Sinaloa Wren Trip - Nov. 2008

Sinaloa Wren Trip to Southeastern Arizona, October 31 to November 4, 2008

Main Places Birded:
AC - Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast
CG - Casa Grande
CM - Chiricahua National Monument
EP - Roads leading in and around Patagonia State Park
KS - Kino Springs
MC - Miller Canyon, Beatty's Bed and Breakfast
PP - Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
PR - Patagonia Rest Stop
PY - Patton's Yard, Patagonia
SG - Sonoita Grasslands
SP - San Pedro River Riparian Area
SV - Sierra Vista Wetlands
WW - Willcox Playa Wetlands

ho - heard only

dns/dnh - did not see/hear

Roger's Lifers - Sinaloa Wren; # 734 ABA area and world bird # 2,081

Arizona State Birds - 3 (311)

Totals - 114 species representing 43 families

The following trip list follows: The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World SIXTH EDITION 2007

When possible I have narrowed down each species to a race or subspecies, for example Thryothorus sinaloa cinereus!!!

NON-PASSERINES

GREBES Podicipedidae 2
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps podiceps - 2 WW
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis californicus - 2 WW
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis occidentalis - 1 WW

CORMORANTS Phalacrocoracidae 1
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus albociliatus
1 KS

HERONS, BITTERNS, EGRETS Ardeidae 2
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias herodias - 2 KS
Green Heron Butorides virescens anthonyi - 1 KS

DUCKS Anatidae 8
American Wigeon Anas americana - 40 KS, 6 SV
Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis - 5 KS
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos - 3 WW
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors - 1 KS
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata - 12 KS, 13 WW
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris - 3 KS
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator - 1 WW
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis - 16 KS, 18 WW

NEW WORLD VULTURES Cathartidae 2
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus atratus - 40
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura aura - 8

HAWKS, EAGLES, AND KITES Accipitridae 3
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus hudsonius - 28 widespread over grasslands and ag areas
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus velox - 1 CM
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo Jamaicensis calurus - 49 widespread with races very different than in the east

FALCONS AND CARACARAS Falconidae 2
American Kestrel Falco sparverius sparverius - 31 common along roadsides
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus - 1 WW

TURKEYS Meleagrididae 1
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo merriami - 12 AC

NEW WORLD QUAIL Odontophoridae 1
Gambel's Quail Callipepla gambelii fulvipectus - 49 common and widespread

CRANES Gruidae 1
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis canadensis - 28 WW, 5 KS ho dnh

RAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS Rallidae 4
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola limicola - 1 KS ho
Sora Porzana carolina - 1 KS ho, 3 WW
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus cachinnans - 2 WW
American Coot Fulica americana americana - 28 fairly common on ponds

PLOVERS Charadriidae 1
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus vociferus - 1 WW

SANDPIPERS AND ALLIES Scolopacidae 4
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopacens - 5 WW
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia - 2 KS
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri - 7 WW
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla - 5 WW

GULLS Laridae 1
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis - 1 WW

PIGEONS AND DOVES Columbidae 6
Rock Pigeon Columba livia - 240

Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia bitorquata - 5 WW, 25 CG
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura marginella - 210 very common and widespread
White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica mearnsi - 5 PP, 3 AC
Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina pallescens - 3 SP
Inca Dove Columbina inca - 8 PY, 2 roadside

CUCKOOS Cuculidae 1
Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus - 1 roadside

OWLS Strigidae 1
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus pallescens - 9! on telephone poles all along SR181 between Chiricahua NM and SR191

SWIFTS Apodidae 1
White-throated Swift Aeronautes montivagus montivagus - 12 PR

HUMMINGBIRDS Trochilidae 3
Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens fulgens - 1 AC
Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna - 3 PP/PY, 8 AC
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus - 1 MC

KINGFISHERS Alcedinidae 1
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon - 1 SP

WOODPECKERS & ALLIES Picidae 6
Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus formicivorus (aculeatus) - 2 CM, 3 AC
Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis uropygialis (fuscescens) - 24 common and widespread
Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis - 4 PP/KS, 1 AC
Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris cactophilus - 1 PP, 1 SV
Arizona Woodpecker Picoides arizonae arizonae - 1 AC dns
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus collaris - 18 fairly common and widespread

PASSERINES

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Tyrannidae 5
Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus saturatus - 1 PR, ho dnh
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans semiater - 2 PP, 1 WW
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya saya (pallidus) - 22 fairly common and widespread
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus flammeus - 1 WW, 1 KS
Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans vociferans - 12 a few widely scattered - wintering birds?

SWALLOWS Hirundinidae 1
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica erythrogaster - 1 late migrant near Sky Harbor, PHX

PIPITS Motacillidae 1
American Pipit Anthus rubescens - 1 EP

KINGLETS Regulidae 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula grinnelli - 71, at times locally abundant, especially in mid-elevations

SILKY-FLYCATCHERS Ptilogonatidae 1
Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens lepida - 4 Sierra Vista in scrubby lot

WAXWINGS Bombycillidae 1
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum - 20 CM

WRENS Troglodytidae 7
Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus anthonyi (couesi) - 1 at reststop along I-10
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus obsoletus - 1 EP
Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus conspersus (griseus, punctulatus) - 1 CM ho
Sinaloa Wren Thryothorus sinaloa cinereus - 1 PP
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii eremophilus - 7 PP
House Wren Troglodytes aedon parkmanii - 4 PP
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris - 1 KS, 2 WW

MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS Mimidae 2
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos leucopterus - 12 fairly common and widespread
Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre celsum - 11 fairly common and widespread

THRUSHES AND ALLIES Turdidae 3
Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana bairdi - 9 uncommon and local
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus - 1 MC
American Robin Turdus migratorius migratorius - 8 CM

CHICKADEES AND TITS Paridae 1
Bridled Titmouse Baeolophus wollweberi phillipsi - 8 PP, 15 CM, 1 AC

NUTHATCHES Sittidae 1
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis nelsoni - 1 PP, 6 CM, 2 AC

PENDULINE TITS Remizidae 1
Verdin Auriparus flaviceps acaciarum - 7, fairly common in mesquite areas

SHRIKES Laniidae 1
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus gambeli - 12, fairly common especially along the roads south of Wilcox

CROWS, JAYS AND MAGPIES Corvidae 4
Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica nevadae - 1 a surprize at CM
Mexican Jay Aphelocoma ultramarina arizonae - 30 CM, 15 AC
Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus - 6 desert east of Sierra Vista
Common Raven Corvus corax sinuatus - 105, common and widespread

STARLINGS Sturnidae 1
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris - 76

OLD WORLD SPARROWS Passeridae 1
House Sparrow Passer domesticus - 180

SISKENS, CROSSBILLS, AND ALLIES Fringillidae 2
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis - 135, common and widespread
Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria hesperophilus - 85, common and widespread

NEW WORLD WARBLERS Parulidae 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata auduboni (memorabilis) - 80, common and widespread, ** also saw a couple of "Myrtle" types D.c.coronata (hooveri)
Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus pictus - 1 AC, late migrant?

BUNTINGS, SPARROWS, SEEDEATERS AND ALLIES Emberizidae 17
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus montanus - 4 CM
Canyon Towhee Pipilo fuscus mesoleucus - 1 EP
Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophilo ruficeps scottii - 2 PP, 1 EP
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina arizonae (boreophila) - 140, locally abundant
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida - 2 SP
Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri breweri - 1 PP, 1 SP
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus confinis - 20,common in grasslands
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus strigatus - 2 KS
Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata deserticola - 4 Sierra Vista, 1 roadside stop I-10
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis - 45 abundant in grasslands
Baird's Sparrow Ammodramus bairdii - 2 SG
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia - 8 PP, 10 SP
Lincoln Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii lincolnii - 24 PP/PY, 12 SP riparian areas
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii - 40, locally common in riparian areas
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis - 12 CM
Yellow-eyed Junco Junco phaeonotus palliatus - 3 CM
Chestnut-collared Longspur Calcarius ornatus - 37, 2 at SG, the rest at WW

SALTATORS, CARDINALS AND ALLIES Cardinalidae 3
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis superbus - 1 PY
Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinnuatus fulvescens - 3 Sierra Vista, 3 KS

Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena - 1 PY

TROUPIALS AND ALLIES Icteridae 5
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus - 1 KS
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta neglecta
15 fairly common in grasslands, several at EP
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus - 360, very common and widespread
Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus monsoni - 410
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater - 8 EP

Sampling of Other Critters
Orange-headed Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister cephaloflavus
Checkered Garter Snake Thamnophis marcianus
Western Diamondback Crotalus atrox
Rock Squirrel Spermophilus variegatus
Arizona Gray Squirrel Sciurus arizonensis
Coues White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus couesi
Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus
Arizona Coyote Canis mearnsi
Red-winged Grasshopper Arphia pseudonietana
Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae incarnata
American Painted Lady Vanessa virginensis
Arizona Sister Adelpha bredowii eulalia
Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa
Arizona Redneck Homo sapien guzzlebeerensis

Jacksonville, FL Christmas Bird Count 2008

Jacksonville, Florida Christmas Bird Count, Black Hammock Island
December 27, 2008

Participants: Roger Clark, Bruce Smart, Jeff Bledsoe, and Kevin and Marie Dailey
Area: Black Hammock Island (also, Industrial Drive, Tidewater development, Heckscher Drive Spoil site, New Berlin Road pond)
Nocturnal Time Birding: 06:30 to 07:00
Day Time Birding: 0700 to 17:30
Total Birding Hours: 11 hours
Nocturnal Hours: car - 0; foot – 30 minutes
Daylight Hours: car – 2.0; foot – 8.5
Miles Car Nocturnal: 0
Miles Car Daylight: 75
Miles Foot Nocturnal: .50
Miles Foot Daylight: 5.50

Grand Totals:
Day foot and car hours – 10.5
Day foot and car miles – 80.50
Nocturnal foot and car hours – 30 minutes
Nocturnal foot and car miles – .5 mile

Weather: dense fog until 0800, calm winds until mid-morning, becoming southerly 5-12 mph; low 58, high 81 (near record for date!); clear to partly cloudy.

No-see-ums: off the charts!!

Places visited:
BS – Black Hammock Island, Shark Road
CC – City of Jacksonville’s Cedar Point Park
CP – National Park Service’s Cedar Point
IP – Industrial Park
NP – New Berlin Road Pond (across from Power Plant)
PH – Pumpkin Hill Creek State Preserve
SB – Spoil dredge site on Black Hammock Island
SH – Spoil dredge site on Heckscher Drive
TP – Tiger Point Park
TW – Tidewater development

Bird List:
Canada Goose – 38
American Black Duck – 2 SH
Mallard – 2
Mottled Duck – 2 SH
Blue-winged teal – 6 SB SH
Northern shoveler – 5 SH
Northern Pintail – 5 SH
Green-winged teal – 28 SB SH
Ring-necked duck – 74 TW (44) SH IP
Lesser scaup – 2 SH
Bufflehead – 1 CC
Hooded merganser – 58
Red-breasted merganser – 1 Nassau Sound
Ruddy duck – 18 IP SH
Red-throated loon – 1 NP
Pied-billed grebe – 9
Northern gannet – 2 Nassau Sound
American white pelican – 10 BS (seen count week)
Brown pelican – 26
Double-crested cormorant – 3
Anhinga – 2
Great blue heron – 7
Great egret – 19
Snowy egret – 45
Little blue heron – 83
Tricolored heron – 105
Reddish egret – 1 near Tiger Point
Cattle egret – 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron – 4
White ibis – 35
Wood stork – 14
Black vulture – 25
Turkey vulture – 30
Osprey – 3
Bald eagle – 5, 3 adults and 2 juv.
Northern harrier - 3
Cooper’s hawk – 1 (seen count week)
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1
Red-shouldered hawk – 1
Red-tailed hawk – 4
American kestrel – 6
Peregrine falcon – 1 Nassau Sound
Clapper rail – 3
Virginia rail – 1 near Tiger Point
Common moorhen – 6
American coot – 22
Black-bellied plover – 12
Semipalmated plover – 4
Killdeer – 10
Greater yellowlegs – 11
Willet - 14
Spotted sandpiper – 1
Ruddy turnstone – 5
Sanderling – 6
Western sandpiper – 12
Least sandpiper – 2
Dunlin – 115
Short-billed Dowitcher – 4
Long-billed Dowitcher – 7 SH
Wilson’s snipe – 32 TW SH
American woodcock TP
Laughing gull – 25
Ring-billed gull – 14
Herring gull – 8
Great Black-backed gull – 2
Caspian tern – 1
Forster’s tern – 11
Royal tern – 10
Eurasian collared dove – 5
Mourning dove – 20
Common ground-dove – 9 mostly at PH, many calling
Eastern screech-owl – 2, calling on their own!
Great horned owl – 3
Barred owl – 2
Belted kingfisher – 3
Red-bellied woodpecker – 4
Yellow-bellied sapsucker – 1
Downy woodpecker – 4
Northern flicker – 1
Pileated woodpecker - 2
Eastern phoebe – 4
Loggerhead shrike – 2
White-eyed vireo – 2
Blue-headed vireo – 13 (9 at CP)
Blue jay – 16
American crow – 15
Fish crow – 7
Tree swallow – 51
Carolina chickadee – 10
Tufted titmouse – 45
Brown-headed nuthatch 6 PH
Carolina wren – 4
House wren – 32, most at PH
Sedge wren – 1, singing near Tiger Point
Marsh wren – 2, singing near Tiger Point
Ruby-crowned kinglet – 57
Blue-gray gnatcatcher – 16
Eastern Bluebird – 17
Hermit thrush – 11
American robin – 365
Gray catbird – 95, remarkable numbers at PH
Northern mockingbird – 12
Brown thrasher – 5
European starling – 4
American pipit – 8, reliable spot at corner of Franderson and Shark Road on Black Hammock
Cedar waxwing – 55
Orange-crowned warbler – 13
Northern Parula – 1 male at CP
Yellow-rumped warbler – 350
Yellow-throated warbler – 1
Pine warbler – 45
Palm warbler – 78, large flock of “yellow” eastern race at TW
Black-and-white warbler – 2
Common yellowthroat – 17
Eastern towhee – 134, teaming at PH, both races, white and dark eyed
Chipping sparrow – 65
Field sparrow – 1 PH
Savannah sparrow – 9
Grasshopper sparrow – 1 PH (seen count week)
Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow – 9 BS
Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow – 2 BS
Seaside Sparrow – 5, calling near Tiger Point
Song sparrow – 21
Swamp sparrow – 51
White-throated sparrow – 26 nice numbers at PH, many doing partial songs
White-crowned sparrow – 2 PH
Northern cardinal – 18
Red-winged blackbird – 22
Eastern meadowlark – 18, most at TW
Common grackle - 12
Boat-tailed grackle – 20
Brown-headed cowbird – 6
House finch – 5
American goldfinch – 43

This year’s addition of Black Duck and Northern Parula brings all time list for Black Hammock to 175. This was my 23rd time doing this area.

The total of 131 species (3 not seen on count day) breaks my previous all-time high by 3 species!
The overall total for the 2008 Jacksonville Count was an impressive 163!

Roger Clark

Cumberland Island, GA Christmas Bird Count 2008

The Cumberland Island Christmas Bird Count was held on Saturday, December 20, 2008. My area is the mainland within the count circle. Here is the bird list for my area - a total of 117 species!

Participants: Roger Clark and Bruce Smart

Area: Mainland; Paper Mill to North Causeway to Crooked River SP
Nocturnal Time Birding: 0530 to 0715; 1730 to 1815 (2.50 hours)
Day Time Birding: 0715 to 1730; (10.25 hours)
Total Birding Hours: 12.75
Nocturnal Hours: car - .75; foot – 1.75
Daylight Hours: car – 2.0; foot – 8.25
Miles Car Nocturnal: 25 (41,232 to 41,257)
Miles Car Daylight: 77 (41,257 to 41,334)
Miles Foot Nocturnal: .50
Miles Foot Daylight: 3.25

Grand Totals:
Day foot and car hours – 10.25
Day foot and car miles – 80.25
Nocturnal foot and car hours – 2.50
Nocturnal foot and car miles – 25.50

Places visited:
CP – Crooked River Plantation
CR – Crooked River State Park
IP – Industrial Park
NC – North Causeway
PM – Paper Mill (now the former, site in ruins)
SM – Sugar Mill Park
WP – Water Treatment Plant

Bird List:

Blue-winged teal – 17
Northern shoveler – 3
Green-winged teal – 4
Ring-necked duck – 10
Lesser scaup – 2
Bufflehead – 1
Hooded merganser – 15
Red-breasted merganser – 2
Ruddy duck – 1
Pied-billed grebe – 2
American white pelican – 1 PM
Brown pelican – 20
Double-crested cormorant – 95
Anhinga – 2 NC
Great blue heron – 8
Great egret – 50
Snowy egret – 75
Little blue heron – 75
Tricolored heron – 135
Black-crowned Night-Heron – 1 (noc)
White ibis – 60
Wood stork – 4 (3 CP, 1 PM)
Black vulture – 7
Turkey vulture – 45
Osprey – 1
Cooper’s hawk – 1 NC
Red-shouldered hawk – 1
Red-tailed hawk – 3
American kestrel – 4
Clapper rail – 1
Common moorhen – 2
American coot – 4
Black-bellied plover – 10
Semipalmated plover – 30
Killdeer – 7
Spotted sandpiper – 2
Greater yellowlegs – 2
Willet – 5
Ruddy turnstone – 2
Sanderling – 4
Western sandpiper – 30
Least sandpiper – 6
Dunlin – 10
Short-billed Dowitcher – 6
Wilson’s snipe – 2
Laughing gull – 85
Ring-billed gull – 65
Herring gull – 4
Great Black-backed gull – 1
Caspian tern – 3 PM
Forster’s tern – 20
Royal tern – 15
Rock pigeon – 85
Eurasian collared dove – 70 (18 CP, 52 PM)
Mourning dove – 40
Eastern screech-owl – 2 (noc)
Great horned owl – 6
Barred owl – 5 (2 SM, 3 NC - noc)
Belted kingfisher – 2
Red-bellied woodpecker – 8
Yellow-bellied sapsucker – 1
Downy woodpecker – 2
Northern flicker – 2 PM
Eastern phoebe – 3
Loggerhead shrike – 8 (2 PM, 2 NC, 1 WP, 1 IP, 1 near CP)
White-eyed vireo – 1
Blue-headed vireo – 1
Blue jay – 19
American crow – 15
Fish crow – 3
Tree swallow – 1,200
Carolina chickadee – 2
Tufted titmouse – 3
Brown-headed Nuthatch 8 (these were on base near the Trident Golf Course)
Carolina wren – 10
House wren – 3
Sedge wren – 1 PM
Marsh wren – 3
Ruby-crowned kinglet – 15
Blue-gray gnatcatcher – 3 PM
Eastern Bluebird – 17 scattered many places
Hermit thrush – 3
American robin – 49
Gray catbird – 9
Brown thrasher – 1 PM
European starling – 35
American pipit – 7 WP
Cedar waxwing – 30
Orange-crowned warbler – 2
Yellow-rumped warbler – 750
Yellow-throated warbler – 1 CR (visitor center parking lot)
Pine warbler – 6
Palm warbler – 10
Black-and-white warbler – 1
Common yellowthroat – 2
Eastern towhee – 3
Chipping sparrow – 95
Field sparrow – 1 PM
Vesper sparrow – 16 (1 PM, 15 IP)
Savannah sparrow – 30
Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow – 4 PM
Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow – 2 PM
Seaside Sparrow – 1
Song sparrow – 12
Swamp sparrow – 35
White-throated sparrow – 4 PM
Northern cardinal – 15
Red-winged blackbird – 45
Eastern meadowlark – 5 PM
Rusty blackbird – 7 PM
Boat-tailed grackle – 175
Brown-headed cowbird – 4
Baltimore oriole – 1 PM
House finch – 35 PM
American goldfinch – 70
House sparrow - 7