RARITY FOCUS
Last month, we began our December issue of the Birding Community E-bulletin with rarity reports from the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The Valley seemed to be the place to be at that time, even for casual and covid-cautious travelers. See here for our short report from the December issue:
Indeed, some of those last month’s Valley rarities hung around through December, especially including the wonderful Golden-crowned Warbler, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, and Social Flycatcher.
Then, there was an extraordinary Bat Falcon that was photographed at Santa Ana National Wildlife on 8 December. The photo was eventually uploaded to iNaturalist where it was positively identified. The original sighting was at the top of a dead tree on the well-used Chachalaca Trail/A Trail. See the resulting eBird report (and poor - but confirming - photos) here:
It was concluded that the bird, whose sighting constituted a first ABA record, quickly disappeared.
But 10 days later, on the afternoon of 18 December, it was relocated, viewed from the refuge’s popular hawk tower, as well as at the NWR parking lot, and other nearby areas. For the rest of the month, the falcon was observed at various locations at Santa Ana NWR, often from the light pole directly at the entrance of the Refuge.
Here is a fine video-and-photo collection all from 18 December:
WAYWARD STELLER’S SEA-EAGLE
For many months, a Steller’s Sea-Eagle has been tantalizing North American birders with its wide-spread and unpredictable appearances. This very large Old-World eagle is normally found in northeastern China, Japan, Korea, and easternmost Russia. It has also rarely been seen in Alaska, with perhaps a dozen total reports. A few individuals have also reappeared in Alaska for multiple consecutive summers.
Consequently, it was exciting, but not altogether that surprising, when one was spotted on Alaska’s Denali Highway in late August, 2020. It was observed and photographed for multiple days at milepost 65 on the highway, and also on the upper Maclaren River.
Wonderful story back in 2020… but there’s more. Much more!
Apparently, the sea-eagle wandered farther inland. It was actually identified in Quebec and New Brunswick in July 2021, individually identified by a distinctive white spot on its left upper wing coverts. Then, after several months of evading human notice, it reappeared in Nova Scotia in early November, where it was observed by dozens of birders before it disappeared again. (There was also a remarkable sighting of an adult Steller's Sea-Eagle in Goliad County, Texas, in March 2021. This might have involved the same individual, but the evidence is certainly inconclusive. Unfortunately, the Texas bird was only photographed perched, not exposing any white spot on the wing.)
The story doesn’t end here however. The Steller’s Sea-Eagle was discovered again, this time on the lower Taunton River in Massachusetts last month. This is when it hit the birding-scene and the news really big-time. The bird was reportedly seen along the Taunton River on 12 December, but somehow the word only got out on 19 December. Then bird was observed by many scores hundreds of birders on 20 December and early into the morning of the 21 December. Indeed, there are over 300 photos of this rare visitor while it was in Massachusetts – with several accompanying Bald Eagles - archived on eBird here:
All too quickly it vanished again, only to be rediscovered on 30 December in the Five Islands area of Sagadahoc County, Maine.
As we are sending out this E-bulletin, indications are that the sea-eagle is still on the Maine coast. Regardless, wherever you are birding in North America this winter, you might want be on the lookout for this magnificent – and wandering - raptor!
IBA NEWS: PROBLEMS AT BEAVERHILL LAKE (ALBERTA)
There are about four dozen Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Alberta, one of which is Beaverhill Lake, in central Alberta, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Edmonton. Historically this has been an important waterfowl staging area (spring and fall) with more than 200,000 individuals using the site in the past. It also has been an important waterfowl molting area with up to 25,000 molting ducks reported on occasion. Sandhill Cranes have also used this site as a staging area in spring migration, with thousands recorded in late April.
In addition to waterfowl, Beaverhill Lake regularly has supported substantial numbers of shorebirds. Beaverhill Lake, is one of only seven Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) sites in Canada. In 2021 this site celebrated its 25th WHSRN anniversary last May. It was somewhat of a bittersweet celebration, however, since the site has had only low numbers of shorebirds in recent years.
When Beaverhill Lake was designated, it hosted over 20,000 shorebirds every year. In the 1990s whenever the lake level receded, expansive mudflats attracted numerous shorebirds. However, with increased drought conditions mudflats began disappearing, providing habitat for only a few thousand shorebirds in the 2000s.
After becoming almost completely dry, Beaverhill Lake finally began to refill over the past decade. Summer thunderstorms and seasonal snow run-off helped to revive the lake for all sorts of birds. And even though 2021 conditions were still dry, the lake once again covered three-quarters of the area it covered in the 1980s.
Still, this has not brought back the shorebird numbers. The growth of extensive wetland vegetation has actually encroached upon the mudflats. Now, even while this vegetation is slowly being flooded out, the former mudflats have yet to return. Interestingly, beneficiaries of the flooded vegetation are White-faced Ibises which have been expanding their range north in Alberta.
It’s a struggle however, and the Beaverhill Bird Observatory that is monitoring the situation is also trying to operate an environmental education program and a research station. Environment and Climate Change Canada is also preparing for the return of the shorebirds by funding the installation of a Motus station.
It is difficult to predict when, or even if, Beaverhill Lake will ever regain its former importance as a WHSRN or IBA site. A historic description of the site’s IBA status can be found here:
Its WHSRN designation is described here:
And an important update of its limited attraction for shorebirds may be found here:
For additional information about worldwide IBA programs, including those in the U.S., check the National Audubon Society's Important Bird Area program web site at:
MBTA DEVELOPMENT
On 3 December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reverted to interpreting the definition of “incidental take” under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). It’s now using the original interpretation of the act as it was prior to the Trump Administration’s conclusions that prohibition of incidental take applied only to “direct and purposeful actions that resulted in loss of protected migratory birds, eggs, or their nests.”
We reported on these developments in the process of rewriting the rule in April 2021:
This “new” rule will likely be challenged in court, as previous rule-changes have been in the past. In the meantime, you can find a summary here, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
CAGE-BIRDS AND CUBA
We have reported on the illegal U.S. cagebird trade multiple times in the Birding Community E-bulletin, mostly with a special emphasis on the Cuba-to-Florida scene. But the situation in Cuba itself has recently escalated, exacerbated by the conditions due to the ongoing pandemic. The illegal cagebird trade offers an opportunity for residents to boost their income, including participation by younger Cubans. Moreover, the use of online social media sites has made it easier for trappers and smugglers to illegally sell birds online.
BirdsCaribbean has been carefully monitoring this ongoing situation. In October 2021, daily catches were reported via images shared by trappers in one of 36 known Facebook groups dedicated to openly selling wild birds. The BirdsCaribbean material shows that 356 group members fairly recently reported capturing 2,041 Indigo Buntings, 785 Painted Buntings, and 235 Rose-throated Grosbeaks.
In total, 3,270 birds of 28 different species were captured from the wild - in just one month and from only one Facebook group. More disturbing, this illegal trade is definitely expanding.
At the same time, there is some new and positive domestic legislation in Cuba, including the recently passed Animal Welfare Decree-Law. In addition, fines have increased for wildlife trafficking. The local government in Old Havana also banned caged birds in private businesses as of September 2019.
But, unfortunately, none of this is enough.
For more details, see the excellent report from BirdsCaribbean here:
TIP OF THE MONTH: SNOWY OWL PROTOCOLS
In the midst of winter, and with the beginning of a new year, birders and photographers are finding, observing, and photographing more exciting “winter birds.” And, depending on the location, Snowy Owls are among some of the most sought-after of these birds.
Of course, these owls are, simultaneously elegant, mysterious, and super-attractive. But this iconic species also deserves special consideration when being viewed or photograaphed, with essential protocols to consider.
It’s time to review some of the standards, when it comes to approach, distance (especially when photographing), flushing, use of auto-blinds, and more.
Check out this proven page from Bird Watcher’s Digest – an adaptation of birding and photographing standards originally presented by New Hampshire Audubon:
BWD SHUTS DOWN
Since we just drew your attention to a page from Bird Watcher’s Digest, it is also with regret that we report on the closure of that publication and institution. After over four decades of publication and appreciation, Bird Watcher’s Digest, based in Marietta, Ohio, shut its doors last month.
It was a long process summarized on its website homepage: “Although we have fought hard to continue to provide the best content, events, tours and products to our beloved birding community, the devastating effects of the pandemic on our business have made it impossible for us to continue.”
You can find the full statement here:
The ongoing pandemic seems to be the proverbial last straw in a series of setbacks and tragedies. William Thompson Jr. and his wife, Elsa, had launched the magazine in 1978, and it was later handed over to their son, Bill Thompson III.
Cancer claimed the life of Bill in March 2019. He was 57, and the loss was covered in our April 2019 E-bulletin:
Two months later, Elsa, the family matriarch, died in a house fire, and almost a year later, Bill’s brother, Andy Thompson, died of a heart attack.
In the words of Wendy Clark, who assumed the reins of the magazine after the passing of Bill, “It sounds like a story you’d watch on TV. We lost three of the Thompsons in fourteen months, and then the pandemic hit. It’s been extremely challenging.”
The loss of destination advertising, the increase in printing and mailing costs, and difficulties with the optics part of the business were all ongoing problems. The decision to close the magazine was ultimately made on 22 December by the board of directors, and the last day at BWD was Christmas Eve. The last print edition of the digest was the already-mailed January/February 2022 edition.
BWD Editor, Dawn Hewitt added, “In a way, we’ve known that print media has been struggling globally…With the pandemic, advertising dropped off and we hoped it would come back, but it hasn’t… I think we all knew it was inevitable…We tried to uphold the legacy of the Thompsons, and we did for more than two years after the death of [Bill Thompson III]. We worked our tails off to maintain a quality publication and I think we accomplished that.”
She said that the content for the BWD March/April issue had already been created, and it is currently available online, appearing with blank spaces where ads would have normally appeared. “There were such good stories, and we put a lot of effort into the issue,” Hewitt said. “We didn’t want to let the work go to waste.”
You can find it here:
And to read more about the closing of BWD, see the local coverage from The Marietta Times:
LAST WORD
Finally, if you have any friends or co-workers who wish to join the monthly Birding Community E-bulletin mailing list, you can simply refer them to this link:
