"No news" means no positive or negative reports were received; it usually means nobody was looking or those who were looking didn't report (or weren't able to).
By now it's most likely that folks chasing the bird are alone or in pairs and unable to report the bird as fast as larger groups have been able to. The key is just getting a positive or negative answer. Eventually. Most people who would drop everything to see the bird, already have.
Jan. 8 - No, several people looking
Jan. 7 - No, several people looking
Jan. 6 - no news
Jan. 5 - no news
Jan. 4 - yes
Jan. 3 - no news
Jan. 2 - No; several people looking in the AM.
Jan. 1 - YES (belated NARBA report)
Dec. 31 - no news
Dec. 30 - no news
Dec. 29 - YES - viewed briefly in AM across road from adobe house, Daniel's Ranch, RG Village, BBNP
Dec. 28 - YES - viewed this AM across the road from the adobe house (Daniel's Ranch)
Dec. 26 - no news
Dec. 25 - no news
Dec. 24 - no news
Dec. 23 - YES - Carolyn Ohl-Johnson reported it in this morning near Daniel's Ranch, RG Village, Big Bend Nat'l Park.
Dec. 22 - Negative report
Dec. 21 - NO
Dec. 20 - YES per Tex-Birds listserv and Rich Kostecke, Ph.D,
"This morning (12/20/10), myself and 4 others were able to view the Tufted Flycatcher from approx. 1020-1110 at Daniels Ranch, Rio Grande Village, Big Bend National Park. It was actively feeding, sallying forth to catch insects, and occassionally perching and preening in the mid-story to canopy of the cottonwoods closest to and immediately northeast of the trailhead to Hot Springs (i.e., the cottonwoods along the road that leads north to the ponds). Rich Richard Kostecke, Ph.D.
Dec. 19 - no news
Dec. 18 - no news
Dec. 17 - YES - per narba.org: 9:15am, the west end of the large clearing, on the south side of the road to Daniels Ranch, about 200 to 300 yards from the adobe building. The bird was seen low in one of the small trees and then perched or flycatching till at least 10am. (Bruce Sherman, David Crowe, others)
Dec. 16 - no news
Dec. 15 - no news
Dec. 14 - no
Dec. 13 - YES
Dec. 12 - YES Steve Gross reports seen 0.2 miles E. of Daniel's Ranch, RG Village, BBNP at 0915 hrs to 1045 hrs. From NARBA and Carolyn Ohl: sightings starting at 8:05 and lasting at least through 11am. (Carolyn Ohl-Johnson, others).
Dec. 11 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (numerous people, am)
Dec. 10 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (Erik Breden, am)
Dec. 9 - no news
Dec. 8 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (Ron Baltzegar, 9:07 am)
Dec. 7 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (Jim Hines, 10:30 am)
Dec. 6 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (numerous people, 8:30 am)
Dec. 5 - YES
Between campsites 56 & 57 (numerous people, 8:40 am)
Dec. 4 - YES
Daniel's Ranch area (numerous people, ? am - noon)
Behind campsite 87 (Cameron Carver, Steve Collins, 3:08 pm)
Dec. 3 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (bird walk of 8 people, 10:15 am)
Dec. 2 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (numerous people, 8:45 am)
Dec. 1 - YES
Cottonwood grove east of Daniel's Ranch (numerous people, 11:30 am)
Blogging from Marathon, TX about birding, butterflies, moths and more. Exploring the gems of Brewster County, Post Park, Big Bend National Park and the surrounding region. Bird watching: Big Bend and beyond!
Showing posts with label Tufted Flycatcher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tufted Flycatcher. Show all posts
Friday, January 14, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Resist Temptation
Gentle reminder, dear birders.
National Parks are no 'pishing' zones.
They are also no 'playback' zones.
This applies to State Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Management Areas, areas that are birded, ANY area that has endangered species, and at any time of year that birds could be nesting. It's in the better interest of the bird to avoid undue stress, activity, etc.
While iThings and eGadgets and crazyphones might be required for surviving the urban jungle, avoid temptation. Leave the devices off, or in your car while out birding. Use headphones if you want to double check a call you've heard. Don't know what you saw? Wait, look harder, or walk away. Don't know what you heard? Look for the source; not all recordings will cover all vocalizations.
***
This topic came up due to recent discussions at a CBC, and it highlights the technology gap that many birders have never experienced. Birders who have never birded without the technological crutch would have a very different experience without it. I have never used playback; Matt and I never even carry equipment capable of it. We go through a mental checklist of whether or not it's worth it for the bird and situation before 'pishing' - birds may go unseen, but it's better for the bird. The welfare of the creature is of utmost importance, our sighting/documentation is not even on the radar. For CBCs, in some situations, it may be worth it 'for the count' to get a better look at a bird. Still, all of the above checks and balances apply.
Learn calls. Leave the gear at home.
Our backgrounds are in conservation; perhaps this makes us more aware, but perhaps it also shows that bird-ing does not give birds the respect that is due.
Edit:
As of April 10, 2011 there is a fantastic post on David Sibley's blog,
the proper use of playback in birding with thoughtful comments and good discussion... and mention of Brown-headed Cowbirds being opportunistic re: playback.
National Parks are no 'pishing' zones.
They are also no 'playback' zones.
This applies to State Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Management Areas, areas that are birded, ANY area that has endangered species, and at any time of year that birds could be nesting. It's in the better interest of the bird to avoid undue stress, activity, etc.
While iThings and eGadgets and crazyphones might be required for surviving the urban jungle, avoid temptation. Leave the devices off, or in your car while out birding. Use headphones if you want to double check a call you've heard. Don't know what you saw? Wait, look harder, or walk away. Don't know what you heard? Look for the source; not all recordings will cover all vocalizations.
***
This topic came up due to recent discussions at a CBC, and it highlights the technology gap that many birders have never experienced. Birders who have never birded without the technological crutch would have a very different experience without it. I have never used playback; Matt and I never even carry equipment capable of it. We go through a mental checklist of whether or not it's worth it for the bird and situation before 'pishing' - birds may go unseen, but it's better for the bird. The welfare of the creature is of utmost importance, our sighting/documentation is not even on the radar. For CBCs, in some situations, it may be worth it 'for the count' to get a better look at a bird. Still, all of the above checks and balances apply.
Learn calls. Leave the gear at home.
Our backgrounds are in conservation; perhaps this makes us more aware, but perhaps it also shows that bird-ing does not give birds the respect that is due.
Edit:
As of April 10, 2011 there is a fantastic post on David Sibley's blog,
the proper use of playback in birding with thoughtful comments and good discussion... and mention of Brown-headed Cowbirds being opportunistic re: playback.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Big Bend NP - east CBC
This entry is backdated to reflect the date of the count; these numbers are via the Christmas Bird Count web site and the 'current year' results (date of reference 2/18/2011). I've removed number/party hour for the sake of the blog format which already crunches the columns awkwardly.
Big Bend N.P. (east) [TXBG]
Texas Region
29.1833°, -103.0°
Christmas Bird Count
Count Year: 111
Rio Grand overlook near Rio Grande Village; not taken during the count.
CW = count week
PS = present for some time
GD = good details
Species / Number
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 4
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 11
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 3
Mexican Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) 13
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 24
duck sp. (Anatinae) 10
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 1
Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) 50
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Great Blue Heron (Blue form) (Ardea herodias) 0 0 CW
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 2
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 2
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 3
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 5
Buteo sp. (Buteo) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) 0 0 CW
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 3
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 7
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) 6
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) 3
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 17
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 5
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) 5
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) 1
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 2
hummingbird sp. (Trochilidae) 3
Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) 2
Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) 9
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 2
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris) 7
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3
Tufted Flycatcher (Mitrephanes phaeocercus) 1 PS
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) 3
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 14
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 19
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) 21
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) 5
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) 2
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) 4
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 14
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) 19
Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) 2
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) 26
Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 7
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 23
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 8
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) 32
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 GD
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 21
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 2
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) 3
Crissal Thrasher (Toxostoma crissale) 3
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) 13
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) 25
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler (Dendroica coronata) 6
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (Dendroica coronata) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 8
Canyon Towhee (Melozone fuscus) 1
Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) 29
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 4
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 6
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 4
sparrow sp. (Emberizinae) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 13
Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) 25
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 185
Weather & Effort
Count Date: Dec 29, 2010
Number of Participants: 17
Number of Party Hours: 35.0
Species Reported: 74
Low Temperature: 33
High Temperature: 80
AM Weather: Clear
Rain: None
Snow: None
PM Weather: Clear
Rain: None
Snow: None
Big Bend N.P. (east) [TXBG]
Texas Region
29.1833°, -103.0°
Christmas Bird Count
Count Year: 111
Rio Grand overlook near Rio Grande Village; not taken during the count.
CW = count week
PS = present for some time
GD = good details
Species / Number
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 4
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 11
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 3
Mexican Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) 13
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 24
duck sp. (Anatinae) 10
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 1
Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) 50
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1
Great Blue Heron (Blue form) (Ardea herodias) 0 0 CW
Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 2
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 2
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 3
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 5
Buteo sp. (Buteo) 1
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 2
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) 0 0 CW
Sora (Porzana carolina) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 3
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 7
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) 6
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) 3
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 17
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1
Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 5
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) 5
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) 1
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) 2
hummingbird sp. (Trochilidae) 3
Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) 2
Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) 9
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 2
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris) 7
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3
Tufted Flycatcher (Mitrephanes phaeocercus) 1 PS
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii) 3
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 14
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 19
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) 21
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) 5
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) 2
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) 4
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 14
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) 19
Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) 2
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) 26
Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 7
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 6
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 23
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 8
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura) 32
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 2
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 GD
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 21
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) 2
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) 3
Crissal Thrasher (Toxostoma crissale) 3
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) 13
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) 25
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler (Dendroica coronata) 6
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (Dendroica coronata) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 8
Canyon Towhee (Melozone fuscus) 1
Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) 29
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 4
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 6
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 4
sparrow sp. (Emberizinae) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 13
Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) 25
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 185
Weather & Effort
Count Date: Dec 29, 2010
Number of Participants: 17
Number of Party Hours: 35.0
Species Reported: 74
Low Temperature: 33
High Temperature: 80
AM Weather: Clear
Rain: None
Snow: None
PM Weather: Clear
Rain: None
Snow: None
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tufted Flycatcher Nov. 30
EDIT: Video is up! Click here.
This morning (Tues, Nov. 30, 2010) we arrived at Daniels Ranch at 7:15 and split up to cover more ground; each with radio in hand, we covered from the adobe/mud brick house all the way to the eastern edge of the grove nearest to the RVs. A fellow from IN showed up a bit later and thankfully had a radio as well, so we were all in communication.
Matt located the Tufted Flycatcher at 8:05 and radioed to the rest of us as more birders converged in the vicinity (Peggy and RP, on their third TUFL watch). Another set of fellows from Austin/Bastrop joined us almost as soon as the bird was found and we were all able to watch and photograph it until our group dispersed an hour later. It was foraging in the cottonwood grove between the river and the road in the corner closest to the old adobe-style (mud brick?) ranch house. The grove is not to be confused with the picnic area just adjacent to the house, however.
Blogger keeps eating the video - three tries now - but to tide you over until the video gets sorted out:
Edit 2: other sightings from the park this week have now been posted here.
For continued NARBA updates, click here.
Edit 3: Shaky tufted awesome.
This morning (Tues, Nov. 30, 2010) we arrived at Daniels Ranch at 7:15 and split up to cover more ground; each with radio in hand, we covered from the adobe/mud brick house all the way to the eastern edge of the grove nearest to the RVs. A fellow from IN showed up a bit later and thankfully had a radio as well, so we were all in communication.
Matt located the Tufted Flycatcher at 8:05 and radioed to the rest of us as more birders converged in the vicinity (Peggy and RP, on their third TUFL watch). Another set of fellows from Austin/Bastrop joined us almost as soon as the bird was found and we were all able to watch and photograph it until our group dispersed an hour later. It was foraging in the cottonwood grove between the river and the road in the corner closest to the old adobe-style (mud brick?) ranch house. The grove is not to be confused with the picnic area just adjacent to the house, however.
Blogger keeps eating the video - three tries now - but to tide you over until the video gets sorted out:
Edit 2: other sightings from the park this week have now been posted here.
For continued NARBA updates, click here.
Edit 3: Shaky tufted awesome.
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