Hello fellow UV Birders... here is some news and some family trip bird
reading...
1. The CT River Birding Trail has now officially moved its office to
Thetford (our home) and we have email. ([log in to unmask]) The
Birding Trail's website is: www.ctriverbirdingtrail.org and has been
updated.
2. The revision of the "Upper Valley" portion of the CRBT is almost ready
to be reprinted. I think that it will be available in 10 days. There are 5
new sites (4 were deleted), and has all new Jim Block bird images. The
other new feature is that we are charging for future copies, $5.oo. A list
of locations where maps can be purchased will be available on the website.
The Norwich Bookstore has joyously agreed to be the first host for the new
maps !!
3. Birding in Texas. April 11-19th. Will and I flew to El Paso (out of
San Antone), rented a car and then started birding. Our adventure was
designed to focus on birding while spending time together, outside. I made
no expectations on where to be or what to see, just do the best we can. We
had great success on all fronts. Mostly we camped and took "FM" roads (farm
roads) whenever we could. The real key is to find water. Where there's
water, there is life. The list is 122 species long. A few local birds
(TuVu, Rock Pigeon, Hermit Thrush, Chip Sparrow, Red-tails !, No Cardinal
and Mockingbirds).. Ahh, but the different and new stuff was wonderful !!
Our destination was Big Bend NP (and we camped in BB Ranch SP). The general
topography is dry.. And hot. The landscape is "chaparral", scrub, and
rubbley (no soil). cactus, mesquite, dry, and open. (felt like good for
hawks and sparrows). We did many hikes in the Park, some to oasis's and some
up into the Chisos Mountains. We even took a night drive looking for
Nighthawks and Mtn Lions. A very special out-of-the-way place. (even
108deg one day on the valley floor by the Rio G)(good bird day however).
Many highlights:
Raptors: 2 Gold Eagles, Kestrels !!, Harris's, Swainson's, No Harrier,
Osprey, Common Black Hawk (set scope on it).
Shore: Am Avocet, Bl-necked Stilt, Killdeer, Great Egret, Snowy, Eg, Great
Blue, Bl-cr Nightheron, L-B Dowitcher, Glossy Ibis, Pectoral and
SolitarySp, L-b Curlew,
Waterfowl: Ruddy Duck, Cinn Teal, West Grebe, Gadwall, B-W Teal, Mexican
Duck, Am Shoveler, Am White Pelican
Other:
West Kingbird, Scissor-t Fly, Curve-b and Crissal Thrasher, Vermillion Fly,
Phainopepla, Pyrrhuloxia, Ash-throated and Brown-crested Flys, Bell's Vireo,
West and Summer Tanagers, Black and Say's phoebe's, Chihuahuan Ravens,
Mexican Jays, Canyon and Spotted Towhees, Scott's and Orchard Orioles,
Bl-thr Hummer, Marsh, Carolina, Cactus, Canyon and Rock Wrens, Audubon's,
Wilson's, and Colima Warblers, Y-B Chat, Verdin, Gold-fronted, Acorn, and
Ladder-backed Woodps, and Sparrows !
Black-throated, Black-chinned, Lark, Chipping, White-crowned, Vesper,
Rufous-crowned, and Cassin's. Lark and Varied Buntings. Townend's
Solitaire, Band-tailed Pigeon.
Scaled Quail, Com Ground Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove. and Roadrunners
(Will's fav).
Bl-headed Grosbeak, Bronzed Cowbird
And more.
So .. Keep an eye out for the new maps. and if you ever get south west
ambitious. the BB area is sweet !!!
Thanks.
Bill and Will.
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.3/1393 - Release Date: 4/23/2008
8:12 AM
****************************************************************
To post messages, send e-mail to: [log in to unmask]
Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages.
To contact the list owner: [log in to unmask]
----------------------------------------------------------------
Web based archives and subscription management are available at:
http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html
****************************************************************
|
