HI:
Anybody want to go to Gambell??

Ian Paulsen
Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
ipaulsen at krl.org
A.K.A.: "Birdbooker"
"Rallidae all the way"

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 04:11:16 -0400
From: Phil Davis <pdavis at IX.NETCOM.COM>
To: BIRDCHAT at listserv.arizona.edu
Subject: [BIRDCHAT] Fwd: vagrant fallout at Gambell

The fallout continues ... here's the latest message from George Armistead.

Drool ... drool ... drool ...

Phil


>X-Originating-IP: [209.165.147.143]
>From: "George L. Armistead" <georgearmistead at hotmail.com>
>To: miliff at aol.com, srottenborn at wetlandstudies.com, GreatGrayO at AOL.COM,
>kingbird77 at hotmail.com, nickpul at bellatlantic.net, pdavis at ix.netcom.com,
>harryarmistead at hotmail.com
>Subject: Fwd: vagrant fallout at Gambell
>Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 21:29:59 -0400
>X-OriginalArrivalTime: 31 Aug 2002 01:30:01.0675 (UTC)
>FILETIME=[ED0231B0:01C2508D]
>
>>
>>Hello All,
>>
>>I have VERY limited email time so this will only be as long as I am
>>allowed to be in here, but I had to let you all know about an incredible
>>fallout of vagrants that Paul Lehman and I have been witnessing here on
>>Gambell, St Lawrence Is. It started the evening of 8/28 when I found the
>>Reed Bunting. The identification of this bird is based largely on the
>>call note as the nearest population parvirostris looks very similar to
>>Pallas' Bunting in most plumages. Other differences noted inlcuded the
>>more contrasting streaks down the flanks and an apparently comletely dark
>>bill. The bird is ridiculously furtive so getting looks at it perched
>>are a challenge to say the least. On the 28th and 29th it called
>>frequently giving a sweet, downslurred 'tseeuu' which is typical of
>>Reed. After sending you all the message about the Reed Bunting on the
>>29th, I went out again to check on it and again relocated it in the
>>Circular Boneyard. Then I went on to the Far Boneyard and at the nw end
>>I flushed a bunch of birds at once. The first was a Siberian
>>Accentor!! The second was a Dusky Warbler!!! Then I flushed a bunch of
>>Arctic Warblers and another duller olive Phylloscopus which was either
>>the same Willow Warbler we had 3 days prior or a new Willow/Chiffchaff
>>type. My impression from only poor views was that it was a different
>>bird than the one we had a few days ago as it seemed paler and not as
>>yellow underneath with perhaps a slightly neater eyeline. Don't know for
>>sure but regardless I managed one distant shot of it. Today, 8/30, Paul
>>flew in and we quickly relocated all the birds that I had had yesterday
>>including the Reed Bunting, what appears to be the same Willow Warbler we
>>had on 8/25-26 and we found North America's 2nd ever Yellow-browed
>>Warbler!!!!! So there are 4 sp. of Phylloscopus warbler on the island
>>right now. As far as documentation goes we have (probably not
>>diagnostic) photos of the Reed Bunting, photos and video of the Siberian
>>Accentor, nothing of the Dusky Warbler, nothing new (lots of video and
>>photos from 8/26) on the Willow Warbler, and both photos and video of the
>>Yellow-browed Warbler.
>>
>>Whew!
>>
>>Quite frankly the last two days have been THE MOST exciting birding I
>>have EVER had.
>>
>>(SNIP)
>> I will be here til Labor Day when I return to Anchorage where I will be
>> spending the night at the West Coast Innternational Inn.
>>
>>Best,
>>-George
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>George L. Armistead
>
>georgearmistead at hotmail.com
>
>TDX/St. Paul Island Tour
>
>St. Paul, AK
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Join the world's largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
>http://www.hotmail.com

==================================
Phil Davis Davidsonville, Maryland USA
mailto:PDavis at ix.netcom.com
==================================

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