MD Osprey ... FYI ...

>From: 
>Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:18:25 EDT
>Subject: Re: Southern Lapwing chase - 6/22
>To: , , 
>CC: 
>
>Just to add a few comments re the lapwing.  If, as most now seem to agree 
>(I do), this bird in Maryland last week was of the 'northernmost' 
>population found in South America, then this is really not what I would 
>expect to be a vagrant source.  First, the bird is clearly an adult, not a 
>bird of less than 12 months age.  Adults are very rarely found to be 
>vagrants of such an extreme as would be this case (even to Florida, if 
>this is the same bird).  Juveniles are always the most likely.  Second, 
>source populations for vagrants must also have some natural inclination to 
>at least partially migrate with the changing seasons.  The cayensis 
>population is not going to have such inclinations.  (In fact, in some 45 
>years studying banding records as a biologist for FWS, etc., I am not 
>aware of any tropical species of bird that has regular migrations beyond 
>movements to follow rains, etc.--e.g., weavers in Africa.)
>
>Lapwings in the tropics have no need to migrate....only local movements 
>that might be measured in several dozens of miles or so.  Only the most 
>southern populations should have this inclination to escape the colder 
>months of southernmost Chile and Argentina.  If a cayensis lapwing found 
>itself in Florida or Maryland, it likely would have zero idea of where it 
>is relative to its 'home'...so it is very likely to just sit...and hope 
>for a mate to find it, etc., unless cold weather really stresses it to do 
>something.  Range expansions of any bird population can be measured at 
>about 2-3 times the average dispersal distance of the juveniles from their 
>natal territory.  So if the juveniles average maybe 25 miles from natal 
>territory to first nesting territory, then range expansion into suitable 
>habitats might approach 50+ miles every year or three with a superabundant 
>number of surviving juveniles.  I cannot imagine the cayensis lapwing 
>having major expansions over a decade that would cause an adult to appear 
>anywhere in the US.....until there are birds nesting in Cuba or just south 
>of Brownsville, Texas....
>
>Not withstanding all of the above, I think it is possible for such a 
>lapwing to have gotten to the US.  Last year was very stormy, to say the 
>least.  Four major hurricanes struck Florida alone.  A juvenile somewhere 
>in the Caribbean may have been further sucked and blown to Florida last 
>year.  Once there, it had no idea of how to 'return' to South 
>America...even which way is actually "south" would be a problem for 
>it.  So it could have sat in northern Florida for the past 6-9 months, 
>molted, and then got caught up in Alberto.  My view of the photos were 
>that it was in fresh plumage...no molt in evidence, etc.  What we need are 
>some opinions from the Florida observers if the photos Mark Hoffman took 
>last weekend appear to be the same bird.
>
>My guess is that it could now be almost anywhere on the Delmarva....and 
>once found may settle in for the rest of the summer, at least.  AND there 
>are more than a few places....a needle in a very large hay stack!
>
>Keep looking folks!  Unless a local peregrine grabbed it, it should be 
>somewhere.....???
>
>Jay
>
>
>Jay M. Sheppard
>Managing Editor and Historical Data Coordinator
>Ornithological Worldwide Literature (OWL)
>www.BIRDLIT.ORG/OWL
>Laurel, MD
>
>
>In a message dated 6/23/2006 10:03:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> writes:
>
>>
>>
>>Folks
>>
>>   I don't have any reason to think it is a captive escapee; however point 2
>>is a bit misleading. The northern form, cayennensis is extremely common in
>>northern South America and ranges south into Brazil. So its range is
>>actually pretty large, and includes all of Venezuela. It is by no means a
>>small and restricted range. If there are Southern Lapwings in captivity it
>>would be interesting to find out what subspecies they belong to though.
>>
>>Al
>>
>>Alvaro Jaramillo
>>Biologist
>>San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
>>P.O. Box 247
>>Alviso, CA 95002
>>http://www.sfbbo.org
>>
>>
>
>==================================
>Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
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>==================================