Karla O'Grady, Ed Maioriello and I birded the Bot Garden this morning. While much sunnier, it was breezy and still pretty quiet and there wasn't a great deal of activity. We had a total of 58 species (including 15 warbler species) in the two and a half hours we were there. We spent most of our time on the White and Orange Trails, along the river.

Interestingly, three species continue to be nearly absent. While we had a single Wood Thrush today, counts are down from last year and down a great deal from 2006. Joel McNeal's Yellow-billed Cuckoo (May 7) remains the only sighting this year. Red-headed Woodpeckers were again absent. While the warbler counts have been really good, we continue to monitor these three species since the birds you no longer get are sometimes just as important. In this regard, the Swainson's Warbler was a Spring/Summer "regular" through 2006. Last year it made only two very brief appearances and none have been seen this year.

Today's highlights were:

Green Heron 1 (on sandbar at foot of Powereline Cut)
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 4 (the Powerline Cut pair appear to be feeding young)
Acadian Flycatcher 3
Great Crested Flycatcher 4
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Brown-headed Nuthatch 2
Eastern Bluebird 1
Wood Thrush 1 (on the way out, near the Guard House)
Gray Catbird 3
Brown Thrasher 4
Cedar Waxwing 10
Northern Parula 7
Cape May Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Yellow-throated Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 3
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 6
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Kentucky Warbler 3
Common Yellowthroat 1
Hooded Warbler 7
Canada Warbler 1
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 (15 warblers)
Summer Tanager 4
Eastern Towhee 5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Blue Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 7
Eastern Meadowlark 1 (on power line, near entrance gate)

Karla and I were at the Bot Garden this morning and since we were covering the same areas (though at different times) that Joel McNeal is reporting below, I will mention only a few things which can be added to his highlight list:

Prothonotary Warbler 1 (Orange Trail near Beaver Pond dam)
Worm-eating Warbler 1 (White Trail at Privet Eradication Area)
Blue Grosbeak 1 (Heritage Garden ----- don't know how it stood the construction noise)
Eastern Meadowlark 1 (On power line near entrance gate)
Baltimore Oriole 1 (Beaver Pond)

The addition of the Prothonotary and the Worm-eating brings the total warbler species count to 19 for the day.

I, too, wonder what has happened to the Red-headed Woodpeckers. There were two that were seen fairly regularly throughout April, but only one was reported on May 1 and none since then. Hopefully some will be spotted soon.

Birds were quiet again this overcast morning at the botanical garden. There was a brief burst of activity at the privet eradication area with a good variety of warblers, including one Bay-breasted (bringing the total warbler species count to 17 for the day). The baby Barred Owls along the river should eat well this afternoon; one of the parents was butchering a medium-sized opossum for them. I was impressed it would kill prey so large. There was a Wood Thrush singing along the orange trail creek, which is only notable because they've been so scarce at the botanical garden (this is the first report for May 08 that I see on ebird). In other scarce bird news, I haven't had a Red-headed Woodpecker at the beaverpond for about a week. I was a bit shocked to hear a Prairie Warbler along the greenhouse service road (they haven't been reported from the botanical garden since mid-April). Interestingly, there's another second-week-of-May record on ebird from 2004, but no other spring reports after April. Highlights:

Barred Owl 2 (adult seen with opossum and 1 begging owlet heard nearby)
Yellow-throated Vireo 1 (seen at Privet Eradication Area-abbreviated as PEA)
Veery 1 (orange trail near beaverpond; same spot as yesterday)
Wood Thrush 1 (orange trail up the creek from beaverpond)
Northern Parula 7
Cape May Warbler 5 (powerline through PEA)
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4 (mostly orange trail)
Yellow-throated Warbler 1 (PEA)
Pine Warbler 4
Prairie Warbler 1 (greenhouse service road)
Bay-breasted Warbler 1 (PEA)
Blackpoll Warbler 9 (group of 6 at PEA)
Black-and-white Warbler 1 (orange trail)
American Redstart 8 (scattered throughout)
Northern Waterthrush 1 (PEA)
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 (PEA)
Kentucky Warbler 4 (mostly white trail along river)
Common Yellowthroat 2
Hooded Warbler 9
Canada Warbler 1 (near river owl spot)
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 (powerline)
Summer Tanager 4
Scarlet Tanager 3 (2 orange trail, 1 white)
White-throated Sparrow 1 (white trail)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Indigo Bunting 8

In the interest of cross pollination, the Ocmulgee Audubon Society President Jim Gilreath has asked me to tell you of a fascinating talk his chapter will be having on May 12th.

IVORYBILL HUNTER AND AUTHOR TO SPEAK
Ocmulgee Audubon is pleased to announce that Dr. Geoff Hill will be speaking on his search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the Florida panhandle. He will be presenting at the monthly meeting of OAS at 7:30 PM on May 12th, 2008, at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, 4128 Forsyth Rd., in Macon.

Dr. Hill is Scharnagel Professor of Biology at Auburn University and author of the recently published book, Ivorybill Hunters: the search for Proof in a Flooded Wilderness.

While on a kayaking trip on the Choctawhatchee River in the Florida panhandle in 2005, Dr. Hill and two of his research associates found evidence of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, which has led to a coordinated search in the same area.

Ocmulgee Audubon cordially invites you to come out for Dr. Hill's presentation and what promises to be a very interesting evening.

For more information, contact Jim Gilreath at 478-923-7151 or by e-mail at jsgilreath@cox.net.

A quick run-through of the riparian sections of the botanical garden was considerably less warblery this morning, with only 14 species and much lower counts. Things were quiet and not moving around much until the sun finally came out right before I had to leave. I did finally get a botgarden FOTS Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling along the Orange Trail (hopefully the 'Rain Crow' is forecasting some significant rain tomorrow). The Phoebes under the bridge at the beaverpond just left the nest, and although the tails of the fledglings are still rather short, they already pump like they've been doing it for years. Some highlights were:

Green Heron 1 (beaverpond area)
Spotted Sandpiper 1 (heard along river)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 (heard on orange trail)
Eastern Kingbird 1 (entrance gate)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 (orange trail)
Veery 1 (orange trail at beaverpond by the bridge)
Northern Parula 6
Cape May Warbler 1 (white trail)
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5 (Ms & Fs scattered along river)
Yellow-throated Warbler 1 (orange trail)
Pine Warbler 6
Blackpoll Warbler 7 (mostly white trail)
American Redstart 12
Ovenbird 1 (orange trail)
Northern Waterthrush 2 (orange and white trail)
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 (beaverpond area)
Kentucky Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 1 (powerline)
Hooded Warbler 7 (oddly, my first look at a female this year)
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 (powerline)
Summer Tanager 3
Scarlet Tanager 3 (spread out along river)
White-throated Sparrow 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 4 (spread out along river)
Indigo Bunting 8
Eastern Meadowlark 1 (entrance gate)

All,

Apologies for not getting this out sooner. <Insert standard excuses here.> We had a nice morning out at the Sandy Creek Nature Center last Saturday. 13 souls braved the threat of yet another rainy Saturday to come out for the Cooks Trail Cleanup walk. Happily, the rain held off for most of the morning and we didn't get showers until around noon. Sadly, those few showers were about all we got!

The theme for Saturday's walk apparently was Prothonotary Warblers - we had 11 of them some from closer than 10 feet while singing. Most were in pairs. Other highlights included good looks at Black-throated Blue Warblers as well as singing Yellow-breasted Chats and a Swainson's Warbler.

Here's our checklist from the day.

Canada Goose 4
Great Egret 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 1
Chimney Swift 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 4
Northern Flicker 1
Pileated Woodpecker 4
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Acadian Flycatcher 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 5
Eastern Kingbird 2
White-eyed Vireo 5
Yellow-throated Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 9
Blue Jay 10
American Crow 8
Fish Crow 1
Carolina Chickadee 15
Tufted Titmouse 20
Carolina Wren 7
House Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 20
Veery 1
Swainson's Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 3
Gray Catbird 3
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 2
Cedar Waxwing 2
Northern Parula 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Pine Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
American Redstart 6
Prothonotary Warbler 11
Swainson's Warbler 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Kentucky Warbler 5
Common Yellowthroat 4
Hooded Warbler 3
Yellow-breasted Chat 2
Summer Tanager 2
Scarlet Tanager 2
Eastern Towhee 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 25
Indigo Bunting 16
Red-winged Blackbird 9
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 9
American Goldfinch 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Ed Maioriello

Lee Echols joined me for part of another spectacular morning at the State Botanical Garden, with 21 warbler species including first-of-the-season Bay-breasted Warblers and big numbers of American Redstarts, Blackpolls, Cape Mays, Black-throated Blues, and Northern Waterthrushes (actually outnumbering Louisianas!). From one spot on the riparian section of the white trail I heard all 3 warblers in the genus Seiurus (both Waterthrushes and Ovenbird) singing. I actually SAW a higher percentage of birds than usual, including the powerline Chat singing from a fully-exposed perch, my first botanical garden Spotted Sandpiper teetering and tottering on a sandbar where the powerline crosses the river, and all of the normal eastern tanagers and orioles. Upon exiting my car, I had my first Veery there this year greeting me with a song, and I once again had a flyover Green Heron. No Wood Thrushes, still no Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and still only a single Eastern Wood-Pewee. If any Swainson's Warblers are reading this, you're no longer a life bird for me, so feel free to return to the botgarden at any time. Highlight were:

Green Heron 1 (powerline flyover)
Spotted Sandpiper 1 (sandbar in river at powerline)
Barred Owl 1 (begging owlet heard-only on white trail)
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 (blue trail above greenhouse service rd.)
Great Crested Flycatcher 6 (probably an undercount)
Eastern Kingbird 1 (white trail across river)
Veery 1 (heard from lower parking lot)
Cedar Waxwing 5 (still a few around)
Northern Parula 8
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 (heard-only orange trail across river)
Cape May Warbler 12 (best #s along river on either side of powerline; great looks)
Black-throated Blue Warbler 8 (great looks from various spots)
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 (seen on entrance road; almost gone)
Blackburnian Warbler 1 (heard-only across river at powerline)
Yellow-throated Warbler 2 (both w/odd song-type, along river; fabulous looks at one)
Pine Warbler 6 (good looks)
Bay-breasted Warbler 3 (mediocre looks at one on blue trail above grnhs service rd.)
Blackpoll Warbler 16 (many on blue trail and along river; good looks at both Ms & Fs)
Black-and-white Warbler 2 (heard only; pretty quiet lately)
American Redstart 23 (EVERYWHERE; I was trying to avoid double-counting, and this is probably a substantial underestimate; great looks at many Ms & Fs)
Worm-eating Warbler 2 (orange trail along river; mediocre look at one)
Ovenbird 1 (white trail along river; heard only)
Northern Waterthrush 5 (all along river; multiple good looks and lots of singing)
Louisiana Waterthrush 2 (white trail; great look at one from privet eradication area)
Kentucky Warbler 5 (heard only)
Common Yellowthroat 3 (a couple glances)
Hooded Warbler 8 (mostly heard, one bad look)
Canada Warbler 1 (heard only; riparian white trail)
Yellow-breasted Chat 2 (powerline, both sides of river; great looks at the proximal one)
Summer Tanager 3 (one decent look)
Scarlet Tanager 4 (a couple great looks)
White-throated Sparrow 2 (almost gone)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 4 (a male gave us great looks at powerline; all 4 along river)
Indigo Bunting 9 (great looks, as usual)
Eastern Meadowlark 1 (singing from powerline on S. Milledge)
Orchard Oriole 1 (singing along entrance road; good look before it flew off)
Baltimore Oriole 1 (singing along riparian orange trail; brief, but good look)

In regard to the unusual bird sighting in Jackson County, there are a few distinctions that need to be clarified. What really struck me about this bird was its coloring. Take note, this bird was strikingly different from any other bird that my wife and I have ever seen. First and foremost, what awed me was its luminescent aspect. The tail was a very bright but light turquoise, and the body and wings appeared to be aqua and with some white markings. It was a rather slim bird similar in size to a scarlet tanager and appeared to fit the profile of a blue-gray tanager, which I realize seems quite preposterous due to its usual range. Blue-gray tanagers vary in color depending on the light refraction just as some other birds do. If anyone hears about or sees this bird, or has any idea what this bird might be, please contact me at rosepine17@aol.com

Re: the bird in Maggie's post:

The description sure sounds like a good ol' Blue Jay to me. Other birds love to harass them since they're notorious egg-thieves.

We saw a snow goose on the Chattahoochee about two miles above Duncan Bridge road today, and about 20 plovers.

The Flyboys took first place in the Youth Birding Competition this year with 133 species. The Flyboys are Luke Simmons, Chris Dial, Aaron Dial and Dawson Allen. We started at Jekyll Island along with the Thunderbirders and then went to Altamaha WMA and then Harris Neck. We had a great time.

Luke Simmons
The Flyboys

The Thunderbirders took first place in the middle school age group and second place overall at this years Youth Birding Competition with 129 species. The Thunderbirders are John Mark Simmons, Beth Simmons, Sam Brunson and Ashleigh Dial. We also raised the most money for conservation partly due to contributions from the Oconee Rivers Audubon Society and members. The Jekyll Island Banding Station will receive $1419.08. We had a great time and a couple of highlights were seeing a Roseate Spoonbill and hearing a Blackburnian Warbler. Thanks to everyone who helped JIBS!

Sincerely,
John Mark Simmons
The Thunderbirders

Two Barred Owls are calling as I type at 2:35 in the afternoon.

Perhaps a kestrel?

On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 10:31 AM, QT - Maggie Nettles <
qtopic-29-6JbdZFsuhUc6@quicktopic.com> wrote:

>



--
Amy Barbe
Athens-Clarke County
< replied-to message removed by QT >

Can any of you provide answers to the following email?

Hi Maggie,
   My wife and I have been birding for over 40 years and are retired teachers. On Sunday, April 27th, my wife was exercising in our garage on a stationary bike looking out into our rural landscape when she saw a most unusual bird that flew swiftly past her towards the backyard. Coincidentally, I went out on our back deck at the same time because our bluebirds were upset, and I was thinking that our local pesky hawk was on the prowl in our red cedar tree. But this was not the case. Instead, I looked to the right along an old fence line and saw the bluebirds diving and chasing what was one of the most beautiful birds that I have ever seen. This bird was flying very fast and suddenly dropped into the hayfield on the other side of the fence, so I marked the spot visually and proceeded slowly towards where it had landed. As I approached the spot, it flew up within 10 feet of me and flew away in a most rapid and skillful manner. I was stunned! I was able to view it twice, but unfortunately, not long enough to make a reasonable guess as to what it was. The bird was the exact color and size of a blue gray tanager. It was the most beautiful turquoise with some white, and perhaps some aqua. A very skilled flyer, agile and slim, with a pronounced tail. I have not seen this bird since, and believe me, I've looked! This was not an albino, not a parakeet and I don't think, a scrub jay.
   My reason for writing to you is my intense interest in finding the answer to this most unusual sighting. I live in rural Jackson County near South Jackson Elementary School. Has anyone else contacted you concerning such a sighting?
   I hope to hear from you soon.
John Sorensen
rosepine17@aol.com

Edited by author 05-02-2008 10:39 PM
Karla O'Grady, Bill O'Grady, and I had another ho-hum, 70+ species, 20 warbler spp. morning at the State Botanical Garden today. The suite of warblers was very similar to yesterday, with departed Ceruleans, Magnolia, and Orange-Crowned replaced today with a Prothonotary and 3 first of the season Canadas. We definitely heard more than we saw, but I at least had good looks at Parula, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Pine, Blackpoll, Redstart, Kentucky, Hooded, and both Waterthrushes (who were both again singing along the riparian white trail not too far from one another if you want to compare). Two downy Barred Owlets and a parent were again encountered about midway upstream directly above the riparian section of the white trail, and an owlet was still peeking out of Vanessa's nest on up the white trail away from the river. As we were watching the ones along the river, the parent owl was noisily ripping apart a chipmunk (Alvin!) that it then took to one of the hissing babies with us standing there. It's amazing how trusting they are of the dozens of people who must pass underneath them everyday.

P.S. photos of the Barred Owls are at http://www.pbase.com/joelmcneal/newest . You might want to skip the photos of the adult if bloody chipmunks make you queasy; even the owl looks disgusted by the gore in the photos!

New yard bird: Blue Grosbeak. Quite a surprise. It sat on a branch and chipped for over 10 min.