Birding Made Easy New Orleans: January 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Suddenly we have eagles nesting in the city!

For the first time ever that I know of, we have urban nesting Bald Eagles this year in New Orleans- and in two places! They are winter nesters, so are occupying the nests right now.

One nest is on the West Bank, along Wall Blvd just north of Vespatian (so not far off Gen DeGaul). This nest is practically right on the road, in a tall bald cypress. It is on a large tract of open abandoned land.

The other nest, recently covered on the tv news, is in Gentilly by SUNO. It is in Pontchartrain Park (Bartholomew golf course). I saw the two adults today sitting together by the baseball diamond at the north end of the park (on the light tower adjacent first base). I did not have time to stop, but saw what I believe was the nest in a bald cypress on the golf course, across from the southern edge of SUNO.

In addition, the activity around David Drive/West Esplanade in Kenner, including a pair of adults, makes me suspect a third nest is somewhere in that area.

Crazy, but awesome!

Peter

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Birds to look for # 4: Great, Snowy, and Cattle Egrets

In southeast Louisiana, it is common to see large white wading birds- in wetlands, urban drainage canals, even stalking peoples' yards. Three common members of this group are the Great, Snowy, and Cattle Egrets. These three species are easy to tell apart based on two characteristics- overall size, and beak color.

Great Egret- very large (chest high on a human in typical posture), yellow beak.

Snowy Egret- small (thigh high), black beak.

Cattle Egret- small (knee-thigh high), yellow beak.

There are other differences that are also definitive, if seen. Cattle Egrets often have a buffy tinge on the crown and breast (especially in breeding season). Snowy Egrets have black legs (often with yellow stripe up the back) with yellow feet. The egrets' shapes are noticeably different to the trained eye- Great Egret long and slender, Snowy dainty, Cattle squat and short-necked. Great Egrets have a characteristic "leaning forward" pose with neck and beak extended diagonally upward, that gives away their identity even at a great distance. Cattle Egrets are often seen in flocks of a half dozen or more on short dry grassy surfaces such as the margins of roads- though the Great often hunts away from water, you will seldom see more than one or two in the same place doing so.

There are two other white waders with which egrets might be confused. White Ibis are common, even in urban areas, and have conspicuously down-curved beaks; they fly with neck stretched out (egrets tuck theirs) and have black wing tips. During their first year, Little Blue Herons are white. Young Little Blues are less frequently encountered than any of the three egrets, but are not uncommon. They take some care to distinguish. They are the size of a Snowy, but have a blue-gray beak with a crisply defined black tip (Snowy's black beak can become pale toward the base, but it doesn't form a sharply delineated black tip). Little Blues have green legs and feet. Their shape is less dainty than Snowy Egrets- thicker neck and thicker beak. Many have a gray tinge on the wing tips in flight, which is diagnostic if present.

If you are at Grand Isle-Elmer's Island-Fourchon, you may also run into a white phase Reddish Egret. They are in between Snowy and Great in size, have a notably bulky/shaggy neck, and usually a flesh colored beak with black tip. No yellow slippers.

James Beck provided the photos below (Thanks, James!), which are in the order Great-Snowy-Cattle. The Snowy and Cattle are in unusually bright nuptial colors.

Peter

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Ducks along Marconi in City Park

Today I was driving up the west edge of City Park and noticed flocks of ducks in the adjacent bayou in City Park. This is always a good place to view things, since the bayou is not very wide. The following ducks and other water birds were all in the stretch between the viewing deck (north of Harrison) up to Robert E. Lee:
54 Gadwall
33 Ring-necked Duck
8 American Coot
5 Pied-billed Grebe
4 Double-crested Cormorant
3 Common Gallinule
2 Black-crowned Night Heron
2 Great Egret
2 Anhinga

the gallinules are of special note- not easy to find inside the city (though numerous outside)

there were also 100 or so White Ibis roosting in some trees on the edge, at the crossing of Filmore

there was also one "park" Mallard, but otherwise no other ducks- making this a good opportunity to acquaint with these waterfowl species without the identification challenges occurring when there are more species present.

Peter

For a copy of Birding Made Easy-New Orleans, email me at birding.made.easy.new.orleans@gmail.com, or look for it at area book stores. It is now available at
Uptown: Garden District Book Shop, Maple Street Book Shop, Octavia Books
French Quarter and Marigny: Peach Records, Fauborg Marigny Art Books Music, Librairie Book Shop, Beckham's Bookshop, Arcadian Books and Prints, the Crabnet
Mid City: City Park Botanical Garden, Community Book Center

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Friday, January 24, 2014

First Purple Martin reported back

A Purple Martin was reported on Wednesday in Baton Rouge- the first of the "spring." This is always our first non-wintering species to return- and comes back weeks before anything else.

Always seems odd that an aerial insectivore would risk coming back in our coldest month- but they do so frequently. Usually these first returnees are well ahead of the bulk of the species' nesting population, which will arrive a month or more from now.

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Congregation of Blue Jays

About two or three times a year, I run into an odd gathering of Blue Jays, all fussing and calling excitedly in a small area of vegetation, with no predator apparent that could be drawing them.

Today was such an occurrence- twenty or more jays were gathered simultaneously in a small overgrown "Katrina" lot in Gentilly, just east of the London Avenue Canal. Single shotgun size. At one point thirteen of them were in a pair of small side-by-side tallow trees. The mob lasted for about five minutes, then dispersed.

Jays normally move in groups of four or so birds. I do not know what causes these larger gatherings to develop, but given their agitation/excitement, it suggests to me that several local groups have encountered each other at mutual boundaries of their home ranges, and are asserting their supremacy by calling and posturing. It brought to mind a scene from a Twilight movie where groups of vampires and/or wolves are growling and sneering, facing each other down.

Oh, yeah, the Katrina lot also had fifteen Yellowrumps, an Orange-crowned Warbler, two Cardinals (tough to come by in the Katrina residential flood zone), a White-throated Sparrow, and a Sapsucker- not bad for such a small space.

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

200 Yellowrumped Warblers channeling their inner pipits

At the lake levee at UNO just now (930 AM), adjacent the Alumni Center, was a pure flock of 200 Yellow-rumped Warblers creeping about on the lawn. They were far enough from trees that I first thought they were American Pipits (an open country bird we get here in the winter, that also moves about in flocks in wide grassy expanses).

I have seen an unusual amount of ground foraging by Yellowrumps in the last several weeks, but this is a new ground-foraging maximum for me for the species. And unusually open habitat for them.

I can only speculate that the recent cold weather has shifted the distribution of food down to ground level somehow. Perhaps they are on the south-facing levee slope because it tilts toward the sun, and warmer temperatures there make the bugs more active- ?

The birds themselves did not seem put out by the cold- several of them were bathing in a rain puddle.

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Birds to look for #3 Double-crested Cormorant and Anhinga

I am discussing these two species together because of their similarity of appearance and behavior. From now through April, Double-crested Cormorants will be one of our most conspicuous and numerous waterbirds in urban waterways and shorelines- perhaps second only to the two common species of gulls (Ring-billed and Laughing). Cormorants are goose-sized birds with long necks and hefty bodies, and are mostly or wholy black. The only significant non-black plumage is found on immatures, which have a pale breast and foreneck. Cormorants are conspicuous along our waterways, perching on pylons and breakwaters in the Lake, on pipes that cross above our roadway canals, even sitting on high tension towers. Out of the water they sit rather upright, and appear somewhat hunched. Their legs are short, making them hard to confuse with our other long-necked birds (herons, egrets, and ibis). When swimming, the neck is the primary part of the bird visible, although the back also shows. The beak is usually held up at an angle.

Anhingas are similar to Cormorants, in their size, shape, primarily black coloration, and habit of sitting with wings stretched to dry. Anhingas are less common than cormorants in winter, but a dozen can still be seen in a day with luck. A congregation may form "passively" when several choose to fish the same body of water, but they otherwise tend not to flock (except while actively migrating). They are most often seen perched around shorelines, most commonly on the branches of trees, usually not too far above the water (cormorants will perch higher up more readily). They are frequently visible along the bayous at Audubon Park and at Couturie Forest in City Park, on the edges of the lake in Lafreniere Park, and elsewhere. In summer (May-Sep), cormorants will leave, making the Anhinga the much-more-likely species to see.

The main distinguishing features of Anhingas are:
1) longer tail, with a buff tip.
2) stilleto-shaped beak (cormorants have a slight bulbous hooked tip).
3) on females and immatures, pale neck and breast that forms a crisp border with the black belly (cormorants have a fuzzy boundary).
4) white flecking on the upper parts
5) in the water, Anhingas sit lower- often only the neck shows. This snake-like appearance is the source of a colloquial moniker for the species: Snake bird.
6) Anhingas have a somewhat freakish, prehistoric look to them.

Anhingas in the air are usually seen soaring in circles; cormorants fly with beating, direct flight. Anhingas in the air have an odd cross-like shape- the neck, tail, and wings are strangely similar in length, and held at approximately right angles when soaring.

Although the Neotropical Cormorant occurs in the western part of the state, regularly even as close as Baton Rouge, it reaches the New Orleans area only infrequently. Any cormorant in the area covered by Birding Made Easy-New Orleans can be assumed Double-crested.

Finallly, don't get side-tracked looking for the "double crest" of the Double-crested Cormorant- it is usually not visible.

Good birding,

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Skimmers at the Ted Hickey Bridge

This morning at around 9 am, I stopped by the Ted Hickey Bridge (where Leon C. Simon crosses the Industrial Canal). As usual with a north wind, the breakwaters were bare- splashed heavily by waves.

In the sandy cove, 29 Black Skimmers were hunkered down, and allowed close viewing from the road. This is probably the best place in metro New Orleans (South Shore) to find them in the winter, but they are often absent.

Otherwise, there were the usual numbers of both Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls, and a few Herring Gulls (mostly birds in their first winter- fully brown). One adult Bonaparte's Gull was sitting with them on docks.

Surprisingly, no terns or pelicans at all, and only one cormorant.

A group of about 50 American Coots was bobbing up and down in the waves between the breakwaters- sea duck wannabes.

In the lawn area more or less across Lakeshore Drive from the base of the breakwaters, there were a handful of Killdeer, a small shorebird (most likely Least Sandpiper), and a flock of 35 or so American Pipits.

Good birding, Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

100 Warblers foraging on the ground

Today as I walked past the Fine Arts Building at UNO, I noticed that the grassy surface of the lawn seemed to be moving. I looked more closely, and it was covered with Yellow-rumped Warblers that had descended from the shade trees. Most were foraging, but a few bathed in rain puddles. There was a continuous flow of birds up and down from the trees, and occasionally a large part of the flock would flush up into the branches when spooked.

Flock foraging on the ground happens occasionally with this species, which is more comfortable foraging on the ground in the open than just about any other warbler. Pine Warblers will sometimes descend to the ground with them, and indeed four were mixed in the Yellowrump flock today- along with a lone American Goldfinch.

The flock on the lawn numbered 70- and an additional 30 or so were on and near the ground (leaf litter) in the nearby small woodlot.

Earlier in the day, I had also seen 20 or so Yellowrumps on the ground in an abandoned "Katrina lot" on Harrison Avenue. I wonder if the recent cold snap has somehow shifted their food distribution so that more of it is at ground level now- ?

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Monday, January 13, 2014

More signs of avian spring

Yesterday, two Red-shouldered Hawks flew over my house in Old Jefferson, one of them calling loudly and stridently. One was barely over the trees, and the other was pretty high up, more or less overhead the lower bird; the high bird traced the low bird's flight line and posture, gliding with wings set in the same position- presumably a courtship interaction.

Then, this morning, my first singing Mourning Dove of the year- also on my street.

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Bald Eagle and Shovelers- Lafreniere Park

I spotted a Bald Eagle twice today along David Drive in Metairie- flying north over West Napoleon near 10 am, and a few hours later perched on a high tension tower between there and West Metairie. I have seen one previously in this area this winter- I wonder if there could be a nest nearby somewhere. This time of year they are on eggs.

A brief visit to Lafreniere Park produced the usual horde of White Ibis (210), American Coots, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, and Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls, plus the usual exotic park fowl. Three Great Blue Herons were sleeping near the gazebo on the boardwalk (on the adjacent dry ground). Five or so Northern Shovelers, including four drakes, were welcome arrivals since my last visit a few weeks ago- nice to see them up close.

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Bird to look for # 2: Pied-billed Grebe

Among our swimming waterbirds, the most diminutive is the Pied-billed Grebe. It is common in our area in winter, especially outside the developed area in places like the Bayou Sauvage refuge, but does occur on some of our urban water bodies. Yesterday I saw two in Bayou St. John, just south of Harrison Avenue, from Wisner. I often find them on the London Outflow Canal adjacent the UNO campus. They are usually solitary in such contexts, although in good habitat they will of course be near other waterbirds.

Pied-billed Grebes are non-descript in their coloration- brownish all over, without any distinctive markings. The one exception is on the bill, where a contrasting black ring may be visible just in from the tip- but this is faint on many. Their drabness is itself a field mark, but the most useful characters are its small size and its nub-like beak. The beak is shaped more or less like a bullet (in profile)- moderately short, rounded at the tip.

Pied-billeds dive, and it is likely that one you find will be up and down while you watch. Sometimes they appear to get sucked under, disappearing belly-first. One colloquial name is "hell-diver."

PY

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Bird to look for #1: Common Loon

I plan for this to be the inaugural entry into a series of "Bird to look for" posts. Each will describe a bird species (or set of similar species) that can be found in the city, either in residential habitats or on our urban bodies of water, with aid of binoculars.

COMMON LOON

Loons are large swimming birds, larger than a Mallard. They can regularly be found in the winter months on Lake Pontchartrain, but are unlikely to be found anywhere else near the city.

Loons are heavy bodied. They sit low in the water; nevertheless, their size will be evident. We have them (approximately) from November through April. Loons have heavy spear-shaped beaks, that are held horizontal. The only species in our area that is a real candidate for being confused with a loon is the Double-crested Cormorant, which is about the same size. However, cormorants out on the Lake will differ in looking thinner- and longer-necked, holding their beaks at a slight (but noticeable) upward angle, and having a less fearsome beak- with a tip that is slightly bulbous and hooked. The beak will not look largely pale, as they do in loons. Loons also have a crisp pattern on the head and neck: dark above, light underneath (chin and throat) that is less contrasty (is that a word?) and more blurred in cormorants (in some cormorants, the neck is fully black). In April, however, some loons will begin to acquire their breeding plumage before they leave- more extensively dark on the head and neck, but also checkered with white on the back (unlike cormorants).

The best way to find loons is simply to stop at several spots on the lakefront and scan the water with binoculars. Sometimes they are very close to shore, other times farther out. They dive after fish, so often disappear underwater and reappear. While on the surface they often bend their neck and stick just their face in, apparently scanning for fish. Cormorants do not generally do this.

When I take my classes to the UNO lakefront in winter, a loon is visible probably half the time. Sometimes they seem to have a special affinity for the area near the Industrial Canal (Ted Hickey Bridge). The Mandeville Lakefront is also a good area, probably best by the breakwaters at the east end. They do not normally form flocks, but a dozen or more may loosely congregate in a small area with good fishing.

A birder on the Lake Erie shore once boasted to me that he could draw in some loons that were out on the water by using a hand motion. He proceeded to hold his arm out from his hip (upper arm tight against body, lower arm held straight out sideways,open palm facing toward the birds). He slowly waved his hand up and down, and the three loons swam right toward us! I have tried it many times since, and had it work some times- but not others. If you are close enough for a loon to notice, give it a try!

None of the other loon species occur in Louisiana except as "accidentals"- if you see a loon, you may assume it to be a Common.

Good birding,

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Honey Island Swamp and Bayou Sauvage today

I spent from 10:15-12:30 with visiting birders in the Honey Island Swamp, on old Hwy 11. The highlight was a Barred Owl which came in and put on a show in response to my hooting imitation, at the first bridge. The other most notable feature of the area was the number of woodpeckers- probably the most conspicuous taxon of birds there, apart from warblers (ie, Yellow-rumped Warblers). We had seven species: Pileated, Red-bellied, Red-headed, Hairy, Downy, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Northern Flicker, probably about 25 woodpeckers total. My first Downy doing a drum roll this "spring."

Madere Marsh Overlook on Chef Menteur Highway in Bayou Sauvage is quite birdy; at 2 pm it had numbers (10+ each) of Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, and Green-winged Teal. There were smaller numbers of other ducks as well. Flocks of gulls and terns sitting, mainly Forster's Terns and Ring-billed Gulls, but some other interesting species mixed in- eg, 4 Caspian Terns, and Bonaparte's Gull. Black-necked Stilts all over, large waders of various species scattered around the edge. American Pipits are foraging in the mud clumps by the boardwalk, affording good viewing opportunities. A very birdy spot- very helpful to have a scope, but birding is worthwhile with just binocs. Light is best in the afternoon.

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Woodlot in Harahan industrial hood

Late this afternoon I made a fifteen minute stop at a woodlot in Harahan, on the western edge of the industrial complex. This particular spot is one of my favorite stops to bird while running errands in the Harahan area during migration; I don't get there much in winter.

Recent disturbance has resulted in about 25% of the forest cover being demolished, and the open weedy areas becoming short grass. Not sure what is planned for the site. Less bird habitat, but easier to see into than before.

Swishing turned up the usual "urban forest" suspects immediately: several Yellow-rumped and an Orange-crowned Warbler, and a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

Two male Cardinals rose up from the undergrowth to have a look.

A Carolina Wren came in and expressed its agitation at me by singing boisterously. teakettle teakettle teakettle.

Finally, an Eastern Phoebe approached, tail wagging, giving its "sip" call. Then a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker flew up to the naked tree near me- white chin and black breast plate, indicating adult female (most probably).

Oddly, a Great Blue Heron was perched on the edge of one of the warehouse roofs nearby- no significant water that I know of nearby.

Good birding,

Peter

Metairie: Double M Feed on W. Esplanade

Harahan: Double M Feed on Jefferson Hwy
North Shore: Mandeville Chiropractic

Friday, January 3, 2014

First avian signs of approaching spring

December and early January always provide a few instances of birds "thinking" about the coming nesting season, despite us still being short of the coldest part of the winter.

On December 23, I had Eurasian Collared-Doves singing in Jefferson Parish; I have heard more since.

Yesterday, a House Finch was singing in Jefferson Parish as well.

With a few exceptions, song in birds is generally associated with breeding season (other vocalizations are less seasonally restricted)

The amount of spring-like activity so far has actually been less than what I noticed last year- when in addition to Collared Doves, I noticed Mourning Doves and Carolina Chickadees both singing on multiple dates in the first half of December.

There are some species that are well known to be in the midst of breeding activities by now: Great Horned Owl and Bald Eagle both get started very early.

Later this month, the first clear-cut migrants will arrive from the south- a few Purple Martins are usually reported back somewhere in the state in late January.

Peter