Empathy List Archives

GW

Glenn Williams

Sun, Oct 23, 2011 4:17 PM

from Glenn Williams:
10/23 - Groton, Bluff Point State Park -- late PHILADELPHIA VIREO, DICKCISSEL, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, 7 PURPLE FINCH An estimated 31,000 birds, predominantly sparrows and kinglets.

Some standout numbers: 105 Hermit Thrush, 10,000 White-throated Sparrows, 3000 juncos, 1600 kinglets Complete list is below.

As for the numbers - it was a little overwhelming from 7am until 7:50am. The birds came in a relentless and unabated stream with waves of single species flocks. It was a constant conflict - just put the binoculars down and get a handle on the big picture, or keep scanning for individual goodies. I tried to do both. Even counting by naked eye, it was hard to keep track. The White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes came out very low, juncos generally behind or at me,
and kinglets through the trees. Some birds were very high or going down the main road. I was almost hit by birds twice and the hot corner flora shook with bird-life at times. A typical one minute sample was about 400 birds. Over the 50 minutes of heavy activity, that comes out to 20,000 birds. A good flight continued for 55 more minutes. During that period, a random one minute sample had 400 White-throated Sparrows alone, and they continued to stream steadily for ten minutes after that - and this was during declining numbers. About 1000 birds were in and around the hot corner after 9am - mostly White-throated Sparrows, but there were still birds leaving through the "hot corner" at10:30am. About 10,000 birds are unaccounted for between my estimate of 31,000 and the approximate 21,000 below. I suspect the individual species numbers are under counted.

50 species (+3 other taxa)

Canada Goose 65
Mute Swan 9
Mallard 3
Common Loon 1
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 60
Osprey 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Herring Gull 45
Mourning Dove 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 7
Northern Flicker 8
Eastern Phoebe 12
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Philadelphia Vireo 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 7
Tree Swallow 12
Black-capped Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 3
House Wren 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 700
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 500
kinglet sp. 400
Eastern Bluebird 2
Swainson's
Thrush 1
Hermit
Thrush 105    55 doing morning flight, 50 more inside the north part
of the park. They were actually in small flocks. I saw 11 at one time
at the "hot corner", 15 together inside the park, and several groups of 5-10.
American Robin 85
Gray Catbird 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 40
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 1
Northern Parula 1
Blackpoll Warbler 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1    adult male
Palm Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 260
warbler sp. 10
Eastern Towhee 8
Chipping Sparrow 7
Savannah Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 40
Swamp Sparrow 45
White-throated
Sparrow 10000    undercounted - random one minute samples included
400-500 birds and numerous waves went through during morning flight
Dark-eyed Junco 3003    numerous waves of 50-125 birds, only 3 found in the park after morning flight
sparrow sp. 6000
Dickcissel 1
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Purple Finch 7

Glenn Williams
Mystic

from Glenn Williams: 10/23 - Groton, Bluff Point State Park -- late PHILADELPHIA VIREO, DICKCISSEL, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, 7 PURPLE FINCH An estimated 31,000 birds, predominantly sparrows and kinglets. Some standout numbers: 105 Hermit Thrush, 10,000 White-throated Sparrows, 3000 juncos, 1600 kinglets Complete list is below. As for the numbers - it was a little overwhelming from 7am until 7:50am. The birds came in a relentless and unabated stream with waves of single species flocks. It was a constant conflict - just put the binoculars down and get a handle on the big picture, or keep scanning for individual goodies. I tried to do both. Even counting by naked eye, it was hard to keep track. The White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes came out very low, juncos generally behind or at me, and kinglets through the trees. Some birds were very high or going down the main road. I was almost hit by birds twice and the hot corner flora shook with bird-life at times. A typical one minute sample was about 400 birds. Over the 50 minutes of heavy activity, that comes out to 20,000 birds. A good flight continued for 55 more minutes. During that period, a random one minute sample had 400 White-throated Sparrows alone, and they continued to stream steadily for ten minutes after that - and this was during declining numbers. About 1000 birds were in and around the hot corner after 9am - mostly White-throated Sparrows, but there were still birds leaving through the "hot corner" at10:30am. About 10,000 birds are unaccounted for between my estimate of 31,000 and the approximate 21,000 below. I suspect the individual species numbers are under counted. 50 species (+3 other taxa) Canada Goose 65 Mute Swan 9 Mallard 3 Common Loon 1 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 60 Osprey 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Herring Gull 45 Mourning Dove 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 7 Northern Flicker 8 Eastern Phoebe 12 Blue-headed Vireo 6 Philadelphia Vireo 1 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 7 Tree Swallow 12 Black-capped Chickadee 8 Tufted Titmouse 5 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Carolina Wren 3 House Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 700 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 500 kinglet sp. 400 Eastern Bluebird 2 Swainson's Thrush 1 Hermit Thrush 105 55 doing morning flight, 50 more inside the north part of the park. They were actually in small flocks. I saw 11 at one time at the "hot corner", 15 together inside the park, and several groups of 5-10. American Robin 85 Gray Catbird 2 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 40 Common Yellowthroat 2 American Redstart 1 Northern Parula 1 Blackpoll Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 adult male Palm Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 260 warbler sp. 10 Eastern Towhee 8 Chipping Sparrow 7 Savannah Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 40 Swamp Sparrow 45 White-throated Sparrow 10000 undercounted - random one minute samples included 400-500 birds and numerous waves went through during morning flight Dark-eyed Junco 3003 numerous waves of 50-125 birds, only 3 found in the park after morning flight sparrow sp. 6000 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 5 Purple Finch 7 Glenn Williams Mystic

BA

Bill Asteriades

Sun, Oct 23, 2011 4:38 PM

From Bill Asteriades, Andrew Dasinger and others:

Glastonbury - Riverfront Park in field just south of dog park 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK, Meadow Road - 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL (1st winter) - unusual inland bird. Birds were noted in Hartford Audubon Society walk in Glastonbury.

From Bill Asteriades, Andrew Dasinger and others: Glastonbury - Riverfront Park in field just south of dog park 1 EASTERN MEADOWLARK, Meadow Road - 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL (1st winter) - unusual inland bird. Birds were noted in Hartford Audubon Society walk in Glastonbury.

DF

David F Provencher

Sun, Oct 23, 2011 4:58 PM

Glenn,

I had to go to work today and arrived at Millstone Station at 5AM. The sky was full of the flight calls of White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes, it was easy to hear it was going to be an interesting day! I'm pleased you had the chance to see a big day at Bluff. Based on my personal experience I suspect your numbers are conservative (understandably). It has been shown that humans routinely under estimate the number of birds in a static flock. Getting counts accurate in the wild dynamism of the Bluff Point phenomenon is way more difficult. In the past, whenever I focused on counting rather than identifying, I was blown away at how many more birds were actually passing than I had been estimating. I have seen huge October flights of White-throated Sparrows there before (as well as Yellow-rumped Warbler flights in the tens of thousands) and it is amazing to realize that these flights can be so heavily mono-specific at this time of year. I wonder how many Golden-crowned Sparrows, Harris's Sparrows, Black-throated Sparrows, Sage Sparrows, or others have slipped by in the feathered torrent over the years! The thrill of these flights at Bluff is hard to imagine if you haven't stood in the vortex of one.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org [mailto:ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of Glenn Williams
Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2011 12:18 PM
To: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org; Larry Reiter
Subject: [CT Birds] Bluff Point 10/23 - amazing flight

from Glenn Williams:
10/23 - Groton, Bluff Point State Park -- late PHILADELPHIA VIREO, DICKCISSEL, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, 7 PURPLE FINCH An estimated 31,000 birds, predominantly sparrows and kinglets.

Some standout numbers: 105 Hermit Thrush, 10,000 White-throated Sparrows, 3000 juncos, 1600 kinglets Complete list is below.

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic message contains
information which may be legally confidential and/or privileged and
does not in any case represent a firm ENERGY COMMODITY bid or offer
relating thereto which binds the sender without an additional
express written confirmation to that effect. The information is
intended solely for the individual or entity named above and access
by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not the intended
recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the
contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful. If
you have received this electronic transmission in error, please
reply immediately to the sender that you have received the message
in error, and delete it. Thank you.

Glenn, I had to go to work today and arrived at Millstone Station at 5AM. The sky was full of the flight calls of White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes, it was easy to hear it was going to be an interesting day! I'm pleased you had the chance to see a big day at Bluff. Based on my personal experience I suspect your numbers are conservative (understandably). It has been shown that humans routinely under estimate the number of birds in a static flock. Getting counts accurate in the wild dynamism of the Bluff Point phenomenon is way more difficult. In the past, whenever I focused on counting rather than identifying, I was blown away at how many more birds were actually passing than I had been estimating. I have seen huge October flights of White-throated Sparrows there before (as well as Yellow-rumped Warbler flights in the tens of thousands) and it is amazing to realize that these flights can be so heavily mono-specific at this time of year. I wonder how many Golden-crowned Sparrows, Harris's Sparrows, Black-throated Sparrows, Sage Sparrows, or others have slipped by in the feathered torrent over the years! The thrill of these flights at Bluff is hard to imagine if you haven't stood in the vortex of one. Dave -----Original Message----- From: ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org [mailto:ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of Glenn Williams Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2011 12:18 PM To: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org; Larry Reiter Subject: [CT Birds] Bluff Point 10/23 - amazing flight from Glenn Williams: 10/23 - Groton, Bluff Point State Park -- late PHILADELPHIA VIREO, DICKCISSEL, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, 7 PURPLE FINCH An estimated 31,000 birds, predominantly sparrows and kinglets. Some standout numbers: 105 Hermit Thrush, 10,000 White-throated Sparrows, 3000 juncos, 1600 kinglets Complete list is below. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This electronic message contains information which may be legally confidential and/or privileged and does not in any case represent a firm ENERGY COMMODITY bid or offer relating thereto which binds the sender without an additional express written confirmation to that effect. The information is intended solely for the individual or entity named above and access by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please reply immediately to the sender that you have received the message in error, and delete it. Thank you.