Forum birdwatching 2009

[davefoc]

One Wigeon Weft

The American wigeons are listed as a winter only bird around here (Orange County, CA) and I thought they had left completely. I saw a lone female yesterday. Has anybody seen them coming their way?

American wigeon Anas americana 19/04/2009

 

[bruto]

The other day we saw some Wood Ducks, aix sponsa around Fort Anne, NY.

And today, looking out the window, there was a Barn Swallow, hirundo rustica. It may just be passing through, because my barn doesn't usually get its own swallows until mid May. Still, even if one swallow does not make a summer, it makes my day.

 

[mummymonkey]

Common sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos
River Tay, Perthshire, Scotland

On a more general note the sand martins and swallows are moving in in larger numbers now. Still a fair few geese in the fields.

 

[bruto]

Two for today. First of all, the first positive, not out of season, not dubious, not what-the-hey is that doing there sighting of an Osprey, in Mendon, Vermont. Definitely an osprey, definitely home for the season.

And second, also in Mendon, same pond same time, a pair of Common Loons, gavia immer. They call them common and they are some places, but not iin Vermont, where they're only now making a slow and cautious comeback. We heard them before we saw them. Nothing sounds like a loon.

 

[EHocking]

Nothing sounds like a loon.

'cept another loon...

 

[Kotatsu]

Hi all,

Sorry about the past few months, but I've rapidly become entirely overwhelmed by taxonomic work on my lice, spending 8-10 hours a day in front of a microscope... I haven't even looked in here --- or on several other forums I used to frequent --- for ages. On the other hand, I am nearing some kind of resolution on the genus Lunaceps on both morphological and genetical grounds, and have amassed an impressive amount of literature on the subject...

Since I was last here, I have started writing six articles which I am hoping to be finished with and at least have submitted before the end of the year. So I have kept busy.

The last week has been spent in the field, catching birds of prey and finches in Umeå up North again. We were aiming for Snow Bunting, but they seem to have disappeared. However, going there sort of made me realise that I can't spend all my wake hours either sitting in front of a microscope counting sub-marginal setae of the female gonapophyses (1) or read articles on taxonomy and ecology of ectoparasites (2). So this week, I am taking it a bit easier, and will take time to do something about this mess I have abandoned.

For starters, I will read through this thread today, and start updating my spreadsheet tomorrow (unless someone else has already done that), and I'll try to finish it by the end of the week and send it to EHocking.

---
(1) In essence, I am looking at female genitalia and counting the hairs around their openings. If this sounds like the sort of job you'd like to have, just remember that the genitalia are on organisms that are:
1. 1-2 mm long;
2. Insects;
3. Dead
That sort of takes the glamour out of it, doesn't it? Still, taxonomy can lead you to all sorts of places.

(2) Which raises another question: Notwithstanding that I am working with lice, what will I name the several new species I have discovered during the last year? I have sort of promised to name an owl louse (3) after a good friend of mine who helped me collect some lice from owls once, but more than that?

(3) The same genus, Strigiphilus, has a louse named after Gary Larson. If you look for Strigiphilus garylarsoni on Wikipedia, I think you'll find a link to the original description, and get a glimpse of why Dale Clayton was invited to hold a lecture on bird lice to the Larson family once. For some people, there is still some honour in having a species of organism named after you.

 

[mummymonkey]

I'm not a fan of honourifics. I always think the name should describe the unique character of the species. Oh yeh, and be easy to pronounce.

Good - Nannostomus trifasciatus(A small-mouthed fish with three lines)
Bad - Girardinus guppii (Named after Charles Girard & the Rev. JL Guppy)

 

[Kotatsu]

I'm not a fan of honourifics. I always think the name should describe the unique character of the species. Oh yeh, and be easy to pronounce.

Good - Nannostomus trifasciatus(A small-mouthed fish with three lines)
Bad - Girardinus guppii (Named after Charles Girard & the Rev. JL Guppy)

I am generally of the same opinion, with the exception of that one louse for my friend. In louse taxonomy, as in other fields of parasite taxonomy, we have the opportunity to also name species after their hosts. Thus, Sturnidoecus sturni lives on the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) whereas Sturnidoecus carpodaci lives on the Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus), and this has been used quite a lot as well. However, I am not entirely sure I like that approach either.

Using morphological characters is good when they can be found, but that is not always the case, especially in invertebrates. I recently got a paper on Lumbriculus worms published, in which we show that this taxon is divided into at least two species in Sweden, and three species in Western US. They are, as far as we know, morphologically identical, but still differ with as much as 17% genetically, and have different ploidy levels. There's another worm species -- Enchytraeus crypticus -- that differ from its closest relative -- Enchytraeus alexandri (?) -- only by some protein characters, and so on. Morphological names are nice if you can get them, but when you can't...?

 

[Rolfe]

Two goldfinches showed up at my bird feeder a couple of days ago, though they didn't stay still long enough for me to take a clear photo. Now I know that they're around, I plan on buying some of the goldfinch bait advertised at the garden centres and adding it to the bird feeder menu to tempt them to visit more frequently. I can substitute that for the fat ball feeder that mainly seems to be supporting a bunch of rooks who realise that they can perch on the bird-table part and guzzle fat balls to their hearts' content.

I see a number of LBBs that I can't easily identify, though I think some may be dunnocks. Also, I strongly suspect some of my "yellowhammers" are siskins (though some are definitely yellowhammers).

Saw a lapwing in flight on my way to work this morning.

The starlings are nesting in my garage roof again. Next door seems to have house sparrows, and next door but one claims to have swallows.

Rolfe.

 

[davefoc]

I'm not a fan of honourifics. I always think the name should describe the unique character of the species. Oh yeh, and be easy to pronounce.

Good - Nannostomus trifasciatus(A small-mouthed fish with three lines)
Bad - Girardinus guppii (Named after Charles Girard & the Rev. JL Guppy)

I'm a fan of honourifics I guess. I periodically have mused about what I'd call an organism if I was in the business of discovering and describing them. I thought it would be nice to name one after Randi. I don't know how he'd feel about having a louse named after him. But, if he was cool with it I'd probably name it after him.

I like Randus prodigiosus. Prodigiosus is amazing in Latin I hope. If the genus name is Strigiphilus then Strigiphilus randus might be nice.

And did somebody say wood duck?



wood duck Aix sponsa 27/04/2009

also (new for me):
green heron Butorides virescens 27/04/2009
great tailed grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 27/04/2009

plus a mallard family with two chicks
and a ruddy duck male that was looking ruddy as opposed to the eclipse plumage when I saw one the first time.

and a non-sighting
no more American wigeons as of 25/04/2009. Still hoping to hear from somebody, presumably north of me, that has seen them coming. Where have all the wigeons gone?

ETA:The birds were seen in Laguna lake, Fullerton, CA
I didn't realize that the male malards and wood ducks hung around after the chicks were born.

 

[davefoc]

I just realized that louse naming also allows for the possibility of dishounorifics.

You could make a political statement Strigiphilus gorus orStrigiphilus bushus depending on your political bent.

You could name one after Sylvia Browne or John Edward(s). Naming it after John Edward(s) could work for both the talk to the dead guy and the cheat on my sick wife guy.

 

[Kotatsu]

Certainly it can, although it is a sort of unwritten rule among taxonomists not to use their, um, powers for evil, but only for good. Nonetheless, I recall a story about how a department manager of some American museum was very bossy and demanded to be placed as author on all publications, whether he had had anything to do with them or not. In the end, I think he got a new species of very thick-headed prehistoric African warthog named after him. Even Linnaeus, I believe, made a habit of naming unpleasant flowers after his political and scientific enemies.

EDIT:
The only reason I would like to name that species of owl louse after my friend is that Strigiphilus means more or less "owl-lover" and she certainly loves owl.

 

[Kotatsu]

[qimg]http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/imagehosting/2839649b61c8b73a00.jpg[/qimg]

To add, I have be able to get a few more good pictures, now they are a little more used to the video camera in their favorite spot.

Did we get an ID on this bird?

Grey Hypocolius Hypocolius ampelinus = possible 1st for Sinai, 4 or 5th for Egypt, preparing submission for Egypt Rarities Committee.

Congratulations!
I will, as such, add a small mark on this bird.
Also: I have added your gulls under the genus "Ichthyaetus".

I had the pleasure of seeing an osprey, Pandion haliaetus carolinensis, recently. I walked outside my front porch and discovered a massive amount of feathers on my front porch. I was collecting them and happened to glance up at my roof to see an osprey with a ring-necked dove (Streptopelia capicola). He took off toward my backyard canal with the bird in his talons (I suspect it's a he, because of the wingspan, but it's simply conjecture).

Where are you from? I am assuming "USA", but would like to have this confirmed, either here or by PM.
I am also a bit puzzled by an osprey eating a dove. I've never heard of this before. Do they do this occasionally? I thought that they lived entirely on fish.
Lastly, was the dove dead at the time?

Things are getting tough out here in the desert!
This l'il guy has given up chasing flowers, and was obviously going after bugs last night!

Any ID on these?

Next, we took the driving trip around the lagoon. It’s a great show. There are all the familiar egrets and ibis, but with lots of extras, like Ruddy Ducks, Northern Parulas, White-eyed Vireos, dowitchers, curlews, terns, Osprey… Okay. I’m boring you now. But I have to tell you about a couple of things.

Could you elaborate on these birds for the list?

an Orange Crested Warbler

Is this the same as Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata?

Also: a great post!

I like Randus prodigiosus. Prodigiosus is amazing in Latin I hope. If the genus name is Strigiphilus then Strigiphilus randus might be nice.

I think it would be Strigiphilus randi, actually.

To sum up:
All species have now been added with scientific names and localities. What remains is adding some common names, orders and families. I will do so tomorrow, and send the file to EHocking as soon as possible. I also haven't added any birds I've seen myself this year, so I'll look through my papers and do that tomorrow as well. But at least things have started moving again.

 

[I Ratant]

Originally Posted by I Ratant View Post
Things are getting tough out here in the desert!
This l'il guy has given up chasing flowers, and was obviously going after bugs last night!
.

Any ID on these?

.
Costa's Hummingbird...Calypte costae the different light directions change the irridescence.

 

[I Ratant]

And something new to this area.. usually these are in the mountains up north of here..
Chukar Alectoris Chukar.

 

[sphenisc]

And something new to this area.. usually these are in the mountains up north of here..
Chukar Alectoris Chukar.

I think these might be California Quail Callipepla californica.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...afe=off&rlz=1T4GGIC_en-GBGB281GB281&sa=N&um=1

 

[I Ratant]

I think these might be California Quail Callipepla californica.

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...afe=off&rlz=1T4GGIC_en-GBGB281GB281&sa=N&um=1

.
Right... The topknots weren't all that clear in the brush, but quite obvious out on the trail in these photos taken a year ago...

 

[davefoc]

Interesting pictures of California quail.

In years of hiking around California, I've never seen the quail grouped like that out in the open. Normally the quail can be seen very briefly as they scurry out of the bush on one side of the trail and then scurry into the bush on the other side of the trail.

Could somebody take a look at this image and verify the identification? Thank you.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ArchilochusAlexandri_2642.JPG

The three hummingbirds listed for the area were:

Allen's hummingbird
black-chinned hummingbird
rufous hummingbird
​

Although it's not visible in this image there was some iridescent green on the back of this bird that was visible in another image.

As an aside. I have been rereading this thread with much more understanding and interest than I had previously. Two months ago the bird world was pretty much divided into sparrows and non-sparrows for me (smallish birds were sparrows and big birds were non-sparrows). And now I walk down the street and see many different species doing different interesting things. I have let our backyard go wild and the milk weed has become a big attraction for bush tits, house finches, goldfinches and an occasional kingbird.

I've been looking up plans for bird houses and I might put up a feeder.

I thought the minimum age for being a birder was 60 and here it is I'm only 59 and I'm having fun with it. I guess I'm just an early starter.

 

[I Ratant]

Those quail live just across the wall from my community, and next to a busy thoroughfare.
I can usually get one or more up when I walk out there.
They're somewhat acclimated to people, and occasionally come across the wall to forage.
That mysterious hummer could be a female of the Costa's... I've seen both at local feeders here.

 

[sphenisc]

That mysterious hummer could be a female of the Costa's... I've seen both at local feeders here.

Any chance you get Anna's in your area?