On three visits since Sunday, I’ve come various interesting birds at the Newman Municipal Golf Course and Jetty Woods in Ithaca. Here are some highlights.
* GREAT HORNED OWL on an open nest atop a tree in the middle of the golf course. This is the very same location where two Great Horned Owls fledged in 2015. Twice, most recently on Sunday evening, I’ve seen a second adult Great Horned Owl for a long time out in the open in a nearby tree, but on Monday and Tuesday mornings, I couldn’t refind him. The mother seems to be sitting higher on the nest this week than last. I conjecture hopefully that this means the eggs have hatched and the chicks are growing. (Many birders have reported this owl nest on eBird since the beginning of March or earlier.) * Second-year BALD EAGLE flying from Fall Creek past the white lighthouse and alighting in a tree on the Cass Park side (Tuesday). * Female YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER along the dirty-looking drainage pool along Pier Road near the fire training buildings (Monday and Tuesday). * WINTER WREN seen singing a partial song in this same area (Monday). * Multiple male PURPLE FINCHES, including one singing a distinctive, vaguely vireo-like song with short phrases and pauses (Monday and Tuesday). * At least three pairs of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS (Monday and Tuesday) * Four GREAT BLUE HERONS perched about at least 50-60 feet up in neighboring trees in the Jetty Woods, with bills tucked for heat retention, plus one standing in Fall Creek (Tuesday). * At least ten WOOD DUCKS, including a flock of 8 males that wheeled above Pier Road and descended somewhere upstream on the creek (Tuesday). Full eBird checklists are here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S43775545 (Monday) https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S43803161 (Tuesday) 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/ --
