[cayugabirds-l] Sapsucker Woods, Fri 5/11
I found a PINE SISKIN in a flock of goldfinches by the Podell Boardwalk in Sapsucker Woods on Friday morning. Otherwise, I found very few migrants, none at all unusual. 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/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] Mourning Warbler territories?
Hi Ken and everyone, If the sporting/listing aspect of birding is the goal, rather than witnessing actual breeding behavior, then I might suggest trying the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods between 7 and 8 AM on May 17. Three of the past four years, I've found one right there at that very time. Last year I also found a second Mourning Warbler on May 17 on the Dryden side. Seeing Mourning Warblers in Sapsucker Woods may be a little harder than seeing them on territories on Beam Hill and in our nearby state forests, but I'm not sure to what extent. With patience, I had excellent views of two of the four Mourning Warblers in Sapsucker Woods, as well as a frustrating glimpse of a third. One remained out of my sight. Mark Chao -Original Message- From: bounce-58388044-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-58388044-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Kenneth Victor Rosenberg Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 6:27 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Mourning Warbler territories? Enough about ticks and rashes! Does anyone know the locality of any easily accessible Mourning Warbler territories in the Hammond Hill/Yellow Barn SF areas? There used to be an easy one at the power line cut at the top of Tehan Rd. and another along the south stretch of Yellow Barn Rd. I know they've been found at Hammond Hill this spring, but not sure exactly where. We have a group visiting from outside the region and this is one of their most wanted target species. thanks! KEN Ken Rosenberg Conservation Science Program Cornell Lab of Ornithology 607-254-2412 607-342-4594 (cell) k...@cornell.edu -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Th 5/17
Linda Orkin and I visited the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods on Thursday morning. We found no new migrants at all (and no May 17 Mourning Warbler), but we did see the ORCHARD ORIOLE singing above the wet wooded patch amid the parking lots. We also heard a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH by the pond edge somewhere. 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] Sapsucker Woods, Sat 5/19
I looked for birds around the Wilson Trail North, the Woodleton Boardwalk, and the road in Sapsucker Woods on Saturday morning. Here are some highlights. * YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER along the road, about 30 meters north of the gated trailheads. Suan Yong and I had a nice 20-second view of this bird in angled morning sunlight, before the flycatcher was chased away by a first-year male AMERICAN REDSTART. Suan remarked aptly that the flycatcher had female goldfinch colors. * A singing BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER not far from this flycatcher, two TENNESSEE WARBLERS by the East Trail gate, and another redstart singing deep in the woods by the Severinghaus Trail. * Territorial NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES along the Woodleton Boardwalk as usual, plus another in the swampy patch north of the building. This latter waterthrush, plus the warblers mentioned above, were the only passage migrant warblers I found today. * A pair of OVENBIRDS about to copulate between the East Trail gate and the Woodleton Boardwalk, before they saw me and decided to try somewhere else. * Near these Ovenbirds, Suan found a Catharus thrush, which I never saw. His description perfectly matches GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH. I can think of no better date or place to find this species around Ithaca. * A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD, first found by Linda Orkin and her group, near the swallow boxes on the parking-lot knoll. This was only the fourth or fifth mockingbird I've ever seen in Sapsucker Woods. Mark -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Sun 5/20
Evidence of migrant songbirds was extremely low in Sapsucker Woods on Sunday morning. I found only one bird that's not a likely breeding species - a male CANADA WARBLER along the road, offering some fine viewing north of the gates and across from the orange hydrant. A few years ago, a Canada Warbler stayed in this very location for a few weeks into at least early June, but today's bird seemed much more intent on foraging than defending a territory with song. 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] Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve (FLLT SBQ), Sun 5/27
On Sunday morning, a fine throng of at least 18 people turned out for the second walk of this year's Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (FLLT SBQ), this time at the Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve in West Danby. Before meeting the group, I spent 45 minutes birding alone on the west side of the preserve, near the West Danby fire station. The surpassing highlight here was an active GREAT BLUE HERON nest above the pond, which the Land Trust owns, next to the fire house. A parent stood sentinel as at least two chicks waved their stubby wings and occasionally poked their homely short-billed countenances into view. (These young have obviously hatched much more recently than the herons on the webcam of the Lab of Ornithology.) Here I also found a few GREEN HERONS flying around and often perching grandly in the angled morning light on the highest snags, with legs, necks, and even crests stretched out. This area was also very good for songbirds, including a virtuosically versatile BROWN THRASHER, as well as MOURNING WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, and BLACKPOLL WARBLER singing in the woods by the old railroad bed a bit south of the water tower. We launched our group walk shortly after 8 AM on the east side of the preserve. Without even getting to the railroad tracks, we found most of the preserve's expected breeding specialties, including PRAIRIE WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, FIELD SPARROW, INDIGO BUNTING, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, ALDER FLYCATCHER, and others. With patience, we got good views of most of these species (though not the cuckoo), including an extended look at a pair of Prairie Warblers installing seed fluff on a nest. See below for the full list from eBird. The biggest surprise of our group walk was a COMMON GALLINULE, which I believe Suan Yong found, swimming far to the south of the berm on Coleman Lake. This bird not only prompted the coveted eBird confirm prompt, it was a first for me on my seven years of doing the SBQ, and my second Common Gallinule ever in Tompkins County. (Well, you could even say today's was the first, as my only previous county sighting came when the species was known as Common Moorhen.) Wow, that was fun! Many thanks to all for your fine company, and especially to Suan, Bob McGuire, Courtney Moore, Betsy Darlington, and Jim Spear, whose help made my work as a guide a lot lighter and more efficient, given the group size. (Bob and many others continued past the railroad tracks after I turned back with a portion of the group; he may have more to report later.) Two more walks will mark the close of this year's SBQ tomorrow. We'll have an early-person special from 6:30 to 8:00 AM at the Goetchius Wetland Preserve in Caroline (meet by the parking area marked with the big sign), and then the weekend finale starting at 8:30 at the Park Nature Preserve on Irish Settlement Road in Dryden. I hope to see many of you there! Mark Chao ___ Lindsay-Parsons FLLT Preserve, Tompkins, US-NY May 27, 2012 7:00 AM - 10:15 AM 52 species Canada Goose 21 Wood Duck 4 Great Blue Heron 3 Green Heron 4 Turkey Vulture 1 Common Gallinule 1 Seen swimming in Coleman Lake before it disappeared in edge vegetation. Distant but unmistakable scope views of dark body, red bill with light tip, white sides of tail. Many observers. Mourning Dove 3 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 Black-billed Cuckoo 2 Belted Kingfisher 2 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Alder Flycatcher 5 Eastern Phoebe 1 Eastern Kingbird 1 Yellow-throated Vireo 3 Warbling Vireo 3 Red-eyed Vireo 3 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 4 Tree Swallow 5 Barn Swallow 10 Black-capped Chickadee 4 Veery 3 Wood Thrush 1 American Robin 3 Gray Catbird 4 Brown Thrasher 1 European Starling 14 Cedar Waxwing 18 Ovenbird 3 Blue-winged Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Mourning Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 3 Blackburnian Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 4 Chestnut-sided Warbler 3 Blackpoll Warbler 1 Prairie Warbler 4 Field Sparrow 6 Savannah Sparrow 1 Song Sparrow 3 Dark-eyed Junco 3 Scarlet Tanager 1 Northern Cardinal 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 6 Bobolink 1 Red-winged Blackbird 8 Common Grackle 17 Baltimore Oriole 6 American Goldfinch 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) -- 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] Goetchius and Park/Baldwin (FLLT SBQ), Mon 5/28
In the short-lived cool air of early morning on Monday, four birders joined me at the Goetchius Wetland Preserve in Caroline for the third of my four weekend bird walks for the Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (FLLT SBQ). We began our short visit in the big field by the parking lot. This area, formerly all grass, now has some large scrapes holding shallow water and gravel, which seem to constitute decent habitat for migrant shorebirds. We found two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS and a KILLDEER here, but no probable passage migrant shorebirds. We also found two Mallards, sparing me the embarrassment of missing this species on my weekend tally. The new depressions in the field do seem to break up the grassy field, but this year anyway, the BOBOLINKS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS are still present. Having grown accustomed to seeing testosterone-charged male Bobolinks relentlessly chasing females and each other around here on past SBQs, I was very surprised to see two males foraging together in peace in a gravel patch, along with four Rock Pigeons and a Mourning Dove. From here, I also heard one typical whinny of a SORA, evidently from the expansive wetland down the road. We walked over and look a long look and listen, but alas, didn't hear the Sora again. (Later, John Confer arrived and heard one short grunting phrase from a VIRGINIA RAIL, which I missed.) But still we had a fine time just standing among many expected birds, including both WILLOW and ALDER FLYCATCHERS singing in territorial defense, plus a HOODED MERGANSER and three GREEN HERONS flying by. Then most of us headed over to the Baldwin Tract of the Park Nature Preserve, in time for the start of the weekend's last bird walk at 8:30. Here we had a terrific turnout of 20+ people. It was our great privilege to be joined by Frank and Blythe Baldwin themselves, who purchased this tract more than 30 years ago, protected it from development, welcomed visitors, and finally arranged a few years ago for the Land Trust to take it over. Everyone who loves this site and the birds who live there owe Frank and Blythe profound gratitude; it was very satisfying and fitting to be able to extend our thanks directly and en masse at this year's SBQ. After spending our first few minutes watching a snapping turtle laying eggs right by the road (Blythe put up a road-hazard sign to help protect it from parkers), we entered the preserve. We found almost all of the site's expected breeding species, including one or more singing PRAIRIE WARBLERS, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, OVENBIRD, and BLUE-HEADED VIREO. Regrettably, most of these birds didn't oblige us with good views. A WINTER WREN sounded its incomparably beautiful and complex song at least a couple dozen times by the shelter above Six Mile Creek, but despite our concerted effort, he too remained out of sight. Oh well - as I told the group, given a choice between a good look at a silent Winter Wren, or a prolonged audience with a hidden one, I certainly wouldn't object to the latter. We did get one reward for our efforts to spot birds - a HERMIT THRUSH, who took a long pause from flurries of conspecific chasing and perched for long scope views, right by the shelter. Finally, as I led the group through the sunshine back to the parking lot, my young baseball friend Mark Dodici came running up. He reported that he and a few others, who had stayed behind for a few extra moments at the shelter and creek, had heard a BARRED OWL hooting twice in the ravine! I ended up with a list of 87 species found on Land Trust preserves for the weekend. Notwithstanding my most embarrassing misses - Red-tailed Hawk and Downy Woodpecker - I'm pretty satisfied with the total, given the heat and my inability this year to do much birding on my own outside the group walks. I think that others found at least six species that I missed, including that rail and owl. And counting repeat customers, we had over 50 people come out for the walks! We collected over $300 in on-the-spot donations to the Land Trust; combined with pledges for my weekend tally, I expect that this year's SBQ will raise well over $3000 to support the Land Trust's continuing efforts to preserve habitat in our region. To all who came out for the walks; to all who supported me and the Land Trust with pledges; to Bob McGuire and Betsy Darlington, for assistance with guiding the groups; to Frank and Blythe Baldwin once again for uncommon vision and generosity in creating the preserved tract that now bears your name; and to everyone who has had the patience to read my rambling posts three days in a row - many thanks for another wonderful SBQ! Mark Chao -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com
[cayugabirds-l] eTT reports -- from visitor kiosks (?)
Aren't eTT reports into eBird from visitor-center kiosks? As I recall, eTT reports are rather frequent sources of false alarms in the eBird Google gadget and maybe other alert functions. If so, given that the full checklist contains two very rare birds out of only five birds reported, all clustered at the beginning of the alphabet, I would suspect that we're seeing the result of casual fun at the kiosk rather than a rigorous report. But of course I hope I'm wrong and that the birds are really there. Mark Chao PS. This past week, we saw a Chipping Sparrow eating chips at Chipotle along Elmira Road in Ithaca. Three of the four of us in the family thought that this was quite remarkable and worthy of posting to the list. It also made me wonder - what was the Sandwich Tern at Sandy Pond eating? From: bounce-62917217-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-62917217-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of nutter.d...@me.com Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2012 11:57 PM To: Cayugabirds- L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] American White Pelican and American Avocet Montezuma Aug 2 2012 - unconfirmed ebird reports Bob McGuire I went to Montezuma NWR this afternoon and evening, also ignorant of these reports. We saw Tim Lenz Dave Wheeler on East Rd at sunset and neither mentioned these rarities. Bob I drove the Wildlife Drive (Larue's was being plowed when we went past), looked out from the Tschache tower, spent a long time on East Road and on Towpath Road, and also went to Railroad Road and Van Dyne Spoor Road. Our finds were much like Dave Nicosia's, plus similar shorebirds in the east impoundment on RR Rd, and lots of Red-winged Blackbirds gathering in the evening south of VDS Rd. I suspect the report is from the official Montezuma NWR survey, driving the dikes. With vegetation so tall, these birds could have hidden in the back of Tschache Pool, or the farther reaches of May's Point Pool (which we did not check), or even some part of the Main Pool seen only from the tower which we did not climb. Please, whoever has actual details to confirm or deny my speculation, share them! --Dave Nutter On Aug 02, 2012, at 10:09 PM, david nicosia daven1...@yahoo.com wrote: Just received an ebird alert of both species at Montezuma today. No details of where or when except that it was today, August 2nd. We certainly did not have these two species today but it is a huge area. Wish the report would have had details on when and where in the wetlands complex. Well, something for others to search for next couple dayshope these reports are indeed confirmed. See belowwho is Montezuma eTT??? Thank you for subscribing to the daily Rare Bird Alert for Seneca. The report below shows observations of rare birds in Seneca. View this alert on the web at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN35526 http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN35526 NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) (1) - Reported Aug 02, 2012 00:00 by Montezuma eTT - Montezuma NWR, Seneca, New York - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8t=pz=13q=42.9833651,-76.7562389ll=42.983 3651,-76.7562389 http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8t=pz=13q=42.9833651,-76.7562389ll=42.9833 651,-76.7562389 - Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11255471 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11255471 American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) (1) - Reported Aug 02, 2012 00:00 by Montezuma eTT - Montezuma NWR, Seneca, New York - Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8t=pz=13q=42.9833651,-76.7562389ll=42.983 3651,-76.7562389 http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8t=pz=13q=42.9833651,-76.7562389ll=42.9833 651,-76.7562389 - Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11255471 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11255471 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Welcome and Basics http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Rules and Information http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html The Mail Archive http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Surfbirds http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ ! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Welcome and Basics http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Rules and Information http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html The Mail Archive http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Surfbirds http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your
[cayugabirds-l] Podell Boardwalk
The Podell Boardwalk is named for Albert Podell. I know nothing specific about his association with the Lab, but it seems likely that he is the same guy featured in this article. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/garden/29breakers.html?_r=2 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/29/garden/29breakers.html?_r=2pagewanted=1; 8dpc pagewanted=18dpc A Google search reveals more interesting info about the estimable Mr. Podell. Evidently he is not only a Lab supporter and a defiantly principled chooser of lifestyle and bed linens -- he is also a generous supporter of other charitable causes, a patron of the arts, a world traveler, filmmaker, and author. I gotta give the guy credit - and not just because his namesake boardwalk is such a good place to find birds. Alas, I didn't check there this morning, but I did find a few migrants elsewhere in Sapsucker Woods - a female CANADA WARBLER by the Charley Harper memorial bench, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at the pond edge here, and a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER in the woods close to the Fuller Wetlands. Mark Chao From: bounce-64004159-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-64004159-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of holly adams Sent: Sunday, September 02, 2012 12:55 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] off-topic but related question Greetings, Birders! Many of you post of sightings at the Podell Boardwalk here at the Lab. An elderly visitor of the same last name is keen to know for whom is it named? I have combed our website and the internet for the information and not finding anything, and I thought perhaps some of you have been part of the Lab or birding here since before said Boardwalk was created may know. Many Thanks, holly -- 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! -- -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Th 9/20
I went looking for migrants in Sapsucker Woods on Thursday morning. I saw only a few, but they were all somewhat surprising. * A splendid male PINE WARBLER in the pines and a neighboring larch by the bench and arbor south of the Lab building. I had walked right past but then turned around because I heard this bird's distinctive sharp chipping, which had me wondering first whether it was a phoebe (too complex), or even a chipmunk (not loud enough). Then I had a long look at the bird in direct sunlight, not too high. It was the most brilliantly yellow Pine Warbler I've ever seen. * Two OVENBIRDS together near the first split on the Wilson Trail North. At first, one bird was on each side of the lower trail. Then I caught one Ovenbird's eye, whereupon it started walking back and forth on fallen branches and chipping like crazy. The other bird started chipping in reply (I hadn't noticed it till then) and eventually joined the first, allowing me to see both in one binocular view. I like to think that these birds were siblings with a mother-approved pact to help each other out all the way to the tropics. * A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW under the power lines on the Dryden side. I thought that this bird might pull off a shocking upset, outnumbering the Song Sparrows here 1-0, but alas, I ended up finding a few of the latter species by the little lawn along the road. 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] Sapsucker Woods and Cornell Community Gardens, Sat 9/22
This morning I figured that the birds in Sapsucker Woods would be most readily found in the deepest woods, sheltered from the high wind. So I walked around the East Trail. I did find a fair variety of migrant songbirds, including BLACKPOLL, BLACK-THROATED GREEN (4+), BLACK-THROATED BLUE, MAGNOLIA, and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, plus a singing BLUE-HEADED VIREO and an EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE. I also saw a RUFFED GROUSE by the Woodleton Boardwalk - I think only the third or fourth I've ever found in the sanctuary. Then I spent 20 minutes at the Cornell Community Gardens along Freese Road. I hoped that I might find Song Sparrows and LINCOLN'S SPARROW in roughly the same proportions as Jay, Scott, and Brad found the other day. And I did - not in absolute numbers of 60:4, but about 15 Song Sparrows to one Lincoln's (northeast corner). 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] Red-morph screech-owl at Day Hall, Cornell -- Mon 11/12
Miyoko Chu has just passed along a message from a colleague who works at Day Hall on the Cornell campus. There was a red-morph Eastern Screech-Owl out in the open on a tree by that building at 12:20 PM on Monday. 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] 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] CBC highlights from Area IX (Lansing), Tues 1/1/13
Our crew of counters has turned up some exciting birds in Area IX of the Ithaca CBC circle (Lansing) so far today. * SAVANNAH SPARROW found by Bob Horn and seen by several others, including me, in the brush at the northeast corner of the intersection of East Shore Drive and Water Wagon Road. This bird had a pink bill, yellow face especially at the front of the eyebrow stripe, crisp dark frontal streaks without a central spot. * Approximately six SNOW BUNTINGS found by Bob and Joan Horn along Water Wagon Road. * MERLIN along Benson Road at the first house south of Route 34B. This brown-backed bird spent several minutes in the first tree south of this house right along the road, circled and returned once, then flew east across the road and perched again in the line of trees at the back of an open field. * Two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS found by Jill Vaughan and Marianne Ludwigsen along Route 34B across from the north end of Benson Road. * BARRED OWL seen by Donna Scott along Van Ostrand Road at 5:35 AM. * NORTHERN HARRIER seen from Snyder Road, circling far to the south, surely out of Area IX (hard to tell if it was over the Freese/Hanshaw area or even farther to the south in Area IV). All this in a few hours, plus the shrike that Kevin found and Lee Ann reported. Not bad for a cold, windy morning! 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] Lansing Center Trail, Sun 1/6
On Sunday afternoon along the Lansing Center Trail, six curious snowmobilers and I witnessed a spectacular show by a dark-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. For more than 45 minutes, we watched this bird kiting, hovering, and occasionally perching with improbable equipoise on tiny treetop twigs. A couple of times, the Rough-legged Hawk, upon hearing the cry of a Red-tailed Hawk nearby, turned its head and glanced over in mid-hover, momentarily revealing the stunning contrast of yellow cere, black head and bill, and pearly gray sky. Then in an instant, the Rough-legged Hawk resumed the search for prey on the ground as if its attention had never been broken. It was probably my most gratifying encounter ever with this species. I feel I gained insight about why people commonly note the exquisite beauty of dark-morph Rough-legged Hawks, but don't give nearly such recognition to Turkey Vultures. I think the difference lies mostly with proportion, balance, and grace of movement, and to a lesser extent, color and details of pattern, especially the framing effect of dark-tipped flight feathers. It occurred to me that similarly subtle criteria may apply to prevailing aesthetic standards for cars, as most arbiters of taste would favor a charcoal-black Porsche over a dark-brown Ford Granada. And as if the hawk alone weren't enough, I also saw an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE speeding between hedgerows and perching up for a long time at pretty close range. My shrike sighting was about half a mile northeast of Cayuga Vista Road, where at 4:45 PM I found no shrike but did see a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD bullying an AMERICAN ROBIN, a species arguably rarer than shrikes so far in 2013 in Lansing. (By the way, on Saturday I did see an adult shrike just north of the intersection of Scofield Road and Route 34B, near the bank of mailboxes for the apartment complex. Thanks, Stuart!) As Jay McGowan mentioned a couple of times this fall, the Lansing Center Trail is actually a network of paths along hedgerows and open weedy fields. It is accessible via a well-marked parking area along Route 34/34B, just west of the intersection with North Triphammer Road. 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] NE Ithaca, Fri 1/25 (red-morph screech-owl)
We are feeling very lucky this morning to welcome a red-morph EASTERN SCREECH-OWL to our nest box in northeast Ithaca. This is the first red screech-owl we've ever seen in our yard, and also the first owl we've seen in the box at all since two gray ones stayed here together last March. It was so confusing and exciting that I almost honored our visitor unintentionally by wearing my vest inside-out all morning. Here's a photo of today's owl. https://picasaweb.google.com/114049026073343451957/EasternScreechOwls#583740 3143570372674 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] Lansing Center Trail, Sat 2/2
On Saturday morning, I saw the NORTHERN SHRIKE on a wire above Cayuga Vista Road in Lansing, for the second time in probably a dozen or so passes since early January. Then, along the Lansing Center Trail, I had the personally unprecedented pleasure of seeing one of each color morph of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. The light-morph bird crossed northward above the big roadside field across from the baseball complex, then descended purposefully to a tree, where the dark morph was perching. The birds interacted momentarily in a way that seemed more salutatory than agonistic. But the light-morph hawk opted not to alight, instead rising and circling the field again. I then watched the dark bird for several minutes before it too lifted off, away from the trail complex to the northwest, showing its stunning contrasting pattern all too briefly, and leaving me somehow both enormously satisfied and covetous for more. I had originally intended this morning to go to the Edwards Lake Cliff Preserve to count ravens and kinglets to get the inside edge for a Super Bowl wager. But after all my real birding luck and an hour in the chilling wind, this plan suddenly seemed a little pointless. So instead I went looking for roosting owls in the conifers along Benson Road. The search was surprisingly enjoyable despite being cold and ultimately fruitless. Mark Chao PS. Speaking of SuperB owls, we have not seen the red-morph screech-owl or any other owl in our yard since that one day I reported it last week. -- 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] W. King Road, Fri 2/15
On Friday morning at about 10:45, I watched a light-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at the intersection of West King and Sandbank Roads in south Ithaca. The hawk hovered and kited in the wind, a few times floating dozens of meters straight backward as if projected from a rewinding film reel. Then a Red-tailed Hawk flew in and struck with flashing talons at the Rough-legged Hawk. The two birds tumbled together a few times, eventually settling on the ground out of my view for about 20 seconds of suspense. Finally the hawks separated and rose to rest in some neighboring trees. At the same time, a bench-clearing brawl broke out, with two American Crows attacking a second Red-tailed Hawk that had appeared out of nowhere. Today is the start of the Great Backyard Bird Count, which runs through Monday. This year, participants can choose to enter GBBC sightings straight from eBird! 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] Lansing and Aurora, Sat 2/23
Just last weekend during the GBBC, a spark dormant for 11 years went off and my son Tilden's birding interest roared to life - turning him from nonchalant bystander to new eBird enrollee to faithful checklister to bona fide fanatic. (He says he likes birding because it's competitive.) So he and I went birding part of the way up the east side of Cayuga Lake late on Saturday afternoon. Here are some highlights. * NORTHERN SHRIKE on Cayuga Vista Drive. This was Tilden's second-ever sighting of the species; the first was at the same spot on Monday. * Three AMERICAN PIPITS on the beach at Myers Park. We think that this was a life bird for Tilden. * Many coots, geese, and ducks at Myers and vicinity, including 32 GADWALLS that paddled from the private marina into the open cove to the south. This was Tilden's first experience getting the coveted eBird need details prompt. In fact, unless something has changed since the last database update, this is the highest eBird Gadwall count ever in Tompkins County! * No field birds despite slow drives down Lansingville Road and Center Road, with its cruciferous, ferociously odiferous crop residues. Tilden did pick up his first American Robin of the year by the King Ferry Winery. * No grebes at the Wells College boathouse, but a mighty flock of SNOW GEESE arriving from the north and settling far out in the middle of the lake. Tilden says aptly that they were like a train pulling into a station. The usual impressive numbers of Canada Geese and AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS were here too. * No Short-eared Owls around Lake Road and Rafferty Road just before dusk. We are looking forward today's Cayuga Bird Club field trip report! 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] Myers, King Ferry, Morgan Rd., Sat 3/2
I wasn't even sure if we'd go out at all today, but after a family discussion weighing the possibilities, I got one taker for the proffered bird hard option. So Tilden and I headed up the lake again late on Saturday afternoon. Those three hours turned out to be the most satisfying winter outing I've ever had in the Basin, and not just for the opportunity to spend time with my rookie birding ace of a son. The highlight above all for us was the flock of field birds that Laura Stenzler and Ton Schat found at the dairy farm near the Triangle Diner. We roughly counted 180 HORNED LARKS, 30 SNOW BUNTINGS, and most remarkably, at least five LAPLAND LONGSPURS, including two males in spectacular breeding plumage, the first I've ever seen like this -- all very close to the road for as long as we wished to stay and watch. No previous bunting/longspur experience of mine comes close. And what a way for Tilden to see his life Lapland Longspurs! Thanks, Laura and Ton!! We ended up at Morgan Road at about 5:30 PM, where we had a chance to thank Laura and Ton in person, and also to see Michele Mannella and Mickey Scilingo, among others. Down by the DEC building, we all watched at least four SHORT-EARED OWLS foraging, occasionally chasing each other, and perching up for long views. On the way out, we again saw two Short-eared Owls further north along Morgan Road. On most any other day, this would have been the surpassing stop of the day. Or maybe it was. Why choose? We noted the huge but very distant waterfowl flock at Harris Park in the village of Cayuga, but stayed only very briefly. But we took a long look at the ducks assembled south of the private marina at Myers. This flock continues to be about as impressive as I've ever seen here, with many GADWALLS, a few dozen NORTHERN PINTAILS, some AMERICAN WIGEONS, hundreds of REDHEADS, a few LESSER SCAUP, and both HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS, along with the Mallards, Canada Geese, and coots. 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] NE Ithaca, Mt. Pleasant, etc., Sat 3/9
Here are some highlights and other notes from around Ithaca over the past few days. The birding hasn't been quite as easy as in our previous, very lucky outings, but the common birds, occasional surprises, and even long silences have still been quite worthwhile. * FISH CROWS heard calling in northeast Ithaca a couple of times this week, for the first time all year (exactly on time, based on previous patterns). * No woodcocks or owls detected in about 30 minutes around the Snyder/Mohawk/Neimi area after dark on Thursday. * One adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL on the wind-lashed ice edge at Stewart Park on Friday. * One KILLDEER seen and heard over Simsbury Drive on Saturday morning. * A pair of HOODED MERGANSERS and a tight flotilla of male COMMON GOLDENEYES at East Shore Park on Saturday morning. * None of the Ruffed Grouse we were hoping to find, but maybe a dozen GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS along Star Stanton Road. * One GOLDEN EAGLE seen from Mt. Pleasant, found by Chris Wood and Jessie Barry south of the easternmost field and neighboring woods at around 11:30 AM. Tilden saw this bird, its head lustrous like real gold, in the sun through Chris's scope. Chris and Jessie were remarking with satisfaction how close this eagle was, but by my arguably more normal standards, the bird seemed very far away. (The redoubtable Chris and Jessie saw another Golden Eagle and also a Northern Goshawk before we arrived, plus a Rough-legged Hawk that I didn't see, but Tilden did, even when I was right there with them.) * Jessie, Chris, and we also had several nice views of HORNED LARKS, including one that stood and sang on a snow berm about 15 meters away. Mark and Tilden 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] Sapsucker Woods, Sun 3/17
At around 2:45 PM on Sunday, Tilden and I saw what I identify as a female southern HOARY REDPOLL, in the feeder garden at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We first noticed this bird because of its paler gray-toned back (not brown like nearby Common Redpolls). We confirmed larger size, vague and reduced flank streaks, no pink plumage at all, and white undertail coverts with three short, almost invisible black lines as if drawn by a sharp pencil. The bird retreated somewhere for a few minutes, but Tilden immediately spotted it when it reappeared. During our second viewing, we reconfirmed all the above-mentioned features, plus a white rump. PINE SISKINS, a couple of SONG SPARROWS, and other expected birds were in the garden too. (I also heard a rumor from Holly Adams that an experienced birder also saw a FOX SPARROW here on Friday or Saturday.) We also enjoyed watching a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS diving together under the ice on the pond (Holly says one emerged with a frog the other day), and a Black-capped Chickadee that foraged for half a minute at our knee level, about one meter away from Tilden. We watched a snowflake settle on this bird's forehead, remain there for a few minutes like a jewel, and then finally melt away. 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] Knox-Marsellus and Tschache Pool, Tues 3/26
My son Tilden and I decided spontaneously to chase the Pink-footed Goose on Tuesday evening. I was quite shocked to find only one other birder along East Road at 6:30 PM. We didn't find the rare goose; maybe we just missed it, or maybe it left with the hundreds of Canada Geese that flew north from the marsh before dusk. But we had more than our share of other redeeming sightings. * BALD EAGLES tending their nest in the woods at Mud Lock * AMERICAN KESTRELS and NORTHERN HARRIERS all along our route * One blue-morph SNOW GOOSE among a few white ones, plus a TUNDRA SWAN among expected duck species at Knox-Marsellus * Probably the greatest spectacle of birds I've ever seen in the Basin or maybe anywhere - hundreds of thousands of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES passing by the tower at Tschache Pool at sunset. Several hundred settled in the trees and marsh grasses right by the parking area, but most flew past May's Point toward the Wildlife Drive. We saw at least ten dense flocks of many hundreds of birds, stretching and folding like some genius animator's abstract inventions. But most impressive was a single line of blackbirds starting from the northwest to the southeast horizons, passing at a rate of at least 100 per second and sometimes bulging to maybe several hundred. This flock passed without pause for at least ten minutes -- we timed it with a watch. The line mostly flowed smoothly like a stream in its channel, but occasionally rose and fell in a resonant wave, as if whip-snapped by a giant hand miles away. I'll sit down and develop a more rigorous calculation before we enter data in eBird, but I am pretty sure that there were several hundred thousand birds, mostly Red-winged Blackbirds. Tilden would like to believe that there were at least a million, and I think even this could well be accurate. * A GREAT HORNED OWL that passed over Route 89 at dusk, making me look smart seconds after I told Tilden to look for one. We took note of the bird's very flat-headed and nearly concave-bellied profile, which seemed counterintuitive given our accustomed image of the perched bird, with its big face and hefty body. 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] Four miles of blackbirds
I forgot to mention yesterday that Tilden and I also saw a CACKLING GOOSE in one of the small flocks that flew out of Knox-Marsellus Marsh last night. T and I have done some back-of-the-envelope calculations regarding the blackbirds we saw from the Tschache Pool tower last night. Our estimates of total numbers have too much uncertainty to share with confidence, but here's one result that I think is pretty robust. * The biggest flock passed in a line for 120 seconds of spoken counting plus 10 minutes tracked on a wristwatch (I also forgot about the spoken count when I posted yesterday), plus some time even before we started keeping track. * I estimate that this flock was flying about 10 m/sec (20 mph, rounded). -- 12+ minutes (i.e. 0.2 hours) x 20 mph = a flock at least FOUR MILES long. Mark Chao From: Mark Chao [mailto:markc...@imt.org] Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 10:27 PM To: 'Cayugabirds- L' Subject: Knox-Marsellus and Tschache Pool, Tues 3/26 * Probably the greatest spectacle of birds I've ever seen in the Basin or maybe anywhere - hundreds of thousands of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COMMON GRACKLES passing by the tower at Tschache Pool at sunset. Several hundred settled in the trees and marsh grasses right by the parking area, but most flew past May's Point toward the Wildlife Drive. We saw at least ten dense flocks of many hundreds of birds, stretching and folding like some genius animator's abstract inventions. But most impressive was a single line of blackbirds starting from the northwest to the southeast horizons, passing at a rate of at least 100 per second and sometimes bulging to maybe several hundred. This flock passed without pause for at least ten minutes -- we timed it with a watch. The line mostly flowed smoothly like a stream in its channel, but occasionally rose and fell in a resonant wave, as if whip-snapped by a giant hand miles away. I'll sit down and develop a more rigorous calculation before we enter data in eBird, but I am pretty sure that there were several hundred thousand birds, mostly Red-winged Blackbirds. Tilden would like to believe that there were at least a million, and I think even this could well be accurate. -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Th 3/28
On Thursday evening, Tilden and I spent a few minutes (7:45-7:55 PM) by the far parking lot in Sapsucker Woods. We heard two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS calling, one very close to us between the gravel road and the near power poles, and one out near Highway 13. After a few minutes of increasingly frequent calls, we saw the closer woodcock fly out northbound over our heads in a low line. The other one took off a few minutes later. Neither seemed to stay in the field by the gravel road to display; maybe they went to the airport. 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] Sapsucker Woods, Sun 4/7
Tilden and I went to the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods on Sunday, hoping to find migrants seeking shelter from the wind. After much patient effort, we saw three FOX SPARROWS making short dashes across the trail. Listening for a rising call note helped us to locate these birds. We also found three RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (2 M, 1 F) perching together and one TREE SWALLOW prospecting nest boxes. Then on the way home, we saw a wind-driven MERLIN slashing across the sky above Warren and Uptown Roads, heading northeast. Maybe this was the same bird that Meena and her group saw yesterday. 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] Cass Park and Sapsucker Woods, Sat 4/13
At around 1 PM on Saturday, I heard a WINTER WREN singing at Cass Park by Union Fields F8. Then in Sapsucker Woods at about 4:30 PM, I found two HERMIT THRUSHES together with two Eastern Phoebes at the intersection of the Severinghaus and Wilson Trails, plus a FIELD SPARROW by Kip's Barn. 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] Rural roadsides and MNWR, Sun 4/28
Presented with many birding options this morning, my son Tilden didn't hesitate - he wanted to go to Montezuma NWR. Over the years, I've been losing the motivation to drive up there regularly, but Tilden alone has enough enthusiasm for two. Just a few miles into the trip, he burst out, I love Monty! Monty is great! You can just drive around and see things EVERYWHERE! And then he laughed with greedy but sincere and contagious glee. We made a couple of stops along the way. Along Burdick Hill Road at about 9:40 AM, Bill and Carol Klepack and we saw a few EASTERN MEADOWLARKS by the lone tree in the southern field, plus T's first NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD of the year and three distant BROAD-WINGED HAWKS rising on a thermal and drifting away to the north. Not long afterward, we stopped at Lake Road in Ledyard for more viewing of grassland birds. To my modest surprise, we saw and heard four male BOBOLINKS in the tree behind the lone house on the north side of the road. At least one was singing. Before today, I'd never seen Bobolinks remaining so stationary and positioned so high for so long. It seemed obvious that there are no females around yet to fight over. Here we saw and heard a few more meadowlarks, as well as some SAVANNAH SPARROWS. At the MNWR visitor center, we divided an hour among the pleasures of watching PURPLE MARTINS, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, DUNLINS in breeding plumage, many GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and a few BLUE-WINGED TEAL. We saw both of these dabbling species again, plus NORTHERN SHOVELERS and GADWALL, at both Larue's Lagoon and Benning Marsh. Two CASPIAN TERNS flew slowly southbound above the Seneca River. We also saw heard a VIRGINIA RAIL across from Benning, issuing its typical penetrating percussive call. By the time we reached the end of the Wildlife Drive at 1 PM, we were both quite satisfied and suddenly very tired, so we decided to retire for the day as winners and head home. But we did get a few bonus encounters en route - both accipiter species, Jeff Gerbracht and SFO participant Gundi (who told us of their exciting day at Braddock Bay), and a dish of incomparably excellent ice cream at the Cayuga Lake Creamery. 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] Monkey Run South, Mon 4/29
Out of school today because of grading of state tests, Tilden joined me for a walk on the pink-blazed trail at Monkey Run South on Monday morning. He found a silent WINTER WREN - a life bird for him, and first sighting of the year for me - up where the trail runs along the lip of the ravine. We also saw an OSPREY flying over, as well as a flock of 4+ kinglets in a pine. Otherwise, it was very quiet. Mark -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Th 5/2
Highlights from Sapsucker Woods on Thursday morning (6:40-7:30 AM): * One singing WOOD THRUSH (Hoyt-Pileated Trail) * One singing BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (north end of Woodleton Boardwalk) * Two singing OVENBIRDS (Wilson/Severinghaus and Hoyt-Pileated) * Four singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES (two east of Woodleton, two west) * A few calling YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS throughout * Two other warbler songs, each issued once along Wilson Trail North - one had the pattern of Black-and-White, and the other had an emphatic ending like Chestnut-sided, but both were weak and atypical * Two singing GRAY CATBIRDS (Wilson Trail North and Sherwood Platforms), plus a third one that was silent (Sherwood) * A few singing RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (Wilson Trail North and parking lot) * A pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS near the service driveway by the Lab (one head-scratching, foot over wing) * Many TREE SWALLOWS of course - one surprised me by briefly landing in the parking lot * One calling GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Wilson Trail South) * A pair of WOOD DUCKS flying over the main pond, then one male at the small green pool at the far portion of the East Trail * One DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT in the heron-cam snag (it's been years since I've seen one here). 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] Sapsucker Woods, Fri 5/3
I found just about the same birds in Sapsucker Woods early on Friday morning (6:30-7:15 AM) as I did on Thursday (again I also missed the birds that others reported). I did find a couple of possible new arrivals - a VEERY by the middle of the Woodleton Boardwalk and a WARBLING VIREO by the Fuller Wetlands. 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] Spring Bird Quest, fundraising, and public bird walks for the Finger Lakes Land Trust in May
Over Memorial Day weekend, Ill be visiting preserves of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, leading public bird walks, and raising pledge money per species found. We call this effort the Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (SBQ). Since its inception in 2006, the Spring Bird Quest has raised about $25,000 in support of the Land Trusts efforts to preserve vital habitat for the birds we love. Please contact me if youd like to pledge or if youd like to count species and try to raise funds yourself. I usually find about 90 to 100 species over the weekend. Even the smallest pledges are most welcome. In addition to the four walks Ill lead for the SBQ, Ill be leading two other bird walks for the Land Trust this month. The first, especially for kids and families, will take place this Sunday. This and all SBQ events are free. Please see below for details on all the walks. Thank you for your consideration! Im looking forward to finding birds with you! Mark Chao __ I. Bird walk for kids and families Sunday, May 5, 2013 8:00 AM Roy H. Park Preserve This bird walk is especially for families and children of age 6 and up. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Please bring binoculars and field guides if you have them and dont forget water and snacks! From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 north to Irish Settlement Rd., turn right and continue 1.5 miles past Hammond Hill Rd. The preserve parking area is on the left just past the southern end of Goodband Rd. II. Finger Lakes Land Trust Annual Meeting and Celebration Saturday, May 18, 2013 8:00 AM Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology The bird walk will start at the front doors of the Lab and last for about 90 minutes. At 9:30, join us in the Lab for coffee and conversation with Land Trust staff and board of directors and at 10:00 hear about the Land Trust's latest projects and listen to a fascinating talk about honeybee behavior and hive culture with Tom Seeley, Cornell biologist. REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE IS REQUESTED. Please call 275-9487. III. Memorial Day weekend Spring Bird Quest Saturday, May 25 8:00 AM 10:30 AM Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary Lake Como Road, Summerhill From Route 90, turn north onto Lake Como Rd. and continue for about 2 mi to Fire Lane A. Make right onto Lane A to find parking area on right. Sunday, May 26 8:00 AM -10:30 AM Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve Route 34/96, West Danby From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 south to junction with Rt. 34/96. Continue south on 34/96 to hamlet of West Danby. Preserve entrance is on left, ½ mile past Sylvan Drive. Monday, May 27 6:30 8:00 AM Goetchius Wetland Preserve From Ithaca, take Rt. 79 east approximately 11 miles and turn left on Flat Iron Rd. Continue up the road approx. 0.5 mile and park on the shoulder of the road. Monday, May 27 8:30 10:30 AM Roy H. Park Preserve From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 north to Irish Settlement Rd., turn right and continue 1.5 miles past Hammond Hill Rd. The preserve parking area is on the left just past the southern end of Goodband Rd. -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Sat 5/4 et al.
Like others, I found rather few migrants and nothing very surprising in Sapsucker Woods on Saturday morning. But I did meet Susan and Howard Finch, who gave a compelling account of how they saw a VIRGINIA RAIL taking flight briefly from the east edge of the Fuller Wetlands, just after the footbridge from the service driveway onto the first portion of the Wilson Trail North. I would also note to visitors that the EASTERN BLUEBIRD pair in this area are worth a look. Look especially by the newspaper box near the service driveway, as well as the knoll with the Tree Swallow boxes. Susan and Howard also told me and Wes Hochachka about some of their other birding in our area. Most notably, they saw two adult SANDHILL CRANES with a short young colt at Martens Tract near the bridge to Howland Island on Friday. I've had only two somewhat unexpected bird sightings to balance my mostly unmet birding expectations of the past few days - an OSPREY above Northeast Elementary School yesterday (if I'd seen one previously on my hundreds of visits here, I've forgotten), and a BROAD-WINGED HAWK not far above the intersection of Warren Road and Route 13 on Friday. Mark -- 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] Park Nature Preserve, Sun 5/5
Andrew, Emmett, and Stewart Berryhill joined Betsy Darlington, Tilden, and me on a walk early on Sunday morning at the Park Nature Preserve (Irish Settlement Road, Dryden). Twice, we had long, very close views of a singing PRAIRIE WARBLER along the first straightaway. As in past years, this portion of the trail seems to be the boundary between two territories. We also had excellent views of two OVENBIRDS and a BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER in the hemlock woods, as well as fleeting looks at MAGNOLIA WARBLERS chasing each other through the spruces. We also heard a WINTER WREN singing several times in the ravine. I think it was the first time that any of the boys had ever heard this remarkable song. We heard several other expected early-arriving breeders , including Eastern Towhees and Purple Finches. On the whole, though, I got the same feeling as I've had everywhere for the past few days - that passage migrant songbirds were essentially absent and that many summer nesting species haven't yet arrived. But it was hugely fun to be out with everyone. Thanks, Betsy! Thanks, fellows! Tilden and I found only one new arrival today -- a BALTIMORE ORIOLE issuing some desultory song at Tutelo Park along Bostwick Road in Ithaca at 5:45 PM. 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] report of Prothonotary Warbler in Sapsucker Woods
I just heard that three experienced Lab of Ornithology staff members have seen a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER in Sapsucker Woods on Monday morning, flying from the island in the main pond to the flowering tree(s) near the Treman feeder garden right next to the building. The sighting happened around 8:48 AM. Mark -- 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] Myers and Salt Point, Sat 5/11
On Saturday morning, Tilden sent me to Sapsucker Woods at 7 AM with instructions to come home and wake me up if you find anything good. Well, Brad Walker and I did find some fine birds on a walk around the Wilson Trail, including a MAGNOLIA WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, a couple of cooperative OVENBIRDS, a few unseen BALTIMORE ORIOLES and WOOD THRUSHES, and other expected birds. I also crept up within 4 meters of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drumming on a metal Stay off the ponds sign right next to a painted version of itself on a wooden Stay on the trails sign. But there certainly was no fallout, and many expected breeding birds still haven't arrived. (We found no redstarts on the Wilson Trail North, nor any Red-eyed Vireos or tanagers in the woods.) So I decided to let T wake up on his own. By 9:20 AM, we were ready to head out together. I gave him the choice among 1) chasing the Ruff at Montezuma; 2) finding breeding warblers like Pine Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush in their special nearby habitats; 3) giving ourselves a chance for variety at Sapsucker Woods or the Hawthorn Orchard; or 4) going to Myers to follow up on Jay's morning report. He picked the last option. I silently cheered, and off we went. Just past the house at the entrance, we quickly found the CAPE MAY WARBLER by its song, then got some decent views of the bird as it foraged and twice crossed the road. Here we also heard our first AMERICAN REDSTART of the year. Then on the beach, we had long, splendid scope view of the RUDDY TURNSTONE and DUNLIN from about 15 meters away. Tilden and I saw our first BANK SWALLOWS of the year, about a half dozen of them. He also found a GREEN HERON and an OSPREY in trees across Salmon Creek. On the way out, we stopped again at the house on the corner, and then, on a tip from Stuart Krasnoff, at Salt Point. This time we didn't find the warblers, but we did see three ORCHARD ORIOLES - one subadult male, one adult male, and one adult female. Mark Chao PS. Later, Tilden joined the throngs at the International Migratory Bird Day celebration at the Lab. Not only did he get to see an incredible variety of live diurnal and nocturnal raptors up close, he got ice cream from the mobile operations unit of the Cayuga Lake Creamery. Thank you to all the Lab's volunteers who made this huge event such a success again! -- 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] NE Ithaca, Tues 5/14
Tilden and I found a singing CAPE MAY WARBLER along Winthrop Drive in northeast Ithaca on Tuesday morning, near the path connecting the elementary and middle schools. The bird was so close and well sunlit in a young spruce tree that we could see him much better without binoculars than we saw the Cape May Warbler at Myers on Saturday with them. After T and I parted, I also heard NASHVILLE WARBLER and PINE SISKINS in the neighborhood. 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] Newman Golf Course vicinity and Sapsucker Woods, Wed 5/15
I went to the sycamores along Pier Road by Ithaca's Newman Golf Course at 6 AM on Wednesday. I found one YELLOW-THROATED VIREO and the WARBLING VIREO pair at its nest as Dave Nutter described the other day. The score was vireo species 2, Yellow-throated species 1, with one versatile individual accounting for a point on each side. The drama mounted. Would the Yellow-throated Warbler show up and break the tie? No, alas, it did not. (But then a Common Yellowthroat sang, setting off a confusing and still unresolved rulebook debate.) I then ran over to the woods on both the lighthouse/Newman side and the Stewart/Renwick side in the hope of finding Cerulean Warblers. Again I missed, but did find more Yellow-throated Vireos, lots of AMERICAN REDSTARTS and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, WOOD THRUSHES, a pair of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, WOOD DUCKS, and other expected birds. The biggest surprise was a pair of sleepy RUDDY DUCKS in the creek. (Yesterday by the boathouse, Tilden and I found two PALM WARBLERS.) Then I dashed off to Sapsucker Woods and made a fast full circuit of the Wilson Trail (6:55-7:10 AM). Birding mostly by ear, I found only a few passage migrants - a singing MAGNOLIA WARBLER and chipping YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER north of the Sherwood Platform, and a silent SWAINSON'S THRUSH in the woods. 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] Tareyton vicinity, Fri 5/17
Mark Scheel, Tilden, and I went to the Tareyton/Rosehill intersection in northeast Ithaca on Friday morning to follow up on Jay's 7 AM report. By 7:55, the greatest bird activity seemed to be in Tareyton Park at the north end of Tareyton Drive, on the sunlit edge of the woods. Here we saw male and female CAPE MAY WARBLERS, three BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, at least one male MAGNOLIA WARBLER, a NASHVILLE WARBLER, and lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Then as we were driving away, Tilden said, What warbler has a gray back, a black cap, and a white face? I saw one in that flock, and it wasn't a chickadee. So I think we can safely conclude that there was a male BLACKPOLL WARBLER in there too. Finally, as we were driving away to school at 8:15, we saw Kevin McGowan and Ken Rosenberg closer to the south end of Tareyton Drive. Ken had just seen a BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, which we missed. We also heard a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER close by. 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] Sapsucker Woods (FLLT annual meeting and celebration), Sat 5/18
A spirited throng of about 30 Finger Lakes Land Trust supporters joined me on Saturday morning for a bird walk in Sapsucker Woods, where the Land Trust is holding its annual meeting and celebration. We found many birds, with several moments of fine shared viewing. Highlights include: * A cooperative SWAINSON'S THRUSH near the intersection of the Wilson and West Trails * Two pairs of obliging OVENBIRDS, one south of the Severinghaus/Wilson intersection and the other along the Hoyt-Pileated Trail * WOOD THRUSHES near both the Swainson's Thrush and the first pair of Ovenbirds * BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (singing even tones like a Cape May Warbler), BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (heard singing a couple of times but seen briefly by me only), and three singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES along the Woodleton Boardwalk * BALTIMORE ORIOLE at the Sherwood Platform and in the power-line corridor on the Dryden side Many thanks to all who attended for your fine company and your support of the Land Trust! I'll be leading four free walks on various Land Trust preserves over Memorial Day weekend for the Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest. Please consult the Land Trust's website for full details. I continue to welcome pledges based on my weekend bird species tally, all in support of the Land Trust's efforts to conserve scenic lands and vital bird habitat in our region. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to seeing many of you next weekend! 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] Sapsucker Woods, Wed 5/22 (quiet)
Tilden and I found no epic or even modest fallout in Sapsucker Woods on Wednesday morning (7:30-8:05 AM), but did have several rewarding birding encounters. * Two male BALTIMORE ORIOLES in a one-sided brawl by the parking lot. One intensely red-orange male came in and attacked an unremarkably orange singing bird. They plummeted together straight down into the grass, where they remained still and out of view for several seconds. I imagine that the red one had his foot on the neck of the other one, or some other brutal stationary submission hold. The orange male immediately fled far away after he finally freed himself. The red male flew up to a high perch, his dominion secure. * Two CHIPPING SPARROWS copulating in the same area. * A female MAGNOLIA WARBLER that Tilden found south of the Lab building. This was the only warbler species we saw, besides Yellow and American Redstart. * WILSON'S WARBLER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO heard but not seen along the Wilson Trail North. 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] Eastern Whip-poor-will in Danby
Stewart Mandl has informed me that he heard an EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL in Danby after dark on Sunday night, May 19. Mark -- 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] Mississippi Kite over Ithaca, Wed 5/22
On Wednesday evening at about 6:20 PM, Tilden and I, plus a bemused umpire and a dugout full of youth baseball players saw an adult MISSISSIPPI KITE circling over Valentino Field at Tutelo Park on Bostwick Road in Ithaca. Notes: Raptor soaring easily in circles overhead for about 90 seconds. Distinctive long, slim pointed wings, more like a gull than a hawk. Small outermost primaries plainly seen and reconfirmed. Long tail broadly fanned, about the same proportion to body length as Cooper's Hawk, with no pattern. Whitish head, underside, and wing coverts. Broad black tips to wings, without distinct border against white. Overall black-and-white contrast vaguely reminiscent of Northern Harrier or Broad-winged Hawk, but also obviously different. Wings had no black trailing edge. Overall shape while soaring rules out any other species with similar coloration. I lost the bird when I had to refocus on the ballgame, but think the kite probably drifted off to the north or northwest. This was a life bird for both Tilden and me, but despite our lack of experience, I feel certain about the ID. 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] Myers, Fri 5/24 (Whimbrel)
Thanks to Jay for relaying our message this morning. Here are some details. Having just finished enjoying long, close views of the two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, the DUNLIN, and a clean-lookin' mean-lookin' red-mouthed breeding RING-BILLED GULL out on the windswept spit, Tilden and I decided to spend a few more minutes watching from the car. We saw the plovers wheel around and back once and watched the OSPREY kiting over the mouth of the creek, but got most of our entertainment from dozens of swallows foraging over the whitecaps. At about 10 AM, I saw two more shorebirds together in the air just off the tip of the spit. Their identities were immediately obvious - one was a Dunlin in breeding plumage (quite possibly the same one we had just seen), and the other was a WHIMBREL - about twice the size of the Dunlin (which itself surprised me with its apparent length and heft in flight), with plain brown plumage and an unmistakable, long decurved bill. (The bird lacked the warm tones and extreme bill length of a Long-billed Curlew.) For about 20 seconds, we saw the two birds turning and swooping together like fighter jets in tight formation, debating a joint landing. But then they headed north over the lake. While I phoned Jay, Tilden followed the rapidly retreating birds for about half a minute more, until he was distracted by the sight of a male and female BUFFLEHEAD flying across our view. (I am modestly hopeful that this latter species will give us double coveted eBird need details prompts, which I don't remember ever getting on a single previous outing.) We waited for about 10 minutes for the Whimbrel to return, to no avail. We did check the cove south of the private marina on our way out, where T spotted a COMMON LOON pretty far out. We saw many more swarming swallows over the water here too. Applying negligible effort, we didn't find any Yellow-throated Warbler or any other unusual songbirds today (even the Warbling Vireos were silent in the nasty cold wind). Mark Chao PS. The Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest starts tomorrow with a walk I'll lead at the McIlroy Bird Sanctuary in Summerhill at 8 AM. I welcome participation and pledges! -- 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] Myers, Fri 5/24 PM
Wanting to ride our wave of recent luck a little longer, Tilden and I returned to Myers Park in Lansing on Friday afternoon at about 4:30 PM. We don't think we saw anything particularly rare, but the birding was fun and challenging. Immediately upon arrival, Tilden exclaimed with surprise and had his optics up in a split-second. Then he paused, relaxed, and pointed out a CASPIAN TERN, a species we haven't seen at rest so far this year. I shared a little of his shock to see that big red bill after scanning gull after gull these past couple days on that beach! Again we saw two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, and by this time the DUNLIN contingent had swelled to at least four birds. I could swear that I also saw a yellowlegs fly to the tip of the spit (big, slim gray shorebird with a white tail) but I couldn't find it there a few seconds later. Even more puzzling were 15 little shorebirds that I think were SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. They all had black legs. Their bills all were completely straight but also quite sharply pointed. Upperparts were much more brown than gray (though not brightly rufous), with a lot of dark-centered feathers. All had very fine streaks on the breast. My instincts were nagging me the whole time that they were Least Sandpipers that somehow all showed dark legs (I wondered whether the extreme cold had anything to do with it). In the end, though, I concluded that analytic ID should trump impressions in this case, largely because I haven't closely studied Semipalmated Sandpipers in breeding plumage, nor gotten a very good sense of variation in bill shape with this species. The field marks do seem to add up, on the whole. (I feel certain that these birds weren't larger Calidris species, nor rare stints. They did not have white rumps.) 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] Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve (FLLT SBQ), Sun 5/26
On Sunday, the second day of this year's Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (SBQ), I started my morning of birding at 7 AM on the west side of the Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, by the West Danby Fire Station on Sylvan Drive. I had very fine views of some species that aren't always easy to find on the SBQ, including HOODED WARBLER (along steep road to water tower), BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER (pair along old railroad bed), and four WILD TURKEYS in the grassy field along the road. GREAT BLUE HERONS have at least one nest in the dead trees in the swamp. I also heard many other species, including two BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, and HOUSE WREN (another good SBQ find). Then starting at 8 AM, I led a group walk on the east side. About 16 people attended, including very gratifying number of repeat customers, as well as some first-timers. My young baseball all-star friend Dylan joined us despite having had 4 hours of sleep at a friend's house last night! It was very windy and therefore more difficult than usual to spot birds, but we had more than our share of excellent viewing, including long looks at PRAIRIE WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, INDIGO BUNTING, GREEN HERON, and WOOD DUCK. We also heard a HOODED WARBLER and a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK in the first patch of woods by the parking lot, then another Hooded Warbler, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER between the railroad track and Celia's Cup. At Celia's Cup we heard a bird singing a very fast dry trill a few times. I named it as a Chipping Sparrow, until I retrieved some deep memory and realized in an electrifying moment that it really sounded more like a Worm-eating Warbler, which is equally or more expected given the location. Alas, we didn't see this bird and get a conclusive ID. (For all I know, it could well have been a junco - but I don't think so.) On our way back, we found more exciting birds - a BROWN THRASHER seen by me only, a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, an ALDER FLYCATCHER, a rather unexpected NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH by the northern pond, and a singing BOBOLINK in weedier habitat than I usually associate with this species. My current tally for the weekend so far is 71 species - modest compared to previous years, but not bad given the weather. The quality of the birding has been really pretty good! I look forward to seeing many of you at tomorrow's walks at the Goetchius Wetland Preserve in Caroline (6:30 AM) and the Park Nature Preserve in Dryden (8:30 AM). 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] Myers, Mon 7/1
My son Tilden and I went to Myers Park in Lansing on Monday evening to see whether the bad weather had brought down any birds. We found no unusual species, but did find an impressive seven BELTED KINGFISHERS, including an apparent family group of six perched on a single tree. The young birds were nearly full-sized, but had smaller crests and bills. Somehow the young kingfishers also seemed to have a kind of naïve demeanor slowly looking around from thing to thing, alternately looking blank and thoughtful (so it seemed at least to us). We also saw two teeming consolidated crèches of COMMON MERGANSERS, each with one mother leading 25+ little ones. Off to the side, we saw two adult females commiserating with each other on a log. Most intriguingly, we spent several minutes watching one mother Common Merganser carrying two striped ducklings on her back while one laggard struggled desperately against relentless muddy waves to join them. We couldnt figure out why the mother didnt just wait for a couple of seconds. Then we saw a Ring-billed Gull descend with deadly intent on the lone duckling. Immediately the mother turned and raised her red bill -- and that, to our relief, was enough to deter the attack. (All these Common Mergansers added up to a fairly precise count of 60, which elicited the coveted eBird need details prompt for Tilden.) We were surprised to see very few swallows over the water, but we did see two OSPREYS over Salt Point and the mouth of Salmon Creek. 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] to MNWR, Wed 7/24
I felt very lucky today to have the company of my son Tilden and my mother-in-law Berbie Chu on a trip to Montezuma NWR. We stopped first at Lake Road in Ledyard at about 10:30 AM. I think we saw a VESPER SPARROW flying across the road near the winery, and then alighting on a roll of hay. I saw a clear flash of white outer tail feathers, and then also got the impression of Vesper Sparrow from the perched bird's face. We did not get close enough, however, for a definitive view of an eye ring or auricular patch. Here we also saw a couple of Savannah Sparrows (the expected sparrow species here), two Chipping Sparrows, some House Sparrows, an Eastern Bluebird, two Eastern Kingbirds, and two Northern Mockingbirds. Highlights at MNWR include a SOLITARY SANDPIPER at this species' usual spot in the muddy ditch and stream flowing to the Seneca River at the beginning of the Wildlife Drive; the pair of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS along May's Point Road; and the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN at Knox-Marsellus Marsh. We would never have found the pelican without the help of Dave Kennedy and Jim Miles. Thanks, Dave and Jim! Then, after lunch in Seneca Falls (Nonni's Italian Imports and the adjoining Downtown Deli - excellent), we paid our first visit ever to the Seneca Meadows Wetland Preserve. The vistas, wildflowers, and insects there were spectacular, but we found no unusual birds on a short walk to the Northern Overlook and back. 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] MNWR stop, Fri 7/26 (and reminder about Rte 90 50-garage sale)
Tilden and I made a quick stop at MNWR yesterday on the way to the NYS Thruway. At Tschache Pool, looking more carefully than we did the other day, we found several BLACK TERNS (life bird for T) with many CASPIAN TERNS far out at the back end of the pool. The Black Terns were flying mostly rather low. We also heard a WILLOW FLYCATCHER at North Spring Pool, also a year bird for Tilden. We looked casually from the parking lot for the Little Blue Heron here, but did not find it. We skipped other parts of the refuge and wetland complex. The annual 50-mile garage sale is being held this weekend along Route 90 from Homer through Cayuga. People heading to MNWR from Ithaca should either plan on a very slow drive or seek an alternate route. 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] May's Point (MNWR), Sun 7/26 -- Red-headed Woodpeckers still present
Tilden suggested that our family take a short detour on our return from Buffalo on Sunday to allow his sister and especially his mom to see the Red-headed Woodpeckers along South May's Point Road in Montezuma NWR. We found both birds easily at around 4 PM in the stand of dead trees on the west side of the road. 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] MNWR, Fri 8/9
On our way to Buffalo on Friday, Tilden and I stopped at Knox-Marsellus Marsh at around noon. We watched mostly from Towpath Road. Through the first gap, we saw a large juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON perching in a tree across the marsh. We also saw a lot of BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS flying around, plus two at rest. Only a third of the way down the road, where the potholes are like muddy kettle lakes, we decided to turn around, lest we get stuck. As usual, the landscape and birds are spectacular at East Road, but it's hard to identify and enjoy individual birds because they are so far away. In about 15 minutes, we saw the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, a few dozen BLACK TERNS, many herons and egrets, and hundreds of shorebirds, including a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, some PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, a probable BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, maybe 25 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS (distant flocks identifiable on the basis of slower wingbeats, I learned), and many yellowlegs and smaller Calidris. The Peregrine Falcon made one pass over the marsh, sending all the smaller birds scattering dramatically across the vast space. Unseen BOBOLINKS clanked musically throughout our visit. 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] Stevenson Road, Fri 8/30
My son Tilden and I stopped along Stevenson Road on Friday morning. Among the dozens of Turkey Vultures, we found two BLACK VULTURES - the first of this species in the Basin for either T or me. The Black Vultures stayed mostly side by side and once came together for a friendly nuzzle. As others have noted, ID requires attention to the possibility of gray-headed juvenile Turkey Vultures. Having studied The Crossley ID Guide, Tilden immediately picked out one Black Vulture by its bright whitish-gray legs. This field mark, previously unknown to me, is evident in both Crossley's photos and Sibley's illustrations but is not specifically noted in either book's text. We also noted completely black plumage on both birds, as well as the diagnostic wing patches on one bird that briefly took flight. I found that size differences aren't particularly helpful as a basis for ID. Looming impressively in the tree above the compost piles, the throng of Turkey Vultures is worth a look even without rarities among them. One Turkey Vulture had a white wing. What's more, we also got to watch a PEREGRINE FALCON perched incongruously atop this vulture roost tree. After about 10 minutes the falcon took off, made a rather nonchalant pass at some pigeons across the back of the compost facility, then swept 270 degrees over to the edge of the pheasant farm, across the road, and eastward past our car, finally alighting in a distant tree south of the double silos. We left the site at about 9:45 to check the edge of the Dodge Road spruces (no warblers except a Common Yellowthroat); the falcon was still in this same tree when we returned for one last look at about 10:05. Many thanks to Jay for finding the Black Vultures and to everyone for the updates! 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] Sapsucker Woods, Tues 9/3
Tilden and I found some scattered migrants around Sapsucker Woods on Tuesday morning. * BAY-BREASTED and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER together with chickadees along the Hoyt-Pileated Trail (regrettably, former bird seen by me only) * BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER at the first split along the Wilson Trail North * A couple of other unidentified warblers with chickadees and Red-eyed Vireos here and there * An adult GREEN HERON plus a mother WOOD DUCK and four ducklings seen from the Sherwood Platform Despite cooler weather, a slight breeze, long garments, and application of repellent, we found that the biting insects were still pretty troublesome. Mark -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Wed 9/4
Highlights from Sapsucker Woods on Wednesday morning (10:00-11:45 AM): * YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER at the bend in the Wilson Trail North. We took note of this bird's pretty colors -- green back, yellow belly, and sharply contrasting wings, all reminiscent of a goldfinch. This was a life bird for Tilden. * Two first-year BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS together a little further toward the Sherwood Platform. We had dazzling views of these birds with all their subtle sunlit colors as they foraged in low branches about 12 feet away, once crossing the trail right over our heads. We heard one bird's bill snap on an insect. These too were Tilden's life sightings - cause for much multi-generation jubilation, especially given the unshared sighting from yesterday. * MAGNOLIA WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, and CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, also all showing first-year plumage, seen along the Wilson Trail North. * Two WARBLING VIREOS seen together in the power-line cut on the Dryden side, plus another heard singing at the first footbridge on the Wilson Trail. We tried to appreciate this song as the last we'd hear for a while. * Two yellow SCARLET TANAGERS together in the same utility corridor. Mosquitoes had a bit more difficulty finding us today than yesterday. 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/ --
RE:[cayugabirds-l] Sapsucker Woods, Th 9/5
I forgot to mention that we also saw BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER and several BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS on the Wilson Trail this morning. The Romans saw a TENNESSEE WARBLER and another pair of birders reported a Northern Parula, for a collective total of 15 or 16 species. Mark From: Mark Chao [mailto:markc...@imt.org] Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2013 12:08 PM To: 'Cayugabirds- L' Subject: Sapsucker Woods, Th 9/5 Birding along the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods was quite excellent on Thursday morning. By moving rather quickly and making one repeat pass, we found ourselves among seething flocks several times. Highlights, shared mostly with Stuart Krasnoff and Lynn and Frank Roman, include the following. * At least one male HOODED WARBLER (seen at first trail split and bend in trail past second footbridge - Tilden's life bird); * 2+ male WILSON'S WARBLERS (several sightings) * One or more dull CANADA WARBLERS (three sightings) * 5+ BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS * 2 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS * 12+ MAGNOLIA WARBLERS (everywhere - could have been twice that many) * 3+ CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS (including one probable adult male with strong chestnut side streak) * 2 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS * 1+ male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS (two sightings, several calls heard) * 1 male YELLOW WARBLER (one of the morning's bigger surprises) * 6+ AMERICAN REDSTARTS * probable PHILADELPHIA VIREO seen briefly by me only * 1+ BLUE-HEADED VIREO (three sightings) * 4+ WARBLING VIREOS (several sightings, song heard twice) * many RED-EYED VIREOS plus ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, CAROLINA WREN, a few SCARLET TANAGERS, a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, and others. 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] Sapsucker Woods, Th 9/5
Birding along the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods was quite excellent on Thursday morning. By moving rather quickly and making one repeat pass, we found ourselves among seething flocks several times. Highlights, shared mostly with Stuart Krasnoff and Lynn and Frank Roman, include the following. * At least one male HOODED WARBLER (seen at first trail split and bend in trail past second footbridge - Tilden's life bird); * 2+ male WILSON'S WARBLERS (several sightings) * One or more dull CANADA WARBLERS (three sightings) * 5+ BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS * 2 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS * 12+ MAGNOLIA WARBLERS (everywhere - could have been twice that many) * 3+ CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS (including one probable adult male with strong chestnut side streak) * 2 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS * 1+ male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS (two sightings, several calls heard) * 1 male YELLOW WARBLER (one of the morning's bigger surprises) * 6+ AMERICAN REDSTARTS * probable PHILADELPHIA VIREO seen briefly by me only * 1+ BLUE-HEADED VIREO (three sightings) * 4+ WARBLING VIREOS (several sightings, song heard twice) * many RED-EYED VIREOS plus ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, CAROLINA WREN, a few SCARLET TANAGERS, a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, and others. 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] Raptors around Ithaca, Mon/Tues 9/9 and 9/10
Late on Monday morning, just when the winds were shifting from northerly to southerly, Tilden and I saw six BROAD-WINGED HAWKS over the Dryden side of Sapsucker Woods. Two birds flew west quite low over and possibly into the treetops. Two rose on a thermal and drifted south. One glided fast and very high on pointed wings straightaway to the south. One flew east. Now I am looking forward to seeing what Broad-winged Hawk liftoffs or passages we might see on Friday. We found almost no other migrants on Monday, except for one Magnolia Warbler. Also, on Tuesday, we saw an immature BALD EAGLE flying north at about 5 PM over Tutelo Park off of Route 13A in Ithaca. 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] Sapsucker Woods, Wed 9/18
Tilden joined me for a lightning foray on the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods on Wednesday morning (8:15-8:35 AM). We found some fine birds at the lone bench south of the Sherwood Platform (perennially the sanctuary's best spot for finding birds on sunny mornings after cold nights). We saw one BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (a new year bird for Tilden, very elusive for us till now), one BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, two MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and a BLUE-HEADED VIREO among more common species. Brad Walker was entering as we were leaving. I hope he can add to this list. 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] more (and less) from Sapsucker Woods, Th 9/26
I found almost none of the birds on Laura's fine list from this morning and midday (no Tennessee, Palm, Nashville, Magnolia, or Northern Parula for me), but I did find a few other migrants: a male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER at the lone bench south of the Sherwood Platform, a BLACKPOLL WARBLER at the intersection of the Wilson and West Trails, and a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER high above the shelter at the Severinghaus/Wilson Trail intersection. 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] Cornell Community Gardens, Sat 9/28
Tilden and I paid a visit to the Cornell Community Gardens along Freese Road on Saturday morning (9:30-10:15 AM). Along the most-traveled path through the northern half, we found one LINCOLN'S SPARROW (Tilden's life bird - ten seconds of fine viewing), a FIELD SPARROW, several SAVANNAH SPARROWS, many SONG SPARROWS in all plumages, one TENNESSEE WARBLER, several COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, and a few INDIGO BUNTINGS. Flourishing tall weeds make walking and viewing much more difficult than in previous years, but not prohibitively so. 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] Cornell Community Gardens, Sun 10/6
On Sunday morning, ten birders joined me for a Cayuga Bird Club group walk around the Cornell Community Gardens on Freese Road. Among all the ~100+ times I've birded at this site in fall, today's outing towers above all the rest in terms of LINCOLN'S SPARROW encounters. In about an hour, we had about 15 sightings, all in the northern half. The average for me per visit is probably about 1! Getting a precise count poses impossible methodological challenges, but from timing and locations, I weakly infer that we didn't have a lot of repeat sightings. I would add that the ratio of Song Sparrow sightings to Lincoln's sightings seemed much lower than usual. So, if pressed, I would guess that there are at least 8-10 Lincoln's Sparrows in there today. And if one makes the eminently reasonable assumption that our sightings comprise only some fraction of the birds actually present, one could conclude that there are dozens!! We also saw one SWAMP SPARROW, a couple of SAVANNAH SPARROWS, a FIELD SPARROW, several WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS (fine sightings in both the northern half and in the hedgerow at the southern border of the site -- a few sang repeatedly), some WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, several HOUSE SPARROWS, a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, a NASHVILLE WARBLER, and an INDIGO BUNTING (several more heard). We also enjoyed watching 25+ Turkey Vultures rising from the Cornell compost area to the south, as well as a PILEATED WOODPECKER and Great Blue Heron passing overhead. I am also pleased to report that recent traffic from walkers and at least one truck has greatly facilitated passage through the weedy corridors among the plots. Thanks to all who joined our group! Thank you, Lincoln's Sparrows! 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] NE Ithaca, Th 11/7
The EASTERN SCREECH-OWL that my son Tilden reported on October 27 has appeared briefly most days since at the opening of our backyard nest box in northeast Ithaca. On Monday, a starling appeared to occupy the box, but by Thursday afternoon the owl was perching placidly at its post again. And the viewing was very special. I saw the owl smack its bill and gag widely a few times, exposing the pink insides of its mouth and raising my hopes (vainly, alas) that I'd see it cast a pellet. Then, just before 5 PM, I found the owl out in the open on a branch. Tilden and I had a fine long view of this bird's back and tail - only the second time I've seen a screech-owl from such an angle. Against the subtle complexity of its gray-brown mantle and wings, the edges of the owl's left scapulars formed a line of white dots. The curve and contrast were quite striking - they reminded me of the arc of a diamond chain hanging across an evening gown. The owl stretched to its full height, exposing its little legs. It slowly unfurled one wing - routine preening for the bird, but a dazzling and precious view for me. After all, how often does one get four full seconds to study a spread wing of any live, free bird, let alone an owl? The owl flew a short distance out of view, and that was all for the evening. But just now (Friday 6:45 AM), I saw the owl again. This time, as if inclined more to the indoors than out, the owl placed only its face but not its full fluffed body in the hole. The owl's pupils were completely dilated, despite light conditions that were about the same as yesterday's dusk, when the pupils were much smaller. This corroborates my sense that unlike the instantaneous light adjustment of our own pupils, the transition from dark to light and back again happens much more gradually for owl eyes. Mark Chao PS. I also saw a MERLIN fly south with incredible speed and power across Simsbury Drive yesterday afternoon. Tilden and I think we also might have seen a Peregrine Falcon flying south here a few days ago - large size, pointed wings and powerful wingbeats, astonishing speed, but too brief a look to be sure. -- 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] Stewart Park and NE Ithaca, Sat 11/16
The immature/female BLACK SCOTER was still present off the east end of Stewart Park in Ithaca on Saturday morning. Seeing it among all the RUDDY DUCKS and BUFFLEHEADS requires patience, discernment, and some luck, especially because the scoter spends a lot of time under the surface. For me, overall shape and size were only somewhat distinctive because of varying postures among the Ruddy Ducks, including frequent lowering of the tail. Head shape differences were a bit more helpful (Ruddy Ducks' heads peaked between central and rear crown, Black Scoter round). Clearest for me were differences in the cheek patch. The male Ruddy Duck has a bright white, round, and unbroken cheek patch. The female Ruddy Duck has a dull patch broken with a horizontal line. The scoter has a cheek patch that is duller than the male Ruddy but brighter than the female Ruddy. The scoter's cheek patch seems unbroken most of the time, but sometimes actually shows a faint but very distinctive VERTICAL line through it. A gray EASTERN SCREECH-OWL remains present in our yard in northeast Ithaca. Late yesterday afternoon, the owl struggled for at least 10 minutes to cast a pellet, but retch after heaving retch yielded nothing. At one point, through my open window about 40 meters away, I heard the owl issue a wheezy groaning vraf as it gagged. After all this, clearly exhausted, the poor little bird just rested with its eyes closed, deferring its usual twilight rise to full alertness. https://picasaweb.google.com/114049026073343451957/EasternScreechOwls#594687 1568698802802 I saw the owl for just a few seconds early this morning before it retreated into the box. A brief search under the tree revealed no cleared pellet. 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] More screech-owl notes from NE Ithaca, Th 11/21
An EASTERN SCREECH-OWL continues to spend days in our nest box in northeast Ithaca. Here are some recent highlights and notes. * The owl appears regularly for a few minutes just after sunrise, and then for an hour or two before sunset. I've seen the owl at length at midday only once (Monday, when it was warm and bright outside). The owl has been exiting the box reliably at right around 5 PM, before it gets really dark. We've seen this owl perched out of the box just twice. Usually, I lose sight of it even though it doesn't seem to go far. * On that sunny Monday, the owl spent much of the time with its face half-shaded by the overhanging eave of the box. I saw that the owl's pupils were of different size. A quick web search indicates that Barn Owls have independent pupillary response to light too. My understanding is that in contrast, normal pairs of human eyes have a consensual reflex that causes them to be the same size even if one eye gets more light. * Earlier this month I wrote that owl pupils seem to dilate and contract more slowly than ours do. My recent observations refute this notion. A few times, I have seen the owl's pupils contract very rapidly when it redirects its gaze from ground to sky, and also dilate quickly upon a quick shift back. I have found one published paper that confirms very quick pupillary light reflex in screech-owls. But I am not sure whether the changes I saw resulted entirely from light reflex, or whether they also (or instead) arose from pupillary accommodation, which is another reflex whose purpose is focusing, not limiting the passage of light into the eye. (And despite all this, I still can't shake the strong impression that this owl's pupils are much more dilated in the morning than under equal or lesser light conditions at dusk.) * This afternoon, Tilden and I got to watch the owl calling at least twenty times (!!!), issuing both whinnies and short trills. It was his first time seeing a vocalizing owl, and my first time watching one whinnying. The owl leaned forward just a little and flexed its throat slightly when sounding forth, with a neutral facial expression. This visual subtlety stands in contrast to owls I've seen intoning long trills, with deep conspicuous breaths and eyes nearly shut as if in an intense, almost ecstatic meditative state. Sticking my head out the window, I might have heard a distant second owl, whose presence could explain why our owl was so vocal. But everything in the half-in-half-out soundscape was so weirdly elusive that I couldn't tell direct sounds from echoes from possible imaginary owl voices in my own head. 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] Stewart Park and Newman Golf Course, Wed 11/27
On Wednesday morning (10:00-10:50 AM), Tilden and I saw four BALD EAGLES at the south end of Cayuga Lake. We had long scope views of a couple of these eagles at rest. Better still, we witnessed a spectacular show from these birds in the air all over Stewart Park and the Newman Golf Course. One circled over the ducks on the lake. One passed right overhead, holding a small fish in talons balled and rolled back like piano casters. And for several stirring minutes, all four rose together over Fall Creek and the Stewart Park woods, mostly arranged two by two, alternating between seeming choreographed synchrony and bursts of aggression and tumbling aerobatic evasion. At one point the eagles - which included one adult, two third-year birds, and one dark first-year or second-year bird - ranged far to the south almost out of view, but then they returned for a while. We did not see them during the final 15 minutes of our visit, as we walked back from the golf course to Stewart Park. 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] NE Ithaca, Tues 12/3
On Tuesday afternoon, as I waited in the left-turn lane entering the Ithaca Mall, a RED-TAILED HAWK swooped down across North Triphammer Road and smashed itself into a guardrail post. To ensure that the hawk wouldn't stagger into traffic, I parked, approached on foot, and positioned myself between it and the road. I sat there on the rail for about a minute, within an arm's length of the bird. Finally, the hawk made a short flight away from the roadside and alighted on a strip of grass. It took a few steps, seemingly of sound mind and body. The hawk was gone when I finished my errands 15 minutes later. The EASTERN SCREECH-OWL continues to roost daily in the box in our yard in northeast Ithaca. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Airport and West Dryden (no owls), Sun 12/8
Tilden and I went looking for owls and other birds on Sunday morning. We found no unusual birds at all on two passes along Snyder and Neimi Road behind the Ithaca airport, nor at the intersection of Scofield and Buck Roads near the Dryden/Groton town line, nor anywhere in between. The highlight of our outing was a fine conversation with Mr. Griffin, the owner of the Christmas tree farm on Buck Road, where Short-eared Owls have roosted in past winters. Mr. Griffin says that he hasn't seen any owls there this year, while also noting how conspicuous the owls have been when present. He observes in general how the abundance of insects and birds seems to have declined steeply since his youth, when kids needed to look out for grasshoppers lest one collide painfully with an eye. Mr. Griffin also regaled us about how he and his friend David Allen (son of Lab founder Arthur) made a trip through Aurora many years ago. They saw a Gyrfalcon stooping on a flock of crows! Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Snowy Owl at Target, Ithaca Mall, Wed Dec 11
Found by Perri McGowan, I believe. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Ithaca/Lansing Snowy Owl -- not refound so far
At least three parties have spent the last half-hour or so looking for the Snowy Owl at the Ithaca Mall, I believe without success so far. I also drove along Burdick Hill Road (north of the mall) and through Kendal (expansive retirement community not far to the south of the mall) but did not find any owl in any obvious spots. Kevin McGowan confirmed with me that Perri did indeed find the owl. She said that the owl was on a truck in the parking lot by Target. (Of course in my earlier post I meant Tuesday, December 10.) Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] NE Ithaca, Th 12/12
The EASTERN SCREECH-OWL continues to appear daily in our yard, including today, but usually only for five-minute windows at dawn and dusk. On Thursday evening, longer after sunset than usual, I saw the owl appear at the box opening, holding a small rodent in its bill. I am not sure if the owl was emerging from inside, or pausing there after arriving from outside. In any case, the owl entered the box with its prize, either to consume it with privacy and stable posture, or to stock a larder for later. It was the first time in my countless screech-owl views that I've ever seen a one with prey. (I've checked a few times but still haven't found any of this owl's pellets.) Mark Chao PS. I am coordinating Christmas Bird Count assignments for Area IX, which extends from Cayuga Heights through south Lansing. I'd like to get especially good coverage this year, given the unusual potential for Snowy Owls (such as the one that appeared in Area IX at Target this week). If you're interested in participating and don't have commitments in other areas, please get in touch. Thank you! --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Ithaca airport, Wed 12/18
A strange eBay snafu involving a trident-wielding Santa in swim trunks, a Yugoslav mortar and pestle, a catcher's mitt, and three mutual strangers on two coasts compelled me to the Ithaca post office this afternoon. Having dispatched that business (which is actually much more boring than it might sound) with surprisingly little wait, I had some free time. So I decided to look for birds behind the airport. To my continued mild surprise, I again found no Snowy Owls, but still I felt nicely rewarded with views of a light-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at rest and in the air near the Snyder/Mohawk intersection - my first encounter with this species this winter. I also saw eight EASTERN BLUEBIRDS flying south over suburban northeast Ithaca this morning. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] NE Ithaca, Wed 1/8
The EASTERN SCREECH-OWL didn't appear last Thursday and Friday during and after the heavy snowfall, but otherwise we've seen it every day so far in 2014. Yesterday, when the temperature was about zero degrees Fahrenheit, the owl exited the box at about 5:20 PM. Through our closed double-pane window, Miyoko and I heard the owl trilling repeatedly at 11:30 PM. And late this morning, it basked in the sunshine and 14-degree chill -- a perfect hemispheroid of feathers and trapped heat. I've posted a few new photos at https://plus.google.com/photos/114049026073343451957/albums/5291963262350115 713?banner=pwa. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Independent pupillary response of screech-owl -- photos
I got some photos today that seem to verify what I've seen and reported here before - that our backyard screech-owl's pupils respond independently when one eye gets more light. https://plus.google.com/photos/114049026073343451957/albums/5291963262350115 713?banner=pwa The photos in question are third-to-last and second-to-last in the album. Sorry for the scrolling effort. I haven't figured out how to link to individual photos in Google+. Thanks for your interest (and your tolerance, to the extent that my uncommonly frequent posts and minute observations about this one bird might seem excessive by now). Mark Chao Ithaca --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Snowy Owl in Freeville, Th 1/9
Gian Dodici has found a SNOWY OWL in Freeville (Thursday, 4 PM), on a post in a field on the north side of Fall Creek Road, just past its intersection with Ed Hill Road and Herman Road. Mark --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] East Shore Park and NE Ithaca, Fri 2/7
Just before midday on Friday, I saw a large, powerful dark bird fly from the south end of Cayuga Lake eastbound over Route 13. Eyes on the road, I didn't get a great look, but I think it was a BALD EAGLE. When I arrived at East Shore Park a couple of minutes later, the gulls were still swirling. I never saw the eagle again, nor any owls or rare gulls. But the ducks continue to create quite a spectacle there, with hundreds of Redheads, many Canvasbacks, both scaup species, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, and others. Perhaps most notably, I counted 36 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS (scope needed for half-decent viewing). We missed it during a couple of the coldest days last month, and also on January 30, but otherwise, the EASTERN SCREECH-OWL been appearing daily in its nest box in our yard in northeast Ithaca. Over the past two weeks, it has tended to spend a lot more time in view during the day than in late fall. Today, the owl was moved not only to bask, but also to trill a few times in the bright midday sun. This was my first time ever watching an owl vocalizing in broad daylight. I managed to get this photo of the bird in mid-trill. https://plus.google.com/photos/114049026073343451957/albums/5291963262350115 713/5977718048716253954?pid=5977718048716253954 https://plus.google.com/photos/114049026073343451957/albums/529196326235011 5713/5977718048716253954?pid=5977718048716253954oid=114049026073343451957 oid=114049026073343451957 Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Burdick Hill and Ladoga Park Roads, Sat 2/8
Late Saturday morning, my son Tilden and I made a short birding outing in Lansing. Along Burdick Hill Road, we had long, frame-filling scope views of an adult female light-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK perching on one of the short spruces near the house on the corner of North Triphammer Road. A minute later and a few hundred meters to the west, we watched in surprise as a female NORTHERN HARRIER flew right at a Red-tailed Hawk (one of at least four along the road), forced it to the ground, and then lifted off again and cruised the fields. Our luck with raptors continued at Ladoga Park Road, where we saw a BALD EAGLE, past its third year but not quite an adult, feasting on a bloody duck carcass. Immense numbers of surviving waterfowl abided on the water nearby - many of all of our common Aythya species (CANVASBACKS especially abundant - I don't think I'd ever before seen so many on the southern half of the lake), one elusive LONG-TAILED DUCK, some COMMON GOLDENEYES, some flyby BUFFLEHEADS, a few HORNED GREBES, and some Mallards. I was sure I saw one a CACKLING GOOSE in among the hundreds of Canada Geese, but I didn't manage to show it to Tilden or to refind it definitively. Birds were much less abundant and diverse at the marina and off Myers Park. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Lansing to Aurora, Mon 2/17
Tilden and I went out on Monday afternoon to look for birds in observance of the Great (Global) Backyard Bird Count. Here are some highlights. 1. Burdick Hill Road, Lansing The light-morph female ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was perching in the lone tree in the big field on the south side of the road at 1:30 and again at 4:45 PM. We are 5-for-5 in our latest attempts to find this hawk in this exact location over the past three weeks. 2. Indian Field Road Not quite patient enough to scan all the white expanses, we found no Snowy Owls on utility poles or dairy rooftops between Route 90 and Poplar Ridge Road. We did enjoy lots of HORNED LARKS and SNOW BUNTINGS, plus at least one AMERICAN KESTREL. 3. Wells College boathouse We found one female RED-BREASTED MERGANSER out on the water, but otherwise, not as many birds as I was expecting. In retrospect, I'm most surprised not to have seen any American Black Ducks here. 4. Long Point State Park This site laid an unexpected claim to the top four sightings of the day: an adult BALD EAGLE high over the water; seven TUNDRA SWANS flying ponderously past and alighting in the cove to the north; our first AMERICAN WIGEON of the year; and best of all, a FOX SPARROW seen with Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, and juncos in a skirt of exposed grass under a tree near the entrance. Backlighting precluded a good look at the Fox Sparrow's colors, but I did distinguish its facial pattern (very dark overall, without striped look of Song and White-throated) and bold side streaks (helping to further rule out White-throated). Larger size than that of the other sparrows, as well as conspicuous kick-scratching, helped confirm the ID. We also saw our first two AMERICAN ROBINS of 2014, and heard a singing CAROLINA WREN. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Burdick Hill Road, Fri 2/21 (and owl-pellet forensics)
I thought the rain might put the streak in jeopardy, but the light-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was right there again in the lone tree in the open field on the south side of Burdick Hill Road today at 1:15 PM. This made a cool 7 sightings in my last 7 visits, evoking welcome memories of Rennie Stennett. I expected nothing more in the light rain, but I was glad to be proven wrong. First I heard and saw a KILLDEER migrating due north. Then, trying to refind the hawk after it moved from its conspicuous vantage, I found a second Rough-legged Hawk, this one a dark morph, on the middle treeline. I watched this bird drop and jam its talons into something on the ground, then fly back to the trees. Finally, I also saw two AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS circling overhead - maybe the most incongruous bird in this flurry of pleasant surprises. The EASTERN SCREECH-OWL has continued in our yard in northeast Ithaca through at least yesterday. This morning I went out and collected 10 pellets from under its next box. Tilden and I dissected them. We found mostly rodent bones, but also what I think are the upper mandibles of two different birds. One of them looks like a House Finch bill to me. The other is long and pointed; any birds whose bills would be candidates for a match all also would seem too big for a screech-owl to take down. Here's a photo. https://plus.google.com/photos/114049026073343451957/albums/5291963262350115 713/5982902714934186690?pid=5982902714934186690 https://plus.google.com/photos/114049026073343451957/albums/529196326235011 5713/5982902714934186690?pid=5982902714934186690oid=114049026073343451957 oid=114049026073343451957 It's a mystery to me. Any suggestions? Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] NE Ithaca screech-owl, Tues 3/25
So far in March, my sightings of the roosting EASTERN SCREECH-OWL in our nest box in northeast Ithaca seem closely correlated with outdoor temperature. Average daily temperature ? 23°F: Owl seen 12 out of 13 days, including yesterday and today Average daily temperature ? 28°F: Owl seen 0 out of 12 days (Temperatures are averaged for the 24-hour period preceding 8 AM of the given day.) Last night, I decided for the first time this winter to go into the yard to get a closer look at the owl at dusk, instead of viewing from inside our house. The owl, apparently unperturbed by me, trilled once around 7:40 PM and then, a few minutes later, flew across the yard and alighted in a tree about 12 meters away. I tried to savor every second of this fine view as if it would be the best and possibly the last one I'd have for a while. The owl spun its head 270 degrees a couple of times with unfathomable speed, as if discontinuously leaping from one quantum position to another. It also let out two streaks of whitewash that splashed quietly down onto leaf mulch and disappeared on the lingering snow. I lost the owl when it flew down around our compost bin, then swooped up and out of view. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Sun 4/13
On Sunday morning, a GREEN HERON was surveying Sapsucker Woods from high perches in the Fuller Wetlands and on the heron-cam snag in the main pond. Becky Hansen and her group also saw this bird. This is surely the earliest date in April for a local Green Heron sighting for me. The other highlight of my circuit around the sanctuary was a WINTER WREN at the southern Wilson/Severinghaus intersection. The wren gave me several minutes of very fine views as it moved among decaying logs, stopping now and then to pump its body up and down in place. The bird did not sing, but gave a lot of helpful jif-jif vocalizations. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Lime Hollow vicinity, Sun 4/27
On Sunday afternoon just before 6 PM, I saw a GREAT EGRET in the air south of McLean Road, near the Lime Hollow Center. Yesterday, my wife Miyoko and I spent about 40 minutes birding together on the Wilson Trail North in Sapsucker Woods. Our biggest surprise was probably a male BLUE-WINGED TEAL near the berm that divides the two main portions of the big pond. This teal maybe only the second or third one of this species I've seen in my hundreds of visits to the sanctuary. Other highlights included some noisy RUSTY BLACKBIRDS perched in trees right above the teal, an OSPREY perched low in a snag nearby, and a singing BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER seen for a long time at very close range with Gladys Birdsall's group at the Owens Platform. We haven't seen any screech-owls here at home since Thursday. Mark --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Fri 5/2
I walked every trail on the east side of Sapsucker Woods on Friday morning, then walked home to northeast Ithaca via the Wilson and West Trails. I thought that the birding was excellent throughout. Here are some highlights. * silent male BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER at the north end of the Woodleton Boardwalk * silent male MAGNOLIA WARBLER in the same vicinity * singing BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER near the long pool with the shelter, East Trail * 7+ BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS all along the East Trail * many YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS everywhere * 4+ NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES along the Woodleton Boardwalk, one singing with the Woodleton accent distinguished by three emphatic notes at the end - I almost always hear this song structure here, but almost never elsewhere * one silent bright NASHVILLE WARBLER foraging at and just above ground level surprisingly deep in the woods along the Wilson Trail between the West and Severinghaus intersections (sighting shared with Annie Wexler and Tony Gaenslen) * one OVENBIRD heard along East Trail (technically out of the sanctuary, in woods near the green Lucente building) * LEAST FLYCATCHER at the Sherwood Platform * silent HERMIT THRUSH along this same stretch of the Wilson Trail - my first of the spring in the sanctuary, despite a few attempts * FIELD SPARROW and EASTERN TOWHEE heard in the power-line corridor on the Dryden side * PURPLE FINCH heard singing by the pond near 91 Sapsucker Woods Road * GRAY CATBIRD seen and heard by this pond * a brilliant GREEN HERON perching by this same pond and bobbing its tiny tail in agitation at my presence * two SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS - one migrant and one tiny male perching in the woods on the east side (at first glance at this bird's silhouette, I thought it might be a grackle, then I concluded it was too small) ** two BROAD-WINGED HAWKS - one bird molting its primaries, and one very interesting bird whose body and wing linings were distinctly darker than the flight feathers. I couldn't pick up much color nor determine the exact degree of contrast against the gray sky, but I could not turn this bird into a normal light-morph in about a minute of viewing. I think it could have been a dark-morph, or if such a thing exists, something intermediate between light and dark. (I feel certain that this was not a Red-shouldered Hawk, harrier, or other possible species with vaguely consistent plumage - the bird I saw had an obvious single broad white tail band.) Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Palmer Woods and Arrowwood/Brentwood area, Sat 5/3
On Saturday morning, I decided to pay my first-ever visit to Palmer Woods, next to the A-Lot at Cornell. I saw two BROWN THRASHERS singing on adjacent territories, one from a tree behind a house on Pleasant Grove Road and one right above the sledding slope. Then, alerted by its rising harmonica-chord call note, I found a HERMIT THRUSH skulking in the brush. This bird also issued a few partial songs - exquisite but very quiet, as if meant for only for the bird himself or for no one at all. Students David Weber, Eric Sibbald, and Andrew Dreelin arrived, and together we spent about 15 minutes sifting through birds in the line of tamaracks. We found a couple of NASHVILLE WARBLERS and one BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, but nothing else unusual. I was most surprised to see many White-throated Sparrows foraging like finches 25+ feet off the ground. Later, my son Tilden and I paid a very brief visit to the woods between the Arrowwood medical complex and Sapsucker Woods. As expected, we heard several EASTERN TOWHEES and had a fine view of one teed up on a bush and singing. The best surprise for us was finding both a BROAD-WINGED HAWK (heard only) and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (plainly seen twice flying through the treetops). Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] NE Ithaca, Sun 5/4
En route to the Lab of Ornithology on Sunday morning, Miyoko, Tilden and I saw a male INDIGO BUNTING in the power line corridor off Warren Road between Uptown Road and Route 13. In Sapsucker Woods, we found very few of the birds that Bob reported, nor any of various other interesting finds that folks mentioned to us on the trail. But we did feel plenty gratified with excellent views of 10+ foraging RUSTY BLACKBIRDS in all plumages (most striking was a female still bearing very fresh feathers, including a completely russet back) in the deep puddles near the Wilson/West intersection. I think that a couple dozen more of this species could well have been present, as we heard their singing everywhere along the southwestern margin of the pond. We also saw a pair of NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES attacking and ousting a mink. The waterthrushes stayed and foraged in peace together below our eye level for several minutes, merely 5 meters away, with the male pausing now and then to throw his head back and peal out a Woodleton-accented song. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest -- May 24-26
Over Memorial Day weekend, Ill be leading a series of activities, collectively called the Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (SBQ), to celebrate our local birds, the lands on which their lives depend, and the Land Trusts role in preserving these vital habitats. Please below for a full schedule and directions to the preserves. (Note that the Saturday walk at the McIlroy Sanctuary will begin at a new spot, not the main parking area, to highlight a recent addition to the preserve.) In addition to leading the walks, as usual Ill be counting species, and raising money via pledges to support the Land Trusts efforts in our region. In the past eight years, SBQ supporters have donated more than $28,000. I hope we can roar past the $30,000 mark this year with peoples help. Please contact me off-list if youd like to pledge. (The bird walks are free of charge, but donations on the spot are welcome too.) Thank you for your consideration. And if you care to join me in birding, counting, and raising pledges, please do!! Contact me or the Land Trusts Edie Jodz (ediej...@fllt.org) for more details. I hope to see many of you out on the trails this month, and especially during the SBQ! Mark Chao Saturday, May 24 8:00 AM Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary Lake Como Road, Summerhill. This year, the walk will begin at the Maneri tract, a new addition to the McIlroy Bird Sanctuary. Take Rt. 90 to Lake Como Road. Turn north onto on Lake Como Road and continue for about 1.5 miles until you come to Peth Road. Make a right onto Peth Road and park in snowplow turnaround just past driveway. If turnaround is full, park on shoulder, but be sure to leave enough room for other vehicles and farm equipment to get by. Sunday, May 25 8:00 AM Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve West Danby From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 south to junction with Rt. 34/96. Continue south on 34/96 to hamlet of West Danby. Preserve entrance is on left, ½ mile past Sylvan Drive. Monday, May 26 6:30 AM Goetchius Wetland Preserve Caroline From Ithaca, take Rt. 79 east approximately 11 miles and turn left on Flat Iron Road. Continue up the road approx. 0.5 mile to marked parking area on left. Monday, May 26 8:30 AM Roy H. Park Preserve (south). From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 north to Irish Settlement Rd. Turn right and continue 1.5 miles past Hammond Hill Rd. to the south parking area. The preserve parking area is on the left just past the southern end of Goodband Rd. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Th 5/8 early AM
Early highlights from the west side of Sapsucker Woods on Thursday morning (6:45-7:30 AM): * BARRED OWL mobbed by crows east of the Wilson/Severinghaus intersections * MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, and a singing SCARLET TANAGER between the Wilson/Severinghaus intersections * A few OVENBIRDS and WOOD THRUSHES on territories in the woods * Four ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS scattered about (3 F, 1 M) * BLUE-HEADED VIREO not far from the owl * BROWN THRASHER singing conspicuously from near Ruth Davis's arbor just south of the lab's feeder garden * Two SOLITARY SANDPIPERS flying west (thanks to Brad Walker for finding them) Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Fri 5/9 early AM
Early finds with Anne Horst indicate that today will rank among the top few birding mornings I've ever had in Sapsucker Woods. At least 21+ warbler species are present, including CAPE MAY, BAY-BREASTED (found by Jay, Brad, and Livia, not us), WILSON'S (found by Dave LoParco, not us), and others. Beyond the species count, though, the spectacle of sheer numbers of birds is absolutely stirring (10+ male BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS, and multiple birds streaming by everywhere. (Anne and I also found a BARRED OWL with extremely little effort - same Wilson/Severinghaus area as yesterday). Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Fri 5/9 full summary (22+ warbler species incl Golden-winged)
At about 9 AM on Friday, I returned to Sapsucker Woods and met up with Miyoko Chu, Pat Leonard, Gus Axelson, Greg Delisle, and Betsy Hutchings on the trail. The Wilson Trail had only a fraction of the activity that Anne and I witnessed earlier, but our late group did see a nice assortment of male warblers, including WILSON'S, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, CHESTNUT-SIDED and BLACKBURNIAN, plus an adult male ORCHARD ORIOLE (in the flowering tree by the footbridge over the outlet stream - somehow the first adult of this species I've ever seen in Sapsucker Woods). I also saw a SWAINSON'S THRUSH just north of the Sherwood Platform. Toward the end of our circuit, Scott Haber arrived and told us that Kevin McGowan had found a female GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER at the Podell Boardwalk, then saw it fly south. I parted with Miyoko and the others, then went looking for this bird. I didn't find it. (Jay McGowan also searched for a while in vain.) My consolation prize was another fine mixed flock of warblers along the Woodleton Boardwalk, including a splendid male BAY-BREASTED WARBLER at eye level in a hemlock three meters away, at least four male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, and both male and female NORTHERN PARULA. The total warbler species tally so far today for Sapsucker Woods is 22, to my knowledge. Here is the list with some numbers and credits. Tennessee (Laurie Ray, Jay, Brad, and Livia) Nashville Blue-winged (Laurie) GOLDEN-WINGED (Kevin) Chestnut-sided 7+ Northern Parula 6+ Yellow Palm (3+ for me, I believe many more for others) Cape May (1 for me, several for others) Magnolia 9+ Yellow-rumped 60+ Black-throated Green 11+ Blackburnian 11+ (about 10 males throughout, plus one female in the Woodleton flock) Bay-breasted (1+ for me, I think a few for Jay, Brad, and Livia) Black-throated Blue (5+, all males) Black-and-white 5+ (3+ singing, plus two females) American Redstart 6+ Northern Waterthrush 5+ (one apparent migrant near Sherwood Platform, others likely breeders along Woodleton) Common Yellowthroat 3+ Ovenbird 4+ Wilson's (1 for me and others; Dave LoParco saw two) Canada (1+ singing at bend in Wilson Trail North, past second footbridge; seen briefly by me, but mostly uncooperative for viewing) Jay, Brad, and Livia also saw a couple of PHILADELPHIA VIREOS, six male Scarlet Tanagers together near the ground plus one female who permitted Jay to approach within an arm's length, and surely other amazing sights. I suspect that most of these birds are still around in the sanctuary, but in the quiet heat of day, finding them will require luck and fast movement to maximize coverage. I would advise that if it seems quiet, keep moving until you find a concentration of birds. Mark Chao PS. Sorry for the misplaced parentheses in my earlier message. I was a little tired, rushed, and overstimulated. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Sat 5/10
Last night's winds seem to have dispersed and turned over yesterday's fallout birds, but there is still plenty to see today in Sapsucker Woods. I had six CAPE MAY WARBLER sightings on my circuit of the Wilson Trail (6:00-7:00 AM) - two males and a female together by the footbridge over the outlet stream, a female at the Wilson/West intersection, and a male and female together near Ruth Davis's arbor south of the feeder garden. Cape May was the most abundant warbler species of my walk!! (If you are new to this species and want to find it, focus especially on spruces and flowering trees - especially the pair near the footbridge cited above.) Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, passage-migrant Northern Waterthrush, and other warblers are still around. I also heard a BROWN THRASHER singing in the power line cut. Mark Chao PS. Yesterday Jay McGowan found 98 species of birds in Sapsucker Woods! One of these, a Prairie Warbler, brought yesterday's warbler tally to 24 species for the sanctuary. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Sat 5/10
Again I was a little overheated when I posted just now. Cape May was the SECOND most abundant warbler species of my walk today, after Yellow-Rumped. I'll try to be more deliberate in upcoming posts (but I can't promise you that I'll succeed if the birding continues like this). Mark From: Mark Chao [mailto:markc...@imt.org] Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2014 7:42 AM To: 'Cayugabirds- L' Subject: Sapsucker Woods, Sat 5/10 Last night's winds seem to have dispersed and turned over yesterday's fallout birds, but there is still plenty to see today in Sapsucker Woods. I had six CAPE MAY WARBLER sightings on my circuit of the Wilson Trail (6:00-7:00 AM) - two males and a female together by the footbridge over the outlet stream, a female at the Wilson/West intersection, and a male and female together near Ruth Davis's arbor south of the feeder garden. Cape May was the most abundant warbler species of my walk!! (If you are new to this species and want to find it, focus especially on spruces and flowering trees - especially the pair near the footbridge cited above.) Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, passage-migrant Northern Waterthrush, and other warblers are still around. I also heard a BROWN THRASHER singing in the power line cut. Mark Chao PS. Yesterday Jay McGowan found 98 species of birds in Sapsucker Woods! One of these, a Prairie Warbler, brought yesterday's warbler tally to 24 species for the sanctuary. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] This weekend's Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest walks
Hi everyone, I am very fired up for a weekend of birding with many of you!! Please note that tomorrows walk at the McIlroy Sanctuary in Summerhill begins at a different location from the usual main parking lot. Please see below for directions to that new site and to all preserves. Walks are free, but I still welcome pledges or flat donations to the Land Trust in support of my weekend species tally. Its going to be fun! Mark _ Saturday, May 24 8:00 AM Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary Lake Como Road, Summerhill. This year, the walk will begin at the Maneri tract, a new addition to the McIlroy Bird Sanctuary. Take Rt. 90 to Lake Como Road. Turn north onto on Lake Como Road and continue for about 1.5 miles until you come to Peth Road. Make a right onto Peth Road and park in snowplow turnaround just past driveway. If turnaround is full, park on shoulder, but be sure to leave enough room for other vehicles and farm equipment to get by. Sunday, May 25 8:00 AM Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve West Danby From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 south to junction with Rt. 34/96. Continue south on 34/96 to hamlet of West Danby. Preserve entrance is on left, ½ mile past Sylvan Drive. Monday, May 26 6:30 AM Goetchius Wetland Preserve Caroline From Ithaca, take Rt. 79 east approximately 11 miles and turn left on Flat Iron Road. Continue up the road approx. 0.5 mile to marked parking area on left. Monday, May 26 8:30 AM Roy H. Park Preserve (south). From Ithaca, take Rt. 13 north to Irish Settlement Rd. Turn right and continue 1.5 miles past Hammond Hill Rd. to the south parking area. The preserve parking area is on the left just past the southern end of Goodband Rd. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Etna, Genung, McIlroy (FLLT SBQ), Sat 5/24
flowers on the forest floor, including lady's slippers, Clintonia lilies, red and painted trillium, and maybe others I forget. John Confer helped us to remember the sanctuary's namesake, Dorothy McIlroy, who never saw the preserve during her long life but seemed very immediately present among us today. I picked up a few other difficult SBQ birds, including a gull (upon reflection I think it was a Herring Gull), a Hairy Woodpecker, and a Ruffed Grouse that I heard flying a short distance in the woods. I ended the morning with 59+ species. Having rested up a bit, I am energized again and may even head out somewhere again tonight. If I do, I'll try to post. If not, I look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow at the Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve for the further unfolding of this year's SBQ! Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve (FLLT), Sun 5/25
Almost everything about today's Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (SBQ) group walk met or exceeded my highest hopes - warm sunshine, still winds, 25+ spirited supporters in attendance, and the usual bird specialties about as cooperative as I've ever found them. We even had one long-coveted but still surprising addition to my SBQ life list. I am pleased to present this full report. Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve Routes 34 and 96, West Danby 6:10 - 10:45 AM 65 species, including YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, PRAIRIE WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, BLACK-AND WHITE WARBLER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, HOODED WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, MOURNING WARBLER, and BROWN THRASHER I began the morning with Jody Enck on the west side of Routes 34 and 96 at the Land Trust's wooded pond by the fire station. Through the dissipating fog, we saw at least three GREAT BLUE HERON nests looming in distant dead trees, each with a hunchbacked parent sitting low and barely visible above the lip of sticks. Here we heard a GREEN HERON (Jody saw it fly in and out), and also the weekend's first HOODED MERGANSERS. My intentions for a longer vigil over the snags and still waters were soon foiled by songbird commotion in neighboring hedgerows. We sifted through quite an impressive assortment just between the fire station and the road leading up to the water tower - two MOURNING WARBLERS, HOODED WARBLER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD, a pair of YELLOW WARBLERS, and a singer that put me on high alert for a Cape May (alas, unconfirmed and uncounted). The Mourning Warblers were very close, but defied our patient attempts to get a good view. My best glimpse revealed the whole bird for a split second, from full gray hood to to yellow underside to pink legs, but left me feeling my glass about three-quarters empty. But I got fired up again in a hurry at the sight of our group, all tucked in and ready to roll at 8 AM. (I admit to sometimes feeling just a bit dorky when I tuck my pant legs into tall white socks for tick suppression at this preserve. If you have the same problem, you should really try joining two dozen others who are likewise arrayed. It's very socially affirming.) We followed our usual SBQ path down the big open slope to Coleman Lake. We had excellent views of singing PRAIRIE WARBLERS at four different sites; I confirmed three singing more or less simultaneously on adjacent territories. At one point, one of these birds perched right above the trail three meters from the front of our queue, and sang and preened for more than five minutes in perfect light. We also saw a cuckoo dashing all the way across the open space. The bird in flight gave all of us the impression of being very rufous, but not markedly more so on the wings. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO called behind us just as we watched the other cuckoo fly away. It was confusing enough that I am counting only one of the two cuckoo species. A BROWN THRASHER in flight here was surprisingly silent, but still much easier to ID. The highlight of our stop at Coleman Lake was a SPOTTED SANDPIPER expertly spotted by Ken Kemphues probably 200 meters away, bobbing away behind a cordon of turtles. It was quiet along the lower open stretches of the blue trail, but then by the railroad tracks, we found two singing HOODED WARBLERS (one provided a very brief but diagnostic view), a CANADA WARBLER, and a cooperative MAGNOLIA WARBLER. A third Hooded Warbler and a Chestnut-sided Warbler sang repeatedly near Celia's Cup, giving us a fine lesson in the subtle differences of their emphatic songs. We ended with a side jaunt over to the red trail and the northern pond, where we found the day's biggest surprise - a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER piping its slurred two-note call from the hedgerow. I don't have a lot of experience with this call, but comparison with recordings from the Macaulay Library leave no doubt in my mind about whether to count this bird. Here we also found the weekend's first WILLOW FLYCATCHER, just seconds after I began lamenting missing it. I am still stuck without some very common species for my weekend tally, including Killdeer and Turkey Vulture, but I guess that just gives us more reason to look forward to tomorrow. I hope to see many of you at the Goetchius Wetland Preserve at 6:30 and the Roy H. Park Preserve at 8:30! Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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
[cayugabirds-l] Goetchius and Park (FLLT SBQ), Mon 5/26
As noted in my posts on Saturday and Sunday, the birding was excellent on the first two days of this year's Finger Lakes Land Trust Spring Bird Quest (SBQ), with lots of local specialties and a couple of surprise passage migrants. But my feelings of good fortune were tempered a little by an accounting of my species tally going into Monday morning - a mere 77 species, far below most or all past two-day totals, with many common species missing. So I had a lot of work to do. But I had several hours, more perfect weather, and, as it turned out, a lot of help from other eager watchers. 1. Goetchius Wetland Preserve Flat Iron Road, Caroline 6:10-7:50 AM 40 species, including SOLITARY SANDPIPER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, BOBOLINK, SAVANNAH SPARROW, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, and BLACKPOLL WARBLER This year a record 18 birders sacrificed sleep to join the early SBQ bird walk at the Goetchius Wetland Preserve in Caroline. We began by taking front-row seats for the grassland bird show - a scope-aided spectacle of BOBOLINKS, SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, with the weekend's first EASTERN BLUEBIRDS making colorful cobalt-clad cameos. This site also has some wide shallow pools and wet furrows, which attracted two modest surprises among three shorebird species - a SOLITARY SANDPIPER and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS (excellent opportunity to study subtle distinguishing features of these two congeners), as well as two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. A splendid male WOOD DUCK splashed down and paddled among them. We returned to the road and proceeded toward the more expansive wetland to the south, pausing first to watch the first-ever HELMETED GUINEAFOWL in the history of the SBQ, including one pure white one. (These extremely endearing but regrettably uncountable domestic birds belong to the Armitage family, neighbors and key supporters of the preserve.) Along the road and in the wetland, we found at least four singing WILLOW FLYCATCHERS and one ALDER FLYCATCHER, SWAMP SPARROWS, EASTERN KINGBIRDS, and other expected species. I was greatly relieved when Jody Enck pointed out the weekend's first (and as it turned out, only) KILLDEER flying overhead. A little later a few of us saw a little bar-winged bird deep in a roadside bush. This bird first gave me the impression of a kinglet because of its sprightly movements and whitish color. When a Willow Flycatcher flew up, I almost dismissed my initial suspicion of anything unusual. But I convinced myself that there was no way a flycatcher would have been behaving like that deep in the twigs. So I waited a few more seconds, until the bird came out in the open and revealed its identity - it was a female BLACKPOLL WARBLER, the first I've seen this spring. (A male was singing in the spruces in front of the house across from the middle of the preserve.) 2. Roy H. Park Preserve Irish Settlement Road, Dryden 8:30-10:50 AM 40 species, including PRAIRIE WARBLER, MAGNOLIA WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, NASHVILLE WARBLER, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, PURPLE FINCH, and BROAD-WINGED HAWK Most members of the early group then joined me and others at the Roy H. Park Preserve for the second walk of the morning. Within about 40 meters of the parking lot, we had wonderful close views of a singing PRAIRIE WARBLER, which seemed so tolerant of our proximity that I wondered if it had become habituated to people on the trail. The MAGNOLIA WARBLERS were much less cooperative, teasing us with occasional songs from the dense spruces, but yielding just one fleeting view. Then after the leftward bend and rise in the trail, we found several birds along the next straightaway, including at least two singing NASHVILLE WARBLERS, a CANADA WARBLER, INDIGO BUNTINGS, and FIELD SPARROWS. Lingering behind the group, Suan Yong found a female Indigo Bunting with a bill full of grasses, perching completely still for several minutes, presumably waiting for complete secrecy before entering her nest. Later Suan brought all of us back to the site, where the bird again waited obdurately for us watchers to finish taking turns at the scope. We never did see her fly off. Down by the shelter and Six Mile Creek, we found BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS in the hemlocks and one or more LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES singing and flying in both directions along the creek. We heard a couple of vireos in the area, but alas, I could not turn any of them definitively into a Blue-headed Vireo. That species turned out to be one of the weekend's more surprising misses, along with Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Least Flycatcher. We returned to our cars at about 10 AM, and thereupon made a quick run over to the preserve's new northern parking area and boardwalk, also along Irish Settlement Road. Here we saw one GREAT BLUE HERON on a nest, a couple of singing ALDER FLYCATCHERS, and a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER that sang even as the twig where it perched pitched
[cayugabirds-l] Myers, Fri 6/13
I took my mother to Myers Park in Lansing on Friday morning just after the heavy rains passed. She was quite captivated by the sweeping interfaces of beach, water, woods, rising mist, and heavy clouds. Two COMMON TERNS foraged with considerable success for 15+ minutes just off the spit, then perched on a near buoy. We walked the road loop back to the entrance. At the four-way stop, we found a vociferous first-summer male ORCHARD ORIOLE, probably the first my mom has ever seen in her long life. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] MNWR, Th 7/10
On Thursday, Miyoko and our kids and I headed up to Montezuma for a rare Chu/Chao family birding outing. Within seconds after we stopped the car, Tilden found a female LEAST BITTERN in Larue's Lagoon in the strip of tall grass that runs across the mud. Another Least Bittern passed into the field of view just behind the first bird and vanished behind the vegetation. Then, both bitterns took flight in apparent response to the noise of a southbound motorboat on the Seneca River. Finally, we saw a third Least Bittern, this one a splendid black-and-gold male, flying right in front of us from the Main Pool into the same strip. He fought for balance on some bowing grasses, then walked in and out for a minute or so before disappearing for good. (These were life birds for my wife and both kids, and my first good sightings of this species since the last time the Main Pool was so rife with cattails and open water, way back in 2004.) We did not stop elsewhere on the Wildlife Drive to look for other species, but we did casually enjoy the many BLACK TERNS coursing elegantly by, as well as some COMMON GALLINULES, a family of WOOD DUCKS, many MARSH WRENS, OSPREY, EASTERN KINGBIRDS, and others. Then we stopped at the stand of dead trees along May's Point Road. We saw two adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS and at least one gray-headed juvenile flying around, with no activity immediately near the nest site. The brood has fledged! Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Myers, Mon 7/28
Tilden and I found an adult SANDERLING on the spit at Myers Park in Lansing on Monday evening at around 7:30 PM. We also found one Least Sandpiper, one Spotted Sandpiper, an Osprey, a dozen or more Caspian Terns, and many swallows over the silty swollen waters at the mouth of Salmon Creek. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Red-headed Woodpecker in Aurora, Sun 8/10
On Sunday at around 5:45 PM, I saw a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER flying across Route 90 just south of MacKenzie-Childs in Aurora. Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] Sapsucker Woods, Sun 9/7
Warblers and other migrant songbirds are widely present in Sapsucker Woods today. OVENBIRD (1 heard singing once off West Trail - song and location seemed typical, though date wasn't) TENNESSEE WARBLER (2 - one near service driveway, one by Charley Harper memorial bench on west side of pond) NASHVILLE WARBLER (1 along Woodleton Boardwalk) COMMON YELLOWTHROAT (a few, various locations) AMERICAN REDSTART (1 at foot of Owens Platform, near start of Wilson Trail North) NORTHERN PARULA (1 by Harper bench) MAGNOLIA WARBLER (7+, most evident by Harper bench and Woodleton) BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (1 striking bird with green head and strongly russet sides, Woodleton) CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (4, Harper bench and Woodleton) BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER (2 along Woodleton - one unseen singing male, one female) YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (1 dull bird along Woodleton) BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (2+ along Woodleton) SCARLET TANAGER (1 yellow-and-black bird by Harper bench) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (1 at Harper bench) WARBLING VIREO (1 at start of Wilson Trail North, 1 at Harper bench - good opportunity to compare with Tennessee Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo) RED-EYED VIREO (2+ at Harper bench) MARSH WREN (probable - I heard many crisp single call notes moving quickly through nearby cattails by Harper bench but didn't manage to see the bird) CAROLINA WREN (1 singing by parking lots) Mark Chao --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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] NE Ithaca screech-owl, Wed 9/10
Just past 5 PM on Wednesday, the urgent clamor of Blue Jays drew all the neighborhood songbirds and woodpeckers and eventually me also to a line of towering spruces along our neighbor's driveway in northeast Ithaca. After several minutes of searching high in the branches, where most of the little birds were, I found the source of all the alarm - a gray-morph EASTERN SCREECH-OWL only about seven feet from the ground, in the open on an outer branch. It was uncommonly beautiful against the natural dark-green backdrop, entirely but softly lit by the overcast late-afternoon sky. Soon the songbird mob dissipated. I got my scope and over the next hour, managed to show the owl to my whole family and more than 20 curious neighbors, including a pre-K kid, a high-school senior, at least a couple of grandmothers, and many school grades and stages of life in between. Mark Chao PS. The Montezuma Muckrace, an annual bird-a-thon to raise funds for the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, takes place this weekend. Meena Haribal, my son Tilden, and I will be participating as a team called Blue and Bluer. If you are interested in pledging to the Friends in the name of our team, any other team, or even no specific team at all, please see http://www.friendsofmontezuma.org/muck_race.html#donate. Thank you. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.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/ --
