Sorry to hear about the Black throated Blue.   Note if anyone out there has
a window that seems to be particularly hazardous to birds, CollidEscape may
be worth looking into.  It's a transparent film normally used for ads on bus
windows and the like.  I got some samples and plan on putting it on 2
windows we have that I believe are problems for birds (I've heard a few
awful thuds but have never found anything).  Part of the proceeds go to fund
FLAP (Fatal Light Awareness Program), the Toronto organization working to
reduce bird mortality due to window and building collisions.    Between 100
million and a billion birds die annually in the U.S. alone from window
collisions.  Many are only stunned but then fall prey to pets...

http://www.lfdcollidescape.com/mainindex.php?page=home&country=united_states

Wendy Olsson
Baltimore, MD
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Frederick W. Fallon
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 12:43 PM
To: 
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Very early Black-throated Blue in Bowie, Sharp-shinned
in DC

This morning we found a Black-throated Blue Warbler at our house, but in 
tragic circumstances that overshadowed any possible satisfaction at 
establishing a record early fall date. He had apparently been stunned by 
a window strike and then mauled - but not consumed - by perhaps a 
pampered feline with nothing better to do.

A greenish tinge to the primary edges and a patch of green on the back 
proclaimed the bird a first-year male and so not a failed nester. I 
would like to hear from anyone who has the up-to-date early fall-date 
record for the species. Out of respect I declined to photo-document the 
specimen.

Meanwhile, early this AM I spotted a Sharp-shinned Hawk soaring along 
the Anacostia R at Kingman's I. Tho' I had just fleeting looks, and bad 
cases make bad law, the bird was simply too small to have been a 
Cooper's and must have been a male sharpie at that. (I recall that while 
atlasing near Piscatawy about this time last year we also came across an 
out-of-season Sharp-shinned). Also on the river, 2 Great Egrets 
continued the progress of post-breeding dispersal already noted by 
others. The Warbling Vireos there were still in song, but the Marsh 
Wrens had fallen silent. A remarkable FIVE Mockingbird fledglings, gapes 
still prominent, perched on a single tree, while hatch-year Robins too 
numerous to count rolled on past, tree to tree, in great waves.

-- 
Fred Fallon
Bowie MD