Re: [cayugabirds-l] Ithaca count week
I was able to get a Northern Saw-whet Owl to respond to my tooting last night at Six Mile Creek. In a year when we've had so many migrants they seem reluctant to be very vocal in the areas I've been. Gary On Dec 30, 2012, at 8:14 PM, nutter.d...@me.commailto:nutter.d...@me.com wrote: This afternoon I returned and added several species for count week: SNOW GOOSE - single white adult alone in the middle of the lake. TUNDRA SWAN - a pair of adults to the northwest GADWALL - pairs and small groups scattered on lake, along shore and with groups of other species AMERICAN WIGEON - 3 males in Aythya flock NORTHERN SHOVELER - an astounding thirty-eight (38), mostly in 2 tight groups to the west near/with Aythyas, the males were in varying states of coming into breeding plumage NORTHERN PINTAIL - 1 male refound along shore with Mallards CANVASBACK - 1 male, completing the sweep of all 5 Aythya species in the flock COMMON GOLDENEYE - 3 males near 1 female north of red lighthouse TURKEY VULTURE - 1 soaring over East Hill LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - adult on lake near ducks I saw a total of 19 species of Anseriformes, plus American Coot, but no loons, grebes, or cormorants today. --Dave Nutter On Dec 29, 2012, at 05:04 PM, nutter.d...@me.commailto:nutter.d...@me.com wrote: In case there are species of birds within the Ithaca Christmas Bird Count which we miss on count day (1 January 2013), we can add them to our total if we find them in the 3 days prior to or the 3 days subsequent to count day. That started today. Please report any unusual birds starting today so that birders can try to find them on count day, and if that doesn't work, they at least can be count week birds. Yesterday - NOT count week - I saw 2 female Black Scoters and a male White-winged Scoter off Stewart Park, in addition to other waterfowl. They were east of the red lighthouse. At dawn this morning I went to the southwest corner of the lake wondering what I could ID before the gunning started. With today's clouds and snowfall, the answer is nothing. The first fusillade was at 7:09am. There were two parties along the lakeshore at Treman and a guy out on the lake lying on a very low flotation device, each with flocks of snow-covered decoys, and a small boat with a couple guys near the docks further north than I was. I also heard shots from the east and northeast. I stayed for an hour. Birding was not easy. Birds I found today for count week included: Canada Goose American Black Duck Mallard Redhead - 1 male, but this individual will not be available on count day Ring-Necked Duck - 2 males Greater Scaup - 1 male Bufflehead - 1 female Hooded Merganser - wounded bird may remain in the area Common Merganser - wounded bird may remain in the area Ruddy Duck - 1 male, several females DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT - 1 swimming and diving to north. Yesterday I saw 4 on near the red lighthouse breakwater American Coot Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull BELTED KINGFISHER American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Wren American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow Next I went briefly to Stewart Park. I was glad to see more birds, but I didn't add any species and the falling snow made visibility limited. --Dave Nutter -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/ebird/! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basicshttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Informationhttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leavehttp://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Archives: The Mail Archivehttp://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirdshttp://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Nethttp://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBirdhttp://ebird.org/content/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/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] Ithaca count week
Save something for the actual count! Does anyone know where the TURKEY VULTUREs are roosting? While out and about this week I saw scattered individuals here and there all over, but they most likely are concentrating at a single roost spot. I would good to get a count there in the evening; vultures range a long ways during the day and are likely to be double-counted as foraging individuals. Is there any open water left unfrozen besides Cayuga Lake? Up until this week there were lots of CANADA GEESE spending the night away from the lake, but I don't know where they are doing that now. Geese that don't sleep on the lake need to be counted. Ones that are likely coming from the lake will get tallied in the morning or evening. I think most of the gulls are sleeping on Cayuga Lake, so we will probably use the morning/evening tallies for Herring and Ring-billed. It is possible that the Cornell compost tally of Great Black-backed and the rare gulls could surpass a lake tally, so it would be good to count them. There does not seem to be a single large roost of AMERICAN CROWS in the area, but rather a few smaller ones in Cayuga Heights, Ellis Hollow, West Hill, Dryden, etc. Please keep track of the crows you see during the day, and keep roost gathering numbers separate if you can. If in doubt, count it and let me sort the final numbers out. Remember, there is NO $5 charge for doing the count this year. Should be a fun count! I hope to see everyone at the countdown at the Lab tomorrow night. Kevin From: bounce-72550342-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-72550342-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Gary Kohlenberg Sent: Monday, December 31, 2012 8:46 AM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Ithaca count week I was able to get a Northern Saw-whet Owl to respond to my tooting last night at Six Mile Creek. In a year when we've had so many migrants they seem reluctant to be very vocal in the areas I've been. Gary On Dec 30, 2012, at 8:14 PM, nutter.d...@me.commailto:nutter.d...@me.com wrote: This afternoon I returned and added several species for count week: SNOW GOOSE - single white adult alone in the middle of the lake. TUNDRA SWAN - a pair of adults to the northwest GADWALL - pairs and small groups scattered on lake, along shore and with groups of other species AMERICAN WIGEON - 3 males in Aythya flock NORTHERN SHOVELER - an astounding thirty-eight (38), mostly in 2 tight groups to the west near/with Aythyas, the males were in varying states of coming into breeding plumage NORTHERN PINTAIL - 1 male refound along shore with Mallards CANVASBACK - 1 male, completing the sweep of all 5 Aythya species in the flock COMMON GOLDENEYE - 3 males near 1 female north of red lighthouse TURKEY VULTURE - 1 soaring over East Hill LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - adult on lake near ducks I saw a total of 19 species of Anseriformes, plus American Coot, but no loons, grebes, or cormorants today. --Dave Nutter On Dec 29, 2012, at 05:04 PM, nutter.d...@me.commailto:nutter.d...@me.com wrote: In case there are species of birds within the Ithaca Christmas Bird Count which we miss on count day (1 January 2013), we can add them to our total if we find them in the 3 days prior to or the 3 days subsequent to count day. That started today. Please report any unusual birds starting today so that birders can try to find them on count day, and if that doesn't work, they at least can be count week birds. Yesterday - NOT count week - I saw 2 female Black Scoters and a male White-winged Scoter off Stewart Park, in addition to other waterfowl. They were east of the red lighthouse. At dawn this morning I went to the southwest corner of the lake wondering what I could ID before the gunning started. With today's clouds and snowfall, the answer is nothing. The first fusillade was at 7:09am. There were two parties along the lakeshore at Treman and a guy out on the lake lying on a very low flotation device, each with flocks of snow-covered decoys, and a small boat with a couple guys near the docks further north than I was. I also heard shots from the east and northeast. I stayed for an hour. Birding was not easy. Birds I found today for count week included: Canada Goose American Black Duck Mallard Redhead - 1 male, but this individual will not be available on count day Ring-Necked Duck - 2 males Greater Scaup - 1 male Bufflehead - 1 female Hooded Merganser - wounded bird may remain in the area Common Merganser - wounded bird may remain in the area Ruddy Duck - 1 male, several females DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT - 1 swimming and diving to north. Yesterday I saw 4 on near the red lighthouse breakwater American Coot Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull BELTED KINGFISHER American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Carolina Wren American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow Next I went briefly to Stewart Park. I was glad to see more birds, but I didn't add any species and the falling snow
[cayugabirds-l] More BAD bird seed
I have been buying thistle feed from Lowes in vestal labeled Garden Treasures out of convenience. No birds would eat it. Someone told us that they found the same thing. I bought a bag from Tractor Central labeled Royal Wing. I put a feeder full out this morning at just after 7am. The feeder is FULL of Common Redpolls! We've never had redpolls here before! I wonder if Lowes food comes from Scott's? Glenn Wilson www.WilsonsWarbler.com -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] More BAD bird seed
I buy Nyjer seed from true value Agway in Ithaca. it is in a yellow bag; called premium birdseed packed by ETO sterilization, Linden New Jersey, and it's registered by wild Bird feeding Institute. I have 100 -200 birds including lots C. Red Polls! I have not heard about what is wrong with seed from Scott's. please let me know. by the way, I am not related to them! Donna Scott Sent from my iPhone Donna Scott On Dec 31, 2012, at 10:52 AM, Glenn Wilson wil...@stny.rr.com wrote: I have been buying thistle feed from Lowes in vestal labeled Garden Treasures out of convenience. No birds would eat it. Someone told us that they found the same thing. I bought a bag from Tractor Central labeled Royal Wing. I put a feeder full out this morning at just after 7am. The feeder is FULL of Common Redpolls! We've never had redpolls here before! I wonder if Lowes food comes from Scott's? Glenn Wilson www.WilsonsWarbler.com -- 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/ -- -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Mt Pleasant Common Ravens
Maybe worth having for count week, there were 2 Common Ravens perched on the smaller communications tower on Mt Pleasant around 2pm today. It's a spot I have seen ravens perching several times in the past. Alas, none of those cute little white birds though. Will they show up for tomorrow?? Happy New Year everyone. Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Six Miles Creek Raven
I skied on South Ithaca Recreation Way and the highlight was a croaking raven that flew over my head at about 0.5 miles marker from Burns road. I also heard a pair of Bluebirds calling from somewhere near 1.0 mile marker. I encountered usual chickadees and nuthatches only when I approached closer to the houses aka bird feeders. Woods were devoid of birds. Cheers Meena Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Syracuse RBA
RBA * New York * Syracuse * December 31, 2012 * NYSY 12 .31.12 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s): December 24, 2012 - December 31, 2012 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison Cortland compiled:December 31 AT 3:00 p.m. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #335 -Monday December 31, 2012 Greetings. This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of December 24 , 2012 Highlights: --- BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL RED-HEADED WOODPECKER NORTHERN SHRIKE RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD EASTERN TOWHEE FOX SPARROW LAPLAND LONGSPUR RED CROSSBILL EVENING GROSBEAK PINE GROSBEAK HOARY REDPOLL Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) No reports this week. Onondaga County 12/26: Four immature BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS remain along Onondaga Creek between Bear Street and Hiawatha Boulevard near Carousel Center. 12/27: This was the last day a male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was seen on Pendergast Road in Phoenix. This wonder arrived on 9/16 and was seen continually for the 14 weeks and 4 days it was present. I think all the birders who saw it owe a large debt of gratitude to the homeowner, Anne Dillon Gray, for letting all of us enjoy this jewel of a bird. 12/30: Two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen on a manure spread on Chatfield Road in Elbridge. Another LAPLAND LONGSPUR was at a ground feeder on Banner Road in Tully. An EASTERN TOWHEE has been visiting a feeder in Elbridge. A FOX SPARROW was seen at a feeder at the intersection of Bishop Hill Road and Masters Road in Marcellus. 12/31: An adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was found on East Sorrell Hill Road south of Connors Road in Baldwinsville. Oswego County 12/27: One LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the dam in Phoenix. 12/28: 6 PINE GROSBEAKS and an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE were seen along North Church Road in Boylston. 12/29: A female HOARY REDPOLL was seen on Kibby Road near Mexico. Madison County 12/29: A FOX SPARROW was seen on Delphi Road. On the New Woodstock Christmas Count EVENING GROSBEAKS were reported from several locations. Also mentioned were HOARY REDPOLL and LAPLAND LONGSPUR but no locations were given. -- end report Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Screech-owl
A red morph Eastern Screech-owl was present in its home snag along the East Ithaca Recreation Way this afternoon at 4:00. Whoever will be counting in Area IV may wish to check it out. Park at Game Farm Rd. Walk in .25 miles (sign on the south side of the trail). Turn around and walk back 20 steps. Look up to the right. The roost hole is in a broken-off 30' tall tree alongside the trail. About 2' from the top. (Or whistle!) Bob McGuire -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Reflections on 2012
This was the best birding year ever for me personally. In New York, it was nothing short of spectacular. Some of my highlights: WESTERN GREBEs winter into the early spring on Cayuga Lake, the masses of SNOW GEESE last spring (and again this fall), significant fallout of migratory waterfowl, grebes, gulls around April 1st, GLOSSY IBIS for two days in spring Broome County and a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD almost 3 weeks in Broome County, great warbler waves too, close-up views of breeding plumage HUDSONIAN GODWIT at Benning Marsh Montezuma, MISSISSIPPI KITES Sterling State Forest in summer, DICKCISSELs Seneca meadows, FRANKLIN'S GULL Towpath Road, many many shorebirds K-M marsh and Puddler's, AMERICAN AVOCETS Stewart Park and Puddler's/K-M Marsh, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD Interlacken, NY, all the vagrants from Sandy, and then to finish it off...great views of TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE in Romulus! (I probably forgot a few too) I would like to thank EVERYONE who quickly shared these amazing birds with the birding community and for all the updates on the whereabouts of these great birds. We are so blessed with great varieties of birds and even more so with such great birders. Happy New Year and good birding to all for 2013!! 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] East Ithaca Recreation Way owl
Having received Bob McGuire's kind tip during a fortuitous street encounter not long before he posted here, I took my kids out to the East Ithaca Recreation Way to look for the screech-owl. At 4:35 PM, we found it exactly where Bob specified. First the owl was sleeping low in the cavity, with eyes barely above the lip of the hole. Then the owl turned sideways and tilted its head back, still sleeping. It looked uncannily like a person snoozing in the front passenger seat of a car. Finally, as we gathered ourselves to leave, the owl woke up and perched in full frontal view. For a couple of minutes its eyes conveyed a strange inexpressive frozen glare, but then it began turning its head and looking around, maybe watching dogs cavorting up the path. This was the first red-morph owl I've ever seen in New York, the first ever for my kids anywhere, and the last bird we identified in 2012. What a wonderful bird! Thanks, Bob! Mark Chao -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Turkey Vulture roost possibilities
I don't know for certain where the Turkey Vultures are roosting, but I suspect the evergreens west of Community Corners from Spruce Lane south. Another place I've seen them gathering near dusk is along NYS-366 just east of the Cornell fleet garage in evergreens on the slope down to Varna. I've also seen gatherings of Turkey Vultures south of Burdick Hill Road toward the west part of the field during the day, and west of Ithaca Cardiology (2432 North Triphammer Road) probably checking out a feeding site. I have only seen individuals, not groups, over the past few days.--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! --
