Louisiana Rare Bird Alert Friday, 06 August 1999 Baton Rouge Audubon Society Rare Bird Alert Area: Baton Rouge and Louisiana statewide Highlights: BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD GREAT KISKADEE * (*Louisiana State Review List) BLACK-WHISKERED VIREO * others birds mentioned: pied-billed grebe black-bellied whistling-duck ruddy duck northern shoveler yellow-crowned night-heron black vulture mississippi kite swainson's hawk greater yellowlegs lesser yellowlegs solitary sandpiper spotted sandpiper willet short-billed dowitcher long-billed dowitcher semipalmated sandpiper western sandpiper least sandpiper pectoral sandpiper dunlin stilt sandpiper black-necked stilt black-bellied plover semipalmated plover black tern gull-billed tern forster's tern least tern yellow warbler ovenbird blue grosbeak Transcript: Welcome birders to the BRAS' rare bird alert. The following was recorded on Friday August 6. Highlights include a BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD returning to LaPlace for at least a 7th season, a GREAT KISKADEE in Venice and BLACK-WHISKERED VIREOS nesting on Grand Isle.   A male BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD, that has been recorded in LaPlace for at least the last 7 winters, has returned on August 6 to 800 Fagot Loop in LaPlace. From Airline Hwy in LaPlace, turn south on Elm Street by the Billy Hart Restaurant. Fagot Loop is the first right turn. The house is on the NW corner of Elm and Fagot Loop. He often hangs out in the red cedar tree in the backyard.   A GREAT KISKADEE, which was originally discovered in late April, was seen again on Thursday August 5 around noon in Venice. To find the nest pole, stay on the main road from LA 23 in Venice and head towards Bud's Boat Rental. Go past the intersection with the sign advertising Bud's Boat Rental (do NOT turn) and look for a power pole with a tag #184. A nest, constructed by the bird earlier in the year, is located on this pole. As you face the nest pole, the bird flew in from the left into the bushes across the water behind the nest pole. We were first alerted to the bird's presence by the loud call. The bird was present in the area between pole #s 184 and 185 for at least a half hour. Please be patient if you plan to see this bird. We waited at the nest site for at least an hour before the bird vocalized.   BLACK-WHISKERED VIREOS are thought to be nesting in the woods behind the Sureway Grocery on Grand Isle. An adult and a juvenile were observed on 7/26, both vocalizing. The Sureway Grocery is on the north side of the main road through Grand Isle. Haven't heard of any more recent observations.   The following sightings describe high counts or concentrations, early arrival or late departure dates or very unusual sightings for the location and time of year.   Sightings from 8/6: Jefferson Parish: about a dozen YELLOW WARBLERS in Metairie.   Sightings from 8/5: Plaquemines Parish: adult and juvenile YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, a BLACK VULTURE, a MISSISSIPPI KITE, a SOLITARY SANDPIPER, adult and immature BLACK-NECKED STILT, 3 GULL-BILLED TERNS and a pair of BLUE GROSBEAKS in Venice or along LA 23.   Sightings from 8/4: St Bernard Parish: SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and YELLOW WARBLER.   Lafayette Parish: a pair of PIED-BILLED GREBES have successfully nested at the USL Experimental Farm in Lafayette.   Sightings from 8/2: Red River: LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, STILT SANDPIPERS and 2 FORSTER'S TERNS.   St Landry Parish: 1 RUDDY DUCK in a drawdown pond north of US 190 near Swords.   Sightings from 8/1: Red River: 40 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 BLACK TERN, 1 FORSTER'S TERN and 41 adult and 18 immature inland LEAST TERNS.   Rapides Parish: 25 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS including one with a half dozen ducklings, 12 GREATER and 35 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 4 SHORT-BILLED and 125 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 4 SEMIPALMATED, 6 WESTERN, 12 LEAST, 10 PECTORAL and 300 STILT SANDPIPERS in Cheneyville.   Orleans Parish: 1 NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 5 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 20+ WESTERN and 32 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 1 DUNLIN, 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED and 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 10 BLACK TERNS and 28 YELLOW WARBLERS at Bayou Sauvage NWR in New Orleans East.   Sightings from 7/31: Red River: WILLET, lots of STILT SANDPIPERS and YELLOW WARBLERS.   St Tammany Parish: 1 OVENBIRD in Abita Springs.   Jefferson Davis Parish: an adult SWAINSON'S HAWK on Marceaux Rd just west of LA 99.   Sightings from 7/30: Orleans Parish: 3 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and well over 20 YELLOW WARBLERS in Bucktown in New Orleans. Thanks for calling the Baton Rouge rare bird alert and good birding. Compiler: Karen Fay Home: 225.763.6805 RBA: 225.768.9874 lamskite@aol.com RARE BIRD ALERT ARCHIVE