March 2004 From bprice at pdnt.com Mon Mar 1 18:16:11 2004 From: bprice at pdnt.com (Brock) Date: Mon Mar 1 18:22:38 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] (no subject) Message-ID: <000701c3ffeb$91f732c0$9c41fa3f@user> Ducks are here. Lake Vermilion - 02/29/04 (Boat Club area) Green-winged Teal Redhead Ring-necked Duck Canvasback Lesser Scaup Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Turkey Vulture Teal, Mergansers - 1 each, rest in quanity From jeffc at Web-Makers.com Mon Mar 1 20:28:29 2004 From: jeffc at Web-Makers.com (Jeffrey A. Courson) Date: Mon Mar 1 20:33:50 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Woodcock have arrived! Message-ID: <4043F14C.12B9CC7C@Web-Makers.com> Hello All! The Woodcock have arrived, a least in my backyard! :) Jeff -Jeffrey A. Courson WebMakers, Inc. Voice/FAX: 217.586.5110 http://www.Web-Makers.com ---------------------Never become too busy... ...to watch a sunset... ...enjoy a rainbow... ...listen to the sounds of nature. From derekliebert at yahoo.com Mon Mar 1 20:59:22 2004 From: derekliebert at yahoo.com (Derek Liebert) Date: Mon Mar 1 21:03:04 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Woodcock have arrived! In-Reply-To: <4043F14C.12B9CC7C@Web-Makers.com> Message-ID: <20040302025922.49987.qmail@web40612.mail.yahoo.com> Absolutely! Several were performing their courtship sky dance at Meadowbrook Sunday evening... Derek --- "Jeffrey A. Courson" <jeffc@Web-Makers.com> wrote: > Hello All! > > The Woodcock have arrived, a least in my backyard! > :) > > Jeff > > -> Jeffrey A. Courson > WebMakers, Inc. > Voice/FAX: 217.586.5110 > > http://www.Web-Makers.com > > ---------------------> > Never become too busy... > ...to watch a sunset... > ...enjoy a rainbow... > ...listen to the sounds of nature. > > > _______________________________________________ > Birdnotes mailing list > Birdnotes@lists.prairienet.org > https://mail.prairienet.org/mailman/listinfo/birdnotes ===== Derek Liebert Environmental Steward Urbana Park District 901 N. Broadway, Urbana, IL 61801 217-344-9583 (W), 217-328-7769 (H) daliebert@urbanaparks.org / derekliebert@yahoo.com __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Get better spam protection with Yahoo! Mail. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools From vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu Tue Mar 2 08:22:53 2004 From: vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu (Vaiden, Robert) Date: Tue Mar 2 08:26:41 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] local Circle of Life Message-ID: <537CB9DDD9077549945D568618BDCA0B2DF083@isgs1pdc.isgs.uiuc.edu> I have available 2 build-it-yourself male Cardinal model kits. Complete assembly required; some parts missing; expertly disassembled by Coopers Hawk. Build-it-yourself Mourning Dove kits also available. Send inquiries to bob@welcometothefoodchain.com Must collect model kit from various parts of the back yard. they stick to House Sparrows/Starlings?) (Why can't Also...Coopers Hawk this morning at Weaver Park. Bob :) From ebaughjason at yahoo.com Tue Mar 2 10:08:41 2004 From: ebaughjason at yahoo.com (Jason Ebaugh) Date: Tue Mar 2 10:12:47 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Eastern Bluebird Message-ID: <20040302160842.54149.qmail@web41207.mail.yahoo.com> Eastern Bluebird at meadowbrook this morning. ===== Jason Ebaugh ebaughjason@yahoo.com Urbana, Champaign County __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search - Find what you’re looking for faster http://search.yahoo.com From vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu Wed Mar 3 09:18:46 2004 From: vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu (Vaiden, Robert) Date: Wed Mar 3 09:22:53 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Oak Grove activities Message-ID: <537CB9DDD9077549945D568618BDCA0B2DF084@isgs1pdc.isgs.uiuc.edu> Pair of Coopers Hawks (small male, large female) at Weaver Park Tuesday noon...also coyote. Found a squirrel tail (and nothing else) this morning (so is that a sign of Red Tail Hawk, Coopers Hawk, Red Fox, or Coyote? I've seen all of them there in the last week). Still flocks of Juncos at park and home. It's a bit early, but Spring Beauty has broken ground and is budding already at the park. No sign of Bloodroot or Bluebells yet at my yard. Bob From bprice at pdnt.com Fri Mar 5 16:53:30 2004 From: bprice at pdnt.com (Brock) Date: Fri Mar 5 17:00:50 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] (no subject) Message-ID: <000b01c40304$ae619600$1641fa3f@user> Tough day with the wind, but still some decent sightings. Highlights: Homer Lake Green-winged Teals Common Goldeneye - female Buffleheads Lesser Scaup Fairmount Rough-legged hawk Killdeer Large flock of Scaup, Ring-necks and others, but to far away and to choppy of water to identify. Lake Vermilion Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Ducks Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Ruddy Ducks Horned Grebe ( 1 only ) From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Fri Mar 5 18:16:46 2004 From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt) Date: Fri Mar 5 18:17:09 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Puddle Duck? In-Reply-To: <000b01c40304$ae619600$1641fa3f@user> Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0403051808190.25946100000@bluestem.prairienet.org> I saw my first Spoon Billed Mallard of the year today just west of Mahomet. What a lovely sight with the setting sun at my back. Peace, Jim :---) PS. Otherwise named Northern Shoveler ['Anas clype'ata] -James Hoyt Co-steward Parkland College Prairies. Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas. Champaign County Humane Society Native Garden Chair. *********************************************************************** ******** *********************************************************************** ******** "The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held acountablefor the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy" *********************************************************************** ******** *********************************************************************** ******** From bprice at pdnt.com Sat Mar 6 15:22:41 2004 From: bprice at pdnt.com (Brock) Date: Sat Mar 6 15:30:36 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] (no subject) Message-ID: <000701c403c1$29c27dc0$0241fa3f@user> Slow day at Homer Lake: Only a couple of decent sightings 8 Fox Sparrows Red-headed Woodpecker Wood Ducks From smithsje at egix.net Sat Mar 6 20:54:21 2004 From: smithsje at egix.net (Jim & Eleanor Smith) Date: Sat Mar 6 20:59:12 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Cooper's hawk Message-ID: <E1AzoOl-0006Oe-Uu@localhost.localdomain> Hello, Bird, At least one Cooper's hawk has made frequent raids on our feeder birds. Known kills made this winter season by this hawk or hawks are as follows: pigeons....................6 doves........................7 house sparrow.........1 cowbird ....................1 screech owl...............1 How the screech owl ended being taken is a mystery. the hawk during dawn or dusk. Best regards. Jim & Eleanor Smith smithsje@egix.net 2004-03-06 From smithsje at egix.net Sat Mar 6 20:59:39 2004 From: smithsje at egix.net (Jim & Eleanor Smith) Date: Sat Mar 6 21:04:31 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] board walk I've never seen Message-ID: <E1AzoTt-0006UE-00@localhost.localdomain> Hello, Bird, I plan to be at Lake Vermilion's Board Walk at 2 pm, tomorrow, Sunday, to look for the eagle's nest if there is one, and later, to look over all the ducks on the Lake. I'll be there regardless of weather. All birders are welcome. I'll stop at the Fairmount Quarry on the return home. There is usually a wide variety of ducks there. Best regards. Jim & Eleanor Smith smithsje@egix.net 2004-03-06 From smithsje at egix.net Sun Mar 7 21:26:59 2004 From: smithsje at egix.net (Jim & Eleanor Smith) Date: Sun Mar 7 21:32:04 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] (no subject) Message-ID: <E1B0BNp-0005hQ-Bl@localhost.localdomain> Hello, Bird, Several observers have reported seeing a pair of eagles flying aroud Lake Vermilion, but none have seen a nest. An article in the Commercial News stated that there were now two nests on or near the Lake. Location not given. Two woodies and a few mallards were the only ducks seen on the lake. Fairmount Quarry had more mallards, a pair of buffleheads, and eight hooded mergansers. Best regards. Jim & Eleanor Smith smithsje@egix.net 2004-03-07 From lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu Mon Mar 8 08:57:26 2004 From: lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu (Gregory S Lambeth) Date: Mon Mar 8 09:02:40 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Arcola Marsh on 3/08 Message-ID: <84740A5A03BD2E4DA87F5745F43DAE33027CFD2C@odosex2k.odos.uiuc.edu> On Sunday, Rob Carney and I drove down to Arcola Marsh and were rewarded by a large number of duck species in very good lighting conditions. The wind, however, was another story and we were lucky not to have been blown into the marsh. White caps on Arcola Marsh!!! Duck species were the following: Ruddy Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Ring-necked Duck Common Goldeneye Mallard Shoveller Green-winged Teal Blue-winged Teal Gadwall American Wigeon Bufflehead Redhead Canvasback Wood Duck Pintail I'm always amazed at how many duck species can been seen on such a small body of water -- 16 species of duck yesterday. Also, 1 Pied billed Grebe. The Blue-winged Teal is very early and was our best bird. There were good numbers of Redhead, Canvasback and Ring-necked Ducks. I didn't count them, but I'd estimate 35 Redheads, 40 Canvasback and more than 100 Ring-necked Ducks. The first spring Busey Woods Bird Walk was on Sunday also. The wind was a factor there, too, but there were a few birds around. The best birds were a Winter Wren and an Eastern Phoebe. Greg Lambeth From vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu Mon Mar 8 08:58:00 2004 From: vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu (Vaiden, Robert) Date: Mon Mar 8 09:03:09 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] When Cooper's hawks attack! Message-ID: <537CB9DDD9077549945D568618BDCA0B1C0193@isgs1pdc.isgs.uiuc.edu> Casuality count: 2 male Cardinals, 2 (3?) Mourning Doves-probably others...I just count "feather piles", and rarely see attacks...but... There was an attack Saturday noon right at my back window...2 Doves lifted off, followed by 4 or 5 others. I thought they had just spotted me at the bedroom window...when a Coopers came rocketing by the window 10-15 feet away, and less than 5 feet off the ground-vanished around the corner of the house...don't know the results! I see the pair of Coopers Hawks almost every visit to Weaver Park. They nested there last year, and probably have been there for several years. Bob __________________________________________________ -----Original Message----From: birdnotes-bounces@lists.prairienet.org [mailto:birdnotes-bounces@lists.prairienet.org] On Behalf Of Jim & Eleanor Smith Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 8:54 PM To: Bird Notes Subject: [Birdnotes] Cooper's hawk Hello, Bird, At least one Cooper's hawk has made frequent raids on our feeder birds. Known kills made this winter season by this hawk or hawks are as follows: pigeons....................6 doves........................7 house sparrow.........1 cowbird ....................1 screech owl...............1 How the screech owl ended being taken is a mystery. the hawk during dawn or dusk. I've never seen Best regards. Jim & Eleanor Smith smithsje@egix.net 2004-03-06 _______________________________________________ Birdnotes mailing list Birdnotes@lists.prairienet.org https://mail.prairienet.org/mailman/listinfo/birdnotes From lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu Mon Mar 8 10:05:48 2004 From: lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu (Gregory S Lambeth) Date: Mon Mar 8 10:10:56 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Screech Owl Message-ID: <84740A5A03BD2E4DA87F5745F43DAE33027CFD30@odosex2k.odos.uiuc.edu> The red phase Screech Owl was back in its hole on the corner of California and Race this morning. My daughter loves driving by and saying hello to him! Greg Lambeth From bprice at pdnt.com Mon Mar 8 18:13:47 2004 From: bprice at pdnt.com (Brock) Date: Mon Mar 8 18:22:38 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] (no subject) Message-ID: <001a01c4056b$64fc1c60$71e0ddce@user> Homer Lake - Sun. Tough with wind, but got a couple of decent birds. Woodcock Hermit Thrush Brown Creeper Still quite a few Fox Sparrows -------------- next part -------------An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://mail.prairienet.org/pipermail/birdnotes/attachments/20040308/c0 77b2ab/attachment.htm From vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu Tue Mar 9 08:10:44 2004 From: vaiden at isgs.uiuc.edu (Vaiden, Robert) Date: Tue Mar 9 08:16:06 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Weaver Park Report Message-ID: <537CB9DDD9077549945D568618BDCA0B1C0198@isgs1pdc.isgs.uiuc.edu> Tuesday morning-small flock (4-5) of Cardinals, larger flock (8-10) of Juncos, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren singing, Red Tail Hawk, pair of Coyotes. Bob -------------- next part -------------An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://mail.prairienet.org/pipermail/birdnotes/attachments/20040309/8b 7d7b03/attachment.htm From jjokela59 at hotmail.com Wed Mar 10 17:52:56 2004 From: jjokela59 at hotmail.com (Janet Jokela) Date: Wed Mar 10 17:58:36 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Forestry Owls IBET post Message-ID: <Sea2-F19MfgZUr3CrJR00011a19@hotmail.com> Greetings: This message was recently posted on IBET by Rhetta Jack of Springfield, and she gave us permission to post this message on our "Birdnotes." She was birding in the U of I Forestry on Sunday. Janet Jokela Champaign Message: 9 Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2004 17:21:00 -0600 From: Rhetta Jack <lupewinku@lanscape.net> Subject: Saw-whet and Great Horned owl nest woes Hello IBETTERS, The Saw-whet owl at the U of Forestry plantation/Meadowbrook Park (in Urbana, Champaign Co.) is still present as of 11:00A today. However, it has changed roosts to roost B and apparently abandoned roost A. Roost A was where the bird has spent almost all its time since December. Ten days ago I removed all intact pellets for examination. Today there were only 2 pellets at that location and many at roost B. There has been a little whitewash and a few, less than 5 pellets at any time under roost B all winter, and I never saw the bird there personally. Today the bird was at that roost, about 15 feet up which is almost twice as high as the former roost. I speculate it may have changed roosts as the other was south facing and rather open to the south. With the warmer weather and more intense sunlight it may now prefer roost B as it is on the north side of a better filled out (long leaf) pine, quite shady, although the bird is perfectly visible if you know where it is. Of course it is possible this is a different bird but there has not been any known evidence of more than one Saw Whet at this location this season. It looked the same with heavier vertical stripes on its right side and sparse ones on the left side and behaved like the known one when aware of one's presence. Also, the Great-horned Owl nest has suffered greatly from the very strong winds of the last couple of days. The nest has slumped out of the 3 pronged fork it was in and is draped over the lowest fork. The single young nestling was holding on for dear life outside the nest and onto the crotch of the fork. I am no expert on judging nestling GHOW ages, but this bird was all downy with no signs of other feathers in the wings. Also, it was quite small. It was alert and stared at us for the brief time we viewed it. It is hard to see how this nestling can be brooded and kept sheltered from cold, rain, etc. Of course, GHOWs are tough birds. It is being fed and the nestling looked healthy. There were no signs of another nestling in the nest, crotch, or on the ground. There was a large right wing of something hanging down from the edge of the nest which by the size was from a large bird such as a pheasant or hopefully not one of the parent owls. We did not see the parent owls. There were several downed trees in the area from the winds and we heard another fall down while there. Friday the wind blew a bus off a bridge in Champaign so it is not surprising the nest is in such a predicament. The GHOWs have been nesting in this locale since at least 1985 and seem to prefer the more decrepit smaller (sqirrel) nests to use than the bigger ones. Obviously, they know what they are are doing. Rhetta Jack, Springfield, IL Sangamon Co. _________________________________________________________________ One-click access to Hotmail from any Web page – download MSN Toolbar now! http://clk.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200413ave/direct/01/ From smithsje at egix.net Sat Mar 13 21:21:22 2004 From: smithsje at egix.net (Jim & Eleanor Smith) Date: Sat Mar 13 21:20:17 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Eagle nest Message-ID: <E1B2M24-000875-T4@localhost.localdomain> Hello, Bird, Lake Vermilion's eagle nest is about 1/2 mile upstream of the bridge on west Newell road. We used a canoe to go upstream. The nest is in a big, live coottonwood about 100 yards west of the river in the river's flood plain. Two adult eagles were at the nest. One appeared to be incubating. Nest cannot be seen from the bridge. When leaves come out, nest will be difficult to see even from the river. According to local news, West Newell Road will be closed starting Monday, 3/15 until October. Best regards. Jim & Eleanor Smith smithsje@egix.net 2004-03-13 From lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu Mon Mar 15 09:03:15 2004 From: lambeth at ad.uiuc.edu (Gregory S Lambeth) Date: Mon Mar 15 09:09:57 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Arcola Marsh Field Trip Message-ID: <84740A5A03BD2E4DA87F5745F43DAE33029AE91B@odosex2k.odos.uiuc.edu> The Champaign County Audubon field trip to Arcola Marsh on Saturday, March 13th was a great success! The highlight of the trip was a clean sweep of geese, including 3 Ross' Geese. There were also about 7 Snow/Blue Geese, Canada Geese and 18 White-fronted Geese. The lighting conditions were fantastic and the Ross' Geese were relatively close allowing for very good views through the scopes. In addition, there were 16 species of ducks at Arcola Marsh: Canvasback, Goldeneye, Redhead, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Lesser Scaup, Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Wood Duck, Pintail and Shoveller. A few participants ventured on to Lake Shelbyville where we were rewarded with 2 additions to the duck list: Black Duck and Redbreasted Merganser. In addition, there were 160 White Pelicans, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 1 Woodcock. This is an unusually large number of Pelicans for East-Central Illinois (much larger numbers can be seen on the Illinois River valley, though). On Sunday morning, the 2nd Busey Woods bird walk of the season happened. There are still very few woodland migrants, but the group did find Eastern Phoebe, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren and Fox Sparrow. Greg Lambeth From jbchato at uiuc.edu Thu Mar 18 14:52:02 2004 From: jbchato at uiuc.edu (John C. Chato) Date: Thu Mar 18 15:09:40 2004 Subject: [Birdnotes] Fwd: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Message-ID: <p06020400bc7fbc44750d@[130.126.28.174]> >X-Sender: birdhouse-mailbox@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu >Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 10:26:56 -0500 >To: mlm47@cornell.edu >From: Birdhouse Network <birdhouse-mailbox@cornell.edu> >Subject: Cornell Lab of Ornithology > > >Dear Great Backyard Bird Count Participants, > >Thank you for contributing to the 7th annual Great Backyard Bird >Count (GBBC). As of March 8th, there have been almost 43,000 >checklists submitted; 555 total species observed; and 4,304,810 >individual birds counted. Wow! To view further results of this >year's GBBC, including Top 10 lists, state tables, and the Maproom, >go to the GBBC web site at ><http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/>www.birdsource.org/gbbc/. > >Given your proven dedication to birds and bird conservation, we'd >like to invite you to enhance your birding experience over the >upcoming spring/summer months by participating in The Birdhouse >Network (TBN) ><http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse>http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse . >TBN is a monitoring program where people provide birdhouses for >cavity-nesting birds such as bluebirds, swallows, and chickadees, >and monitor the activity inside the birdhouses (also called nest >boxes). Project participants collect data such as the number of eggs >and nestlings in the nest, and then submit their data to scientists >at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology over the Internet. Like the GBBC, >TBN data become part of a national database larger than any one >researcher could collect in a lifetime and aimed at answering >large-scale ecological questions about breeding bird populations. >The Birdhouse Network is a fun and exciting way to participate in >"hands-on" scientific research. > >As a TBN participant, you'll receive a welcome packet containing a >full-size (17 x 22") color poster of the top ten cavity-nesting >birds, field worksheets, instructions for logging onto the web site >to enter data, and Inside the Birdhouse, a newsletter specifically >for TBN participants. The web site provides information about >cavity-nesting birds, tips on selecting a good nest box and dealing >with predators, habitat requirements, breeding characteristics, and >much more. You'll also receive a subscription to BirdScope, the >Lab's quarterly newsletter, and access to Nestbox-L, a private email >discussion group where participants can exchange tips and share >their nest box experiences. Best of all, participants submit their >data online and view, edit, and retrieve information about their >data over the Internet as they become available. > >All of this makes The Birdhouse Network a great family and youth >group activity. A $15 participation fee helps defray the cost of >materials and data analysis. Anyone can participate, and one nest >box is all you need to begin attracting cavity-nesting birds to your >area. For more information or to sign up for The Birdhouse Network, >call (800) 843-2473, visit TBN's web site at ><http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse>http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse >or email us at birdhouse@cornell.edu. If you decide to sign up >online, be sure to let us know how you heard about TBN by choosing >"GBBC" in the "how did you hear about us" option. Do you have any >friends that may be interested in participating? Consider giving TBN >as a gift - just fill in the appropriate fields on the online >sign-up form or tell our operator when you call. > > >While on the TBN site, be sure to visit the Nest Box Cams, currently >showing a female Barn Owl incubating seven eggs, an Eastern Bluebird >nest in the process of being built, and a female Osprey looking for >a mate! > >Thank you for your interest in The Birdhouse Network! > >The Birdhouse Network >Cornell Lab of Ornithology >159 Sapsucker Woods Road >Ithaca, NY 14850 > > >Web: <http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse>http://birds.cornell.edu/birdhouse >Toll free: (800) 843-2473 >Direct: (607) 254-2416 >E-mail: birdhouse@cornell.edu > > -Beth Chato 714 W. Vermont Ave., Urbana, IL 61801 Ph: 217-344-6803 NOTE CHANGE OF E-MAIL ADDRESS: jbchato@uiuc.edu -------------- next part -------------An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://mail.prairienet.org/pipermail/birdnotes/attachments/20040318/2d 46b415/attachment.htm