[cayugabirds-l] Merlin Prey
The idea that Merlins take only House Sparrows and Starlings is somewhere between pure hogwash and wishful thinking. More on a par with My outdoor cat doesn't harm birds than reality. Perhaps the relationship to these two species comes from the fact that they are the only two bird species allowed as bait in trapping/banding studies. In fact, Merlins will take any small passerine and appear to enjoy toying with their intended meal. What prey remains studies we've seen indicate a wide variety of passerines were consumed. Much of the flight characteristics observed of Merlins is oriented around their in flight maneuvers around prey. At Cape May Pt., we were constantly awed and amazed by the antics of these little Blue Jacks and their heftier, brown female counterparts. There's some wonderful footage taken at a Cape May blind in the early 80s that I hope makes it to YouTube one of these days. A Rock Dove or Mourning Dove would be very unusual prey for a Merlin and, unless ill, too heavy for a Merlin to move very far. J -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ Conserve and Create Habitat -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Brooktondale Shrike
Drove up Boiceville Rd today towards Route 79 (about 1:30 p.m.), and spotted a juvenile N Shrike in a bare tree to the right along the road, just a bit down from (south of) the metastasizing Schickel shacks. It allowed me to pull over and et off a few shots before it flew. If interested, you can see a photo of it at https://picasaweb.google.com/ruby612/NShrikeDecember82011#5683887982487887538 Melissa Groo -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Fwd: What did 'your' Merlins eat?
Just to add to the discussion of Merlin prey, below is one birder's notes on what Merlinseither ate or scared offduring the course of the nesting season this year in a neighborhood in a small city in western NY. No doubt the prey items are based on availability, and they would differ somewhat in other parts of Merlins' range and in other habitats such as rural areas, as well as differing on migration. While it seems a variety of birds were taken, it looks like House Sparrows may have been a significant part of their diet.--Dave NutterBegin forwarded message:From: lj...@rochester.rr.comDate: December 08, 2011 5:19:02 PMTo: nutter.d...@me.comSubject: Re: Fwd: What did 'your' Merlins eat? Begin forwarded message: From: Dave Nutter nutter.d...@me.com Date: December 8, 2011 2:47:03 PM EST To:kimb...@geneseo.edu Subject: What did 'your' Merlins eat? Jim Kimball, There's been some discussion on Cayugabirds-L lately about what Merlins eat. I recall you writing on Geneseebirds-L that the Merlin family had an impact on birds in your Geneseo neighborhood this past nesting season. Recognizing that this was only one urban nesting situation, I'm wondering if you'd be willing to share your impressions, or data if you have them, of what birds the Merlins took, or what seemed to be missing from the neighborhood after their scourge. Thanks. --Dave NutterDave, There were only a few identifiable remains that I could definitely credit to the Merlins: about 6 House Sparrows, 1 Chipping Sparrow and 1 Cardinal. These were among remains on a neighbor's driveway, which was under a Walnut tree where I could watch them storing and occasionally eating something that one or the other of the adults had brought in. I believe there were at least a couple other roost perches, but not where it was easy to see what fell to the ground. According to the neighbor he had been finding dead bird remains for some weeks before I started looking for them - and for the most part he couldn't identify them. I also saw the adult male Merlin take a small Robin out of a nearby nest. The adult Robins were obviously upset; I didn't see any sign that they successfully fledged young out of that nest; and I didn't hear any of the usual summer singing Robins within the neighborhood. Neighbors up the street saw an adult Merlin raid another Robin nest, shortly after the young Merlins fledged and started moving out in that direction. Nearly all our usual summer birds disappeared along the street, up to 8-10 houses up the street. There was a Starling nest close to the Merlin nest in May and they disappeared, as did a couple usual resident Starlings further up the street. We had 60 or more House Sparrows coming to our feeders into May and by mid June or so there were none to be found. I took the feeders down about then after I found the Cardinal remains. Another Cardinal which had been singing every morning also disappeared. Our usual Titmice and Chickadees which we could normally hear around the area disappeared. We stopped hearing a singing Carolina Wren in June - but they have tended to come and go rather unpredictably anyway (two showed up in the Fall). The only other birds which I noticed every once and a while (and don't know if the Merlins went after them or not) were a Nuthatch and an occasional Mourning Dove. When the young had fledged and they moved up the street, on one occasion I saw an adult Merlin chasing after House Sparrows and seeming to catch one. Jim Kimball Geneseo NY Jim Kimball Crows, which are usually common in out neighborhood and which had previously nested where the Merlins were, learned to avoid the area. The Merlins would go after any Crow which came near - also on one occasion a low flying Turkey Vulture. James W Kimball kimb...@geneseo.edu wrote: -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
[cayugabirds-l] Short-eared Owls
Hi All, Yesterday, Gary Kohlenberg and I went to Rafferty Road to scout for SE Owls. Rafferty Road was pretty much plowed and was dirt. We drove around the area, but still no good grassland for the bird. We did find 6 Pheasants though. We road down to the diner, but no luck, then back up to the field across from Rafferty Road on Rte 90. No luck. Today we went to Scofield Road in Lansing, but didn't get there until 4:45 P.M. We had great looks at a playful Ermine. Finally, before darkness overtook us, a SE Owl appeared. There might be more than one owl, but it just became too dark to see much. Good luck if you go there. Best, Ann -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] What did 'your' Merlins eat?
I find predation both fascinating and traumatic to witness, but I'll admit a prejudice: I don't bemoan the loss of abundant and abusive exotics such as House Sparrows or European Starlings, and I think Merlin food is a good function for them. American Robin nestlings are cute once they get some feathers, but to be honest, somebody had better eat some of them, because if they all survived to adulthood(2 or 3 broods of 3 to 5 young per pair per year)we'd be knee-deep in Robins in a year or two. Still, it is sobering to think of a neighborhood gone quiet and devoid of birds. I figure if the prey base has been removed, the Merlins will nest somewhere else next year, and I hope to hear from Jim Kimball how long it takes for the bird life in the neighborhood to recover. And I hope that watching the Merlins was adequate compensation for all they ate or drove off.--Dave NutterOn Dec 08, 2011, at 06:25 PM, Linda Orkin wingmagi...@gmail.com wrote:Dave This I a really interesting post from a very observant man. Thanks for following up in this and contacting him. Love all the birds but this narrative gives me a bit of a chill down my spine.Linda OrkinSent from my iPhoneOn Dec 8, 2011, at 5:58 PM, Dave Nutter nutter.d...@me.com wrote:Just to add to the discussion of Merlin prey, below is one birder's notes on what Merlinseither ate or scared offduring the course of the nesting season this year in a neighborhood in a small city in western NY. No doubt the prey items are based on availability, and they would differ somewhat in other parts of Merlins' range and in other habitats such as rural areas, as well as differing on migration. While it seems a variety of birds were taken, it looks like House Sparrows may have been a significant part of their diet.--Dave NutterBegin forwarded message:From: lj...@rochester.rr.comDate: December 08, 2011 5:19:02 PMTo: nutter.d...@me.comSubject: Re: Fwd: What did 'your' Merlins eat? Begin forwarded message: From: Dave Nutter nutter.d...@me.com Date: December 8, 2011 2:47:03 PM EST To:kimb...@geneseo.edu Subject: What did 'your' Merlins eat? Jim Kimball, There's been some discussion on Cayugabirds-L lately about what Merlins eat. I recall you writing on Geneseebirds-L that the Merlin family had an impact on birds in your Geneseo neighborhood this past nesting season. Recognizing that this was only one urban nesting situation, I'm wondering if you'd be willing to share your impressions, or data if you have them, of what birds the Merlins took, or what seemed to be missing from the neighborhood after their scourge. Thanks. --Dave NutterDave, There were only a few identifiable remains that I could definitely credit to the Merlins: about 6 House Sparrows, 1 Chipping Sparrow and 1 Cardinal. These were among remains on a neighbor's driveway, which was under a Walnut tree where I could watch them storing and occasionally eating something that one or the other of the adults had brought in. I believe there were at least a couple other roost perches, but not where it was easy to see what fell to the ground. According to the neighbor he had been finding dead bird remains for some weeks before I started looking for them - and for the most part he couldn't identify them. I also saw the adult male Merlin take a small Robin out of a nearby nest. The adult Robins were obviously upset; I didn't see any sign that they successfully fledged young out of that nest; and I didn't hear any of the usual summer singing Robins within the neighborhood. Neighbors up the street saw an adult Merlin raid another Robin nest, shortly after the young Merlins fledged and started moving out in that direction. Nearly all our usual summer birds disappeared along the street, up to 8-10 houses up the street. There was a Starling nest close to the Merlin nest in May and they disappeared, as did a couple usual resident Starlings further up the street. We had 60 or more House Sparrows coming to our feeders into May and by mid June or so there were none to be found. I took the feeders down about then after I found the Cardinal remains. Another Cardinal which had been singing every morning also disappeared. Our usual Titmice and Chickadees which we could normally hear around the area disappeared. We stopped hearing a singing Carolina Wren in June - but they have tended to come and go rather unpredictably anyway (two showed up in the Fall). The only other birds which I noticed every once and a while (and don't know if the Merlins went after them or not) were a Nuthatch and an occasional Mourning Dove. When the young had fledged and they moved up the street, on one occasion I saw an adult Merlin chasing after House Sparrows and seeming to catch one. Jim Kimball Geneseo NY Jim Kimball Crows, which are usually common in out neighborhood and which had previously nested where the Merlins were, learned to avoid the area. The Merlins would go after any Crow which came near - also on one occasion a low flying Turkey
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Short-eared Owls
Have a great club trip on Saturday. Knowing you, it will be and I know the SE Owls know it too and will obey. I wish I could come. Linda Sent from my iPhone On Dec 8, 2011, at 7:09 PM, Ann Mitchell annmitchel...@gmail.com wrote: Hi All, Yesterday, Gary Kohlenberg and I went to Rafferty Road to scout for SE Owls. Rafferty Road was pretty much plowed and was dirt. We drove around the area, but still no good grassland for the bird. We did find 6 Pheasants though. We road down to the diner, but no luck, then back up to the field across from Rafferty Road on Rte 90. No luck. Today we went to Scofield Road in Lansing, but didn't get there until 4:45 P.M. We had great looks at a playful Ermine. Finally, before darkness overtook us, a SE Owl appeared. There might be more than one owl, but it just became too dark to see much. Good luck if you go there. Best, Ann -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Leucistic Turkey Vulture
Today John I were driving on Warren Rd. about 11:35 a.m.. As we passed the end of the airport runway I noticed a lone turkey vulture with a bright white left wing heading back towards Cayuga Mall. I quickly pulled to the roadside watched it. The sun had come out so the mostly white wing really glistened, just as Chris T-Hymes said in his post on the 6th. This was an amazingly beautiful surprising sight something I never thought I'd say about a vulture ... so anyone up in that area, keep an eye out. I probably wouldn't have paid much attention if not for Chris' post. Probably would just have thought the sun was making the wing look whitish. So ... THANKS, Chris. Fritzie Blizzard Union Springs -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Sharpie
Hi all, Just now I saw a flock of crows over my computer screen and right behind them, came a Sharpie that looked larger, so presumably a female, but no head. There were some yellow tagged crows that were chasing it. They flew over BTI. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdfhttp://www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/http:/www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/mothsofithaca.htmlhttp:/haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Sharpie
I've been watching starlings wheeling around in their swarm mode directly over the Vet Tower right around 5pm each night as I head home. Really fantastic sight. If you are driving down Tower Road in the direction of the Vet Tower you can see them after you pass the Dairy Bar intersection. --Terry Meena Haribal m...@cornell.edu wrote: Hi all, Just now I saw a flock of crows over my computer screen and right behind them, came a Sharpie that looked larger, so presumably a female, but no head. There were some yellow tagged crows that were chasing it. They flew over BTI. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdfhttp://www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/http:/www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/mothsofithaca.htmlhttp:/haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Sharpie
Terry. Stop and watch them for a while. They circle and circle and after quite a long while they stream into a tower, what I presume is a chimney, in one fell swoop. Like reverse smoke. Not at all the way Chimney Swifts enter. Larry and I watched this several times last year. Fascinating. Thanks Linda Orkin Sent from my iPhone On Dec 8, 2011, at 9:54 AM, tmin...@twcny.rr.com wrote: I've been watching starlings wheeling around in their swarm mode directly over the Vet Tower right around 5pm each night as I head home. Really fantastic sight. If you are driving down Tower Road in the direction of the Vet Tower you can see them after you pass the Dairy Bar intersection. --Terry Meena Haribal m...@cornell.edu wrote: Hi all, Just now I saw a flock of crows over my computer screen and right behind them, came a Sharpie that looked larger, so presumably a female, but no head. There were some yellow tagged crows that were chasing it. They flew over BTI. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdfhttp://www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/http:/www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/mothsofithaca.htmlhttp:/haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] Sharpie
I watch those starlings every day in this season while waiting for the bus. They do it so late in the evening that it is hard to get them on the film. May be should get a permit to go to the top of Vet Tower one of these days. I can hear them while waiting for the bus. Gary, any suggestion how one can get permit? Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -Original Message- From: bounce-38941740-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-38941740-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Linda Orkin Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 10:04 AM To: tmin...@twcny.rr.com Cc: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Sharpie Terry. Stop and watch them for a while. They circle and circle and after quite a long while they stream into a tower, what I presume is a chimney, in one fell swoop. Like reverse smoke. Not at all the way Chimney Swifts enter. Larry and I watched this several times last year. Fascinating. Thanks Linda Orkin Sent from my iPhone On Dec 8, 2011, at 9:54 AM, tmin...@twcny.rr.com wrote: I've been watching starlings wheeling around in their swarm mode directly over the Vet Tower right around 5pm each night as I head home. Really fantastic sight. If you are driving down Tower Road in the direction of the Vet Tower you can see them after you pass the Dairy Bar intersection. --Terry Meena Haribal m...@cornell.edu wrote: Hi all, Just now I saw a flock of crows over my computer screen and right behind them, came a Sharpie that looked larger, so presumably a female, but no head. There were some yellow tagged crows that were chasing it. They flew over BTI. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdfhttp://www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/http:/www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/mothsofithaca.htmlhttp:/haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Photo request for Basin Birding Site Guide - RNGrebe
Hi all, As some of you know, I'm acting as photo editor for the upcoming Cayuga Basin Birding Site Guide soon to be published by the Cayuga Bird Club, and I am hoping one of you photographers or digiscopers out there can help me. I need a good quality image of a Red-necked Grebe in winter (nonbreeding) plumage. Since this is a pretty drab bird, I'm looking for something with anything but grey water surroundings. It also needs to be clear, well-lit and sharply focused (please!). And not too small in the frame since I will be cropping in close to the bird itself. If anyone can help out, I'd most appreciate it, with the warning that I'm requesting a donation here. That's a lot to ask, but the image will be reproduced at only 1 square as part of a banner of small images across each page. The club is not producing this book for profit. If you're interested, please send me a small jpeg image or direct me to a link on your website. Thanks very much! Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com Now on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Read-Wildlife-Photography/104356136271727 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Merlin food
Since it has been mentioned that Merlins taking mostly House Sparrows (no one has ever mentioned starlings that I know of) is hogwash, I thought it might be useful to look at the available data. I copy here Appendix 1 from the BNA Merlin account, which lists the results of 6 published studies of Merlin prey selection, specifically to contrast urban and rural nesting birds. You make your own conclusions. The BNA account summarizes those and other studies as follows, Most studies report specialization on one or two locally abundant species of small birds. Principal prey species characterized as: one of most abundant species in area, often foraging away from cover making it vulnerable to predation, and in 20-40 g weight range. That seems reasonable, and suggests that the primary food will indeed vary over space and time. Kevin ** Urban Rural S1 AU S2 AR MO AL House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 63.6 75.7 64.5 - + - Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 5.7 - 9.1 50.0 27.2 + Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) 4.0 5.8 + - - - White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) - 5.2 - - - - American Robin (Turdus migratorius) + + 4.3 - - - Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) + - - 37.0 + - Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) - - - + 17.6 - Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) - - - + 12.6 - Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) - - + - 6.6 - Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) + - + + 4.2 - American Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) - - - - - 6.2 American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) - - - - - 11.5 Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) - - - - - 8.9 White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) - - + - - 8.0 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) + + + - + 10.6 Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) - - + - - 5.3 Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) + - + - - 9.8 No of prey items 176 173 1332 2070 427 113 No of nests studied 3 5 65 46 20 4 Appendix 1. Principal prey species of breeding Merlins in urban vs. rural habitats in North America. Data presented as percentage of prey by number. Species that made up equal to or more than 4% of the total diet in a study are included in the table; + equals less than 4% of the diet. AL: Alaska (Laing 1985 ), AU: Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan (James and Smith 1987 ), AR: Alberta (Hodson 1978 ), MO: Montana (Becker 1985 ), S1: Sasaktoon (Oliphant and McTaggart 1977 ), and S2: Saskatoon (Sodhi and Oliphant 1993 ). * Laing 1985 http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries/data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib053 * James and Smith 1987 http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries/data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib044 * Hodson 1978 http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries/data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib040 * Becker 1985 http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries/data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib005 * Oliphant and McTaggart 1977 http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries/data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib064 * Sodhi and Oliphant 1993 http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries/data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib098 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] White-winged Crossbill
Hi all, The House Finches that rediscovered our feeding station in Horseheads about a week ago were joined by a single WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL this morning. While the finches came to the feeder, the crossbill moved to the spruce trees, though I never noticed him feeding on the abundant cone crop. Might be worth re-reading this story about crossbills, written during their irruption in 2008-09: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/got-white-winged-crossbills Good birding, Mike -- Mike Powers Horseheads, Chemung Co., NY -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Bird Club meeting-Dec 12
Hi All, The December meeting of the Cayuga Bird Club is next Monday, Dec 12 at 7:30 pm at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. This meeting is open to the public and we'd love it if you would join us! Here are details of the program: Dec. 12 Monday 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. (refreshments at 7:15) Cayuga Bird Club Meeting Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Johnson Center Auditorium Speaker: Karen Allaben-Confer Artist, naturalist, and writer Karen Allaben-Confer will present Living with Relics of the Pleistocene-Adventures of an Artist-in-Residence for the California Condor Reintroduction Project at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona, 2008-2010. Karen will summarize the two years she spent observing, handling, and drawing captive-bred California Condors in the wild. She will discuss the complex conservation issues surrounding this majestic species and share many stories, including her observations of interactions of condors with each other and with the public at the Grand Canyon and Kaibab plateau. Karen also plans to show some of her condor drawings, some finished works, and some pieces still in progress. Laura Stenzler Program Committee, Cayuga Bird Club l...@cornell.edumailto:l...@cornell.edu -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Bird Club speaker dinner - Dec.12
ATTN: CBC Members The Cayuga Bird Club is pleased to welcome Karen Allaben-Confer as guest speaker at our monthly meeting on Monday, October 13 at 7:30 pm at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Karen will be sharing her observations and drawings in Living with Relics of the Pleistocene - Adventures of an Artist-in-Residence for the California Condor Reintroduction Project at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona, 2008-2010 The Club will be hosting Karen and her husband at Aladdin's in Collegetown at 5:30 prior to the meeting. This is an opportunity to meet Karen and other CBC members while enjoying some great food. If you would like to join us for dinner, please RSVP to cl...@juno.com by Sunday evening so that reservations can be made. Also remember our conversation and cookies time at 7:15 before the meeting. Hope you see some great birds this weekend to share for the reading of the list on Monday night, Colleen Richards Get Free Email with Video Mail Video Chat! http://www.juno.com/freeemail?refcd=JUTAGOUT1FREM0210 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] Merlin food
I sent this previously to Bob McGuire, but thought that it might be of interest to others: The one bird that I've seen Merlin catch was a House Sparrow. The Merlin that our Audubon group saw last Saturday was hunting pigeons. It split a flock in two and then cut an individual out of the flock and was pursuing it when the two birds disappeared behind a building, so we did not see how the action ended. Of course, Merlins seem to enjoy the chase even if they have no real intention of catching the object of their pursuit. I even saw one allowing four crows to chase it around our neighborhood. The Merlin appeared to be flying slowly just so they could keep up. The pigeon chaser last Saturday seemed serious and even experienced at dealing with pigeon flocks. When I was an undergraduate many decades ago, I saw a Kestrel chasing a pigeon near the bus station in Ithaca. On another occasion I saw a Kestrel catch a Starling. In both cases it was winter, so maybe when food is scarce these raptors take chances on hunting bigger, more available prey. Somewhat related, an immature Red-tailed Hawk spent a winter in downtown Elmira hunting the same pigeon flock that the Merlin was working on Saturday. That same winter, an adult Red-tail spent a lot of time hunting for mice on a nearby island in the river. I attributed that difference to experience. An article that I read about the expansion of Merlin into urban/suburban areas in western Canada attributed their expansion to the availability of House Sparrows. -- Bill Osrander _ From: bounce-38942179-3518...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-38942179-3518...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Kevin J. McGowan Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 11:49 AM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Merlin food Since it has been mentioned that Merlins taking mostly House Sparrows (no one has ever mentioned starlings that I know of) is hogwash, I thought it might be useful to look at the available data. I copy here Appendix 1 from the BNA Merlin account, which lists the results of 6 published studies of Merlin prey selection, specifically to contrast urban and rural nesting birds. You make your own conclusions. The BNA account summarizes those and other studies as follows, Most studies report specialization on one or two locally abundant species of small birds. Principal prey species characterized as: one of most abundant species in area, often foraging away from cover making it vulnerable to predation, and in 20-40 g weight range. That seems reasonable, and suggests that the primary food will indeed vary over space and time. Kevin ** Urban Rural S1 AU S2 AR MO AL House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 63.6 75.7 64.5 - + - Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 5.7 - 9.1 50.0 27.2 + Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) 4.0 5.8 + - - - White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) - 5.2 - - - - American Robin (Turdus migratorius) + + 4.3 - - - Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) + - - 37.0 + - Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) - - - + 17.6 - Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) - - - + 12.6 - Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) - - + - 6.6 - Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) + - + + 4.2 - American Pipit (Anthus spinoletta) - - - - - 6.2 American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) - - - - - 11.5 Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) - - - - - 8.9 White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) - - + - - 8.0 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) + + + - + 10.6 Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) - - + - - 5.3 Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) + - + - - 9.8 No of prey items 176 173 1332 2070 427 113 No of nests studied 3 5 65 46 20 4 Appendix 1. Principal prey species of breeding Merlins in urban vs. rural habitats in North America. Data presented as percentage of prey by number. Species that made up equal to or more than 4% of the total diet in a study are included in the table; + equals less than 4% of the diet. AL: Alaska (Laing 1985 ), AU: Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan (James and Smith 1987 ), AR: Alberta (Hodson 1978 ), MO: Montana (Becker 1985 ), S1: Sasaktoon (Oliphant and McTaggart 1977 ), and S2: Saskatoon (Sodhi and Oliphant 1993 ). * Laing http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries /data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib053 1985 * James http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries /data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib044 and Smith 1987 * Hodson http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries /data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib040 1978 * Becker http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/044/articles/species/044/galleries /data/app1/species/044/biblio/bib005 1985 * Oliphant
