Louisiana Rare Bird Alert Monday, 07 June 1999 Baton Rouge Audubon Society Rare Bird Alert Area: Baton Rouge and Louisiana statewide Highlights: BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO (possibly nesting) GREAT KISKADEE * (nesting) YELLOW-GREEN VIREO (heard only) ROSS' GOOSE CINNAMON TEAL SURF SCOTER (4-8) AM. OYSTERCATCHER (nesting) LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL GLAUCOUS GULL * THAYERS' GULL * CAVE SWALLOW (probable) BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER * (probable) * (La. Review List species)   others birds mentioned: Fulvous Whistling-Duck Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Purple Gallinule White-tailed Kite (nesting) Swallow-tailed Kite Mississippi Kite Inca Dove White-winged Dove Eu. Collared-Dove Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Swainson's Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Painted Bunting Indigo Bunting Lark Sparrow Dickcissel Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Transcript: Date: Monday 7 June 1999 Area: Baton Rouge and Louisiana statewide   Welcome birders to the BRAS' Rare Bird Alert. This announcement was recorded on Monday 7 June 1999. Highlights include BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO (possibly nesting), GREAT KISKADEE, YELLOW-GREEN VIREO, ALDER & WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, nesting AM. OYSTERCATCHER, GLAUCOUS AND LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, SURF SCOTERS, CINNAMON TEAL, and CAVE SWALLOW.   The singing male BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO, reported in the "Sureway Woods" on Grand Isle on Wed. May 12th was seen again on May 30 and has been joined by a second bird, presumably a female. As unusual as it may seem, this may be a nesting pair. The "Sureway Woods" is located at the N. end of Post Lane on Grand Isle directly behind the Sureway Supermarket. The bird were seen along Post Lane near the house where the paved street turns right and the dirt road continues straight ahead to the North. The black whisker mark on one bird was reportedly not well defined.   The GREAT KISKADEE, found near Venice, LA in Plaquemines Par. on 24 April, and first reported May 4, has been seen regularly as recently as May 30, and is apparently a lone bird building a nest. To reach this site from New Orleans, take La. Hwy. 23 SE (from its jct. with Bus. Rte. US 90 [=West Bank Expy.] on the West Bank of the New Orleans area) all the way to its end at Venice (about 70 miles). Just before its end, La. 23 swings right then left in a gentle S-curve, crossing the hurricane protection levee, then ends in a T-intersection with an unmarked Parish road (=Tidewater Rd.) Turn right onto Tidewater Rd. and continue SW for a mile or so to the 3rd road to the left with a sign for Bud's Boat Rental. The utility pole with the nest is only about 0.1 mi. beyond on the 4th utility pole on the left.   A singing YELLOW-GREEN VIREO was heard but not seen on May 12th in the Peveto Beach Woods Holleyman-Sheely Sanctuary near the pond. There have been no recent reports.   At least one pair, possibly 2 pairs of AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS are apparently nesting on shell mounds on the Louisiana side of Sabine Pass at the LA-TX state line in extreme western Cameron Par. To reach the spot from Louisiana, go W. on La. Hwy. 82 almost all the way to the Sabine Pass bridge at the Texas state line. It is advisable that you park in the boat launch parking lot on the right near the foot of the bridge and walk back eastward along the highway to the first dirt road to the N. This road is known as Blue Buck Rd. because it leads to Blue Buck Point on Sabine Lake, but it is private and gated. So please do not park so as to block ingress or egress to this private road. From the jct. with blue Buck Rd., look across Hwy. 82 to the south and look for the shell mound along the shore of Sabine Lake. As recently as 19 May, one oystercatcher was still sitting in the same spot apparently incubating, while the other bird walked around nearby. One observer reported seeing the two birds swap places on the nest. The birds may be seen with binoculars and even with the naked eye, but a scope is helpful. A second pair of oystercatchers was reported on the 19th on another shell mound to the left or east of the first one. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APPROACH THE POSSIBLE NEST OR DISTURB THE BIRDS IN ANY WAY. Normally we would not report nesting sites, but this nest would not be easy to reach without a boat or without walking through a couple hundred yards of mud, water, and marsh.   Under the nearby Sabine Pass Bridge (the same bridge mentioned above) Barn and Cliff Swallows are numerous and at least one pair of probable Cave Swallows have been seen there for the 2nd or 3rd consecutive year. Rather than attempt to climb under the bridge, which is difficult and not very productive, the swallows are more easily seen and identified on the wing by standing in the boat launch parking lot or off the highway in a safe place.   To reach the Sabine Pass bridge area from the Texas side, take TX. Hwy. 73 from Port Arthur / Groves area to the jct. with TX. Hwy. 82. Continue on TX. 82 over the MLK Jr. Bridge [=Pleasure Island Bridge]; turn left at the foot of the bridge to continue on TX 82 to the Sabine Pass bridge. Cross the Sabine Pass bridge to the Louisiana side where TX. 82 becomes La. 82.   Also on 24 April, A CINNAMON TEAL was found at Lacassine NWR in the main freshwater impoundment known as "Lacassine Pool" along the south leg of the tour road. Also at Lacassine NWR and in nearby fields to the north both FULVOUS and BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS are now present and probably nesting. PURPLE GALLINULES and LEAST BITTERNS are common to abundant and are usually seen by most visitors. To reach LNWR from the East, i.e., the direction of Lafayette or Baton Rouge, take I-10 west to the Welsh exit (Exit #54) and go south on La. 99 through the town of Welsh and continue for ca 13 mi. to the end of La. 99 at its jct. with La. 14. Turn right (W) onto La. 14 and continue ca. 5 mi., watching for the small sign for "Lacassine Pool" on your left in a sharp curve to the right (=Illinois Plant Rd). Birding is good along this road for shorebirds, waterfowl, waders, DICKCISSELS, occasionally BOBOLINKS, and VERMILION FLYCATCHERS. HUDSONIAN GODWITS are regularly reported along this and other nearby side roads. At the LNWR boundary, Illinois Plant Rd. officially ends but continues ahead as a refuge road. At the first T-jct., you may go either way, but the CINNAMON TEAL was seen along the section to the left. To reach LNWR from the West (i.e., from Lake Charles or Beaumont), take I-10 to the Lacassine exit (Exit #48) and go south on La. 101 ca. 9 mi. to its end at La. 14 at the town of Hayes. Turn left (E) onto La. 14, go about 4 mi., and turn right (S) at the sign for Lacassine Pool mentioned above. Birding is also good all along La. 99 and 101 and any of the numerous side roads.   The ROSS' GOOSE that spent the winter in City Park in New Orleans was reported again on June 6, this time behind the old Casino building on Dreyfous Dr. instead of near the Delgado Art Museum. The bird is best seen before 7:00 AM when vehicular traffic forces it and the feral ducks to retreat to a small island.   There have been no recent reports of the 1st-yr. GLAUCOUS GULL and 2 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS found on 24 April on Broussard/Rutherford Beach in Cameron Par., though the birds may still be present. The gulls were about a half-mile east of the tidal stream cut, which may mean something to you only if you regularly drive Rutherford Beach and Broussard Beach. To reach Rutherford Beach, exit I-10 at Cameron-Creole (Exit #36) and head south on LA 397 for about 6 miles. Turn left on LA 14, which starts heading south in about 3 miles. Continue heading south on LA 27 at Holmwood. Follow 27 south through Creole, continuing on LA 82 to Oak Grove (~ 24 miles from Holmwood). Turn right at the T-intersection onto Trosclair Rd (Cameron Par. 357). The turn to Rutherford Beach is a little over a mile on the left. Near the end, turn right onto the main street and continue through the community of Rutherford Beach onto the beach. East of the tidal stream cut at ca. 7 mi., the beach is known as Broussard Beach. To gain access directly to Broussard Beach from the Cameron end, turn S. off La. 82 at the flashing yellow light just east of Cameron onto La. 1042 (=Beach Rd.) and follow this to a T-jct. Turn left and continue ca 0.5-0.7 mi. to a dirt road to the right marked with a "No Dumping" sign. This dirt road leads out to Broussard Beach but often is in poor repair with deep holes filled with standing water. Use discretion. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is not absolutely necessary but is recommended if you plan to drive the entire beach.   Another 1st-yr. GLAUCOUS GULL was found 24 April along La. 82 west of Holly Beach in a flock of mixed gulls and terns; again there have been no recent reports.   Also just west of Holly Beach, a pair of WHITE-TAILED KITES is reportedly nesting behind the power substation on La. 82. The Peregrine Falcons have not been recently reported in the area.   Also from La. 82 west of Holly Beach, 4-8 SURF SCOTERS are still being seen as of May 19th in the Gulf of Mexico in a mixed flock of Lesser Scaup and Blue-winged Teal. Search the Gulf anywhere between Holly Beach and Constance Beach.   PURPLE GALLINULES and LEAST BITTERNS are also being seen at the Marsh Nature Trail on Sabine NWR.   In the town of Cameron there are nesting WHITE-WINGED DOVE, INCA DOVE, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE along the back streets north of La. 82, particularly on Dan St., School St., and Henry St. A few COMMON GROUND-DOVE may again be nesting there as well.   For those of you interested in seeing EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES in the Baton Rouge area, they can be fairly easily seen in nearby Port Allen, especially in the vicinity of Louisiana Ave. and 4th St. Cross the Miss. River on the I-10 bridge and take the very first exit for Port Allen -- Plaquemine (Exit #153). Keep to the right lane for La. Hwy. 1 N. toward Port Allen. Continue on La. 1 through Port Allen for about 0.8 mi. and turn right on Louisiana Ave. and start looking for the doves. Where Louisiana Ave. ends at 4th St., and makes a right angle turn to the left, a male ECD is often seen displaying on top of a utility pole at this corner. Also look in the trees and on the ground in the yards. Listen for their cooing song and the nasal descending call note of the male. If you don't see them here, try driving around the neighborhood. The vicinity of the W. Baton Rouge Museum on Jefferson Ave. at Louisiana Ave. is also a good spot.   A covey of GAMBEL'S QUAIL was seen crossing a back road W. of Kinder in Allen Par. on May 12th. This location is said to be about 10 mi. N. of an exotic game ranch N. of Reeves. It remains to be seen whether Gambel's Quail will become established in Louisiana.   Regularly occurring breeding species that may be found in and near the Sherburne WMA and Atchafalaya NWR along the Whiskey Bay Rd. (La. 975) between I-10 (Exit #127) and US 190 at Krotz Springs: Mississippi Kites (numerous) Swallow-tailed Kite (few but seen most trips) Yellow-billed Cuckoo Acadian Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Red-eyed Vireo N. Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow (under I-10 and US 190 bridges as well as smaller bridges on side roads in Sherburne WMA Cliff Swallow (ditto above) Am. Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Swainson's Warbler Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Dickcissel Orchard Oriole Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting   Most of the same species may be found the Pearl River basin along Old US Hwy. 11, accessed from the Honey Island Swamp exit (Exit 5A) off I-59 about 5 miles N. of the Slidell interchange with I-10 and I-12: Acadian flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher White-eyed vireo Red-eyed vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Prothonotary Warbler Am. Redstart Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Swainson's Warbler (a singing male a the last bridge before the turnoff to the Nature Trail.   Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites may also be seen along Old US 11, and the gravel roads to the left, but a better vantage point is to park along the bank of the Pearl River adjacent to I-59 on the E. side at Exit 5B. Thanks for calling the Baton Rouge rare bird alert and good birding. Compiler: Bruce Crider Home phone # : 225-927-5350 RBA phone # : 225-768-9874 bcrider10@aol.com RARE BIRD ALERT ARCHIVE