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Big Sit; Re: Allens Hummingbird



Hi Carolinabirders,

Just noticed that this year's Big Sit is set for October 12. Mark your
calendars...
http://members.aol.com/nhbirdclub/bigsit.htm

On Thu, 6 Feb 2003, wayne forsythe wrote:
>
>         Currently there is a Allen's Hummingbird in Elmwood, Tenn.  Elmwood
> is located between Cookville and Lebanon on Rt. #70 just north if I-40.
> Surely a lot closer then California!

For Carolinabirders located further south that would like to see this
species, there is another Allen's being reported in Athens, GA according
to the February 1 RBA. There's a Calliope visiting the same feeder, and a
Black-chinned elsewhere in town! Details at
http://birdingonthe.net/hotmail/EAST.033081547.html

Also noticed a post to the Maryland listserv with a pretty cogent argument
why people should *not* feed waterfowl, especially Canada Geese, Mallards,
and other dabbling ducks. Maybe I should print it out and post it in the
Duke Gardens... For now, I'll paste it below.

Never got around to posting last Saturday's birding adventure. Sandy Cash
and I visited my favorite neighborhood spot, the Ellerbe Creek beaver
swamp behind the Durham (about-to-go-out-of-business) Big K Mart. High
point was an adult Red-headed Woodpecker which perched atop a snag in
great light. A Red-tailed Hawk also perched on a snag over the swamp,
while a Red-shouldered patrolled the area calling periodically. The usual
scads of juncos, Swamp and Song Sparrows, but mysteriously not a single
White-throat! (the bad news is I sprung out in a viciously comprehensive
case of Poison Ivy a couple of days later)

Good birding,

Josh


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/


---------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Re: Feeding ducks?????
From: Dave Kidwell <dkidwell AT MINDSPRING.COM>
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 18:59:32 -0500

I agree with Rob entirely.  I work at a park where dependent waterfowl
(both domestic and wild) area a severe problem.  To add to the case
against feeding, here are some additional observations I have made:
        -The birds have caused severe erosion problems.  People only
tend to feed when the weather is nice (warm and not raining).  So when
they are not fed the birds, especially geese, will forage on their own
and drastically reduce the vegetation in the area.
        - The feeding attracts large numbers of gulls and pigeons, which
defecate everywhere and usually snatch the food before the waterfowl
can.
        -People see the birds being fed, and drop off their unwanted
birds!
        -Domestics and wild birds (Mallards) begin to interbreed.
Although this leads to some interesting color combinations, it is not
right.

Since I began working at the park several months ago, I have pulled an
average of 1 bird out (dead) a month, probably due to malnutrition.  I
also firmly believe that the concentration of birds has so decimated the
habitat of the lake that it has become unusable to other waterfowl.
Besides one day when a pair of Ring-necked ducks were present, I have
only had piscivorous birds present the entire winter (Hooded Mergansers,
a Common Merganser, and a Common Loon), and this is probably because the
state stocks the lake.  It is the goal of the park to stop the feeding
of birds, but we are fighting generations of habit.  So please, where
ever you are, DON'T FEED THE BIRDS!

Dave Kidwell
Annapolis, MD