I started out just before sunrise to find some SWAMP SPARROWS from the airport lights access road south of Rt13. But just as I reached the third parking lot for the Lab I stopped to check the high tension poles and wires and in addition to a group of EUROPEAN STARLINGS, I spotted first one AMERICAN KESTREL on the top of the pole West of Kipps Barn, then another on top of the first pole East of the third parking lot, so close enough for good looks. While watching, it dove off the pole and intercepted a passing blackbird (probably Red-winged) but missed. Both birds did an in-flight correction and the Kestrel took another pass, but either decided the prey was too big or was just lazy or not THAT hungry, so headed off and landed atop a nearby pine.
I did find lots of non-trilling Swamp Sparrows, sometimes competing for a bush or small tree by flying at each other but then perching long enough for good identification. Meanwhile, at least one SONG SPARROW landed on the same tree as two of the Swamps and sang loudly in their general direction. Walking back, I had singing WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and one of the Kestrels sat facing the rising sun in one of the tall trees West of the Barn, showing its glowing breast. ChrisP ______________________ Chris Pelkie Research Analyst Bioacoustics Research Program Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14850 -- 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/ --
