Re: [cayugabirds-l] Count Week!!!

[Dave Nutter]

What are some Count Week analogies? Doing stretches before a Marathon. 
Tailgating before a football game. A 3-day end-of-year party before the ball 
drops, plus, after the 24-hour Count itself, another 3-day effort to get the 
New Year going. 

Anyway, thanks for the reminder. Everyone: please post here on CayugaBirds-L as 
well as to eBird any unusual birds within or alongside the Ithaca Count Circle 
https://sites.google.com/site/cbc14850/resources/christmas-bird-count
 found December 29, 39, & 31 with a description of exactly where it was, so 
that everyone who is going to be looking for them on the count can know where 
to make an extra-special effort. On January 2, 3, & 4 there may be other 
species missed on the Count to seek and report. 

For myself, I saw a SONG SPARROW today below the weeds along the paved trail on 
the north side of Treman Marina. I hope others will find this species this mild 
winter, but it’s the first I’ve encountered in awhile, so I’m putting it out 
there. 

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS have been reported so much around the south end of Cayuga 
Lake recently that I predict this seasonal rarity will have a record high on 
the Count, but just in case, note that Diane Morton & Ken Kemphues reported it 
today in trees along the trails at Allan Treman State Marine Park. 

As Ken noted, a seasonally rare NORTHERN PARULA was reported to eBird this 
afternoon by Eric Mueller, complete with an excellent description of field 
marks seen and a promise of photos, in berry bushes in the Ithaca Farmers’ 
Market parking lot. 

Today John Garrett heard and saw an EASTERN TOWHEE in the NW corner of the 
Pleasant Grove Cemetery near the Carriage House Apartments which is near 
Community Corners. 

Today Adriaan Dokter and Jillian Ditner, on a stationary count from Ladoga Park 
(the pin was at the rough gravel boat launch)  saw the continuing TRUMPETER 
SWAN duo “foraging at the docks of Ladoga” so they are close to the circle. 

As of Christmas Day there was a TUFTED DUCK in an Aythya raft off Stewart Park 
and CACKLING GEESE among a large Canada Goose flock. I didn’t check on the 
26th, BUT both those rafts were cleared out on the 27th & 28th, and as of this 
afternoon only about a hundred Aythya had returned. If hunters are as vigorous 
on New Year’s Day as I have sometimes seen them, deliberately using boats to 
flush the rafts toward hunting blinds, then not just the above rarities but ANY 
DIVING DUCK SPECIES might be missed on the count. The 50 or so AMERICAN COOTS 
also seem to have vacated. 

For the record, scoping eastward today from Allan Treman, I saw REDHEAD, 
GREATER SCAUP, and LESSER SCAUP; I saw a pair of RUDDY DUCKS off the Treman 
lakeshore; and Diane & Ken reported a single COMMON GOLDENEYE from Treman. I 
also saw typical numbers of some species which are less disturbed by hunters, 
including DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, COMMON LOONS, and (in a tree crown in 
Jetty Woods) GREAT BLUE HERONS. I expect BALD EAGLE to be on the count, but 
just in case, I saw an adult over Cayuga Lake near the west shore, plus a 
MERLIN in a tree along the east side of the marina. 

Have a great time birding, and share your news!

- - Dave Nutter

> On Dec 29, 2023, at 6:34 PM, Kenneth V. Rosenberg  wrote:
> 
> Thanks for this reminder, Kevin. Perhaps the most extraordinary count-week 
> find has just come in on the Tompkins County eBird alert – a Northern Parula 
> seen today at the Ithaca Farmers Market!
>  
> As others have noted, there are many late-lingering birds around this year, 
> as well as an unprecedented number of western vagrants scattered across the 
> Northeast, including a Townsend’s Warbler in Elmira, “Audubon’s” 
> Yellow-rumped Warbler also at the Farmers Market, Say’s Phoebe near Cortland, 
> not to mention the continuing Red-flanked Bluetail in the middle of nowhere 
> in central New Jersey. So nearly anything is possible!
>  
> Finding these rarities and strays may require a shift in Christmas counting 
> strategy, as these birds will be hiding in patches of remaining greenery, 
> fruiting shrubs or trees, and wet thickets, and possibly more likely around 
> town in urban and suburban neighborhoods than in the forested hinterlands 
> (but not necessarily around feeders). Paying close attention to any chickadee 
> or sparrow/junco flock that might have attending small birds, and liberal use 
> of owl-mobbing playback to get close looks at every bird, should yield some 
> interesting finds – as well as large numbers of common species.
>  
> Good luck out there!
>  
> Ken
>  
> Ken Rosenberg (he/him/his)
> Applied Conservation Scientist, Retired
> Cornell Lab of Ornithology
> k...@cornell.edu
> Cell: 607-342-4594
>  
>  
> From: bounce-127957289-3493...@list.cornell.edu 
>  on behalf of Kevin J. McGowan 
> 
> Date: Friday, December 29, 2023 at 6:12 PM
> To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Count Week!!!
> 
> Today was the first day of COUNT WEEK for the Ithaca Christmas 

[cayugabirds-l] TOWNSEND'S WARBLER BROOME CO Endicott, NY Continues as of 12/29/23

[David Nicosia]

All,

The TOWNSEND'S WARBLER remains in the vicinity of Anson Road Endicott NY in
Broome Co near the sewage treatment plant by the Tri-Cities Airport. But at
times has been found by the nearby river, golf course and along Industrial
Boulevard before Anson rd by multiple observers. Ebird has a lot of these
reports, some of them are very descriptive as to where the bird was found.
If you find this bird, please try to put a lat/long in your report or be
descriptive enough for others who may want to find this mega rarity for
upstate. The bird has been refound every day since I first found it on
12/24/23.  It seems to be hanging around with the typical mixed species
flocks of winter. That is how I stumbled upon it.  So if you are looking
for it, lots of chickadee, juncos and other winter bird activity can be
fruitful.  Best of luck and Happy New Year to all.

Dave Nicosia

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Re:[cayugabirds-l] Count Week!!!

[Kenneth V. Rosenberg]

Thanks for this reminder, Kevin. Perhaps the most extraordinary count-week find 
has just come in on the Tompkins County eBird alert – a Northern Parula seen 
today at the Ithaca Farmers Market!

As others have noted, there are many late-lingering birds around this year, as 
well as an unprecedented number of western vagrants scattered across the 
Northeast, including a Townsend’s Warbler in Elmira, “Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped 
Warbler also at the Farmers Market, Say’s Phoebe near Cortland, not to mention 
the continuing Red-flanked Bluetail in the middle of nowhere in central New 
Jersey. So nearly anything is possible!

Finding these rarities and strays may require a shift in Christmas counting 
strategy, as these birds will be hiding in patches of remaining greenery, 
fruiting shrubs or trees, and wet thickets, and possibly more likely around 
town in urban and suburban neighborhoods than in the forested hinterlands (but 
not necessarily around feeders). Paying close attention to any chickadee or 
sparrow/junco flock that might have attending small birds, and liberal use of 
owl-mobbing playback to get close looks at every bird, should yield some 
interesting finds – as well as large numbers of common species.

Good luck out there!

Ken

Ken Rosenberg (he/him/his)
Applied Conservation Scientist, Retired
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
k...@cornell.edu
Cell: 607-342-4594


From: bounce-127957289-3493...@list.cornell.edu 
 on behalf of Kevin J. McGowan 

Date: Friday, December 29, 2023 at 6:12 PM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L 
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Count Week!!!
Today was the first day of COUNT WEEK for the Ithaca Christmas Bird Count, 
being held on Monday, January first. That means, any rare birds you see in the 
count circle today through January 4th get onto the count, even if we don’t see 
them on the actual count day.

It’s a little bit like the saying, “kissing your sister” to get count week (CW) 
birds that are missed on the real count day. But, it’s still important to log 
them in the official CBC database.

Unfortunately, I don’t have anything fun to add to the CW list from today 
myself. But, I hope people are keeping track and thinking about it. Towhees, 
kinglets, catbirds, Tufted Ducks are around and could be missed on Monday.

Dave Nutter! You’re the king of Count Week. You’re always out there scouring 
the reeds for CW birds. What do you have to report? ;^)

Here is another thing to keep track of. Those Trumpeter Swans hanging around 
Myers Point would be a new species for the Ithaca count IF they ever made it 
into the count circle. Myers Point is NOT in the circle! They would need to be 
seen over near the shore of Portland Point by the Cargill mine. I don’t know if 
they have ever been seen that far south. I will be checking the waters along 
Portland Point from Myers on the count. (It’s actually frustrating to see 
things like coot and Great Blue Herons at Myers and not be able to count them 
for the Ithaca CBC.) But if people are around Myers during the day, look south 
and see if you ever see those swans wander to the far shore and into the Ithaca 
CBC circle!

Oh, going to quote a departed wonderful birding friend, Bard Prentiss – Bird 
Hard!

Kevin





Kevin J. McGowan, Ph.D.
Senior Course Developer and Instructor
Bird Academy
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
k...@cornell.edu
607-254-2452



Do you know about our other distance-learning opportunities? Visit Bird 
Academy, 
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/courses/  to see our list of courses.



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[cayugabirds-l] Count Week!!!

[Kevin J. McGowan]

Today was the first day of COUNT WEEK for the Ithaca Christmas Bird Count, 
being held on Monday, January first. That means, any rare birds you see in the 
count circle today through January 4th get onto the count, even if we don't see 
them on the actual count day.

It's a little bit like the saying, "kissing your sister" to get count week (CW) 
birds that are missed on the real count day. But, it's still important to log 
them in the official CBC database.

Unfortunately, I don't have anything fun to add to the CW list from today 
myself. But, I hope people are keeping track and thinking about it. Towhees, 
kinglets, catbirds, Tufted Ducks are around and could be missed on Monday.

Dave Nutter! You're the king of Count Week. You're always out there scouring 
the reeds for CW birds. What do you have to report? ;^)

Here is another thing to keep track of. Those Trumpeter Swans hanging around 
Myers Point would be a new species for the Ithaca count IF they ever made it 
into the count circle. Myers Point is NOT in the circle! They would need to be 
seen over near the shore of Portland Point by the Cargill mine. I don't know if 
they have ever been seen that far south. I will be checking the waters along 
Portland Point from Myers on the count. (It's actually frustrating to see 
things like coot and Great Blue Herons at Myers and not be able to count them 
for the Ithaca CBC.) But if people are around Myers during the day, look south 
and see if you ever see those swans wander to the far shore and into the Ithaca 
CBC circle!

Oh, going to quote a departed wonderful birding friend, Bard Prentiss - Bird 
Hard!

Kevin





Kevin J. McGowan, Ph.D.
Senior Course Developer and Instructor
Bird Academy
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
k...@cornell.edu
607-254-2452



Do you know about our other distance-learning opportunities? Visit Bird 
Academy, 
https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/courses/  to see our list of courses.




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