RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* January 26, 2007
* DEST0701.26
*Birds mentioned
Mute Swan
Green-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
Redhead
Canvasback
Lesser Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Tricolored Heron
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Killdeer
Ruddy Turnstone
Purple Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Forster's Tern
Northern Shrike
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
Gray Catbird
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
- Transcript
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: January 26, 2007
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Andy Ednie (ednieap@fcc.net)
Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern
New Jersey, Maryland
Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap@fcc.net)
It's, cold, cold, cold, freezing cold, for January 26th, 2007; this is
Birdline Delaware, from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in
Greenville. Hello. I'm Andy Ednie, substituting for Armas Hill.
The Birdline received some nice photos this week of a 1st year female
BALTIMORE ORIOLE coming to a feeder in Marydel, at 2650 Westville Rd.
Marydel is located along the state line, west of Dover, below Rt 8.
A drake REDHEAD was found on Wednesday at Hoopes Reservoir, off Rt 82 north
of Greenville. That bird was with about 300 RING-NECKED DUCKS at the
Hillside Mill Road cove. COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER, a female COMMON
GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, BLACK and RUDDY DUCK, and PIED-BILLED GREBES were
also found on the reservoir.
A female REDHEAD, along with 2 LESSER SCAUP was found at Silver Lake in
Rehoboth Beach, among the CANVASBACK and RUDDY DUCKS there. A SNOWY EGRET
continues to be seen at Gordon's Pond, along the North Shore at Rehoboth
Beach.
The NORTHERN SHRIKE that was posted here last week continues to be seen at
the recycling bins along the road to the headquarters at Prime Hook NWR. You
can access the entrance road off Rt. 16, the Broadkill Beach Road. A
PILEATED WOODPECKER was seen at the refuge this last week, along with 8 BALD
EAGLES along the Boardwalk Trail. FOX SPARROW and HERMIT THRUSH were found
by the headquarters.
One, maybe two BLACK-HEADED GULLS were found at Indian River Inlet this
week, among the 100's of BONAPARTE'S GULLS that have been there. 2
TRICOLORED HERONS were found in the marshes there, GREAT CORMORANT was seen
at the north marina, and from the jetty were PURPLE SANDPIPER, RUDDY
TURNSTONE, FORSTER'S TERNS, NORTHERN GANNET, and a peak count of 43
LONG-TAILED DUCK.
At Indian River Inlet this week was 2 NORTHERN RIGHT WHALES seen swimming up
the inlet. The picture in the Wilmington News Journal of a fluke in the
channel, with the new bridge construction in the background was truly
impressive.
2-3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS are still being seen at Cape Henlopen State
Park along the beach. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES can be seen at the Seaside
Nature Center.
The Gull trip to Cherry Island Landfill along I-495 in Wilmington produced a
late LAUGHING GULL, plus 2 ICELAND and 14 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. No
GLAUCOUS GULLS were found this year. The ponds at the Wilmington Water
Treatment Plant had a PIED-BILLED GREBE, plus LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED
DUCK, GADWALL, SHOVELER, and RUDDY DUCK.
Some late lingerers at Grier's Pond along Dutch Neck Road, at Thousand Acres
Marsh had GRAY CATBIRD, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, and at Gray Fox Farm were 8
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. 70 MUTE SWAN, RING-NECKED and RUDDY DUCK, PINTAIL
and GREEN-WINGED TEAL were seen on the impoundments. The PEREGRINE FALCON
has again taken up residence under the Reedy Point Bridge.
At the Armstrong Farm in Smyrna were EASTERN PHOEBE and 24 KILLDEER.
And now for this week's special feature. You can hear the special feature on
1450 WILM News Radio on Wednesdays at 5:55 and 8:55 am or 6:55 pm.
Delaware is renowned for the huge flocks of blackbirds it attracts each
winter. Those flocks roost in the marshes along the Delaware Bay at night,
flying out to feed in the Amish farm country of Lancaster Co. during the
day.
Those flocks are mostly your typical blackbirds, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
COMMON GRACKLE, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and EUROPEAN STARLING. But, if you look
closely though the flock, you might find a rare visitor that would make a
nice addition to your list, and document the changing landscape of our
avifauna.
Two of the rarest blackbirds found in Delaware are west coast residents; the
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and the BREWER'S BLACKBIRD. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS
have been moving east since the mid 70's, nesting as close as Wisconsin.
Their harsh call (Yellow-headed SFx) is not very musical.
BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS are also coming east, breeding as close as western
upstate New York. They prefer to feed in livestock pens each winter.
Previously, you could find large flocks of BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS around feed
pens in Kent Co., but lately they have moved across the river to Salem Co.
Those birds, are adjusting to our changing agrarian ways in eastern Kent
Co., with less animal husbandry and more agriculture.
Finally, the last uncommon blackbird is the RUSTY BLACKBIRD, identified by
its white eye and rusty feather tips in winter. This is a bird of northern
muskeg; it prefers swampy river bottoms in winter. It can be gregarious, but
rarely found in mixed flocks. Its call (Rusty SFx) can be heard in March
when birds are moving north again to nest. Conservations are concerned that
numbers are declining in the breeding area. Delaware Christmas count data
shows it was never very common here in winter. Terry Root's "Atlas of
Wintering Birds" shows they prefer to winter in areas to the south, in the
Tennessee Valley.
One place to see RUSTY BLACKBIRD use to be Ashland Nature Center, along the
banks of the Red Clay Creek. But, the feeders there have been less active in
recent years. It is estimated there are about 2 million RUSTY BLACKBIRDS
left in North American, more then 4 and 20 to bake in a pie.
I'm Andy Ednie, good birding. Please call your reports into me at
302-792-9591 or email at ednieap@fcc.net. Thanks to Mike Smith, Derek
Stoner, and Bill Stewart for their reports.
-end transcript
* Delaware
* Statewide
* January 26, 2007
* DEST0701.26
*Birds mentioned
Mute Swan
Green-winged Teal
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
Northern Shoveler
Redhead
Canvasback
Lesser Scaup
Ring-necked Duck
Long-tailed Duck
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Tricolored Heron
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Killdeer
Ruddy Turnstone
Purple Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Forster's Tern
Northern Shrike
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Hermit Thrush
Gray Catbird
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
- Transcript
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: January 26, 2007
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Andy Ednie (ednieap@fcc.net)
Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern
New Jersey, Maryland
Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap@fcc.net)
It's, cold, cold, cold, freezing cold, for January 26th, 2007; this is
Birdline Delaware, from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in
Greenville. Hello. I'm Andy Ednie, substituting for Armas Hill.
The Birdline received some nice photos this week of a 1st year female
BALTIMORE ORIOLE coming to a feeder in Marydel, at 2650 Westville Rd.
Marydel is located along the state line, west of Dover, below Rt 8.
A drake REDHEAD was found on Wednesday at Hoopes Reservoir, off Rt 82 north
of Greenville. That bird was with about 300 RING-NECKED DUCKS at the
Hillside Mill Road cove. COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER, a female COMMON
GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, BLACK and RUDDY DUCK, and PIED-BILLED GREBES were
also found on the reservoir.
A female REDHEAD, along with 2 LESSER SCAUP was found at Silver Lake in
Rehoboth Beach, among the CANVASBACK and RUDDY DUCKS there. A SNOWY EGRET
continues to be seen at Gordon's Pond, along the North Shore at Rehoboth
Beach.
The NORTHERN SHRIKE that was posted here last week continues to be seen at
the recycling bins along the road to the headquarters at Prime Hook NWR. You
can access the entrance road off Rt. 16, the Broadkill Beach Road. A
PILEATED WOODPECKER was seen at the refuge this last week, along with 8 BALD
EAGLES along the Boardwalk Trail. FOX SPARROW and HERMIT THRUSH were found
by the headquarters.
One, maybe two BLACK-HEADED GULLS were found at Indian River Inlet this
week, among the 100's of BONAPARTE'S GULLS that have been there. 2
TRICOLORED HERONS were found in the marshes there, GREAT CORMORANT was seen
at the north marina, and from the jetty were PURPLE SANDPIPER, RUDDY
TURNSTONE, FORSTER'S TERNS, NORTHERN GANNET, and a peak count of 43
LONG-TAILED DUCK.
At Indian River Inlet this week was 2 NORTHERN RIGHT WHALES seen swimming up
the inlet. The picture in the Wilmington News Journal of a fluke in the
channel, with the new bridge construction in the background was truly
impressive.
2-3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS are still being seen at Cape Henlopen State
Park along the beach. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES can be seen at the Seaside
Nature Center.
The Gull trip to Cherry Island Landfill along I-495 in Wilmington produced a
late LAUGHING GULL, plus 2 ICELAND and 14 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. No
GLAUCOUS GULLS were found this year. The ponds at the Wilmington Water
Treatment Plant had a PIED-BILLED GREBE, plus LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED
DUCK, GADWALL, SHOVELER, and RUDDY DUCK.
Some late lingerers at Grier's Pond along Dutch Neck Road, at Thousand Acres
Marsh had GRAY CATBIRD, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, and at Gray Fox Farm were 8
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS. 70 MUTE SWAN, RING-NECKED and RUDDY DUCK, PINTAIL
and GREEN-WINGED TEAL were seen on the impoundments. The PEREGRINE FALCON
has again taken up residence under the Reedy Point Bridge.
At the Armstrong Farm in Smyrna were EASTERN PHOEBE and 24 KILLDEER.
And now for this week's special feature. You can hear the special feature on
1450 WILM News Radio on Wednesdays at 5:55 and 8:55 am or 6:55 pm.
Delaware is renowned for the huge flocks of blackbirds it attracts each
winter. Those flocks roost in the marshes along the Delaware Bay at night,
flying out to feed in the Amish farm country of Lancaster Co. during the
day.
Those flocks are mostly your typical blackbirds, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD,
COMMON GRACKLE, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD and EUROPEAN STARLING. But, if you look
closely though the flock, you might find a rare visitor that would make a
nice addition to your list, and document the changing landscape of our
avifauna.
Two of the rarest blackbirds found in Delaware are west coast residents; the
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD and the BREWER'S BLACKBIRD. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS
have been moving east since the mid 70's, nesting as close as Wisconsin.
Their harsh call (Yellow-headed SFx) is not very musical.
BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS are also coming east, breeding as close as western
upstate New York. They prefer to feed in livestock pens each winter.
Previously, you could find large flocks of BREWER'S BLACKBIRDS around feed
pens in Kent Co., but lately they have moved across the river to Salem Co.
Those birds, are adjusting to our changing agrarian ways in eastern Kent
Co., with less animal husbandry and more agriculture.
Finally, the last uncommon blackbird is the RUSTY BLACKBIRD, identified by
its white eye and rusty feather tips in winter. This is a bird of northern
muskeg; it prefers swampy river bottoms in winter. It can be gregarious, but
rarely found in mixed flocks. Its call (Rusty SFx) can be heard in March
when birds are moving north again to nest. Conservations are concerned that
numbers are declining in the breeding area. Delaware Christmas count data
shows it was never very common here in winter. Terry Root's "Atlas of
Wintering Birds" shows they prefer to winter in areas to the south, in the
Tennessee Valley.
One place to see RUSTY BLACKBIRD use to be Ashland Nature Center, along the
banks of the Red Clay Creek. But, the feeders there have been less active in
recent years. It is estimated there are about 2 million RUSTY BLACKBIRDS
left in North American, more then 4 and 20 to bake in a pie.
I'm Andy Ednie, good birding. Please call your reports into me at
302-792-9591 or email at ednieap@fcc.net. Thanks to Mike Smith, Derek
Stoner, and Bill Stewart for their reports.
-end transcript