RBA: North Dakota, July 7, 2009

* RBA

* North Dakota
* Statewide
* July 7, 2009
* NDST0907.07

- Transcript

Hotline: North Dakota Update
Date: July 7, 2009
Number: 701-527-0730
To Report: 701-527-0730
Coverage: Statewide
Compiler: Ken Torkelson
Compiled: July 7, 2009
Transcriber: Jane Kostenko
mailto: tork02@...

- Birds Mentioned

Ring-necked Pheasant
Baird's Sparrow
Marbled Godwit
Belted Kingfisher
Upland Sandpiper
Least Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
House Wren
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Canada Goose
Wild Turkey
Ferruginous Hawk
Eastern Bluebird
Lazuli Bunting
Blue Grosbeak
Sora
Lark Bunting
Gadwall
Canvasback
Ruddy Duck
Loggerhead Shrike
Sprague's Pipit
Indigo Bunting
Yellow-breasted Chat
Turkey Vulture
Bell's Vireo
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Say's Phoebe
Great Egret
Green Heron
Common Poorwill
American Redstart
Bald Eagle
American Bittern
Burrowing Owl
Western Sandpiper
Red-tailed Hawk

Welcome to the North Dakota Rare Bird Alert compiled by the North
Dakota Birding Society. This report was prepared on Tuesday, July 7.
Unless otherwise noted, any phone numbers mentioned are area code 701.

Transcriber's Note: Birds listed in ALL CAPS in the Birds Mentioned
section signify that the Revised Checklist of North Dakota Birds
lists them as Occasional, Accidental, Extirpated, or never having
occurred before for the season being reported.

Breeding Bird Surveys continue to reveal interesting species and
numbers.

Mark Gonzalez reports results of three surveys he has conducted
in recent days. On July 1, he observed 56 species in the 23rd
edition of the Golva BBS in Golden Valley County. Mark recorded
343 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS, BAIRD'S SPARROW, MARBLED GODWIT for
only the second time on the count, and BELTED KINGFISHER for
the first time. He set count highs for UPLAND SANDPIPER with 15,
LEAST FLYCATCHER with four, RED-EYED VIREO with two, HOUSE WREN
with eight, DICKCISSEL with five and BOBOLINK with 36. On the
other hand, Mark was disappointed to find only two CHESTNUT-
COLLARED LONGSPURS. On June 20, he drove south of Mandan for
the Solen BBS. This was count number 33, and Mark ended up with
a record-tying 62 species. It was the first time for CANADA
GOOSE, and he set new highs with 232 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS,
14 WILD TURKEYS, two FERRUGINOUS HAWKS, six LEAST FLYCATCHERS,
two RED-EYED VIREOS, four EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and three LAZULI
BUNTINGS. He also found BLUE GROSBEAK for only the second time,
and SORA. Mark recorded count lows for LARK BUNTINGS with 17
and CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS with 14. On June 23, the Gorham
BBS in Billings County revealed 61 species in the 40th count.
Mark reported new highs with eight GADWALLS, seven CANVASBACKS
and three RUDDY DUCKS. He also saw four LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES,
four SPRAGUE'S PIPITS and nine BAIRD'S SPARROWS, but only 20
LARK BUNTINGS and 12 CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS. For details
on those sightings, you can reach Mark at 250-4443, ext. 106.

Corey Ellingson took his mother to the Beaver Bay area of Emmons
County on July 4, and it was a good thing. Mom found a male
INDIGO BUNTING which was then chased away by a YELLOW-BREASTED
CHAT. They also recorded 18 TURKEY VULTURES, two singing
BELL'S VIREOS, male INDIGO BUNTING, male LAZULI BUNTING, six
ORCHARD ORIOLES, BALTIMORE ORIOLE and DICKCISSEL, and Corey
believes they may have heard a BLUE GROSBEAK in the recreation
area. Back in Bismarck on July 5, Corey estimated 60 TURKEY
VULTURES were roosting on the communications towers near the
north Pizza Hut. Contact him at crackerjackbirder@...

Bob Anderson has the exact location for a pair of SAY'S PHOEBES
that are nesting in an abandoned farmstead in northeastern
LaMoure County. Bob says the site is on private land, so you
should contact him at 605-695-1344 if you're interested.

Jean Legge reports a large population of GREAT EGRETS in the
Hobart Lake area, which is west of Valley City. She counted 18
in one flooded field, just north of the Oakes exit off I-94
on June 29. For details, Jean is at 845-4762.

A single GREEN HERON spent some time at the edge of a slough
at the end of Meridee Erickson-Stowman's driveway from July 1-3.
She describes the location as southeast of Tower City. Contact
her at patnme@...

From Billings County, Jesse Kolar's July 4-5 camping trip near
Fairfield turned up a likely COMMON POORWILL, but the bird was
never seen, so he couldn't be positive. He says an AMERICAN REDSTART
appeared to be on territory north of Grassy Butte. You can reach
Jesse at jekolar@...

Some county firsts for Chris Hiatt. He saw his first Bowman
County BALD EAGLE northwest of Bowman on June 30, and the same
site also produced 12 CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPURS, AMERICAN
BITTERN and BURROWING OWL. On July 2, Chris saw his first
Hettinger County LARK BUNTING east of New England. Near
Gascoyne, he added WESTERN SANDPIPER and Krider's RED-TAILED
HAWK. He also reported a FERRUGINOUS HAWK in Adams and Bowman
County. You can reach him at hiattch@...

That concludes this report from the North Dakota Birding Society.  This
report is normally updated each Tuesday.

- end transcript