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20 Nov NYC Area RBA: 20 November 2009 [Karen Fung ] 20 Nov Cattle Egret [Sy Schiff ] 20 Nov Re: Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett ["Shaibal Mitra" ] 19 Nov Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett [Rob Jett ] 19 Nov Re: Eurasian Collared Doves (3) - Hilton, NY (Monroe County) [Jim Osterlund ] 19 Nov Linnaean Society Meeting Announcement [Alice Deutsch ] 19 Nov Pink-footed Goose Still at SMSP (Suffolk County) [Ken Feustel ] 19 Nov ADMIN: Thread Termination [Chris Tessaglia-Hymes ] 18 Nov Tobay Loon carcass Nassau Co., NY [& hunting seasons] [Tom Fiore ] 18 Nov Re: Re:Feral Cats [and Suffolk Loon] [Mike ] 18 Nov Re: Feral Cats [Hugh McGuinness ] 18 Nov Re:Feral Cats [and Suffolk Loon] [Peter Doherty ] 18 Nov Re: Feral Cats [Tom Fiore ] 18 Nov Re: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [Ben Cacace ] 18 Nov Loons and Feral Cats [Robert Bate ] 18 Nov RE: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Rick Cech" ] 18 Nov MBTA and Feral Cat Facilities---[was: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arcticţ] [Peter Doherty ] 18 Nov RE: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Voisine, Matthew NAN02" ] 18 Nov Collecting Dead Birds [] 18 Nov Re: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [John Askildsen ] 17 Nov re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [Andrew Mason ] 17 Nov Jones Beach [Sy Schiff ] 17 Nov King Eider in Jones Inlet/Nassau County [Ken Feustel ] 16 Nov Syracuse RBA [Joseph Brin ] 16 Nov FW: [Ontbirds] Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas - Save 35% ["Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" ] 16 Nov FW: [Ontbirds] Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas - Save 35% ["Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" ] 16 Nov Re: Banded Red Knot ["Steve Walter" ] 16 Nov re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [Peter Doherty ] 16 Nov W. Grebe in New Jersey (11/15), & other elsewhere birds [Tom Fiore ] 15 Nov partial albino red tail [] 15 Nov NJ/NY Pelagic on Sun, Dec 6 from Belmar, NJ ["Paul A. Guris" ] 15 Nov QCBC Meeting, Wed. Nov. 18th [Donna Schulman ] 15 Nov NNYBirds: Aggressive Northern Shrike ["Joan E. Collins" ] 15 Nov Aggressive Northern Shrike ["Joan E. Collins" ] 15 Nov Re:late yellow warbler [Tom Fiore ] 15 Nov Re: Banded Red Knot [Alice Deutsch ] 15 Nov Pink-footed, Barnacle and Cackling Geese and Jamaica Bay birds [Andrew Block ] 15 Nov Banded Red Knot ["Steve Walter" ] 15 Nov Red-necked grebe, late yellow warbler, and waterfowl [Seth Ausubel ] 15 Nov Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" ] 15 Nov Eider recount [Shane Blodgett ] 15 Nov Common Eiders/Brooklyn [Shane Blodgett ] 15 Nov Common Eider [Rob Jett ] 14 Nov Western Grebe - No? [Alan Wells ] 14 Nov 11/14 Piermont Pier Western Grebe (NO)... [Andrew Baksh ] 14 Nov Common Moorhen-yes [] 14 Nov RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [Kevin McGowan ] 14 Nov Re: Piermont Western Grebe - Yes? [Paul Dubuc ] 14 Nov Piermont Western Grebe - Yes? [Alan Wells ] 14 Nov incidental to the Ontario Canada Phainopepla; & Cave Swallows from 11/9 [Tom Fiore ] 13 Nov NYC Area RBA: 13 November 2009 [Ben Cacace ] 13 Nov Western Grebe still in piermont [Andrew Block ] 13 Nov RE:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [] 13 Nov Piermont Pier Western Grebe [Alan Wells ] 13 Nov Re: Finding dead birds on the Jones strip ["Mike Wasilco" ] 13 Nov Re: Finding dead birds on the Jones strip [] 13 Nov Finding dead birds on the Jones strip [Sy Schiff ] 13 Nov RE:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [] 13 Nov Piermont Pier Western Grebe [Alan Wells ] 13 Nov RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [] 13 Nov RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Richard Guthrie" ] 13 Nov RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Frederick Hamilton" ] 13 Nov RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [] 13 Nov RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Richard Guthrie" ] 13 Nov Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Frederick Hamilton" ] 13 Nov Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" ] 13 Nov Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic [] 13 Nov Video of Piermont Pier Western Grebe [] 12 Nov Piermont Pier, Rockland Co., Western Grebe [Alan Wells ] 12 Nov Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic ["Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" ] 12 Nov Re: Ontario, Canada: Phainopepla [Jim Osterlund ] 12 Nov Ontario, Canada: Phainopepla [Tom Fiore ] 12 Nov Western Grebe [Curt McDermott ] 11 Nov Western Grebe at Piermont Pier [Alan Wells ] 11 Nov Visitor to NY ["Ali Iyoob" ] 11 Nov Visitor to NY ["Ali Iyoob" ] Subject: NYC Area RBA: 20 November 2009 From: Karen Fung <easternbluebird AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:16:54 -0500 - RBA * New York * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County * Nov 20, 2009 * NYNY0911.20 - Birds Mentioned: PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+ BARNACLE GOOSE+ RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+ CACKLING GOOSE Common Eider HARLEQUIN DUCK Red-necked Grebe Western Grebe+ (not reported this week) Northern Gannet Cattle Egret Bald Eagle Common Moorhen Red Knot Sanderling White-rumped Sandpiper Purple Sandpiper Dunlin Lesser Black-backed Gull BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE Black Skimmer Common Raven Orange-crowned Warbler Yellow Warbler Snow Bunting If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc1 AT nybirds.org . If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Jeanne Skelly - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 420 Chili-Scottsville Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 ~ Transcript ~ Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Weekly Recording: (212) 979-3070 To report sightings call: Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays) Tony Lauro (631) 734-4126 (Long Island) Compilers: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County Transcriber: Karen Fung [~BEGIN RBA TAPE~] Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, November 20th, at 7:00 pm. The highlights of today's tape are PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, BARNACLE GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, and HARLEQUIN DUCKS. The single PINK-FOOTED, BARNACLE, and CACKLING GEESE continue in the vicinity of Sunken Meadow State Park, north of Smithtown on the north shore of Long Island. On Sunday the geese spent all of the afternoon up until at least 4:45pm feeding with Canadas on the ball fields at Kings Park High School, apparently taking advantage of the lack of activity in the field. Kings Park High School is on the south side Route 25A, 1.5 miles east of the Sunken Meadow Parkway and across from the Kings Park post office. On Thursday the PINK-FOOTED and the CACKLING GOOSE were back at Sunken Meadow State Park, on the lawns east of the entrance road. The young male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was last Saturday still visiting the feeders and yard at 122 Hillside Avenue in the Grymes Hill section of northeastern Staten Island, and the homeowner welcomes birders to look for the hummingbird, but do be careful if parking on Hillside Avenue. [Transcriber's late update: The homeowner reported that the hummer visited his feeders today at 4pm.] The Piermont Pier WESTERN GREBE was not seen last Saturday, and it presumably was the same bird appearing off South Amboy, NJ on Sunday. A very dynamic day out at Montauk Point Saturday featured six BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, plus over 300 COMMON EIDER and 2,000 NORTHERN GANNETS, as well as lots of other sea ducks and loons. Two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were found on the pasture at the Deep Hollow Dude Ranch on the south side of Route 27, west of the Point, with another LESSER BLACK-BACKED in the surf off the town of Montauk. In the Jones Beach area, two drake HARLEQUIN DUCKS were still present Sunday along the inlet jetty, on the Point Lookout side of Jones inlet. Also feeding along this jetty were DUNLIN and SANDERLINGS, with single WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and PURPLE SANDPIPER. About 100 COMMON EIDER were around this jetty and the sandbars inside the inlet Sunday. And 25 SNOW BUNTINGS were also at West End. At Jones Beach Field 6 Sunday, the roosting shorebird flock featured ~120 RED KNOT. At the east end of the Jones strip Sunday, a YELLOW WARBLER was found at Captree State Park, and a RED-NECKED GREBE was seen in Great South Bay off Captree. Interestingly, another YELLOW WARBLER plus an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER were at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye on Monday. On Thursday a CATTLE EGRET was spotted around Field B at Floyd Bennett Field, this continuing what has become somewhat of a trend in recent years of these late season appearances of Cattle Egret. The egret was seen again today. Last Sunday in Brooklyn, 27 COMMON EIDER were seen off Brighton Beach, and four late BLACK SKIMMERS were lingering off the western end of the Coney Island boardwalk. A COMMON RAVEN was seen again Monday around the Nassau County Art Museum in Roslyn, and a COMMON MOORHEN found on the pond at the end of Garvies Point Road in Glen Cove back in late September was still present there last Saturday. An immature BALD EAGLE visited Long Pond in Sag Harbor on Tuesday. To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126, or weekdays call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483. This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling. [~END TAPE~] ~ End Transcript ~ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Cattle Egret From: Sy Schiff <icterus AT optonline.net> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:19:42 -0500 Floyd Bennett Field 20 Nov Joe Giunta and I (Sy Schiff) arrived at Field B and immediately found the Cattle Egret feeding. After spending the morning birding in Floyd Bennett, we returned and found the egret had moved on to the edge of the road. We carefully drove alongside to within 10 feet for a photo-op from the side window, almost too close for such a large bird. Other birds included a soaring Cooper's Hawk, a Red-tailed Hawk chased by a diving Crow, 4+ Amer. Kestrel, 2 Peregrine Falcons and 25 Horned Larks. Sy -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett From: "Shaibal Mitra" <mitra AT mail.csi.cuny.edu> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:29:27 GMT Hi Rob and all, That's a really neat find, and in my mind, it's a good indication that other oddities are likely lurking in the weeds around here. As Cattle Egrets have vanished as breeding birds in NYS and New England, November has become a relatively good time for seeing them here. The species has lingered into mid December at least twice on eastern LI, including one at Deep Hollow on the Montauk CBC, on 21 Dec 1996. When two Cattle Egrets popped up near Mecox Bay on 17 November 2007, I remember dashing off a note to Hugh McGuinness, volunteering a cockamamie theory of correlated vagrancy of November Grasshopper Sparrows with Cattle Egrets (based on a personal sample size of maybe two!). Although the Grassgroper Hypothesis remains in limbo, chasing down those Cattle Egrets the next day and later certainly revealed how rich and unexpected November birding can be ("Patagonia Picnic in Montauk" Kingbird 58: 2-12). Last year, there was a Cattle Egret at Fresh Kills, Staten Island in November, and one appeared at Mecox again, persisting into December, up to the eve of the Sagaponack CBC. Shai Mitra Bay Shore -----Original Message----- From: Rob Jett citybirder AT earthlink.net Sent 11/19/2009 4:56:13 PM To: NYSBirds-L AT cornell.edu Subject: [nysbirds-l] Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett This afternoon at around 12:45pm, Heydi Lopes and I found a Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett Field. It was feeding fairly close to the road within Field "B". It didn't seem too concerned about cars driving by, but did move a short distance when a loud motorcycle blasted down the road. Here's a link to a map with a placemark noting the location: http://tinyurl.com/y9edqsh While this seems like a very late date for Cattle Egret it is actually a few weeks shy of the 12 December extreme coastal date noted in "Bull's Birds". Good birding, Rob The City Birder Weblog http://citybirder.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett From: Rob Jett <citybirder AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:56:13 -0500 This afternoon at around 12:45pm, Heydi Lopes and I found a Cattle Egret at Floyd Bennett Field. It was feeding fairly close to the road within Field "B". It didn't seem too concerned about cars driving by, but did move a short distance when a loud motorcycle blasted down the road. Here's a link to a map with a placemark noting the location: http://tinyurl.com/y9edqsh While this seems like a very late date for Cattle Egret it is actually a few weeks shy of the 12 December extreme coastal date noted in "Bull's Birds". Good birding, Rob The City Birder Weblog http://citybirder.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Eurasian Collared Doves (3) - Hilton, NY (Monroe County) From: Jim Osterlund <jamesost AT optonline.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:33:12 -0500 What I believe is the sixth pole east of the intersection of Curtis Road and Route 259; 43.310659,-77.789753 - Google Maps -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Linnaean Society Meeting Announcement From: Alice Deutsch <ad AT bioscreeninc.com> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:15:52 -0500 THE LINNAEAN SOCIETY OF NEW YORK SPEAKERS PROGRAM Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, 7:30 p.m. The American Museum of Natural History, Linder Theater Speaker: David S. Wilcove, Professor of Ecology, Evolutionary Biology & Public Affairs, Princeton University Subject: The Case of the Killer Potato Chip: Oil Palm Agriculture, Deforestation, and Species Endangerment in Borneo Southeast Asia is widely recognized as one of the hottest of the world's biodiversity hotspots, due in large part to the rapid rate at which the region's forests are being logged or converted to agricultural land. The most rapidly expanding crop in the region--indeed throughout the tropics--is oil palm. Wilcove will discuss the impacts of oil palm agriculture on birds and butterflies in Borneo and mainland Malaysia. He will then compare the impacts of oil palm to the impacts of logging. He will close with some recommendations for addressing the threat that oil palm poses to biodiversity in Southeast Asia. David Wilcove received his Ph.D. in 1985 from Yale University. He is the author of The Condor's Shadow: The Loss and Recovery of Wildlife in America (1999) and numerous scientific publications, book chapters, and popular articles dealing with conservation biology, endangered species, biogeography, and ornithology. He is also the author of No Way Home: The Decline of the World's Great Animal Migrations published in 2008. The meeting is open to the public, without charge. Please join us for what promises to be a very exciting talk. Enter the Museum at West 77th Street. If you would like to meet Dr. Wilcove prior to the talk, join us at Pappardella's Restaurant, 75th Street and Columbus Avenue at 6 p.m. The reservation will be in the name of Alice. Alice Deutsch, Vice President -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Pink-footed Goose Still at SMSP (Suffolk County) From: Ken Feustel <feustel AT optonline.net> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:21:40 -0500 At 10:15AM Sue and I observed the previously reported Pink-footed Goose at Sunken Meadow State Park on the athletic fields on the East side of the main entrance road (after the toll booths and before crossing the bridge over Sunken Meadow Creek). The bird was in company with approx. 180 Canada Geese. Additionally, Rich Kelly found a Cackling Goose in with the Canada's. Ken Feustel -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: ADMIN: Thread Termination From: Chris Tessaglia-Hymes <cth4 AT cornell.edu> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:56:32 -0500 Good day, everyone, The thread topic which originally started as a fairly innocent post about a possible "Arctic" loon carcass, needs to terminate. There has been some good information posted concerning collecting of found specimens and how this is affected by NYS and Federal Laws. The topic has morphed and diverged from and become tangential to the original topic and is generating many opinion-based and "my two cents"- types of posts. It has come time to terminate the discussion surrounding this thread. If there are individuals who wish to continue this discussion, please do so by directing your emails to those persons directly involved with these earlier posts and do not include NYSbirds-L AT cornell.edu in the list of addresses (To: or Cc:). If anyone has specific opinions concerning the termination of this thread, please do not post to the entire list but, instead, direct your comments only to the Listowner's email address: cth4 AT cornell.edu. As a reminder, please be aware that every post sent to NYSbirds-L AT cornell.edu is distributed to well over 660 New York State- and World-wide email addresses. Make certain that any posting is appropriate for all 660+ subscribed email addresses prior to submitting your message to the entire list. For more information about the rules of NYSbirds-L and general welcome information, including how to join or leave the list, or modify your settings, please reference the URLs in my signature below. These are also appended to the bottom of each email message posted to NYSbirds-L. Lastly, links to the various archives of messages posted to NYSbirds-L are also provided at the bottom of each post to NYSbirds-L. Thank you and good birding! Sincerely, Chris T-H Chris Tessaglia-Hymes Listowner, NYSbirds-L Ithaca, NY -- Chris Tessaglia-Hymes Listowner, NYSbirds-L Ithaca, New York cth4 AT cornell.edu http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Tobay Loon carcass Nassau Co., NY [& hunting seasons] From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2 AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:11:46 -0500 Endangered & Protected Bird species, Birding, & Hunting Season (opens) in NY state. Also, in case it's been forgotten, the original post on this subject mentioned that the loon carcass found at "Tobay Beach" was "apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest". It is illegal to shoot Common Loons on or over all U.S. waters or lands. This may have been an unfortunate accident of hunting, but does bring up that issue as well. I happen to have concerns about another group of birds that ARE legally hunted: grouse. In my opinion many grouse should be fully protected with no hunting season of any kind in many locations - many grouse and particularly the 2 grouse species found in New York state do not seem to be as common as they once were - at least, in NY's southeast counties in the case of Ruffed Grouse, and never-common-in- NY Spruce Grouse. There is always a potential problem in having bird hunting in the same Adirondack areas for Ruffed Grouse, with not all hunters instantly distinguishing the protected Spruce Grouse from (much more common) Ruffed. This also brings up an obvious caution to all of us outdoor folks at this time of year. Be aware that the fall-winter hunting season is already here - or soon will be - throughout much of this (& other) state(s). See: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28605.html & for Long Island (Suffolk County): http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8373.html & also: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/40399.html Ruffed Grouse Hunting Season [NY/ map]: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/29457.html Ruffed Grouse Hunting Information [page]: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/48393.html NY State ENDANGERED Spruce Grouse: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7078.html NYDEC state reg's./endangered species: http://www.dec.ny.gov/regs/3932.html NYDEC Loon migration - & tracking info.: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7498.html Reasons NOT to release fauna & flora: http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/53542.html safe - responsible - educational birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan <<< >>> From: Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Subject: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Date: November 12, 2009 6:20:52 PM EST To: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu I apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/ collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO <<< -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Re:Feral Cats [and Suffolk Loon] From: Mike <mikec02 AT optonline.net> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:53:09 -0500 Considering that this is the internet and we are all sticklers for every nit to be picked, and recognizing that continuing to post on this thread may be a banable offense, I just have to chime in here that I'm shocked that no one has pointed out that Tobay is in Nassau County, not Suffolk. Now back to our regularly scheduled cat fight. Mike Cooper Ridge, NY ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter Doherty To: new york birdlist Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 6:45 PM Subject: Re:[nysbirds-l] Feral Cats [and Suffolk Loon] Greetings. To bring the thread back to whether or not one might choose to pick up dead migratory birds, such as the Suffolk County Loon, for scientific or educational use without the necessary permit(s) under the MBTA--the answer is certainly yes, given the many "elections" of the USFWS not to enforce unlawful "take" under the MBTA in recent years. Late last winter in matter involving the death of at least 75 Cedar Waxwings, Region 5 (same region as NY) FWS (Tom Healy, FWS/LE) cited many reasons for not investigating (short of staff; investigation delegated to state) or if investigated (or not), for not referring the matter to USAtty's Office (USAtty will not pursue prosecution of misdemeanors) open and shut MBTA "take" cases. The facts were simple: the Commonwealth of VA had a rock dove "problem" at the state capital. Tanglefoot (the sticky stuff) was placed on windowsills about state offices and---voila, cedar waxwings were caught--more than 50 died on the ledges and in rehab. Nothing happened; there were no permits issued for the take. USFWS acknowledged the take was unlawful and did nothing. Region 5's explaination over the phone. Here is some background http://dgs.virginia.gov/InTheNews/CedarWaxwings/tabid/737/Default.aspx There were numerous articles in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Do you think there is any reasonable cause to worry about investigation and prosecution for picking up a dead loon? Best, Peter Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.425 / Virus Database: 270.14.71/2510 - Release Date: 11/17/09 19:26:00 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Feral Cats From: Hugh McGuinness <hmcguinness AT ross.org> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:42:36 -0500 Those who would like more information about the effect of cats on wild bird populations should see the American Bird Conservancy's website: http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/index.html Hugh Hugh McGuinness The Ross School 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, NY 11937 hmcguinness AT ross.org On Nov 18, 2009, at 5:55 PM, Tom Fiore wrote: > The phrase "managed colony" is misleading at best in context of cats > allowed to be outdoors, anywhere. Persons who are "animal lovers" in > any sense of the phrase should: KEEP CATS INDOORS: all cats, all > the time. > > Outdoor cats kill, maim, and distress wild native birds under all > circumstances, including by highly pampered, "trained", "belled", > "bibbed" and otherwise cared-for cats. The evidence comes from peer- > reviewed scientific studies on at least 3 continents (North America, > Europe/Eurasia, Australia) and from the obvious to anyone who has > ever cared for and observed a pet cat in the outdoors - whether an > urban backyard, suburban setting, or wild area far from major > population centers - as I have seen for myself. This includes > hunting by satiated, well-fed, cared-for cats as well as genuinely > hungry semi-wild feral cats. Outdoor cats kill many birds. Period. > Cats belong indoors. Period. It is healthier for cats, and removes > one absolutely unnecessary cause of wild bird mortality. (millions > and millions of birds killed per year - according to widely > accepted, long-term studies.) > > Tom Fiore, > Manhattan > - - - - > > On Nov 18, 2009, at 5:21 PM, Robert Bate wrote: > >> This thread is sure to be cut off soon as it it far from the >> original topic. I would like to make a few points. >> The cats in the managed colony at Field 10 are under the care of >> volunteer caretakers. > > > > -- > > NYSbirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES > > Archives: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re:Feral Cats [and Suffolk Loon] From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:45:51 -0500 Greetings. To bring the thread back to whether or not one might choose to pick up dead migratory birds, such as the Suffolk County Loon, for scientific or educational use without the necessary permit(s) under the MBTA--the answer is certainly yes, given the many "elections" of the USFWS not to enforce unlawful "take" under the MBTA in recent years. Late last winter in matter involving the death of at least 75 Cedar Waxwings, Region 5 (same region as NY) FWS (Tom Healy, FWS/LE) cited many reasons for not investigating (short of staff; investigation delegated to state) or if investigated (or not), for not referring the matter to USAtty's Office (USAtty will not pursue prosecution of misdemeanors) open and shut MBTA "take" cases. The facts were simple: the Commonwealth of VA had a rock dove "problem" at the state capital. Tanglefoot (the sticky stuff) was placed on windowsills about state offices and---voila, cedar waxwings were caught--more than 50 died on the ledges and in rehab. Nothing happened; there were no permits issued for the take. USFWS acknowledged the take was unlawful and did nothing. Region 5's explaination over the phone. Here is some background http://dgs.virginia.gov/InTheNews/CedarWaxwings/tabid/737/Default.aspx There were numerous articles in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Do you think there is any reasonable cause to worry about investigation and prosecution for picking up a dead loon? Best, Peter Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Feral Cats From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2 AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:55:46 -0500 The phrase "managed colony" is misleading at best in context of cats allowed to be outdoors, anywhere. Persons who are "animal lovers" in any sense of the phrase should: KEEP CATS INDOORS: all cats, all the time. Outdoor cats kill, maim, and distress wild native birds under all circumstances, including by highly pampered, "trained", "belled", "bibbed" and otherwise cared-for cats. The evidence comes from peer- reviewed scientific studies on at least 3 continents (North America, Europe/Eurasia, Australia) and from the obvious to anyone who has ever cared for and observed a pet cat in the outdoors - whether an urban backyard, suburban setting, or wild area far from major population centers - as I have seen for myself. This includes hunting by satiated, well-fed, cared-for cats as well as genuinely hungry semi- wild feral cats. Outdoor cats kill many birds. Period. Cats belong indoors. Period. It is healthier for cats, and removes one absolutely unnecessary cause of wild bird mortality. (millions and millions of birds killed per year - according to widely accepted, long-term studies.) Tom Fiore, Manhattan - - - - On Nov 18, 2009, at 5:21 PM, Robert Bate wrote: > This thread is sure to be cut off soon as it it far from the > original topic. I would like to make a few points. > The cats in the managed colony at Field 10 are under the care of > volunteer caretakers. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Ben Cacace <bcacace AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:48:02 -0500 Before this thread gets shut down. Where was the USFWS when the residents of 927 5th Ave. illegally tore down an active Red-tailed Hawk nest? They completely lost a lot of credibility after that one. This was the nest that Pale Male built. Since then, even with the newly built platform, no chicks have hatched. This is 5 nesting seasons if memory serves. Was the building of the faulty nest platform considered a fine? I think not. This was merely a tax deduction. Ben Cacace Manhattan, NYC -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Loons and Feral Cats From: Robert Bate <robsbate AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:21:37 -0500 This thread is sure to be cut off soon as it it far from the original topic. I would like to make a few points. The cats in the managed colony at Field 10 are under the care of volunteer caretakers. These people do not add to the population of the colony. Their sole concern is the care of already existing populations. What is and should be against the law is the abandonment of the cats and it is that continuing abandonment which is the original and sustaining cause of the colony. A neutered cat cannot reproduce, and in the course of the TNR process many friendly adoptable cats and kittens are removed from the colony. TNR is a method of reducing the suffering of feral cats and is not touted as a method of eliminating feral colonies. The paper cited by Peter correctly identifies that as a problem of education for the larger community so that unwanted animals are not simply thrown away as happens all to often today. Rob Bate Brooklyn, NY - Hide quoted text - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Peter Doherty Date: 2009/11/18 Subject: [nysbirds-l] MBTA and Feral Cat Facilities---[was: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic‏] To: new york birdlist , askildsen AT verizon.net Greetings. John has a strong point. A USFWS-commissioned paper from the Univ of Florida, School of Law shares his view of the legality of feral cat facilities: http://www.law.ufl.edu/conservation/pdf/feralcat.pdf Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Rick Cech" <rcech AT nyc.rr.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:53:54 -0500 Shoot. I was just about to comment on how well this touchy subject had been managed. My usual style is to make a remark on this listserve when I think the conversation has spun into some sort of unproductive confrontation. (Okay, I'll admit I'm kind of a Sesame Street "let all get along" nerd-type; in my view, there aren't so many of us nature freaks out there, so let's not fight over the picayune.) Yet the laws on carcass-feather-etc. possession are out there, and potentially very serious. These laws arose from a number of valid concerns, including migratory bird parts trading, öology excesses, and the like. But shouldn’t we be lobbying explicitly for a more "now-time" set of rules that differentiate valuable, well-intentioned, scientifically oriented "road kill scraper" enthusiasm from commercial or otherwise self-serving motives? Along this line, why aren't government agents coming on-line to describe "collection agent" options, versus brandishing potential penalties? Let's face it, our environment is crumbling — full of climatological and chemical insults — and dead loons washing up on beaches are important to examine. So why reinforce anachronistic barriers at the governmental level, however carefully they may be disregarded in day-to-day practice? This kind of data collection should be espoused, not just tolerated sub rosa. Oops, I guess I’ve drifted into opinion-giving. My bad. Rick -----Original Message----- From: bounce-4604208-3714678 AT list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-4604208-3714678 AT list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Voisine, Matthew NAN02 Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:50 PM To: AndyMason AT earthling.net Cc: NYSBIRDS-L AT cornell.edu Subject: RE: re:[nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic I think this conversation is out of control. Steve was just stating the law. We all know what will or not happen if you have a carcass that you are bringing to a museum etc. I know that is it sarcasm but you will not end up in jail. Correct me if I am wrong but nobody has been prosecuted for having a carcass that they were bringing to a museum? Thanks Matthew -----Original Message----- From: bounce-4603216-8614276 AT list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-4603216-8614276 AT list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of John Askildsen Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 9:40 AM To: AndyMason AT earthling.net Cc: NYSBIRDS-L AT cornell.edu Subject: Re: re:[nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic not to mention the fact that USFWS allows the State of New York Parks Department to allow "catteries" to be maintained at Jones Beach SP, which is the source of certain death for thousands of migratory neotropical passerines, in direct violation federal law. don't believe me? go to Jones Beach SP parking field 10, into the stand of woods behind the Parks' building and you will find literally under the window of the parks offices there a condo and feeding complex for an entire 'herd' of feral cats. But hey! hands of that loon carcass, or you might wind up at "Gitmo"! our precious tax dollars at work-once again. JPA John Askildsen Millbrook, New York On Nov 17, 2009, Andrew Mason wrote: I fully concur with Peter's last paragraph. USF&WS routinely approves the killing of tens of thousands of cormorants, gulls, geese, vultures, and God knows what else. One would hope they would not make a federal case out of a good faith effort to transport a carcass for research or educational purposes. Andy Mason At 11:55 AM 11/16/2009, you wrote: Greetings. Agree on plummage. And measurements per Pyle, vol 2, p 218, would seal the deal. The tarsus of an Arctic is much shorter than a Common's; the wing, tail, exposed culmen and bill depth of a Common are each greater and the area of overlap with the Arctic is quite small. Which brings up legalities. The USFWS has a long, recent history of neither enforcing, investigating nor referring for prosecution clear, uncontestable, violations of "take" under the MBTA. If, although lacking a salvage permit, you are motivated to pick up a dead migratory bird with the intention to deliver the corpse to an educational institution---do it. Best, Peter Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 757-470-0774 (cell) 757-321-0255 (local) Andrew Mason 1039 Peck St. Jefferson, NY 12093 (607) 652-2162 AndyMason AT earthling.net -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: MBTA and Feral Cat Facilities---[was: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arcticţ] From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:10:50 -0500 Greetings. John has a strong point. A USFWS-commissioned paper from the Univ of Florida, School of Law shares his view of the legality of feral cat facilities: http://www.law.ufl.edu/conservation/pdf/feralcat.pdf Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Voisine, Matthew NAN02" <Matthew.Voisine AT usace.army.mil> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:49:40 -0500 I think this conversation is out of control. Steve was just stating the law. We all know what will or not happen if you have a carcass that you are bringing to a museum etc. I know that is it sarcasm but you will not end up in jail. Correct me if I am wrong but nobody has been prosecuted for having a carcass that they were bringing to a museum? Thanks Matthew -----Original Message----- From: bounce-4603216-8614276 AT list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-4603216-8614276 AT list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of John Askildsen Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 9:40 AM To: AndyMason AT earthling.net Cc: NYSBIRDS-L AT cornell.edu Subject: Re: re:[nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic not to mention the fact that USFWS allows the State of New York Parks Department to allow "catteries" to be maintained at Jones Beach SP, which is the source of certain death for thousands of migratory neotropical passerines, in direct violation federal law. don't believe me? go to Jones Beach SP parking field 10, into the stand of woods behind the Parks' building and you will find literally under the window of the parks offices there a condo and feeding complex for an entire 'herd' of feral cats. But hey! hands of that loon carcass, or you might wind up at "Gitmo"! our precious tax dollars at work-once again. JPA John Askildsen Millbrook, New York On Nov 17, 2009, Andrew Mason wrote: I fully concur with Peter's last paragraph. USF&WS routinely approves the killing of tens of thousands of cormorants, gulls, geese, vultures, and God knows what else. One would hope they would not make a federal case out of a good faith effort to transport a carcass for research or educational purposes. Andy Mason At 11:55 AM 11/16/2009, you wrote: Greetings. Agree on plummage. And measurements per Pyle, vol 2, p 218, would seal the deal. The tarsus of an Arctic is much shorter than a Common's; the wing, tail, exposed culmen and bill depth of a Common are each greater and the area of overlap with the Arctic is quite small. Which brings up legalities. The USFWS has a long, recent history of neither enforcing, investigating nor referring for prosecution clear, uncontestable, violations of "take" under the MBTA. If, although lacking a salvage permit, you are motivated to pick up a dead migratory bird with the intention to deliver the corpse to an educational institution---do it. Best, Peter Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 757-470-0774 (cell) 757-321-0255 (local) Andrew Mason 1039 Peck St. Jefferson, NY 12093 (607) 652-2162 AndyMason AT earthling.net -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Collecting Dead Birds From: falcon AT kidwings.com Date: 18 Nov 2009 15:49:14 -0000 DATE: 11/18/09 10:42 AM [ Full Screen ] [ SIZE: 1.617KB ] FROM: falcon AT kidwings.com TO: askildsen AT verizon.net SUBJECT: Re: Collecting Dead Birds Hello All, I don't think this has been mentioned yet, so forgive me if I missed it. If there are birders who regularly collect dead specimens (perhaps you are good at finding roadkill like myself) you can be designated as an agent to collect for a specific institution. Just ask them to add you as an agent to their salvage permits. For example, I have my salvage permits for my school and I can designate anyone to have permission to collect dead birds for me. It would cover them in case they were ever questioned by law enforcement agents. Not a major input for this discussion, but something to think about if you are one of those that is concerned about getting in trouble for illegal possesion. Speaking from my perspective, I educate my students (and faculty) about the legalities of keeping feathers, nests, eggs, etc. They regularly bring me in specimens and no one has ever had a problem, and none of them are designated as "agents" on my permits. How am I suppose to know who is going to have a Black-throated Green Warbler hit their living room window? It happens! Jody Hildreth Waterville, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: John Askildsen <askildsen AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:40:22 -0600 (CST) Subject: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Andrew Mason <AndyMason AT earthling.net> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:47:47 -0500 I fully concur with Peter's last paragraph. USF&WS routinely approves the killing of tens of thousands of cormorants, gulls, geese, vultures, and God knows what else. One would hope they would not make a federal case out of a good faith effort to transport a carcass for research or educational purposes. Andy Mason At 11:55 AM 11/16/2009, you wrote: >Greetings. Agree on plummage. And measurements per Pyle, vol 2, p >218, would seal the deal. The tarsus of an Arctic is much shorter >than a Common's; the wing, tail, exposed culmen and bill depth of a >Common are each greater and the area of overlap with the Arctic is >quite small. > >Which brings up legalities. The USFWS has a long, recent history of >neither enforcing, investigating nor referring for prosecution >clear, uncontestable, violations of "take" under the MBTA. If, >although lacking a salvage permit, you are motivated to pick up a >dead migratory bird with the intention to deliver the corpse to an >educational institution---do it. > >Best, Peter > >Peter Doherty >leasttern AT hotmail.com >214-B 84th Street >Virginia Beach, VA 23451 >757-470-0774 (cell) >757-321-0255 (local) > > > Andrew Mason 1039 Peck St. Jefferson, NY 12093 (607) 652-2162 AndyMason AT earthling.net -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Jones Beach From: Sy Schiff <icterus AT optonline.net> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:13:06 -0500 Jones Beach 17 Nov Joe Giunta, Sam Jannazzo and I (Sy Schiff) started at the Coast Guard Marina, walked to the gazebo and then down the fisherman's road to the inlet. The inlet contained a smattering of sea birds including both loons, Long-tailed Duck, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter and a large group of Common Eider. Small birds were mainly absent although we did find a White-crowned Sparrow at the entrance road to the Coast Guard Station. Joe and I continued on to Field #6. There were 10 Black-bellied Plover and 3 Red Knot on the beach by themselves. A bit further west was the main flock of 200 Sanderling and 1,000 Dunlin. All sprang into the air, wheeling about with the sky filled with birds, as a Peregrine Falcon flew over. The falcon turned,rose high into the air and stooped into the flock . It missed. The flock wheeled and flew off towards Zachs Bay. Spectacular while it lasted. Sy -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: King Eider in Jones Inlet/Nassau County From: Ken Feustel <feustel AT optonline.net> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:28:29 -0500 A female King Eider was discovered this morning in Jones Inlet towards the Pt. Lookout side of the Inlet, floating south on the outgoing tide. Also present in the inlet were scattered flocks of approx. fifty Common Eider. Land birding was very slow, with a few flyover pipits and goldfinch. Ken Feustel -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Syracuse RBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:32:32 -0800 (PST) RBA * New York * Syracuse * November 16, 2009 * NYSY 1611.09 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s): November 09, 2009 - November 16, 2009 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:November 16 AT 8:00 p.m. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #180 -Monday November 16, 2009 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of November 09 , 2009 Highlights: ----------- RED-THROATED LOON RED-NECKED GREBE TUNDRA SWAN GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE WHITE-WINGED SCOTER BLACK SCOTER SANDHILL CRANE GOLDEN EAGLE GOSHAWK ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK GLAUCOUS GULL NORTHERN SHRIKE CAROLINA WREN FOX SPARROW EVENING GROSBEAK Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) ------------ 11/15: 13 SANDHILL CRANES were seen from East Road. Cayuga County ------------ 11/10: At Fairhaven State Park 1 RED-NECKED GREBE, 3 RED-THROATED LOONS, and BLACK and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were found. 11/14: At Fairhaven 2 RED-THROATED LOONS were seen. Onondaga County ------------- 11/10: A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen flying over the intersection of Tater Road and Rt. 370 in westernmost Onondaga County. 11/12: A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found in Van Buren Park south of Baldwinsville. As of today (11/16) the bird is still being seen at the same location. 11/15: At least 6 FOX SPARROWS were found on Kellog Road near 60 Road in Three Rivers WMA. A CAROLONA WREN was seen on the south side of Syracuse. Oneida County ------------ 11/11: An EVENING GROSBEAK was seen at a feeder in Camden. 11/14: NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen in Waterville and the Erie Canal Village in Rome. Oswego County ------------ 11/11: 9 Raptor species were seen at Bishop Road north of Pukaski. Highlights were 2 GOSHAWKS, 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and 1 GOLDEN EAGLE. Also seen were SNOW BUNTINGS, HORNED LARKS, and PIPPITS. 11/14: 47 TUNDRA SWANS were seen at Bernhard’s Bay on the north shore of Oneida Lake. Madison County ------------ 11/14: A PINE SISKIN was seen on Coon Tree Lane in DeRuyter. 2 CACKLING GEESE were seen on Woodman Pond. A possible BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was spotted on Hatch Lake but identification could be made definate. 11/15: A juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at the Madison County landfill on Buyea Road. --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: FW: [Ontbirds] Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas - Save 35% From: "Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" <dannapotter AT roadrunner.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:57:39 -0500 For those interested in the breeding birds of our neighbor to the north... -----Original Message----- From: ontbirds-bounces AT hwcn.org [mailto:ontbirds-bounces AT hwcn.org] On Behalf Of Jean Iron Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 3:40 PM To: ontbirds AT hwcn.org Subject: [Ontbirds] Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas - Save 35% The price of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas is now greatly reduced just in time for Christmas. The Atlas was rigorously peer reviewed making it the most authoritative reference to the breeding birds of Ontario. Its 728 pages include detailed range maps in colour, distribution and population status, breeding biology, nesting habitat photos, and relative abundance maps. The Ontario Atlas has been called the finest atlas ever published. Save 35%. Special price $60 Canadian plus $3 GST includes shipping in Canada and United States. To ensure Christmas delivery order by 4 December. Call Ontario Nature 1-800-440-2366 in Canada or from Toronto and outside Canada 416-444-8419 ext. 271 or order online http://www.birdsontario.org/atlas/orderbook.jsp?lang=en The Ontario Field Ornithologists is a partner in the Atlas with Bird Studies Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario Nature. Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway Toronto ON _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS AT hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: FW: [Ontbirds] Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas - Save 35% From: "Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" <dannapotter AT roadrunner.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:57:39 -0500 For those interested in the breeding birds of our neighbor to the north... -----Original Message----- From: ontbirds-bounces AT hwcn.org [mailto:ontbirds-bounces AT hwcn.org] On Behalf Of Jean Iron Sent: Monday, November 16, 2009 3:40 PM To: ontbirds AT hwcn.org Subject: [Ontbirds] Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas - Save 35% The price of the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas is now greatly reduced just in time for Christmas. The Atlas was rigorously peer reviewed making it the most authoritative reference to the breeding birds of Ontario. Its 728 pages include detailed range maps in colour, distribution and population status, breeding biology, nesting habitat photos, and relative abundance maps. The Ontario Atlas has been called the finest atlas ever published. Save 35%. Special price $60 Canadian plus $3 GST includes shipping in Canada and United States. To ensure Christmas delivery order by 4 December. Call Ontario Nature 1-800-440-2366 in Canada or from Toronto and outside Canada 416-444-8419 ext. 271 or order online http://www.birdsontario.org/atlas/orderbook.jsp?lang=en The Ontario Field Ornithologists is a partner in the Atlas with Bird Studies Canada, Environment Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Ontario Nature. Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway Toronto ON _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS AT hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/ _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Re: Banded Red Knot From: "Steve Walter" <swalter15 AT verizon.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:50:56 -0500 Thanks to everyone that replied on how to submit banding data. Red Knot "6PU" was fitted with that tag May 26 of this year on the Delaware Bay shore at Cooks Beach, NJ. Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Walter" To: "NYSBIRDS-L" Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 5:10 PM Subject: [nysbirds-l] Banded Red Knot >A flock of about 120 Red Knots was present on the beach at Jones Beach >Field 6 this morning. A look at a picture I took just to test my exposure >revealed bands on one of them. There is a green band with "6PU" on the left >tibia and a silver, apparently unmarked band on the right tarsus. This >flock basically kept separate from the hundreds (or more) Dunlin, >Sanderling, and Black-bellied Plovers in the area. > > Steve Walter > Bayside, NY > > > > -- > > NYSbirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES > > Archives: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: re:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Peter Doherty <leasttern AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:55:39 -0500 Greetings. Agree on plummage. And measurements per Pyle, vol 2, p 218, would seal the deal. The tarsus of an Arctic is much shorter than a Common's; the wing, tail, exposed culmen and bill depth of a Common are each greater and the area of overlap with the Arctic is quite small. Which brings up legalities. The USFWS has a long, recent history of neither enforcing, investigating nor referring for prosecution clear, uncontestable, violations of "take" under the MBTA. If, although lacking a salvage permit, you are motivated to pick up a dead migratory bird with the intention to deliver the corpse to an educational institution---do it. Best, Peter Peter Doherty leasttern AT hotmail.com 214-B 84th Street Virginia Beach, VA 23451 757-470-0774 (cell) 757-321-0255 (local) -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: W. Grebe in New Jersey (11/15), & other elsewhere birds From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2 AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:55:37 -0500 Western Grebe was reported in South Amboy, New Jersey: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NJBD.html#1258306506 This could be the same individual that was at Piermont Pier in Rockland County, NY. I asked the N.J. observer if he noticed any entangled line with the N.J. grebe: he wasn't sure (due to some distance from the bird) but did mention that the grebe preened quite a bit during his sighting. As many NYC region birders know well, this is also a species that's been sighted in southern Staten Island's waters very near to S. Amboy - on Raritan Bay (off of the outer NYC harbor area, & directly down-river from the Piermont Pier which is on the same - western side - of this river-estuary. - - - - As for Staten Island, NYC, Rufous Hummingbird continues: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SINaturaList/message/1388 - - - - Elsewhere, Common Eider have been reported to at least Sea Island Georgia (GA RBA), & coastal N. Carolina, with additional sightings off e. VA, etc., & many (possibly record-high counts) off Cape May, New Jersey... With weather on the mild side, a fairly good number of 'late' southwestern/Mexican-winter (range) species, (and many of them passerines), are being reported from the mid-Atlantic north to Newfoundland, where a very notable report (for that province of Canada) was an Ash-throated Flycatcher, a potential new record for that site, although apparently recorded not far away in St. Pierre et Miquelon (small islands off NFLD) in Nov. 2003. There are likely plenty of additional "interesting" birds "out there" in addition to what's been discovered thus far, & this generally mild weather is expected to go on for another 10-14 days or more in much of our region... Locally & beyond, Baltimore Orioles & Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have been reported from a number of locations - any should of course be closely scrutinized for the possibility for any other related species which could appear at this season, well into winter. A Scarlet Tanager is still present in Central Park at the Shakespeare Garden & Belvedere Castle areas, sometimes also just inside the Ramble, or closer to the Delacorte Theatre. Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan _________ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: partial albino red tail From: Spsdmd AT aol.com Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:42:34 EST this morning james velozzi found a partial albino red tailed hawk near the intersection of rt 94 and county route 1 in orange county, between warwick and pine island. it was mainly white with a few black primaries and secondaries and a few red tail feathers. i was able to locate the bird and take several pictures perched and flying. it also caught what i think was a vole and carried it in its mouth at first and then in its talons. the pictures are on my website- _www.stevesachsphotography.com_ (http://www.stevesachsphotography.com) >NEW FALL 2009. steve sachs white plains -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: NJ/NY Pelagic on Sun, Dec 6 from Belmar, NJ From: "Paul A. Guris" <lists AT paulagics.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:36:32 -0500 See Life Paulagics has a pelagic trip scheduled for Sunday, December 6 out of Belmar, NJ. We'll be aboard the 80' Suzie Girl, a fast, comfortable boat with a full walk-around, birdable upper deck, and heated cabin with benches. We expect to be in New Jersey and overlapping New York pelagic waters up to 40-60 miles offshore. Target species at this time of year include Dovekie, Puffin, Razorbill, Fulmar, Greater and Manx Shearwater, Kittiwake, Red Phalarope, Gannets, Iceland, Glaucous, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and other winter seabirds. This is also a good time for cetaceans such as Common Dolphin, Fin Whale, and sometimes Atlantic White-sided Dolphin. The trip is scheduled to run from 6:00 AM to about 6:00 PM. The cost is $175. Contact us by e-mail or phone if you are interested, or sign up on our web site. Hope to see you aboard! -PAG Paul A. Guris See Life Paulagics P.O. Box 161 Green Lane, PA 18054 www.paulagics.com 215-234-6805 info AT paulagics.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: QCBC Meeting, Wed. Nov. 18th From: Donna Schulman <queensgirl30 AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:24:09 -0500 *The Queens County Bird Club* *will be meeting at the Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC) on Wednesday, November 18th at 8pm.* (For travel directions, see http://www.alleypond.com/directions.htm).* * PROGRAM: Cowbirds, Cuckoos, and Coots: Behavioral Diversity of Brood Parasitic Birds, or Even Cowbirds Get the Blues, by Dr. Mark Hauber, Hunter College Perhaps the most surprising image in nature is a host feeding a large and unrelated cuckoo chick. Why do birds not recognize and reject foreign young? How can cowbirds and cuckoos get away with costly brood parasitic breeding tactics? This talk will survey the evolutionary and behavioral diversity of avian parasites, from the backyard cowbird to the world’s largest parasite, the channel-billed cuckoo of Australia. Dr. Hauber will draw examples using work from collaborative studies across Europe, North American, African, and New Zealand. QCBC is a tax exempt, charitable organization {501c3}. Trips and Meetings are free! Please consider joining or making a contribution if you attend or participate. Please check our website for more information: http://queenscountybirdclub.org/ Please send questions about the meeting and QCBC to Arie Gilbert, President, *Donna Schulman QCBC* -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: NNYBirds: Aggressive Northern Shrike From: "Joan E. Collins" <JECollins AT twcny.rr.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:08:05 -0500 The Northern Shrike that I posted about on 11/7/09 is still regularly showing up in our backyard. This particular shrike continues to be a fascinating bird to observe! On 11/14/09 at 7:45 a.m. the Northern Shrike was perched at the top of the favored winter tree, but took off and aggressively chased American Robins from a bushy area. It continued to follow the robins into deciduous trees. While the shrike was perched above a robin, it flew straight up as if in a flycatching mode, then 180-ed into a vertical dive straight down at high speed toward the robin, which immediately took off. Then, the shrike began to chase Blue Jays, and eventually flew out of sight. On 11/9/09, I spotted the Northern Shrike at the top of a deciduous tree near the marsh behind our home. I observed 4 Amer. Crows flying into view (but high overhead). I heard another bird, and briefly shifted my binoculars. When I looked up, there were only 3 Amer. Crows flying over and the 4th crow was down in the bushes being attacked by the shrike! I can't believe I missed how the attack began - the crows were quite high, and I have no idea how the shrike took down a crow. There was a vicious interaction before the crow got away and re-joined the other crows. I found it interesting that the other crows did not attack or mob the shrike, but continued on as if nothing was happening. In the BNA account for Northern Shrikes, it states that it is virtually impossible to distinguish aggressive shrike behavior from prey-attack behavior. The next thing that happened was even more remarkable. The shrike had changed trees after chasing away the crow (closer to my location on our back porch). I was studying the shrike in my binoculars when I realized it was flying directly AT ME! (If you've ever had this situation while peering through binoculars, it is quite bizarre!) I put down my binoculars when I realized what was happening. The shrike continued to fly at me, and then abruptly turned over my 2 wrestling dogs and around our house into the top of a deciduous tree in our front lawn. I assumed this must have been some kind of strange coincidence until I checked the BNA - it states that shrikes are territorial (not just around their nest sites, but on winter territories also) and will attack mammals - including the heads of humans! Wild! I have not heard the shrike sing since my last post. Other sightings: 11/13/09 Black Scoter on Norwood Lake (a wide section of the Raquette River) 11/8/09 Light morph Rough-legged Hawk - first of the season House Finch - female (an unusual bird for our location) Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Aggressive Northern Shrike From: "Joan E. Collins" <jecollins AT twcny.rr.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:08:05 -0500 The Northern Shrike that I posted about on 11/7/09 is still regularly showing up in our backyard. This particular shrike continues to be a fascinating bird to observe! On 11/14/09 at 7:45 a.m. the Northern Shrike was perched at the top of the favored winter tree, but took off and aggressively chased American Robins from a bushy area. It continued to follow the robins into deciduous trees. While the shrike was perched above a robin, it flew straight up as if in a flycatching mode, then 180-ed into a vertical dive straight down at high speed toward the robin, which immediately took off. Then, the shrike began to chase Blue Jays, and eventually flew out of sight. On 11/9/09, I spotted the Northern Shrike at the top of a deciduous tree near the marsh behind our home. I observed 4 Amer. Crows flying into view (but high overhead). I heard another bird, and briefly shifted my binoculars. When I looked up, there were only 3 Amer. Crows flying over and the 4th crow was down in the bushes being attacked by the shrike! I can't believe I missed how the attack began - the crows were quite high, and I have no idea how the shrike took down a crow. There was a vicious interaction before the crow got away and re-joined the other crows. I found it interesting that the other crows did not attack or mob the shrike, but continued on as if nothing was happening. In the BNA account for Northern Shrikes, it states that it is virtually impossible to distinguish aggressive shrike behavior from prey-attack behavior. The next thing that happened was even more remarkable. The shrike had changed trees after chasing away the crow (closer to my location on our back porch). I was studying the shrike in my binoculars when I realized it was flying directly AT ME! (If you've ever had this situation while peering through binoculars, it is quite bizarre!) I put down my binoculars when I realized what was happening. The shrike continued to fly at me, and then abruptly turned over my 2 wrestling dogs and around our house into the top of a deciduous tree in our front lawn. I assumed this must have been some kind of strange coincidence until I checked the BNA - it states that shrikes are territorial (not just around their nest sites, but on winter territories also) and will attack mammals - including the heads of humans! Wild! I have not heard the shrike sing since my last post. Other sightings: 11/13/09 Black Scoter on Norwood Lake (a wide section of the Raquette River) 11/8/09 Light morph Rough-legged Hawk - first of the season House Finch - female (an unusual bird for our location) Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re:late yellow warbler From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2 AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:56:34 -0500 Shane Blodgett & I found a Yellow Warbler on the Brooklyn NY CBC a couple of years ago, thus a sighting after the middle of December, as Seth Ausubel indicated ("more recent late records in NY") below in his post. Tom Fiore, Manhattan - - - - - [message:] > From: Seth Ausubel > Date: November 15, 2009 3:53:57 PM EST > To: post NYSBirds > Subject: [nysbirds-l] Red-necked grebe, late yellow warbler, and > waterfowl > Reply-To: Seth Ausubel > > A few interesting birds on a warm November day included a red-necked > grebe scoped on Great South Bay from the fishing pier at Captree > State Park, Suffolk County, and a very late yellow warbler, also at > Captree. The warbler was in the brush on the north edge of the > parking lot where an asphalt path leads to the middle of the fishing > pier. "Bull's Birds of New York State" (1998) lists the extreme fall > date for yellow warbler as 24 Oct, though I think there are some > more recent late records in NY State and there are records into > December and January in other northeastern states. The bird was > bright yellow below with a faint diffuse orange on the breast, and > bright greenish-yellow above including the crown. According to > "Peterson's Field Guides - Warblers", by Dunn and Garrett, birds at > this late date would be D. p. amnicola, or another of the northerly > breeding sub-species, though this bird seemed very brightly colored, > more like the coloration described for the locally breeding > subspecies, D.p. aestiva. > > Waterfowling in Suffolk was slow. A female common goldeneye was at > Connetquot River State Park. It took an Internet search for me to > identify a male cape shelduck, which was at Belmont Lake State Park. > > Seth Ausubel > Forest Hills, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Banded Red Knot From: Alice Deutsch <ad AT bioscreeninc.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:29:31 -0500 You can report your sighting to the following website: www.bandedbirds.org You should be able to find out where your bird was banded. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Pink-footed, Barnacle and Cackling Geese and Jamaica Bay birds From: Andrew Block <troubleinshangrila1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:45:31 -0800 (PST) 11/15/09 - Jamaica Bay W.R., Broad Channel, Queens Co., NY Time:  9:15am to 11:30am Observers:  Andrew Block 15+ Horned grebes 7+ Double-crested Cormorants 4 Black-crowned Night-Herons 1 Great Blue heron 12+ Snow Geese (+1 Blue Goose) several Canada geese many Brants several Gadwalls 8+ American Wigeons several American Black Ducks many Mallards many Northern Shovelers 9+ Northern Pintails 6 Green-winged Teals 1 Canvasback many Greater Scaups several Lesser Scaups several Buffleheads 2 Hooded Mergansers several Red-breasted Mergansers many Ruddy Ducks 7+ American Coots many Herring Gulls several Great Black-backed Gulls 1 Fish Crow 1 Black-capped chickadee 2 Tufted Titmice 2 Carolina Wrens 1 American Robin 3 Gray Catbirds 2 Northern Mockingbirds 15 Cedar Waxwings several Yellow-rumped Warblers 3 Song Sparrows 2 Swamp Sparrows several White-throated Sparrows 4 Red-winged Blackbirds 4 House Finches - Sunken meadow S.P., Smithtown, Suffolk Co., NY Time:  12:30pm to 1:30pm Observers:  Andrew Block 30+ Common Loons 1 Red-throated Loon 3 Long-tailed Ducks many White-winged Scoters 7 Hooded Mergansers 30+ Canada Geese 4 Mute Swans 4 Double-crested Cormorants 1 Pied-billed Grebe 8+ gadwalls 5 Mallards 5 Dark-eyed Juncos several White-throated Sparrows 2 Northern Flickers 1 Blue Jay 6 Fish Crows many European Starlings 40+ Brown-headed Cowbirds several Herrings gulls several Ring-billed Gulls 6 Great Black-backed Gulls - Kings Park High School, Rte. 25A, Kings Park, Suffolk Co., NY Time:  2pm to 2;15pm Observers; Andrew Block, Mark Schwartz, Tom Burke, Gail Benson 50+ Canada Geese 1 Cackling Goose 1 Pink-footed Goose 1 Barnacle Goose Andrew Andrew v. F. Block Consulting Field Biologist & Eco-tour Leader 37 Tanglewylde Avenue Bronxville, Westchester Co., New York 10708-3131 Phone: (914) 337-1229; Cell: (914) 886-5124; Fax: (914) 771-8036 "When the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again..." - William Beebe, first Curator of Birds, Bronx Zoo "Crikey! Have a look at that!" - Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter "Just like the white winged dove sings a song, sounds like she's singing whoo, baby...whoo...said whoo" - Stephanie L. Nicks, Edge of 17, Bella Donna -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Banded Red Knot From: "Steve Walter" <swalter15 AT verizon.net> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:10:15 -0500 A flock of about 120 Red Knots was present on the beach at Jones Beach Field 6 this morning. A look at a picture I took just to test my exposure revealed bands on one of them. There is a green band with "6PU" on the left tibia and a silver, apparently unmarked band on the right tarsus. This flock basically kept separate from the hundreds (or more) Dunlin, Sanderling, and Black-bellied Plovers in the area. Steve Walter Bayside, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Red-necked grebe, late yellow warbler, and waterfowl From: Seth Ausubel <sausubel AT nyc.rr.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:53:57 -0500 A few interesting birds on a warm November day included a red-necked grebe scoped on Great South Bay from the fishing pier at Captree State Park, Suffolk County, and a very late yellow warbler, also at Captree. The warbler was in the brush on the north edge of the parking lot where an asphalt path leads to the middle of the fishing pier. "Bull's Birds of New York State" (1998) lists the extreme fall date for yellow warbler as 24 Oct, though I think there are some more recent late records in NY State and there are records into December and January in other northeastern states. The bird was bright yellow below with a faint diffuse orange on the breast, and bright greenish- yellow above including the crown. According to "Peterson's Field Guides - Warblers", by Dunn and Garrett, birds at this late date would be D. p. amnicola, or another of the northerly breeding sub-species, though this bird seemed very brightly colored, more like the coloration described for the locally breeding subspecies, D.p. aestiva. Waterfowling in Suffolk was slow. A female common goldeneye was at Connetquot River State Park. It took an Internet search for me to identify a male cape shelduck, which was at Belmont Lake State Park. Seth Ausubel Forest Hills, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" <nck6 AT CDC.GOV> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:20:00 -0500 Thanks to Kevin and some others (outside this venue) for clarifying the identity of the loon as the expected species, Common Loon. I suspected Arctic because of the perceived small bill size and the apparent dark mottling on the throat reminiscent of the black patch of breeding Arctic, which I have not noticed on basic Common Loon. One text actually mentions throat mottling as a field mark of basic Arctic. I'm glad the photos served to set the record straight. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO ________________________________ From: bounce-4575839-10626206 AT list.cornell.edu To: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Sent: Sat Nov 14 11:43:31 2009 Subject: RE: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Legalities aside, why was this bird considered a possible Arctic Loon? It looks like a Common Loon to me. Nick's pictures at http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009 show retention of white spotting on the back that does not match Pacific/Arctic at all, but does match Common. There are a plethora of tiny white spots all over, and the largest spots are small white squares. No photos are presented of the back of the neck nor a good profile, so that's hard to judge, but the one photo makes the lower mandible appear to have a strong upturn at the gonys like a Common, not flat like a Pacific/Arctic. I've never seen a Pacific/Arctic Loon in this plumage, but it doesn't seem to be arranging itself with a very distinct dark/white line down the neck. All loon species have vent straps. Kevin Kevin McGowan Ithaca, NY apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Eider recount From: Shane Blodgett <shaneblodgett AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:54:24 -0800 (PST) Meant to cancel last post and hit send instead. Was going to say that final eider tally was 27. Also had 4 late Black Skimmers at west end of Coney Island boardwalk. Regards, Shane B. Brooklyn NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Common Eiders/Brooklyn From: Shane Blodgett <shaneblodgett AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:29:49 -0800 (PST) Thanks to Rob for posting. Sent from my iPhone -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Common Eider From: Rob Jett <citybirder AT earthlink.net> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:55:18 -0500 Shane Blodgett just texted me that there is a flock of 23 Common Eider off of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. There are also 50+ Common Loon. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Western Grebe - No? From: Alan Wells <awells AT bestweb.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:54:33 -0500 Hi all, After several reports of the Western Grebe early this morning, I began receiving reports of a Horned Grebe, but no Western Grebe. My wife and I stopped by the Pier this afternoon (about 1-2 PM) and indeed all that we could find was the Horned Grebe. The HOGR remained tucked most of the time we were there and, with only a casual inspection, could easily be mistaken for a Western. (The HOGR is much smaller, the size of the Ruddies, and the black on the back of the neck is much narrower than on the WEGR). The HOGR was with what appeared to be the same raft of Ruddies and in the same location as the initial sightings of the Western. If anyone has photos confirming the Western from this morning, please post them or let me know. We now have the proper people willing help the bird, but we need to confirm that the Western is still in the area before sending anyone out. Thanks. By the way, Horned Grebe is very unusual for Piermont Pier and photos will be posted later. Alan Wells -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: 11/14 Piermont Pier Western Grebe (NO)... From: Andrew Baksh <birdingdude AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:19:15 -0500 I spent several hours searching for the reported Western Grebe at Piermont Pier this morning. My search began around 11: 10 a.m. and I finally called it a day around 3:00 p.m. after I began to get soaked for the second time around. Of note, was one Horned Grebe loafing with some Ruddy Ducks and Buffleheads. A few of the local birders who had seen the Western Grebe on previous days, were present at various intervals throughout the time I was there - they also could not locate the bird. Good and responsible birding! Andrew Baksh Queens, NY www.birdingdude.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Common Moorhen-yes From: b1birder AT netscape.net Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:57:03 -0500 If anyone would like to see a Common Moorhen, it is still present (from 9/28) in the larger pond at the end of Garvies Point Road in Glen Cove. 40.85792 73.64666 photo available Mary Normandia Glen Cove, NY Mary Normandia Glen Cove, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Kevin McGowan <kjm2 AT cornell.edu> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:43:31 -0500 Legalities aside, why was this bird considered a possible Arctic Loon? It looks like a Common Loon to me. Nick's pictures at http://www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009 show retention of white spotting on the back that does not match Pacific/Arctic at all, but does match Common. There are a plethora of tiny white spots all over, and the largest spots are small white squares. No photos are presented of the back of the neck nor a good profile, so that's hard to judge, but the one photo makes the lower mandible appear to have a strong upturn at the gonys like a Common, not flat like a Pacific/Arctic. I've never seen a Pacific/Arctic Loon in this plumage, but it doesn't seem to be arranging itself with a very distinct dark/white line down the neck. All loon species have vent straps. Kevin Kevin McGowan Ithaca, NY >apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not >reach any local birders directly. >This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, >apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will >post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a >possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers >on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The >vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed >too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local >birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an >appropriate institution/collection. >It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. > >Nick Komar >Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Piermont Western Grebe - Yes? From: Paul Dubuc <pauldubuc AT gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:22:05 -0500 The bird was still there 9:20 - 9:50 this morning, napping with the raft of Ruddy Ducks a couple hundred yards out. The fog had rolled back, but the rain was a challenge. The south side of the pier was calm so the bird wasn't bobbing in and out of view in the chop. The road between the softball diamond and the foot of the pier proper is submerged and impassible, as Alan said. Park at the shopping center and hoof it out past the condos. Bird well, Paul On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 9:36 AM, Alan Wells wrote: > Hi all, > > > > I have received several messages that the Western Grebe was seen at > Piermont early this morning. However, the road is flooded and people have > been using the sidewalk through the condos to by-pass most of the water. > Around 8 AM the fog and rain decreased visibility to a point that the bird > was no longer visible. > > > > On a better note, we have a volunteer with a boat willing to take a > rehabber out to the bird. Now if we can find a rehabber willing to go out. > > > > Alan Wells > -- Paul Dubuc, Nanuet, NY for the moment Dayton, OH for the duration at sign beween pauldubuc and gmail dot com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Piermont Western Grebe - Yes? From: Alan Wells <awells AT bestweb.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:36:32 -0500 Hi all, I have received several messages that the Western Grebe was seen at Piermont early this morning. However, the road is flooded and people have been using the sidewalk through the condos to by-pass most of the water. Around 8 AM the fog and rain decreased visibility to a point that the bird was no longer visible. On a better note, we have a volunteer with a boat willing to take a rehabber out to the bird. Now if we can find a rehabber willing to go out. Alan Wells -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: incidental to the Ontario Canada Phainopepla; & Cave Swallows from 11/9 From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2 AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:45:17 -0500 As a reminder of the rarity potential in late fall's transition to early winter for our region, a Phainopepla that continued to be seen in the Toronto Ontario (Canada) area survived but unfortunately, a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher ( another mega- rare bird so far from its home range in Mexico & s. Arizona ) was found and now remaining in Toronto as a specimen in the Royal Ontario Museum. At least it will be preserved for future study - right in the region that it flew so far to get to... http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/ONTB.html#1257966875 For those who don't check the Genesee Birds list-serve all that regularly, a tally of Cave Swallows (seen moving west for the most part along N.Y.'s Lake Ontario shores) was 73, on Nov. 9th - that's a lot!!! So far, no incursion came close on the Atlantic shore of either NY, New England, Canada, & elsewhere east, as reported from many bird lists (2009). http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/GENE.html#1257820936 Tom Fiore, Manhattan _________ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: NYC Area RBA: 13 November 2009 From: Ben Cacace <bcacace AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:21:02 -0500 - RBA * New York * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County * Nov. 13, 2009 * NYNY0911.13 - Birds mentioned PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+ BARNACLE GOOSE+ WESTERN GREBE+ RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+ CACKLING GOOSE EURASIAN WIGEON Common Eider HARLEQUIN DUCK Yellow-Billed Loon+ (reported but not confirmed) Red-necked Grebe Northern Gannet American Bittern Bald Eagle American Golden-Plover Red Knot Purple Sandpiper BLACK-HEADED GULL Black-legged Kittiwake Common Tern Royal Tern POMARINE JAEGER Parasitic Jaeger WESTERN KINGBIRD Blackpoll Warbler Scarlet Tanager Lincoln's Sparrow - Transcript If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc3 AT nybirds.org. If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Jeanne Skelly - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 420 Chili-Scottsville Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070 To report sightings call: Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day) Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island) Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County Transcriber: Ben Cacace BEGIN TAPE Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, November 13th 2009 at 9pm. The highlights of today's tape are WESTERN GREBE, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, BARNACLE GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, BLACK-HEADED GULL, POMARINE JAEGER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, EURASIAN WIGEON and WESTERN KINGBIRD. A WESTERN GREBE spotted Wednesday afternoon along the south side of Piermont Pier in Rockland County was still present this afternoon. Wednesday and Thursday the grebe had been in the cove about halfway out along the south side of the pier. Today it was a little farther south but still visible from the pier. Perhaps the same WESTERN GREBE returning to winter again in Raritan Bay and often seen off Staten Island. This bird's continued existence could be jeopardized by some fishing line apparently stuck to its lower breast. Both the PINK-FOOTED and BARNACLE GEESE continue to be seen at Sunken Meadow State Park apparently using the park as an overnight roosting site as well as occasional feeding area. On both Saturday and Sunday at 3pm the Pink-footed was seen flying back into Sunken Meadow both times landing with Canadas in the creek to the west of the entrance road bridge. But the geese can be difficult to view due to the somewhat limited viewing accesses. Patient searching though can pay off. The Barnacle also flew in with the Pink-footed on Sunday and on Wednesday both geese were found feeding on the ball fields at Kings Park High School which is along Route 25A east of Sunken Meadow State Park. Other grassy fields in the area obviously also attract these geese. CACKLING GOOSE has also been reported from Sunken Meadow with others noted at Caumsett State Park Monday and at Flushing Meadow Corona Park in Queens on Wednesday. An immature male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was still coming to Staten Island feeders last Sunday and the homeowner at 122 Hillside Avenue still very graciously welcomes birders to view the hummingbird. This location is in the Grimes Hill section of northeastern Staten Island. The 2 CACKLING GEESE also remain in the vicinity of Mount Loretto Park off Hylan Boulevard. Other birds Saturday included BALD EAGLE and BLACKPOLL WARBLER. An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was spotted Tuesday around the Owl's Head waste water treatment plant in Brooklyn. A RED-NECKED GREBE found in Sheepshead Bay Sunday had increased to 2 by Thursday. Out in the Montauk area, birders gathered at the point starting very early on Sunday due to an indirect Internet report of a YELLOW-BILLED LOON in transitional plumage there Saturday afternoon, were treated to a good variety of birds including early single POMARINE JAEGER and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, several PARASITIC JAEGERS a RED-NECKED GREBE and good numbers of other expected seabirds. There were no signs of a YELLOW-BILLED LOON but 1 or 2 transitional Common Loons with [tail and bills] gleaming in the bright afternoon sun and looking quite colorful as a result were felt to be a potential source of the species confusion concerning the prior afternoon's report. Also in Montauk Sunday a WESTERN KINGBIRD was spotted along Route 27 at the south end of Fort Pond and later, possibly a different kingbird, at the beginning of the one-way section of road at the entrance to Montauk Point State Park. The CACKLING GOOSE was also on the Deep Hollow pasture on the south side of Route 27 with 3 PURPLE SANDPIPERS on the eastern Montauk Harbor jetty. Lots of NORTHERN GANNETS including 1,500 off East Hampton Saturday. Two drake EURASIAN WIGEON were on Patchogue Lake in Patchogue Sunday and 2 AMERICAN BITTERN were along Dune Road west of Shinnecock Inlet Sunday. Two drake HARLEQUIN DUCKS were back around the Point Lookout jetties as of Saturday when a late juvenile COMMON TERN was sitting in the Point Lookout parking lot and 2 ROYAL TERNS were lingering around the Jones Beach West End Coast Guard Station. An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was still in the shorebird flock along with some RED KNOT at Jones Beach field 6 Saturday. 200+ COMMON EIDER were around the West End jetty Sunday and 2 AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen at Tobay on Thursday. Late passerines featured a SCARLET TANAGER in Central Park Wednesday and a LINCOLN'S SPARROW at Floyd Bennett Field Sunday. To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126, or weekdays call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483. This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. - End transcript -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Western Grebe still in piermont From: Andrew Block <troubleinshangrila1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:51:09 -0800 (PST) As of 2pm or so this afternoon the Western Grebe was still at Piermont Pier in the sheltered cove along the reeds south of the pier.  It was seen associating with a ruddy duck but never dove the whole time i was there.  I do hope nothing is wrong with it.    Andrew   Andrew v. F. Block Consulting Field Biologist & Eco-tour Leader 37 Tanglewylde Avenue Bronxville, Westchester Co., New York 10708-3131 Phone: (914) 337-1229; Cell: (914) 886-5124; Fax: (914) 771-8036 "When the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again..." - William Beebe, first Curator of Birds, Bronx Zoo "Crikey! Have a look at that!" - Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter "Just like the white winged dove sings a song, sounds like she's singing whoo, baby...whoo...said whoo" - Stephanie L. Nicks, Edge of 17, Bella Donna -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: jgluth AT optonline.net Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:51:56 +0000 (GMT) I received this note from Steve Papa in response to my post about the loon..._________________________________________________...We had someone go look for it this AM with no  luck.  Apparently the surf was running very high.Steve PapaUSFWSBrookhaven NY 11719631-776-1401..._________________________________________________Of course it may wash up again, but I think this particular salvage opportunity is lost.- John Gluth -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Piermont Pier Western Grebe From: Alan Wells <awells AT bestweb.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:39:28 -0500 Hi all, The loon discussion is also relevant to the situation with the entangled Western Grebe at Piermont Pier. We have a rehabilitator lined up to help this bird, provided the bird can be captured. We need someone with the equipment and necessary permits to capture it. Several locals could possibly catch the bird, but none has the appropriate permits. Anyone know of someone that can helpout? Alan Wells Rockland Audubon Society -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Finding dead birds on the Jones strip From: "Mike Wasilco" <mrwasilc AT gw.dec.state.ny.us> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:13:46 -0500 Just keep in mind that if you are stopped by a NYS Environmental Conservation Officer or USFWS agent while in possession of a protected bird, bird carcass or parts of a carcass, you will be in violation of the laws and could be arrested no matter how good your intent. That is the message that Steve Papa was trying to get across to the list. Your good intent does not supersede the laws. Michael R. Wasilco Regional Wildlife Manager NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Region 8 Bureau of Wildlife 6274 East Avon-Lima Road Avon, NY 14414 (585)226-5460 >>> 11/13/2009 3:44 PM >>> The American Museum of Natural History is also pleased to accept any bird carcasses. that New York birders might come across, and we'd be very interested in this loon if someone can go grab it. You do not need to have any prior association or contact with us. Just bring it to any of the museum's entrances, and inform security that you have a bird for the ornithology department. Best, Scott Haber ------------------ Scott Haber Collections Assistant Dept. of Ornithology American Museum of Natural History New York, NY Cell: 201-615-3307 Email: scotthaber1 AT gmail.com Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry From: Sy Schiff Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:08:59 -0500 To: NYS Birding List Subject: [nysbirds-l] Finding dead birds on the Jones strip Hi all, I've followed the tale of the "Dead Loon" with considerable amusement. You would think there was a mass murderer loose or all kinds of laws will be broken to collect a potentially valuable contribution to science.. The staff of the Jones Beach Nature Center in the West End routinely patrols the beach looking for stranded and dead animals so they can either be rehabilitated or the carcasses turned over to the proper scientific personnel. If you do find a dead bird at the shore, wrap it in a plastic bag and take it to them. (Closed Monday and Tuesday). As long as one of the gates are open, someone will be there to take your find. They have all the permits and know how to see that it gets the proper scrutiny. Please be careful when handling dead animals. Just a proper precaution. The Nature Center people always carry disposable rubber gloves and use them.. Sy Schiff. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Finding dead birds on the Jones strip From: scotthaber1 AT gmail.com Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:44:52 +0000 The American Museum of Natural History is also pleased to accept any bird carcasses. that New York birders might come across, and we'd be very interested in this loon if someone can go grab it. You do not need to have any prior association or contact with us. Just bring it to any of the museum's entrances, and inform security that you have a bird for the ornithology department. Best, Scott Haber ------------------ Scott Haber Collections Assistant Dept. of Ornithology American Museum of Natural History New York, NY Cell: 201-615-3307 Email: scotthaber1 AT gmail.com Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry -----Original Message----- From: Sy Schiff Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:08:59 To: NYS Birding List Subject: [nysbirds-l] Finding dead birds on the Jones strip Hi all, I've followed the tale of the "Dead Loon" with considerable amusement. You would think there was a mass murderer loose or all kinds of laws will be broken to collect a potentially valuable contribution to science.. The staff of the Jones Beach Nature Center in the West End routinely patrols the beach looking for stranded and dead animals so they can either be rehabilitated or the carcasses turned over to the proper scientific personnel. If you do find a dead bird at the shore, wrap it in a plastic bag and take it to them. (Closed Monday and Tuesday). As long as one of the gates are open, someone will be there to take your find. They have all the permits and know how to see that it gets the proper scrutiny. Please be careful when handling dead animals. Just a proper precaution. The Nature Center people always carry disposable rubber gloves and use them.. Sy Schiff. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Finding dead birds on the Jones strip From: Sy Schiff <icterus AT optonline.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:08:59 -0500 Hi all, I've followed the tale of the "Dead Loon" with considerable amusement. You would think there was a mass murderer loose or all kinds of laws will be broken to collect a potentially valuable contribution to science.. The staff of the Jones Beach Nature Center in the West End routinely patrols the beach looking for stranded and dead animals so they can either be rehabilitated or the carcasses turned over to the proper scientific personnel. If you do find a dead bird at the shore, wrap it in a plastic bag and take it to them. (Closed Monday and Tuesday). As long as one of the gates are open, someone will be there to take your find. They have all the permits and know how to see that it gets the proper scrutiny. Please be careful when handling dead animals. Just a proper precaution. The Nature Center people always carry disposable rubber gloves and use them.. Sy Schiff. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE:Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: jgluth AT optonline.net Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:32:58 +0000 (GMT) Whatever the protocol(s) that need to be followed, if the bird is to be collected it had best be done ASAP, otherwise it will be washed away by rising tides and/or consumed by scavengers/decomposers, making a positive species ID a moot point.Along those lines, with the possibility being raised that the carcass is an Arctic Loon (undocumented in NYS), I expected to see at least a few subscribers weigh in with an opinion on the ID of the bird, especially once photos became available online. It's clearly not a Common or Red-throated, leaving Pacific or Arctic. Having seen only 2 of the former and none of the latter, I'll refrain from being the first. Anyone else?John Gluth -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Piermont Pier Western Grebe From: Alan Wells <awells AT bestweb.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:06:59 -0500 I just received a phone call (11 AM) from Carol Weiss, she and others have relocated the Western Grebe reported from Piermont Pier. It has moved further down river to a point near Sneden's Landing, but is still visible from the Pier. She noted that the bird spent much of the time preening its breast feathers. Alan Wells -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:39:08 -0700 I would certainly be willing to sit down and discuss this with you in more detail but don't think this can be meaningfully resolved over the email. I am out of the office today and back in on the 23rd. I suggest that you use the contact numbers the State provided in an earlier e-mail for any birds on Long Island. I will get in touch with you when I return to follow-up. Thanks everybody. Steve Thanks, This has been a topic left to the limbo of uncertainty and frustration for years. Can/will Law Enforcement respond appropriately and in a timely manner to be helpful and meaningful? Will a verbal authorization over the phone fulfill state and federal requirements? Does this speak for the rest of NYS? If so, Great! If not, why bother. We have followers in Connecticut, New Jersey, elsewhere. Will the Feds chime in about procedures for those states as well? Rich Guthrie -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:10:43 -0500 Thanks, This has been a topic left to the limbo of uncertainty and frustration for years. Can/will Law Enforcement respond appropriately and in a timely manner to be helpful and meaningful? Will a verbal authorization over the phone fulfill state and federal requirements? Does this speak for the rest of NYS? If so, Great! If not, why bother. We have followers in Connecticut, New Jersey, elsewhere. Will the Feds chime in about procedures for those states as well? Rich Guthrie _____ From: Frederick Hamilton [mailto:fxhamilt AT gw.dec.state.ny.us] Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 9:48 AM To: Richard Guthrie; 'Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Komar'; Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Subject: RE: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic 631-444-0250 NYSDEC Region One Law enforcement 1-877-457-5680 NYSDEC 24hour Dispatch Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308 >>> "Richard Guthrie" 11/13/2009 9:42 AM >>> So what we need now is a list of eligible institutions around the state and a contact phone number (preferably a 24 hour number) so we don't lose valuable, legitimate scientific or educational specimens that can be legally salvaged. NYSOA step up to the plate?> Rich Guthrie _____ From: bounce-4571932-8863757 AT list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-4571932-8863757 AT list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Frederick Hamilton Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 9:14 AM To: Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Komar; Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic If an individual is going to transport the carcass to an institution that has the proper permits the transporter should get verbal permission from the recipient before moving the carcass. Since this may be a bird that was shot, I would highly recommend the individual to contact the local ECO in the area. Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308 >>> "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" 11/13/2009 8:21 AM >>> Thanks Steve for the appropriate guidance. Would you be able to collect the carcass? I have now posted photos at www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009. I understood that persons transporting carcasses to an institution holding a salvage permit are considered agents of that permit holder. Please advise if this interpretation is correct. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO _____ From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov To: Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Sent: Fri Nov 13 07:52:05 2009 Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Please be advised that private individuals are not permitted to collect migratory bird species. A permit is required from the FWS. Thanks. Steve Papa USFWS Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-776-1401 steve_papa AT fws.gov apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Frederick Hamilton" <fxhamilt AT gw.dec.state.ny.us> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:47:32 -0500 631-444-0250 NYSDEC Region One Law enforcement 1-877-457-5680 NYSDEC 24hour Dispatch Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308 >>> "Richard Guthrie" 11/13/2009 9:42 AM >>> So what we need now is a list of eligible institutions around the state and a contact phone number (preferably a 24 hour number) so we don’t lose valuable, legitimate scientific or educational specimens that can be legally salvaged. NYSOA step up to the plate?> Rich Guthrie From:bounce-4571932-8863757 AT list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-4571932-8863757 AT list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Frederick Hamilton Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 9:14 AM To: Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Komar; Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic If an individual is going to transport the carcass to an institution that has the proper permits the transporter should get verbal permission from the recipient before moving the carcass. Since this may be a bird that was shot, I would highly recommend the individual to contact the local ECO in the area. Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308 >>> "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" 11/13/2009 8:21 AM >>> Thanks Steve for the appropriate guidance. Would you be able to collect the carcass? I have now posted photos at www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009. I understood that persons transporting carcasses to an institution holding a salvage permit are considered agents of that permit holder. Please advise if this interpretation is correct. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov To: Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Sent: Fri Nov 13 07:52:05 2009 Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Please be advised that private individuals are not permitted to collect migratory bird species. A permit is required from the FWS. Thanks. Steve Papa USFWS Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-776-1401 steve_papa AT fws.gov apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:47:36 -0700 We have a contact list of Federal and State LE agents that we provide to the local, State, and Federal agencies every year as part of the training we conduct for piping plover stewards. This could be a starting point... Steve So what we need now is a list of eligible institutions around the state and a contact phone number (preferably a 24 hour number) so we don’t lose valuable, legitimate scientific or educational specimens that can be legally salvaged. NYSOA step up to the plate?> Rich Guthrie -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: RE: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:42:26 -0500 So what we need now is a list of eligible institutions around the state and a contact phone number (preferably a 24 hour number) so we don't lose valuable, legitimate scientific or educational specimens that can be legally salvaged. NYSOA step up to the plate?> Rich Guthrie _____ From: bounce-4571932-8863757 AT list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-4571932-8863757 AT list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Frederick Hamilton Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 9:14 AM To: Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Komar; Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic If an individual is going to transport the carcass to an institution that has the proper permits the transporter should get verbal permission from the recipient before moving the carcass. Since this may be a bird that was shot, I would highly recommend the individual to contact the local ECO in the area. Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308 >>> "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" 11/13/2009 8:21 AM >>> Thanks Steve for the appropriate guidance. Would you be able to collect the carcass? I have now posted photos at www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009. I understood that persons transporting carcasses to an institution holding a salvage permit are considered agents of that permit holder. Please advise if this interpretation is correct. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO _____ From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov To: Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Sent: Fri Nov 13 07:52:05 2009 Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Please be advised that private individuals are not permitted to collect migratory bird species. A permit is required from the FWS. Thanks. Steve Papa USFWS Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-776-1401 steve_papa AT fws.gov apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Frederick Hamilton" <fxhamilt AT gw.dec.state.ny.us> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:14:29 -0500 If an individual is going to transport the carcass to an institution that has the proper permits the transporter should get verbal permission from the recipient before moving the carcass. Since this may be a bird that was shot, I would highly recommend the individual to contact the local ECO in the area. Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308 >>> "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" 11/13/2009 8:21 AM >>> Thanks Steve for the appropriate guidance. Would you be able to collect the carcass? I have now posted photos at www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009. I understood that persons transporting carcasses to an institution holding a salvage permit are considered agents of that permit holder. Please advise if this interpretation is correct. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov To: Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Sent: Fri Nov 13 07:52:05 2009 Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Please be advised that private individuals are not permitted to collect migratory bird species. A permit is required from the FWS. Thanks. Steve Papa USFWS Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-776-1401 steve_papa AT fws.gov apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" <nck6 AT CDC.GOV> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:21:18 -0500 Thanks Steve for the appropriate guidance. Would you be able to collect the carcass? I have now posted photos at www.pbase.com/quetzal/loon11122009. I understood that persons transporting carcasses to an institution holding a salvage permit are considered agents of that permit holder. Please advise if this interpretation is correct. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO ________________________________ From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov To: Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED) Cc: nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu Sent: Fri Nov 13 07:52:05 2009 Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic Please be advised that private individuals are not permitted to collect migratory bird species. A permit is required from the FWS. Thanks. Steve Papa USFWS Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-776-1401 steve_papa AT fws.gov apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: Steve_Papa AT fws.gov Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:52:05 -0700 Please be advised that private individuals are not permitted to collect migratory bird species. A permit is required from the FWS. Thanks. Steve Papa USFWS Brookhaven, NY 11719 631-776-1401 steve_papa AT fws.gov apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Video of Piermont Pier Western Grebe From: ttbirding AT mail.com Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:47:50 -0500 Some so-so video of the Piermont Pier Western Grebe. Apparently he is tangled in fishing line. I never saw him dive during my two brief visits and other observers indicated similar behavior. Anyone visiting this beautiful bird, if it continues, should report its behavior. Perhaps an intervention might be necessary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoQdZNUz79w -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Piermont Pier, Rockland Co., Western Grebe From: Alan Wells <awells AT bestweb.net> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:36:28 -0500 Hi all, The Western Grebe reported yesterday from Piermont Pier, Rockland Co. was still present and observed by numerous people throughout the day. I observed and photographed the bird from about 1 to 2 PM. It was seen mid-pier on the south (downriver) side, approximately 150 to 200 ft offshore. It kept close company with a small raft of Bufflehead and Ruddy Duck. During the hour I watched the bird, it loafed and preened but never dove (contrary to Westerns I've observed on the west coast). Close examination of several of my photographs show that the bird is entangled in fishing line and terminal-tackle (at least a leader, swivel, and red bead). I cannot tell if the bird is hooked or simply wrapped in the line. There is the possibility that the bird is injured. Photographs of the bird are available on the Rockland Audubon website (see below). Photographs: http://www.rocklandaudubon.org/ Directions: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8 &hl=en&msa=0&msid=112096836744606602896.00043980ef10f73dd8dcb&ll=41.043077,- 73.901811&spn=0.021977,0.038495&t=k&z=15 Alan Wells Rockland Audubon Society -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Fresh loon carcass Tobay Beach, Suffolk County, possible Arctic From: "Komar, Nick (CDC/CCID/NCZVED)" <nck6 AT CDC.GOV> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:20:52 -0500 I apologize for submitting this post to the entire list, but I could not reach any local birders directly. This afternoon I found a very fresh loon carcass in excellent condition, apparently dead from a recent bullet wound to the chest. My photos (I will post these once I return home to Colorado later tonight) suggest a possible adult Arctic Loon still exhibiting some breeding plumage feathers on the throat, wings and back. The bill seems appropriately sized. The vent strap is incomplete as described by Sibley and BNA. The mass seemed too heavy but consistent with a fattened up adult male. I hope a local birder could run down there tonight and double bag it for donation to an appropriate institution/collection. It is located about 50 yards west of the fishing pier/restaurant on the beach. Nick Komar Fort Collins CO -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Re: Ontario, Canada: Phainopepla From: Jim Osterlund <jamesost AT optonline.net> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:49:12 -0500 Marking the intersection of Avondale Boulevard and Addington Crescent; 43.70662,-79.708423 - Google Maps -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Ontario, Canada: Phainopepla From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2 AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:48:53 -0500 A Phainopepla is being reported from Ontario Canada. Assuming a wild bird, this is an extremely rare occurrence such a distance from its expected range & habitat in the North American southwest: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/ONTB.html It might be noted that unfortunately this southwestern species, with a home range deep into Mexico, has been among those captured illegally for the pet trade, although presumably quite rare or, hopefully, not even found as such in our northeastern region. From the 1995 (first annual) report of the MARC (Massachusetts Avian Records Commitee), Wayne R. Peterson, chair: Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) - #77-1: A single Phainopepla observed on Tuckernuck Island, 7 October 1977 (M. LaFarge) was apparently the second record for Massachusetts. The bird was an immature male, well observed at close range, and later substantiated by the observer when she examined Phainopepla skins at Yale University's Peabody Museum. An earlier and convincing sight record at Nantucket, February 1973, constituted the first state record. There is at least one other well-documented record for New England - a bird at Block Island, RI, 14 November 1975. Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan _________ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Western Grebe From: Curt McDermott <tele-tek AT hotmail.com> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:57:32 -0500 I received a call at 7:20 am from my father (Ken McDermott) stating that he and others were seeing the Western Grebe previously reported and in the same location, at Piermont Pier (Rockland County). Curt _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Western Grebe at Piermont Pier From: Alan Wells <awells AT bestweb.net> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:44:10 -0500 Based on an account and photographs from Carol Weiss, there was a WESTERN GREBE at Piermont Pier, Rockland Co. this afternoon (11/11/2009). It was with a small raft of Bufflehead on the south side of the Pier, in the cove near the marsh. Carol is returning tomorrow to look for it. This appears to be a new record for Rockland Co. I'll post additional details as I receive them. Alan Wells -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Visitor to NY From: "Ali Iyoob" <Aliiyoob AT nc.rr.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:39:16 -0500 Hi all, I am visiting Buffalo for Thanksgiving. Staying with relatives right next to Nature View Park. Since I'm from Raleigh, I am looking for all the northern specialty birds. I can't go too far from Nature View Park, ideally less than 10 miles. Any tips on the following birds would be great! N. Goshawk Rough-legged Hawk N. Shrike Black-capped Chickadee American Tree Sparrow Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Common Redpoll Evening Grosbeak Snowy Owl Short-eared Owl Please reply to me off list. Thanks! Ali Iyoob Raleigh, NC -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Visitor to NY From: "Ali Iyoob" <Aliiyoob AT nc.rr.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:42:35 -0500 Is there a birding checklist to Nature View Park? -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --