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  • Members: 83
  • Category: Birding
  • Founded: Jul 28, 2008
  • Language: English
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#301 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Mon Sep 12, 2011 12:52 am
Subject: Fort Morgan
kchiasson74
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A trip to Fort Morgan this afternoon was semi-productive.  There were several species of warblers, Baltimore Orioles, Least Flycatcher, Swainson's Thrush, and a Lark Sparrow.  There were only 2 Buff-Breasted Sandpipers today compared to the 10 on Thursday.
 
On the way home, I drove by the sod farm on CR 12 east of Hwy 59 and there were around 12 Buff-Breasted Sandpipers there.
 
Karen Chiasson
Silverhill, AL
 
 

#302 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Mon Sep 12, 2011 2:37 pm
Subject: Year of Buff-Breasted Sandpipers
kchiasson74
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Well, they seem to be everywhere!  I had 6 this morning at Fairhope Falls which is a new species for this acreage.  The Great Horned Owl put in an appearance as well as the Pileated Woodpecker. 
 
The Cooper's Hawks which have been patrolling the area for the last few days are keeping the birds hunkered down although you can almost always hear the White-Eyed Vireos and Tanagers calling every day.  There's also been Red-Shoulered Hawks in the area for the past several days.
 
This morning at my house I had Red-Eyed Vireo, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Black-and-White Warbler, and a Northern Parula show up.
 
Karen Chiasson
Silverhill, AL
 
 

#303 From: Craig Litteken <littekenc@...>
Date: Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:52 pm
Subject: Wood Stork - Rigsby Road - Baldwin County
littekenc
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This morning, a Wood Stork was at the small farm pond on the west side of Rigsby Road east of Daphne in Baldwin County.  The pond is in a pasture about a quarter mile from the intersection of Rigsby Road and County Road 64.
 
The pond also had a good variety of other species this morning, including:
 
Snowy egret
Cattle egret
Great egret
White ibis
Little Blue heron
Great Blue heron
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Black tern
 
Craig Litteken
Daphne
 

#304 From: "Joan Siegwald" <siegwald@...>
Date: Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:09 pm
Subject: Coastal Birding Association field trip - Dauphin Island - Sat., Sept 17
jbsiegwald
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Just found out that there is a CBA field trip to Dauphin Island tomorrow
(Saturday, September 17).  We are meeting at the Shell Mounds at 8:00 a.m.

Hope you can join us!

Joan Siegwald
Mobile, Alabama

#305 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:23 pm
Subject: Fort Morgan
kchiasson74
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Hello All,
 
Well, this morning actually was a disappointment - at first.  Got to Fort Morgan around 7:30 and all was completely quiet except for the Chuck-will's-Widow I flushed in the banding area.  Heard Eastern Wood-Pewee and found a Common Nighthawk perched on a pine branch. 
 
Checked out the other side including the pond area (3 Pie-Billed Grebe) and a Cooper's Hawk perched on a shrub.  Headed to the other end of the airstrip and ran into David - a photographer.  Told him about the Common Nighthawk and proceeded to show him where it was.  Then, I told myself I would take another walk around the banding area and that's when the birds started showing up.  Finished up, walked back over to my car at the end of the airstrip and proceeded out past the guard shack.  Well, with the windows down I was able to hear alot of chirping going on, so I parked across from the ferry area I was able to find a lot more birds.  Spent about 3 hours there this morning.
 
On the way home I check the sod fields east of the Expressway without seeing anything.  Travelling home, I took CR10 west of Hwy 59 all the way to CR49.  There was a sod field north of CR10 before you reached CR49 which had 2 Upland Sandpipers.
 
List of birds seen at Fort Morgan are as follows:

Blue-winged Teal
Double-crested Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper's Hawk
Killdeer
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Forster's Tern
Royal Tern
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Common Nighthawk
Chuck-will's-widow
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Carolina Wren
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart - female
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler - female
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Northern Cardinal
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch

Not bad for a morning's outing.  Except for the Common Yellowthroat (2), the other warblers were 1 count each.
 
Karen Chiasson
Silverhill, AL
 
 
 

#306 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:25 pm
Subject: EBird Fall Photo Quiz
kchiasson74
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Hello,
 
EBird has developed a fall photo quiz.  Maybe you can visit the site and try it yourself.  They can be challenging and you can learn a lot from them.
 
Silverhill, AL
 
 

#307 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:15 pm
Subject: It all started when .....
kchiasson74
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a Black Witch Moth landed on the screen of our back patio.  Unfortunately, when I got up to go get my camera, it flew away.
 
Then a light rain started.  After the rain, I had the following show up in my yard.
 
Summer Tanager
White-Eyed Vireo
Yellow-Throated Vireo
Northern Parula
Prothonotary Warbler
Chestnut-Sided Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
American Redstart
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
 
Best yard day yet.  Then, the Black Witch Moth showed up again, but it never landed this time.
 
Karen Chiasson
Silverhill, AL
 
 

#308 From: "Joan Siegwald" <siegwald@...>
Date: Fri Sep 23, 2011 3:23 pm
Subject: CBA field trips Sept 24 and Oct 1, BirdFest, and AOS fall meeting
jbsiegwald
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The Coastal Birding Association (CBA) will have field trips to Dauphin Island
tomorrow (September 24)and next Saturday (October 1).  Meet at the Shell Mounds
at 8:00 a.m.

Alabama Coastal BirdFest is October 6-8.  See
http://www.alabamacoastalbirdfest.com/ for additional details.

The Alabama Ornithological Society (AOS) fall meeting will be October 14-16 on
Dauphin Island.  This is a joint meeting with Florida Ornithological Society
(FOS).  Go to http://www.aosbirds.org/meetings.php for more information.

Joan Siegwald
Mobile, Alabama

#309 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Wed Sep 28, 2011 5:21 pm
Subject: Eagle Owl flies at camera
kchiasson74
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 Nothing to do with Alabama birding, but thouht it was interesting.

 

 Eagle Owl coming in for the kill  -- right at the camera. 

 

The last two or three seconds are amazing, watching the feathers ruffle and the wings swell.

 

It is  Interesting to watch the corrections in the flight path as the bird comes in.  Amazing.


 

http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/

 

 

 

#310 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:50 pm
Subject: eBird Report - Dauphin Island, Oct 19, 2011
kchiasson74
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Well, even though the temps were on the cool side and the wind made it a bit cooler, a group of us managed to tally 70 species yesterday at Dauphin Island.  71 with White Pelican on the list, but I didn't see that one. 
 
Karen Chiasson
Silverhill, AL
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Double-crested Cormorant  12
Brown Pelican  50
Great Blue Heron  6
Great Egret  3
Snowy Egret  5
Tricolored Heron  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
White Ibis  2
Turkey Vulture  1
Osprey  1
Bald Eagle  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Broad-winged Hawk  1
American Kestrel  3
Merlin  1
American Coot  1
American Oystercatcher  3
Willet  5
Ruddy Turnstone  5
Sanderling  4
Laughing Gull  30
Herring Gull  1
Caspian Tern  2
Forster's Tern  12
Royal Tern  15
Black Skimmer  4
Rock Pigeon  2
Eurasian Collared-Dove  24
White-winged Dove  3
Mourning Dove  14
Yellow-billed Cuckoo  3
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-headed Woodpecker  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  4
Downy Woodpecker  1
Willow Flycatcher  1     Bird made it's specific call note of a wheezy "pit-speer".
White-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  7
American Crow  3
Carolina Chickadee  2
Carolina Wren  2
House Wren  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Eastern Bluebird  2
Gray-cheeked Thrush  2
Swainson's Thrush  2
Gray Catbird  8
Northern Mockingbird  8
Brown Thrasher  4
European Starling  30
Ovenbird  1
Black-and-white Warbler  4
Tennessee Warbler  3
Nashville Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  1
American Redstart  12
Northern Parula  3
Magnolia Warbler  3
Yellow Warbler  1
Black-throated Blue Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  5
Red-winged Blackbird  10
Common Grackle  5
House Finch  3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

#311 From: Karen Chiasson <kchiasson74@...>
Date: Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:35 pm
Subject: Bronzed Cowbird
kchiasson74
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Not as exciting as the Varied Thrush at Fort Pickens, but I located a Bronzed Cowbird at Fort Morgan this morning.
 
I forgot to mention in the last report, that everyone should try out the NEW version of EBird.  It's easy to use and you can locate data fast and easy.  See what's in your neighborhood!
 
Karen Chiasson
Silverhill, AL
 

#312 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Sun Oct 23, 2011 11:44 pm
Subject: Fw: 2011-2012 Magnolia Landfill Update
billsummerour@...
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Hi all,
 
Attached is a map of the Magnolia Landfill in south Baldwin showing the viewing sites for the upcoming 2011-2012 season.  Due to safety issues birders are limited to these sites. A brief description is given below for each number shown on the map. 
 
The management at the landfill has made every effort again this year to make the landfill accessible to birders.  It is important that we respect the guidelines.  We can drive to the sites listed below but we are not allowed inside the fenced-in area where the garbage is being dumped.
 
No. 1.  Landfill entrance from CR 49.  Hours are from 7:00a--4:00p M-F, and 7:00a-12:00p on Saturday.  The landfill is closed on Sundays.
 
No. 2.  Check-in at the scales station.  The procedure is the same.  Park by the Coastal Birding Trail sign on the right (south side) of the scales
           office. Checklists for the birds of Baldwin and Mobile Counties are available inside for anyone who might want them.
 
No. 3.  This is where the old viewing platform is located.  To get here, drive straight east from the scales office and up the gravel road to the top 
             of the hill.  Turn left (north) and park well out of the way on either side of the road.  You can walk from here over to the viewing platform if 
             you like.  But the viewing may be just as good or better from where you are parked since the gulls often gather over this entire area.
 
No. 4.  This is the "Plateau Site".  To get here turn right (south) at the top of the hill instead of left as you did to get to site No. 3.  Watch for 
             trucks.  This is a loafing area for the gulls.  Some days gulls cover the entire plateau, at other times there may be none.
 
No. 5.  This is the parking area for Site No. 6.  The parking area is on the north side of the road and you have to walk across the road to
             get to the viewing area on the south side of the road.
 
No. 6.  This site is below the hill where the garbage is currently being unloaded and the gulls frequently gather on the slope above the 
             viewing site.  Lots of trucks come and go from this area so we are cautioned to be especially carefull when visiting this site.
 
No. 7.  Current site where the garbage is being unloaded.  We are not allowed inside the fenced-in area around the dumping site.
 
Let me know if you have any questions.
 
Bill Summerour
 
945-3188              
 
               
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 8:51 AM

 

 

J. Buford King

Baldwin County Solid Waste

A Service of the Baldwin County Commission

15140 County Road 49

Summerdale, AL 36580

(251) 972-6878 ext 7118

(251) 331-1958 cell

1*130*323 Southern Linc

JKing@...

 

 


1 of 1 File(s)


#313 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:53 am
Subject: Pond
billsummerour@...
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Hi again,
 
Re the 2011-2012 changes at the landfill, I forgot to mention that the pond by the main office is ok to check.
 
Bill

#314 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:53 pm
Subject: Fw: Landfill Map
billsummerour@...
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Hi all one last time...
 
Roger combined my notes and the map into one PDF file.  Makes it easier to reference the text with the map.
 
Bill
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 7:00 AM
Subject: Landfill Map

Bill,

 

I took the Landfill map and your notes and combined them into one PDF file. If you can use it, fine if not, just delete it.

 

Thanks,

 

Roger

 

-------------------------------------------------------

Roger Clay

Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries

30571 Five Rivers Boulevard

Spanish Fort, AL 36527

(251) 626-5474

(251) 621-1489 fx

 

www.outdooralabama.com

 


1 of 1 File(s)


#315 From: "Joan Siegwald" <siegwald@...>
Date: Wed Oct 26, 2011 3:39 pm
Subject: Coastal Birding Association field trip schedule: Oct, Nov, Dec 2011
jbsiegwald
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Here is the CBA field trip schedule for the rest of 2011 -- contact me if you
have questions.

Joan Siegwald
Mobile, Alabama


October 29 - Dauphin Island:  Meet at the Shell Mounds at 8:00 a.m.

November 19 - Baldwin County (Fairhope Falls, etc.):  Meet at Fairhope Pier/Rose
Garden at 8:00 a.m.

December 10 - Mobile Causeway:  Meet at 5 Rivers Delta Hall (middle building in
three-building complex near the end of the road) at 8:00 a.m.

December 17 - Dauphin Island CBC:  More details later

#316 From: "Lisa Comer" <lcomer@...>
Date: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:33 am
Subject: last Saturday trip to Fort Morgan
mslcomer
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I've posted some photos of the birds that I saw at Fort Morgan this past
Saturday:  http://www.lcomer.com/index.php?action=gallery&gallery=1&page=1  and
http://www.lcomer.com/index.php?action=gallery&gallery=11&page=1.  I'll be
posting more as I identify them.  Please let me know if the i.d. is incorrect. 
Thanks!

Photos so far:
Cooper's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
Bald Eagle
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Gray Catbird
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Palm Warbler
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Brown Creeper
Swamp Sparrow
Yellow-billed Cuckoo

#317 From: Craig Litteken <littekenc@...>
Date: Wed Nov 2, 2011 12:53 pm
Subject: Greater White-fronted geese
littekenc
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This morning 6 Greater White-fronted geese were with a flock of about 150 Canada geese at the small farm pond on the west side of Rigsby Road east of Daphne.
 
Craig Litteken
Daphne, AL
 

#318 From: Craig Litteken <littekenc@...>
Date: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:13 pm
Subject: Long-tailed ducks, Mobile Bay delta
littekenc
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While boating the Mobile Bay delta this morning, I observed a pair of Long-tailed Ducks in Chacaloochee Bay, which is just north of the Hwy 90/98 causeway.  Several other duck species were around as well including Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, and an assortment of other divers.  The total number of ducks was a pleasant surprise with well over 1000-1500 ducks...mainly in the Chacaloochee Bay area.
 
In addition to the ducks and the usual wader suspects, I also found a Common Loon and a few Horned Grebes.
 
Craig Litteken
Daphne, AL
 

#319 From: Susan Ledlow <yellowhammer@...>
Date: Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:43 am
Subject: Trip to Bon Secour NWR
yellowhammer17
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Hi All,

I was visiting family in Baldwin County and my brother and I had a lovely time
at the Bon Secour National Wildlife refuge last Friday morning. I had not been
there since the new trail linking the Pine Beach and Jeff Friend areas was
opened.

We saw:

Brown Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel
Semipalmated Plover
Mourning Dove
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker (yay! We got a good long look at it both flying and on a
tree)
Eastern Wood PeeWee (I think--it was very small)
Unidentified Flycatcher Species
Fish Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Brown Headed Nuthatch
House Wren
Sedge Wren (I think)
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Blue Gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Swamp Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Purple or House Finch

Apologies for the uncertainties - my birding skills are intermediate, and I
mostly bird in AZ. There were hundreds of sparrows so I'm sure I missed a number
of species.

I especially enjoyed the woodpeckers. There were more than I have ever seen. We
saw two downies and two red bellies in the same tree at the same time!

BTW, does anyone know about Christmas Bird Counts at Bon Secour or Weeks Bay? I
will be back for the week between Christmas and New Year and would love to
volunteer.

Best,

Susan
(now back in AZ watching the curve billed thrashers, abert's towhees, and gila
woodpeckers in my yard)

#320 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:31 pm
Subject: Landfill Update
billsummerour@...
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Hi all,
 
There are lots of gulls at the landfill including at least two Franklin's that are still lingering at the pond just north of the landfill office. They should be headed south any day now.  As many as eight were present on 19 Nov.  A first or second winter Iceland Gull was seen on 28 and 29 Nov, and a first winter Glaucous was at the pond by the office last Friday, 9 Dec.  Three adult and one first year Lesser Black-backed Gulls were seen on 29 nov.
 
Basically, if you visit the landfill, we are free to go wherever the gulls are, just stay outside of the fenced in area around where the garbage is being dumped.  They should have maps of the viewing sites at the check-in office, also updated checklist of the birds of Baldwin and Mobile Counties unless they've run out.  I'll check the next time I'm there.
 
I have a very accommodating Broad-tailed Hummingbird at my place in case anyone wants to see it.  It has been around for a couple of weeks now and seems settled in.
 
Bill

#321 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:28 pm
Subject: Iceland Gull
billsummerour@...
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Hi all,
 
The Iceland Gull, first seen on 28 Nov, and one Franklin's was at the pond by the landfill office this morning.  Also two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls were seen near where the garbage is being dumped.  The Glaucous Gull observed last Friday, 9 Dec, was not seen.
 
The Broad-tailled Hummingbird at my place is still here and has been since at least 1 Dec.
 
Bill

1 of 1 Photo(s)

#322 From: "Joan Siegwald" <siegwald@...>
Date: Wed Feb 1, 2012 11:01 pm
Subject: Coastal Birding Association's spring field trip schedule
jbsiegwald
Send Email Send Email
 
Here is Coastal Birding Association's spring field trip schedule.

Joan Siegwald
Mobile, Alabama


CBA FIELD TRIPS
JANUARY TO MAY 2012

February 4:  Point aux Pines/Grand Bay Savannah: Easy walk in a new burn area
for sparrows and later watch blackbirds come to roost. Meet at 3:00 pm at the
Hardee's on Hwy 188 in Bayou le Batre. (Bring boots just in case it's wet.)  Eat
later at one of our favorite spots! NOTE THIS IS AN AFTERNOON TRIP.  Leader: 
Howard Horne (251-605-2829)

Mid February is tentative.  We are working on a trip to the Seaman Road Sewage
Lagoons in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.  More information will follow.

March 24: Dauphin Island for early migrants. Meet at the Shell Mound parking lot
at 8:00 am. Bird there and elsewhere on the island, depending……    Leader: Sarah
Whitfield: 344-8158

April 7: Dauphin Island for migrants. Meet at the Shell Mounds parking lot at
8:00 am. Bring bug spray.  Bird the island.   Leaders: Sarah Whitfield
(344-8158) and John Stowers (Jstowers@... or 334-399-4498)

April 21-22: AOS Weekend. Check the AOS website
(http://www.aosbirds.org/index.php) for details.

May 12:  Mobile Delta, Highway 225 in Baldwin County. Meet at 8:00 am at the
Kangaroo gas station at the intersection of I-65 and Hwy 225, Exit 31.  Note the
gas station has had several names but it is the only one at this exit. We will
bird various boat launches and other areas for breeding birds, sparrows, and
Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites. Plan to eat at our favorite place!  
Leader Bill Summerour

#335 From: siegwald@...
Date: Wed Feb 29, 2012 3:10 pm
Subject: Spam blocking
tsiegwald
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Costalbirds members:

At the request of some members, I have changed the settings on the message board
so thst I must review ALL post BEFORE they appear on the board. I guess as
moderator of the group I am now acting as "Big Brother". Bummer!!

This should eliminate the spam that was way off topic (personal enhancement,
etc.) The problem with this solution is my getting into the habit of checking
this site several times a day to review all pending post. This means that legit
post will take a while longer to appear. Hopefully, not too much longer.

We will try this for now and see how it goes. If anyone else would like to step
up to assist (I assume there is some way to allow a co-monitor to help review
pending post) please let me know.

Tom Siegwald

#336 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Tue May 15, 2012 12:04 am
Subject: Mudlakes Update, 14 May 2012
billsummerour@...
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Hi all,
 
There were a good many shorebirds on Pond # 2 this morning at the Mudlakes, mostly Dunlins  (almost all in various stages of breeding plumage), around a dozen or more Stilt Sandpipers, a few Semipalmated Sandpipers, one Bairds, and one beautiful female Wilson's Phalarope in full breeding plumage (see attachment).  Very vocal Black-necked Stilts were present on all of the ponds and at least two pairs had nests with eggs (no danger of stepping on them, they're on islands).  There is an singing male Painted Bunting on territory in the area around the old building where the Barn Owl is occasioally seen.  This morning he was singing on both sides of the road just as you top the hill.
 
And some encouraging news re the whistling ducks.  There was a pair sitting about 200 feet from one of the boxes.  I'll check again in a couple of weeks to see if they're still there and maybe showing an interest in the boxes we put up.
 
If you go be prepared for lots of mosquitoes.  They were pretty bad early this morning but backed off a little as the day warmed up.
 
Bill 

2 of 2 Photo(s)

#337 From: Bill Summerour <billsummerour@...>
Date: Mon Jun 18, 2012 3:13 am
Subject: Good News and Mudlakes Update
billsummerour@...
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Hi all,

Roger Clay and I checked the BBWD nesting boxes on Blakeley Island last
Friday, 15 Jun, and found a whistling duck, no doubt on eggs, in one of
the boxes!  There was nothing in the other seven boxes except ants, mud
daubers and wasps.  The ants are a problem that will need to be
addressed as soon as possible.  We also saw 16 BBWDs on pond no. 5
South, so maybe more of them will find their way over to pond no. 4
where the boxes are.

Pond no. 5 South was bone dry last month but right now is filled with
water from the recent heavy rains and flooded out into the vegetation,
too deep for shorebirds but good for whistling ducks and waders, at
least for a while.  This morning there were dark ibises, Mottled Ducks,
the usual waders, a few stilts, Laughing Gulls, and terns coming and
going from 5 South.  There was nothing on pond no. 2 at the south end of
the Mudlakes except a pair of moorhens and a stilt or two.  There was
one drake Blue-winged Teal, Mottled Ducks, and stilts on no. 4.

If you visit the Mudlakes go prepared for lots of mosquitoes.

Bill

#338 From: Bill Summerour <billsummerour@...>
Date: Tue Jun 19, 2012 10:44 pm
Subject: BBWD Update
billsummerour@...
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Hi all,

Two BBWDs were seen by David Plumb today, 19 Jun, on a small pond on the
north side of Bay Road in south Baldwin. Also today, David saw two more
on a pond behind his house near Benton Road, and eight to 12 in a
flooded field on the west side of Nall Road.  Yesterday,18 Jun, 14 were
counted by Howard Horne at the Mud Lakes on Blakeley Island.  Sixteen
were seen at this same location by Roger Clay and myself on the 15th.
Also on the 15th, as reported earlier, a pair was found nesting in one
of the boxes at the Mud Lakes.

Bill

#339 From: Bill Summerour <billsummerour@...>
Date: Thu Jun 28, 2012 1:52 pm
Subject: BBWD Update
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Hi all,

Roger Clay and I checked the Blakeley Island Mud Lakes last Monday, 25
Jun, and counted a total of 31 adult BBWDs including a single bird with
a brood of nine recently hatched ducklings on Pond No.1 (photos), a pair
with a brood of nine or ten small ducklings on Pond No. 2 (photos), and
the bird on eggs in one of the boxes on Pond No. 4.  So far we have no
photos of the latter for fear of disturbing the incubating bird, but we
have a camera set up which takes a picture every 12 seconds which we
hope will get a photos of one of the adults coming or going from the box
or the ducklings when they leave the box.

Yesterday, 27 Jun, we counted 24 adult whistlers on Pond No. 1 and saw
the pair with the brood on Pond No. 2.  Also seen on the 25th and 27th :
Mottled Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, one N. Shoveler, Great Blue Herons,
Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, three Glossy Ibis, Common Moorhens, Killdeer
(and nest with four eggs), Black-necked Stilts, and a large gathering of
Laughing Gulls, Caspian and Royal Terns, and Black Skimmers on Pond No. 1.

According to Wayne Slaughter,  Port Authority Environmental Technician
who oversees the Mud Lakes, Pond No. 1 (which I incorrectly referred to
in my last update as 5S) is scheduled to be dredged "as soon as
possible".  He wasn't sure exactly when this might be, but probably as
soon as the lake is dry enough. The high water following the heavy rains
of a few weeks ago is rapidly evaporating. The dredged lake bed will be
filled with sediment from the Mobile River shipping channel.

We removed two of the boxes from Pond No. 4 which now has extensive mud
flats and big cracks in the sediment which are death traps for ducklings
and are relocating them on  ponds in south Baldwin where the chances are
better for them being used.

The next check of the boxes will be in about a week or ten days.

Bill

#340 From: "Bill Summerour" <billsummerour@...>
Date: Sun Jul 1, 2012 1:52 pm
Subject: BBWD Update, 30 Jun 2012
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Hi all,
 
As mentioned in my previous update, Roger Clay and I removed  two of the whistling duck boxes from the Blakeley Island Mud Lakes last Wednesday, 27 June.  They now have a new home at the water treatment facilities in Gulf Shores.  Both boxes are located on the northeastern most pond and can be seen from the parking area (viewing area) on the hill overlooking the ponds. 
 
Yesterday, the 30th,  I saw five whistling ducks walking on the dikes and flying around from pond to pond.  Two of the people who work at the water treatment facilities said they had seen a pair with "four or five little ones" as recently as last Wednesday, the 27th.  This makes four breeding pairs observed so far this season in Baldwin County, three at the Mud Lakes, and one in Gulf Shores.  Up to 14 whistling ducks have been seen on the water treatment ponds this spring and summer.
  
There was one pair of stilts with two half grown chicks on the pond straight east from the viewing area.  Workers are in the process of removing the grass from this pond but the stilts and ducks seem habituated to all of the noise and heavy equipent activity. 
 
Roger and I plan to check the boxes on Blakeley Island next week.
 
That's it for now...
 
Bill
 
 
 

#341 From: Bill Summerour <billsummerour@...>
Date: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:44 pm
Subject: BBWD Sightings
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Hi all,

Here's the latest BBWD update:

The eggs in the nesting box at the Blakeley Island Mud Lakes hatched this past week, most likely between 5 and 7 Jul.  The remote camera captured pictures of both adults but none of the ducklings as they jumped from the box (which might have been at night). There were shells from eight eggs in the box. Incidentally, the Port Authority has a nice article in their May issue of Alabama Seaport on the Blakeley Island BBWDs and nesting boxes.  It is well done and with lots of pictures.  

On 12 Jul two pairs with broods were seen by Paul Knoch, an employee at the Gulf Shores water treatment facilities, one pair with eight ducklings, the other with five. 

Also on 12 Jul, a pair was photographed by Jan Dillon at a river park off Cooper's Landing Road East on the Bon Secour River in south Baldwin. The ducks were standing on a grassy peninsula in the park.  They have also been seen flying about in large live oaks in the area, possibly searching for a nesting cavity.

Still on 12 Jul, a pair with ducklings was seen by Roger Clay and myself on Pond No. 2 at the Mud Lakes.  This most likely was the pair with eight or nine duckling we first saw and photographed on 25 Jun.  Another whistling duck with an unknown number of ducklings (they stayed hidden in the grass) was seen that same day on the pond on the east side of alt 90 immediately south of the No. 4 gate. This could be the bird with nine duckings seen by Roger and myself on Pond No.1 on 25 Jun.  Pond No. 1 is now dry so she may have moved the ducklings to this new site.  Or, this could possibly be a new brood not seen before.

Other species seen on ponds 2 and 4 on 12 Jul: Mottled Ducks, 6 Blue-winged Teal, 3 N. Shovelers, 1 White Pelican, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Little Blue Herons, 1 Am. Coot, a pair of moorhens with 3 chicks, Killdeers (one on eggs), stilts, and Gull-billed Terns with dependent young.

Bulldozers have started to work between ponds No. 1 and 2 and there was lots of dump truck traffic on the dike roads.  Don't know if this will affect visits to the Mudlakes or not, but there will definitely be a lot of disturbance going on for a while.

Bill









Bill

      
                        



#343 From: Bill Summerour <billsummerour@...>
Date: Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:17 pm
Subject: Inca Dove
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All,

This morning Kathy Hicks and I located a calling Inca Dove at the
residence of Sparky and Loraine Bodary on Benton Road in south Baldwin.
    From the intersection of CRs 12 and 49 three miles south of Magnolia
Springs, go west on CR 12 for one mile.  Take a left (south) onto Benton
Road.  The Bodary residence is the first house on the left (east side of
the road).  Mr. Bodary said he first noticed the dove calling about a
month ago.  It often calls from the blackgum tree to the right (south
side) of the garage and the live oaks to the right (south side) of the
drive.  While we were there it moved about calling from just south of CR
12 to the next house south of the Bodary's.

With a little patience, this should be a fairly reliable bird.  We were
there for about two hours and it called about every half hour or so,
each calling bout lasting a few to ten minutes or more, long enough to
give you time to home in on it. Other doves are common in the area
including ground doves.

Mr Bodary said birders are welcome but requested we call first
(965-3714). A good approach would be to pull into the drive, park near
the house, and start listing and looking.  It should eventually turn up
calling somewhere in the area.  While you're waiting keep a close eye on
the blackgum by the garage and the live oaks by the drive. It frequented
both places while we were there.  However, we first found it calling
high in the pines on the north side of the house.

Last Monday I heard a bird calling from the same area that Howard first
heard an Inca calling a week or so ago.  I also heard what sounded like
a possible Inca calling from the direction of Benton Road, in the  same
place we found it today.  But I never heard two birds calling at the
same time, only one.  It's probably the same bird, but keep an ear open
for the possibility of another bird in the area.  The distance  between
the two locations is a little over 500 yards (as measured from Google
Earth).

Kathy and I both documented the sighting with photos. I took the photo
of the bird calling, with its esophagus inflated, and Kathy the one in
the magnolia.

Good luck if you give it a try.

Bill

2 of 2 Photo(s)

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