Bird Sightings Report

Bird Sighting Report, June 1 to June 30, 2010

For many species, breeding activities centering around the nest shifts to the care and feeding of fledgling young as the month progresses. Song activity decreases towards the end of the month, and the persistent begging of young can often be heard. Look for species in unusual habitats as post-juvenile wandering begins.

Species Accounts

Ducks: Gene Lewis reported Mexican Mallards (a subspecies of the common Mallard) at the Tyrone sewage ponds (21 on 6 June; 14 on13 June; 41 on 20 June; and 47 on 27 June). He also reports Blue-winged Teal (2 on 13 June; and 2 on 27 June) and Cinnamon Teal (4 on 6 June; and 1 on 20 June) at the same location. Larry Malone reported a Wood Duck at the Deming Waste Water Plant (12 June).

Cormorants: Larry Malone reported a Double-crested Cormorant at the Deming Waste Water Plant (12 June).

Herons: Gene Lewis reported a Cattle Egret at the Tyrone sewage ponds (6 June). Larry Malone reported a Green Heron in the Deming area (1 June).

Hawks: Jim Rogers reported a Swainson’s Hawk at the Grant County Airport (23 June), and a Harris Hawk (22 June) in Deming. An Osprey was reported near Cliff (Devena Crosley, 7 June and by Angela Slaugh, 8 June).

Swainson’s Hawk by Jim Rodgers, Grant Co. Airport, 23 June

Shorebirds: Gene Lewis reported a Spotted Sandpiper at the Tyrone sewage ponds (6 June).

Cuckoos: Yellow-billed Cuckoos were detected on a regular basis throughout the Cliff/Gila Valley during June (many observers).

Nightjars: Larry Malone reported a Common Nighthawk at the Mogollon Box above Cliff (22 June). In addition Larry Malone and a group of additional birders reported 4

Owls: Robert Shantz reported a Burrowing Owl on SR 338 in Hidalgo County (19 June). Larry Malone reported a Spotted Owl on an owling trip with several other people on Signal Peak (25 June).

Burrowing Owl by Robert Shantz, Hidalgo Co, 19 June

Woodpeckers: Gila Woodpeckers were detected at several locations in the Cliff/Gila Valley throughout the month of June (several observers).

Flycatchers: Willow Flycatcher numbers in the Cliff/Gila Valley appear to be greater this year than in the past several years (Roland Shook).

Vireos: Teri Matelson reported a Yellow-throated Vireo at  Mangas Springs (26 June). To my knowledge this is only the third record for the Gila River Valley. Water from Mangas Springs flows for approximately 6 miles before it enters the Gila River below Bill Evans Lake. Roland Shook reported a late Warbling Vireo in the Gila Bird Area (5 June).

Corvids: Seventeen Pinyon Jays were observed in the Gila Bird Area (Roland Shook, 26 June). Two American Crows were heard along the Gila River near Cliff where they have been scarce (Angela Slaugh, 28 June) and on 29 June (Devena Crosley, Danielle Walkup).

Silky Flycatchers: Dale Zimmerman reported a Phainopepla at his Silver City residence (4 June).

Warblers: Larry Malone reported an adult male Olive Warbler feeding young on Meadow Creek Road (26 June).

Towhees: An Abert’s Towhee was reported on The Nature Conservancy land in the Cliff/Gila Valley (Angela Slaugh, 8 June) and on private land in the Cliff/Gila Valley (Allena Thompson, Angela Slaugh, and Denise Friedrick, 14 June).

Grosbeaks: Mel Moe reported a rare Yellow Grosbeak in his yard located five miles north of Rodeo (5 June). The bird flew west into Arizona after Mel took the following picture.

Yellow Grosbeak by Mel Moe, Rodeo, 5 June

Icterids: Gene Lewis reported a Bronzed Cowbird at the Tyrone sewage ponds (6 June) and a male and female visiting his house daily during the month of June. A male Hooded Oriole was reported from the Gila Bird Area (26 June).

Bird Records

The following is general information concerning the use of records like those listed above. These considerations are modified from those found on the New Mexico Ornithological Society (NMOS) Web site (www.nmbirds.org) and are based on discussions between many individuals familiar with the production and use of avian records. It is important to recognize the potential sources or errors or incomplete/inaccurate data when utilizing historical records/reports. The following represents some of the common causes of unintentional misinformation found in bird records.

By their nature, published and unpublished observations of bird species are selective. An observer somewhere records personal observations of one to several species of birds. The observer decides that some/all of the observations are worthy of note and documents his/her observations. Some of these observations are then submitted to an editor or compiler to be included in a publication, recognized count or included in personal records.

If these records are submitted to an editor or compiler, they assess all submissions and determine which records represent biologically interesting or significant data that add to the knowledge base and are worthy of inclusion in the specific publication or count. Due to the limitations of space in many publications, these “worthy records” from multiple contributors are compiled, summarized, and published as important records for the state or are included in the records of a specific count.

The data available to many publications or counts are the product of the observations and data recording/submission practices of many individuals. Therefore, the quality of the data is dependent on the skills of the observers, which vary considerably. Misidentifications occur in spite of the best intentions of the observer and in spite of diligent screening of submissions by the editor or compiler.

In many cases, submitted observations are not a product of standardized or well-described field data collection methods. Lack of data does not necessarily mean lack of birds. Documented patterns in bird data in a particular location may not necessarily correspond to actual changes in bird numbers or their presence/absence. This could be for a number of reasons associated with observers. It may indicate a lack of observers in a locality or region. The number and/or quality of observers in a particular area may also have changed over time. For example:  (1) a long-time observer who submitted many reports from a particular area may move or no longer be able to submit observations, (2) a new observer may begin submitting reports in an area from which reports were previously rare, or (3) an observer’s skills may improve or decline over time. Also, the number of records could be associated with the behavior of a species, as some species are more or less detectable at different times of the year.

Also, the information on the location of the observation is of varying quality and specificity. Historical locations were frequently very general and/or difficult to understand or relocate, especially for early observations, prior to the common use of standardized maps or GPS units.

For all or some of the above reasons, interpret bird records with caution.

I encourage the submission of records and photos. In order to increase the scientific value of your sightings, please include a date and location. I do not know where many of you live, so a brief description would be much appreciated. Undated sightings, with or without a location, are of little value. Please send your photos and reports to tyrannidae@gmail.com. A thanks to all who submitted this month and in the past.

All photographs displayed in this Bird Sightings Report remain the sole property of the photographer. Expressed written permission from the photographer is necessary to use any of these photographs.

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