Anytime during the day would work, I think. It can take awhile to find, and when you do see it, you’re going to want to spend some time watching, so it’s good to start early. The only advantage to starting late is that someone else may find it first, and you may find out from them.
Some folks think it may roost by the river due south of the corner of the levee. I don’t know if anyone has figured out its schedule of resting, feeding, bathing, or preening. I suspect that the times it just stands still are its method of assessing possible danger from people. So, look for other birders & check their behavior, check all lawns as you head to the river, look along the river edge everywhere you can within a block of the little concrete boat ramp (waterproof boots helpful), watch carefully ahead on trails, scrutinize the forest floor in Japanese Knotweed or clearings. Check eBird and other text alert systems. I have not seen any reports yet today. If there is an Elmira alert system, I don’t know it. I suspect you will have company looking on a weekend like today. Just at I have not seen reports of it flying, I have not seen reports of it calling. Limpkins give a raucous scream which that rises then falls in pitch. It has been used as a jungle sound effect for Tarzan movies and was the voice of Harry Potter’s Hippogriff. If you hear that, resist the urge to flee, but move slowly toward it. Good luck! - - Dave Nutter > On Oct 28, 2023, at 8:30 AM, Nancy Cusumano <nancycusuman...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Is there a better time to find this bird, or does that not really matter? > we are going to give it a try today. > > Thanks so much for the ongoing posts! > > Nancy > >> On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 11:43 AM Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@me.com> wrote: >> The Limpkin continues to re-found daily in Elmira between Pirozzolo Park and >> the Chemung River and a block or 2 east or west of there. It has sometimes >> been wading along the north edge of the river near the bank (where it was >> reported eating snails) in the vicinity of a small concrete boat ramp, but >> is also often seen walking on the ground eating earthworms in thickets of >> Japanese Knotweed, or in forest clearings, or on lawn areas even adjacent to >> park fences or yards and on both sides of the levee. >> >> Reports in eBird include many photos because this bird is calm near people. >> These reports are valuable documentation of the time and place but also its >> appearance and behavior, so please contribute your notes and photos. Also >> please help maintain the bird’s trust by not approaching it closely but >> instead let it approach you. >> >> I have not seen any reports of it flying, but it holds its folded wings >> normally, and I’ve seen one photo of it stretching an apparently normal >> wing. Clearly it did not walk here from Florida, but it’s possible that it >> came here in a storm and may be the worse for wear. I’m curious about its >> ability to fly, but wouldn’t want anyone to deliberately flush it. So far it >> seems to be doing well, from what I’ve read. >> >> - - Dave Nutter >> -- >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> Welcome and Basics >> Rules and Information >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> Archives: >> The Mail Archive >> Surfbirds >> BirdingOnThe.Net >> Please submit your observations to eBird! >> -- -- 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/ --
