March 2005
From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Tue Mar 1 16:22:52 2005
From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)
Date: Tue Mar 1 16:22:54 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] Coopers Hawk outside my window
Message-ID: <>
Birdnoters,
A Coopers Hawk just nailed a Mourning Dove outside my apartment at Country
Fair Apartments!!
Cheers,
Jim :)
--
James Hoyt
"The Prairie Ant"
Champaign Co. Audubon
Co-stewardParklandCollege Prairies.
Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas.
ChampaignCounty Master Gardener
Allerton Allies
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good
reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the
world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held
acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
From LewsaderBud at aol.com Tue Mar 1 16:31:21 2005
From: LewsaderBud at aol.com ()
Date: Tue Mar 1 16:31:32 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] Bald Eagles
Message-ID: <>
I just came back from West Newell Road, Danville. I saw both adult Bald
Eagles. Hoping they will lay eggs near the middle of the month.
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From jane_easterly at hotmail.com Tue Mar 1 17:16:41 2005
From: jane_easterly at hotmail.com (Jane Easterly)
Date: Tue Mar 1 17:35:14 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] Coopers Hawk outside my window
In-Reply-To: <>
Message-ID: <>
I had a Cooper's Hawk outside my window today too! (First one I've seen out
there since I moved here last summer.) However, mine went off empty-handed,
so to speak. I live near Duncan and Springfield.
I was expecting my African Grey Parrot to be alarmed, as I've heard that
parrots can be alarmed by hawks, but he was completely indifferent even
though only about 10 feet (and one pane of glass) separated them.
>From: James Hoyt <>
>To:
>Subject: [Birdnotes] Coopers Hawk outside my window
>Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 16:22:52 -0600 (CST)
>Birdnoters,
>A Coopers Hawk just nailed a Mourning Dove outside my apartment at Country
>Fair Apartments!!
>Cheers,
>Jim :)
>--
>James Hoyt
>"The Prairie Ant"
>Champaign Co. Audubon
Co-stewardParklandCollege Prairies.
>Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas.
ChampaignCounty Master Gardener
>Allerton Allies
>*******************************************************************************
>*******************************************************************************
>"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good
>reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the
>world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held
>acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"
>*******************************************************************************
>*******************************************************************************
>______
>Birdnotes mailing list
>
>
From charleneanchor at msn.com Tue Mar 1 21:08:30 2005
From: charleneanchor at msn.com (charlene anchor)
Date: Tue Mar 1 21:06:03 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] another Cooper's Hawk
Message-ID: <>
We had one outside our window too. I wasn't home but my husband saw it. It took a dove as well. Went on top of the garage roof (about 50 ft away) and ate it. Took about a 1/2 hour. That was a couple of days ago. Then yesterday I saw an immature Cooper's in the yard circling a little bush. Kept running around the bush peeking in. Bird inside of it?? It was a large, beautiful immature, very bright looking. Finally it gave up and flew away.
Charlene Anchor
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From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Wed Mar 2 01:46:34 2005
From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)
Date: Wed Mar 2 01:46:35 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] Coopers Hawk outside my window
In-Reply-To: <>
Message-ID: <>
Jane and others,
After checking one of the feathers on the sidewalk I feel certain that the
Coopers hawk probably killed a pigeon, not a Mourning dove.
It was a larger tail feather with a black tip.
At first the hawk was feeding on the ground then moved about 100 feet.
The Coopers hawk had a bit of difficulty in carrying its prey into the
tree.
It was big for a coopers hawk (probably a female) but had the diagnostic
red stipling on its breast.
My neighbor feeds a small flock of house sparrows and doves.
So this may have attracted the pigeon.
The area around Kaufman's lake seems to have several Coopers hawks.
Cheers,
Jim :)
PS. Coopers are very smart predators.
They seem to understand windows and sometimes chase their prey in to
one in order to stun it.
Your Parrot probably is as intelligent as the Coopers if not more so.
On Tue, 1 Mar 2005, Jane Easterly wrote:
> I had a Cooper's Hawk outside my window today too! (First one I've seen out
> there since I moved here last summer.) However, mine went off empty-handed,
> so to speak. I live near Duncan and Springfield.
> I was expecting my African Grey Parrot to be alarmed, as I've heard that
> parrots can be alarmed by hawks, but he was completely indifferent even
> though only about 10 feet (and one pane of glass) separated them.
> >From: James Hoyt <>
> >To:
> >Subject: [Birdnotes] Coopers Hawk outside my window
> >Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 16:22:52 -0600 (CST)
> >Birdnoters,
> >A Coopers Hawk just nailed a Mourning Dove outside my apartment at Country
> >Fair Apartments!!
> >Cheers,
> >Jim :)
> >--
> >James Hoyt
> >"The Prairie Ant"
> >Champaign Co. Audubon
> >Co-steward Parkland College Prairies.
> >Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas.
> >Champaign County Master Gardener
> >Allerton Allies
> >*******************************************************************************
> >*******************************************************************************
> >"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good
> >reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the
> >world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held
> >acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"
> >*******************************************************************************
> >*******************************************************************************
> >______
> >Birdnotes mailing list
> >
> >
> ______
> Birdnotes mailing list
>
>
--
James Hoyt
"The Prairie Ant"
Champaign Co. Audubon
Co-steward Parkland College Prairies.
Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas.
Champaign County Master Gardener
Allerton Allies
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good
reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the
world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held
acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
From roper37 at hotmail.com Wed Mar 2 03:54:31 2005
From: roper37 at hotmail.com (Sarah R)
Date: Wed Mar 2 03:55:05 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] another Cooper's Hawk
Message-ID: <>
The other day I saw what appeared to be cooper's hawk roadkill on Rt. 130
just east of urbana (I think it was the intersection with High Cross Rd.). I
was only able to make out reddish barring on white feathers. I'm hoping that
it was not the sharp-shinned hawk that I saw a couple of weeks ago just a
few miles south of this location, considering the apparent population sizes
of these two species in the area.
As for the sex of the Meadowbrook goshawk, it did not seem to be any larger
than a red-tailed to me, putting it at the smaller end of the range. I
should mention though that I was not specifically thinking about it's sex at
the time that I was viewing it. The CLO Guide to Birds of North America
gives a range of 21-26 inches for the goshawk and 22 inches for red-tailed
hawk.
Sarah Roper
Urbana
From charleneanchor at msn.com Wed Mar 2 08:56:56 2005
From: charleneanchor at msn.com (charlene anchor)
Date: Wed Mar 2 08:54:05 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] another Cooper's Hawk
Message-ID: <>
Sarah and others,
I suppose as more Cooper's take up residence in town that we'll see more Cooper's roadkill. For instance, last year as I was waiting for a light at the corner of Church and State in downtown Champaign, a Cooper's flew low across Church St. with a pigeon. ( It may have been flying low due to the weight of the pigeon which it dropped when it got to the edge of West Side Park. The hawk landed in a nearby tree. I watched to see if it would retrieve the pigeon and I also returned the next day but the pigeon was still there. Maybe the corner was too busy with people for it to return?) Another time I watched a Cooper's chase a pigeon right down the middle of Main St. in downtown Champaign. One evening I saw a Cooper's land on the top of the Virginia Theatre. There are plenty of pigeons around and the chaser or the chasee probably aren't watching traffic
during a pursuit.
Seems like determining the size (sex) of the Goshawk could be a challenge I checked a couple of sources and there can be an overlap between the two. Bailey in "Birds of Illinois" gives the following sizes: Goshawk male 21-23, female 23-25; Red-tail male 18-23, female 20-25. So the males and females of both species will be of similar sizes - a large red-tail would be F and a small would be M for both species. Maybe it would be easier to compare it to the size of a crow which would be 17-21? If it's nearer to crow-sized it would be a male, if it's definitely larger than a crow it would be female for both species. That's easier said than done for me as I find sizing confusing and frequently I'm not thinking about the size. Any other suggestions?
Charlene Anchor
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah R
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 3:55 AM
To:
Subject: RE: [Birdnotes] another Cooper's Hawk
The other day I saw what appeared to be cooper's hawk roadkill on Rt. 130
just east of urbana (I think it was the intersection with High Cross Rd.) I
was only able to make out reddish barring on white feathers. I'm hoping that
it was not the sharp-shinned hawk that I saw a couple of weeks ago just a
few miles south of this location, considering the apparent population sizes
of these two species in the area.
As for the sex of the Meadowbrook goshawk, it did not seem to be any larger
than a red-tailed to me, putting it at the smaller end of the range. I
should mention though that I was not specifically thinking about it's sex at
the time that I was viewing it. The CLO Guide to Birds of North America
gives a range of 21-26 inches for the goshawk and 22 inches for red-tailed
hawk.
Sarah Roper
Urbana
______
Birdnotes mailing list
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From billw at mchsi.com Wed Mar 2 09:51:34 2005
From: billw at mchsi.com (Bill White)
Date: Wed Mar 2 09:51:44 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] four fat Robins/old corn cobs?/book recommendation
Message-ID: <>
We saw four robins with huge bellies this morning under the feeders
and round the sump pump puddle. Til today we'd just seen one at a
time. There was a report of goldfinches in Naperville on IBET last
night; spring is on its way!
We've started putting out ears of field corn stuck on a nail in a log
standing up on end. I drill a hole in the bottom of each ear to get it
over the nail's head. The squirrels do most of the work picking the
cob clean, but occasionally a Blue Jay will land on top of the ear
(which would make a colorful photo) or a Red-Bellied Woodpecker will
land on the side of the log and pick at the corn.
Is there some bird-friendly use for empty ears of corn? I've been
tossing them in a pile since the first one I left out was ignored by
everyone.
By the way, here's the best book I've found on attracting and feeding
birds, only $10.00 used at amazon:
"Wild about Birds: The Dnr Bird Feeding Guide"
("Dnr" is the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)
A guy I work with at Wolfram Research is the nephew of Carrol
Henderson, the author.
Thanks -
bw
--
Bill White . .
From avara at uiuc.edu Wed Mar 2 12:23:19 2005
From: avara at uiuc.edu ()
Date: Wed Mar 2 12:23:22 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] four fat Robins/old corn
cobs?/book recommendation
Message-ID: <>
Just wondering, do Goldfinches not winter in Champaign? My
permanent home is in southern Illinois near St. Louis and
they typically stay the winter there.
~Mike Avara
From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Wed Mar 2 13:15:26 2005
From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)
Date: Wed Mar 2 13:15:27 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] four fat Robins/old corn cobs?/book recommendation
In-Reply-To: <>
Message-ID: <>
Mike,
I'm not sure about Champaign but you can see them in Urbana at the Anita
Purvis Nature Center bird feeding station.
They have been there all winter and usually hang out (pun) on the thistle
feeder.
The only thing that makes for difficulty of ID is the brownish-green
plumage of of these birds in Winter time.
Cheers,
Jim
On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 wrote:
> Just wondering, do Goldfinches not winter in Champaign? My
> permanent home is in southern Illinois near St. Louis and
> they typically stay the winter there.
> ~Mike Avara
--
James Hoyt
"The Prairie Ant"
Champaign Co. Audubon
Co-steward Parkland College Prairies.
Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas.
Champaign County Master Gardener
Allerton Allies
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good
reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the
world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held
acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
From jane_easterly at hotmail.com Thu Mar 3 06:48:34 2005
From: jane_easterly at hotmail.com (Jane Easterly)
Date: Thu Mar 3 06:49:03 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] I have lost my African Grey Parrot
Message-ID: <>
My African Grey Parrot escaped my house late yesterday afternoon. He was in
my yard as it moved from dusk to dark, but he would not come to me. He then
flew off, I don't think very far, but I could never find him again.
I assume he did not survive the night. If you hear of anyone finding an
African Grey Parrot (grey with a bright red tail), I'd really appreciate it
if you'd let me know. I live at William and Brentwood (near Duncan and
Springfield). I have never felt worse about anything in my entire life.
Thanks.
Jane Easterly
847-445-1974
From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Thu Mar 3 22:49:49 2005
From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)
Date: Thu Mar 3 22:49:52 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] Allerton Allies: Saturday,
Mar 5 workday Setting up Bluebird Boxes
In-Reply-To: <>
Message-ID: <>
birdnotees...
To any birders in the Monticello area.
If you would like to help or learn about bluebird boxes stop by the Red
Barn, Environmental Learning Field Station, south of the River at Allerton
Park.
Maybe we can turn Allerton Orange and Blue this summer!
Jim Hoyt :)
On Thu, 3 Mar 2005, Mason, Sandy wrote:
> Allies, It will be a glorious spring day on Sat. March 5 for the next
> Allies workday. Ok it will at least be March. I will be at our Garden
> Day event so I wont be with you but in spirit. You will be in the
> capable hands of Caty Brumleve, Allerton intern. You will be putting up
> the bluebird boxes we made last month. Nate and Jim Hoyt placed flags
> for locations. Meet at the Red Barn at 8:30 am for treats then off to
> work by 9:00 am. Have fun. Caty's email is if you
> need to reach her. Hey great news! 27 trumpeter swans were spotted last
> week next to Int. 72 near White Heath on their way back north. Evidently
> part of a reintroduction program in Wisconsin.
>
> Sandy
>
> Sandra Mason
> Unit educator, Horticulture/Environment
> University of Illinois Extension - Champaign County
> 801 North Country Fair Drive
> Champaign, IL 61821-2492
> PH: (217) 333-7672 FAX: (217) 333-7683
>
> <
>
--
James Hoyt
"The Prairie Ant"
Champaign Co. Audubon
Co-steward Parkland College Prairies.
Monitor Urbana Park District Natural Areas.
Champaign County Master Gardener
Allerton Allies
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
"The human culture is considered to be a 'geologic force' and with good
reason. But if we are at a stage where our actions are to decide the
world's future, then surely we have reached a level where we can be held
acountable for the world's future." Durward L. Allen "Our Wildlife Legacy"
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
From jane_easterly at hotmail.com Fri Mar 4 07:13:25 2005
From: jane_easterly at hotmail.com (Jane Easterly)
Date: Fri Mar 4 07:14:05 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] an update on my African Grey Parrot
Message-ID: <>
I didn't expect my parrot to survive the night in 10 degree temperatures,
but to my amazement I found him alive in a neighbor's tree in the morning.
I spent most of the morning trying to lure him to me/his cage/food. I'll
spare you the rest of the details, but I finally got him in about 24 hours
after he got out by climbing a 40-foot ladder propped against a tree,
hanging on to the ladder with my right hand while reaching out to Ascar with
my left, and luring him to me with a peanut. (Climbing back down while
holding him was a lot of fun!)
I had called a lot of places trying to get help; Animal Control suggested I
call Anything Wild, and they were great. If you ever hear of anyone in a
similar fix, I highly recommend them.
I could tell that Ascar was hypothermic, and he lost a toenail and was
bleeding (his feet were really bloody, which scared me a lot, but I think it
was all from the same toenail.) I hope to take him to the vet today. Whew!
Thank you to everyone who emailed me about this with suggestions and
sympathy.
Jane
From jwhoyt at prairienet.org Sat Mar 5 00:03:10 2005
From: jwhoyt at prairienet.org (James Hoyt)
Date: Sat Mar 5 00:03:11 2005
Subject: [Birdnotes] Meadowbrook Park
Message-ID: <>
Birdnoters,
There are now at least 5-6 robins along Mcullough Creek.
Also the Red Winged Blackbirds are begining to stake out territories.
One more reason that I believe that spring is closer...
Jim :)