Wanting to walk somewhere besides up and down my road, but needing to stay in an area with cell service, I went to Sapsucker Woods Wilson Trail this afternoon. I didn't expect to see much since it was mid-day.
But as is usual with birding, one often finds the unexpected. On the north side of Wilson Trail by the beaver lodge and drainage area, I had great close up looks at a RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRD sipping from Jewel Weed flowers. Out over the pond were numerous BLUE JAYS, CEDAR WAXWINGS, & 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS. Rounding the bend towards the Sherwood Platform, I found a huge Snapping Turtle resting in the middle of the path. It looked pre-historic. This guy is now the most photographed turtle in Tompkins County, since everyone who went by took his picture, including moi. Out on the Sherwood Platform I spotted even more CEDAR WAXWINGS fly-catching, 3 GREEN HERONS skulking around the lily pads, & the same BLUE JAYS flying and squawking. -- AND THEN I saw an immature RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, which I posted on the Rare Bird list! It went back and forth to various dead tree trunks and then disappeared. (Later found by Jody E and Tom S, who had gotten my post on Rare Birds). A dashing PILEATED WOODPECKER zoomed across the pond into the woods. All in all I saw 25 species including a WOOD DUCK swimming by the Lab of O building. Not bad for "just going for a walk and I won't see anything..." Donna Scott -- 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/ --
