year was in late April on the Edmonds side of Lake Ballinger. There was a second sighting on 6/5/24 at Edmonds marsh. A Green Heron appeared at Chase Lake in unincorporated Edmonds on 6-24-24 and was seen regularly for about two weeks. > > There were ticks in multiple eBird checklists for Ring-billed Gull (code 3) and House Wren (code 4), but none was described, recorded, or photographed. They have not been added to our year count. There are too many mistaken IDs with gulls. With no details added to checklists, we also cannot rule out data entry errors for either species. > > As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or recordings. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2024 city checklist, with 281 species, please request it from checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. The 2024 checklist, with sightings through June, is in the bird information box at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier. > > Good birding, > > Carol Riddell > Edmonds, WA > cariddellwa at gmail dot com > > Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 21 19:43:10 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Alan Knue via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 21 19:44:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Edmonds Roundup - June 2024 In-Reply-To: <30B2E43A-36AD-467A-B3D4-13394D7EDABA@icloud.com> References: <30B2E43A-36AD-467A-B3D4-13394D7EDABA@icloud.com> Message-ID: <92F5C8D5-8578-468E-9C41-F7DCE8BA9E0F@icloud.com> Sorry folks for this post - it was meant for Carol! Hopefully others found it at least interesting. Best, Alan On Jul 21, 2024, at 19:39, Alan Knue wrote: ? Hello Carol, Your post reminded me to make sure you saw that we had a female kestrel on the Edmonds side of the trail on July 7: https://ebird.org/checklist/S185867816 This is the second time we?ve had a kestrel in July around Lake Balinger. We heard a kestrel in the Park on July 13th as well, but did not see it[ not sure if it was the same individual or not but it seems possible. The park has a lot of large cottonwoods, so it could be a place where kestrels nest in the future especially if the changes they make in the park are good for wildlife (crossing fingers). Also, I did add a description to the House Wren we saw first on May 1, the only date we had it on the Edmonds side of the trail. We also audio recorded this wren on 3 occasions and the recordings I was able to get can be found on these checklists: https://ebird.org/checklist/S171321154 https://ebird.org/checklist/S171974157 https://ebird.org/checklist/S173012753 Charles have taken photos on May 9th- I know he tried but it was rather uncooperative (as it was most days it was present). I?ll have him check. I hope these reports are helpful and you are having g good summer. Best, Alan Alan J. Knue Edmonds, WA > On Jul 21, 2024, at 17:35, Carol Riddell via Tweeters wrote: > > Hi Tweeters, > > With June additions we have reached 172 species for our 2024 year list. In taxonomic order, the new species are: > > Common Nighthawk (code 4), 1 flying north over Lake Ballinger (seen from an Edmonds yard), 6-5-2024. Additional reports of single birds on 6-8-24 and 6-26-24 > > Wilson?s Phalarope (code 4), 1 at Edmonds marsh (ID photos), 6-26-24 > > Brown Pelican (code 4), 1 at Edmonds waterfront, 6-30-24 > > Willow Flycatcher (code 3), 1 at Edmonds marsh (described), 6-2-24 > > Rose-breasted Grosbeak (code 5), 1 at Willow Creek Hatchery (ID photos), 6-18-24 (a new species for Edmonds, #282) > > Our first Green Heron (code 3) of the year was in late April on the Edmonds side of Lake Ballinger. There was a second sighting on 6/5/24 at Edmonds marsh. A Green Heron appeared at Chase Lake in unincorporated Edmonds on 6-24-24 and was seen regularly for about two weeks. > > There were ticks in multiple eBird checklists for Ring-billed Gull (code 3) and House Wren (code 4), but none was described, recorded, or photographed. They have not been added to our year count. There are too many mistaken IDs with gulls. With no details added to checklists, we also cannot rule out data entry errors for either species. > > As always, I appreciate it when birders get in touch with me to share sightings, photos, or recordings. It helps us build our collective year list. If you would like a copy of our 2024 city checklist, with 281 species, please request it from checklistedmonds at gmail dot com. The 2024 checklist, with sightings through June, is in the bird information box at the Olympic Beach Visitor Station at the base of the public pier. > > Good birding, > > Carol Riddell > Edmonds, WA > cariddellwa at gmail dot com > > Abundance codes: (1) Common, (2) Uncommon, (3) Harder to find, usually seen annually, (4) Rare, 5+ records, (5) Fewer than 5 records > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 00:20:49 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 00:21:31 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? Message-ID: Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other areas around Puget Sound? Good Birding! Hans -- *Hans Feddern* Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA thefedderns@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 07:28:50 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 07:29:16 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <96DA8635-9B53-4D50-A2C8-8AB39DC8F5FB@comcast.net> Hans, I think swallows have disappeared from much of the Seattle urban/suburban area. Barn and Violet-green were all over the city 40-50 years ago. When we moved into our present house in Maple Leaf in 1991, we had Barn, Violet-green and sometimes Tree over the house on a regular basis, also Vaux?s Swifts. Within a decade or so all had disappeared, and our sky was empty of these birds, never to be seen again. As I drove around town, I noticed the same thing. Both Barn and Violet-green had been in most neighborhoods, but not anymore. These two species nested on buildings, on ledges or in holes, and I wondered if there was a movement to tidy up houses that was eliminating their potential nest sites. But I suspect it has much more to do with the decline of small flying insects over that time, not a thing that is obvious to us, earthbound as we are. We still have a few subsidized colonies of Purple Martins, but they are feeding largely on wasps and bees, which are still around, and dragonflies, which they can find by flying some distance from their nests. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 22, 2024, at 12:20 AM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters wrote: > > Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other areas around Puget Sound? > > Good Birding! > > Hans > > -- > Hans Feddern > Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA > thefedderns@gmail.com > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 07:56:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Hampton via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 07:56:51 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: <96DA8635-9B53-4D50-A2C8-8AB39DC8F5FB@comcast.net> References: <96DA8635-9B53-4D50-A2C8-8AB39DC8F5FB@comcast.net> Message-ID: Here in Port Townsend, I agree that swallow nesting sites seem quite limited. I wonder about the prevalence of House Sparrows -- many people feed seed (especially white millet) thru the summer, attracting hordes of House Sparrows with seemingly extraordinary reproductive success. It's easy to see groups of 20, most of whom fresh juveniles. House Sparrows can be quite aggressive in taking over nest cavities and even actively killing chicks of swallows, chickadees, wrens, etc. They nest in birdhouses with too-large holes, or in old houses. Locally, I'm about to start a "Project 1-1/8th inch" to retrofit birdhouses with hole reducers -- basically thresholds that can be screwed onto the outside of a nest box, reducing the hole diameter to 1-1/8th". This should eliminate House Sparrows, but be suitable for smaller native species. Here's an example of a hole reducer: https://nature-niche.com/collections/bird-house-accessories/products/1-125-diameter-portal-for-chickadee-houses-genuine-copper good birding, On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 7:29?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Hans, I think swallows have disappeared from much of the Seattle > urban/suburban area. Barn and Violet-green were all over the city 40-50 > years ago. When we moved into our present house in Maple Leaf in 1991, we > had Barn, Violet-green and sometimes Tree over the house on a regular > basis, also Vaux?s Swifts. Within a decade or so all had disappeared, and > our sky was empty of these birds, never to be seen again. As I drove around > town, I noticed the same thing. Both Barn and Violet-green had been in most > neighborhoods, but not anymore. These two species nested on buildings, on > ledges or in holes, and I wondered if there was a movement to tidy up > houses that was eliminating their potential nest sites. > > But I suspect it has much more to do with the decline of small flying > insects over that time, not a thing that is obvious to us, earthbound as we > are. We still have a few subsidized colonies of Purple Martins, but they > are feeding largely on wasps and bees, which are still around, and > dragonflies, which they can find by flying some distance from their nests. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > On Jul 22, 2024, at 12:20 AM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We > normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in > Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished > breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern > Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. > Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on > most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other > areas around Puget Sound? > > Good Birding! > > Hans > > -- > *Hans Feddern* > Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA > thefedderns@gmail.com > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- ?Steve Hampton? Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 08:33:37 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 08:34:04 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: References: <96DA8635-9B53-4D50-A2C8-8AB39DC8F5FB@comcast.net> Message-ID: <8502EC70-A898-48FE-8304-2CDA04F24A0D@comcast.net> Steve, thanks for another perspective, and I know House Sparrows have been shown to be involved in displacing swallows. But interestingly, House Sparrows have also declined dramatically in Seattle, I think not just in our wooded neighborhood. When we first moved here, we had them in the yard all the time, thronging our feeders day after day. In the summer of 1996, up to 30 birds visited the feeders at once. By 2010, they were in the yard only occasionally, and the last ones we saw were a family that visited the yard briefly in June 2021. And we?re watching those feeders every day when we?re in town. In this species, I presume a loss of nest sites may have caused the decline, so that could be a cause of at least some of the swallow decline as well. It would be interesting to hear from other people how swallows and sparrows have fared in their neighborhoods. Dennis > On Jul 22, 2024, at 7:56 AM, Steve Hampton wrote: > > Here in Port Townsend, I agree that swallow nesting sites seem quite limited. I wonder about the prevalence of House Sparrows -- many people feed seed (especially white millet) thru the summer, attracting hordes of House Sparrows with seemingly extraordinary reproductive success. It's easy to see groups of 20, most of whom fresh juveniles. > > House Sparrows can be quite aggressive in taking over nest cavities and even actively killing chicks of swallows, chickadees, wrens, etc. They nest in birdhouses with too-large holes, or in old houses. > > Locally, I'm about to start a "Project 1-1/8th inch" to retrofit birdhouses with hole reducers -- basically thresholds that can be screwed onto the outside of a nest box, reducing the hole diameter to 1-1/8th". This should eliminate House Sparrows, but be suitable for smaller native species. Here's an example of a hole reducer: > https://nature-niche.com/collections/bird-house-accessories/products/1-125-diameter-portal-for-chickadee-houses-genuine-copper > > good birding, > > > On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 7:29?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters > wrote: > Hans, I think swallows have disappeared from much of the Seattle urban/suburban area. Barn and Violet-green were all over the city 40-50 years ago. When we moved into our present house in Maple Leaf in 1991, we had Barn, Violet-green and sometimes Tree over the house on a regular basis, also Vaux?s Swifts. Within a decade or so all had disappeared, and our sky was empty of these birds, never to be seen again. As I drove around town, I noticed the same thing. Both Barn and Violet-green had been in most neighborhoods, but not anymore. These two species nested on buildings, on ledges or in holes, and I wondered if there was a movement to tidy up houses that was eliminating their potential nest sites. > > But I suspect it has much more to do with the decline of small flying insects over that time, not a thing that is obvious to us, earthbound as we are. We still have a few subsidized colonies of Purple Martins, but they are feeding largely on wasps and bees, which are still around, and dragonflies, which they can find by flying some distance from their nests. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > >> On Jul 22, 2024, at 12:20 AM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters > wrote: >> >> Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other areas around Puget Sound? >> >> Good Birding! >> >> Hans >> >> -- >> Hans Feddern >> Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA >> thefedderns@gmail.com >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > -- > ?Steve Hampton? > Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 08:59:17 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Sally Alhadeff via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 08:59:34 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <61FB3C70-CA36-4B7A-8E6D-632581DE9360@scattercreek.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 09:00:38 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carlos Andersen via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 09:00:56 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: <8502EC70-A898-48FE-8304-2CDA04F24A0D@comcast.net> References: <8502EC70-A898-48FE-8304-2CDA04F24A0D@comcast.net> Message-ID: <9A359D7F-C23B-41B9-9E4E-07EBA97BD603@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 09:32:48 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (teinberger via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 09:33:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: <9A359D7F-C23B-41B9-9E4E-07EBA97BD603@gmail.com> References: <9A359D7F-C23B-41B9-9E4E-07EBA97BD603@gmail.com> Message-ID: <148E6427-CB2F-4DF4-BF92-695E19149A9B@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 10:21:08 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Kersti Muul via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 10:42:23 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] White pelican at PNP Message-ID: Gorgeous white pelican at point No point this morning... Just hanging on the beach ? Kersti E. Muul SALISH WILDLIFE WATCH Urban Conservation & Wildlife Biologist/Specialist - Response and Rescue WASART, BCS and MMSN referral Wildlife Field Biologist IV Marbled murrelet forest certified and USFWS marine certified Birds Connect Neighborhood Bird Project Site Leader Climate Watch Coordinator Animal Care Specialist/Animal & Off the Grid First Aid Certified -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 10:48:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ruth Richards via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 10:48:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: <148E6427-CB2F-4DF4-BF92-695E19149A9B@gmail.com> References: <9A359D7F-C23B-41B9-9E4E-07EBA97BD603@gmail.com> <148E6427-CB2F-4DF4-BF92-695E19149A9B@gmail.com> Message-ID: <4133B5FF-8EA4-479D-BF62-60B048000916@yahoo.com> We have had to reduce entry holes to 1? because the House Sparrows were able to enter a 1-1/8 opening, which surprised us but we couldn?t argue with their success in getting in. Our location is not ideal for Swallows, though they have at least checked out the boxes in the past. It?s not clear whether the hole reduction eliminated them as well from this location. Chickadees have moved in, some years. Ruth Richards Coupeville > On Jul 22, 2024, at 09:32, teinberger via Tweeters wrote: > > I saw an eBird-record 178 swallows at Discovery Park (168 in the general South Meadow area). I saw some on Capitol Hill yesterday and good numbers at Union Bay and Lake Union Park Saturday. > >> On Jul 22, 2024, at 9:01?AM, Carlos Andersen via Tweeters wrote: >> >> ? >> Here on our property on Whidbey we have seen a good amount of Swallows. Actually an increase over the past few years. Trees, Barns, Cliffs and some VGs. We have a pasture so they have good feeding opportunities. I have been battling the House Sparrows for a couple years now. We have five nest boxes spread out and the male House Sparrows try to defend and possess all of these boxes. Once they finally pick a box, and stop harassing all the other birds that are trying to occupy a box, I wait and then keep removing their nests. The sparrow are pretty industrious. If I remove their nest in the morning they just rebuild it by the end of the day. I now take the nest material a good distance from the box. One House Wren took over a sparrow box and threw all the eggs out! Impressive! >> One thing that got me started on this was a couple years ago I found in a box a dead adult VG that a sparrow had killed. >> >> As we have farm animals close next door on the neighbors property, with lots of feed on the ground, the House Sparrows get established and multiply quickly, as do the rodents. I can see waves of sparrows of up to about 15 flying around. Trapping and dispatching the House Sparrows is now unfortunately becoming a viable option. >> >> At Deer Lagoon Preserve we feel the numbers have increased as there are tons of insects for them to eat. In the evening the swallow numbers are truly impressive. >> >> Carlos >> >> On Jul 22, 2024, at 08:34, Dennis Paulson via Tweeters wrote: >> >> ?Steve, thanks for another perspective, and I know House Sparrows have been shown to be involved in displacing swallows. But interestingly, House Sparrows have also declined dramatically in Seattle, I think not just in our wooded neighborhood. When we first moved here, we had them in the yard all the time, thronging our feeders day after day. In the summer of 1996, up to 30 birds visited the feeders at once. By 2010, they were in the yard only occasionally, and the last ones we saw were a family that visited the yard briefly in June 2021. And we?re watching those feeders every day when we?re in town. >> >> In this species, I presume a loss of nest sites may have caused the decline, so that could be a cause of at least some of the swallow decline as well. It would be interesting to hear from other people how swallows and sparrows have fared in their neighborhoods. >> >> Dennis >> >>> On Jul 22, 2024, at 7:56 AM, Steve Hampton > wrote: >>> >>> Here in Port Townsend, I agree that swallow nesting sites seem quite limited. I wonder about the prevalence of House Sparrows -- many people feed seed (especially white millet) thru the summer, attracting hordes of House Sparrows with seemingly extraordinary reproductive success. It's easy to see groups of 20, most of whom fresh juveniles. >>> >>> House Sparrows can be quite aggressive in taking over nest cavities and even actively killing chicks of swallows, chickadees, wrens, etc. They nest in birdhouses with too-large holes, or in old houses. >>> >>> Locally, I'm about to start a "Project 1-1/8th inch" to retrofit birdhouses with hole reducers -- basically thresholds that can be screwed onto the outside of a nest box, reducing the hole diameter to 1-1/8th". This should eliminate House Sparrows, but be suitable for smaller native species. Here's an example of a hole reducer: >>> https://nature-niche.com/collections/bird-house-accessories/products/1-125-diameter-portal-for-chickadee-houses-genuine-copper >>> >>> good birding, >>> >>> >>> On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 7:29?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters > wrote: >>>> Hans, I think swallows have disappeared from much of the Seattle urban/suburban area. Barn and Violet-green were all over the city 40-50 years ago. When we moved into our present house in Maple Leaf in 1991, we had Barn, Violet-green and sometimes Tree over the house on a regular basis, also Vaux?s Swifts. Within a decade or so all had disappeared, and our sky was empty of these birds, never to be seen again. As I drove around town, I noticed the same thing. Both Barn and Violet-green had been in most neighborhoods, but not anymore. These two species nested on buildings, on ledges or in holes, and I wondered if there was a movement to tidy up houses that was eliminating their potential nest sites. >>>> >>>> But I suspect it has much more to do with the decline of small flying insects over that time, not a thing that is obvious to us, earthbound as we are. We still have a few subsidized colonies of Purple Martins, but they are feeding largely on wasps and bees, which are still around, and dragonflies, which they can find by flying some distance from their nests. >>>> >>>> Dennis Paulson >>>> Seattle >>>> >>>>> On Jul 22, 2024, at 12:20 AM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters > wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other areas around Puget Sound? >>>>> >>>>> Good Birding! >>>>> >>>>> Hans >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Hans Feddern >>>>> Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA >>>>> thefedderns@gmail.com >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Tweeters mailing list >>>>> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >>>>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Tweeters mailing list >>>> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >>>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >>> >>> >>> -- >>> ?Steve Hampton? >>> Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 11:03:12 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Odette James via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 11:03:37 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Cedar River Delta References: <498738726.2989451.1721671392572.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <498738726.2989451.1721671392572@mail.yahoo.com> Notable birds over the last few days - today, Monday July 22, 22 Caspian Terns, all in adult breeding plumage, spending a lot of time just hanging out on the delta logs; a few American Coots; a few immature Ring-billed Gulls; and a few California Gulls.? A few days ago - a Horned Grebe in breeding plumage, here only briefly.? And hordes of Canada Geese and Mallards plus some Gadwalls and a few Great Blue Herons.? Common Mergansers seem to have had a decent breeding season, as there are many young ones here now, feeding as usual with their faces planted in the water or snoozing on the logs. Odette James, Lakeshore Retirement Community -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 11:18:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (HAL MICHAEL via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 11:19:02 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: <8502EC70-A898-48FE-8304-2CDA04F24A0D@comcast.net> References: <96DA8635-9B53-4D50-A2C8-8AB39DC8F5FB@comcast.net> <8502EC70-A898-48FE-8304-2CDA04F24A0D@comcast.net> Message-ID: <1675087819.2521360.1721672316159@connect.xfinity.com> First, isn't this a Peter, Paul, and Mary Tune? Where we have lived , swallows have been in decline for a long time. In the early 90s we had Barn Swallows nesting on our front porch and in the barn. After a few years, all gone. We had Trees and Violet Greens that nested in boxes all through the yard and pasture. Gone by about 2010. At our new place, admittedly on saltwater, we have the occasional flyby and the nest boxes looked at once in 8 years. I would echo Dennis and not put, at least for our personal situation, the blame on House Sparrows. We had few at the old house and none here. One year, they used a nest box after the swallows. In one year, they did destroy a swallow nest. They only nested in the boxes one other year out of about 25. Perhaps the problem is on the wintering grounds. Hal Michael Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders http://ecowb.org/ Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 07/22/2024 8:33 AM PDT Dennis Paulson via Tweeters wrote: > > > Steve, thanks for another perspective, and I know House Sparrows have been shown to be involved in displacing swallows. But interestingly, House Sparrows have also declined dramatically in Seattle, I think not just in our wooded neighborhood. When we first moved here, we had them in the yard all the time, thronging our feeders day after day. In the summer of 1996, up to 30 birds visited the feeders at once. By 2010, they were in the yard only occasionally, and the last ones we saw were a family that visited the yard briefly in June 2021. And we?re watching those feeders every day when we?re in town. > > In this species, I presume a loss of nest sites may have caused the decline, so that could be a cause of at least some of the swallow decline as well. It would be interesting to hear from other people how swallows and sparrows have fared in their neighborhoods. > > Dennis > > > > On Jul 22, 2024, at 7:56 AM, Steve Hampton wrote: > > Here in Port Townsend, I agree that swallow nesting sites seem quite limited. I wonder about the prevalence of House Sparrows -- many people feed seed (especially white millet) thru the summer, attracting hordes of House Sparrows with seemingly extraordinary reproductive success. It's easy to see groups of 20, most of whom fresh juveniles. > > > > House Sparrows can be quite aggressive in taking over nest cavities and even actively killing chicks of swallows, chickadees, wrens, etc. They nest in birdhouses with too-large holes, or in old houses. > > > > Locally, I'm about to start a "Project 1-1/8th inch" to retrofit birdhouses with hole reducers -- basically thresholds that can be screwed onto the outside of a nest box, reducing the hole diameter to 1-1/8th". This should eliminate House Sparrows, but be suitable for smaller native species. Here's an example of a hole reducer: > > https://nature-niche.com/collections/bird-house-accessories/products/1-125-diameter-portal-for-chickadee-houses-genuine-copper > > > > good birding, > > > > > > On Mon, Jul 22, 2024 at 7:29?AM Dennis Paulson via Tweeters wrote: > > > > > Hans, I think swallows have disappeared from much of the Seattle urban/suburban area. Barn and Violet-green were all over the city 40-50 years ago. When we moved into our present house in Maple Leaf in 1991, we had Barn, Violet-green and sometimes Tree over the house on a regular basis, also Vaux?s Swifts. Within a decade or so all had disappeared, and our sky was empty of these birds, never to be seen again. As I drove around town, I noticed the same thing. Both Barn and Violet-green had been in most neighborhoods, but not anymore. These two species nested on buildings, on ledges or in holes, and I wondered if there was a movement to tidy up houses that was eliminating their potential nest sites. > > > > > > But I suspect it has much more to do with the decline of small flying insects over that time, not a thing that is obvious to us, earthbound as we are. We still have a few subsidized colonies of Purple Martins, but they are feeding largely on wasps and bees, which are still around, and dragonflies, which they can find by flying some distance from their nests. > > > > > > Dennis Paulson > > > Seattle > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 22, 2024, at 12:20 AM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters wrote: > > > > > > > > Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other areas around Puget Sound? > > > > > > > > Good Birding! > > > > > > > > Hans > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Hans Feddern > > > > Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA > > > > thefedderns@gmail.com mailto:thefedderns@gmail.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Tweeters mailing list > > > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Tweeters mailing list > > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > > > > > > > -- > > Steve Hampton > > Port Townsend, WA (qat?y) > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 12:00:40 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (pan via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 12:00:46 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] swallow declines Message-ID: <1917414947.1979751.1721674840216@fidget.co-bxl> Tweets, I, too, have noticed a decline in swallows in my time in Seattle (32 years).? For example, a couple nights ago I was at an evening concert at Volunteer Park, and saw a total of four Violet-greens plus one swift.? Ten or more years ago, there would have been a constant feeding flock of Barn and Violet-green, and swifts, with occasional other species.? Swimming regularly at Medgar Evers pool, I'd see flocks of Barn and Violet-green constantly feeding low over the adjacent playfield as recently as ten years ago.? A few years ago, that declined to 2-4 Violet-greens, nesting in a nearby building.? Then it was none.? I could go on.? But don't take my word for it.? E-bird has trend maps for 2012-2022.? Go to https://science.ebird.org/en/status-and-trends/species/barswa/trends-map?regionCode=USA for the Barn Swallow example, and zoom in a bit.? Then check all our other swallows.? All show mostly or only red.? Red being population declines to various degrees.? And that's just the last ten years.? If the data were available for longer periods, I'm sure the declines would be greater.? (House Sparrow maps show blue (increases) for much of North America, but red for west of the Cascades, Portland to BC.)? Alan Grenon Seattle panmail At mailfence Period com -- Sent with https://mailfence.com Secure and private email -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 13:11:21 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diann MacRae via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 13:11:26 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? In-Reply-To: <148E6427-CB2F-4DF4-BF92-695E19149A9B@gmail.com> References: <9A359D7F-C23B-41B9-9E4E-07EBA97BD603@gmail.com> <148E6427-CB2F-4DF4-BF92-695E19149A9B@gmail.com> Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 13:16:06 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mark Borden via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 13:16:28 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Nestbox (pre-made cavity) nesting swallows Message-ID: Dear Tweeters, I also live on Whidbey Island, and would say that the population of Violet Green and Tree Swallows here has been stable. On my home (5ac) property I have about 75 nest boxes, and most are occupied. Currently we have young in the boxes ranging from ready to fledge, to just hatched. Many clutches have already fledged this season. All (about 150, if you include our 83 acre farm) of my entrance holes are 1.5 inches. I have about a dozen boxes with 1.25 inch entry holes, and those are occupied by either wrens, or chickadees, but not swallows. To see a fencebox video go to medicalwizard9 on X. The primary key to avoiding house sparrows is to place the box far enough from escape cover. As a Falconer, I have pursued house sparrows with the smaller accipiters. The speed of a House Sparrow across the open is no match for a Cooper?s Hawk, and they immediately seek escape cover, often successfully. They do not like to be in the open, and all of my boxes that are more than 50 feet from escape cover are occupied by swallows, solely. Only just fledged swallows are susceptible to predation by the accipiters. Adult swallows are occasionally taken by Merlins. The primary key, in my experience, to increasing Violet Green and Tree Swallow population is to install nest boxes with 1.5 inch openings that are a distance of at least 50? from cover. Mark Borden MD Coupeville, WA. 360-632-748four Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 13:47:24 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Paula Crockett/Martin Gibbins via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 13:47:37 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? References: <462097433.3043843.1721681244879.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <462097433.3043843.1721681244879@mail.yahoo.com> Hans,?For eleven years, we?ve?lived on Lake Joy in rural East King county. The first few years, we had many?swallows: 40-50?Barn, 20-30?Tree, and 10+?Violet-Green (that used to swoop down to grab our cat?s fur from our lawn?for nesting material). In?the?past few years, we?ve seen?noticeably?fewer swallows. This year, we?ve had perhaps 10?Barn, a couple of Violet-Green, and approximately 20?Tree. We have four Tree nest boxes, all of which have been occupied this summer, with two pairs now incubating a second clutch. That has been encouraging. Coincident with this decline has been the construction of many more homes with the inevitable loss of natural habitat, more light pollution, more outdoor cats,?the use of ?bug zappers,? and exterminator companies going door-to-door offering to ?rid your property of all mosquitoes and spiders.? I?ve seen just one House Sparrow here, so I don?t think that?s a big factor.? We?ve seen fewer species and fewer individuals across the board. We used to see Chestnut-backed Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches almost daily, but I rarely see them now. Same?with Song Sparrows. In the winter, we used to have as many as 700-800 ducks of many species?roosting?on the lake at night. In recent winters, we?re lucky to see even 100. It all makes me sad. For the birds,Paula Crockett < On Jul 22, 2024, at 12:20 AM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters wrote: >? > Has anyone else noticed that there seem to be less swallows around? We normally have a good number of Violet-green Swallows over the lakes here in Twin Lakes in Federal Way. By this time of the year they have finished breeding and we see more Barn Swallows. Also a couple of pairs of Northern Rough-winged Swallows are present with an occasional Tree Swallow mixed in. Over the last month or longer, I have not seen a swallow of any species on most days. What is up? Are we looking at a decline? How is it in other areas around Puget Sound? >? > Good Birding! >? > Hans >? > --? > Hans Feddern > Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA >?thefedderns@gmail.com >? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 14:15:22 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ted Ryan via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 14:17:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where have all the Swallows gone? Message-ID: We have lived in the same house in Port Orchard now for 6+ years and if anything the swallow numbers are up. The big difference for us is likely habitat since we are in a fairly rural environment with houses about every five acres. At peak swallow numbers mid-May into June we'll have dozens of violet green and barn swallows feeding on insects over our yard. We have a fair amount of garden areas on our property of both the vegetable/fruit type as well as flowers. I suspect we produce more insects per acre than your average lawned yard. The past two years we have seen and heard Purple Martins in more numbers than when we moved into the house in 2018. Ted Ryan Port Orchard, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 14:38:50 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (HAL MICHAEL via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 14:39:15 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Nestbox (pre-made cavity) nesting swallows In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1691734529.2662693.1721684330805@connect.xfinity.com> Two places where In had both Tree and VG swallows (Dungeness hatchery and a rural Olympia home) the VG's seemed to prefer boxes that were in the coolest. most shaded location like the west side of a barn or under a large eave. They weren't out in the open where the Trees were happy. But tis is only based a few VG's. Hal Michael Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/) Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 07/22/2024 1:16 PM PDT Mark Borden via Tweeters wrote: > > > Dear Tweeters, > I also live on Whidbey Island, and would say that the population of Violet Green and Tree Swallows here has been stable. On my home (5ac) property I have about 75 nest boxes, and most are occupied. Currently we have young in the boxes ranging from ready to fledge, to just hatched. Many clutches have already fledged this season. > > All (about 150, if you include our 83 acre farm) of my entrance holes are 1.5 inches. I have about a dozen boxes with 1.25 inch entry holes, and those are occupied by either wrens, or chickadees, but not swallows. > > To see a fencebox video go to medicalwizard9 on X. > > The primary key to avoiding house sparrows is to place the box far enough from escape cover. As a Falconer, I have pursued house sparrows with the smaller accipiters. The speed of a House Sparrow across the open is no match for a Cooper?s Hawk, and they immediately seek escape cover, often successfully. They do not like to be in the open, and all of my boxes that are more than 50 feet from escape cover are occupied by swallows, solely. Only just fledged swallows are susceptible to predation by the accipiters. Adult swallows are occasionally taken by Merlins. > > The primary key, in my experience, to increasing Violet Green and Tree Swallow population is to install nest boxes with 1.5 inch openings that are a distance of at least 50? from cover. > > Mark Borden MD > Coupeville, WA. > 360-632-748four > > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 17:05:00 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mary Forrester via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 17:05:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] swallows & house sparrows Message-ID: <1280923459.2607968.1721693100278@connect.xfinity.com> I live in Tukwila & spend a lot of time on the Green River trail. During this year, like many other Tweeters, I've also noticed a large decrease in the number of violet green & barn swallows, as well as more rough winged swallows. At the same time, I have also seen many more house sparrows. Anything we can do to discourage the house sparrows would, I think, be worth the effort. Mary Forrester -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 17:38:12 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Josh Morris via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 17:38:19 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] swallows & house sparrows In-Reply-To: <1280923459.2607968.1721693100278@connect.xfinity.com> References: <1280923459.2607968.1721693100278@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: The decline of swallows in Seattle is also supported by data collected over decades by Birds Connect Seattle?s Neighborhood Bird Project, a monthly bird count at 9 Seattle parks. The decline is particularly clear for Barn Swallows. I?ve attached a chart showing of the proportion of our monthly bird surveys reporting a given swallow species since 2005. At the start of the period, more than 7% of surveys reported Barn Swallows. Today, it?s around 1%. We have also observed a clear decline in surveys reporting House Sparrows. Joshua Morris joshm@birdsconnectsea.org From: Tweeters On Behalf Of Mary Forrester via Tweeters Sent: Monday, July 22, 2024 5:05 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] swallows & house sparrows I live in Tukwila & spend a lot of time on the Green River trail. During this year, like many other Tweeters, I've also noticed a large decrease in the number of violet green & barn swallows, as well as more rough winged swallows. At the same time, I have also seen many more house sparrows. Anything we can do to discourage the house sparrows would, I think, be worth the effort. Mary Forrester -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: swallows+hosp.png Type: image/png Size: 17252 bytes Desc: swallows+hosp.png URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 17:57:13 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (HAL MICHAEL via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 17:57:38 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] swallows & house sparrows In-Reply-To: <1280923459.2607968.1721693100278@connect.xfinity.com> References: <1280923459.2607968.1721693100278@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: <758450416.75367.1721696233253@connect.xfinity.com> This swallow decline/change is certainly of wider scope that just WA. As a kid in CA I went to Caswell State Park, which is in the Sac-Jouquin Delta, in the early 60s. Saw all 5 species of swallowe in abundance and all nesting. When I reported this when I first got on e-bird, I put them in as an historical observation. I was called out for either the Bank or Rough-winged (I forget which) because they aren't there any more. More recently (2010s) I reported a Cliff Swallow from the Yolo Bypass, outside of Sacramento. Again, called out because at that time of year Cave Swallows are apparently more likely. Lots of long-term changes going on. Hal Michael Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders http://ecowb.org/ Olympia WA 360-459-4005 360-791-7702 (C) ucd880@comcast.net > On 07/22/2024 5:05 PM PDT Mary Forrester via Tweeters wrote: > > > I live in Tukwila & spend a lot of time on the Green River trail. During this year, like many other Tweeters, I've also noticed a large decrease in the number of violet green & barn swallows, as well as more rough winged swallows. At the same time, I have also seen many more house sparrows. Anything we can do to discourage the house sparrows would, I think, be worth the effort. > Mary Forrester > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 22 18:04:51 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 22 18:05:19 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] swallows & house sparrows In-Reply-To: <758450416.75367.1721696233253@connect.xfinity.com> References: <1280923459.2607968.1721693100278@connect.xfinity.com> <758450416.75367.1721696233253@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: Some time ago I put a lot of historical records on eBird from the 1970s and 1980s, from both the Seattle area and Grays Harbor, and my numbers were questioned again and again, I presume by an algorithm, not a person. All I could do is respond to the reviewers "there were more birds then.? Dennis Paulson Seattle P.S. I?m pleased that all the data available agree with my assessments of population declines, except the part of me that wishes they didn?t! > On Jul 22, 2024, at 5:57 PM, HAL MICHAEL via Tweeters wrote: > > This swallow decline/change is certainly of wider scope that just WA. As a kid in CA I went to Caswell State Park, which is in the Sac-Jouquin Delta, in the early 60s. Saw all 5 species of swallowe in abundance and all nesting. When I reported this when I first got on e-bird, I put them in as an historical observation. I was called out for either the Bank or Rough-winged (I forget which) because they aren't there any more. More recently (2010s) I reported a Cliff Swallow from the Yolo Bypass, outside of Sacramento. Again, called out because at that time of year Cave Swallows are apparently more likely. Lots of long-term changes going on. > > Hal Michael > Board of Directors, Ecologists Without Borders > Olympia WA > 360-459-4005 > 360-791-7702 (C) > ucd880@comcast.net > > >> On 07/22/2024 5:05 PM PDT Mary Forrester via Tweeters wrote: >> >> >> I live in Tukwila & spend a lot of time on the Green River trail. During this year, like many other Tweeters, I've also noticed a large decrease in the number of violet green & barn swallows, as well as more rough winged swallows. At the same time, I have also seen many more house sparrows. Anything we can do to discourage the house sparrows would, I think, be worth the effort. >> Mary Forrester >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 23 03:17:36 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dan Reiff via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 23 03:17:42 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Groundbreaking study reveals oceanic seabirds chase tropical cyclones | ScienceDaily Message-ID: <7F953064-DBB8-4DEE-8F38-19A6474E1F76@gmail.com> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240709121741.htm Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 23 05:59:37 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Matt Bartels via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 23 05:59:32 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] County Year List Project at the half-way point for 2024 Message-ID: Hi Tweeters and Inland NW Birders - An updated version of the 2024 County Year List Project is up and available at Washington Birder. Almost all of the 39 counties sent in updates of the year list at the mid-way point. Thanks compilers for all your work, and thanks everyone who has contributed. The mid-year check-in as a relatively stable time of year to compare across years ? The end of June finds us mostly done with spring migration, and still ahead of fall migration (except for some shorebirds. Overall, it looks like this year is shaping up to be a bit better than usual when it comes to county year lists. Here?s how things look compared with recent years: We?ve tallied 369 species statewide as of the mid-way point in 2024. That?s a bit above the mid-year average total at this point [364], 4 higher than our total at this point last year. In Western WA, our 336 total is 1 higher than last year?s at this point. The is our highest for this point since 2012, and we are above average [326] by a full 10 species. In Eastern WA, our 308 species tallied is tied with 2013 for our highest ever mid-year total and well above our usual EWA average [301]. 28 counties are higher than they were at this point last year, 9 are lower, and 2 [Skamania & Thurston] were at exactly the same total as last year?s check-in. 28 Counties have a total within 10 species of the check-in at this point last year, a sign of the continued consistency of this effort. Clallam [254] and King [252] are in the lead with the highest county totals. That said, if we compare counties based on the percentage of their overall life list that has been found so far this year, the top five counties are all in Eastern WA: Okanogan [74%, 242], Yakima [73%, 240], Chelan [72%, 228], Klickitat [72%, 226] and Kittitas [70%, 324] 68 species have been seen in all 39 counties (last year that number was 60). and 159 species have been found in 30 or more counties ? that?s our core of wide-spread regulars. If you'd like to take a look at where things stand, the list and many other interesting files are at the Washington Birder website: http://www.wabirder.com/index.html A direct link to the 2024 county yearlist & the list of county compilers contact info: http://www.wabirder.com/county_yearlist.html Thanks to all the compilers and all those pitching in to sketch a picture of another year's birds in WA. Good birding, Matt Bartels Seattle, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 23 07:40:44 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 23 07:40:55 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RE Decline in swallow numbers Message-ID: <001201dadd0e$4d644af0$e82ce0d0$@comcast.net> Hi Tweeters, I read with interest all the posts yesterday about the decline in swallow numbers. We moved to Edmonds in 2017 and have had swallows around our house and down at the Edmonds marsh every year. But I also sense that their numbers are dropping here. Before 2020 we would have maybe 15 or 20 swallows flying over the trees between our house and Pine Ridge Park, not far away. Now we are pleased to see 4 or 5. Ours are always Violet-green. We put up a swallow box a few years ago and have had swallows in it every year except when we had the heat dome at the end of June-was that in 2021? Anyway after the heat dome, there were no insects and the swallows left for the year. My theory is that we have fewer insects now, perhaps because of insecticides or perhaps because of global warming. Fewer insects means fewer swallows, I think. The swallows this year didn't begin nesting until June. This was late-they are usually done nesting by mid-June. The had at least one chick, but it got harder and harder for the parents to find insects for feed the chick. The adults would be gone for long periods of time and finally we would see them far off hawking for a few bugs. We think at least one chick fledged last week. Anyway, we probably need more insects! Charlotte Byers, Edmonds -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 23 09:59:19 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 23 09:59:28 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Uganda Birding Trip - Blog Post #2 - the Iconic and Bizarre Shoebill and More References: <803630369.2237808.1721753960000.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <803630369.2237808.1721753960000@mail.yahoo.com> This post covers the lead up to and the first official day of our trip to Uganda including a marvelous visit and boat ride at Mabamba Swamp where we found the amazing Shoebill (and 49 other species). https://blairbirding.com/2024/07/23/uganda-starting-the-tour-at-entebbe-and-then-our-first-shoebill-and-more-at-the-mabamba-swamp/ Enjoy Blair Bernson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 23 13:31:29 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jerry Tangren via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 23 13:31:36 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RE Decline in swallow numbers In-Reply-To: <001201dadd0e$4d644af0$e82ce0d0$@comcast.net> References: <001201dadd0e$4d644af0$e82ce0d0$@comcast.net> Message-ID: I apologize for not reading carefully all of the posts on this topic. With all the suggested causes, I?d like to add 1. urbanization and reduced populations of flying insects 2. Problems on the wintering grounds. Not sure how far our cold temperatures intruded south, but many swallows winter not too much farther south. However, it could be more than weather, but also an otherwise loss of food resources. * Jerry Tangren Get Outlook for iOS ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of via Tweeters Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2024 7:40:44 AM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] RE Decline in swallow numbers Hi Tweeters, I read with interest all the posts yesterday about the decline in swallow numbers. We moved to Edmonds in 2017 and have had swallows around our house and down at the Edmonds marsh every year. But I also sense that their numbers are dropping here. Before 2020 we would have maybe 15 or 20 swallows flying over the trees between our house and Pine Ridge Park, not far away. Now we are pleased to see 4 or 5. Ours are always Violet-green. We put up a swallow box a few years ago and have had swallows in it every year except when we had the heat dome at the end of June?was that in 2021? Anyway after the heat dome, there were no insects and the swallows left for the year. My theory is that we have fewer insects now, perhaps because of insecticides or perhaps because of global warming. Fewer insects means fewer swallows, I think. The swallows this year didn?t begin nesting until June. This was late?they are usually done nesting by mid-June. The had at least one chick, but it got harder and harder for the parents to find insects for feed the chick. The adults would be gone for long periods of time and finally we would see them far off hawking for a few bugs. We think at least one chick fledged last week. Anyway, we probably need more insects! Charlotte Byers, Edmonds -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 24 10:19:18 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 24 10:19:24 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Red-necked Grebe south of Vantage Message-ID: <78E113B1-32E8-4D65-811B-39404023BEA1@comcast.net> Elaine Chuang, Netta Smith and I were surprised to see a Red-necked Grebe in breeding plumage on the Columbia River a few miles south of Vantage yesterday, 23 July 2024. I don?t think they are known to breed anywhere near there, and possibly this was an individual already migrating away from a breeding site. Birds often fail in their nesting attempts, and with no young to take care of, they may leave to head for wintering grounds. Dennis Paulson Seattle From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 24 12:27:01 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 24 12:27:06 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] RE Decline in swallow numbers In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <723a08e8-7130-40b2-8f4b-d58f16725cee@jimbetz.com> Hi, ? I'd like to report from a 'historical perspective'.? I grew up in Anacortes and left there to go to SF State ... way back in the fall of '63.? I still had family here in Washington but until just 5 years ago I hadn't -lived- in the PNW. ? The population growth in the PNW - specifically on the West side of the Cascades - is extremely noticeable.? Even here in Skagit County (pop. 125,000 and growing) the change is huge.? Houses and roads everywhere, roads going from 2 lanes (old Hwy 99) to 4 or even 6 (I-5) lanes ... and crowded.? The number of cars literally anytime you want to name on 20 between Anacortes and Mt.Vernon/Burlington is nearly at capacity.? "At capacity" means that if you add more volume of traffic you go over the capability of the road to handle the same average speed. ? ? Population growth also means 'loss of habitat' (food and nesting sources).? Even the pandemic didn't slow down the growth here in Skagit County (one of the most rural counties on the West side of the Cascades). ? We don't have the right perspective when we are discussing things if we aren't taking a longer view of 'history'.? What's happened in the last 5 years isn't important - what's important is what's happened in the last 50 years! ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ????? - rant over ... Jim P.S. BTW - the PNW is hugely better than Californicatia! On 7/24/2024 12:04 PM, via Tweeters wrote: > RE Decline in swallow numbers -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 24 13:40:02 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 24 13:40:10 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Blog Post #3 for Uganda Birding Trip - Lake Mburo and the African Finfoot References: <1438123072.229619.1721853602937.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1438123072.229619.1721853602937@mail.yahoo.com> Another Uganda birding trip blog post covering our 2+ days at Lake Mburo featuring African Finfoot among 120 birds and then on to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (next blog post with Mountain Gorillas) Blair Bernson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 10:52:17 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carol Riddell via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 10:52:32 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where Have All the Swallows Gone? Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, In general, I too have noticed a decrease in swallow numbers over the years. For about 25 years I have watched swallow numbers decline at Edmonds marsh, even though there seem to be plenty of insects. In the late 70s and early 80s, Barn Swallows were a summer fixture in my yard. They nested in my neighbor?s carport. When that house sold, the new owners eradicated the nests. I have not seen a swallow in my neighborhood since then even though there have been plenty of insects. This is a July 2014 article at phys.org that may be of interest to some of you. It was provided by Dalhousie University. Perhaps they were noticing the problem before we were. I would suspect that the extensive use of insecticides on commercial farm land has a great impact on migrating insectivores. Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA Extinction: the permanent loss of a species. It is deeply troubling?and scientists and birdwatchers are ringing the alarm about a bird species that only a few decades ago was widespread and very common. Swallows, along with other birds that feed primarily on flying insects, are experiencing the greatest population declines for any group of birds in North America, and their declines are particularly pronounced in the Maritimes. The Barn Swallow, for example, has seen a 95 per cent drop in numbers across North America in the last forty years, placing it on the endangered species list in Nova Scotia. PhD student Tara Imlay and master's student Sarah Saldanha are trying to figure out why this is happening?hopefully, a first step in reversing this alarming trend. "This decline is especially concerning because this type of bird used to be so widespread and abundant and the decline of a common, widespread species hints at a broad scale cause," explains Saldnha. "Although this decline may be attributed to changes in North America ecosystems, it may also be attributed to changes in the birds' wintering grounds.? An ecological mystery Working for the summer from a busy research station near Sackville, N.B. (run by Acadia University and Ducks Unlimited), the two student researchers are focused on the decline in Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallow populations in the Maritimes. "I grew up in Wolfville and I have always been interested in the conservation of species in the region," says Imlay, "I heard about the huge decline in swallows and the lack of information about the cause so I really wanted to investigate this question. Understanding the cause?or causes?of declines is vital for determining the right steps to reversing these downward population trends.? There are two leading theories about the decline. The first suggests it's driven by a related decline in insect abundance or a mismatch in the timing of when insect abundance is highest and swallows are breeding. The second theory is connected to the fact that the greatest declines have been in birds that migrate long distances to Central and South America. This theory suggests that conditions at wintering locations or during migration could be impacting these species. Imlay and Saldanha are examining the first of these theories: the relationship between daily insect abundance and the timing of swallow breeding. They are closely tracking a multitude of factors in the swallows' summer routines, including variable insect populations, the date the first eggs are laid, the date eggs hatch, the number of eggs laid and the number that hatches, and chick survival rates. This data will allow them to determine if insect abundance is limiting population growth. They're also looking at the foraging habits of Bank Swallows during the breeding season, using very small radio transmitters on the birds and high-tech receiving towers to monitor the birds' movements. "This is the first time automated telemetry on is being used on the local scale," says Saldanha. "With this technology, I am getting a much better understanding of how the birds are traveling and using the habitat in their daily lives." The number of daily foraging trips and their distance from the breeding colony may suggest clues as to insect abundance. Summer field work To test the wintering ground theory, they are using a variety of methods, including lightweight nets to collect feather samples from adult birds to determine where the birds spend the winter and their stress levels during the wintering period. This data will allow them to determine whether wintering ground conditions are also impacting populations. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 11:39:11 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Shep Thorp via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 11:39:28 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR for 7/24/2024 Message-ID: Dear Tweets, Forty-one of us had a nice summer day at the Refuge with sunny skies and temperatures in the 50's to 70's degrees Fahrenheit. There was a High 12'0" Tide at 7:37am and a Low -1'10" Tide at 2:33pm, so we altered our usual route and took the Access Road to the Twin Barns to get out onto the dike or Nisqually Estuary Trail to catch the falling tide. We had a wonderful group of birders with several new attendees, numerous regular birders, and old friends that were great to see again. Highlights included several juveniles including WOOD DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, CINNAMON TEAL, HAIRY WOODPECKER, DOWNY WOODPECKER, MARSH WREN, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE, SWAINSON'S THRUSH and BALD EAGLE, Jon spotted a migrating first of year GREAT EGRET in the freshwater marsh, most of the group had excellent views of SORA, we enjoyed a good push of 600 plus shorebirds with nice looks of LEAST SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, and Jason spotted a continuing WHIMBREL foraging the channel of Madrone Slough which runs adjacent to the Puget Sound Observation Platform. I was out on the dike prior to the walk at 7am and observed 40-50 BANK SWALLOWS roosting in dead Elderberry Trees along Leschi Slough where it parallels the dike. Unfortunately, we were not able to locate Semipalmated Sandpiper, yet... Steve and Tim located a first of year OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER in the area around the Twin Barns Picnic Tables. For the day we had 73 species, and with two FOY, Olive-sided Flycatcher and Great Egret, we have now seen 159 species this year. It was a good mammal day as well with reports of Coyote, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, two reports of Long-tailed Weasel, Townsend's Chipmunk, Muskrat and Harbor Seal. Ryan Munes, Refuge Biologist, is evaluating the Puget Sound Garter Snakes on the Refuge, looking at the scales around the mouth, to help determine the status of subspecies. See eBird Report with details below. Until next week when we meet again at 8am at the Visitor Center Pond Overlook, happy birding. Shep -- Shep Thorp Browns Point 253-370-3742 Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR, Thurston, Washington, US Jul 24, 2024 6:33 AM - 4:48 PM Protocol: Traveling 9.174 mile(s) Checklist Comments: Wednesday Walk. Sunny skies with temperatures in the 50?s to 70?s degrees Fahrenheit. A High 12?0? Tide at 7:37am and a Low -1?10? Tide at 2:33pm. Mammals observed include Eastern Cotton-tailed Rabbit, Coyote, Long-tailed Weasel x 2, Townsend?s Chipmunk, Columbian Black-tailed Deer, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Harbor Seal, and Muskrat. Others seen included Red-eared Slider, American Bullfrog, and Puget Sound Gartersnake. 73 species (+2 other taxa) Canada Goose (moffitti/maxima) 130 Wood Duck 12 Cinnamon Teal 6 Mallard 30 Hooded Merganser 4 Common Merganser 2 Observed by Whittier and Tom in Shannon Slough near entrance to Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk Trail. Pied-billed Grebe 1 Freshwater Marsh Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 30 Band-tailed Pigeon 3 Mourning Dove 1 Orchard. Anna's Hummingbird 2 Rufous Hummingbird 6 Virginia Rail 1 Freshwater marsh. Heard only. Sora 1 Seen well by many foraging in the Freshwater Marsh. American Coot (Red-shielded) 2 Spotted by Ken in freshwater marsh. Killdeer 4 Semipalmated Plover 10 Whimbrel 1 Spotted by Jason from the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk trail on the mudflats east and north of McAllister Creek Viewing Platform along Madrone Slough. Large shorebird with distinctive decurved bill and brown crown stripes foraging on mudflats. Observed with spotting scopes at 1/4 to 1/2 mile. Seen multiple times. Long-billed Dowitcher 15 Several small groups flying around. Spotted Sandpiper 2 West Bank of McAllister Creek. Greater Yellowlegs 8 Least Sandpiper 150 Western Sandpiper 400 Large flock of peeps counted in groups of 25-100. At one point observed one flock of 300 birds. 10-20% were Least Sandpiper. Total bird count likely 500-700 birds. Ring-billed Gull 200 California Gull 75 Glaucous-winged Gull 15 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) 15 Western/Glaucous-winged Gull 20 Caspian Tern 75 Brandt's Cormorant 5 Channel marker. Double-crested Cormorant 75 Great Egret 1 Spotted by Jon in freshwater marsh. FOY, perched in dead Elderberry. Great Blue Heron (Great Blue) 80 Turkey Vulture 1 Spotted by Steve eating deceased Snake in mowed field. Osprey (carolinensis) 1 Foraging over McAllister Creek. Northern Harrier 1 Spotted by Tim flying along the Central Access Road. Bald Eagle 45 Belted Kingfisher 2 Downy Woodpecker (Pacific) 2 Hairy Woodpecker (Pacific) 3 Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Hunting shorebirds. Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 Spotted by Tim and Steve near the Twin Barns. Western Wood-Pewee 12 Willow Flycatcher 8 Warbling Vireo (Western) 4 Steller's Jay (Coastal) 2 American Crow 31 Black-capped Chickadee 17 Chestnut-backed Chickadee 4 Bank Swallow 40 Observed roosting in dead elderberry bushes along Leschi Slough adjacent to Nisqually Estuary Trail at 7am. Counted in groups of 5, suspect minimally 40-50 birds mixed with Tree Swallow and Barn Swallow. Observed with binoculars and scope. Tree Swallow 20 Violet-green Swallow 3 Purple Martin 3 Luhr Beach Gourd nest boxes. Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Barn Swallow (American) 85 Nesting at Visitor Center. Cliff Swallow 4 Nesting at Visitor Center Bushtit (Pacific) 20 Brown Creeper 2 Marsh Wren 6 Dust bathing on dike in the morning. Bewick's Wren 8 European Starling 200 Swainson's Thrush (Russet-backed) 19 American Robin 25 Cedar Waxwing 40 House Finch 2 Purple Finch (Western) 4 American Goldfinch 30 Savannah Sparrow (Savannah) 8 Song Sparrow (rufina Group) 20 Feeding cowbird chicks as well. Spotted Towhee 3 Red-winged Blackbird (Red-winged) 15 Brown-headed Cowbird 25 Being fed by Song Sparrow. Common Yellowthroat 10 Yellow Warbler 7 View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S188777273 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 12:41:03 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 12:41:08 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Wednesday Walk In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1e033a4b-8eae-4993-9f13-ddbc4cb2ee8e@jimbetz.com> Shep, ? I always read and sometimes even study your trip reports from Nisqually.? One thing I have trouble with is relating the reports to the actual place. You are using a lot of names for locations that I can't find.? Is there a map with those names available on the web?? Please supply a link if so. - THANKS ... Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 13:54:40 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Doug Santoni via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 13:54:56 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Fwd: Wednesday Walk References: Message-ID: <5DE730F9-84D8-42B0-976C-88998DEA2A67@gmail.com> > ?Jim / Shep / All ? > > I often refer to the maps on the WOS website, which are extremely helpful. (When I?ve read about places like ?Bird Alley? at Discovery Park, or ?K2? at the Union Bay Natural Area, these maps have come to my rescue!!) > > See wos.org ?> birding resources?> maps > Doug Santoni > Seattle, WA > Dougsantoni at gmail dot com > > >> On Jul 25, 2024, at 12:41?PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: >> >> Shep, >> >> I always read and sometimes even study your trip reports from Nisqually. One thing I >> >> have trouble with is relating the reports to the actual place. You are using a lot of >> >> names for locations that I can't find. Is there a map with those names available on >> >> the web? Please supply a link if so. >> >> - THANKS ... Jim >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 14:29:32 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Hobbs via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 14:29:47 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Marymoor Park (Redmond, King Co.) 2024-07-25 Message-ID: Tweets - Different weather today, with a mostly-unbroken cloud layer above us. A little cooler, with temps rising only to 63 degrees. Little wind. Pretty quiet. Highlights: Green Heron - Three at weir, probably adult and two juvies Great Blue Heron - Only one baby seen at the heronry Osprey - Many sightings, both nests active Barn Owl - Three seen simultaneously from Viewing Mound, just after 5am Five Woodpecker Day Merlin - Many sightings, probably all of the same bird American Crow - Many in adult/juvie couples with incessant begging calls from the latter Tree Swallow - Still one active nest, East Meadow Purple Martins - Appear to have finished breeding at the gourds Dark-eyed Junco - Stunning views near the mansion :) Black-throated Gray Warbler - One in the large Oregon Ash trees between Dog Meadow and the slough The MERLIN appeared to spend the whole morning, mostly a bit to the east of the mansion, chasing and being chased by AMERICAN CROWS. We wondered if this indicated it was a juvenile Merlin; so much wasted effort. Many beavers in the slough. Misses today included Pied-billed Grebe, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-tailed Hawk, Cliff Swallow, and Red-winged Blackbird. For the day, 57 species. Starting next week, our starting time is moving to a slightly more reasonable 6:00 a.m. = Michael Hobbs = BirdMarymoor@gmail.com = www.marymoor.org/birding.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 17:04:14 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Thomas Dorrance via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 17:04:29 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where Have All the Swallows Gone? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: For many years barn swallows have constructed colonies beneath houses and decks overhanging Lake Washington at about NE 145th Street, Seattle. The numbers are down in recent years but there are currently about 20, including the newly fledged. Each year I make sure there's a muddy bank in my yard for nest building. Not that there's a local shortage of mud - I just like having them in the yard. They are harassed on the ground (harmlessly, I believe) by juvenile house finches and in the air by Anna's. But last year a Sharpie snagged a swallow and flew off with it alive and screaming. Normally, detection of a predator brings out the full Swallow Air Force and a virtuosic flying display. The advent of wakeboard boats, generating waves so big they can slap the undersides of docks and houses, could spell the end of these otherwise ideal nesting sites. We haven't had violet-greens, who used to nest nearby, for at least 10 years. Tom Dorrance On Thu, Jul 25, 2024 at 10:54?AM Carol Riddell via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Hi Tweeters, > > In general, I too have noticed a decrease in swallow numbers over the > years. For about 25 years I have watched swallow numbers decline at Edmonds > marsh, even though there seem to be plenty of insects. In the late 70s and > early 80s, Barn Swallows were a summer fixture in my yard. They nested in > my neighbor?s carport. When that house sold, the new owners eradicated the > nests. I have not seen a swallow in my neighborhood since then even though > there have been plenty of insects. This is a July 2014 article at phys.org > that may be of interest to some of you. It was provided by Dalhousie > University. Perhaps they were noticing the problem before we were. I would > suspect that the extensive use of insecticides on commercial farm land has > a great impact on migrating insectivores. > > Carol Riddell > Edmonds, WA > > > Extinction: the permanent loss of a species. It is deeply troubling?and > scientists and birdwatchers are ringing the alarm about a bird species that > only a few decades ago was widespread and very common. > > Swallows, along with other birds that feed primarily on flying insects, > are experiencing the greatest population declines for any group of birds in > North America, and their declines are particularly pronounced in the > Maritimes. The Barn Swallow, for example, has seen a 95 per cent drop in > numbers across North America in the last forty years, placing it on the > endangered species list in Nova Scotia. > > PhD student Tara Imlay and master's student Sarah Saldanha are trying to > figure out why this is happening?hopefully, a first step in reversing this > alarming trend. > > "This decline is especially concerning because this type of bird used to > be so widespread and abundant and the decline of a common, widespread > species hints at a broad scale cause," explains Saldnha. "Although this > decline may be attributed to changes in North America ecosystems, it may > also be attributed to changes in the birds' wintering grounds.? > An ecological mystery > > Working for the summer from a busy research station near Sackville, N.B. > (run by Acadia University and Ducks Unlimited), the two student researchers > are focused on the decline in Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallow > populations in the Maritimes. > > "I grew up in Wolfville and I have always been interested in the > conservation of species in the region," says Imlay, "I heard about the huge > decline in swallows and the lack of information about the cause so I really > wanted to investigate this question. Understanding the cause?or causes?of > declines is vital for determining the right steps to reversing these > downward population trends.? > > There are two leading theories about the decline. The first suggests it's > driven by a related decline in insect abundance or a mismatch in the timing > of when insect abundance is highest and swallows are breeding. The second > theory is connected to the fact that the greatest declines have been in > birds that migrate long distances to Central and South America. This theory > suggests that conditions at wintering locations or during migration could > be impacting these species. > > Imlay and Saldanha are examining the first of these theories: the > relationship between daily insect abundance and the timing of swallow > breeding. They are closely tracking a multitude of factors in the swallows' > summer routines, including variable insect populations, the date the first > eggs are laid, the date eggs hatch, the number of eggs laid and the number > that hatches, and chick survival rates. This data will allow them to > determine if insect abundance is limiting population growth. > > They're also looking at the foraging habits of Bank Swallows during the > breeding season, using very small radio transmitters on the birds and > high-tech receiving towers to monitor the birds' movements. > > "This is the first time automated telemetry on is being used on the local > scale," says Saldanha. "With this technology, I am getting a much better > understanding of how the birds are traveling and using the habitat in their > daily lives." The number of daily foraging trips and their distance from > the breeding colony may suggest clues as to insect abundance. > > *Summer field work* > > To test the wintering ground theory, they are using a variety of methods, > including lightweight nets to collect feather samples from adult birds to > determine where the birds spend the winter and their stress levels during > the wintering period. This data will allow them to determine whether > wintering ground conditions are also impacting populations. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 17:48:19 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 17:48:23 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Another Uganda Blog Post - Mountain Gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest References: <923996962.37664.1721954899661.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <923996962.37664.1721954899661@mail.yahoo.com> https://blairbirding.com/2024/07/26/penetrating-the-bwindi-impenetrable-forest-gorilla-trekking-and-then-off-to-mahogany-springs/ Lots of gorilla photos from a very difficult trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest? and lots of birds as well. Blair Bernson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Thu Jul 25 21:08:22 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Andy McCormick via Tweeters) Date: Thu Jul 25 21:08:29 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where Have All the Swallows Gone? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Tweeters, I appreciate everyone?s comments on the decline in swallows and the resources that have been shared. As many have noted the decline in the populations in swallows is evident to everyday birders and it is part of a wider decline in many aerial insectivores including larger birds such as American Kestrel which feeds on grasshoppers. However, there is a bit of good news about this problem. In the summer issue of Living Bird from Cornell Lab is news that New York State legislature is acting to stop the decline by passing the Birds and Bees Protection Act which will outlaw neonicotinoid pesticide on seed coverings by 2029 https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/new-york-neonic-ban-crop-seed-coatings/# It?s a start. I hope it is not too late and that more states follow New York?s lead. Andy McCormick Bellevue, WA From: Carol Riddell via Tweeters Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2024 10:52 AM To: tweeters Subject: [Tweeters] Where Have All the Swallows Gone? Hi Tweeters, In general, I too have noticed a decrease in swallow numbers over the years. For about 25 years I have watched swallow numbers decline at Edmonds marsh, even though there seem to be plenty of insects. In the late 70s and early 80s, Barn Swallows were a summer fixture in my yard. They nested in my neighbor?s carport. When that house sold, the new owners eradicated the nests. I have not seen a swallow in my neighborhood since then even though there have been plenty of insects. This is a July 2014 article at phys.org that may be of interest to some of you. It was provided by Dalhousie University. Perhaps they were noticing the problem before we were. I would suspect that the extensive use of insecticides on commercial farm land has a great impact on migrating insectivores. Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA Extinction: the permanent loss of a species. It is deeply troubling?and scientists and birdwatchers are ringing the alarm about a bird species that only a few decades ago was widespread and very common. Swallows, along with other birds that feed primarily on flying insects, are experiencing the greatest population declines for any group of birds in North America, and their declines are particularly pronounced in the Maritimes. The Barn Swallow, for example, has seen a 95 per cent drop in numbers across North America in the last forty years, placing it on the endangered species list in Nova Scotia. PhD student Tara Imlay and master's student Sarah Saldanha are trying to figure out why this is happening?hopefully, a first step in reversing this alarming trend. "This decline is especially concerning because this type of bird used to be so widespread and abundant and the decline of a common, widespread species hints at a broad scale cause," explains Saldnha. "Although this decline may be attributed to changes in North America ecosystems, it may also be attributed to changes in the birds' wintering grounds.? An ecological mystery Working for the summer from a busy research station near Sackville, N.B. (run by Acadia University and Ducks Unlimited), the two student researchers are focused on the decline in Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallow populations in the Maritimes. "I grew up in Wolfville and I have always been interested in the conservation of species in the region," says Imlay, "I heard about the huge decline in swallows and the lack of information about the cause so I really wanted to investigate this question. Understanding the cause?or causes?of declines is vital for determining the right steps to reversing these downward population trends.? There are two leading theories about the decline. The first suggests it's driven by a related decline in insect abundance or a mismatch in the timing of when insect abundance is highest and swallows are breeding. The second theory is connected to the fact that the greatest declines have been in birds that migrate long distances to Central and South America. This theory suggests that conditions at wintering locations or during migration could be impacting these species. Imlay and Saldanha are examining the first of these theories: the relationship between daily insect abundance and the timing of swallow breeding. They are closely tracking a multitude of factors in the swallows' summer routines, including variable insect populations, the date the first eggs are laid, the date eggs hatch, the number of eggs laid and the number that hatches, and chick survival rates. This data will allow them to determine if insect abundance is limiting population growth. They're also looking at the foraging habits of Bank Swallows during the breeding season, using very small radio transmitters on the birds and high-tech receiving towers to monitor the birds' movements. "This is the first time automated telemetry on is being used on the local scale," says Saldanha. "With this technology, I am getting a much better understanding of how the birds are traveling and using the habitat in their daily lives." The number of daily foraging trips and their distance from the breeding colony may suggest clues as to insect abundance. Summer field work To test the wintering ground theory, they are using a variety of methods, including lightweight nets to collect feather samples from adult birds to determine where the birds spend the winter and their stress levels during the wintering period. This data will allow them to determine whether wintering ground conditions are also impacting populations. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 26 06:56:38 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Noseworthy via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 26 06:56:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Windy Gap/Government Meadows Message-ID: Hi Tweeters I have been wanting to explore Windy Gap and Government Meadows to see some new bird species. I am unfamiliar with the area and was hoping someone would share some info about the sites. Is a high clearance vehicle required? Is it a drive to and walk destination or driving and making multiple stops? Is the birding terrain difficult? How much walking distance is required? Can both locations be visited on the same trip? Any other info would be helpful. Thanks, Steve Redmond, WA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 26 07:21:15 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Doug Santoni via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 26 07:21:32 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Windy Gap/Government Meadows In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <89881DE5-D5C0-4465-870F-55A5E4A564C6@gmail.com> I would also be interested in answers to the same questions that Steve posed below. Particularly as it relates to the need for high clearance vehicles. (Bonus points, and much appreciation, if someone could also provide the same answers regarding the Sawmill Creek Burn Area.) Doug Santoni Seattle DougSantoni at gmail dot com > On Jul 26, 2024, at 6:57?AM, Steve Noseworthy via Tweeters wrote: > > ? > Hi Tweeters > I have been wanting to explore Windy Gap and Government Meadows to see some new bird species. I am unfamiliar with the area and was hoping someone would share some info about the sites. > Is a high clearance vehicle required? > Is it a drive to and walk destination or driving and making multiple stops? > Is the birding terrain difficult? > How much walking distance is required? > Can both locations be visited on the same trip? > Any other info would be helpful. > Thanks, Steve > Redmond, WA > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri Jul 26 10:53:01 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Fri Jul 26 10:53:14 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Vaux's Happening Message-ID: 150 wee birds still hanging in the Monroe Wagner roost this AM. 500 spent the night in Selleck. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 06:31:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diane Doles via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 06:31:49 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Road information Message-ID: The Washington Trails Association website has detailed information about how to access every trail in our State. Linked to that information are trip reports, most of which have something to say about the state of the roads leading to the trail. I?m certain that you?ll find information about accessing Government Meadows there. It?s very helpful. Diane Sent from my iPad From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 10:04:24 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (susan carmelprop.com via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 10:04:32 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Rats and bird feeders Message-ID: Dear tweeters, I have a couple of tube feeders and a suet feeder on poles in my backyard, around 25 feet from the house. All feeders with cages and squirrel baffles, etc. I?ve seen a rat under the feeders very infrequently- years apart- until now. We have a rat ( just one so far) that has settled in the past couple of days. I?m not happy but not sure if I need to do something drastic like take down the feeders. I?m wondering how problematic this is. Of course rats, along with squirrels and other little mammals, are out there in our backyards, but I dread a rat infestation of any kind. I would love any advice based on knowledge or experience! Thanks in advance, Susan Love Woodway, WA Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 12:41:04 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 12:41:09 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> Hi, ? I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week.? I was attempting to get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image it does show something I didn't know about.? The swallow was making one of those tight, horizontal turns.? The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees (think "vertical"). ? But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation.? A subsequent photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps this is a common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before????????????????????? Fun!!!?? - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 12:43:23 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (jimullrich via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 12:43:39 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Rats and Bird Feeders Message-ID: Try using strictly hot pepper infused Suet and Seed available from Wild Birds Unlimited stores scattered all across Puget Sound and Oregon and Eastern Washington. It works Jim Ullrich Sent from my iPhone From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 12:48:55 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Stephanie Neis via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 12:49:35 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Rats and Bird Feeders In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I also had success with scattering the hot pepper nuggets from Wildbirds under the feeders. After about a week the rats quit coming round and I scatter more every so often just as a deterrent as I know the rats are still somewhere not too far away. Stef Neis Whidbey Island Sent from my iPad > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:44?PM, jimullrich via Tweeters wrote: > > ?Try using strictly hot pepper infused Suet and Seed available from Wild Birds Unlimited stores scattered all across Puget Sound and Oregon and Eastern Washington. It works > Jim Ullrich > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 14:15:53 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carol Riddell via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 14:16:09 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] King County Forest Roads Message-ID: <1887F357-8482-4C15-88BF-A9F124E2DA2A@gmail.com> For those of you seeking information on the Sawmill Burn and Government Meadows, you should get a copy of Gene Hunn?s book, Birding in Seattle and King County: Site Guide and Annotated List (2d ed. 2012). It should be under $20 and available on line or at the Nature Shop in the Wedgwood neighborhood. It still has a lot of valuable information and good directions. It?s small enough to be a handy car companion. Carol Riddell Edmonds, WA From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 16:43:33 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 16:44:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> References: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Jim, it seems to me that birds are able to do that, hold their heads steady as they move their bodies in different positions. That long, flexible neck facilitates that greatly. Watch a coot or pigeon moving and note their bobbing head. They are holding their head still, presumably for better vision, as the body moves under it. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > Hi, > > I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week. I was attempting to > > get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image it does show > > something I didn't know about. The swallow was making one of those tight, horizontal > > turns. The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees (think "vertical"). > > But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation. A subsequent > > photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps this is a > > common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before? Fun!!! - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 17:22:43 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Nagi Aboulenein via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 17:22:56 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: There are some amazing videos online, of Kingfishers holding their heads perfectly steady, while their perch is being pushed around by the wind. Here?s a link to one of them: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YpIm39GHeLw ? Nagi Aboulenein > On Saturday, Jul 27, 2024 at 16:44, Dennis Paulson via Tweeters wrote: > Jim, it seems to me that birds are able to do that, hold their heads steady as they move their bodies in different positions. That long, flexible neck facilitates that greatly. Watch a coot or pigeon moving and note their bobbing head. They are holding their head still, presumably for better vision, as the body moves under it. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week. I was attempting to > > > > get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image it does show > > > > something I didn't know about. The swallow was making one of those tight, horizontal > > > > turns. The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees (think "vertical"). > > > > But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation. A subsequent > > > > photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps this is a > > > > common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before? Fun!!! - Jim > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 17:58:31 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 17:58:43 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Got a nest? Message-ID: <9603310A-8580-4CF3-8F35-991816CE966C@me.com> Anyone out there in tweeterland have a swift nest laying around they could part with. Not occupied of course. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sat Jul 27 20:22:11 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Barbara Mandula via Tweeters) Date: Sat Jul 27 20:22:37 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Rats and birdfeeders In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0d8e01dae09d$567f1fb0$037d5f10$@comcast.net> I live next to Madrona Woods and I don't worry about the squirrels and rats that eat birdseed that falls to the ground. Since the feeders are on a porch, I always make sure to close the porch door so none of the animals get inside. Barbara Mandula -----Original Message----- From: Tweeters On Behalf Of via Tweeters Sent: Saturday, July 27, 2024 12:03 PM To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: Tweeters Digest, Vol 239, Issue 27 Send Tweeters mailing list submissions to tweeters@u.washington.edu To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu You can reach the person managing the list at tweeters-owner@mailman11.u.washington.edu When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Tweeters digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Road information (Diane Doles via Tweeters) 2. Rats and bird feeders (susan carmelprop.com via Tweeters) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2024 06:31:35 -0700 From: Diane Doles via Tweeters To: tweeters@u.washington.edu Subject: [Tweeters] Road information Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 The Washington Trails Association website has detailed information about how to access every trail in our State. Linked to that information are trip reports, most of which have something to say about the state of the roads leading to the trail. I?m certain that you?ll find information about accessing Government Meadows there. It?s very helpful. Diane Sent from my iPad ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Sat, 27 Jul 2024 17:04:24 +0000 From: "susan carmelprop.com via Tweeters" To: "tweeters@u.washington.edu" Subject: [Tweeters] Rats and bird feeders Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Dear tweeters, I have a couple of tube feeders and a suet feeder on poles in my backyard, around 25 feet from the house. All feeders with cages and squirrel baffles, etc. I?ve seen a rat under the feeders very infrequently- years apart- until now. We have a rat ( just one so far) that has settled in the past couple of days. I?m not happy but not sure if I need to do something drastic like take down the feeders. I?m wondering how problematic this is. Of course rats, along with squirrels and other little mammals, are out there in our backyards, but I dread a rat infestation of any kind. I would love any advice based on knowledge or experience! Thanks in advance, Susan Love Woodway, WA Sent from my iPhone ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@mailman11.u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters ------------------------------ End of Tweeters Digest, Vol 239, Issue 27 ***************************************** From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 11:44:57 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 11:45:03 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding the Buhoma Area in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and A Special Visit to the Awesome Ride 4 A Woman Cooperative References: <999402792.438106.1722192297818.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <999402792.438106.1722192297818@mail.yahoo.com> This post continues my series about our visit to Uganda with more challenging birding in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Buhoma area) with a very special section about our visit to the Ride 4 A Woman Cooperative, a fantastic organization working with women from villages in the area that we will be supporting. https://blairbirding.com/2024/07/28/uganda-day-8-birds-in-the-morning-ride-4-a-woman-in-the-afternoon-uganda-day-9-on-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-national-park/ Blair Bernson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 14:26:46 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Martha Jordan via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 14:27:15 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Trumpeter Swan on Ebey Island Message-ID: We are trying to determine if the Trumpeter Swan currently in Ebey Slough may be the same one as seen in the Fobes Road wetland earlier this spring/late spring. It is very possible for that bird to gone swimming or walked a short distance into Ebey Slough proper at the northeast corner of the wetland and into the slough. Currently the swan is visible from the bridge over the slough adjacent to US 2. You must be on Ebey to really see the swan. If anyone gets out there with a really great camera and long lens please take some photos of of it. It is skittish so using your car as a blind is the best idea. I am looking for photos of the back, wings area in particular. The swan seems to be doing well in that it is feeding and preening and swimming. Also if you have video capability, video it swimming directly away from you. There may be an odd swim pattern to the right leg. Please contact me off line: mj.cygnus@gmail.com Thanks. Martha Jordan -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 14:55:47 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ian Paulsen via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 14:55:36 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] The Birdbooker Report Message-ID: HI ALL: Just posted about 2 bird and 2 non-bird books at my blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/2024/07/new-titles.html sincerely Ian Paulsen Bainbridge Island, WA, USA Visit my BIRDBOOKER REPORT blog here: https://birdbookerreport.blogspot.com/ From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 15:58:03 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 15:58:11 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Swift nest Message-ID: <40c0f66267136c1ea0561d639786891a@olypen.com> My annual visitors are still raising their young at this point, but I had the first one come down the wrong chimney this morning. I assume it's a first fledged young since the parents always seem to avoid that error. I'm sure there are probably a number of nests in the chimney, but I don't know how one could access them when the rest of the young fledge. If you have ideas let me know and I'll try to retrieve one or more. judy mullally port angeles judyem at olypen dot com From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 16:36:09 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Bruce LaBar via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 16:36:23 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Westport Pelagic, July 31 Message-ID: <5859CA00-BD92-4032-9173-4A008CE49711@harbornet.com> There are two openings on this coming Wednesday's pelagic trip. The weather looks great and this past week's trips had great sightings of birds and mammals! Lot's of Leach's Storm Petrels, 3 Flesh-footed and 3 Manx Shearwaters to name a few. If interested please contact www.westportseabirds.com for reservations and all other information. Bruce LaBar Tacoma, WA From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 17:40:41 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jennifer Kinberg via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 17:41:00 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] sawmill burn/ windy gap area References: <45765BCE-986D-4CD2-88DC-D6BFD020370B.ref@yahoo.com> Message-ID: <45765BCE-986D-4CD2-88DC-D6BFD020370B@yahoo.com> We haven?t been to windy gap yet, but we did go to sawmill burn in our Toyota Camry. It was a little rough and we did have to get out and move some rocks that were in the road a few times. Because you don?t want to break an oil pan out there or it would be a really, really long walk to any reception or help of any kind. But we did it! We did a drive to and walk around. It?s very quiet out there except the wind. Windy gap didn?t look too far from sawmill burn, I definitely think if we had more time we could?ve checked it out too, but we had an appointment in the evening so couldn?t stay. -jenny and Mike kinberg From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 20:06:12 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 20:06:27 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Yes, very cool. Hard to beat that Kingfisher's prowess. I first 'discovered' this phenomenon when taking photos of our Spotted Sandpiper, a notorious 'bobber'. In this case of *'BackField in Motion' the* head is stationary while the rest of the body handles the bobbing. 2 Photos: (skip the advertisement). https://www.flickr.com/photos/159695762@N07/53887910346/in/dateposted-public/ Bob OBrien Portland On Sat, Jul 27, 2024 at 5:23?PM Nagi Aboulenein via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > There are some amazing videos online, of Kingfishers holding their heads > perfectly steady, while their perch is being pushed around by the wind. > Here?s a link to one of them: > > https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YpIm39GHeLw > > > ? > Nagi Aboulenein > > > On Saturday, Jul 27, 2024 at 16:44, Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Jim, it seems to me that birds are able to do that, hold their heads > steady as they move their bodies in different positions. That long, > flexible neck facilitates that greatly. Watch a coot or pigeon moving and > note their bobbing head. They are holding their head still, presumably for > better vision, as the body moves under it. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > Hi, > > I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week. I was > attempting to > > get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image it > does show > > something I didn't know about. The swallow was making one of those tight, > horizontal > > turns. The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees (think > "vertical"). > > But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation. A > subsequent > > photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps this > is a > > common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before? Fun!!! - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 21:27:08 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Tom and Carol Stoner via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 21:27:41 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Interesting Osprey behavior Message-ID: A friend forwarded this link to the Edhat news in Goleta. A photographer who was getting shots of surfers noticed an Osprey struggling with a fish that was too heavy to fly away with. After a struggle, the Osprey was able to finally "row" itself to shore still holding the fish. The remarkable feature of the story was that the Osprey had its talons placed in such a way that the fish could not "breathe" and had stopped struggling before they reached shore. The photographer caught this detail in his photos. Here's the link: https://www.edhat.com/news/goleta-surfing-the-osprey-incident/?utm_source=newsletter-644&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+Newsletter Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 21:49:21 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Price via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 21:49:36 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me Message-ID: Hi tweets Keeping the head still while the body turns isn't restricted to birds. Next time you?re watching a nature doc on cursorial predators, particularly cheetahs, note how the head remains centered on the prey and eyes remain focused as the body twists and turns during the chase. best wishes, m -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 21:53:55 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Rob Faucett via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 21:54:32 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: Watching Kestrels hunt boggles my mind. Best birding . . . Rob -- Rob Faucett 206-619-5569 Seattle, WA > On Jul 28, 2024, at 8:06?PM, Robert O'Brien via Tweeters wrote: > > Yes, very cool. Hard to beat that Kingfisher's prowess. > I first 'discovered' this phenomenon when taking photos of our Spotted Sandpiper, a notorious 'bobber'. In this case of 'BackField in Motion' the head is stationary while the rest of the body handles the bobbing. 2 Photos: (skip the advertisement). > https://www.flickr.com/photos/159695762@N07/53887910346/in/dateposted-public/ > Bob OBrien Portland > > On Sat, Jul 27, 2024 at 5:23?PM Nagi Aboulenein via Tweeters > wrote: >> >> There are some amazing videos online, of Kingfishers holding their heads perfectly steady, while their perch is being pushed around by the wind. Here?s a link to one of them: >> >> https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YpIm39GHeLw >> >> >> ? >> Nagi Aboulenein >> >> >> On Saturday, Jul 27, 2024 at 16:44, Dennis Paulson via Tweeters > wrote: >> Jim, it seems to me that birds are able to do that, hold their heads steady as they move their bodies in different positions. That long, flexible neck facilitates that greatly. Watch a coot or pigeon moving and note their bobbing head. They are holding their head still, presumably for better vision, as the body moves under it. >> >> Dennis Paulson >> Seattle >> >>> On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters > wrote: >>> >>> Hi, >>> >>> I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week. I was attempting to >>> >>> get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image it does show >>> >>> something I didn't know about. The swallow was making one of those tight, horizontal >>> >>> turns. The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees (think "vertical"). >>> >>> But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation. A subsequent >>> >>> photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps this is a >>> >>> common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before? Fun!!! - Jim >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Tweeters mailing list >>> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >>> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Sun Jul 28 22:38:40 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Tim Brennan via Tweeters) Date: Sun Jul 28 22:38:45 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Jefferson County Shorebirds and Fight Club Owls Message-ID: Hi Tweets! After a long month of writing projects, I finally got out to Jefferson and Kitsap Counties to do some shorebirding and some backpacking. On the way out, and on the way back, there were peeps-a-plenty to look through at a few spots. Sinclair Inlet (at Gorst, via a trail from a parking lot hidden behind a Subaru dealership) had dozens of Least and Western Sandpipers to sort through, as well as some Greater Yellowlegs. Oak Bay County Park had goodies on the way there (all of the above, and Lesser Yellowlegs) and back (Semipalmated Plover), and Kah Tai Lagoon in Port Townsend had a lot of peeps, as well as a handful of Long-billed Dowitchers. I hadn't expected the latter spot to be good for shorebirds, but the good mud has been right along the walking path, making for very easy looks at a lot of little birds. Backpacking up in the Olympics - I've been pretty focused on Jefferson County, and on finding some good hikes. I found a good one, and did end up finding a Spotted Owl up there (no pictures, no further details, no playback, no calling, no location on any eBird reports during my stay up there. It just called. I just listened). On the following morning, I got a recording of what I figured was just an American Goshawk, but may have been Marbled Murrelets?!?! I'd be happy to get more experienced ears on the recording - it's nothing I've heard before, and was not even on my radar, but... Of course they're up there nesting! Thanks in advance for any listens to the recording in my most recent post. https://jkcountybirding.blogspot.com/2024/07/june-26th-not-hike-id-planned.html https://jkcountybirding.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-25th-shorebirds-to-spotties.html https://jkcountybirding.blogspot.com/2024/07/july-27th-spotties-to-shorebirds.html [https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2QuxI6bZfV_0Hdu0AifjOEO3uXEGvt5r5lzKrdR43wrWNasqay-L-yGJXjeQs47OejgNjDiBXJdJHrP_xtOgJIUFUvUjXGtxQEXDlD7uEmosbxIY7vRmsS4_KFoLMDXDR_uz0DaNgl7mldvbSF55ZvALcxriWkClOGbIJOytU4Gc8LYMeqgBWfF3B_5b/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/IMG_20240726_051014.jpg] July 26th - Spotties to Shorebirds Somewhere, Jefferson County Breakfast time I'd fallen asleep to Spotted Owls, and I woke up to them as well. Around 4:30 A.M., I got a few m... jkcountybirding.blogspot.com Over the course of this last month, I've just been trying to get this trip planned. I have another hike to Mount Townsend planned, as well as backpacking to Marmot Pass. Somehow in there, I'm still hoping to do the "Fool's Errand" boat trip to (like.. near, not to) Round and Anderson Island. I had two other folks reach out expressing interest - the boat would hold up to 6 people to split a fixed price. Two hours or so in the late afternoon/evening in an area where Cassin's Auklets and Tufted Puffins would not be a surprise. Multiple people have mentioned Manx Shearwaters and Jaegers as possibilities as well. Not a full-blown pelagic trip, and it's completely possible that we'd just come back empty-handed, having only enjoyed a sunset cruise on the Pacific! I'm okay with that. Contact me if you are too Cheers, Tim Brennan Renton -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 03:50:37 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mark Walton via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 03:50:51 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: <014acd83-32d7-4b6b-868a-b06444f128d6@jimbetz.com> Message-ID: I'm a neuroscientist and my research interests involve how the brain controls eye and head movements so this is getting close to my area of study. The ability to hold the head steady in space, even while the body is moving, is referred to as the vestibulocollic reflex. Basically, the organs of the inner ear (the otoliths and semicircular canals) detect head acceleration. The brain then sends a copy of this head acceleration signal to the neck muscles, which causes them to make an equal and opposite head movement. This effectively cancels out any short-duration unplanned movement of the head in space. If the head movement was intentional, the brain sends a copy of that voluntary movement command to the brain areas responsible for the vestibulocollic reflex, so that the reflex can be temporarily cancelled. This reflex is one of several "gaze stabilization reflexes". To understand why these are necessary, think about the times when you've seen a news camera operator running after the action, while still filming. The camera is moving all over the place while the person runs, and you can't see much of anything. This is what would happen to our vision without these gaze stabilization reflexes. In graduate school, one of my professors told of a man who had suffered brain damage that wiped out one of these reflexes (vestibulo-ocular reflex, which causes the eyes to rotate in the opposite direction from an unplanned head movement). The man could not even read a book without wedging his head into a corner of the bedroom, because even the tiny head movements that we constantly make were enough to make his vision too "jiggly" to read. The vestibulocollic reflex, and the vestibulo-ocular reflex, are the reason that you don't become functionally blind while you're dancing. So many species, including humans, have this same vestibulocollic reflex, to stabilize the head position in space during movement. Obviously, this gaze stabilization is even more crucial if you're a bird perched on a moving branch, or making a sharp turn in flight. So, not surprisingly, the vestibulocollic reflex is extremely strong in birds. Another reason that it is so strong in birds is that they have a much smaller range of eye movements than humans do, which means they have to rely more heavily on the vestibulocollic reflex, and less on the vestibulo-ocular reflex. Mark Walton Ar Sath 27 I?il 2024 ag 16:44, scr?obh Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu>: > Jim, it seems to me that birds are able to do that, hold their heads > steady as they move their bodies in different positions. That long, > flexible neck facilitates that greatly. Watch a coot or pigeon moving and > note their bobbing head. They are holding their head still, presumably for > better vision, as the body moves under it. > > Dennis Paulson > Seattle > > > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week. > I was attempting to > > > > get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image > it does show > > > > something I didn't know about. The swallow was making one of those > tight, horizontal > > > > turns. The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees > (think "vertical"). > > > > But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation. A > subsequent > > > > photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps > this is a > > > > common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before? > Fun!!! - Jim > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Tweeters mailing list > > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 07:04:18 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Heather Gervais via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 07:04:52 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 07:07:45 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mark Walton via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 07:07:57 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hello Heather, Sure, feel free to share that wherever you want. ? Mark Ar Luan 29 I?il 2024 ag 07:04, scr?obh Heather Gervais : > Oh wow, Mark. Thank you very much for that in-depth description. I didn't > know any of it and found it extremely interesting. I'm in awe. > > A little while back I started a Facebook group - Fun Facts About Birds! > (North America) - where I'd really love to share a short summary of the > knowledge you just gave us. Would you be okay with me doing that? I think > folks in the group would find their jaws dropped just like it did. > > If anyone here would like to join the group and share tidbits they've > learned about their favorite species, I would love to have you. Since > starting the group last year, I'm really the only one who's been sharing > factoids. I'm a bird 'lay person' like all the other folks in the group, > but with a little help from Google (a lot of help, lol), I've managed to > share - and learn - a decent measure of information. It would be really > exciting to get other bird-passionate lay people like me as well as experts > in the group. > > Peace and happy birding to you Mark, and to you all. > > Cheers, > Heather > > Heather Gervais > Certified Personal Trainer > Fitness Instructor > Spanish Interpreter > Good person > > ?Be the change you wish to see in the world.? > - Mahatma Gandhi > > Message sent from my iPhone. Please excuse its brevity and occasional > typos. > > > On Jul 29, 2024, at 3:51?AM, Mark Walton via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > > ? > I'm a neuroscientist and my research interests involve how the brain > controls eye and head movements so this is getting close to my area of > study. The ability to hold the head steady in space, even while the body > is moving, is referred to as the vestibulocollic reflex. Basically, the > organs of the inner ear (the otoliths and semicircular canals) detect head > acceleration. The brain then sends a copy of this head acceleration signal > to the neck muscles, which causes them to make an equal and opposite head > movement. This effectively cancels out any short-duration unplanned > movement of the head in space. If the head movement was intentional, the > brain sends a copy of that voluntary movement command to the brain areas > responsible for the vestibulocollic reflex, so that the reflex can be > temporarily cancelled. > > This reflex is one of several "gaze stabilization reflexes". To understand > why these are necessary, think about the times when you've seen a news > camera operator running after the action, while still filming. The camera > is moving all over the place while the person runs, and you can't see much > of anything. This is what would happen to our vision without these gaze > stabilization reflexes. In graduate school, one of my professors told of a > man who had suffered brain damage that wiped out one of these reflexes > (vestibulo-ocular reflex, which causes the eyes to rotate in the opposite > direction from an unplanned head movement). The man could not even read a > book without wedging his head into a corner of the bedroom, because even > the tiny head movements that we constantly make were enough to make his > vision too "jiggly" to read. The vestibulocollic reflex, and the > vestibulo-ocular reflex, are the reason that you don't become functionally > blind while you're dancing. > > So many species, including humans, have this same vestibulocollic reflex, > to stabilize the head position in space during movement. Obviously, this > gaze stabilization is even more crucial if you're a bird perched on a > moving branch, or making a sharp turn in flight. So, not surprisingly, the > vestibulocollic reflex is extremely strong in birds. Another reason that it > is so strong in birds is that they have a much smaller range of eye > movements than humans do, which means they have to rely more heavily on the > vestibulocollic reflex, and less on the vestibulo-ocular reflex. > > > Mark Walton > > > Ar Sath 27 I?il 2024 ag 16:44, scr?obh Dennis Paulson via Tweeters < > tweeters@u.washington.edu>: > >> Jim, it seems to me that birds are able to do that, hold their heads >> steady as they move their bodies in different positions. That long, >> flexible neck facilitates that greatly. Watch a coot or pigeon moving and >> note their bobbing head. They are holding their head still, presumably for >> better vision, as the body moves under it. >> >> Dennis Paulson >> Seattle >> >> > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:41 PM, Jim Betz via Tweeters < >> tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: >> > >> > Hi, >> > >> > I've gone to Channel Drive (near La Conner) several times this week. >> I was attempting to >> > >> > get a picture of a swallow in flight and although a barely useful image >> it does show >> > >> > something I didn't know about. The swallow was making one of those >> tight, horizontal >> > >> > turns. The wings, tail, and body were all turned almost 90 degrees >> (think "vertical"). >> > >> > But the HEAD was still locked in the normal/horizontal orientation. >> A subsequent >> > >> > photo of a flock of Western Sandpipers showed the same thing. Perhaps >> this is a >> > >> > common bird behavior that I just haven't noticed before? >> Fun!!! - Jim >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Tweeters mailing list >> > Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters >> > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 07:30:10 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Heather Gervais via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 07:30:44 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] A new bird behavior discovery - for me In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8DC00CAE-DA71-4A6B-8695-5BBCE61DFEE1@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 08:50:11 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 08:50:27 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Motion in Birds Message-ID: Thanks to Mark for that fascinating explanation of head (non) motion. I have another question for him that may OR MAY NOT be apropos. In recent years there have been discussions about how flocks of various birds (starlings, sandpipers, etc.) manage their motions in formation. I recall one study a few years back that determined that Starlings manage to do their maneuvers so that each one was surrounded by 6 other Starlings. I'm a chemist so I recognize that 'structure' as hexagonal close-packing. That is, if you have objects (marbles, golf balls, molecules, etc) all the same size then they have the highest density if each object is surrounded by 6 others. (This gets into crystalline structure such that all sorts of other structures are possible, especially if objects are of different sizes. Sodium chloride (table salt) has a cubic structure due to the difference in size between the small positive Sodium (+) ion and the larger negative Chloride (-) ion.). Etc. But chemistry aside, in flight all the Starlings are moving, but the 6 birds around each (except for their joint directed motion) are basically stationary. And then? Some bird(s) change direction, which is echoed at a delayed time by the entire flock. This is often stated to be a means of avoiding predators (hawks) but I believe Starlings do that even when no predators are present. Maybe just for fun?. (Turkey Vultures seem to sail around for extended periods, no synchrony, just for fun). Any comments on this Mark? Thanks Bob OBrien Portland P.S. I won't bother to dig out photos, but I have noticed that Sanderlings running on the beach back and forth with the waves, often also run in formation, so that all their legs in a photograph are in sync with each other. And speaking of the beach, there are fish schools that behave like Starlings, etc. etc. Finis! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 09:28:45 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mark Walton via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 09:28:57 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Motion in Birds In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: My immediate thought/speculation about the starling murmuration thing is that it sounds like something that might be a result of the fact that it takes any brain a certain amount of time to process visual information from the eyes, determine the appropriate movements to react to what was seen, and then compute the exact amount of contraction needed for each muscle to execute the planned action. I would guess that visuo-motor reaction times in birds are probably MUCH faster than they are in humans but it certainly wouldn't be instantaneous. If each starling is reacting to the movements of the most nearby starlings then, for a large flock, these very small processing delays would add up to something that would be noticeable to us. The end result would be that birds that are far away from each other in the flock make direction changes at different times, resulting in the flock rapidly changing shape. I'm thinking it might be the same kind of phenomenon as when you're driving in heavy traffic and you're stopped at a red light with 20 cars in front of you. The light turns green and it feels like it takes forever for the car in front of you to get moving - even though every single driver is reacting fairly quickly. It's just that the visuo-motor processing time ends up being rather long when the small processing delays for 20 people get added up. In a flock of birds I would guess that it would also serve the important function of possibly confusing a predator. So, maybe it's a case of the laws of physics and chemistry imposing delays that happen to benefit the birds? As an interesting aside, there are some situations in which these processing delays pose a computational problem, such as when you're using your eyes to follow a moving object. If you're always 200 ms late in reacting you won't be able to do it, so the brain employs predictive algorithms in these situations to compensate for its own processing delays. Mark Ar Luan 29 I?il 2024 ag 08:51, scr?obh Robert O'Brien via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu>: > Thanks to Mark for that fascinating explanation of head (non) motion. I > have another question for him that may OR MAY NOT be apropos. > In recent years there have been discussions about how flocks of various > birds (starlings, sandpipers, etc.) manage their motions in formation. > I recall one study a few years back that determined that Starlings manage > to do their maneuvers so that each one was surrounded by 6 other Starlings. > I'm a chemist so I recognize that 'structure' as hexagonal close-packing. > That is, if you have objects (marbles, golf balls, molecules, etc) all > the same size then they have > the highest density if each object is surrounded by 6 others. > (This gets into crystalline structure such that all sorts of other > structures are possible, especially if objects are of different sizes. > Sodium chloride (table salt) has a cubic structure due to the difference in > size between the small positive Sodium (+) ion and the larger negative > Chloride (-) ion.). Etc. > > But chemistry aside, in flight all the Starlings are moving, but the 6 > birds around each (except for their joint directed motion) are basically > stationary. And then? Some bird(s) change direction, which is echoed at > a delayed time by the entire flock. This is often stated to be a means of > avoiding predators (hawks) but I believe Starlings do that even when no > predators are present. Maybe just for fun?. (Turkey Vultures seem to sail > around for extended periods, no synchrony, just for fun). > > Any comments on this Mark? Thanks > > Bob OBrien Portland > > P.S. I won't bother to dig out photos, but I have noticed that > Sanderlings running on the beach back and forth with the waves, often also > run in formation, so that all their legs in a photograph are in sync with > each other. And speaking of the beach, there are fish schools that > behave like Starlings, etc. etc. Finis! > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 10:07:15 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Ronda Stark via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 10:07:30 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Interesting Osprey behavior In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thank you for the terrific post. I only wish the photographer understood this was a female Osprey! On Sun, Jul 28, 2024 at 9:27?PM Tom and Carol Stoner via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > A friend forwarded this link to the Edhat news in Goleta. A photographer > who was getting shots of surfers noticed an Osprey struggling with a fish > that was too heavy to fly away with. After a struggle, the Osprey was able > to finally "row" itself to shore still holding the fish. The remarkable > feature of the story was that the Osprey had its talons placed in such a > way that the fish could not "breathe" and had stopped struggling before > they reached shore. The photographer caught this detail in his photos. > Here's the link: > https://www.edhat.com/news/goleta-surfing-the-osprey-incident/?utm_source=newsletter-644&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+Newsletter > > Carol Stoner > West Seattle > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 10:12:38 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Diane Yorgason-Quinn via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 10:12:43 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Motion in Birds In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The Italian study StarFlag has been working on this for a long time with 3-D photography, etc. It's SEVEN that is the number of birds that each flock member keeps track of, and the number is thought to be the maximum number that their brains can handle. Of local interest is that an offshoot of StarFlag, consisting of the COBBS group from ISC in Rome (Istituto dei sistemi Complessi), along with Portland State University and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is working now on 3 years of study of Vaux's Swifts entering northwest chimneys from their overhead swirls, yielding over a million 3-D images, and the paper may soon be published. The chimneys were selected with the aid of Larry Schwitters of Vaux's Happening. Overview: http://murmuration.weebly.com/starflag-project.html Diane Yorgason-Quinn Gig Harbor, WA Avosetta@hotmail.com ________________________________ From: Tweeters on behalf of Mark Walton via Tweeters Sent: Monday, July 29, 2024 9:28 AM To: Robert O'Brien Cc: tweeters Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Motion in Birds My immediate thought/speculation about the starling murmuration thing is that it sounds like something that might be a result of the fact that it takes any brain a certain amount of time to process visual information from the eyes, determine the appropriate movements to react to what was seen, and then compute the exact amount of contraction needed for each muscle to execute the planned action. I would guess that visuo-motor reaction times in birds are probably MUCH faster than they are in humans but it certainly wouldn't be instantaneous. If each starling is reacting to the movements of the most nearby starlings then, for a large flock, these very small processing delays would add up to something that would be noticeable to us. The end result would be that birds that are far away from each other in the flock make direction changes at different times, resulting in the flock rapidly changing shape. I'm thinking it might be the same kind of phenomenon as when you're driving in heavy traffic and you're stopped at a red light with 20 cars in front of you. The light turns green and it feels like it takes forever for the car in front of you to get moving - even though every single driver is reacting fairly quickly. It's just that the visuo-motor processing time ends up being rather long when the small processing delays for 20 people get added up. In a flock of birds I would guess that it would also serve the important function of possibly confusing a predator. So, maybe it's a case of the laws of physics and chemistry imposing delays that happen to benefit the birds? As an interesting aside, there are some situations in which these processing delays pose a computational problem, such as when you're using your eyes to follow a moving object. If you're always 200 ms late in reacting you won't be able to do it, so the brain employs predictive algorithms in these situations to compensate for its own processing delays. Mark Ar Luan 29 I?il 2024 ag 08:51, scr?obh Robert O'Brien via Tweeters >: Thanks to Mark for that fascinating explanation of head (non) motion. I have another question for him that may OR MAY NOT be apropos. In recent years there have been discussions about how flocks of various birds (starlings, sandpipers, etc.) manage their motions in formation. I recall one study a few years back that determined that Starlings manage to do their maneuvers so that each one was surrounded by 6 other Starlings. I'm a chemist so I recognize that 'structure' as hexagonal close-packing. That is, if you have objects (marbles, golf balls, molecules, etc) all the same size then they have the highest density if each object is surrounded by 6 others. (This gets into crystalline structure such that all sorts of other structures are possible, especially if objects are of different sizes. Sodium chloride (table salt) has a cubic structure due to the difference in size between the small positive Sodium (+) ion and the larger negative Chloride (-) ion.). Etc. But chemistry aside, in flight all the Starlings are moving, but the 6 birds around each (except for their joint directed motion) are basically stationary. And then? Some bird(s) change direction, which is echoed at a delayed time by the entire flock. This is often stated to be a means of avoiding predators (hawks) but I believe Starlings do that even when no predators are present. Maybe just for fun?. (Turkey Vultures seem to sail around for extended periods, no synchrony, just for fun). Any comments on this Mark? Thanks Bob OBrien Portland P.S. I won't bother to dig out photos, but I have noticed that Sanderlings running on the beach back and forth with the waves, often also run in formation, so that all their legs in a photograph are in sync with each other. And speaking of the beach, there are fish schools that behave like Starlings, etc. etc. Finis! _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 11:29:29 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Dennis Paulson via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 11:29:55 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Motion in Birds In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Bob, videos taken years ago of dense flocks of shorebirds (perhaps Dunlins) showed that one or more birds at the leading edge of the flock start to turn, and their turning ripples immediately through the whole flock, causing them to turn in synchrony. I can?t recall the published reference, as it is from several decades ago. Not about head movements or surrounding numbers but nonetheless just as fantastic. Dennis Paulson Seattle > On Jul 29, 2024, at 8:50 AM, Robert O'Brien via Tweeters wrote: > > Thanks to Mark for that fascinating explanation of head (non) motion. I have another question for him that may OR MAY NOT be apropos. > In recent years there have been discussions about how flocks of various birds (starlings, sandpipers, etc.) manage their motions in formation. > I recall one study a few years back that determined that Starlings manage to do their maneuvers so that each one was surrounded by 6 other Starlings. > I'm a chemist so I recognize that 'structure' as hexagonal close-packing. That is, if you have objects (marbles, golf balls, molecules, etc) all the same size then they have > the highest density if each object is surrounded by 6 others. > (This gets into crystalline structure such that all sorts of other structures are possible, especially if objects are of different sizes. Sodium chloride (table salt) has a cubic structure due to the difference in size between the small positive Sodium (+) ion and the larger negative Chloride (-) ion.). Etc. > > But chemistry aside, in flight all the Starlings are moving, but the 6 birds around each (except for their joint directed motion) are basically stationary. And then? Some bird(s) change direction, which is echoed at a delayed time by the entire flock. This is often stated to be a means of avoiding predators (hawks) but I believe Starlings do that even when no predators are present. Maybe just for fun?. (Turkey Vultures seem to sail around for extended periods, no synchrony, just for fun). > > Any comments on this Mark? Thanks > > Bob OBrien Portland > > P.S. I won't bother to dig out photos, but I have noticed that Sanderlings running on the beach back and forth with the waves, often also run in formation, so that all their legs in a photograph are in sync with each other. And speaking of the beach, there are fish schools that behave like Starlings, etc. etc. Finis! > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 11:45:10 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Tom and Carol Stoner via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 11:45:42 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Explanations galore Message-ID: I do love it when Tweeters goes all geeky, and I learn marvelous stuff I would never stumble upon elsewhere. Thank you, knowledgeable sharers! Carol Stoner West Seattle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 12:30:26 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Stuart Johnston via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 12:30:45 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Rats and Bird Feeders In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: jaluskmd@gmail.com Have you heard of this rat deterrent, Jim? Stuart Sent from my iPad > On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:49?PM, Stephanie Neis via Tweeters wrote: > > ?I also had success with scattering the hot pepper nuggets from Wildbirds under the feeders. After about a week the rats quit coming round and I scatter more > every so often just as a deterrent as I know the rats are still somewhere not too far away. > Stef Neis > Whidbey Island > Sent from my iPad > >> On Jul 27, 2024, at 12:44?PM, jimullrich via Tweeters wrote: >> >> ?Try using strictly hot pepper infused Suet and Seed available from Wild Birds Unlimited stores scattered all across Puget Sound and Oregon and Eastern Washington. It works >> Jim Ullrich >> Sent from my iPhone >> _______________________________________________ >> Tweeters mailing list >> Tweeters@u.washington.edu >> http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 14:25:28 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Pamela Okano via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 14:25:32 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Susan Love's message about rats and birdfeeders Message-ID: <114447152.274309.1722288328484@connect.xfinity.com> I'd like to be included on any answers Susan gets. Thank you. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 16:19:49 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Price via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 16:20:05 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Motion in Birds Message-ID: Hi tweets Here's a blast from the past, Martin Muller's great video of peregrines strafing Dunlin at Samish Flats, WA. Some of it's in slo-mo, so shows more clearly the predator-prey flock behaviors under discussion. https://youtu.be/y_G_K5TU8cQ?si=2wtpIS_gQphLp7Th best wishes, m -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Mon Jul 29 21:22:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Mon Jul 29 21:22:50 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Interesting Osprey behavior In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Not on the same level as the (poorly) surfing Osprey video but a couple of observations. 1. I once observed a Great Blue Heron fishing in the shallows on the Willamette R. when it was accosted by an Osprey; likely with a nest nearby. It flushed the Heron, diving at it multiple times, eventually forcing it into the water (the deep end!), whereupon the _Heron_ swam to shore, the Osprey finally departing. 2. My son worked for a fishing guide on the Deschutes River while in high school. He once observed an Osprey make a single dive at a fishing Great Blue Heron, killing it outright, but then departing. I guess it was on a meatless diet and it was more of a territorial dispute? Bob OBrien Porland. On Sun, Jul 28, 2024 at 9:27?PM Tom and Carol Stoner via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > A friend forwarded this link to the Edhat news in Goleta. A photographer > who was getting shots of surfers noticed an Osprey struggling with a fish > that was too heavy to fly away with. After a struggle, the Osprey was able > to finally "row" itself to shore still holding the fish. The remarkable > feature of the story was that the Osprey had its talons placed in such a > way that the fish could not "breathe" and had stopped struggling before > they reached shore. The photographer caught this detail in his photos. > Here's the link: > https://www.edhat.com/news/goleta-surfing-the-osprey-incident/?utm_source=newsletter-644&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily+Newsletter > > Carol Stoner > West Seattle > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 07:30:21 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Elaine Thomas via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 07:30:27 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] mountain trip? Message-ID: I've also been meaning to ask about Sawmill Burn/Windy Gap/Govt Meadows info! Even better would be to get together an expedition, preferably with one of our knowledgeable tweeters. Could we round up interested parties? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 08:02:01 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 08:02:06 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding NZ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all, ? Anyone out there used "Wry" birding tours in New Zealand?? Good experience?? If not Wry have you used a different tour operator in NZ? ? NZ is a fantastic place - with the one large drawback that it is an 18-hour flight to get there (or more).? But the number and variety of endemic species in NZ is amazing and the ability to get to/see/hear them is great. - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 09:27:28 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (qblater via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 09:27:43 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding NZ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <580220ED-CBB2-4039-BCB5-7093DA5347B1@yahoo.com> Are you referring to Wrybill tours? Clarice Clark > On Jul 30, 2024, at 8:04?AM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > ?Hi all, > > Anyone out there used "Wry" birding tours in New Zealand? Good experience? If not > > Wry have you used a different tour operator in NZ? > > > NZ is a fantastic place - with the one large drawback that it is an 18-hour flight to get > > there (or more). But the number and variety of endemic species in NZ is amazing and > > the ability to get to/see/hear them is great. > > - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 10:36:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Larry Schwitters via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 10:36:47 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Vaux's Happening Message-ID: <2CFA3F3B-CD43-4B0F-B397-30B5AAE284FB@me.com> We got the first rain of the month and 210 swifts used the Monroe Wagner chimney to stay dry. They started leaving at 9:08 this morning. Got a screen shot I would be pleased to send you so you can count them yourself. Haven?t got the report from Selleck yet but Sunday night we documented 670. That's the most by far we've ever seen there in July. Have yet to figure out where they are all coming from. Larry Schwitters Issaquah From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 11:52:20 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Teresa Michelsen via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 11:52:23 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding NZ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: If you mean Wrybill Birding Tours - they are the best. Went on a month-long tour with them top to bottom NZ, including a lot of pelagic trips. We were the first tour group to see all 5 endemic kiwis! And one of their guys rediscovered the New Zealand Storm-Petrel in outer islands of Aukland Bay - it took a while for them to convince the birding authorities around the world because it had been over 150 years since it had been seen. Proof that rat eradication works! Teresa Michelsen Hoodsport Wa -----Original Message----- From: Tweeters On Behalf Of Jim Betz via Tweeters Sent: Tuesday, July 30, 2024 8:02 AM To: via Tweeters Subject: [Tweeters] Birding NZ? Hi all, ? Anyone out there used "Wry" birding tours in New Zealand?? Good experience?? If not Wry have you used a different tour operator in NZ? ? NZ is a fantastic place - with the one large drawback that it is an 18-hour flight to get there (or more).? But the number and variety of endemic species in NZ is amazing and the ability to get to/see/hear them is great. - Jim _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters@u.washington.edu http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 12:18:26 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Michael Hellen via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 12:20:51 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding NZ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <98847DC5-9772-494B-A8E4-80C9F1F13C7A@yahoo.com> Hi Jim, I?ve never heard of Waybill Birding Tours. It looks interesting but can?t vouch for them. I live in Auckland, NZ now and know of quite a few places for birding. I?m sure their tour goes to many of them. Also, there are some good Facebook groups for birding. New Zealanders like to use them to share photos and such. Is there anything you are looking for in particular? Locations? New Zealand is about the size of California and the roads can be a bit slow and windy, so it will take some time to get around. Here?s my website if you want to get an idea of what to see. I?m more of a photographer than a birder but enjoy finding birds when I can. https://www.michaelhellen.com/? Take care Michael > On Jul 31, 2024, at 3:02?AM, Jim Betz via Tweeters wrote: > > Hi all, > > Anyone out there used "Wry" birding tours in New Zealand? Good experience? If not > > Wry have you used a different tour operator in NZ? > > > NZ is a fantastic place - with the one large drawback that it is an 18-hour flight to get > > there (or more). But the number and variety of endemic species in NZ is amazing and > > the ability to get to/see/hear them is great. > > - Jim > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: default-favicon.ico Type: image/vnd.microsoft.icon Size: 6518 bytes Desc: not available URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 13:53:35 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Jim Betz via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 13:53:41 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Birding NZ? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0950a50b-a8e4-45e7-9f9b-88e5c72953f4@jimbetz.com> ? ... thanks to all who replied both on list and off.? It looks like "you can't go wrong with ?????? Wrybill birding tours in NZ" ... so now all (!) we have to do is to commit ... Thanks - Jim From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 19:59:34 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Robert O'Brien via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 19:59:48 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Where Have All the Swallows Gone? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Yes, hopefully it's a start. I knew they were bad but not how _really_ bad they are. Maybe Washington and Oregon could be next to ban? https://abcbirds.org/neonics Bob OBrien Portland On Thu, Jul 25, 2024 at 9:08?PM Andy McCormick via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Hi Tweeters, > > > > I appreciate everyone?s comments on the decline in swallows and the > resources that have been shared. As many have noted the decline in the > populations in swallows is evident to everyday birders and it is part of a > wider decline in many aerial insectivores including larger birds such as > American Kestrel which feeds on grasshoppers. > > > > However, there is a bit of good news about this problem. In the summer > issue of *Living Bird* from Cornell Lab is news that New York State > legislature is acting to stop the decline by passing the Birds and Bees > Protection Act which will outlaw neonicotinoid pesticide on seed > coverings by 2029 > > https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/new-york-neonic-ban-crop-seed-coatings/# > > > > > It?s a start. I hope it is not too late and that more states follow New > York?s lead. > > > > Andy McCormick > > Bellevue, WA > > > > > > > > *From:* Carol Riddell via Tweeters > *Sent:* Thursday, July 25, 2024 10:52 AM > *To:* tweeters > *Subject:* [Tweeters] Where Have All the Swallows Gone? > > > > Hi Tweeters, > > > > In general, I too have noticed a decrease in swallow numbers over the > years. For about 25 years I have watched swallow numbers decline at Edmonds > marsh, even though there seem to be plenty of insects. In the late 70s and > early 80s, Barn Swallows were a summer fixture in my yard. They nested in > my neighbor?s carport. When that house sold, the new owners eradicated the > nests. I have not seen a swallow in my neighborhood since then even though > there have been plenty of insects. This is a July 2014 article at phys.org > that may be of interest to some of you. It was provided by Dalhousie > University. Perhaps they were noticing the problem before we were. I would > suspect that the extensive use of insecticides on commercial farm land has > a great impact on migrating insectivores. > > > > Carol Riddell > > Edmonds, WA > > > > > > Extinction: the permanent loss of a species. It is deeply troubling?and > scientists and birdwatchers are ringing the alarm about a bird species that > only a few decades ago was widespread and very common. > > > > Swallows, along with other birds that feed primarily on flying insects, > are experiencing the greatest population declines for any group of birds in > North America, and their declines are particularly pronounced in the > Maritimes. The Barn Swallow, for example, has seen a 95 per cent drop in > numbers across North America in the last forty years, placing it on the > endangered species list in Nova Scotia. > > > > PhD student Tara Imlay and master's student Sarah Saldanha are trying to > figure out why this is happening?hopefully, a first step in reversing this > alarming trend. > > "This decline is especially concerning because this type of bird used to > be so widespread and abundant and the decline of a common, widespread > species hints at a broad scale cause," explains Saldnha. "Although this > decline may be attributed to changes in North America ecosystems, it may > also be attributed to changes in the birds' wintering grounds.? > An ecological mystery > > Working for the summer from a busy research station near Sackville, N.B. > (run by Acadia University and Ducks Unlimited), the two student researchers > are focused on the decline in Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallow > populations in the Maritimes. > > "I grew up in Wolfville and I have always been interested in the > conservation of species in the region," says Imlay, "I heard about the huge > decline in swallows and the lack of information about the cause so I really > wanted to investigate this question. Understanding the cause?or causes?of > declines is vital for determining the right steps to reversing these > downward population trends.? > > There are two leading theories about the decline. The first suggests it's > driven by a related decline in insect abundance or a mismatch in the timing > of when insect abundance is highest and swallows are breeding. The second > theory is connected to the fact that the greatest declines have been in > birds that migrate long distances to Central and South America. This theory > suggests that conditions at wintering locations or during migration could > be impacting these species. > > Imlay and Saldanha are examining the first of these theories: the > relationship between daily insect abundance and the timing of swallow > breeding. They are closely tracking a multitude of factors in the swallows' > summer routines, including variable insect populations, the date the first > eggs are laid, the date eggs hatch, the number of eggs laid and the number > that hatches, and chick survival rates. This data will allow them to > determine if insect abundance is limiting population growth. > > They're also looking at the foraging habits of Bank Swallows during the > breeding season, using very small radio transmitters on the birds and > high-tech receiving towers to monitor the birds' movements. > > "This is the first time automated telemetry on is being used on the local > scale," says Saldanha. "With this technology, I am getting a much better > understanding of how the birds are traveling and using the habitat in their > daily lives." The number of daily foraging trips and their distance from > the breeding colony may suggest clues as to insect abundance. > > *Summer field work* > > To test the wintering ground theory, they are using a variety of methods, > including lightweight nets to collect feather samples from adult birds to > determine where the birds spend the winter and their stress levels during > the wintering period. This data will allow them to determine whether > wintering ground conditions are also impacting populations. > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 20:23:44 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Mary Johnson via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 20:24:01 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Merlins in Auburn? Message-ID: On Sunday afternoon I saw a pair of birds overhead, and one of them was calling while they circled around. Their appearance and sound were unfamiliar to me, so I whipped out my phone to use the Merlin app, and wondered if I was being mocked when it said it was . . . a Merlin. Ha. I am a hobby birder so wanted to ask how accurate the Merlin app is? I was able to record for about 20 seconds. If so, this was a life bird for me! This happened in a suburban neighborhood near Green River College in Auburn. Thank you! Mary -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Tue Jul 30 21:25:28 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (B B via Tweeters) Date: Tue Jul 30 21:25:33 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Uganda Birding Tour Blog Post - Queen Elizabeth National Park References: <1487128954.1031726.1722399928617.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1487128954.1031726.1722399928617@mail.yahoo.com> This post covers our birding and wildlife visit at Queen Elizabeth II National Park with an awesome boat ride on the Kazinga Channel - lots of birds and our first lions and elephants. https://blairbirding.com/2024/07/31/queen-elizabeth-ii-national-park-birds-and-mammals/ Blair Bernson -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 31 07:01:42 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (GENE BULLOCK via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 31 07:01:48 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Repelling rats and squirrels In-Reply-To: <2145973448.278534.1722268489161@connect.xfinity.com> References: <2145973448.278534.1722268489161@connect.xfinity.com> Message-ID: <185098794.327255.1722434502690@connect.xfinity.com> Cayenne pepper treated "hot" seed and suet repels rats and squirrels, but is expensive. But you can buy cayenne pepper oil and treat the seed and suet yourself. I have also had success against rats and squirrels by using predator guards and a catch tray to prevent spillage on the ground. But the feeder must be far enough from jumping off points. Gene Bullock Kitsap Audubon Society From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 31 10:00:54 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Hubbell via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 31 10:01:31 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } Tree Hawks Message-ID: Tweeters, Between a Harrier, a Cooper?s Hawk, and a Red-tailed Hawk which would you be most likely to call a Tree Hawk? Find out my selection in the following post: https://unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2024/07/tree-hawks.html Have a great day on Union Bay, where nature lives in the city and Black Birders are welcome! Larry Hubbell ldhubbell at comcast dot net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 31 11:09:32 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Steve Loitz via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 31 11:09:45 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Union Bay Watch } Tree Hawks In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Larry, That's a very cool blog. Of those three, surely the Coops would be best described as a "tree hawk." IMO, the term could be used to functionally describe all three of our accipiters. Steve Loitz Eburg On Wed, Jul 31, 2024 at 10:02?AM Hubbell via Tweeters < tweeters@u.washington.edu> wrote: > Tweeters, > > Between a Harrier, a Cooper?s Hawk, and a Red-tailed Hawk which would you > be most likely to call a Tree Hawk? > > Find out my selection in the following post: > > https://unionbaywatch.blogspot.com/2024/07/tree-hawks.html > > Have a great day on Union Bay, where nature lives in the city and Black > Birders are welcome! > > Larry Hubbell > ldhubbell at comcast dot net > _______________________________________________ > Tweeters mailing list > Tweeters@u.washington.edu > http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters > -- Steve Loitz Ellensburg, WA steveloitz@gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 31 13:25:39 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Gary Bletsch via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 31 13:25:44 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] varmints at bird-feeders References: <1772824889.1194340.1722457539624.ref@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1772824889.1194340.1722457539624@mail.yahoo.com> Dear Tweeters, To all of Tweeterdom who have expressed dismay when their bird-feeders are beset with rats and other varmints, I commiserate.? When I lived in rural Skagit County, AKA paradise, the occasional rat would visit my feeders. I'd simply shoot them. When they tried taking over my shed, and began nesting inside my golf bag, I trapped them. I never did figure out if they were Norway Rats or Black Rats, but trap them I did, and managed to attain a sort of Pax Rodenta. The rats also invaded our attic, and one time, they gnawed their way into a plastic tote that we had stored in the crawlspace up there. The miserable critters proceeded to chew up a bunch of baby things that we'd hoped to pass on to our grandchildren some day. More trapping ensued. Now I find myself living in purgatory, also known as suburbia, here in Western New York. If I so much as pointed a BB gun at a rodent, I'd probably end up in Attica or Sing Sing. All of our neighbors poison the living daylights out of their pristine little yards, making sure that there isn't so much as a single ant crawling around--but they ooh and ahh about the cute deer and the adorable bunnies and such. Meanwhile, I am besieged with more varmints than I ever saw when I lived out in the Washington countryside! My feeders have been emptied and destroyed by bear, deer, Eastern Grey Squirrels, and Red Squirrels, and probably a few others that have come in the night. I haven't spotted a rat yet, but they are probably around. We also have both House Mice and Deer Mice invading our house more often than we ever did out in the boonies. Go figure. Some critter keeps coming in the night and drinking up all of the sugar water in my hummingbird feeder. I always find one of the yellow plastic flowers on the ground, beneath an empty feeder. I have to take the hummingbird feeder in every night. Quite often of an evening, I'll see a disappointed Ruby-throated Hummingbird inspecting the dangling red top of the feeder, but not finding the glass bottle or the little yellow faux daisies, when I've taken it in too soon. Mrs. Bletsch bought me a "squirrel-proof" feeder, made by Brome. It deters squirrels, but does not defeat them. Lately, I have begun trying a new defense. Every time I fill up the bird-feeders, I add some red pepper, the kind that people sprinkle on their pizza. It seems to help. I also buy the hot-pepper suet when I can find it, although it isn't usually in stock in our depauperate stores here. Sometimes I even sprinkle a little Tabasco sauce on the seed, once I've poured it in.? I wish I had some words of wisdom about rats at feeders, but other than plinking them with a pellet gun, I'm not sure what to suggest!? A blowgun might work, though.... Yours truly, Gary Bletsch -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tweeters at u.washington.edu Wed Jul 31 16:50:25 2024 From: tweeters at u.washington.edu (Carolyn Heberlein via Tweeters) Date: Wed Jul 31 16:50:41 2024 Subject: [Tweeters] Repelling rats and squirrels In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: My squirrel baffles do not prevent rats from crawling up the post to my tray bird feeder. They slide up under the attachment to the post. Round baffle and square post. I just stopped putting seeds in it for a while. O > Message: 6 > Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:01:42 -0700 (PDT) > From: GENE BULLOCK via Tweeters > To: tweeters@u.washington.edu, > tweeters-request@mailman11.u.washington.edu > Subject: [Tweeters] Repelling rats and squirrels > Message-ID: <185098794.327255.1722434502690@connect.xfinity.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > Cayenne pepper treated "hot" seed and suet repels rats and squirrels, but > is expensive. But you can buy cayenne pepper oil and treat the seed and > suet yourself. I have also had success against rats and squirrels by using > predator guards and a catch tray to prevent spillage on the ground. But the > feeder must be far enough from jumping off points. > Gene Bullock > Kitsap Audubon Society > > > Carolyn Finder Heberlein / Nana, Fremont Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: