The Pine Warbler

Text Version for Online Publication

February 2007, Volume XXXII, Issue 6

President’s Message                                                                     John Wright

 

It is an exciting time of the year.  The chapter is having one of its biggest day trips of the year to see the Pascagoula River Audubon Center, along with other members of the Mississippi Coast chapter.  It begins to show partnership among the chapters.  Mark LaSalle has graciously shown us the growth, contribution, and commitment that National and Mississippi Audubon are making to the area.

This past month the chapter also nominated Don McKee to be the SE Regional Representative.  Don has been a long-standing member of the Mississippi Coast chapter and avid birder.  He will definitely bring to light the efforts that Mississippi and its chapters are doing to promote Audubon’s mission.

Finally, both Joshua & I will be attending a chapter leaders retreat in Philadelphia, MS on Feb 2 & 3.  We hope to take to them our year’s motto of “One More Thing” and try to push for a statewide conservation effort that the chapters can join together and support through legislation, fundraising, and volunteering our time.  I will update all the outcomes of the meeting in the next newsletter.


Hattiesburg Christmas Bird Count Report                                Larry Smith  


Thirteen spirited (if wet) participants in 6 parties counted a blazing total of 65 species of birds and 3754 individual birds. Mitigating circumstances were warm temperatures and rain. The afternoon birding and the compilation party were washed out and much of the birding was by car. Numbers were low across the board, even when adjusted for the low number of observers. Highlights include Wild Turkey and Barred Owl. Probably our best birds were ones found during count week, many of these by a make-up crew of Ron, Josh, Larry Morgan, and Larry Smith who revisited the lagoons & Mammoth Springs on New Year’s Day while the rest of you were watching football. CW birds not included on count day were Wood Duck, N. Bobwhite, Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Horned Owl, Hermit Thrush, and Pine Siskin.

Of interest considering the bird quiz, Ron saw one of each of House and Winter Wrens. In reviewing Mississippi counts that have been completed, the two coast counts, Jackson and Hancock Counties, reported a total of 106 House Wrens and only 3 Winter Wrens, while Sardis Lake had 13 Winter and 0 House.

I mentioned in the meeting that “our CBC count continues to decline.” On the 99th CBC, Hattiesburg reported 103 species, from CBC 100-105 we ranged from 83 to 91 species, and last year 78 species. But we did have fun, and my hearty thanks go to all who participated.

All CBCs, current and historic, can be reviewed and mined for data through the National Audubon website.


January Field Trip Report                                                               Ronnie Blackwell


Saturday, January 20, a score of Pine Warblers trekked to Mississippi Audubon's new Pascagoula River Center. The Center is in Moss Point, just off I-10, and gives visitors great access to the many Lower Pascagoula ecosystems. Right now the Center operates out of a small house on the property, but the plans promise a spectacular building in a beautiful natural setting. The site has already been blessed by a pair bald eagles nesting within two hundred yards of the office.  The Center's Director, Mark LaSalle cooked gumbo for the crowd, and Gulf Coast Audubon-ers including Don McKee and Charlie Delmas guided our afternoon of birding in the nearby marshes and Greenwood Island. Birding highlights included Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Summer Tanager, Northern Gannet, Bufflehead, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Palm Warbler, Snowy Egret, and an owl that caused a traffic jam while it turned into a red-shouldered hawk.
 
As someone said, Mark LaSalle can certainly make a roux and we sure passed a good time.

 

Bird Quiz                                                                                          Larry Smith

 

For February:

Which of the following is not in the sparrow family (Emberizidae)?

Answer to January Quiz:
   
January’s quiz asked how to tell a Winter Wren from a House Wren. The quickest way to find a good answer is to refer to Identify Yourself (Bill Thompson and Bird Watcher’s Digest), the book reviewed by Ron B. in a previous issue of this newsletter. The Small Wrens section is by the late Erik A. T. Blom.

As Blom points out, the size difference between the two wrens is not much help, unless they happen to perch side by side right in front of you. The easier field mark is the relatively longer tail in the slightly larger House Wren. The Winter’s tail is so short your first impression may be no tail at all, and it is almost always cocked up. The Winter Wren appears darker, both top and bottom, and has more distinct barring on the flanks. Less reliable, the eye line (“supercilium”) tends to be more distinct on the Winter Wren. The general take on the House is a pale brown bird with plain face and contrasting pale throat.

Wrens may be relatively quiet in the winter, but Mississippi reports of both House and Winter Wrens this winter have noted singing. Their songs are something to behold. It seems that all wrens have a knack of belting out songs way out of proportion to their size in volume, duration, and complexity. The song of the Winter Wren has been described by Kroodsma as “the pinnacle of song complexity.” His sonogram studies have shown that each song, lasting up to 10 seconds, “consists of a hundred or more brief sounds, each pronounced with precision in both time and frequency.” And each male wren may be able to produce dozens of such songs. Blom describes the call note of the Winter Wren as a double-noted chimp-chimp, while the House Wren’s is a buzzier single note. Sibley nicely describes or portrays significant differences of song and plumage across the range of both species.

 

February Field Trip: The Window Watch                                     Chuck Gramling

 

Come join us February 17 at Gene & Giulia Saucier's home for our Annual Window Watch field trip.  Giulia will be providing delicious food from nine to noon.  Serious birders are welcome to show up an hour or so earlier to look for potential “early birds.” Gene is reporting more birds that average on their property on the trails for those who want to get out a bit, including Sparrows in abundance in the young hardwood area on the property.  So this trip is not just about birds at the feeders, but birds in the whole range of habitats found on their land (forested, open, pond, young hardwood forest, creek, etc.) if you want to bring your walking shoes and find them all. Just don’t miss it.  

Pinewoods Audubon Society gives a huge “Thank You” to Gene and Giulia for hosting the window watch for several years now.  It is also a special treat to just socialize there, share some wonderful stories, and eat some great food from Giulia’s kitchen while staying inside watching birds at the many feeders.  

Our meeting point will be at the Saucier’s home; we will not meet at Roses or any other location since this as a come and go to suit your schedule.  You can call Chuck for more information (601-268-3859).  Driving directions are posted below.


Driving Directions to February Window Watch Site:

From North Hattiesburg at the interchange of I-59 and Hwy 49, take Hwy 49 North.   From the red light just north of I59/hwy49 interchange drive 1.9 miles and turn left onto Rawl Springs Road.   When you are getting near Rawl Springs road be in the left lane of 49N (you will see a big red fronted white Budwiser distribution place, then Hub City Bowling Lanes, and finally a Big K large service station all on the right side of Hwy 49, there is a railed sided bridge with a Green and White MDOT sign on right side of the bridge that says Rawl Springs with left arrow, turn left soon as you cross the bridge onto Rawl Springs Road.  It is about 2.8 miles down this road to the Sauicers (just stay on Rawl Springs Road, no turns until you get there).  For land marks, you will come to a four way stop shortly after getting on to Rawl Springs Road, as you continue straight you will see Rawl Springs Baptist Church on your left.  You come to a second four way stop, keep going straight).  The road begins to be curvier after the second four way stop and more wooded.  At 2.8 miles after turning onto Rawl Springs Road you will encounter a very sharp right turn on the main road, and notice a straight ahead road with a sign that says “Dead End” with a “Stop Sign” attached to the back side of it.  Take the “Dead End” signed road (yield right of way to when entering it).  This road is a newly asphalt paved road that is one lane road.  Go 0.2 miles and turn left just past the gate (you will notice newly constructed wooden fencing at this point).  As you turn left just past the gate you will notice an Azalea bush and Stone that says “Saucier” with date on your right as you make the left turn.  From there it is the first house (only house) on the left by the pound, maybe 250 yards.  If anyone gets lost by my directions, you can call the Sauciers for help at 268-2388. If you would like a map directions go to the Saucier's website:   http://hillhousemississippi.com/directions.html


The 10th Annual Backyard Bird Count                                         Lin Harper

 

What is the GBBC?  For the past 9 years, The National Audubon Society and Cornell Ornithology Lab have partnered in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a national “census” of what birds are where in the US on a particular set of dates.

Why should we count birds in mid-winter? Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time, but pulling in “citizen scientists” from across the country can make this data-gathering easier and much more comprehensive.

Are there rules to follow?  Yes.  Count anywhere you want and as many places as you want, at least 15 minutes at a time in any one location (back yard, neighborhood, workplace, etc.).  Keep a separate list for each place you count on any given day with which birds you saw, how many of each species, where you counted, day you counted, how long you counted.  So, if you count your feeder each day, you will have 4 separate lists, one for each day of the count, not just one feeder list.  Count just one day or all days, one location or many! 

When is the GBBC?    February 16-17-18-19, 2007

What should I do?  PWAS participates in this count on a voluntary basis.  In 2006, Hattieburg was 8th in the state in terms of checklists submitted.  Make sure the birds from your yard and feeder are represented in the count. It doesn't matter whether you report the 5 species coming to your backyard feeder or the 75 species you see during a day's outing to a wildlife refuge. You can enter data from your count online by visiting Bird Source (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/) or you can call (or email) your birds and numbers to Lin Harper (lin.harper@usm.edu) and I will enter them online.  Please include all information requested under “Rules” above if you are emailing to me.

How do I find out more information?
National Audubon Society:  http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/index.shtml
Bird Source:  http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

Calendar of Upcoming Events 

February 1, 2007 (Thursday):  Pine Woods Audubon Society Board Meeting, 6:15 p.m. in Hattiesburg Zoo Education Center.  The Public is invited to attend.  Contact any Board Member or officer for more information.

February 1, 2007 (Thursday): Pine Woods Audubon Society Chapter Meeting, 7 p.m. in Hattiesburg Zoo Education Center.  PROGRAM: "Backyard Habitat" by Kristin Lamerson.  Contact Program Chair Josh Hodge for information.

February 6, 2007 (Tuesday):  Birding Committee Meeting, 5:30 p.m. @ Keg and Barrell on Hardy Street.  The public is invited to attend and participate.  Contact Ronnie Blackwell for details or information.

February 17, 2007 (Saturday): Annual Window Watch at Saucier home.  Contact Chuck Gramling for details or information.  Driving directions will be given at Chapter Meeting on Feb. 1 and posted on the PWA website (http://home.comcast.net/~blackwellr/ ).

February 16-17-18-19, 2007: Great Backyard Bird Count.  Please participate!!  See inside newsletter for details!

March 1, 2007 (Thursday): Pine Woods Audubon Society Board Meeting, 6:15 p.m. in Hattiesburg Zoo Education Center.  The Public is invited to attend.  Contact any Board Member or officer for more information.

March 1, 2007 (Thursday): Pine Woods Audubon Society Chapter Meeting, 7 p.m. in Hattiesburg Zoo Education Center.  PROGRAM: "Swallowtail Kites" by Jennifer Coulson.  Contact Program Chair Josh Hodge for information.