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Re: Ocracoke: Cedar Waxwings and window hits



Peter and all,
     A few months ago I found a web site that produces window screens
for the outside of windows, specifically for the prevention of bird fatalities.
You'll have to take a look at the site to see exactly how they're designed.  
The address is:   http://www.birdscreen.com/       (of course!!)

Shelley Theye


> 
> From: Peter Vankevich <pvank@netacc.net>
> Date: 2003/02/20 Thu PM 09:30:49 EST
> To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
> Subject: Ocracoke:  Razorbills, Gannets & Cedar Waxwings
> 
> I just spent a week on Ocracoke, though not a birding trip, I did
> manage to get out every day.
> Highlights:  Tuesday, Feb 18, 2003: Five Razorbills were seen just off the 
> breakers
> from the beach at the Airport access road.  These were seen after days of 
> looking for
> Dovekies with no success.
>          Two other species of note: Northern Gannets were in great numbers over
> the weekend.  On Sunday, Feb 16, I estimated two groups a couple of miles 
> apart to be a
> Total of 5000.   On Monday afternoon when I arrived at the beach, there
> was a constant stream of Gannets all of which were flying directly south
> (no feeding activity).  After being amazed at the numbers passing by, I
> tried counting them by the minute and came up with numbers of 102, 72, 63, 
> 59, 84, 42, 63.
> Eventually, the numbers tapered off to 20_40 per minute.  I am not sure
> how long the flight was going on, but it seemed to me that there were
> thousands heading south.  Were these refugees from the "beast of the east"?
>          Ocracoke has been invaded in the last few weeks by Cedar Waxwings. On
> Friday, Feb 14, I estimated that there were several thousand  in the
> village. Several People I talked to said there were a lot more the previous 
> week
> and that they had never seen so many before. The Ocracoke Christmas Bird 
> Count this year
> produced only 10 individuals and the record high is 465 in 1997.
>   Unfortunately with the numbers came casualties. Four were dead around my 
> house; three immatures and one adult. Other neighbors reported dead birds 
> as well. I have to figure how to put screens on the outside that will
> discourage them from smashing into the window (Yellowrumps also 
> suffer  from windows).
> As the days passed, the numbers seemed to decrease.  I'm curious to know 
> where they may be
> moving. On the way home (Feb 19) just above Avon, I estimated 3000
> waxwings on telephone wires.  Since I came down the Outer Banks last 
> Thursday in the
> night, I don't know if they were present earlier or these were some of
> the Ocracoke birds moving around.  Are other areas of the Carolinas 
> experiencing
> a waxwing invasion?
> Peter Vankevich
> Washington, DC
> 
> 


Shelley Theye
N. Chatham County, NC
veery@bellsouth.net