Port Mahon Road and Bombay Hook, Delaware: All For Knot?

For birders, the annual horseshoe crab spawn on the coast of Delaware and Maryland is a must-see. Each May thousands of pre-historic, creepy looking crabs lumber up onto coastal beaches, mate, lay eggs and die. And stink. Thousands upon thousands of shorebirds, who are in the midst of their long and tiresome migration, rely on the horseshoe crab eggs for fuel and make the spawning an important pit-stop on their flight.



One of these birds is the Red Knot, a plump little shorebird that, unfortunately, has been serious decline. Part of the problem is the horseshoe crab harvest that has reduced the numbers of crabs spawning on the beach (and which recent action in Delaware has addressed). Another part, and a much harder one for people around here to do anything about, is hunting and pesticide use in South America, where the Knots spend much of their time.



So I left Memorial Day morning and headed to the coast of Delaware to see some shorebirds and hopefully catch sight of a Red Knot or two. I had missed the peak migration, apparently, by a couple of weeks...but I certainly couldn't tell by the sight and smell of the beach. What an incredible scene. Port Mahon Road, once it gets to the beach, is a very bumpy street separated from the water by a narrow (like, 10 foot) beach. After passing stands of marsh grass, the road runs for only about .5 miles before dead-ending at a parking lot and public boat launch. On this stretch, though, were thousands of shorebirds.



I should say here that I got my first life bird of the day as soon as I opened my car door along the marsh stretch before the beach. Although I had never heard one in person(only on cd), the rapid song of the Marsh Wren was instantly recognizable. Before the day was over I would hear, and see, probably 50 of these little guys.



I smelled the beach before I could see it and instantly knew that some animals were rotting. The horseshoe spawn is pretty sad, as the crabs do their business and then just wait to die...but they don't go easy. The lie on their backs and flick their little legs and bob their tails slower and slower. When you poke them they get a sudden burst of energy but eventually just fade away. The birds like it, though. The shore was crowded with thousands of semipalmated sandpipers. Mixed in, with varying degrees of ID difficulty, were ruddy turnstones, herring, laughing and greater black-backed gulls, Willet and white-rumped sandpiper (both lifers...I was particularly proud of my WRS ID...which wasn't easy, especially when you're trying to pick an individual bird out of a swarming mass of look-alikes). There were no Red Knots around, but a salty old birder with a big ole beard said he had seen two just before I arrived. Obviously.



It was high tide, and the best birding was at low tide, so I drove about 10 minutes to Bombay Hook NWR. It was here, about 5 months ago, that I had seen another amazing spectacle: the snow goose arrival. That remains probably the greatest wildlife spectacle I've ever seen. Anyway, I checked out the sightings book at the welcome center and someone had seen a pair of Wilson's Phalarope just minutes before! They were in Bear Swamp, all the way across the refuge, and I drove as quick as I could to get there. Yup, as I expected, couldn't find them. The birding was great, though. At bear swamp I watched an American Bittern hunt fish in plain sight, a family of black-crowned night heron, some late semipalmated plovers, my lifer Black-Necked Stilt (I was a little disappointed in how small they were...but very cool birds) and many herons and egrets. It's amazing how much the birdlife changes...where once were thousands of ducks and swans there were now hundreds of sandpipers and stilts.



Back at Port Mahon for low tide, the numbers of pipers, plovers, willet, turnstone and everything else had increased. Even a pair of my beloved american oystercatchers showed up and put everyone to shame with their classy dress. But, alas, no knots. I was fooled a couple times by some short-billed dowitchers, which are like colored, but it wasn't meant to be. I had a wonderful time, though, tallying 68 species and 4 lifers. I'll be back next year, where hopefully Red Knots will make a better showing with a more stable population.

  ¶ 11:29 PM 0 comments

 

How to Impress Girls

I am a huge fan of BBC nature documentaries hosted by David Attenborough. I can't get enough. I stumbled upon an episode of Blue Planet one night in college and couldn't look away for the entire show. I immediately went on Amazon.com and bought the whole set (you should too, honestly).

When I got heavily into birds, one of the first things I did was buy, sight unseen, the entire BBC's Life of Birds series. Like the other BBC/Attenborough series, LoB covers animals from all over the world and in several different categories covering different types of birds and issues in the life-cycle of birds. There are some amazing shots (especially the out-of-control Asian eagle battle...you have to see it to believe it), and the series reveals things about common birds that I never knew before. Most memorably are the segments on Brown Pelicans and Common Moorhen ignoring and/or killing their own young to make way for more dominant siblings. It's intense and incredibly interesting.

Another segment features an interesting note on some common birds that you, gentle DC reader, have most likely seen today. In fact, I GUARANTEE that if you live within 10 miles of the District of Columbia and have opened your eyes today, you've seen this bird. It's the House Sparrow!

Attenborough told me, in his delightful accent, that the black bib on male house sparrows is more than just a decoration, but is in fact a symbol of a hierarchical system within each House Sparrow group. Simply, the bigger the bib, the more dominant the bird. It's pretty interesting.
Compare the bibs on the birds in this photo:

See how the birds have different bib sizes? Well the bird with the biggest is the most dominant and the others fall in line according to bib size. A good way to think of it, stolen from Life of Birds, is to think of the bird with the biggest bib as the general, the next as a captain and right on down to a lowly private.

It turns out that the bib size is more than just a decoration, too. Borrowing liberally from and excellent House of Bird Research page, I can tell you that a large bib corresponds with a large set of testes (which give a better chance at fertilization) and a better immune system (which are also a genetic benefit). So there you go. Sparrows with larger bibs are healthier and studlier, and so get all the females and are generally more awesome.

The moral of the story is: instead of being annoying and complaining about how every bird in DC is a house sparrow, you can now impress girls with your ability to instantly compare House Sparrow testicle sizes. I'm pretty sure that's how my parents first met, I'm sure it'll work for you too.  ¶ 10:02 AM 0 comments

 

The Awesome I and the Bird #24

The chaos of hosting the previous I and the Bird blogging carnival combined with my being away from DC prevented me from submitting a post to the next IATB edition. Big mistake. Carel from Rigor Vitae: Life Unyielding has published a FANTASTIC edition, complete with hand-drawn and painted illustrations for each submission. Curse my busy schedule!
Check out IATB #24 or Carel Brest Van Kempen's incredible artwork site.  ¶ 12:12 PM 0 comments

 

Back in DC

Apologies for the tardiness. I just got back to DC after a splendid week at Hamilton's graduation and finished my first day working at The Wilderness Society. Things have been hectic but I am rededicated.

Birding in NY was disappointing. It was windy, cold, overcast and rainy (and snowy and hail-y) the whole week, and my attempts to find the Northern Goshawk and Red Crossbill were unsuccessful. I'll post in more detail soon.

Another venture yesterday for a Lark Sparrow at Kenilworth Park was also unsuccessful.

This weekend I think I'm going to ride out to Delaware to find some shorebirds and, hopefully, a red knot. Stay tuned for that.

One cool thing: I was sorting through some pictures I took at the Arboretum a few weeks ago and came across a picture of a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird on its nest. One of the pair took some swoops at me while I was walking by and (ironically) tipped me off to the nest. It rests on a branch of a tree, I think its a sweet-gum, that's about 25 feet up into the gardens from the road. To find the nest, walk up from where cars sometimes park (and where a security guard stands) and find the branch that crosses the path across from a bench. It's tiny, and very cool.

  ¶ 11:12 PM 2 comments

 

The Rain in Maine Stays Mainly...Everywhere

I have been out of the district for a few days now for my girlfriend's graduation and it's been a welcome break. Yesterday we made the drive to Portland to hang out, see my family and look for some birds. The problem is, and you'll guess if you've seen the news in the last few days, is that Maine and the rest of New England are in the midst of a week straight of rain. On the drive up every single river and stream was flowing over its banks. It rained all last night (through the nice dinner and drinks) and most of today, and the forecast calls for another 5 days.

Despite the weather I made quick stops at my favorite Maine birding spot, Evergreen Cemetery. As expected, the rain kept most things down, but I did see my first-of-season Spotted Sandpiper, Ruby Crowned Kinglet and my Maine first Baltimore Oriole. I'd love to be here the day after the storm passes for the wave of migrating warblers that will follow.

Anyway that's all there is to report. Later this week I'll hopefully have some Goshawk and Crossbill stories. Stay tuned.  ¶ 4:00 PM 0 comments

 

Photo Quiz Answers!

And the winner is: Paul Ollig from The Rambling Ranger! Paul scored a whopping 25 out of 27 correct answers to win his choice of a Peterson Field Guide. Congrats.
This has been a lot of fun. Thanks to everyone for playing, and for coming to check out birdDC and IATB#23. Special thanks to Mike Bergin for his assistance throughout.

I am leaving DC for a week to hang out with my girlfriend in NY before she graduates. Along the way I will be birding my favorite spots in Maine and Central NY, including trips to find my arch-nemesis birds: the Red Crossbill and the Northern Goshawk. Stay tuned.

Now on to the answers!

1. Common Yellowthroat, near Sherburne, NY


2. Great Blue Heron, Sherburne, NY


3. Scarlet Tanager, near Oxford, NY (also accepting Summer Tanager)


4. Red-Winged Blackbird, Clinton, NY


5. Wild Turkey, Oxford, NY (it was doing a Killdeer-style distraction)


6. Eastern Kingbird, Oxford, NY


7. Mallard, Sherburne, NY


8. Black-Capped Chickadee, Portland, ME (also accepting Carolina Chickadee. Bad light made this one especially tough)


9. Red-Shouldered Hawk, Roosevelt Island, DC (also accepting Cooper's and Sharp-Shinned Hawk)


10. Surf Scoter, Cape Elizabeth, ME


11. Tree Swallow, Occoquan NWR, VA


12. Sanderling, Sandy Hook, DE


13. American Goldfinch (winter), Portland, ME


14. Ruddy Turnstones (winter), Indian River Inlet, DE


15. Tufted Titmouse, Portland, ME


16. Mute Swan, Bombay Hook, DE


17. Red-Breasted Merganser, Portland, ME


18. Bonaparte's Gull, Cape May, NJ


19. Blue-Winged Warbler, Kenilworth Park, DC


20. American Tree Sparrow, Occoquan NWR, VA


21. Brant, Indian River Inlet, DE (also accepting Black Brant)


22. White-Winged Scoter, Portland, ME


23. Greater Black-Backed Gull, Sandy Hook, DE


24. Ring-Billed Gull, Cape Elizabeth, ME


25. Black-Throated Blue Warbler, National Arboretum, DC (scroll down to the Redemption at Kenilworth post)


26. Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Indian River Inlet, DE


27. Long-Tailed Ducks, Indian River Inlet, DC

  ¶ 9:11 PM 2 comments

 
Birdwatching and the internet are seemingly incompatible. One operates in the great outdoors and values patience, concentration and preparation. The other is most often found in offices or bedrooms and works hard to be prompt and efficient.
But if birdwatching was like the internet you would wake up in the morning to every migrating warbler, in breeding plumage, perched on your window-sill. Convenient? Yes. Time-saving? Yes. The point? No.
Yet here we are, stuck in our offices or bedrooms, staring at the screen. Thus, while it is perfectly acceptable for people to go searching through brambles and swamps for hours to find a certain bird, we here at I and the Bird want to put all the best bird-related blog posts in one place for your viewing convenience. So let me extend a hearty welcome to birdDC, your host for IATB#23 and just one little species migrating up the information superhighway.

BUT WAIT! This is a blog carnival, is it not? And what's a carnival without games? Not much! SO I've taken slices out of bird photographs I've taken in the Eastern US and used them to divide the posts. If any of you loyal readers can identify each of the birds in the slices I will buy you the Peterson Field Guide of your choice. Sound good? Cool. Well good luck...some of the photos are blurry or maybe impossible, but that's the challenge! Trust me, it'll be more fun than shooting water at some dumb clown's mouth. No fried dough, however. Good Luck!
P.S. Send guesses to nicholas.lund@gmail.com. The Peterson will go to the first person who gets them all, and all other correct submitters will be posted on the blog and praised heavily. ALSO, there are a couple pictures where it is impossible to tell between 2 or 3 species. If you guess any of the possibilities you get credit. AND if no one gets 'em all, the person with the most correct answers will win. AND check the comments down below to see how people are doing.


"Spring is in the Heron" - Discovering Biology in a Digital World
It seemed that this Great Blue Heron's bold plan to infiltrate the penguin exhibit at the local zoo was ruined when his tuxedo didn't come back from the cleaners in time. Undaunted, he carried on.


"Choughs and Peregrine in Donegal" - Peregrine's Bird Blog
Since most American birders may only recognize 1 out of the 3 nouns in the title, let me help out. "Chough" is a type of crow that can be found nesting on ledges in the UK, and "Donegal" is a lovely county in Ireland where Mr. Nash spent Easter among seabirds and falcons.


"The Scoop on the Red Knot and Horseshoe Crab" - Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)
One of the most depressing subplots in birding today is the decline of the Red Knot. The bird depends heavily upon the eggs of horseshoe crabs to provide fuel during the Knot's journey from the tip of South America to the arctic. GrrlScientist explores the situation and asks whether or not it's too late.


"Mistaken Identity" - Rob's Idaho Perspective
Birders should always be very careful when identifying birds, especially when it might be a very rare visitor. I've found that the same caution is advisable when asking: "So, when's the baby due?"


"Best Laid Schemes O' Mice an' Men" - Ben Cruachan Blog
Stuck in the city looking at starlings and house sparrows all day, my pulse quickens and my mouth begins to water (I'm not kidding) when I read about Ben birding on the coast of Australia. Parrots! Royal Spoonbills! Flame Robins! There's a bird called a Flame Robin!


"Sunny Sunday Afternoon Walk at the Marsh" - When Words Become Unclear, I Shall Focus With Photographs
Beautiful photographs of beautiful birds and butterflies basking on a beautiful day in...California. Posts like this remind me of the best parts of birdwatching: being outdoors in the sun and lingering on the details.


"Invasion of the Goose Gangs" - Time's Fool
Canada Geese, like Double-Crested Cormorants, just can't win. First they are flirting with extinction and next they are annoyingly overpopulated. Mata from Time's Fool chronicles a local gang of surly Geese and her town's hilariously pathetic attempt to scare them off.


"Who's Laughing Now?" - Journey Through Grace
Samtzmom took down her hanging flower baskets in an effort to encourage a Dove to lay her eggs somewhere else, would it work? Leave a rent-free apartment in today's housing market? Not likely!


"Thinking About Seagulls" - Coyote Mercury
Beauty, and sometimes bird-poop, is in the eye of the beholder.


"Mockingbird Encounter" - Tortoise Trail
Seeing them everyday in DC, Mockingbirds have quickly become one of my favorite species. Pam from Tortoise Trail uses photographs to illustrate an encounter between a pair of animated Mockingbirds.


"Friday Ark: Killdeer, Our New Mascots" - A Geezer's Corner
...And the award for Best Acting in a Drama goes to: the Killdeer!


"Grappling Buzzards" - Charlie's Bird Blog
Excellent dramatic photos of two Buzzards in the UK engaging in a dog-fight...er, bird-fight.


"Birds of the Mid-Atlantic: The Cape May Warbler" - A DC Birding Blog
John is a fellow DC bird-blogger, but he always seems to get the best sightings. This post was inspired by a Cape May that he saw on the National Mall...less than a mile from where I work. Beautiful bird, great post.


"More Adventures in Raptor Identification" - Thomasburg Walks
Raptors are often some of the hardest birds to identify. They are either dots on the sky - too small for field marks - or blurs through the woods or past a car window. Pamela from Thomasburg Walks gets a rare opportunity to study a Sharp-Shinned Hawk...or is that a Merlin? A Cooper's?...up close.


"Sandy Hook Hawk Watch" - The Hawk Owl's Nest
The chance to man the Hawk Watch station at Sandy Hook, NJ during migration - where wind conditions can produce huge numbers of raptors - is enough to make any birder's heart race. Patrick got that chance, see how it went.


"Springtime's Natural and Financial Storminess" - Don't Mess With Taxes
Kay Bell takes a break from helping people with their financial woes to chronicle the return of birds to her central Texas home.


"Riverdale Park Passerines" - 10,000 Birds
Ah the joys of spring migration...a time when even a small park in the middle of the Bronx can turn up some beautiful birds.


"Springtime Is Just Too Much" - Sand Creek Almanac
Deb from Sand Creek Almanac drinks deeply from the cup of Springtime and is treated to an aerial display from two Northern Harriers.


"Ah, Spring!" - Home Bird Notes
Each new species that returns in the Spring is a little present opened by a birdwatcher. Home Bird takes stock of her garden and its avian inhabitants.


"Avocets" - Earth, Wind & Water
Avocets are a success story in the UK, where the birds have rebounded after being absent from the 1840s to the 1940s. Earth, Wind & Water details the Avocets history - and present - in the UK.


"The White Raven" - Birds in the North of Spain
Sketching birds in the field is a largely lost art in today's world of field guides. Not so for Javier of Birds in the North of Spain, who illustrates his posts with the scanned images from his field notebook. His IATB submission details an encounter with an albino Raven in Villarcayo.


"GTBC - Saturday" - WildBird on the Fly
For ABA-area birders, it just doesn't get any more exciting than trying for a Big Day record at the Great Texas Birding Classic. Follow along with Amy as she drives the Swarovski Roadside Hawks around southern Texas looking for, and finding, species that Yankees like myself can only dream about.


"Golden Eagle Nests" - Rigor Vitae: Life Unyielding
Carel has taken the field sketchbook to a whole new level, creating gorgeous oil paintings out of his experiences in the field. This post details the nesting habits of those elusive raptors, Golden Eagles. Check out Carel's theory on why Goldens, unlike most other raptors, are so shy around the nest...it makes sense to me!


"The Other Redstart" - Aimophila Adventures
If familiarity breeds contempt, then maybe discovery breeds appreciation? Yeah? Regardless, Aimophila Adventures certainly appreciates his rediscovery of an American Redstart in Arizona.


"I Learned Something New" - BirdTLC
Gyrfalcons are amazing birds. Phil is an amazing Gyrfalcon. Dave and the rest of the BirdTLC crew do an amazing job of rescuing Phil and making him comfortable. There's a word I could use to describe this post but I...just...can't...think of it.


"Sparrow-Palooza" - Birdchick Blog
Some beautiful close-ups of sparrows at a banding station Minnesota...plus the use of the phrase 'male bird hoohas.' You'll have you see for yourself.


"Chimney Swifts" - The Birdchaser
Last but certainly not least, the Birdchaser informs us about ways we can help create shelters for those little flying cigars, Chimney Swifts.  ¶ 3:25 AM 17 comments

 

Take More Action II: More Bird Legislation

A few days ago I began listing some bird-related legislation currently in Congress. I'll continue that list now.

A note from someone who has worked with constituent mail in a Congressman's office: CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE. They notice. Especially if you are writing (or calling or visiting) about a piece of legislation that isn't the current 'hot' topic. If you are one of thousands you'll get a form letter, if you are one of one you'll get a researched and personalized letter from a staff member (which will be read and signed personally by the member). It's weird how it works this way, but for all the letters we got about Social Security, I know just as much about that topic as I do about why ham radio operators want access to small Caribbean wildlife reserves. It's just the way it works.

So, if any of these bills light a fire in your belly, CONTACT CONGRESS.

H.R. 3468: The Hawaii Invasive Species Prevention Act
Hawaii has a long, unfortunate, history of losing its endemic species to introduced predators. The bill would direct the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to: "(1) impose a quarantine on Hawaii to prevent the introduction of invasive species and diseases in Hawaii; (2) establish a system of post-arrival quarantine protocols for all persons, baggage, cargo, containers, packing materials, and other items traveling or being shipped to Hawaii from domestic and foreign locations; and (3) establish an expedited process for Hawaii to seek the Secretaries' approval to impose additional prohibitions or restrictions on the introduction or movement of invasive species or diseases. Authorizes Hawaii to impose additional emergency prohibitions or restrictions for up to two years pending such approval." Will it work? Maybe. Is it worth it to try? Absolutely.

H.R. 3187: Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Act
I don't need to say anything to remind birders of the importance of our coastlines and estuaries, but I will anyway: Red Knot. This bill would create a Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, a body that would give grants to states with approved coastal zone management plans. It also provides $5 million for a regional watershed protection demonstration project that would, among other things, enhance protected areas under the National Estuarine Research Reserve program.

S. 1897: Act to Save America's Forests
The standout proposals in this piece of legislation are the designation of "special areas which shall be subject to restrictions on road construction and logging" in 26 states and the proposal to "prohibit clearcutting or other even-age logging operations on any stand or watershed on certain federal land, National Forest System land, and National Wildlife Refuge System land. Provides for federal enforcement and a private right of action."

Personally, I don't know how I feel about clear-cutting. Growing up I had always been adamantly opposed to it on principal, but working for the Dept. of Environmental Conservation in NY this past summer has changed my views a bit. Selected clearcuts can actually increase the total number of species in an area by creating habitats that wouldn't be possibly in a thinned or untouched forest. When a forest is clearcut, fast-growing plants like berry bushes and grasses are the first to grow back. These plants, which wouldn't survive in a forest where tall trees block the sunlight before it reaches the floor, host birds like warblers or towhees that would otherwise not be able to live there. So, though the number of individual old-growth species in a forest (i.e. owls) would decrease, the total number of species would increase. That's all I'm saying.

S.1540: The Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program Act
This bill would establish the MRGESCP (nice acronym) to protect Silvery Minnow and Willow Flycatcher habitat on the Rio Grande. This is one of those bills (which I am always wary of) that try to save habitat while still "allowing continued water development." I'm sure this bill would benefit Rio Grande Endangered Species, but it's important to note that sometimes organizations can use language in supposedly eco-friendly legislation to cover up their harmful practices.  ¶ 1:58 PM 0 comments

 

I and the Bird #23 - Get Them In!

BirdDC will be hosting I and the Bird, a collection of outstanding bird blog posts, on May 11th. I've received a lot of great work so far, but there's always room for more. Send your posts to me at nicholas.lund@gmail.com or to Mike at 10,000 Birds. See you on the 11th!  ¶ 11:52 PM 0 comments

 

Redemption at Kenilworth

On Thursday I made a whiny post about how I wasn't having any luck finding Blue Grosbeaks or Vesper Sparrows at Kenilworth Park. Well I tried again today and Kenilworth rewarded my determination with an amazing moment. But I'll get to that in a moment.

I started off the morning by hitting up the Azalea Gardens at the National Arboretum, where John from A DC Birding Blog consistently finds awesome birds. And he's onto something. The place was crawling with birds, although the expanding foliage made it very difficult to see what I was hearing. By far my biggest flaw as a new(ish) birder is my lack of mastery of bird songs, but, hey, it'll come. Despite that, I had a great time and saw many first-of-the-year birds including: Veery, Wood Thrush, Red-Eyed Vireo, Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Black-Throated Blue Warbler and the lovely Baltimore Oriole. After leaving the Azalea Gardens [and later getting a listserv email from John who had been to the same spot that morning and seen way more birds, including my target Hooded Warbler. Outsmarted again!], I swung through the Research Orchard (is that what it's called? Down below the Columns...) and caught my year's first Indigo Bunting before leaving for Kenilworth.



Arriving at Kenilworth I abandoned hope of finding the Vespers because of the soccer games that were taking place on the fields. No matter. I made for the back section, beyond the barriers, where I had seen at Blue-Winged Warbler a few weeks ago. After taking an immediate right and heading up, and then down, the hill next to the stream, I stood on a dry pond-bed and looked at the dense foliage above the stream. A long, brown bird hopped up into view. At first sight I thought it was a Thrasher, but the bird turned to reveal a clean white belly and a red eye-ring - a Black-Billed Cuckoo! While I kept the bird in view, relishing my first ever sighting, another bird landed on a branch just behind the Cuckoo and hooted softly like a Cardinal. I focused my eyes and recognized it as a blue bird with red bars on its wings...a Blue Grosbeak! WHAT! I was looking at two life birds in one raise of the binoculars. Unprecedented. They stayed in place for me to snap some pictures, although the Grosbeak is hard to make out because it was further back and in the shade. Take a look:



Fantastic. After that sighting I'll never talk smack about Kenilworth again. I didn't see much else...couple Yellowthroat, some more Indigo Buntings and, later, a female Grosbeak. A quick stop at the Aquatic Gardens brought nothing to speak of besides a Parula.

Great day in DC.  ¶ 3:45 PM 3 comments

 

Take More Action

Here are links and short summaries of bird-related (but not Avian Flu-related) legislation currently in Congress. Please write to or visit your Congressman (as someone who has worked in a Congressional Office, a visit with either the Congressman or a Legislative Assistant is about 1000 times more effective than a letter or a letter-writing campaign) and support these bills.

• Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Improvement Act
  This is the Senate version of the bill that would re-authorize and improve the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act first passed in 2000. The new bill would expand the bill to include birds that breed in Canada, increases the federal share of costs from 25 to 50 percent and establishes the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Account within the Multinational Species Conservation Fund.



• Great Lakes Migratory Bird Research and Management Act
  This bill would study whether or not birds (read: Double-Crested Cormorants) are depleting commercial and recreations fish populations in the Great Lakes. This bill relates directly to the issue I wrote about here back in April. I'm not sure where I stand on this...the results of the study could either be used to justify the killing of cormorants or as proof that they aren't affecting things as much as people think.



• H.R.4315
  The title of this bill is: To amend the Acts popularly known as the Duck Stamp Act and the Wetland Loan Act to reauthorize appropriations to promote the conservation of migratory waterfowl and to offset or prevent the serious loss of important wetlands and other waterfowl habitat essential to the preservation of such waterfowl, and for other purposes. Basically, it increases the price to Duck Stamps and puts the extra money towards increasing waterfowl populations and saving wetlands. Long title, simple premise



• S.1497: A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to provide incidental take permits to public electric utilities that adopt avian protection plans.
  This bill would get utility companies (read: wind turbines) off the hook for accidentally electrocuting protected birds if the companies establish a viable plan for protecting the birds. Very interesting. It would seem that if a company established an avian protection plan then they wouldn't need an "accidental take permit." If I'm being cynical, then this could be a good way for an electric company to get around worrying about killing birds by half-assing a protection plan. If I'm not being cynical this might save a lot of birds from wind farms. I'm cynical.



• Oops: The Bill

There are more, and I'll get to them tomorrow.  ¶ 12:35 PM 2 comments

 

Frustration and Kenilworth

Very disappointing afternoon of birding at Kenilworth Park. I don't know what my problem is so far this year but I'm having very little luck finding migrants. Part of it has to do with the fact that I'm still learning songs. Part of it has to do with the fact that it was late and many of the birds had gone quiet or to the nest. It's extremely frustrating, though, sitting in your office on a beautiful day and reading emails about local birders (who somehow get to go birding every single day!) seeing 20+ warbler species just down the road from me.
Sorry for the rant, but I rushed home and started the drive to Kenilworth only to get caught in Nationals traffic. When I finally got there I was hoping for at least one or the other of the Blue Grosbeaks or Vesper Sparrows that have recently been reported there. Yet, no Grosbeaks singing from the trees. No sparrows of any kind, anywhere. No Waterthrush at the banks of the river. No Hooded Warblers in the underbrush. Most frustrating of all: twice did I trace a singing bird to a tree but was unable to find it in the foliage and then watch it zoom off, unidentified, into the sun. Of the few birds I did manage to identify (all of about 4), only a pair of Common Yellowthroat were new to me this season.
BUT. I love it. And I'll be back.  ¶ 7:44 PM 0 comments

 

Dddddiiiiiistrict Patrol!

The spring migration is in full swing and it's fantastic. FANTASTIC. The Va-Bird and MDOsprey listservs are crowded with reports of happy birders skipping through parks whose trees are crowded with warblers, orioles, kingbirds and thrushes. It's a great time to be a DC birder.
I couldn't possibly begin to list all the sightings, so I'll try to summarize the rarest birds in the area.

Cape May, DC
The elusive Cape May warbler has been making appearances in the area, most notably in the Constitution Gardens LIKE 5 BLOCKS FROM ME BUT I'M STUCK AT WORK. Guh. This bird was first seen yesterday by John from A DC Birding Blog and was around later in the day. Cape Mays have also been seen at Rock Creek Park and several private yards.

Western Kingbird
I think this bird is a regular visitor to Fort McHenry near Baltimore (about an hour from DC) and it has been seen a couple times there this year. Beware, though, that is has also been searched for unsuccessfully.

Trumpeter Swan
A banded bird believed to be a Trumpeter Swan has been seen at Schoolhouse Pond at the Darnall's Chance House Museum in Prince Georges County, MD (I'd say about 30 minutes from DC).

Black-Billed Cuckoo
These guys have been seen at Rock Creek Park here in DC (where I think I'll be headed this weekend) and at Bandy Field in Richmond (about 2 hours from DC).

Alright that's all I've got...but there are a million birds out there. Keep checking the MDOsprey and Va-Bird archives to keep up.  ¶ 11:24 AM 1 comments

 

Take Action

The environment is in trouble. Land continues to be cleared for agriculture and development. Rivers continue to be dammed. Thousands of species (16,000 to be more specific) are currently facing global extinction. Think about that number...there aren't 16,000 species of bird in the entire world.

The good news is that there are lots of groups out there doing their best to defend wildlife and wilderness. Many work here in Washington, and they can all use our support.

So, instead of wading through spam email or wasting your time learning the complex operation of the "Delete" key, I've compiled a list of websites for such organizations. Each site contains lots of information on environmental issues and suggestions on ways we can help.

• The Wilderness Society
  [Note: I'm partial to this one: I'll be working for them as of 5/24]
  "Deliver to future generations an unspoiled legacy of wild places, with all the precious values they hold: Biological diversity; clean air and water; towering forests, rushing rivers, and sage-sweet, silent deserts."


• Defenders of Wildlife
  'Dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities.'


• The Union of Concerned Scientists
  "A nonprofit partnership of scientists and citizens combining rigorous scientific analysis, innovative policy development and effective citizen advocacy to achieve practical environmental solutions."


• The Sierra Club
  "Our Mission Statement: 1. Explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth. 2. Practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources. 3. Educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment. 4. Use all lawful means to carry out these objectives."


• Natural Resource Defense Fund
  "The Natural Resources Defense Council's purpose is to safeguard the Earth: its people, its plants and animals and the natural systems on which all life depends..."


• League of Conservation Voters
  "The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is the political voice of the national environmental movement and the only organization devoted full-time to shaping a pro-environment Congress and White House."


• Greenpeace USA
  "Greenpeace is the leading independent campaigning organization that uses non-violent direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future."

NOTE--This list is stolen, blatantly, from a longer, more complete list compiled by California State University at Chico that can be found here.  ¶ 10:42 AM 0 comments

 

Birds in Bartholdi Park

My internship takes me between Ford and Rayburn House Office Buildings almost every day. It's a beautiful little park across the street from the glassed in botanical gardens building and down from the front of the Capitol building. Although the park is small, I've always thought there was a chance of a seeing a warbler or something passing through. Until today, though, it had just been Starlings, Mockingbirds and a pair of Song Sparrows. But, on the way home last I heard some unusual sounds from the underbrush. Stooping low I caught a lone Ovenbird scurrying through the mulch. Good things come in small packages, and in small parks.  ¶ 11:23 PM 1 comments

 

Birder Profile: Kevin Graff

I met Kevin last weekend while I was chasing the Anhinga at Lilypons in Maryland. If I hadn't spotted Kevin and his friends tramping over to the right pond I might have left without seeing the bird at all. Thanks, Kevin, I owe you one.

Name: Kevin Graff

Location: Wild Bird Unlimited (bird store) in "The
Avenue at White Marsh", Nottingham, Baltimore Co.,MD

Profession: Co-owner (starting in May 2006)

Years Birding: 18+ (started on Dec 25, 1987)

Organizations: Baltimore Bird Club (chapter of MD
Ornithological Society) Nature Conservancy, Cornell
Lab of Ornithology, Wild Bird Center, World Wildlife
Fund

Lists: (As of 12/31/05) ABA 498, Maryland 356,
Baltimore 271, Worcester 268

Field Guides: National Geographic, Sibley & Kaufman
Field Guide to Birds of N. America

Optics: Swift 8.5x44; EgretII 8x42 in reserve status;
Kowa TSN-821M w/ 60x eyepiece

Favorite Bird: Hooded Merganser

Least Favorite Bird (C'mon we've all got one): Rock
Pigeon

Bird You'd Most Like to See but Haven't: any tropical
birds in any types of rain forests

Wish You Were Better at Identifying: gulls hybrids

Favorite DC-area birding location: Kenilworth Aquatic
Gardens

Favorite non-DC birding location: Worcester
Co./Blackwater NWR (both tied first place)

Best DC area Sighting: don't remember

Missed Opportunity: Ross's Gull at Back River Waste
Water Treatment Plant on March 25, 1990.

Fondest Remembered Single Day: Single-day record of
168 species counted in 13 hrs of Eastern Shore birding
on May 15, 1999 during Bloomin' Birdathon  ¶ 10:42 AM 0 comments