ARKANSAS & LOUISIANA 
Baton Rouge 18 Apr (vt. JfH) were both the 
3rd latest occurrences ever for Louisiana; also 
late was a Harris’s Sparrow at Devil’s Den S.R, 
Washington, AR 3 May (ph. Karen Garrett). 
A Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Grand Isle 21 
Mar (ph. GC) was astoundingly early (and 
record early by two weeks) for a spring mi- 
grant. Also early, but less dramatically so, 
were Rose-breasteds at Thibodaux, Lafourche, 
LA 7 Apr (ph. Mike Constant), at Shreveport 
17 Apr (Floyd Galliano), and at West Mon- 
roe, Ouachita 18 Apr (female; Stephen Pa- 
gans); a female at Metairie 28 May (NLN) and 
a male at Springdale, Washington, AR 31 May 
(DO, JBr) were very late. An amazing two re- 
ports of Lazuli Buntings in Arkansas included 
a “pair” near L. Wilhelmina, Polk 30 Apr (and 
a few days prior; ph. Pat & Jim Pawley) and a 
male at Paron, Saline 10-13 May (Tony Harris, 
DS, Patricia Braddy, ph. RHe); there are about 
a dozen previous records for the state, all but 
one since 1994. A first-year male Indigo 
Bunting at Keithville, Caddo 21 Mar (ph. Phil 
Bradley, fide TD) was the 2nd earliest for nw. 
Louisiana. One of the more shocking finds of 
the season was Louisiana’s 2nd Varied 
Bunting, another stunning ad. male, along the 
Sabine N.W.R. nature trail 26 Apr (ph. Jody 
Louviere). A Dickcissel wintering at Baton 
Rouge since 20 Nov 2008 was last observed 
14 Apr (vt.JfH). 
BLACKBIRDS THROUGH SISKIN 
A Yellow-headed Blackbird at W.W.P 24 Apr 
(ph. AS, JCN, SE, SD) and 5 near Dardanelle, 
Yell 9 May (K&LN) were noteworthy for 
Arkansas. Continuing a recent trend. Boat- 
tailed Crackles continued to penetrate farther 
inland in s.-cen. Louisiana; this spring, a dis- 
playing male was found at Morganza Spillway, 
Pointe Coupee 10 Apr (ph. MB et al.); another 
flyby male was seen near St. Gabriel 19 Apr 
QVR); and a male plus 2 females were attend- 
ing nests in ornamental palms at a develop- 
ment just s. of Baton Rouge 13 May+ QVR). 
Up to 10 Great-tailed Crackles near Powhatan 
9 May (HH, BH), including several females at 
nests scattered through a heronry, would be 
the first confirmed breeding occurrence for 
Louisiana’s Red River Valley, although there 
are several previous “probable” breeding 
records; one in Bossier 25 May (ph. Jf&JT, 
TD) was also noteworthy. Another valuable 
“last observed” date pertained to a wintering 
imm. male Orchard Oriole at Thibodaux from 
10 Feb-31 Mar (B&SM); a singing imm. male 
near St. Gabriel 15 Mar (SWC, DLD) was con- 
sidered a migrant and would tie the state’s ear- 
liest arrival date. Providing a relatively early 
arrival date for Louisiana was a singing male 
Baltimore Oriole near St. Gabriel 5 Apr OVR), 
but, interestingly, an ad. male wintering at 
Thibodaux since 26 Sep remained through 6 
Apr (B&SM). Although one of our fairly regu- 
lar w. vagrants during fall and winter, there are 
surprisingly few well-documented records of 
spring migrant Bullock’s Orioles in Louisiana; 
thus, at least one ad. male at Johnsons Bayou 
3-12 Apr (Donna Bordelon, BMM, ph. PEC et 
al.) was an outstanding find. 
For the 2nd consecutive spring, there was 
an unusual presence of lingering Pine Siskins 
in Louisiana: in St. Tammany, flocks of 15-40 
individuals were noted at Abita Springs 
through 17 Apr, with 2 still present 19 Apr 
(SW), and 3 were at Covington 9 May 
(Marlyn and Harvey L. Patten, NLN et al); at 
L. Claiborne, 3-5 were present 8-13 May, with 
one 14 May (MEL); 2 were in Rapides 10 May 
(JVH); one was at Homer, Claiborne 15 May 
QD); and the latest was in Caddo 17 May 
(Paul M. Dickson). Perhaps more intriguing 
was a pair observed carrying nest material 
into a pine tree at Fayetteville 4 Apr (MAM, 
DO, JBr); there is one previous confirmed 
breeding occurrence for Arkansas, in Benton 
Aug-Sep 2005. 
Initialed observers (subregional editors in 
boldface): Leif Anderson, Dick Baxter, Sarah 
Baxter, Bill and Toka Beall, Devin Bosler 
(DBo), Justin Bosler Qbo), Dennis Braddy 
(DBr), Gary Broussard, Jacque Brown QBr), 
Murrell Butler, Steven W. Cardiff 
(Louisiana), H. David Chapman, Gayle 
Clement, Paul E. Conover, Jennifer 0. Coul- 
son, Terry Davis, John Dillon, Donna L. 
Dittmann, Jim Dixon QDx), Robin Doughty, 
Susan Drouilhet, Steve Erwin, Tom Finnie, 
Carol Foil, Gay Gomez, Judith Ann Griffith, 
Bill Hall, Jeff Harris QfH), Robert Herron 
(RHe), Hubert Hervey Karen & Ray Holliday 
(RaH), Samantha Holschbach, Ron Howard 
(RoH), Jay V Huner, Ceci & Erik 1. Johnson, 
Jim Johnson (JiJ), John & Joyce Jones, Daniel 
E Lane, Mary Ellen Lewis, James M. Maley 
Beth and Sammy Maniscalco, Teresa Math- 
ews, Charles Mills, Michael A. Mlodinow, Al- 
lan Mueller, David P. Muth, B. Mac Myers, 
Joseph C. Neal (Arkansas), James Nelson 
QNel), Nancy L. Newfield, Kenny Nichols, 
LaDonna Nichols, David Oakley, Dave Patton, 
Matthew T. Pontiff, R. D. Purrington, Kathy 
& Andy Radomski, E. J. Raynor, J. V. Remsen, 
Sheree & Hank Rogers, Jacob Saucier QaS). 
Andrew Scaboo, Dan Scheiman, Rosemary 
Seidler, John P. Sevenair, Michael A. Seymour, 
Curtis C. Sorrells, Jeff (JfT) & Jean Trahan, 
Phillip A. Wallace. O 
Steven W. Cardiff, 435 Pecan Drive 
St. Gabriel, Louisiana 70776, (scardif@gmail.com) 
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VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
453 
