All, This spring season is the slowest evolving migration season that I can remember in a long time in Broome Co. (20 years at least). I basically am seeing the same warbler species that I had May 2-3: Black-throated blues, greens, blackburnian, ovenbird, nashville, northern and louisiana waterthrush, black and white, palm, prairie, yellow-rumped, blue-winged, yellow, chestnut-sided, northern parula and american redstarts. These species arrived between May 1-5 and are still around and in most cases really good numbers I am happy to say. Many of them are on their breeding grounds now too. Yesterday, May 11th, I had 102 species of birds in Broome County with no new neotropical migrants which is crazy! I also had 102 species on May 3rd many of the same species!
Still lacking (or very scarce) in Broome Co. are: cape may, bay-breasted, tennessee, hooded, magnolia, canada, wilson's, mourning and of course blackpoll warblers. I still am not seeing very many indigo buntings yet, just a few here and there. I have yet to get a scarlet tanager although there are a few reports here and there in Broome co. Also lacking or very scarce are red-eyed vireos. I have yet to get one with a few reports trickling in sporadically from others. On the other hand, blue-headed vireos are very common this year in Broome Co. Is it because they are not be drowned out by the red-eyed vireo's incessant singing? I have been off since May 2nd on my annual birding vacation and its like the "groundhog day" of birding: same species different day. But it has been a lot of fun with such great species that we have! I have seen and really enjoyed blackburnian, black-throated blues and greens, prairie and others numerous times with great views. I can't complain about that! Today I had a close encounter with a blackburnian warbler. The bird was foraging fairly low in a norway spruce tree at Greenwood Park in Broome co. I was very still and the bird came within about 6 feet of me. It was neat watching the warbler, naked eye, forage and finding small insects to eat on a windy and bitter cold day. It was 38F with winds gusting to 25 mph at least. The bird was also singing occasionally and didn't seem to care about the brutally cold conditions. With the lack of leaves on the trees, I have gotten spectacular views of many of these warbler species which often is not the case as leaves unfold fast in more normal Mays. After today May 12th, conditions in upstate NY are going to change. Warmer weather is on the way and yes we are going to see southerly winds especially Wednesday night and Thursday night and a few days next week. I think migrants are going to arrive fast and furious so expect a very active period from May 14-21 and even beyond for our beloved neotropical migrants. I have noticed that our shorebird species are arriving pretty much on-time and not really affected by the cold May. In any event, the next week to 10 days, I predict is going to be a lot of fun. I hope you can get out and enjoy the finest time of the year!! Best, Dave Nicosia -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
