Peregrine by the Galleria

Today as I was driving west on I-10 at 8:45 am, I passed a Peregrine Falcon that was heading eastbound, more or less over the eastbound lanes, at low enough altitude for an easy naked-eye view.  Near the Galleria in Metairie.

It was flying more hesitantly than usual for this species, which is usually flies quite directly.  Maneuvering for a strike at prey?

Peregrines are known to sometimes roost on the Jefferson water tower just west of here; perhaps it was coming from there.  How great to have Peregrines in the city!  When I was growing up, it was rare- practically a fantasy bird.

Later in the day, two Red-shouldered Hawks were perched conspicuously side by side, clearly a mated pair, on the corner of a rooftop on the north side of I-10, just west of Clearview.

Peter

Wintering species returning- sightings this weekend

As expected, wintering species have jumped up in evidence around New Orleans with this latest frontal passage.

In ten minutes on the LaSalle Park boardwalk this morning, I was able to find a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and then heard a chickadee, which when I swished turned into three chickadees, two Ruby-crowned
Kinglets, a Blue-headed Vireo, and a Tennessee Warbler.  These are all standard woodland wintering species in the region, except for the Tennessee (bound for the tropics).

I led a church youth group on the Coquille Trail this afternoon, where there were also winterers that had presumably arrived sometime recently:  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Sedge Wren, Northern Harrier, and Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

The Sedge Wren was in odd habitat (semi-open swamp forest, lacking the grassy understory they tend to prefer), suggesting it was a very recent arrival still searching for preferred habitat.   Two Black Vultures tearing into a carcass on the edge of the canal (large boned- deer?) were unconcerned with our presence.

A few notable sightings came from the North Shore this weekend:  a flock of 80 Greater White-fronted Geese (a lot for our area) headed southwest over Folsom, and a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher adjacent I-10 in Slidell just north of the twin span, described as particularly long-tailed for the species (indicative of a mature male).

Good birding,

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 the Garden District or Maple Street Book Shops, or at the City Park Botanical Garden gift shop.

John Snell/WVUE piece on Roseate Spoonbills

WVUE in New Orleans ran a good piece last night on Roseate Spoonbills, discussing the history of their demise and recovery, and occurrence in the canals in the metro area.

http://www.fox8live.com/story/23846564/cajun-flamingo-comes-roaring-back-from-brink-of-extinction

I recently took John Snell around to find some in the canals along West Metairie Ave and Airline.  The canal he is standing in is along Airline, the first bridge west of Lester (we found a spoonbill there- it is in the piece, foraging next to a concrete slab).  The first shot of me talking is at Lafreniere Park (no spoonbills there at the time).

Most of the nesting footage I suspect was at Lake Martin near Lafayette, but I'm not sure.  He also incorporated foraging shots he took in Bayou Sauvage NWR in New Orleans East, where he found 20-30 earlier in the season.

There were still spoonbills in the canals, as of two days ago on Airline by Lester.  They seem to be more regular there now than in the West Metairie canal.

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 the Garden District and Maple Street Book Shops, or the gift shop in the City Park Botanical Garden.

Front may bring birds

The cold front that will be passing tonight will probably bring in a wave of migrants along with the cool weather.  We may notice an arrival of Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Most birds will, like the Yellowrumps, be species that winter in our area.  However, we tend to see many of them in especially high numbers after November fronts compared to the numbers that will spend the winter.  Many species that do not normally winter in urban landscapes are likely to show up immediately after a front at this season, before seeking out their preferred winter haunts outside the city.  For instance, a Hermit Thrush or Swamp Sparrow is more likely to turn up in your garden now than in January.

Also, several species that usually winter north of Lake Pontchartrain overshoot to the South Shore with such fronts.  These include Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, Vesper Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, and others.

If it remains rainy tonight, things may be slow still tomorrow- with the main pulse of birds delayed to Friday night.  Of course, with migration, nothing is entirely predictable!

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 the Garden District or Maple Street Book Shops, or the City Park Botanical Garden gift shop.

Longvue Garden yesterday

I led a short birdwalk for a group who came to Longvue Gardens yesterday (Saturday) morning, in association with doing a book signing.

It was a beautiful fall day.  The grounds are very well planted for birds, and under-visited by local birders.

We had a small flock of American Robins swarming over some fruiting camphor trees, accompanied by a Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  An Eastern Wood-Pewee was also in the tree, through it is not a fruit-eater and was sallying for bugs.

An immature Red-tailed Hawk was perched in a pine.

In the Nature Garden, two Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were chasing each other from tree to tree.  This species often does this in late fall when they first arrive here (they will spend the winter).  An Eastern Phoebe was also there, and 1-2 Brown Thrashers.

We also had the usual array of resident species, including Blue Jays, Fish and American Crows, Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers, Carolina Wren, etc.

Peter

Barred Owl in residential yard

This morning in the 6 am darkness, I slid open my rear sliding glass door to let my dog come inside.

In the brief period in which the door was open, a Barred Owl gave its full eight-phrase hooting call from my Live Oak, straight over my head.  This call is often described as who cooks for you, who cooks for you all.

I had a Barred Owl calling several times on and near my yard a few winters ago.   Those are my only other records in my neighborhood, or indeed anywhere in residential New Orleans.

The Barred is the species of owl most commonly encountered in the swamps outside of town, but it does not reside in the city, except for a very few that occupy our few large urban forest fragments (like the Nature Center).

Peter

My first vulture feeding in East Jefferson (ever)

Turkey Vultures were scarce far into the city before Katrina.  I rarely saw them in East Jefferson, Lakeview, Mid City, or Gentilly.  

After Katrina, they seem to me to be several fold more frequent in this area, but are almost always in the air.

In the last few years, I have begun to see them perched- on high poles or towers, or on the ground apparently nocturnally roosting.  Probably fewer than a half dozen total.

Today as I was in Metairie taking the "hidden" entrance to the Earhardt Expressway off Airline (across from the country club), one came in swooping low, and picked up an apparent small dead animal (rat?) in its beak as it stood on the ground.  Another approached low, and several crows were drawn in.

This is the first time I have actually seen a Turkey Vulture find food here.   Black Vultures continue to be even rarer this far into the city.

Good birding,

Peter