Jean Lafitte yesterday afternoon

Yesterday I walked the Coquille Trail in the early afternoon with a group of about ten families members and church friends.

Early on the trail we came across a flock of a dozen or so American Robins energetically feeding on berries in the canopy, flying back and forth over the trail from tree to tree.

A few minutes farther down the trail, two Barred Owls started hooting back and forth to each other.  I tried to bring one in by imitating, and seemed to maybe get them a bit more energized, but they did not approach.

As expected, there were Yellow-rumped Warbler checks to be heard everywhere, and an occasional Swamp Sparrow chip, Phoebe sip, Carolina Wren teakettle, or Carolina Chickadee deedeedee.

After we turned along the Kenta Canal, a Hairy Woodpecker passed by through the trees, giving its characteristic sharp peek.

From the observation platform at trail end, two flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds were visible out in the marsh.  Birds peeled from them in small groups for the next twenty minutes, passing over or past the platform and calling check as they headed over the cypress swamp.

Raptors were a general plus, totaling two harriers, a kestrel, a Bald Eagle, and tons of vultures- mainly Turkey but a few Blacks.

Good birding!

Peter

Sign of spring already! Mourning Dove performing courtship flight in Jefferson.

It may seem a stretch to think that our spring nesting species can be getting into the mindset already, but today I stepped out to my car and saw a Mourning Dove arc over the street on stiff wings.  This is their courtship flight!

This may seem crazy, but actually happens fairly regularly- my notes record that I witnessed it in December in both 2011 and 2012. 

Peter

Peregrine and Pipits

Yesterday about 1 pm, a Peregrine was under the Jefferson water tower at Causeway x I-10.  A traditional spot for the species, though always hit or miss.

This morning as I was driving Hwy 90 below the gently descending Huey P Long railroad bridge in Bridge City, a flock of about 30 American Pipits came flying into the neutral ground, showing the  relaxed, weaving movement diagnostic of pipit flocks.

Peter

Pine Warbler in for the winter

This morning as I stepped out my door, a familiar smacking note came from the three tall pines across the street.

Pine Warbler.

Pine Warblers are scattered throughout residential New Orleans in winter, and although they are not strictly limited to areas where mature pines are present, they certainly are much more often found where some are present.  Even a mere handful of tall pines- perhaps just three or four- seems to be enough to coax one into spending the winter.

Male Pine Warblers are sharp-looking, green above, with bright yellow breast and throat, and two crisp white wingbars.  To me, they bear more resemblance to a Yellow-throated Vireo to any other warbler- but the latter are not around in winter so don't create confusion this time of year.  Female Pines are duller: browner above, with dingier and more restricted yellow below.  Immatures are also dull, with some so muted that they appear essentially gray-brown above (with wingbars) and off-white below.

Pine Warblers nest commonly on the North Shore, where they are present and widespread the year round and often venture into yards from surrounding pine stands.   South of Lake Pontchartrain, they are exclusively a winter visitor, with us till March or April.

Good birding!

Peter

Two thousand migrants making corrective flight this morning

I walked ut to South Point in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge this morning.  This takes around a half hour, starting from the I-10 frontage road, which hugs the north side of I-10 as it works back west from the base of the Highway 11 bridge.

Rather than walking along the crest of the lake levee, I hugged the edge of the willow scrub on the walk out.  Forty American Pipits were foraging on the mown levee, repeatedly taking up and resettling as a group.

As I approached a spot where the willows broke and gave a view into the impoundment, I heard duck noises coming from behind the scrub.  Suddenly, 500 Gadwall erupted into the air, splitting into two groups which rejoined and settled back into the marsh beyond view.  A hundred more sat tight long enough for me to spy a handful of American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal among them.

Winds seemed approximately ENE, which is a little more easterly than the ideal N-NE for corrective movements following cold fronts at South Point.  Nevertheless, birds heading out across the water toward Slidell were in evidence already during the latter half of my approach.  I ended up conducting a count from one spot near the point for 50 minutes, during which time flocks of American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and Yellow-rumped Warblers staged a consistent procession into the headwind, past me and out over the lake toward Slidell, five miles or so distant.  Totals in the timed count were  remarkably evenly split:  655 robins, 615 waxwings, and 635 yellowrumps.  The waxwings were nice to see; while robins and yellowrumps are a predictable feature of late November flights here, waxwings are essentially absent some years.

While I counted, I was treated to a Cooper's Hawk and two Northern Harriers- one a gray adult male-  working the point.  A Clapper Rail clacked out in the tidal marsh.  A Common Loon swam in the lake, and another flew past westbound.

Walking back, I stopped to make coaxing noises at one spot, and drew an immediate response from hoards of agitated, chipping Swamp Sparrows.  A few minutes later they were joined by a flock of small insectivores, including a Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Phoebe, several Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and a half dozen or so Yellow-rumped Warblers.  Moving on, I came upon a Marsh Wren, which volunteered itself without coaxing, jumping into view atop a reed to fuss at me.

As I approached my car, a pair of Chipping Sparrows spooked off the shoulder of the shell road.  Where had they been on the walk out?  Finally, while leaving, I was treated to both a hefty Red-tailed Hawk and a dainty Sharp-shinned Hawk, the latter flapping energetically as it was buffeted by the wind.

Peter

Three more raptor species

The day after my last post, I added three new raptor species while out and about in the city!

Yesterday, while I was leading a birdwalk on the UNO campus, a Peregrine came zipping eastbound down the lakefront.  (This happened seconds after an eager student had to peel off and go to class- why does it seem to happen that way??)

The remaining participants spied an Osprey tearing into a fish on a pylon out in the lake.

Finally, while leaving campus on Elysian Fields at 5 pm, I drove beneath a Cooper's Hawk perched on the horizontal arm of one of the streetlights.  Streaked below:  immature.

Gotta love it,

Peter

Raptors around the city

There are birds of prey around New Orleans all the time, and just keeping your eyes open will produce sightings as you go about your daily business.  Here is my tally from today and yesterday:

Turkey Vulture-  a dozen or more total, including six circling low over the UNO Research and Technology Park, descending like they were coming down to carrion.  Also one on the ground in a busy median on the UNO campus, surrounded by several crows- at food, presumably.

Black Vulture- every morning they are hanging around Segnette Blvd x Lapalco on the West Bank, where they roost on the tall electrical towers.

American Kestrel- one on Jamie Blvd about a quarter mile off Lapalco, where I have see it on the wire about half of the times I passed so far this fall.

Sharp-shinned Hawk- one yesterday morning over the Earhardt Expwy in Metairie, buffeted by the high winds.  Quite small- probably a male (males are smaller than females in raptors, generally).

Red-shouldered Hawk- one on a roadside wire on River Road yesterday, near Ochsner.  Another today, circling over Old Metairie not far from the Galleria.

Red-tailed Hawk- one came low overhead in Harahan in the cold early morning yesterday, chased by noisy crows.  Another perched near the Earhardt in Metairie today.

All this without the usual Cooper's Hawk! 

Good birding,

Peter