Like Pat Martin yesterday, I was able to get very good views of the Plegadis ibis at Goose Pond today and confirm that it is a GLOSSY. The bird was at the far northeast corner of the marsh. My description is below in my eBird checklist. Lots of shorebirds here too. A SORA was nice to see.
Good birding! Willie Oak Orchard WMA--Stafford Marsh overlook, Genesee, US-NY Aug 29, 2014 11:20 AM - 2:30 PM Protocol: Traveling 1.2 mile(s) Comments: I walked from the southwest end of the marsh almost to the northeast end, moving up to the edge of the marsh to study the ibis and shorebirds here. I was distracted much of the time by dragonflies. Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.1 36 species Wood Duck X Mallard X Blue-winged Teal X Northern Shoveler 4 Green-winged Teal X Hooded Merganser X Great Blue Heron X Great Egret X Glossy Ibis 1 Good views in good light, about 50-60 yards away. Unfortunately, I left my camera in the car but I scoped the bird. Long-legged wader with a heavy long decurved bill. Much smaller than a Great Blue Heron but much larger than the many yellowlegs (both species) nearby. Plumage overall was very dark, appearing blackish at a distance. Wings and tail were dark greenish, body dark brownish. The underside and top side of the spread wings were all dark (bird spread wings and also took a short flight). Short whitish streaks on the rear crown, sides and back of neck. Very thin line light blue from top part of bill to top of eyes, which did not go around the back of the eye. Very thin light blue line from lower part of base of bill to lower part of eyes, which also did not go around the back of the eye. Facial skin between these lines was dark. The eyes were dark. There were no reddish or pinkish tones in the facial skin nor the eyes. The legs were dark with no reddish tones at the joints. The bill was grayish at the base but most of the bill was a fleshy brown color. Turkey Vulture 4 Sora 1 seen well as it walked on the mud near some cattails. Common Gallinule 3 Semipalmated Plover X Killdeer X Solitary Sandpiper 5 Greater Yellowlegs 6 Lesser Yellowlegs 82 Stilt Sandpiper 2 Least Sandpiper X Semipalmated Sandpiper 2 Short-billed Dowitcher 10 all juveniles. Wilson's Snipe 5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Warbling Vireo 1 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 1 Purple Martin 1 Tree Swallow X Barn Swallow X White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Marsh Wren 2 Gray Catbird 3 Cedar Waxwing 6 Eastern Meadowlark 2 American Goldfinch 2 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19606603 ------------------ Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com <http://www.betsypottersart.com/> 2013 Big Year: http://www.betsypottersart.com/willie-s-photos/2013-big-year/ Big Year List: http://www.happtech.com/BigYearDanna/CurrentList/ShowCurrentListTable.aspx Odenates: http://www.betsypottersart.com/willie-s-photos/dragonflies -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --