[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Blackpoll poll; ABA Checklist report; wet feeder birds



Hi C-birders,

The consensus seems to be that Blackpolls migrate across the landscape in
a more-or-less uniform front. Upon encountering a developed area, all
Blackpolls that would normally be spread across that area get concentrated
into the few trees available, those being typically the big streetside
oaks. A few folks have noted that large oaks tend to host a large variety
of inchworms and other lep larvae, and that oaks in town are more stressed
by heat, pollution, pavement covering their roots, etc. and so less able
to resist infestations, thus constituting a very long-term and indirect
sort of bird feeder for insectivorous species.

The latest issue of "Birding" includes the 2002 report of the ABA
Checklist Committee. A couple of things of Carolina or southeastern
relevance. The bad news is that they did not accept the Swinhoe's Storm-
petrel from August 8 1998, citing that "Although the description was
convincing, photographic material does not clearly and unequivocally
eliminate the possibility that the bird was a dark-rumped Leach's Storm-
petrel"; apparently the main points of the ID were structure and flight
style, and neither of these come through on still photos. Guess we have to
start bringing video cameras on pelagic trips... They also note that
Swinhoe's has been recorded in the north Atlantic, while a dark-rumped
Leach's never has, which makes this non-acceptance really sound like a
reach.

I should add that the ABA listing rules dictate that birds counted on ABA
lists must be "a species currently accepted by the ABA Checklist Committee
for lists within its area", which means no putting this one on lists
reported to the ABA. That, in contrast to decisions by state BRC
committees, which have no bearing on lists reported to the ABA. Seems
kinda like a double standard to me...

THe good news is that the ABA has *finally* added Yellow-chevroned
Parakeet to the list, so that both this and White-winged (Canary-winged)
Parakeets can be counted, at least in Florida. Yellow can also be counted
in California, but apparently not White.

They also note that Loggerhead Kingbird has been *removed* from the ABA
Checklist, and that records about to come up for review include Giant
Kingbird and Cuban Pewee. I observed the Pewee on the Dry Tortugas several
years ago, but my photos were not accepted by the Florida committee, and I
have yet to hear a ruling by anyone - ABA or FOSRC - on the video shot by
Sonny Bass and the late, great Bill Robertson...

I've been enjoying the parade of bedraggled birds to our feeders during
these few days of rain. The Blue Jays and Red-bellied Woodpeckers look
especially silly. Hummer numbers, which had been barely above negligible,
have picked up noticeably, both genders. And the local chickadees must
have fledged their young, gangs of 3+ are coming by regularly and making
quite a racket. Meanwhile, the mockingbirds, which had been coming by in
pairs and sharing suet, haven't appeared in quite some time, and the
catbirds, which also had been appearing in pairs, are now showing up
strictly singly. Interesting.

Oh, and that Waccamaw River boat trip has been indefinitely postponed, so
the SC coast can rest more easily knowing I'm not sneaking up on them.
Might be visiting Lake Murray instead...

Good birding,

Josh


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

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