Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 11:54:56 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Walter Ellison Subject: Re: Northern Parula Warblers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All (and Sue), I believe the main reason for the early cutoff of egg dates for parula is due to the small number of nests in the Maryland nest record card database (22 with eggs and nine with young), small sample sizes truncate the true range of records. Given the difficulties of finding parula nests a sample of 22 is impressive, but it's still on the low side for detecting the tails of a bell curve. Also Rick's point is well taken, few May-Junes are likely to have produced the number of nest washouts this year's did, and most birds re-nest after predation or natural disasters (sometimes with remarkable persistence). Your sighting is almost certainly an instance of late re-nesting or nest repair. I'd apply the "NB" code if I saw what you had. Good Atlasing & Birding, Walter Ellison MD-DC Atlas Coordinator - MOS 23460 Clarissa Road Chestertown, MD 21620 phone: 410-778-9568 e-mail: rossgull@crosslink.net "A person who is looking for something doesn't travel very fast" - E. B. White (in "Stuart Little") ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Hamilton" To: Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2003 7:21 AM Subject: [MDOSPREY] Northern Parula Warblers > A few days ago I saw a pair of parulas come down to > the ground, almost at my feet. Actually, it was the > female which came to the ground, and started pulling > up small bits of grass or vine rootlets, which she > flew off with. (The male was nearby, about a foot > above her.) Since then I have been trying to decide > whether I saw what I thought I saw. (Nest building??) > > Kathy Klimkiewicz refers in her article on this > species in the Atlas book to the late egg date as June > 14. She says fledging time is unkown & there is no > evidence of double brooding. However, this species is > still 'safe' until August 15th. Most warbler species > fledge in less than two weeks, I believe. SO. Does > the family just hang around feeding? Or could I have > seen a female trying to fix up the nest for a second > attempt? > > Kathy also says that only 12% of the records of this > species were confirmed, because the nests are high and > well concealed. It is a very common species in my > home block; however, the map shows it was 'probable' > last time. > > The experience of watching the bird so close up -- so > neat. Unbelievable what a small warbler it is. > > Altho the literature says they occasionally feed on > the ground, I have never seen them do so -- in spring > or summer. ( Fall is another story) > > The only other time I have witnessed possible nest > building was when the nest was relatively low, near a > bench on the Battle Creek Swamp trail. > > Sue Hamilton, Calvert > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com > > ====================================================================== > = > To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com > with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey > ======================================================================= > ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================