Rare Bird Alert
Tuesday, 15 December 1998
Baton Rouge Audubon Society Rare Bird Alert
Area: Baton Rouge and Louisiana statewide
Highlights:
CINNAMON TEAL * ( * Louisiana State Review List)
GOLDEN EAGLE *
BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD *
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD * (gone)
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
TREE SWALLOW (large roosts)
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE *
others birds mentioned:
anhinga
ruddy duck
ross's goose
canvasback
greater scaup
green heron
osprey
bald eagle
merlin
american coot
sandhill crane
white-winged dove
rose-ringed parakeets
ruby-throated hummingbird
sedge wren
bewick's wren
yellow warbler
palm warbler
western meadowlark
Transcript:
Welcome birders to the BRAS' rare bird alert. The following was recorded on Tuesday December 15. Highlights include an adult GOLDEN EAGLE on the Red River in Caddo Parish, a male CINNAMON TEAL in New Orleans, a BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD in Baton Rouge, CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRDS near St. Gabriel, large TREE SWALLOW roosts in canefields along the Mississippi River and a BULLOCK'S ORIOLE and a BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD in LaPlace.
An adult GOLDEN EAGLE has been sighted twice along the Red River north of the Port of Shreveport. The first sighting was in November and it was assumed the eagle was migrating. Possibly the same or another adult GOLDEN EAGLE was seen 12/12 just 4 miles upriver from the earlier sighting, which suggests an eagle may be wintering. An adult GOLDEN EAGLE was also seen around Cross Lake on 12/13. Please report any additional sightings of this eagle.
The male CINNAMON TEAL in New Orleans appears to be wintering in the canal between Read Blvd and Bundy Rd. He moves up and down the canal and has been seen from Lake Forest Blvd and from Dwyer Rd, both south of I-10. The canal is also north of I-10 behind Sam's.
A BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD continues in Baton Rouge at 1180 Stanford Avenue. People are invited to come by, but are requested not to park on the street or in front of any of the neighbors' properties. You can park in the driveway, if there is room, or park on the right side of Stanford by the lake and walk back. Exit I-10 at Acadian Thruway and head south. Acadian becomes Stanford Ave after it crosses Perkins Rd. 1180 is 0.9 miles south of the Perkins intersection on the left. Please leave a note if you see any other hummers.
At least one female CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD is coming to a feeder near St. Gabriel. Call Van at 225(504)388-2855 if you want to arrange a time to see her.
Large congregations of TREE SWALLOWS, each estimated to be over 1 million, have been found in canefields along the Mississippi River. One roost is located near Lucy in St. John the Baptist Parish across the Mississippi River from LaPlace. Another is near Vacherie in St. James Parish and a smaller roost is at the foot of the I-310 bridge in Luling in St. Charles Parish. These roosts may move as the cane is cut. For Lucy, take I-310 across the Mississippi River and take the next exit (exit 7 marked Hahnville/Luling) to get to River Road (LA 18) which runs along the west bank. Go west on LA 18 for 11 miles to an iron pipe gate on the left and park. This spectacular event occurs around dusk (birds form a funnel as they drop into the cane, lasts 7-10 minutes).
The male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE continues at 1409 Glendale and the male BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD continues at 800 Fagot Loop, both addresses in LaPlace in St John the Baptist Parish. The buffy is reliable, but be prepared for a long wait if you try for the oriole. Call for directions if you need them. BUFF-BELLIES are also in New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Cameron, Slidell and Covington in St. Tammany Parish. A number of RUFOUS (or at least selasphorus) HUMMINGBIRDS are in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Cameron and Covington. And BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRDS are in Gramercy in St. James Parish, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Slidell, Covington, Baton Rouge and Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish. The possible BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD in Mandeville didn't stick around.
What follows are interesting reports of unusual sightings for the locales or season or high concentrations of a particular species:
Sightings from 12/13:
Caddo Parish: 8 GREATER SCAUP, a SEDGE WREN and 2 WESTERN MEADOWLARKS along Hwy 71 north of Shreveport. 2450 RUDDY DUCKS, 8102 AMERICAN COOTS and 4 SEDGE WRENS on or around Cross Lake.
Iberia Parish: 60-70 WHITE-WINGED DOVES in New Iberia.
Orleans Parish: 8 ANHINGAS, a CANVASBACK, a GREEN HERON and an adult BALD EAGLE at Recovery One in New Orleans East. Also a GREEN HERON at Marconi Lagoon in City Park in New Orleans.
Sightings from 12/11:
Iberville Parish: 2 female RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS near St. Gabriel.
St. Tammany Parish: an immature male RUBY-THROAT in Covington and 6 WHITE-WINGED DOVES along the Pontchartrain lakeshore in Mandeville.
Sightings from 12/10:
Lafourche Parish: a very late YELLOW WARBLER by the ponds near the Thibodaux Civic Center.
Sightings from 12/9:
Iberville Parish: 2 adult SANDHILL CRANES seen flying near St. Gabriel.
Sightings from 12/8,9:
Rapides Parish: over 6 ROSS'S GEESE, an OSPREY, a MERLIN, a BEWICK'S WREN and 9 PALM WARBLERS near Overton Lock and Dam # 12 on the Red River south of Alexandria.
And, if you're interested in ROSE-RINGED PARAKEETS, try the wires or palm trees along Robert E Lee between Elysian Fields and Paris in New Orleans. Exit I-610 at either Paris (2C) or Elysian Fields (3) and head north. Robert E Lee is approximately 3-4 major intersections north of the interstate. Try around dawn or late evening.
Thanks for calling the Baton Rouge rare bird alert and good birding.
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Compiler: Karen Fay Home: 225.763.6805 RBA: 225.768.9874 lamskite@aol.com |
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