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NH.Birds for Wednesday, November 19, 2008
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Subject: Mourning Doves
From: "Carol Foss" <CFoss(AT)NHAudubon.org>
Date: 19 Nov 2008 9:46am
I am intrigued by all the discussion about the lack of Mourning Doves here in
New Hampshire. Last Friday I traveled to Ithaca, NY with birding friends. We
were keeping a trip list so were very conscious of everything we saw. In all
the miles of agricultural lands, where I expected MODOs to be almost
continuously in view, we saw TWO small flocks on the entire trip. We did
ultimately find some at Montezuma NWR on Saturday. So do they know something
about the coming winter and decided to retreat south, or what? Does anyone know
if there are higher numbers than usual somewhere south of us?
Carol R. Foss, Ph.D.
Director of Conservation
New Hampshire Audubon
3 Silk Farm Road
Concord, NH 03301
603-224-9909 X331
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Subject: Re: mourning doves in Nashua
From: Ron Cooper <Ron(AT)hightechnh.com>
Date: 19 Nov 2008 10:08am
Same here in Salem.
Manda Miles wrote:
> I have my usual flock of 6-8 doves at my feeder in Nashua...
>
>
--
Ron Cooper
603-893-9486
ron(AT)hightechnh.com
http://www.hightechnh.com
Find me on linked in... http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/592/493
Skype me ...hightech25...with video.
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Subject: mourning doves in Nashua
From: Manda Miles <loachie(AT)earthlink.net>
Date: 19 Nov 2008 10:04am
I have my usual flock of 6-8 doves at my feeder in Nashua...
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Subject: Re: mourning doves in Nashua
From: joseagle(AT)aol.com
Date: 19 Nov 2008 10:43am
I'd be willing to share mine. I have them in Hampton and Manchester in the
usual numbers and they even bring along their pigeon friends to help clean out
my feeders.
JoAnn O'S
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Cooper <Ron(AT)hightechnh.com>
To: New Hampshire Birds <NH.Birds(AT)lists.unh.edu>
Sent: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:20 am
Subject: Re: mourning doves in Nashua
Same here in Salem.?
?
Manda Miles wrote:?
> I have my usual flock of 6-8 doves at my feeder in Nashua...?
>?
>?
?
--
Ron Cooper?
603-893-9486?
ron(AT)hightechnh.com?
http://www.hightechnh.com?
Find me on linked in... http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/592/493?
Skype me ...hightech25...with video.?
?
See the positions we are currently recruiting for here.?
http://hightechnh.com/candidates-job-listings.htm?
?
Celebrating 27 years recruiting in the Semiconductor,
microprocessor, CAD, EDA and IP industries
nationwide.?
?
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Great Horned Owl
From: Hank Chary <hankchary(AT)hotmail.com>
Date: 19 Nov 2008 10:44am
Yesterday morning the crows were making quite a "crowmotion" which drew my
attention to a GHOW roosting in a big pine near my house. Eventually they
gave up the mobbing and left the owl in peace. It stayed there most of the
day. In late afternoon the Blue Jays started jaying madly. I can't believe
it took all day for them to find the owl, but when I looked again at the pine
the owl was gone and the jays quieted down.
Hank Chary
Newmarket
_________________________________________________________________
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Subject: Re: Mourning Doves
From: "PAMELA HUNT" <biodiva(AT)verizon.net>
Date: 19 Nov 2008 12:31pm
My two cents.
As most of you know, I keep pretty regular data on the birds of Penacook
along several standardized survey routes. Looking back on these four years
of data, there is clear fluctuation in numbers of Mourning Doves during the
fall. On my 6 mile survey, the Oct-Nov averages are as follows: 3.7, 20.9,
5.8, and 5.0 (2005-2008), while the corresponding numbers for the Island are
1.6, 12.75, 3.6, 3.4. From these it is clear that, in Penacook at least, the
numbers of doves are not all that different from last year, although there
is clearly annual variation (with a huge spike in 2006). That said, I've
noticed their relative absence this fall myself, even if the numbers don't
seem to bear it out. This is probably because I know the spots where they
can most reliably found on these routes.
On the broader scale, data from NH Audubon's Backyard Winter Bird Survey
show something of a biennial pattern of highs and lows (although far from as
obvious as something like redpolls). At the same time, the winter population
seems to be declining a bit (while breeding season data from the Breeding
Bird Survey show a consistent increase). From others' posts on this subject,
it seems clear that any perceived decline is a very local phenomenon, with
some noticing lower numbers while a few are offering doves for export. This
makes sense when you consider the fact that Mourning Doves are to a certain
extent facultative migrants. Not only so some birds migrate, but whether
they do or not can depend on local conditions (as Carol alludes to in her
post). Numbers will also depend on breeding success the preceding summer.
So are there fewer doves this fall? The answer is the standard scientific
"maybe." We can only sort things like this out by contributing data to
larger data sets (you knew THIS was coming!). Consider participating in NH
Audubon's Backyard Winter Bird Survey, Cornell's Project Feederwatch or
Great Backyard Bird Count, your local CBC, or even trying to keep a finger
on the pulse of your local patch. I hope its clear from this ongoing
discussion that it can be extremely difficult to draw any conclusions from
casual observations, and by attempting to do so we insert unknown biases
(e.g., my perception of fewer doves in Penacook is NOT supported by the
data!). As birders, the population status of Mourning Doves probably doesn't
rank up there with the chance to see a Snowy Owl or hundreds of migrating
hawks, but it does point out what we DON'T know about some of our more
common species. Thus, I once again must close with a call to action: Bird
with a Purpose. Collect data, contribute it to the appropriate data
management entities, and think about how your observations may fit into some
larger whole. Not only will it make you a better birder, it just might help
us learn something.
Dismounting Soapbox,
Pam Hunt
Penacook, NH
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Foss" <CFoss(AT)NHAudubon.org>
To: "New Hampshire Birds" <NH.Birds(AT)lists.unh.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 9:46 AM
Subject: Mourning Doves
>I am intrigued by all the discussion about the lack of Mourning Doves here
>in New Hampshire. Last Friday I traveled to Ithaca, NY with birding
>friends. We were keeping a trip list so were very conscious of everything
>we saw. In all the miles of agricultural lands, where I expected MODOs to
>be almost continuously in view, we saw TWO small flocks on the entire trip.
>We did ultimately find some at Montezuma NWR on Saturday. So do they know
>something about the coming winter and decided to retreat south, or what?
>Does anyone know if there are higher numbers than usual somewhere south of
>us?
>
> Carol R. Foss, Ph.D.
> Director of Conservation
> New Hampshire Audubon
>
> 3 Silk Farm Road
> Concord, NH 03301
>
> 603-224-9909 X331
[ << | >> | ^^ ]
Subject: Strafford Modos get Munched
From: "sayoung" <sayoung(AT)metrocast.net>
Date: 19 Nov 2008 5:04pm
Oh no! We're discussing modos already. What's next gulls? While I'm
thinking on topic, I would suggest Cooper's Hawk for a more balanced Modo
population. I have a mere 2 remaining this year, and the hawk leaves such neat
little piles of feathers on the lawn. I had an aberrant Junco show up again
this year so here's my Winter Prognostication: (Very different than last
year's!) Heavy snows at the beginning of the season, moderate a bit later and
then relatively nothing until a wee bit near spring. Or its the reverse of
that having only been divining Juncos for 2 winter seasons. I'm not sure which
way to read them, from nape to bill or reverse. Perhaps a more experienced
birder could inform.
flickr.com/photos/sa_young/sets/72157600170421512/
Scott Young/Strafford
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