MD/DCRC - Blog

European Greenfinch Sightings

My name is Phil Davis and I am the Secretary of the Maryland/District of Columbia Records Committee, a standing committee of the Maryland Ornithological Society. Our committee's charter is to review and accept/reject reports of (wild) rare and unusual birds seen in our region and to maintain the official lists of the birds of MD and DC.
 
One of our challenges deals with reports of birds seen in the "wild" but of species that are known to be kept in captivity and in collections. These cases generally fall into two categories, waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans, one example being the ornamental Mandarin Duck) and caged birds (parrots and finches, one example being the colorful European Goldfinch).
 
Recently, a European Greenfinch was captured and photographed-in-the-hand by a licensed bird bander in his yard in Old Bowie (Prince George's County). He brought it in to the nearby Bird Banding Lab in Laurel, MD were it was identified as adult European Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris). The bird was not banded and it showed no apparent signs of cage wear. This is the second report of this species in Maryland, the first was of another adult that frequented a backyard bird feeder in Hancock, Washington County, in western Maryland from 1 Feb to 25 Feb 2001.
 
This species is not known as having a pattern of vagrancy from Europe to North America; however, one showing up on its own can probably not be 100 percent ruled out, although highly improbable. Typically, our committee will reach a decision in these cases that we term "ID OK/? Origin" meaning that the identification of the bird is not in question but our committee members cannot say for certain if the bird is of nature/wild origin or is an escapee or was released from captivity, i.e., the question of origin remains in limbo.
 
While I really don't expect to uncover any information that will help us in our deliberations on this bird, I thought I would reach out to some of the bird pet stores and breeders in our region to see if I could learn any information that might have some bearing on our deliberations.
 
For example, if there is some network for people to report lost birds, or if there has been a boom or bust regarding the availability of this species, or if a shipping crate recently was damaged and allowed a number of this species to escape, etc. I know I'm stretching here, but if anyone happens have any information on this species in general, or any information about specific individuals of this species in our region from the past few weeks that might be of interest to us, we'd welcome any inputs.
 
I mentioned European Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis), above in my example. Reports of this species are a bit more common since the species is much more colorful. We expect that the pet trade sells many more European Goldfinches that the drabber European Greenfinches. Is this a reasonable assumption?
 
If anyone has any recommendations of other people or sources of information that I should contact, please let me know (via email).
 
Thank you, in advance.
 
Phil

===================================================
Phil Davis, Secretary
MD/DC Records Committee
2549 Vale Court
Davidsonville, Maryland  21035     USA
301-261-0184
mailto:PDavis@ix.netcom.com

MD/DCRC Web site:  http://www.MDBirds.org/mddcrc/rcindex.html
===================================================

Maryland birders - a night out at the movies!

Hi Maryland birders:

As most of you know, the movie, The Big Year, based on the Mark Obmascik book of the same title, will be opening nationwide on Friday, 14 October. The story line is based on three avid birders in a competition to set a new "North American" Big Year record of the most species seen in one year. The movie stars Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black and a host of well-known supporting cast members. The character played by Jack Black is based on our friend and former Maryland resident, Greg Miller. The book chronicled the 1998 competition; however, the movie is set in the present. I understand the replica of Attu (in the Aleutian Islands) that was constructed in the Canadian Yukon, will blow the minds of those that have been there.

Here's more info on the movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053810/

Here's an interview with Greg Miller:
http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/2011/09/09/the-big-year-interview-with-greg-mil...

Here is Greg's web site with more info:
http://www.gregmillerbirding.com/

For about a month, I have been trying to arrange some sort of "premier" event for the Maryland birding community; however, any kind of "official event" turned out to be an insurmountable challenge. It seems like the National Audubon Society is trying to organize some local functions, too, but it's unclear what the status is of that initiative. So, instead of a an organized event, I am proposing an informal Maryland birders "night at the movies."

Plan. Here's the basic plan ... the final movie theater locations and showing time schedules for this movie will not be set until 30 Sept (at least for the United Artist theater chain). However, I've picked a tentative place, date, and time and suggest that any Maryland birders that wish to join in can just purchase tickets, either on-line or in person, and come to this designated showing. It should be a good opportunity to see friends, meet others, and socialize. People may want to consider coming early to have dinner locally or hitting a nearby watering hole after the movie. I'll suggest some food/drink venues later.

Special Guest: I've talked to Greg Miller and he is tentatively planning to come and join us! We'll confirm this later.

Venue. The following venue details will not be official or be confirmed until the theater schedule details are determined on 30 Sept, but here's what I have selected:

1. Date: Saturday evening, 15 October 2011 (the day AFTER the movie opens nationwide). I figured Saturday would be a better day for folks than Friday.

2. Time: I'll pick a showing of the movie on that date of around 6 pm (plus or minus). This will allow more driving time to/from further distances than will a later showing. Again, we won't know the show time until the final schedule is established on 30 Sept.

3. Location: I've tentatively picked United Artists Snowden Square 14, Columbia, MD. I figured that Columbia is about in the center of the state. This theater is a large modern standalone multiplex with lots of free parking and no associated mall that attracts teenagers and other urchins! The address of the theater, very close to I-95 and MD-32, is:

UA Snowden Square Stadium 14
9141 Commerce Center Dr
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 872-0670 for showtimes

Here is link to a map and for directions:
http://www.yelp.com/map/united-artist-snowden-square-14-columbia

Tickets. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance since the theater will also be open to the general public. As advance ticket sales increase, the theater may move this showing into a larger auditorium (their largest holds about 460 people!) Tickets can be purchased either in person at their box office or via various on-line ticketing web sites, such as Fandango.com.

If Columbia, MD is too far for some Maryland birders, you might want to get a group together and go to a closer local theater.

So, that's all I know for now. Around 30 Sept, I will verify that the Snowden Square theater will be showing the movie and confirm the show time via a post to this listserver.

Hope to see you there ...

Phil

Usual disclaimers ...

Birding history - Announcement of MD's first winter pelagic (1973)

I am currently canvassing the Laurel, MD Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC)  archives and Chan Robbins' files for details of reviewable historical MD/DC rarities. As I search through these files, I occasionally find odds and ends of historical birding interest.

Below is Rich Rowlett's 1973 flier announcing the first-ever winter pelagic for Maryland! I especially enjoyed reading the cost of the full-day trip ($10) and the departure time (6:29 am). Rich's seasickness preparation tips are classic!

Enjoy!

Phil

(Recommendation: Use the small "download" link at the bottom of the document frame to download the PDF file to your computer.)

Click here to download:

MD's first winter pelagic trip announcement (1973).pdf (224 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

MD's first winter pelagic trip announcement (1973).pdf (224 KB)

Piazzi - the avian Bigfoot ... Sasquatch?

In researching Chan Robbins' Patuxent Wildlife Research Center archives for historical MD/DC rarities records, I ran across the following intriguing account, below.

The letter was sent by the late MOS member Sterling W. Edwards to Chan Robbins on 3 April 1958. Chan agreed that we can now, finally let the cat out of the bag and post this interesting item for all to see.

Enjoy! 

PS: You can use the small "download" link at the bottom of the document frame to download the PDF file (only one page) to your computer.

FYI ... I had never heard of Fate magazine before ... I'm sort of reluctant to provide the link, but here it is ...

http://www.fatemag.com/

Click here to download:

Queer Bird (04-03-1958).pdf (99 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

Queer Bird (04-03-1958).pdf (99 KB)

Purple Gallinule - MD and DC reports and records

Due to the interest in the Purple Gallinule (PUGA) currently being seen at Hughes Hollow in Montgomery County, I ran the following report from the MD/DC Records Committee database.

Not counting this current Hughes Hollow report, the MD/DC Records Committee has 22 PUGA MD and DC reports in its database; of these, 9 have been accepted and two are currently under review.

This report shows the details of each report and record, not including the current Hughes Hollow bird. Accepted records are highlighted in green. Nesting was confirmed once in 1976.

Most of the cryptic abbreviations refer to published references.

You might notice all of the "Unreviewable" reports (in red) which indicate published reports for which no documentation (or not enough detail) was ever located or provided to the records committee for a review. Most of the "Reviewable" reports will probably wind up in the "Unreviewable" category once all documentation leads are exhausted.

Phil

DC/1999-089
Purple Gallinule
04/30/1845
DC/
One adult male. 
Accepted
Obs: Pollard_RJ
USNM specimen #371327. PBSW 56:69. S&R:131. Slides of specimen: four by M Gustafson; two by P Craig. Originally deposited at Georgetown "College".
The committee found that the slides of the specimen clearly showed an adult Purple Gallinule, even though the forehead and leg colors were faded from that of a live bird. The overall color and white on the flanks were supportive and eliminated Common Moorhen.
 
??/1999-090
Purple Gallinule
08/24/1889
??/
??/Potomac River
One bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Marshall_G
TMAS 2:281. S&R:131. "Shot on the Potomac River and seen in a market in DC." Seen on 8/24 in Centre market (Golden's stand) in DC by G. Marshall; Richmond was told it "came from down the river,  somewhere." Not a museum specimen. See D Bridge analysis.
Date refers to when seen in market. Not clear if it was shot in MD, VA. or DC..
 
MD/1997-746
Purple Gallinule
10/12/1938
MD/ANAR
Lothian/Patuxent Marsh
One immature female ("probably less than 2 months old") 
Reviewable
Obs: Smithers_RB Hampe_IE
Auk 56(4):475. S&R:131. MB 3(5):71-73. "collected" per S&R. D Bridge analysis is included in the file. The specimen may still exist in the NHSofMD collection, which is currently unaccessible.
Shot by RB Smithers. Specimen went to the Nat Hist Soc of MD. Identification verified by Friedmann (USNM).
 
 
MD/1997-696
Purple Gallinule
06/24/1947  -  06/26/1947
MD/PGEO
Laurel/Patuxent Research Refuge/
One bird. 
S&R
Obs: Stewart_RE
S&R:131. MB 3(5):71-73. American Midland Naturalist 47(2):324.
 
 
MD/1997-444
Purple Gallinule
07/19/1953  -  07/25/1953
MD/MONT
Seneca/Seneca Creek State Park/Seneca Marsh
One bird. 
Accepted
Obs: Kerr_R
MB 10(4):50. AN 9(1):35. AN 9(2):91. AFN 7(5):302. S&R:131.
S&R states that the bird was "observed repeatedly during the period."
The committee felt that the description supported identification of a Purple Gallinule.
 
 
MD/2003-459
Purple Gallinule
04/25/1962  -  07/01/1962
MD/PGEO
Laurel/Patuxent Research Refuge/
One bird. 
Reviewable
Obs: Bridge_D Uhler_FM
MB 18(3):78. MB 32(4):112. AN 17(4):258. AFN 16(4):395. AFN 16(5):464.
[Other observers were RLP and FGS.]
 
 
MD/1997-641
Purple Gallinule
05/20/1963
MD/PGEO
Laurel/Patuxent Research Refuge
One bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: McGilvrey_F
MB 19(3):74. MB 20(4):98-102.
 
 
MD/2003-461
Purple Gallinule
05/10/1964  -  05/13/1964
MD/MONT
Potomac/Pennyfield Lock/C&O Canal
One male. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Pyle_RL Scheider_FG
AN 19(4):245. AFN 18(4):440. No details ever provided/located.
 
 
MD/2011-033
Purple Gallinule
05/23/1970
MD/MONT
One bird. 
Reviewable
Obs: Woodward_P
AN 25(3):138.
 
 
MD/1997-436
Purple Gallinule
05/10/1971
MD/PGEO
Laurel/Patuxent Research Refuge/
One bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Robbins_CS Youngman_R
MB 27(3):144.
Not enough detail to review. MJI to ask Chan.
 
 
MD/2003-489
Purple Gallinule
06/30/1974  -  07/31/1974
MD/MONT
Poolesville/McKee-Beshers WMA (Hughes Hollow)/
One bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Stoddard_P Pyle_P
MB 30(4):143. AN 30(2):79. No details ever provided/located.
 
 
MD/1997-522
Purple Gallinule
06/19/1975  -  06/29/1975
MD/MONT
Seneca//C&O Canal
At least one bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Rowlett_RA
MB 31(3):118. AB 29(5):956.
Dead end on additional documentation.
 
 
MD/1997-359
Purple Gallinule
06/14/1976
MD/BALT
Middle River/Carroll Island/Bowleys Quarters
One female. 
Accepted
Obs: Ward_S
USNM specimen #573530. Four color slides of specimen by M Gustafson.
The photographs of the specimen clearly indicate a Purple Gallinule.
 
 
MD/1997-258
Purple Gallinule
07/01/1976  -  08/22/1976
MD/PGEO
Upper Marlboro/Brown Station Road/38d 50m N, 76d 46m 15s W
An adult pair and at least two (probably three) chicks. 
Accepted
Obs: Patterson_RM
Specimen photo that may/may not be the same bird was pulled from the file.
MB 32(4):110-112. AB 30(5):939. AB 31(2):161. One color print by B Patterson.
Nesting confirmed.
The committee found that the photo of the live bird was diagnostic.
 
 
MD/1998-001
Purple Gallinule
05/28/1978  -  07/31/1978
MD/PGEO
Upper Marlboro/Brown Station Road/38d 50m N, 76d 46m 15s W
One adult. 
Accepted
Obs: Rowlett_RA Patterson_RM
MB 34(3):160. MB 34(4):180. AB 32(5):989. AB 32(6):1148. Three color slides by R Rowlett.
The photographs clearly document the presence of a Purple Gallinule.
 
 
MD/1997-520
Purple Gallinule
05/19/1985
MD/SMST
Dame's Quarter/Deal Island WMA/
One bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Dyke_SH
MB 41(3):62.
A brief note was obtained from S Dyke.
 
 
MD/1997-383
Purple Gallinule
05/11/1988
MD/FRDK
Buckeystown/Lilypons Water Gardens/
One bird. 
Unreviewable
Obs: Miller_S
Miller: 31 (1993). Undocumented - no notes/details available.
 
 
MD/2010-069
Purple Gallinule
07/08/1991
MD/WORC
Ocean City/72nd Street and Assawoman Bay/in the marsh
One bird. 
Circulating
Obs: Deamond_S
Captured from a historical eBird report entered by the observer. Not published in MB or AB.
 
 
MD/2003-331
Purple Gallinule
04/27/1996
MD/WASH
Big Pool//Fort Frederick State Park, Big Pool
One bird. 
Reviewable
Obs: ???
VON report (week of 4/30/1996). Not published.
[Try to find observer and documentation.]
 
 
MD/2001-037
Purple Gallinule
09/22/2001
MD/PGEO
Greenbelt/Lake Artemesia/
One immature. 
Accepted
Obs: Stephen_W Pisano_P
MB 58(1-4):56. NAB 56(1):39. Three color images by W Stephen. Video footage by P. Pisano. Sketches by R Hilton.
The committee found that the written descriptions, field sketches, and video footage established the identification as an immature Purple Gallinule. Other similar species, Allen's and Azure Gallinule, were eliminated.
 
MD/2004-021
Purple Gallinule
05/06/2004  -  06/15/2004
MD/MONT
Poolesville/McKee-Beshers WMA (Hughes Hollow)/
One adult. 
Accepted
Obs: Woodward_P Churchill_JB
MB 61(1-2):23. MB 61(3-4):49. NAB 58(3):351. NAB 58(4):507. Digital images: two by JB Churchill and two by A Ripley. One color print by B Augustine.
Found by Paul Woodward.
The committee found that the written description and images established the identification as an adult Purple Gallinule.
 
 
MD/2004-038
Purple Gallinule
06/30/2004  -  07/07/2004
MD/ANAR
Laurel/Russett/Oxbow Lake Nature Preserve
One bird. 
Accepted
Obs: Sheppard_JM Arnold_S
MB 61(3-4):51. NAB 58(4):507.
Last reported by F Shaffer on 7/7 (no details).
The committee found that the written descriptions indicated Purple Gallinule and eliminated other similar species.
 
 
MD/2010-156
Purple Gallinule
06/10/2010
MD/CECL
Elkton//near the Elk River, just outside of the Elkton town limits
One adult. 
Circulating
Obs: Clugston_T Foster_T
USNM specimen #(tbd). Found dead. Nine digital photos by T Foster.

Purple Gallinule - MD and DC dates of arrival and durations

Not counting this current Hughes Hollow report, the MD/DC Records Committee has 22 PUGA MD and DC reports in its database; of these, 9 have been accepted and two are currently under review.

This report shows the date of arrival of reported PUGA, sorted by starting day of the month (not by year) to show the pattern of "arrivals." Note that the average reported duration is 13 days.

MD/DC Records Committee 2010-2011

MD/DCRC database updates for AOU Supplements 49-51

I had been delinquent in updating the MD/DCRC database to reflect the changes from the last few annual AOU Checklist Supplements. The posted PDF document, below, indicates the changes to MD and DC regional checklist species for the 49th, 50th, and 51st AOU Checklist Supplements. These changes include additions due to splits, changes to common and scientific names, and changes in taxonomic orders.

An top-level summary of these changes follows:

48th Supplement (2008):
Changed some scientific names and taxonomic ordering of the gulls
Changed common name from Greater Flamingo to American Flamingo (yes, there is an accepted flamingo on the MD list!) and moved its position to between the grebes and the albatrosses

50th Supplement (2009):
Added Graylag Goose (which was moved from the appendix to the AOU main list - not a MD/DC species, but should we now be more diligent now in looking at these geese?)
Changed scientific name of the redpolls and goldfinches
Changed scientific name of Boreal Chickadee
Shorted the common names of the sharp-tailed sparrows to Nelson's Sparrow and Saltmarsh Sparrow
Changed scientific name of the Silver Gull, listed in the AOU appendix and accepted as a MD species, but of questionable origin)

51st Supplement (2010):
Changed the scientific name of the Black Scoter
Changed the common name of our Whip-poor-will to Eastern Whip-poor-will
Changed the scientific name of our Winter Wren
Changed the scientific name of the Blue-winged Warbler
Changed the common name of Greater Shearwater to Great Shearwater

Click here to download:

AOU Supplements 49-51 summary for MD-DC.pdf (24 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

AOU Supplements 49-51 summary for MD-DC.pdf (24 KB)

MD/DCRC-BBL Reconciliation Project Status - 16 Jul 2010

Today (16 Jul), I visited the US Geological Survey (USGS) offices of Sam Droege and Jessica Zelt located in Building 308 on the grounds of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (East) (BARC) in Beltsville, MD.

Last year, Chan Robbins located a number of Maryland bird record files that had been in storage for several decades at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) off-site storage facility in Laurel, MD. These file cabinets were transferred last year to the basement of Bldg 308 at BARC.

Sam and Jessica gave me a tour of the North American Bird Phenology Program (BPP) records ( http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bpp/ ) and other data files in Jessica's office and Sam showed me the location and contents of all of the PWRC and BBL files in the basement. Lots of interesting material there!

The purpose of this project to reconcile all BBL data records and banding schedules of MD/DCRC-reviewable species. This is one of the major reconciliation projects that will support the MD/DCRC's planned future publication of The Rare Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia (RBMDC). I was working on this project with the BBL's late Kathy Klimkiewicz before she passed away. Now, I am working on this project with Danny Bystrak.

A few notes:

1. Old (1950-1959) Bird Banding Lab (BBL) Banding Schedules. These outstanding files were located in the basement of BARC Bldg 308. These details of these old banding schedules are not captured in the BBL database and the paper banding schedules are filed by bander and the file cabinets are currently physically split between the PWRC Gabrielson Lab basement and the BARC Bldg 308 basement.

2. Old Band Numbers. I found most of my old banding schedule band number "targets" in the above files and was able to resolve most of my open questions. There are still a couple of remaining questions that I need to resolve.

3. Other Files of Interest. Some of the other file cabinets that Sam showed me included the following: Maryland CBC files; Operation Recovery Files; Maryland Field Notes: 1962-1970; and Field Notes: MD and DC Region. On my next trip to BARC, I'll better inventory what is in these file cabinets.

4. New Report. As I was quickly glancing at the "Field Notes: MD and DC Region" file, a detailed six-page typewritten report jumped out at me entitled, "Great White Heron; Potomac River, DC, September 7, 1935" by RB Wallace. Who knew ...? I googled around to see if I could find if this was published anywhere but did not get a hit; however, I need to check the late 1935 or early 1936 issues of Bird-Lore to see if this was published there. I don't think Wallace published an article, although he did publish another record from May 1935 (of a Whimbrel, also at Hains Point). It might be mentioned in The Season report. However, another article was published by Alexander Sprunt on the status of Great White Herons in the 1936 Bird-Lore 38(1). I'll get a copy of the article the next time I visit either the PWRC or SI libraries. I also learned from the summary of the 1935 AOU meeting, published in the Auk, that many Great White Herons were displaced from Florida after the Florida 1935 Labor Day hurricane (!) How about that for support of Wallace's record? Neat stuff!!!

Thanks to Jessica and Danny for showing me around!

MD/DCRC-USNM Reconciliation Project Status - 30 Jun 2010

Today (30 Jun), I met with some of the staff members of the Smithsonian Institution's (SI) Birds Division resident USGS staff and museum staff to present the status of our MD/DCRC-USNM reconciliation project. ("USNM" is the official museum designator for specimens of the National Museum of Natural History, formerly a part of the then-named, United States National Museum.) The SI Birds Division home page is here ... http://vertebrates.si.edu/birds/

The purpose of this project to reconcile all published and anecdotal references to USNM specimens of MD/DCRC-reviewable species. This is one of the major reconciliation projects that will support the MD/DCRC's planned future publication of The Rare Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia (RBMDC).

Approximately 140 reviewable specimens have been resolved thus far; however, there are approximately 62 published or anecdotal specimens that the committee has not been able to resolve, meaning either we cannot locate and photograph the specimen, or confirm that it was transferred to another institution and is no longer extant.

The Smithsonian's Birds Division and resident USGS staff will try to resolve the open issues so we can close the files on them, one way or another.

This MD/DCRC-USNM Reonciliation Project is being led by Roger Clapp of the USGS (resident at the Smithsonian), with support from Claudia Angle (USGC), Craig Ludwig (SI/Birds), and James Dean (SI/Birds).