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

Seen any good swallows lately? Or banded shrikes?



Hi Carolinabirders,

A few birding news tidbits from the other states:

Both Point Pelee, MI and Cape May, NJ reported groups - not vagrant 
individuals, but flocks - of Cave Swallows showing up in the past couple 
of days. Anyone who is near the coast or elsewhere and sees a flock of 
swallows should examine them closely, just in case.

A bunch of Loggerhead Shrikes were color-banded in Ontario this summer; 
watch any shrikes you see during CBC's this winter for these bands. The 
banded individuals belong to an endangered subspecies, Lanius 
ludovicianus migrans; their wintering grounds are unknown, and could 
potentially be anywhere from Pennsylvania to Arizona. Each bird has a 
standard metal band (adults received stainless steel bands, while 
nestlings received standard aluminum alloy bands) plus one to two plastic 
color bands (sealed with acetone). Please note position (upper or lower, 
left or right leg) and color (red, orange, yellow, light green, light  
blue, dark blue, mauve, white, dark pink) of bands. Please send 
information (date, location, type of habitat) directly to JON MCCRACKEN,  
Bird Studies Canada, P.O. Box 160, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0 (PH: 
519-586-3531; FX: 519- 586-3532; EM: jmccracken@bsc-eoc.org).

Chesnut-collared Longspurs are being reported from Gulf Breeze, FL and 
Whitefish Point, MI, while numbers of Lapland Longspurs have reached Cape 
May.

A possible Yellow-billed Loon was reported from the same location where 
the Kelp Gull has been hanging out in Maryland. If the report gets 
confirmed, and the bird hangs around, I'll probably mention it again and 
maybe drive up there...

Lastly, the residents of Ann Arbor, Michigan just voted to increase their 
own taxes, with the increase going to purchase parkland and prevent 
sprawl. They defeated a virulent campaign by real estate developers, 
a campaign which was assisted by the highly conservative Ann Arbor daily 
newspaper which published at least 9 negative editorials about the tax 
increase and refused to print a single letter supporting it. Maybe the 
residents of the Triangle and Triad should start thinking about similar 
ballot proposals, and putting some petitions together...

Keep your eyes peeled!

Josh



Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Zoology

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