The Chat
Buchanan County Bird Club Newsletter
Editors Roger and Lynda Mayhorn

The Buchanan County Bird Club meets the
2^nd Monday of each month at the
Buchanan County Public Library at 6:00 PM

Volume 5     Issue 5/6     May-June 2006

April 10 Meeting

BCBC members are lined up in this photo to fill packets for those attending the VSO (Virginia Society of Ornithology) annual meeting, which was held in the Breaks Interstate Park May 5th – 7th.

After the packets were finished Roger Mayhorn presented a Power Point presentation on the new book by Don Kroodsma, “The Singing Life of Birds”. Don Kroodsma is a well known expert on birdsong, and was the guest speaker at the annual VSO event. 

Aimee Weldon, Coordinator of the Important Bird Areas of Virginia (IBA), gave a presentation on Virginia’s program to identify important bird habitat within the state. Once these areas are identified, surveys will be performed during the breeding season to find out which species are using the habitat.

Aimee presented a workshop during the VSO weekend to teach birders how to do point counts. This is the method used to find and identify the birds within the area. This is done by first plotting points on a map 400 meters apart. Stops are then made at those points and data concerning birds seen and heard there are recorded. 

This Golden-crowned Kinglet was photographed by Roger Mayhorn on the Nature Drive of the Breaks Park, when he and Lynda were looking for early migrants in late March. These little fellows prefer the coniferous trees, and will often come down and feed within a few feet of humans. This bird has a bright yellow median stripe on his head, but is not visible in this photo.

This species is in our area during winter, but moves north, or to higher elevations to nest during the breeding season.

One hundred forty-one birders descended on the Breaks Park from all points of the compass to participate in the 76th annual conference of the Virginia Society of Ornithology May 5th through the 7th. Judging from the many, many positive comments made by those who attended, our Buchanan County Bird Club must have “got it right.”

Seventeen vehicles made their way in the rain to the Mayhorns’ place on Compton Mountain early Friday Morning on May 5th. These were the Early Birders, who were invited by the BCBC to do some birding before the official kick-off on Friday evening of the VSO weekend. The rain soon stopped and the birds cooperated, giving the birders great looks at several different species, including a Cerulean, a Blackburnian and a Chestnut-sided Warbler on the Mayhorns’ property.

The group then made its way to Enoch’s Branch near Grundy, where all were treated to great looks at Blue-winged Warblers, Golden-winged Warblers, a striking Cape May Warbler and many others.

Friday Evening after a reception and the business meeting, Ed Talbott III awed the crowd by presenting fantastic video of recently arrived warblers in the area. The video of the Yellow-throated Warbler picking gnats from the air brought ooh’s and aah’s from the watchers. Roger Mayhorn then presented a Power Point presentation showing the different trails in the area to be birded the next day. The birders were pleased to be able to see the trails in advance of the scheduled walks. The program was followed by some owling at Potter’s Knoll within the park. David Raines, using his extraordinary ability to imitate the Barred Owl, managed to call in at least three Barred Owls. Several observers were amazed. 

Birders leaving on outings very early on Saturday morning were provided with breakfast foods by the BCBC. The birders spent a beautiful day Saturday birding the Breaks Park and surroundings with the many species of warblers and other migrants showing up, as if on cue. Ed Caudill’s group found a rare Sora Rail near the lake and Richard Kretz found an equally rare American Bittern there later that evening. One hundred sixteen species were found during the weekend event including the Hooded Warbler shown above, photographed by Richard Kretz, and the Red-eyed Vireo photographed by Don Carrier. Trip leaders were provided with snacks and bottled water for the hikers.

Saturday evening after another reception, the participants were treated to a sumptuous banquet consisting of Alaskan white fish, Italian baked chicken and hand carved roast beef with several side dishes and five desserts.

After awards were made by VSO president, John Spahr, Don Kroodsma presented a fascinating program on bird song and how he analyzes it. Early Sunday morning Mr. Kroodsma conducted an outdoor workshop, teaching participants how to listen and understand birdsong. Fortunately the workshop was completed before the rain began.  In spite of the rain on Sunday morning birders were still willing to follow the trip leaders and hike the trails in hopes of seeing more brightly colored singing birds. Several birders saw birds they had never seen before. One couple saw a singing, male Kentucky Warbler on Sunday morning on the Bike Trail, which made six new birds for them for the weekend.

Don Kroodsma, having heard of all the birds found on Friday at the Mayhorns’ wanted to go there. Roger Mayhorn led him there before dawn early on Saturday morning. A Black Bear crossed in front of Kroodsma’s vehicle as he was driving from the parking lot in the park. While at the Mayhorns’ he found a singing White-eyed Vireo that fascinated him, because its song contained parts of songs from many other birds. He presented some of the Vireo’s song during his presentation on Saturday evening.

Thanks to Lynda Mayhorn for all of the hard work and the many, many hours spent in organizing this event. All problems were anticipated and prepared for even down to the smallest details. Thanks to Ed Talbott III and Michelle Talbott for all of their work from helping to organize the event, to preparing brochures, to Ed’s preparation of the website for the event. Michelle wrote articles for the newspaper including a fantastic follow-up article about the event for the Virginia Mountaineer.

Thanks go also to Allen Boynton, Ed Caudill, Dan Kendrick, Richard Kretz, Roger Mayhorn, Peggy and Bill Opengari, David Raines and Ed & Michelle Talbott for leading the hikes and outings, and for being professional, knowledgeable, and making the visiting birders feel welcome.

Thanks to Mary Talbott, Barbara Caudill, Marie Miller, Helen Petro, Edie Farmer, Cheryl Thompson and Orpha Woods for helping with the registration and decorations. Mary Talbott’s hand painted decoys were used as table decorations and door prizes and were admired by all. Thanks to Flo Stewart Rush for being in charge of the Vendors/Display room, and for manning the table for Don Kroodsma’s books and Roger Mayhorn’s photos.

Thanks to Sheldon Woods and Ed Talbott, Jr. for manning the field trip sign up table and being available to deliver snacks and provide taxi service to anyone who needed it.

Thanks to Joel and Josh Meade for manning the radios and to Josh for helping everyone with anything that was needed.

Thanks to the many friends of the Buchanan County Bird Club – Ann and Grady McRae, Flo Stewart Rush, VDGIF, the 234 Gallery, Sisters with Silver, Sandy Shortridge, Steve Riggsby, Roger Mayhorn and Jessceah Clevinger for donating door prizes. Thanks go to the Buchanan County Tourism Committee for help with expenses. Thanks also to New People’s Bank for providing water for the hikers. Also appreciated was the water distributed by Glen and Sonja Honaker, which was donated by their church. Glen was out in the parking lot as early as 6:00 a.m. on Saturday morning handing out bottled water to hikers before they left on their outings. 

More VSO photos can see at Ed & Michelle Talbott’s site at http://www.pbase.com/aquilaet/vso1

Since this issue covers both months April and May, there are two recipients of the Birder of the Month award. The April award goes to Roger Mayhorn for the Green Heron, an uncommon species for the area, that was found on the Beaver Pond at Whitewood on April 23, 2006.

The May Birder of the Month was Ed Caudill. It was his group that found the Sora Rail at the lake during the VSO weekend event. You know that it’s a good birding month when the discovery of an American Bittern and a Brewster’s Warbler lose out to other birds. The Sora took precedent in May over the Brewster’s Warbler, found by Michelle Talbott, since it was even more unusual to the area. While the American Bittern, found by Richard Kretz, was equally rare to the area, the Sora was found first, and so took the award. Congratulations to all who found good birds in April and May. 

In late March this Cooper’s Hawk came into the Mayhorns’ yard on Compton Mt looking for a meal. The birds managed to get away from him, but this fake rabbit in the flowerbed was too slow to get away. The Cooper’s first landed on the rabbit, then spent some time examining and pecking at it. He must have decided this rabbit was too tough because he eventually gave up and flew away.

On May 19 Ed Talbott III found a male Canada Warbler at Caney Island Branch, the hollow across the highway from his house at Weller Yard below Harman. The next day Michelle Talbott returned to the same area and found the male singing. The elevation at this spot is only about 1200 feet, much lower than the normal nesting elevation for this species. It’s possible that this bird was just a late migrant passing through.

On April 23 a Green Heron was found by Roger Mayhorn on a beaver pond on Brown Mountain, about 4 miles out of Whitewood, VA. He then pointed it out to Lynda. This is an uncommon species for Buchanan County. The last record was August 27, 2002 at Weller Yard by Ed Talbott III. 

Brewster’s Warbler Found on Guesses Fork of Hurley

A Brewster’s Warbler, a hybrid resulting from the mating of a Golden-winged Warbler and a Blue-winged Warbler, was found on May 29 on Guesses Fork of Hurley by Ed & Michelle Talbott. The bird was hard to photograph, but Ed Talbott finally got some video of the bird.

The last Brewster’s found in the area was found on the Mayhorns’ property on Compton Mt on July 5, 2005. 

Ed & Michelle went looking for Blue-winged Warblers on April 16 at Guesses Fork and found 7 among the Autumn Olive bushes. They also found a Prairie Warbler, a Palm Warbler, 3 Worm-eating Warblers, 14 Black-and-white Warblers, a couple of Ovenbirds, 1 Yellow Warbler, 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, 5 Hooded Warblers, and 2 Yellow-throated Warblers.

On April 24 Richard Kretz and Roger Mayhorn birded Compton Mt and Enoch’s Branch Park near Grundy. They found a Cerulean Warbler on Compton Mt and both Golden-wings and Blue-wings at Enoch’s Branch. One of the highlights of the day was this handsome male Golden-winged Warbler in an Autumn Olive bush at Enoch’s Branch. This was a scouting trip for the upcoming VSO weekend. This male, photographed by Roger, was one they knew VSO members would definitely want to see.

The first Indigo Bunting of the spring showed up in the Mayhorns’ yard on Compton Mt on April 19. Once the Indigo found the millet seed in the tube feeder it kept coming back to eat. These birds like to nest in open brushy fields and overgrown strip sites. They often nest in brambles near the ground.

On April 21 Richard Kretz birded Sugar Hollow in Tennessee and found 5 Eastern Screech Owls. Three of these birds were nesting in Owl boxes. These birds were gray morphs. Eastern Screech Owls may be gray or red. They nest in hollow trees, sometimes in woodpecker holes, and will often nest in nest boxes made for them.

Dave Worley of Rosedale VA got his first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the season on May 4. It was a female.

Nine members of the Buchanan County Bird Club participated in a birding walk along the unused railroad bed at Whitewood, VA on May 21. Don Carrier, Ed & Barbara Caudill, Richard Kretz, Roger Mayhorn, Ed & Michelle Talbott and Ed & Mary Talbott were those in attendance. Forty-four bird species were counted. Some of the highlights of the walk were Black-and-white Warblers, a Blue-winged Warbler, Common Raven, Common Yellowthroat, Great Blue Heron, Indigo Buntings, a Louisiana Waterthrush, a Northern Parula, Ovenbirds, Pileated Woodpeckers, a Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawks, a Spotted Sandpiper, a Wild Turkey, Wood Ducks, a Wood Thrush, a Yellow-throated Vireo and a Yellow-throated Warbler.  Remnants of an old mining operation were also of interest to the group (see photo).

More photos can be found at Ed & Michelle Talbott’s Pbase site at http://www.pbase.com/aquilaet/whitewood

Roger Mayhorn met Clarence Brown in Roseann on May 27 so Clarence could show him the pair of Baltimore Orioles, that were nesting in his sister’s yard. The two spent some time with Clarence’s friends and relatives watching the pair of orioles come and go to their basket nest about 20 feet up in a maple tree. The bright male was very easy to see because of his vivid orange and black colors, and also because of his habit of flying about the area as he sang. The darker, greenish female was much more secretive. She was seen only fleetingly as she came or went from the nest. The nest was thin enough that, when the sun shone through it, the female could be seen moving about inside it.  Clarence’s sisters made some excellent cornbread and German Chocolate Cake, which these two birders got to enjoy. 

Ed & Michelle Talbott hiked up into Caney Island Branch on June 10. They logged 46 species. The best birds of the day were male and female Summer Tanagers. This species is rarely seen within the county. The two also saw three Cerulean Warblers, five Kentucky Warblers, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, an Acadian Flycatcher, both Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos, a Wood Thrush, a Blue-winged Warbler, a Northern Parula, a Yellow Warbler, an American Redstart, Worm-eating Warblers and Hooded Warblers.

The 78 nest boxes of the four Bluebird Trails managed by BCBC members have been well occupied so far this season, being occupied by Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and Carolina Chickadees. This is the first year since boxes were erected in the Breaks community in 2003 that there have been no House Wrens using the boxes there. That year was the first known record of House Wrens successfully nesting in Buchanan County.

The unusually cold (39 F), wet weather during this May has taken a toll on young birds. Roger Mayhorn reports that at least ten young birds died in their nests from a combination of cold and starvation on the Compton Mountain Trail. Seven were Eastern Bluebirds, and three were Carolina Chickadees. Because of the cold, insects did not move, so food was difficult to find for the youngsters.

David Raines reported two dead Bluebirds in one nest and a third in another nest. A couple of Carolina Chickadees were also among the dead on the Johnny & Betty Ratliff Trail that David monitors in the Breaks community.

Joel and Josh Meade reported no dead birds on the Keen Mountain Trail, that they started monitoring this spring. The young birds in their boxes had already fledged before the cold weather came. It isn’t known how those young fared that had already left the nest boxes. It is also not known how other, non-cavity nesting species fared. It is logical that there were also losses in many of those nests, especially since they did not have the added protection of a nesting cavity.

No dead birds were found in the boxes of the David Raines Trail around Laurel Lake within the Breaks Park.