[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs, NY Snow buntings & horned larks

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

B  sun & clouds, snow squalls & wicked wind restructuring drifts.
Yesterday 19 Jan. 2022, I finally saw our first American tree sparrows 
under the tree outside my window & today they were also on my windowsill.
I'm housebound, caring for my husband, thankful for a warm house, so 
someone else has to be my eyes.
Fritzie Blizzard

/And this report from my sharp-eyed daughter, Becky, who is living with 
& helping me:/

Yesterday (1-19) I saw hundreds of horned larks and snow buntings on the 
edges of Delaney Road (midway between Ridge Road and Bluefield Road, 
between Union Springs and Fleming) and out into the fields, centered 
around Spruce Haven Farm. They were happily gleaning whatever they could 
find, whenever they weren't circling and soaring over the fields, 
disturbed by traffic. The only photo I managed to get from my phone is 
not very clear, but my binocs told the story - definite IDs on both 
species. I was out there between 3 and 4 p.m.

Happy birding!
Becky, Fritzie's daughter



















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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Bard Prentiss local birder Obituary

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

His wife's obit was published separately right after Bard's.
He died 20 Nov. '21 & Gina died 8 Dec.21. Their obits can be found on 
Dryden, NY Perkins Funeral Home page. Both Gina & Bard contributed much 
to their professions, to peoples & projects around them & were very much 
admired. For sure, Dryden & Ithaca benefited greatly because of her 
desire to preserve history. How they ever found time in their busy lives 
to be involved in so many activities & still have time to enjoy 
gardening & flowers is a mystery to me.
My children knew Bard as a teacher when he taught at Dewitt in Ithaca & 
then when he & they transferred to Dryden HS.
  Fritzie Blizzard

> *From:*  Lee Ann van Leer 
> *Sent:* Friday, January 14, 2022 9:14:11 PM
> *To:* CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> *Subject:* [cayugabirds-l] Bard Prentiss local birder Obituary
>
> Several people in the area were interested in seeing this obituary 
> when it came out.
>
> I found it for those interested.
>
> https://www.perkinsfh.com/obituary/Bard-Prentiss
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Lee Ann van Leer
>
>

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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Suet question

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

I have bought straight suet from grocery meat departments & packed it 
into wherever I wanted or into mesh bags that fruit &/or vegetables have 
come in or into store bought suet feeders.

For you that don't know, packaged FAT, often with bits of meat attached 
& that may have a bit of blood & which some meat cutters may think you 
want or that can be pushed off on the unsuspecting, is not what you 
want. You want hard suet only.  It is naturally hard & is the white fat 
that comes from around the loins & kidneys of cattle & sheep.
Lard is rendered fat that comes from pigs & it usually stays soft at 
room temperature. In fact, in many countries it is used as butter!
Butchers used to give it to me free but at holiday time it is used to 
make minced meat so the price on it then is about as much as roast beef.

Fritzie B.
###

On 1/9/2022 10:35 AM, Charles Eldermire wrote:
> Could try these suet cylinders from WBU (multiple kinds, some without 
> seeds): https://order.wbu.com/johnsoncity/bird-food/suet-cylinders
> 
> *From:* @list.cornell.edu> on behalf of t...@ottcmail.com
> *Sent:* Sunday, January 9, 2022 10:21:36 AM
> *To:* Nancy Cusumano ; Peter Saracino 
> >
> *Subject:* Re: [cayugabirds-l] Suet question
> I love Pine Tree Farms - nice people, good prices - and we get all our 
> seed and suet there, but have never seen any suet there that didn't 
> have seeds or peanuts in it.  You could try calling first - 
> 607-532-4311. They also might have ideas for where to get some.  In 
> decades of bird feeding, I don't think I've ever encountered it myself.
>
> Good luck -
>
> Alicia
>
> On 1/9/2022 9:49 AM, Nancy Cusumano wrote:
>> Don't know if they will have what you are looking for, but you could 
>> try Pine Tree Farms in Interlaken, where they make suet blocks, logs 
>> etc. You have to go during business hours but they are usually very 
>> helpful.
>>
>> On Sun, Jan 9, 2022 at 9:39 AM Peter Saracino 
>> mailto:petersarac...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Folks im looking for a suet log/cylinder for a suet holder I
>> have. Just suetno embedded seeds. At least 6-7" high and a
>> few inches in diameter. Any ideas where I can buy some. No luck
>> at Tractor Supply, Running, Country Max or Wild Birds Unlimited,
>> Amazon
>> Thanks., Pete Sar
>>
>>

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[cayugabirds-l] Nuthatch sleeping in a can

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Union Springs, NY ...At 11:40 a.m. I watched a white-breasted nuthatch 
getting meal worms from a cat food can attached to the clothes line arm 
next to the bluebird house.
After eating some, s/he hopped down into the can &, sheltered from the 
wind, nestled down & closed his/her eyes. I looked out 10 minutes later 
& it's head was tucked under its wing! A few minutes more & the little 
cutie was gone.
Quite the thrill for Becky & me.

Fritzie Blizzard
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[cayugabirds-l] Oregon junco

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Union Springs, NY ... @ 11:35 a.m. I had an Oregon junco feeding on my 
windowsill. I hope it stays for the winter with the other dark-eyed 
juncos like the one in 2019-'20.
At times I have a variety of busy feathered visitors but with no snow or 
really cold weather the activity is way less than usual. I haven't been 
to Auburn at dusk to see crow activity but have had no rivers of crows 
going to & fro as they have for many yrs. nor are there many Canada geese.
Mill pond has a few ducks  gadwall, buffles, wigeon, mallard. What 
are there don't seem to be too stressed by the water fountain spraying 
colored water into the air.
Factory St. pond has a few ducks but the thick scum leaves little space 
for them. The duck box in the water that housed screech owls for a 
number of yrs. & brought so many visitors has fallen apart & the whole 
area is disgraceful with beaver-felled trees in the water from 5 yrs. ago..

Fritzie
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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs .. New for us this fall

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Just saw our first /white crowned sparrow/ at the feeders. First 
/dark-eyed Junco/ was seen on Sat. 2 Sept..Canadas are going over, out 
to feed in farm fields, in ever enlarging flocks even tho' fall seems a 
bit sluggish otherwise with very few trees showing any color.
All things in due time, including frost & snow!.
Our ever-bearing red raspberries are large & tasty. The patch has gotten 
out of hand & we have lots of young plants to share.

Fritzie

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Re: [cayugabirds-l] How birds "see" Earth's Magnetic Field

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

  Since this article is 3 yrs. old, one wonders what progress has 
occurred since then.

Fritzie

On 7/29/2021 10:36 AM, Peter Saracino wrote:
> Yet another reason to respect, admire, cherish and even reverence our 
> avian- fellow travelers.
> Sar
>
> https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/04/04/we-finally-know-how-birds-can-see-earths-magnetic-field/
>  
> 
>

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[cayugabirds-l] Venezuelan Bird Rediscovered After 15 Years | Lifting a Falling Eagle | Toppling Windmills for Grassland Birds

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

From:   American Bird Conservancy - eNews Team 






An expedition team in Venezuela rediscovered the Urich's Tyrannulet last 
month.
image of ... 

 


*Venezuelan Bird Rediscovered After Nearly 16 Years 
*

With support from American Bird Conservancy, an expedition team in 
Venezuela rediscovered the Urich's Tyrannulet last month. Scientists 
fear this endemic species — one of the most poorly known birds in South 
America — could soon be at risk of going extinct due to the destruction 
of its cloud forest habitat. The rediscovery, which provided scientists 
with important information about the tyrannulet, will likely help 
initiate conservation efforts to protect this Endangered species.

*Read More* 

 


Alternate text 

 


*First Large Offshore U.S. Wind Facility Approved 
*

Located off the coast of Massachusetts, the project is expected to set 
off a wave of similar developments, which could have long-term impacts 
for birds.

*Read More * 

 

Alternate text 

 


*Conservationists Aim to Lift Falling Eagle 

[cayugabirds-l] Falcons have natural 'eye makeup' to improve hunting ability

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Falcons have natural 'eye makeup' to improve hunting ability
_https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210601194155.htm__
_
Dark 'eyeliner' feathers of peregrine falcons act as sun shields to 
improve the birds' hunting ability, a new scientific study suggests. 
Scientists have long speculated that falcons' eye markings improve their 
ability to target fast-moving prey, like pigeons and doves, in bright 
sunlight. Now research suggests these markings have evolved according to 
the climate; the sunnier the bird's habitat, the larger and darker are 
the tell-tale dark 'sun-shade' feathers.


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[cayugabirds-l] downy at hummer feeder

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Yes, two yrs. ago I had a downy at the feeder at my kitchen window on 
several occasions for several days. Quite the surprise since I was 
hoping for an oriole. I also had a starling try to get nectar but it was 
too large to perch.

Fritzie, Union Springs, NY


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[cayugabirds-l] Downy use of h- bird feeders

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Yes, I first had a downy at my feeder outside my kitchen window 2 yrs. 
ago.  It came several times, several days when I happened to be at the 
window. Quite a surprise for me. I was expecting an oriole!


Fritzie, Union Springs, NY

On 5/24/2021 7:59 AM, anneb.cl...@gmail.com wrote:

I finally confirmed with binocs that the persistently visiting Downy 
Woodpeckers at my hummingbird feeders are getting their tongues down into the 
nectar. I can see the water shimmer below where the bill is positioned   These 
are the flat style feeders with openings in the top cover.

Did everyone but me know that woodpeckers competed with hummingbirds for 
“anthropogenically sourced” nectar?

Anne



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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs, NY 1st Hummer

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Thanks to previous posts, I put up my hummingbird feeder yesterday p.m.. 
Today, just after 1 p.m., outside my kit. window, I was thrilled to see 
the 1st hummer of the season.


The pr. of white-throated sparrows is still here. Visiting tree swallows 
& bluebirds haven't decided it's time to start nesting in the boxes but 
I suspect other BBs are nesting where they have before, in a dead box 
elder tree limb up on the hill out of sight.


Daughter, Becky, found a new osprey nest a mile from us on Davis Rd. 
last wk., built on a pole that doesn't have a transformer.


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Buffleheads still in Unioin Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

As of 24 April,  a pr. of buffles was still on Mill pond along Rte. 90 
here in Union Springs, NY. Factory St. pond has a pr. of woodies. The 
male redhead of the last 3 yrs. that hangs around alone is still here.
MANY cormorants are on Frontenac Island, many are in the water & many 
have already started nesting in the trees.

A pr. of white-throated sparrows has been at my feeders for a wk.. 
Bluebirds & tree swallows are again showing interest in the bird boxes 
on my clothesline post/ arm. They were here 3 wks. ago but showed no 
serious signs of starting a nest, possibly because the weather wasn't 
favorable & not enough insects are around. Skunks are digging lots of 
holes to try to find Jap beetle grubs in the soft ground. More power to 
them!

I hope the chimney swifts we saw on Fri. are more successful than last 
yr. at raising young. One was found dead at the bottom of the fireplace 
chimney in the church, a surprise because I know they nest in the tall 
chimney at the girl's dorm at the academy. Didn't expect they'd be in 
the church chimney, too.

Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Chimney Swifts

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Becky  saw our first 2 swifts here at Union Springs (NY) Academy 
campus on Fri. 4/23/21. Pleasant surprise.

Fritzie B.

On 4/24/2021 4:28 PM, Bard Prentiss wrote:
>   I haven’t been watching until but the chimney Swift’s are back in Dryden
> Best,
> Bard
>
>   Bard Prentiss
> (607)882-0504
> --
>

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[cayugabirds-l] Evening grosbeaks in TN

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Our daughter in Hohenwald, TN, south of Nashville, again reports at 
least 3 dozen evening grosbeaks at her feeders this a.m.. She has had 
them for several mos. while we, here in Union Springs, NY have had none 
for many years!

The ospreys have returned to the NYSEG relay station on Center St. (East 
of the post office), that becomes Number One Rd. at the village line, 
across the field, SE from us. Os first built there in_2008_.

Fritzie B.


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[cayugabirds-l] FOY ... chipping sparrow

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Chipping sparrow feeding on my bedroom windowsill when I put up my shade.

Still have juncos. Mockingbird is singing. Bluebirds & tree swallows are 
checking out their boxes on the clothesline arms.

Fritzie, Union Springs


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[cayugabirds-l] Ospreys are coming back

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Union Springs, Center St./Number One Rd. NYSEG station osprey is back. 
Becky went out looking about noon so should have a better report this 
evening.

Fritzie

On 3/30/2021 12:11 PM, Candace E. Cornell wrote:
> All's right with the world once the Ospreys return . . . and now they 
> are back.
>
> Eyes to the sky!
> Candace
>
>

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[cayugabirds-l] Osprey on new 5 & 20 disc/saucer

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Sun. 3/29/21 My son & I saw an osprey on the south side of #3 "flying 
saucer" along 5 & 20 west of the refuge entrance. How sad to see all the 
former, familiar nests totally gone.

It's reported Os in FL have accepted these contraptions so let's hope 
"our Os" also will.

Fritzie

Union Springs, NY


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[cayugabirds-l] apex sighting ... goose on a pole per Colleen Richards 2/15/21

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Colleen saw a goose on a utility pole along Rte. 90 but it wasn't real.



Subject:[cayugabirds-l] apex sighting ... goose on a pole
Date:   Mon, 15 Feb 2021 21:05:48 -0500
From:   John and Fritzie Blizzard 
To: Colleen Richards , Cayuga Birds 



Colleen  That goose is a "dummy" put there by NYSEG to keep ospreys 
from building a nest there until an extension can be put on the poles 
/well above the transformers/ before the ospreys return.� Daughter, 
Becky Sewell, who monitors the osprey nests for Candace Cornell since 
I'm no longer able, knows where /all three of them/ are.

* One is on the transformer pole on the west side of 90, between the 
Union Springs Fire Department and the casino (Lakeside Entertainment). 
Map coordinates are 42.852716, -76.690844.

* South of Union Springs is one on the transformer pole on the west 
side of 90, across from Great Gully Road. Map coordinates are 42.811910, 
-76.699376.

* Another is on the pole on the west side of 90, at the northeast 
(toward Union Springs) corner of a little patch of trees at the top of 
the hill above Cayuga Lake Farm, (north of Levanna) with a nice view of 
the lake (from the top of the pole, anyway). Coordinates are 42.795959, 
-76.710332.

Last fall, Becky actually "rescued" a NYSEG man at the Great Gully Rd. 
utility pole when the engine on his truck quit & his fully extended 
lift, with him in it, wouldn't go down. He was stuck! She had seen him & 
stopped to ask why the osprey nest had been removed & why a fake Canada 
goose had been put atop the pole. I'm sure he was glad for a "nosy" 
female 'cause she did what he told her so he got down okay.

_So_ ... _*yes*, there really is a Canada goose balancing atop a utility 
pole._ The three /rigid, unmoving decoys/ have been securely fastened to 
the poles, so if NYSEG may never take them down, the poor ospreys will 
simply move their operations to other transformer poles since those are 
their favorite places, on the twin cross-arms above the transformers.

Oh, and last week, Becky found that a new, sturdier, bald eagle nest has 
been built in a taller tree in the hedgerow south of Backus Rd. which 
goes west, down to Hibiscus Harbor just north of Rte. 326. It is 
replacing the former red-tail hawk/bald eagle nest, still seen in a 
slightly shorter tree about halfway down the hedgerow behind the Union 
Springs casino/fire station/Lakeside Trading gas station. It is highly 
visible from 90, at the storage units at the intersection of 90 and 326. 
She saw an adult eagle in the tree yesterday. Until trees leaf out, the 
nest(s) can be seen from the parking lots of those places & from Backus 
Rd., esp. from the 2nd curve, under the osprey nest pole. The new nest's 
higher position lifts it above the shorter trees that typically obscured 
the older, lower nest, giving much nicer, clearer views of the nest and 
hopefully its occupants! Its APPROXIMATE coordinates (it doesn't show on 
Googlemaps) are 42.857367, -76.697237, or very nearby.

BTW, there is also a red-tail hawk nest in the first clump of trees 
north of Backus Road after leaving 90. It was occupied in 2020 at least. 
Map coordinates are 42.860886, -76.695246.

Fritzie B.

Union Springs, NY

On 2/15/2021 6:18 PM, Colleen Richards wrote:
>
> ..� Sunday afternoon, completing a circling of Seneca and Cayuga 
> Lakes, something else odd appeared on the top of a telephone pole 
> along Rt. 90. Unless someone was playing a joke, a Canada Goose 
> appeared to be trying to balance on *that* apex by raising and 
> lowering his head and neck!
> Strange sightings indeed!
> Colleen Richards

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[cayugabirds-l] apex sighting ... goose on a pole

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Colleen  That goose is a "dummy" put there by NYSEG to keep ospreys 
from building a nest there until an extension can be put on the poles 
/well above the transformers/ before the ospreys return.� Daughter, 
Becky Sewell, who monitors the osprey nests for Candace Cornell since 
I'm no longer able, knows where /all three of them/ are.

* One is on the transformer pole on the west side of 90, between the 
Union Springs Fire Department and the casino (Lakeside Entertainment). 
Map coordinates are 42.852716, -76.690844.

* South of Union Springs is one on the transformer pole on the west 
side of 90, across from Great Gully Road. Map coordinates are 42.811910, 
-76.699376.

* Another is on the pole on the west side of 90, at the northeast 
(toward Union Springs) corner of a little patch of trees at the top of 
the hill above Cayuga Lake Farm, (north of Levanna) with a nice view of 
the lake (from the top of the pole, anyway). Coordinates are 42.795959, 
-76.710332.

Last fall, Becky actually "rescued" a NYSEG man at the Great Gully Rd. 
utility pole when the engine on his truck quit & his fully extended 
lift, with him in it, wouldn't go down. He was stuck! She had seen him & 
stopped to ask why the osprey nest had been removed & why a fake Canada 
goose had been put atop the pole. I'm sure he was glad for a "nosy" 
female 'cause she did what he told her so he got down okay.

_So_ ... _*yes*, there really is a Canada goose balancing atop a utility 
pole._ The three /rigid, unmoving decoys/ have been securely fastened to 
the poles, so if NYSEG may never take them down, the poor ospreys will 
simply move their operations to other transformer poles since those are 
their favorite places, on the twin cross-arms above the transformers.

Oh, and last week, Becky found that a new, sturdier, bald eagle nest has 
been built in a taller tree in the hedgerow south of Backus Rd. which 
goes west, down to Hibiscus Harbor just north of Rte. 326. It is 
replacing the former red-tail hawk/bald eagle nest, still seen in a 
slightly shorter tree about halfway down the hedgerow behind the Union 
Springs casino/fire station/Lakeside Trading gas station. It is highly 
visible from 90, at the storage units at the intersection of 90 and 326. 
She saw an adult eagle in the tree yesterday. Until trees leaf out, the 
nest(s) can be seen from the parking lots of those places & from Backus 
Rd., esp. from the 2nd curve, under the osprey nest pole. The new nest's 
higher position lifts it above the shorter trees that typically obscured 
the older, lower nest, giving much nicer, clearer views of the nest and 
hopefully its occupants! Its APPROXIMATE coordinates (it doesn't show on 
Googlemaps) are 42.857367, -76.697237, or very nearby.

BTW, there is also a red-tail hawk nest in the first clump of trees 
north of Backus Road after leaving 90. It was occupied in 2020 at least. 
Map coordinates are 42.860886, -76.695246.

Fritzie B.

Union Springs, NY

On 2/15/2021 6:18 PM, Colleen Richards wrote:
>
> ..� Sunday afternoon, completing a circling of Seneca and Cayuga 
> Lakes, something else odd appeared on the top of a telephone pole 
> along Rt. 90. Unless someone was playing a joke, a Canada Goose 
> appeared to be trying to balance on *that* apex by raising and 
> lowering his head and neck!
> Strange sightings indeed!
> Colleen Richards

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[cayugabirds-l] Albatross Wisdom hatched a new chick!

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

I saw this article in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and thought you might 
find it interesting:_
_

_https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/02/05/breaking-news/septuagenarian-laysan-albatross-wisdom-hatches-new-chick-on-midway/?fbclid=IwAR1Sy1p6IBRFZkM69Fe12afZLQ1qBXF74BA6k-BVX2vm4ezwWLs3vlhvt_I_


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[cayugabirds-l] Snow geese over Unions Springs, NY ... tens of thousands

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

For 1/2 hr. now, almost non-stop, we've been watching huge skeins of 
snow geese up high, coming from the SW & going NE. In all my yrs. here I 
have never had this many "at one time", so to speak. Where are they 
coming from? Where are they going at 8:40-9:15 a.m.?


Thirty yrs. ago we used to see humongous flocks of Canadas but with 
changes in corn harvesting techniques & fewer grain fields, we no longer 
see those numbers. Now it's snow geese.


Fritzie Blizzard


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[cayugabirds-l] Thousands of snow geese .. Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky & I have just been watching numerous huge flocks of 
snows heading SSW over Cayuga Lake. They were high coming from ENE but 
with sun on them just before noon  ... beautiful sight. We could easily 
see blues mixed in with them. Didn't look like they were planning to 
hang around. Maybe they heard gunshots.


Fritzie  Blizzard



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[cayugabirds-l] FOY snow geese over Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky Sewell & I saw several large flocks of snow geese this 
morning flying east to west towards Cayuga Lake. A very few Canadas flew 
much lower, maybe 50 compared to a couple thousand snows. We saw Snows 
much earlier in Nov. last yr., perhaps because it was colder, & we also 
had snow squalls & flurries last yr. . According to my Oct-Nov. NYSEG 
bill, this yr. has been 6 deg. warmer than last yr..


The Mill pond along Rte. 90 here in Union Springs has been empty of 
ducks except for a few buffles 3 wks. ago. Factory St. pond has more 
ducks now. For now, it's not worth a trip to look for much here or even 
along the lake which was absolutely bare when I made a trip to Ithaca 
last Sunday. When I came back home on Rte. 89, I saw only a few mallards 
along Sheldrake except looking down from the bluffs north of Sheldrake 
where I saw a large flock of buffles diving & playing (?) &  being 
observed by maybe 6 female mallards.


Be aware if you are planning a trip north that the 34B bridge in Lansing 
by the elementary school is closed for the next 2 yrs.. The aged & weary 
bridge over the gorge is being demolished to be replaced by a different 
type. Detour takes you over on Rte. 34. Some folks are going down Myers 
Rd. to get around. There are other ways to go on 34 & then get back to 
34B without going the steep hills on Rte. 90   between Genoa & King Ferry.


Fritzie

Union Springs, NY


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[cayugabirds-l] Bar-tailed godwit record flight.

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

_https://www.livescience.com/bar-tailed-godwit-record-flight.html
_

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[cayugabirds-l] First fall DE Junco 10/13/20

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

A lone junco was feeding on my window sill in Union Springs, NY today at 
12:25 p.m.. Old-timers thought seeing the first juncos meant that was a 
sign of snow so called them Snowbirds. Is snow in the forecast??? We had 
a few sprinkles of rain this a.m. while praying for about 5 days of 
steady rain.


Fritzie B.

Union Springs


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[cayugabirds-l] Female hummer (& squirrel fibromas)

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Union Springs .. Just had a female hummingbird at the feeder at 2:43 
p.m. She looks plump so hopefully she's getting a good supply of insects 
to get protein to put on body fat for her long, treacherous, strenuous 
journey. She took 17 long sips of sugar water.


Gold finches were also here, busy feeding young & titmice arrived back 
today, in force, at the feeders. I put out my first suet cake today. All 
in the crab apple tree outside my window.


I am not really missing them but I've had no house sparrows for at least 
a mo.. My family of crows deserted me last winter.


Two gray squirrels were here for 2 or 3 wks., both with many warty lumps 
on face, necks & sides.  The eye on one was completely covered with the 
tumor & the ears were mis-shapened & flat against the head.


  I found out from the Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative that they 
have a "pox" virus called squirrel fibromatosis virus or fibroma. This 
type virus also is found in deer, rabbits & woodchucks & is known to be 
transmitted by fleas & mosquitoes & probably by close contact with other 
animals of the same kind & by fighting where the skin is broken. With 
squirrels it can affect internal organs & cause death. Nothing was said 
about birds but it's not transmissible to humans.


Fritzie Blizzard


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[cayugabirds-l] Acorn woodpeckers wage days-long battles over vacant territories, radio tag data show

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Acorn woodpeckers wage days-long battles over vacant territories, radio 
tag data show
_https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200907112342.htm__
_
When acorn woodpeckers inhabiting high-quality territories die, nearby 
birds begin a battle royal to win the vacant spot. Researchers used 
radio tags to understand the immense effort woodpecker warriors expend 
traveling to and fighting in these dangerous battles. They also found 
spectator woodpeckers go to great lengths to collect social information, 
coming from kilometers around just to watch these chaotic power struggles.


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[cayugabirds-l] Half a billion Monarchs viewed by robotic hummingbird

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

_https://youtu.be/Hq3X60H7aBo_

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[cayugabirds-l] For the birds: Illustrator David Allen Sibley

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

_https://www.cbsnews.com/news/for-the-birds-illustrator-david-allen-sibley-8-02-2020/
 
One of the most respected and successful chroniclers of avian life has 
produced bestselling field guides for birdwatchers, covering more than 
800 species_

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Re:[cayugabirds-l] Murder most Fowl - Saturday 5/30

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Are any of you considering a night-time attack when the ducks would have 
been asleep & not aware of danger from owl or weasel? I agree with Chris.

Fritzie Bllizzard

>> On May 31, 2020, at 11:53 AM, Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes 
>>  wrote:
>>
>>  Just throwing this out there as another possibility: weasel or 
>> ferret.
>>
>> This is, as I understand it, classic kill method used by these 
>> Mustelids. They’ve been know to kill off an entire flock of 
>> chickens in a night, severing heads with minimal disruption to the 
>> rest of the body.
>>
>> Thoughts?
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Chris T-H
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>

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[cayugabirds-l] Big brown bats .. Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

At 7:30 this evening I saw a big brown bat flying around the spruce tree 
in front of the house. I probably missed seeing the 2nd one because I 
was checking on the orange halves that have drawn unwanted ants. I 
daubed Vaseline on the branch on which the feeder hangs.


This is the 3rd time I've seen the big bats flying in daytime. Insects 
are truly rare here altho' I did see a large moth & some kind of beetle 
flew into my hair. Thus far I've had no bug splats on my windshield.


Wishing everyone a safe Memorial weekend.

Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Chimney swifts ... Union Springs 5/5/20

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

On Mon., 5/4/20 I thought I saw a chimney swift  but wasn't certain. 
Today I saw 2 over the campus of Union Springs Academy but didn't have 
time to watch for more.  Swifts have nested in the tall chimney of the 
girl's dorm off & on for at least 10 yrs.. I have seen them flying over 
here & down in the village many times. They may have been there longer & 
regularly but I just haven't paid attention. I know they nested in 
another unused campus chimney many yrs. ago,


They bring me great pleasure so I'm happy to know they are here.

Fritzie B.

Union Springs, NY



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[cayugabirds-l] Ospreys

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky Sewell, has been out checking osprey nests at the north 
end of Cayuga Lake from Aurora to MNWR &  on surrounding roads there & 
in Union Springs areas. As of Tues. she had found at least 21 ospreys & 
was told about 2 more Wed. 3/1 just south of Union Springs.

Her FOY O was at the Union Springs water dept. nest across from the high 
school on Sun., 29 Mar. & she finished that day with 13 Os. That was the 
first day she has been able to go out. She really has a long, complex 
route she follows to check on nests & didn't get to all of them on Sun..

On Mon, 3/20, I had 2 juvenile bald eagles flying  here over Union 
Springs Academy & 23 TVs just a bit WSW before heading down towards the 
village to wherever their roost is. Someday I MIGHT find where the TVs 
roost.

Fritzie, Union Springs.

On 4/1/2020 9:15 PM, Elaina M. McCartney wrote:
>
> Glad to see two Ospreys standing on the Union Field light pole nest 
> this afternoon. At first only one was visible, the other sitting.
>
> Elaina
>
> --
>

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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs, NY screaming female osprey

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky Sewell, saw/heard her FOY osprey on the platform nest at 
the water works across from USHS about 1:30 p.m. today. She was heading 
to other known sites on her list that she shares with Candace Cornell so 
maybe she'll have more to add to the list.
I've had a flicker coming to eat seed from my bedroom windowsill since 
the 14th. The Oregon still does the same. Also had a Cooper's hawk fly 
over 3 crows that were eating food scraps in the back yard. Crows flew 
as the Coop landed in a nearby tree before going to the spruces where 
the crows had a nest last yr.. Becky saw FOY chipping sparrow here 
yesterday but has had them at her house at least a wk..


My, how the grass has "greened" since the rain yesterday & last night. A 
welcome sight although it means daily mower noise & work.


The new docks are open at Frontenac Park & should afford some good, 
steady scope viewing across Cayuga's waters.


Fritzie



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[cayugabirds-l] Maureen Cowen ... Starter grass

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Maureen,

I gather fresh, dried grass clippings in the fall & "cup shape" it in 
the cleaned boxes so winter roosting birds have a warmer place to roost 
than in just a bare box or on a tree limb. We've had bluebirds & downies 
spend nights in the boxes in winter & tree swallows that come too early 
also roost in the boxes. I make the cup a bit deeper & wider than birds 
would for nests. In spring I remove some of it when I see birds showing 
interest in nesting. This sometimes is helpful if we have a cold, wet, 
perhaps snowy spring that delays nesting.

During nesting season we may have a lot of rain. Nesting material gets 
wet or blow fly larvae are so prolific that just lifting the nest to 
scrape out the larvae isn't enough so the nest grasses need to be 
replaced. I keep dry lawn clippings or some pulled dry grass just for 
that purpose.

Since blue birds often/usually nest twice I clean out the old nest, 
sterilize the box & put new grass in. Tree swallows don't ever nest here 
twice but they leave a real mess in their boxes. To encourage bluebirds, 
especially if it's getting well along in summer, if they want a 
different box, it's really important to scrub out swallow fecal matter & 
other mess & put in fresh"starter" grass.

Fritzie

On 3/22/2020 3:35 PM, Maureen Cowen wrote:
> *What is starter grass?*
On Mar 22, 2020  Fritzie Blizzard  wrote :

Bluebirds are checking their dwellings. I have blocked the openings to 
keep male house sparrows from "fixating" on certain boxes & driving away 
other box nesters. Bluebirds won't start nesting here just yet &*I 
already have put new, dry starter grass in the boxes.*

Fritzie B.,

Union Springs


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[cayugabirds-l] first kestrels

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky saw her 1st kestrel on Thurs., back at the barn on Ridge 
Rd. just so. of Spring St. Rd. where they've nested for an unknown no. 
of yrs.. I saw one on a wire on Spring St. near Frontenac Elem. Sch. 
(Union Springs) back in the winter. We also saw one near Half Acre in 
the winter.

BTW .. the Oregon dark-eyed junco continues here at our feeders & is 
more aggressive than when I first saw it on 1 Dec. 2019. Becky had seen 
it before that, not realizing it was not common here. Bluebirds are 
checking their dwellings. I have blocked the openings to keep male house 
sparrows from "fixating" on certain boxes & driving away other box 
nesters. Bluebirds won't start nesting here just yet & I already have 
put new, dry starter grass in the boxes. No tree swallows yet & they 
usually nest before bluebirds.

Yesterday we had our 1st large, noisy flock of ring-billed gulls 
overhead. More of the Un. Springs turkey vultures have arrived. Still 
have not found where they roost. Largest yearly no. has been 32 but so 
far we have only about 7.

Fritzie B.,

Union Springs

On 3/22/2020 12:58 PM, k...@empireaccess.net wrote:
>
> Yes, Kestrels are here year round. In fall the young disperse to 
> feeding territories which are widely scattered and , of course, the 
> adults get the preferred areas.
>
> John Gregoire
>
> On 2020-03-22 16:07, Johnson, Alyssa wrote:
>
> I was under the impression that they were present year round. I 
> noticed one back in February at the FL airport.
Alyssa Johnson
> 

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[cayugabirds-l] Oregon junco, Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky & I continue to see the Oregon junco feeding with the 
other dark-eyed juncos, house sparrows, house & gold finches.


Fritzie Blizzard

Union Springs, NY


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[cayugabirds-l] Sly, smart hawk + Oregon junco

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Union Springs, NY:?? 17 Jan. 2020

At 2 p.m. I saw a hawk flying low to the ground up the hill towards, & 
then directly under, my van parked just beyond my crab apple tree in 
which I have several feeders. The tree is just outside my window. When 
it's their feeding times, house sparrows regularly perch & shelter in 
the van grill & spend time getting grit from the ground under the van 
between flights to the feeders. Quite obviously they've been observed.


I suspect a Cooper's hawk since I've had them in the past but didn't 
really get enough markers to say if it was a sharpie or a Coop. It was 
in the shadows moving around under the van for several minutes. When it 
came out it had a bird in its talons as it flew to trees several hundred 
yards away. Bully for the hawk!


Daughter Becky & I again observed the Oregon junco at a feeder about 27 
ft. from my kit. window this morning.?? Usually it comes in the afternoon 
at a time when taking pictures is impossible, either too late or when 
the sun is in our faces. We both have gotten pictures but not as clear 
as we'd like.


??Becky reports Factory St. & Mill ponds still host various ducks. The 
lake was bare off Frontenac Park yesterday. Becky is out every few days 
to check. I do see Canada & snow geese flying overhead.


Fritzie Blizzard


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[cayugabirds-l] Oregon junco

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Today, Fri. 12/13/19, my daughter, Becky Sewell, again saw an Oregon 
junco at my feeders. She & I both  saw it a number of times at the 
feeders on Sat. 12/6/19. She is quite familiar with Oregon juncos as 
they were very common on her ranch in CO during her 30 yrs. there. 
That's where I saw my first Oregon Juncos.


Becky took pictures but hasn't had time to look at them & isn't 
expecting them to be too showy since the sun was bright from the west 
last Sat. afternoon. Today she didn't have her camera. Birds feed here 
about 9:30 a.m & again mid-afternoon 'til almost dark, depending on wind 
& weather. I have feeders on my west-facing bedroom window sill & in the 
tree just outside my bedroom window & also up at the top of the hill on 
the east side of the house where, unless I'm working in the kitchen, I 
don't too often look.


Today Cayuga Lake was almost void of any feathers except close along the 
shore north of Union Springs & Cayuga. Mill Pond, along Rte. 90 at the 
foot of Spring St. had quite a lot of ducks again today. Factory St. 
pond has had more ducks than we've seen in the last 4 or 5 yrs..


Occasionally 2  adult & 1 juvenile bald eagles can be seen flying over 
Union Springs village, the lake & Frontenac Park areas. We sometimes see 
perhaps the same 3 bald eagles in a very tall,  large dead, bark-free, 
sycamore tree on Fire Lane 15, along Yawger Creek before you get to the 
RR tracks north of Union Springs on State Rte. 90.


Fritzie Blizzard

Union Springs, NY









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[cayugabirds-l] Frontenac Island Cormorants

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

It is with great alarm to report & dismay to have seen that hundreds of 
cormorants have taken up residence on the ground & in the trees of 
Frontenac Island, Cayuga Lake, Union Springs, NY.


The island is owned by the village of Union Springs & I seriously doubt 
the village fathers have any idea of what this invasion means. Just last 
mo. there was mention of what the village could do to enhance the 
condition & beauty of the island. THAT thought was BEFORE the cormorants 
descended.


Do any readers have knowledge of what the  village can do to try to get 
the invasives to leave or where to seek help?  Yrs. ago there was great 
concern, esp. by fishermen & fishing guides when the birds took up 
residence on the eastern islands of Lake Ontario, initially Little 
Galloo. Besides the fact that the birds eat great numbers of fish,  it's 
been reported that their fecal matter is so acidic that it kills any 
plant, above or below water that is lands on. On the little islands on 
Lake Ontario, wildlife specialists (?) & helpers were eventually given 
permission to cover the eggs with a soap solution (I believe) to prevent 
them from hatching.


My earlier hope that the cormorants were migrating through was 
thoroughly,  finally, dashed this evening just before dark when I went 
to the boat launch & saw the hundreds of birds there with more coming in 
to roost. I fear they will also invade the areas around Mud Lock & MNWR.


Fritzie B.,

Union Springs






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[cayugabirds-l] Crow relationship .... Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

This Mother's Day a.m. I saw a crow in our choke cherry tree & assumed 
it was an adult from the nest in the nearby spruce trees.


Here, let me say that only once in the last mo. have I heard any cawing 
from any crows so I presume they are quiet during nesting so as to not 
provoke any smaller birds into attacking them.


Almost immediately,  another crow joined the first & they seemed to 
really snuggle closely together in the steady rain.  I noticed the one 
on the right seemed to be doing something to the head of the other. They 
both turned so they were sideways to me. The one on the right appeared 
to be grooming the feathers on the top of the head of the one on the 
left.  I could see, with binoculars, that the feathers were definitely 
being lifted up & then were smoothed back down as the grooming continued.


This continued at least 5 min. & was quite interesting to watch. WHAT 
was going on???  Anyone have an answer? I have no idea if the birds were 
mates or family members since for many yrs.  a family of 3 to 7 has 
faithfully come to check out what compost I throw on the garden. Seems 
too soon for the eggs to have hatched & have a bird the size of an adult 
already.


Just another mystery of Nature.

Fritzie,

Union Springs,  where it's wet & getting wetter!


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[cayugabirds-l] Ospreys

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Thurs. afternoon 3/28/19, Becky Sewell & I birded Rte. 90 from Union 
Springs to 5 & 20, and 89 north to 31 (Mucklands where, for 35 min. we 
watched thousands of snow geese flying overhead towards Cayuga Lake). On 
the muck, are still many pintails & mallards. Coming back down 90 from 
Montezuma we went onto Laraway Rd. back to 5 & 20 to check the 4osprey 
nests but in all our travels, saw only one osprey  at Harris Park in 
Cayuga.

Thurs. night & Fri. a.m. we had strong winds from the south. S 

Friday, 3/29, traveling with  non-birders, I left Union Springs just 
after noon heading north on 90. *Bingo! *Two ospreys on the water tower 
nests across from US high school, one on 326/90 nest, again on 90, one 
at Connors Rd. & 2 on the nests north of the RR tracks south of Cayuga.

On 5 & 20 the first nest had one bird & another sat in a nearby tree. I 
suspect I would have found more had I been traveling alone or with Becky.

Occupied bald eagle nest in Union Springs area was confirmed on Sat. 
3/30/19.

Here at home I have observed crows building in a spruce tree behind our 
house & next to our garden.

38 deg., brisk wind from the west with an occasional snowflake 
fluttering down, mixed with misty rain.

Fritzie B. Union Springs, NY

On 3/31/2019 9:47 AM, psaracin wrote:

> Thanks! Osprey are returning to their nests atop towers along rt. 5&20 
> on the Montezuma Refuge.
> Pete Sar
>
> Candace Cornell reported that Ophelia has now joined Orpheus at Salt 
> Point on Sat. 3/30/19.
> Salt Point Osprey Nest Camera is On-line!
>
> Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam _era_
>
> http://tinyurl.com/Salt-Point-Osprey-Cam
>
>
>
>

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[cayugabirds-l] Snow geese at the muck

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

About 6:15 p.m., 28 Mar. 2019, daughter Becky & I were parked at Rtes. 
31 & 89 when great flocks of snow geese began arriving from the north.  
For 45 min. we watched as thousands of snows just kept coming, probably 
heading to Cayuga Lake.  Where in the world had they been all day??? The 
last ones seemed to be struggling in the stiff winds.


We saw hunters well hidden in the bushes & trees on the south side of 
the muck & heard gunshots.


On the muck, in the fading light, we saw 12 swans,  a few Canadas & 
other ducks among many mallards & the great nos. of pintail ducks.


Our actual aim was to look for ospreys as we traveled from one place to 
another & we did find some on the nests. OOB but the nest on the relay 
tower in downtown Geneva had a bird on the nest! Many nest platforms are 
almost totally devoid of  sticks. Especially noticeable was the old 
power tower at Mud Lock that is all but bare. We found eagles in the air 
or on their several nests, including the one across the Seneca River 
outlet at Mud Lock.


Tschache pool appears to have been drawn down to dry out. May's pool has 
more open space than in a couple yrs.. Here's hoping for good feeding 
areas for shore birds coming.


Becky noticed the TVs perched on a couple power poles along 5 & 20, 
apparently their roosting spots for the night, & commented that "they 
had no antennas."


Fritzie

Union Springs



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[cayugabirds-l] Canada geese but no snows .. YET

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

3/14/19 ... many flocks, high & low over Union Springs, NY, too.

On 3/13/2019 2:15 PM, Tracy McLellan wrote:
> And over Myers and Salt Point.  Thousands and thousands.
>
> On Wed, Mar 13, 2019 at 2:02 PM Bill McAneny  > wrote:
>
> Thousands of Canada Geese flying north over area north of T. Falls SP.
>
> Bill McAneny, TBurg
>
>
> --
>

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[cayugabirds-l] Two N. pintails on Union Springs Factory Pond

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Two magnificent Northern pintails were seen on Factory pond on 3/7/19, 
diving along with many mallards, gadwall, wigeons & a couple 
canvasbacks, buffles & golden-eye.  Many birds are on Mill pond along 
Rte. 90 but light has been wrong for me to see what.


I saw a GBH at the boat launch with many Canadas. The GBH seems to have 
been hanging around all winter.


This report is delayed but on Thurs. 3/7/19, Becky & I were looking at 
several obvious male A. wigeons in breeding plumage. A couple had more 
white on the wings/sides than we thought was usual but one had a very 
impressive amount of white, much more than the others. We tried to think 
of what other duck might have mated with a wigeon to get so much pure 
white & came up empty-handed. Hopefully someone else has seen them. She 
sent several photos to Dave Nutter & Bob McGuire.  Dave thought there 
was an abnormal amount of white in the flight feathers but even the 
white shoulder feathers were bright & flashy.


This evening, we were pleased after 2 yrs. of drought, to have seen 2 
short-eared owls at 7:03 p.m.. Becky got a good picture even in the 
dark, foggy conditions. To save harassment of the owls, the location is 
not given.


Last evening we saw several good sized flocks of robins on local back 
roads. Horned larks are still along the side roads picking up gravel. I 
must remember to put some sand for the birds near my feeders both for 
bird baths & for needed grit to eat when it's snowy or icy.


The beautiful little skunk comes nearly every night to get food scraps. 
Hopefully the red fox is getting some, too.


Fritzie

Union Springs




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[cayugabirds-l] King eider at Oswego .... OOB

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky, & I were at Oswego yesterday (Sat.) afternoon & again 
saw the King eider, red-throated loon, dozens of white-winged scoters & 
long-tailed ducks, as well as the usual ducks & gulls. Also being seen 
in winter plumage was the male horned grebe which Kathy Strickland & I 
saw on 4 Feb.. On that date she & I also saw the male red-necked grebe 
in the river so close it was almost under our feet!


The eider has been seen since before we first saw it on 4 Feb.. I've 
seen it 3 times. (Worth the trip from Union Springs!)  It's a 
magnificent bird & yesterday was in the channel between Breitbeck Park 
at the west end of Lake St. & the breakwall. With the storm it could be 
most anywhere between there & the lighthouse & Marine Museum where there 
is more likelihood of not having to dive deeply for food or fight the 
high waves on the lake.


Hopefully the heavy snow & a "blizzard" forecast for that area eastward 
in the next couple days won't make it leave! Local birders said they 
have to look in various spots throughout the day to find the rarities 
but always below (north of) the Bridge St. bridge (Rte.104) & westward 
along & to the west end of the breakwall at Breitbeck park.


Becky & I also went to Sodus yesterday & saw the female Barrow's 
goldeneye hanging out with a large flotilla of white-winged scoters & a 
pr. of common goldeneye at the bay end of the channel. It was pointed 
out to us by a couple who were taking photos of it. With the wind it was 
bitterly cold, even in the sunshine, so without their guidance, we 
wouldn't have stayed to find it. Sorry, I didn't get their names.


We saw 2 turkey vultures just north of the Audubon Center/Savannah along 
Rte. 89 & 2 male harriers also flew over us moments later on Rte. 89.


Had a good view of a bald eagle sitting on the nest about 2 mi. west 
along Rte. 104 from where it joins Rte. 38 (Martville?). Mate was on a 
limb next to the nest.


Fritzie



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[cayugabirds-l] Oswego River/harbor/marina birds on 2/4/19

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

To all ... Sorry I didn't better indicate the locations.

Head towards the Lake on _W._ _1st St._  off Rte. 104 & eventually dead 
end at the Marine Museum. For those who haven't been there, you can park 
& walk around behind the museum to view the river & harbor as well as 
the marina.  I suggest you Google Oswego Marine Museum, enlarge the area 
& that will show you the river, harbor & marina waters to the west. I 
think when most of us say "Oswego River" we mean that particular spot. 
Off W. 1st St. are one block long side streets to get you closer to the 
river.

_Lake St._ that goes west off W. 1st St.  (where you enter the driveway 
to the museum by the large fuel storage tanks)  goes up the hill to an 
overlook with good parking/viewing of the lake & marinas. Follow Lake 
St. on down the other side to _Breitbeck Park_ to walk to the lake shore.

I _don't_ bird above the lock & up-river south towards Fulton but a 
walkway exists all along behind the businesses. On rare occasions I may 
go to the Fort Ontario overlook on the east side of the river accessed  
by E. 7th St. off E. Bridge St./Rte. 104.

The grebe & large nos. of long-tails were  on the river downstream from 
the little riverside park & the lock below the Rte. 104/W. Bridge St. 
bridge & to the harbor. The L-Ts move up & down the river, into the 
marina, all along the breakwalls. They tend to fly out onto Lake Ontario 
in mid-day but that may not always be. Other birds ... mallards, 
mergansers, etc. usually are on the east side of the river on the rocks 
& waters under the bridge below the lock.

Kathy & I went to what is known as Wright's Landing to where we saw the 
many w-w scoters & the King Eider. Be aware that the birds are often 
changing locations throughout the day  so you may have to  scan various 
areas & even return to places you've already looked. A birder there had 
missed the black scoter, I think she said, that flew in to where she had 
left just moments before.

The conclusion ... birds don't stay in one spot to be seen where others 
saw them so, good luck! If you like fish, Skip's Fish Fry is at the 
corner of W. 2nd & Schuyler Sts..

Fritzie















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[cayugabirds-l] OOB ... Oswego King Eider, w-w scoters & long-tailed ducks

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

On Mon. 4 Feb. 2019:

Kathy Strickland & I were thrilled to see & hear several hundred 
long-tailed ducks on the Oswego River. For the first time ever, thanks 
to my hearing aid, I heard them  to me they sounded like loud peep 
frogs or tree toads.  For a long time I didn't know what the sound was 
'til Kathy mentioned the birds "talking." Indeed, the only time we 
didn't hear them was when they were under water.

The river is very swift so the ducks would float downstream towards Lake 
Ontario & suddenly fly back upstream. When they landed they didn't 
gracefully slide onto the water as other ducks & geese do. They hit the 
water almost flat-footed & then flopped over on their faces. Very 
undignified looking & really funny but they seemed to be having fun 
splashing & occasionally all diving about at the same time. A man who 
had been taking pictures of them said he had never seen as many as were 
there. In my many trips to the river, I've not seen anywhere near what 
we saw. It was an awesome sight.

While Kathy was looking at them I saw a very small duck pop up right 
below us ... an adorable _horned grebe_ in winter plumage, far prettier 
than any handbook pictures show.  We were surprised that we could see it 
underwater for maybe 3 ft. as it dove to look for food. Various other 
ducks were to be seen, but, unlike when Becky & I were there on 15 Jan., 
I saw no cormorants altho' another birder said one had been seen. An 
adult bald eagle flew around a bit & eventually sat on the breakwall. In 
Jan. I had seen one fly up the river, a first there for me.

To finish out our wonderful day, here is our finale:

We missed seeing the black scoter but did see the male surf scoter & an 
amazing 20 white-winged scoters in the marina area. In with the flotilla 
of w-w scoters was the absolute beauty to find at the end of a 65 deg. 
February day ... the magnificent male _KING EIDER_ in all his 
showing-off glory very close to us, closer than we had dared dream.

Fritzie



















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[cayugabirds-l] 12 B. eagles bet. RR bridge & Mud Lock. Redheads, Glaucous gull/Geneva Seneca Lake SP.

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Gray, mid-afternoon: 5 Feb. 2019 ...

Daughter, Becky & I counted 4 adult bald eagles & 8 immatures. One adult 
was on the nest at the mouth of the Seneca R./canal & others were in 
trees near Mud Lock.   Immatures, except for 3 in trees,  were either 
flying or sitting on the ice with swans & ducks.

Dozens, if not several hundred swans were on the ice to the west of the 
main channel. Some were flying. Many ducks & Canadas were in the same area.

In Geneva at the Seneca Lake SP we saw 3 huge flotillas of red heads, 
all doing their usual soldierly back & forth swimming "ritual." Dare I 
estimate 1,000-2,000? Some may say more.

We saw many red-breasted & common mergansers as well as common 
golden-eye & gadwall.

Becky spotted a large, almost chunky looking, GBB size, white gull on 
the ice with ring-bills. It was all white with pink feet/legs. Bill had 
a pronounced all-black tip with no sign of black or visible gray 
anywhere on the feathers. We concluded it was a _glaucous_ gull but  you 
experienced "gullers" would have to say if it's an immature. She took 
pictures but binoculars showed better features than did her camera.

We didn't try for owls anywhere. Oh, Van Cleef Lake in Seneca Falls is 
still iced over.

Temperature was 50 deg. when we arrived in Geneva. When we left 4 hrs. 
later it was 31 deg.. What a difference a day makes. It was 65 yesterday.

Fritzie

Union Springs









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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs 2 Jan. 2019

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

This afternoon as I was watching a white-winged scoter all by itself on 
Cayuga Lake, out from the Harbor Marina at the bottom of Basin St., 2 
juvenile bald eagles came into view from near Carr's Cove, south of the 
village & headed north towards me.


They did their rolling, chasing fight routine for a matter of minutes, 
eventually being directly over me before flying NE & over Factory St. 
pond & out of sight.  Soon only one came back & flew south over the 
lake. Becky & I have been seeing baldies more often this past summer & 
fall, including an adult over Plaster Point on Fri., 28 Dec..


Prior to being at the marina I had been at Fontenac Park boat launch 
watching the scoter when I noticed many ducks  approaching from the 
north. Soon thousands of Aythya were flying by. I didn't have time to 
chase them southward but suspect they landed between Aurora & Dean's Cove.


While at the boat launch I had watched another "loner" bird that flew 
only because of a boater coming in. It sat high in the calm water with 
the neck straight & head erect.  It had quite a lot of light color on 
the side of its face/head. When it flew it ran on the water before 
rising into the air.  I would like to make this into a red-necked grebe 
but I didn't see other colors clearly. As its feet raised from the water 
the body seem rounder than those of ducks. It flew quickly westward but 
not very high.


Lake-water level at Frontenac Park is finally back to winter normal but 
surprisingly still high at Mud Lock & northwards, with water over the 
banks in the river & canal. Canal level in Seneca Falls is high altho' 
Van Cleef Lake looks fairly normal. There, we found 100s of Canadas on 
29 Dec..  Becky & I are amazed to find, quite unlike previous yrs.,  no 
ducks, geese or swans between Cayuga & Mud Lock except for a few ducks 
very close to the eastern shoreline just north of Cayuga village.  We 
didn't go out along the RR tracks to look over the lake towards Cayuga 
Lake SP where we have usually seen countless thousands of Aythya.


We didn't find any snowy or short-earred owls or white deer in our 
travels on the 29th but did see several red-tailed hawks & a harrier. 
Except for the usual feeder birds, the   many crows & the large nos. of 
Canadas flying over & plague of fuzzy-tailed rats, we notice the lack of 
birds elsewhere. She has a lone pine siskin hanging around her feeders.


The greatest treat on 30 Dec. was seeing a magnificent young, red fox 
that came down the bank behind the house & then went back up, probably 
to one of the many woodchuck holes in the hedgerow or to an old barn 
across the field.


Happy birdy new year to all.

Fritzie



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[cayugabirds-l] Snowy owl info

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Fellow birders:

I was so appalled& angered by the bad, stupid & dangerous behavior of 
birders along Martin Rd. last yr. that I deliberately left locality 
information out of my post yesterday. By today, the owl could be most 
anywhere but for those of you who know about the airport, Lott Farms & 
surrounding areas south of Seneca Falls, the snowy was along Martin Rd. 
on a post, looking all the world like a light globe in the setting 
sun.   Becky got pictures. Whether someone else saw the owl & posted it 
to E-bird, I don't know because I don't "do" E-bird.


If someone wants to notify Joe Brin about the sighting or add it to the 
FOY record, please do. Becky & I were just thrilled to be able to see 
the owl so clearly in the very short time we had to swing down that way. 
Where it might have had the magic marker markings put on top of the  
head is a mystery but last yr. someone was trapping Snowies & marking 
them so they weren't being captured & re-tallied.


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] First SNOWY 12/05/18

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Becky & I went birding for an hr. late yesterday on our way to Seneca 
Falls. We were astounded that the lake above, & river below, Mud Lock 
are both very high   river is over the banks along River Rd.. The 
canal & river at May's is very high. I fear this high water is bad news 
for later on. At Mud Lock we saw 3 prs. of mallards, a young bald eagle 
in a tree & 2 ring-bill gulls.


No sandhill cranes were at Knox-Marcellus but saw lots of Canadas & 
ducks. Due to lateness in the afternoon all Becky could ID were mallards 
& gadwall. The muck on Armitage Rd. held nearly 200 swans, most on the 
north side. Light was too poor to tell what kind.  A female harrier was 
hunting along the edge of the road. Water is standing in the woods on 
Armitage &, again, the river under the Armitage bridge is very high.


Van Cleef Lake in Seneca Falls had 3 pr. of common mergansers & one GBB 
gull. Several robins flew over. The signs entering S. Falls are now 
covered indicating that the name is Bedford Falls for the mo. of Dec. as 
the community readies for the annual activities of "It's a Wonderful 
Life" which begin tomorrow evening & run through the weekend.


The absolute highlight about 4:15 p.m. was the Snowy owl with reflected 
sunlight giving it golden eyes,  Becky spotted it sitting on a  power 
pole on private land.  Black markings on top of its head, indicated to 
us that it had already been found & banded.


Here in Union Springs along with Canada geese flocks, we have seen only 
a couple large flocks of snow geese & tremendous flocks of hundreds of 
Am. crows that have come out from Auburn to feed in the corn fields and 
our yard! Along Rte. 90 on Mill pond are mallards, gadwall & many 
buffleheads.  Three squirrels pigging out on my feeders get fatter every 
day.  A small hawk tried for 2 goldfinches but I didn't see if it succeeded.


Factory St. pond has buffles & mallards. Over the village we have seen a 
bald eagle pair & an immature. I watched as an adult took a fish from 
the lake at Frontenac boat launch & flew to a willow tree by Factory 
pond to eat it.


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Chimney swifts ... Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

FOY   about a doz. chimney swifts (we call them cigars) but I think 
they were migrating as none stayed over the girl's dorm of Union Springs 
Academy where they roost in the tall chimney or have had nests in past 
yrs.. I forgot to go back out before it got dark to see if any did go 
down in the chimney.


Daughter, Becky, tries to keep up with ospreys in our area. We roamed 
north to Cato-Meridian Sat. afternoon in the rain & foggy dreariness & 
found 4 new osprey nests to add to our list & I showed her a new bald 
eagle nest along the east side of Otter Lake.


The large flock of turkey vultures returned to Union Springs several 
wks. ago. I have yet to find where they roost.


Fritzie

Union Springs.


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[cayugabirds-l] Larue St. Clair

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Our beloved *Larue St. Clair*, 92, has been in & out of the Auburn 
hospital the last three months.

He is now at this health care center: *North Brook Heights    170 Murray 
St. Auburn, NY 13021*

He is filled with memories of visitors, friends _/& feathers/_ at 
MNWR.   What a life saver learning about birds was to him after (& 
since) his wife died about 25 yrs. ago. John & I met him shortly after 
her death when he showed us our first Tundra swan at Long Point. He was 
just out riding around to ease his grief & loneliness.

Larue & cheery volunteer, Jackie Bakker, worked well together tallying 
their findings. He knows those days are over for him but he has a keen 
appreciation of/for the interaction over the years between himself, 
visitors at the refuge & other birders, young & old.

I, personally, am extremely pleased that he lived to see the Lagoon 
named for him. How much better to let someone know while they're alive 
that they are loved & appreciated. For sure they won't know when they're 
gone. Many people saw birds, even life birds, they wouldn't have if he 
hadn't made the lists & posted them for visitors to see.

His sightings & permanent record keeping, aided in the past (??) yrs. by 
having Jackie to do the driving (& safekeeping) are invaluable 
contributions to the Refuge. We birders all owe both of them a lot, but 
especially do we need to give much credit & thanks to Larue.

Even if you didn't know him personally, I'm sure he would appreciate 
getting not get well cards but note cards of cheer, love & appreciation 
from birders.

For those who do know him, he probably would be cheered if you went a 
few miles out of your way & visited with him a few minutes. "Homes" are 
lonely places.

Thank you for loving him as we do.  Fritzie (in Union Springs)


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[cayugabirds-l] 1st Union Springs OSPREY 3/29/18

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Coming south on Rte. 90, I saw an osprey on the platform nest by the 
village water works across from the high school about 4 p.m. Thurs.. 
Becky got to see it as it flew ... our 1st of 2018!


Buffleheads & a Redhead are still on Mill pond. Have seen no Snow geese 
except a lone one walking in the field behind our house on Wed..


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs Snow geese at 4:45 p.m. 3/21/18

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

:   






:   

Union Springs, NY 21 March 2018

Once again we are/were in awe of the tremendous numbers of Snows
overhead. This afternoon I took John for a short ride about 3 mi. east of
the Springs. We  noticed MANY dozens of Snow geese_decoys_  in a field
near Davis Rd. & Powers Rd. where it intersects with Rte. 326.
Never have I seen any live Snow geese near decoys. They're too smart!

Continuing east on Powers I saw a few Snows landing in a nearby field so
I turned around so we could watch the geese coming from the west. Thousands
of Snows were coming to the field ...  BUT flying over & ignoring the decoys,
a mi. back towards the lake. As far as we could see to the west, north & south
... were great flocks of Snows coming, many eventually flying right
over US & landing in the field less than 1/8 mi. from us. Soon the field
was white  WHITE!! And the noise ... 

Back towards Union Springs, coming home on Spring St. we saw the MUCH smaller,
insignificant flocks of 3 to 20 Canada geese coming towards us to join some
other Canadas in a field 1/2 mi. from home.

When we moved here in 1971, we only saw about 75-100 Snows but often saw the
sky almost black with flocks of Canadas, almost the way we're seeing Snows now.
Quite obviously, a dramatic change has occurred over the yrs. & not for the
good, despite the beauty of the Snows.

Would that all could get to see & be thrilled by the sights & sounds of
countless thousands of Snow geese before they head north. They usually are
expected to be on their nesting grounds in the Arctic about 5 May.

Fritzie




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[cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese Monday over Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

About 12:30 p.m. today (19th) on our way to MNWR, (vistor's center was open)
 daughter, Becky Sewell, & I saw tens of thousands of Snows

mid-lake out from Canoga Shores (N. of Canoga) & opposite the Kozy Cove
area north of Union Springs. There were several tremendously HUGE rafts
spread over a long & wide distance.

I live 1/2 mi. east of the lake.  About 5 p.m. I was working outside for
a couple hrs.. Suddenly, overhead, gossiping, arguing, noisy snow geese
began to come by the hundreds from NW, heading SE right over my head &
spread also to the north & south of me.  It took at least 1/2 hr. for
the massive numbers to end. It's an amazing sight to see.

We saw the eagles at Mud Lock. Female is incubating & male was on watch.
We also had a low flying juvenile bald eagle just north of Cayuga. The
Eurasian wigeon was still at the Visitor's Center along with the
Snow/Canada cross goose. A Northern harrier was hunting over the marsh.

Fritzie  Blizzard  .. Union Springs


On 3/19/2018 4:28 PM, Laura Stenzler wrote:
and from the west side of the lake, about a mile south of Cayuga
Lake State Park, there is a solid mass of snow geese stretching from
shore to shore.


Laura
On Mar 19, 2018, at 3:24 PM, Laura Stenzler > wrote:
A huge flock of snow geese is close to shore just north of Aurora today,
March 19, opposite Gully Rd. The noise is amazing ! 10,000?  3:22 pm.



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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs & south to Great Gully

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

There were THOUSANDS of geese gliding in over the lake and into Mill 
Pond, mingling with more thousands of assorted ducks. For those seeking 
a good place to see lots of waterfowl, the comparatively warm water of 
Mill Pond is drawing a great concentration of many different types - 
bring good binocs and scopes, and stay in your cars, preferably on the 
far side of the street so as not to spook the birds away from the shore.

I've no way of knowing or even guessing how many there were, but on 
12/30/17 between 3:15 and 4:30 p.m. I know I saw:

*Canada geese* - /thousands/ on Cayuga Lake and Mill Pond.
*Snow geese* - on Cayuga Lake near Canoga, big flock on open water, 
smaller birds than the Swans below.
*Swan *- whichever kind makes the loud "hooting" calls, tundra? - LOTS, 
on the ice and water, both shores of Cayuga as far north and south as I 
could see.
*Mallard *- LOTS on Cayuga Lake and Mill Pond, some on Factory Pond.
*Redhead *- LOTS - an enormous raft probably numbering 10,000+ in 
midlake between Union Springs and Canoga, visible from the east end of 
Carr's Cove Rd. or Farley Pt. (I was on Carr's Cove Rd. w/landowner 
permission). Another flock on Mill Pond's NW corner suddenly began 
splashing, then raced en masse across the pond, spooking everything else 
toward the east side, leaving that corner vacant except for 2 or 3 ducks 
swimming serenely in the wide-open space left by the rest!
*A. Wigeon *- several, Mill & Factory Ponds
*Hooded merganser* - males, at least two, Mill Pond
*Bufflehead *- male & female, several, Mill & Factory Ponds
*Greenwing teal* - possible male, one? on Mill Pond
*Gadwall *- dozens on Lake and both Ponds.
If there were any scaup or canvasback, I didn't recognize them.
*Great black-backed gull *- 1, probably more on the distant ice, 
gathered around dead or dying birds.
*Gulls *- MANY in a gathering midlake, landing & quickly rising, as if 
grabbing small fish. Could not tell what kinds they were, but probably 
the usual culprits.

*Bald eagle* - at least 6-8 at and around the Great Gully Farm eagle 
nest #2, nearest Gully Creek, most perching in the nest tree. Saw one 
confirmed adult, several juveniles. Saw others on the ice, midlake, and 
one juv. flying out over the lake south of Gully Creek.
*Northern Harrier *- female, one, flying back & forth over the bay south 
of Gully Creek.

At my home on Ridge Rd., 3.5 miles east of Union Springs:

*Snow buntings* - 20-30 in a field along Spring St.*
*

*Junco at least 4*
*Northern Cardinal* - 1 male, 1 female
*Downy woodpecker* - 3
*Redbellied woodpecker* - 1 male
*Hairy woodpecker* - 1
*Nuthatch *- several
*Chickadee *- several
*Tree sparrow* - 1
*English sparrow* - 30+/-
*Mourning dove* - 2+?
*Goldfinch *- 25+?

*House finch* - 5+?
*Blue jay*- several (probably a family group)

.








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[cayugabirds-l] Howland Island drone pix

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Click on "events"  & then to the right see the list including "Drone 
Pics of Northern Montezuma". Aerial views are also included but the 
drone pix are closer. I never dreamed so much water & land are there.

Fritzie.


On 10/29/2017 2:06 PM, bob mcguire wrote:
> The main reason for writing this up is to alert folks to a new 
> resource. Jim Eckler and Frank Morlock (DEC Morgan Road) have recently 
> acquired a drone with camera, and they have been posting aerial photos 
> of the various DEC properties in the Northern Montezuma Wetlands 
> Complex. Think Howland Island, Martens Tract, Railroad Road, etc. They 
> intend to post updated photos throughout the season. It’s fascinating 
> to see, from the air, exactly what is out there beyond the cattails 
> and phragmities. Go to _https://friendsofmontezuma.org_ and find the 
> “what’s new” section at the top-center of the page. Bob McGuire -


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[cayugabirds-l] White winged tern south of Wellsboro, PA on 287

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

PLEASE note: That is Rte. 287, not 257. The sign for 287 can be elusive 
as you near the end of the main shopping area where you turn left at the 
light onto Central Ave. at the "Village Green", the little park, home of 
the famous Wynken, Blyken & Nod in their wooden shoe statue in the 
middle of their "mist" ... water from a fountain spraying over them.

Nessmuk was the pen name of Geo. Washington Sears, an outdoorsman who 
loved the Adirondacks & who wrote many articles about his outings, by 
canoe, in the Adirondacks.

The very beautiful, White-winged Tern on the wooden pilings at the edge 
of Nessmuk Lake is not leery of all the people standing maybe 50 ft. or 
so away. Don't go to the fishing dock. Go on down the hill past that 
road in the park to the next parking area. And yes, a port-a pottie is 
there.  (:-) It's the pause that refreshes.)

Kathy Strickland, my daughter, Becky & I were there late this afternoon 
& even saw birder, Donna Scott along with folks from Pittsburgh & 
Harrisburg, PA.  LOTS of people were enjoying the rarity. Also saw 
several Cedar Waxwings, a GBH & swallows that I didn't try to ID.

Fritzie Blizzard

Union Springs


On 8/13/2017 3:03 PM, Donna Lee Scott wrote:
Still south end of Nessmuk lake, wellsboro PA OFF RT 257, south of town. 
3:06 pm sunday.
Donna Scott

On Aug 13, 2017, at 11:40 AM, Harlan Hastings > wrote:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nessmuk+Lake+Boat+Ramp/@41.7270862,-77.2909641,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89ce2e8067b2a3c7:0x9317241c5c661891!8m2!3d41.7270822!4d-77.2887754
 

 

Park in the smaller loop on the left.  Tern was seen on pilings at south 
end of the lake this morning.
On Aug 13, 2017, at 7:27 AM, Nancy Cusumano > wrote:
Is there a park or specific location that's the best place to view this 
bird?


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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Tree swallow

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

We've had one nesting pr. with 5 young expected to fledge in 11 days. 
Usually have at least 3 pr. with many others flying about. Not so this 
yr.. Same with barn swallows. For the last 2 yrs. we've not had more 
than a doz. of either lining up on our power line in late summer before 
migration. Used to be many, many dozens. :'(


The 100 acres behind us were mowed on Wed.. I didn't see a swallow. Same 
when the school lawns are being mowed. Always before the birds were 
swooping overhead in great numbers to get insects. We no longer see 
those many insects.


Rachel Carson ... we need you again to lead a new fight.

Fritzie Blizzard

Union Springs





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Re: [cayugabirds-l] FOY House Wren

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

We FINALLY saw a female hummer 20 May. Next time was 27 May. 3rd time 
was 4 June. Feeder is outside our kit. window.

First BLUEBIRDS & HOUSE WRENS hatched 5 days ago. TREE SWALLOWS hatched 
yesterday. Swallow box is on the clothes line arm, 27 ft. from the house 
& where we & others walk by.  House sparrows are here in greater numbers 
than ever, along with starlings but seem to be occupied with their own 
nests.

Maybe, hopefully, with this warmer weather we'll see more insects & more 
bird activity.

Fritzie
Union Springs

On 6/8/2017 10:51 AM, W. Larry Hymes wrote:
> Yesterday afternoon our first HOUSE WREN of the year popped into our 
> yard and investigated one of our nest boxes.  This is around one month 
> later than usual.  Also, on my walk around Beebe and Mundy yesterday I 
> was hearing more RED-EYED VIREOS than I had before. Are more birds 
> still migrating in, or was this just coincidental? We still haven't 
> had any HUMMINGBIRDS, since seeing our first one on May 11.
>
> Larry
>


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More Re: [cayugabirds-l] Ominous

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Here in Union Springs I've had my feeder outside my kitchen window for 3 
wks.. Finally saw a female hummer, just once each day, on the 20th & 
27th.  In the past they have /always/ come when my columbines begin 
blooming & they opened nearly 3 wks. ago. I've not seen the female go 
near the columbines that are all along the back of the house.

Another noticeable lack ... _/normally/_ we have _/many/_  tree & barn 
swallows, esp. when the campus lawns are being mowed & normally I'll  
have at least 3 boxes of tree swallows & 2 of blue birds, (with house 
sparrows plaguing them.)  Thus far we have only one box with tree 
swallows & the female just laid her 5th egg 3 days ago.  This is late. 
Same with the one box with bluebirds. No wrens yet but we're seeing 5-7 
chimney swifts still using the tall chimney on the girls' dorm.

/House sparrows have now lost about 20 eggs from 3 boxes to this human 
predator. /

I fear squirrels may be getting some adult birds, eggs & nestlings in 
the trees & hedgerows.

What IS quite noticeable here, is the lack of insects, esp. with ideal 
wet weather for mosquitoes & black flies. We had a few of both a couple 
wks. ago along with midges but now, next to nothing & it's still wet. 
The fields are planted to grass, not corn this yr. so I feel that is 
more conducive habitat for insects. Alas, the insecticides have probably 
killed off the bugs so desperately needed by our feathered friends. 
Where is Rachel Carson?? Who will take up the battle???

Fritzie


On 5/28/2017 10:46 AM, Marty Schlabach wrote:
>
> We’ve had our hummingbird feeders up for several weeks, changed them a 
> couple of times and have as of yet only seen a hummer twice, both 
> times a female.
>
> Marty
>
> Interlaken, NY
>
> *From:* **Ellen Haith
> *Sent:* Sunday, May 28, 2017 8:22 AM
> *To:* Kelly Lee Smith 
> *Cc:* CAYUGABIRDS-L 
> *Subject:* Re: [cayugabirds-l] Ominous
>
> 8:15 a.m Sunday, just checking all the ominous notes and explaining 
> the reality to my husband, and TWO males arrived at the one visible 
> feeder and the battle for the goodies took but a moment!
>
> May I say 'Whoopee!' and 'Whew?'
>
> e.h.
>
> On Sun, May 28, 2017 at 8:13 AM, Kelly Lee Smith  > wrote:
>
> I saw my first hummingbird yesterday at an Amish greenhouse in
> SummerHill; the Amish ladies said the birds have been in the
> greenhouses for a couple of weeks.
>
> Kelly
>
> 
>
> *From:*Ellen Haith  >
> *Sent:* Saturday, May 27, 2017 3:44 PM
> *To:* CAYUGABIRDS-L; CAYUGABIRDS-L
> *Subject:* [cayugabirds-l] Ominous
>
> Along the west shore of Cayuga Lake we occasionally have up to
> three Hummingbirds at a time at either feeder. So far this spring
> (?) - we have seen ONE female sitting on the edge of a feeder
> looking away from the cottage - none other. Might this be a result
> of the late and frequent cold snaps and the subsequent lack of
> either floral food or human assistance?
>
> Info and/or assurance gratefully accepted.
>
> Ellen
>
>


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[cayugabirds-l] 23 Brant geese at Seneca Lake SP @ Geneva, NY (5/7/17)

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

After Becky got off work & had lunch at 4 p.m. with us, she & I went to 
Geneva, scarcely daring to hope we'd find the Brant mentioned in a post 
much earlier in the day.

Before I even got to the park entrance, she spotted them on the grass to 
the East of the Visitor's Center. She only has a little point & shoot 
Canon camera but she got some nice pictures. The Brant weren't really 
skittish so she walked about 30 ft. behind them & "herded" them towards 
me as I sat in the car. She was thrilled to finally see them. I had held 
an injured one that John & I took to Cornell some 12 yrs. ago so I knew 
how beautiful they are.

The jaunt yielded us 3 new osprey nests as well, even tho' they're not 
in the Cayuga basin. We saw Chimney swifts over the Smith's Opera House 
in Geneva, our 1st for the yr..

At_Mud Lock_ we saw a bald eagle in a tree near the new nest which is 
still quite visible.  The waters of Seneca River & canal are quite high 
& overflowing the banks from the lock northward.

Fritzie Blizzard

Union Springs, NY



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[cayugabirds-l] Snow geese at the muck

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Saw 5 snow geese close to the road just east of the potato building 
along Rte. 31 Mon. about 5:45 p.m.. Sky was already getting dark before 
the storm so I couldn't see much other than dozens of gulls.


At Mud Lock I saw one bald eagle in the tree near the new nest & an 
osprey on the nest atop the old elec. platform. Another osprey landed on 
the power line with something that he wasn't able to get off the talons 
of his left foot. When the storm hit, he flew off towards the woods 
across from the lock.


Then the storm hit & a man with 3 fishing poles in the water & one in 
his hand, just threw a blanket over his head & body & continued to fish. 
I don't quite know how to label such (?) dedication (?).


I made my way rather slowly in the pouring rain to Union Springs with 
flashers on from Cayuga.


Fritzie


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Re:[cayugabirds-l] Red-necked Grebes, Dryden Lake 4/13/17

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky, & I, got to see them late yesterday afternoon. What a 
treat. Also had one pied-billed grebe & a kingfisher. Disappointed to 
not see any mergansers.  A fisherman said he had seen 2 bald eagles at 
the far east end but didn't know where the nest was.Has anyone seen 
a nest?

Lake Como was VERY quiet/calm but we did see a kingfisher in a tree in  
the swamp.

Fritzie


On 4/14/2017 7:03 AM, Jay McGowan wrote:
> Last night at sunset two nice alternate RED-NECKES GREBES accompanied 
> a flotilla of 11 Horned Grebes on Dryden Lake. Not sure if they'll 
> still be there this morning, but it might be worth checking.
>
> Jay
> --
>


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs Ospreys

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

This a.m. I noticed our NYSEG  ospreys on Number one Rd. are back. One 
was on the nest & the other on the perch pole. I suspect they have been 
back a few days but I hadn't been able to walk up the hill to check. 
Becky had checked the nest on Fri. evening & saw nothing but it may have 
been too dark.  Always thrilling to have them fly over the yard.


Several days ago I saw a crow carrying a stick to a large, nearby, 
spruce tree. Our family of 5 crows have split up & now, as usual, we 
have three always together. This has been going on for at least 15 yrs.


Not much activity out on the lake from Frontenac Park or at the ponds. 
The large rafts of ducks are gone.  Becky was pleased to have Marie Read 
as a customer at Surefine this a.m..


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs ... 6 Sandhills

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

3/25/17   6 Sandhill cranes flew NE directly over our house at 4:20 
p.m.. Guess I might call them a "yard bird" first as well as FOY for me!


Yesterday the Cayuga Lake waters seen from Frontenac Park were well 
dotted with the usual ducks & a few Canadas.


I saw close to 40 Am. wigeon fly from the lake to land in the park where 
they eagerly began "grazing" on the  grass. The fields, finally devoid 
of snow up behind our house, east of the lake, had MANY Canadas.


Mill pond had 3 buffles yesterday ... one male & 2 squabbling females.

How nice it is to see the yellowing of the gold finches & the arrival of 
more house finches at our feeders each day.


Fritzie


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Re:[cayugabirds-l] dead cardinals

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

 Another thought . Male cardinals defending their territory, esp. 
at mating, pre-mating season, could have been chasing each other when 
they hit the windows. That, or older males chasing away younger males.


Fritzie

Union Springs


On 3/19/2017 7:27 AM, Gerry Rising wrote:
Mary Jane, I suspect windows. A few years a go I had a call about two 
birds found together on a patio at this time of year. They were fox 
sparrows, both in near perfect condition. Especially when birds can see 
light coming though from other windows they think that they can fly 
through. And your decals won't help with that. Sad to lose birds this 
way. Good that you keep your cats indoors. Gerry



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[cayugabirds-l] Mud Lock bald eagle is nesting 2/19//17

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Saw her on the nest in the big tree just after 1 p.m. today.

Dozens & dozens of swans, hundreds of snow & Canada geese were between 
Cayuga & the Lock.


Fritzie

Union Springs


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[cayugabirds-l] Bald eagles ... adult & juveniles 1/16/17

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

This a.m. Becky & I saw 2 juvenile bald eagles flying along the shore 
just north of the  village of Cayuga.


We also saw 2 adult bald eagles in the trees next to the nesting tree at 
Mud Lock north of Cayuga.


Along Martin Rd. south of Seneca Falls, Becky spotted a male pheasant 
feeding in the cornfield  along the road & pointed it out to several 
other birders. We also saw a Snowy atop Lott's grain elevator/silo. 
Didn't take time to look for more as we were already late on our way to 
Corning.  Several other birders, including one man from Buffalo, were 
cruising about looking for the owls & the gyrfalcon. Great day to be out 
birding.


Fritzie

Union Springs


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[cayugabirds-l] Snowy owl

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

What a beautiful day to be out. Cold, but nice otherwise.

Is it late to have pied-bill grebes? Daughter, Becky, & I saw one in 
close at Van Cleef Lake in Seneca Falls this afternoon. Saw about 20 
each of hooded & common mergs there along with mallards & gulls & about 
300 Canadas. Didn't take time to try to do an exact count as we were 
headed to the airport to look for the owls. She spotted the newly banded 
one on a snow pile between the last 2 buildings along the runway & 
another atop the tallest silo at Lott Farms. One that was in the 
cornfield along the runway may or may not have been another or could 
have been the newly banded one, scared by the planes with pilots 
practicing landing & taking off.


Struck out on the gyrfalcon. Sun was wrong to look for it or the shrike.

We also saw 2 female harriers & 1 male hunting in the field along the 
runway. Ran out of light to go look for the shrike.


Last Fri. (30 Dec. 2016) when we were leaving the airport & going out on 
414 we saw thousands of snow geese overhead heading towards Cayuga Lake. 
Quite an impressive sight.


This afternoon we noted unknown swans, probably tundras, overhead & on 
the water between Cayuga & Mud Lock.


Has anyone checked down Genoa way for snowy owls? Becky found three down 
that way about 3 winters ago.


Water level on Factory St. pond is higher than I've ever seen. Mill pond 
level is also up. I have seen evidence of sharp teeth of a beaver along 
Mill. More gadwall are on Mill than we've seen in many yrs.. Redheads 
are there in increasing numbers along with some buffles & A. wigeon.


Fritzie

Union Springs




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[cayugabirds-l] Mill pond .. Union Springs 11/22/16

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Gadwall (10-12)Buffles, (didn't count - no time -they kept diving)   
A. wigeon (6)   G.W. Teal (1)  at 2:30 p.m.


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs sign finally corrected!

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Drove by the Mill pond along Rte. 90 a couple days ago & noticed the 
labeling of the green heron picture had FINALLY been corrected, changed 
from Pileated Woodpecker to the correct ID of Green Heron. Shame on the 
scout leader who didn't catch the very obvious mistake many mos. ago 
before he awarded the scout the Eagle Scout honor! I felt very 
embarrassed for strangers to see the glaring error. And, yes . I did 
write to the mother of the scout many mos. ago to tell her the ID was 
incorrect. No  comment from her!


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs Buffleheads

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky Sewell, saw the first buffleheads on the Union Springs 
Mill pond Sat. 10.29.16.


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs: Hundreds of crows

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

My yard & all surrounding fields & lawns are suddenly FULL of beautiful 
black crows. I haven't been to Auburn, NY yet at night lately to see any 
but feel sure these must be part of the thousands that roost there every 
winter. I've never had them come in such great nos. to just feed &, I 
assume, socialize all around us on the ground.


Had the 1st dark-eyed junco on my bedroom window-sill feeding area this 
a.m. but others have been at the feeders up on the hill for a couple 
wks.. For the 1st time ever, tit-mice & white-breasted nuthatches have 
been coming to the window sill, too. "Boy" cat wishes  as his tail 
swings 


The Eagle Scout sign at Mill Pond on Rte. 90 still shows the green heron 
as a pileated woodpecker.


Fritzie Blizzard


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[cayugabirds-l] Am. Wigeon: Mill Pond, Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Keep forgetting to post.  Saw 7 Am. wigeon on Mill Pond on Thurs. 
morning, 29 Sept. 2016. First since spring.

Last I looked, the Mill pond sign put up by the scout still had the 
green heron listed as a pileated woodpecker.

I had seen wood ducks & babies on Factory pond numerous times through 
the summer. Man across the street said this was the_first yr. ever_, in 
his 40 yrs. living there, that he had seen woodies actually nest there 
... & successfully raise young without a snapper getting them. Two 
females ... one had 4 , the other 5.  Last I saw the young, they were 
almost adult size.

Fritzie B.

Union Springs, NY


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[cayugabirds-l] SPEAKING OF NATURE: Fishers are back | Lifestyle | fltimes.com

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

What a wonderful & thrilling report in the Finger Lakes Times by John 
Van Niel!! Thanks Chris.

Fritzie


On 9/4/2016 6:20 PM, Chris R. Pelkie wrote:

*_http://www.fltimes.com/lifestyle/speaking-of-nature-fishers-are-back/article_d7d8fafe-6cba-11e6-ab55-038e8d6a63c3.html_*

/Thought the many of us who go to Montezuma would find this interesting. 
Justifying posting to Cayuga birds as John says that crows found his 
fisher for him. Keep watching the crows! ChrisP /



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[cayugabirds-l] Eastern Kingbird terrorist!!

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Back in the 1960s whenever my stepfather would go to work in his garden 
or just out into his yard, an Eastern kingbird

would would suddenly appear & constantly dive at his head whether or not 
he was wearing a cap. That went on most all

summer. The bird never bothered anyone else. However, I  have seen E. 
kingbirds  showing aggressive behavior towards

adults once in a while in the last 10 yrs. or so with no /apparent /nest 
or young birds nearby. Here, male tree swallows dive

bomb anyone who gets near the birdbox after the eggs hatch but the 
bluebird males don't. Nature is interesting.

Fritzie,

Union Springs, NY


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[cayugabirds-l] Mill pond sign in Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Failed to mention that I have contacted Mrs. Aguilar, the scout's 
mother, to commend her son for his project & hard work but also to point 
out a glaring error on the sign/kiosk. He has the picture of a Green 
heron listed as a Pileated woodpecker. :-(


Hopefully he can correct that ASAP.

Only bird on Mill  pond today is the lingering redhead duck that appears 
to be in molt. The water level is up, indicating that the overflow pipe 
is partially blocked, either by brush or else another beaver is trying 
to build a dam. Didn't take time to look.


Fritzie


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[cayugabirds-l] Umbrella for my bluebirds: Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Four bluebirds hatched on 4 July, as expected. By early a.m. 5 July, & 
since then, temps have been in the mid-90s in the shade so surely inside 
the bird box on the clothesline arm had to be hotter.  Years ago, under 
the same circumstances, I had successfully put an old umbrella over the 
box to shield it from the sun & heat, so on the 5th I did the same. The 
birds were wary for about 45 min., alternately sitting on the 
clothesline or making aborted trips towards the box entrance. Finally 
the male dared go in. After that the umbrella became just a part of 
their natural surroundings & feeding has proceeded.

The 4 ft. high garden fence, distanced some 8 ft. all around the 
clothesline post, protected the tree swallows from the neighbor's cat. 
Four of the five fledged right on schedule, with the feeding help of the 
second female after the male disappeared, but the 5th was a runt that I 
found down under the much larger sibs.  I found it dead the a.m. of the 
3rd day after the others had fledged. Apparently the female had her own 
built-in sense of how long she should feed. How much we DON'T know about 
nature!

For those who don't know, according to _Stokes_ _Field_ _Guid__e_, "The 
Tree Swallow is the only N. Am. passerine with an immature plumaged 
female in the 1st (& sometimes 2nd) yr.. The imm. plumage allows them to 
approach breeding adults & their nests without being chased away. This 
lets them monitor breeding pairs & be ready to replace any adult female 
that dies during the nesting season."  In this case, it was the male 
that was replaced. I am noticing even more this yr. than last the lack 
of insects, which I believe is due to the the farmers using  more 
insecticides, so I'm seeing far fewer swallows. Strangely, the numbers 
of chimney swifts staying here has increased this yr..

I am still over-run with house sparrows despite destroying eggs & 
females (catching them at night.) I have put 2 set mousetraps in boxes 
to which the male sparrows are attracted (once I was sure no swallows or 
bluebirds will use them.) By a fluke I've caught a male that way.  Of 
course, it's the males who destroy the eggs & kill the bluebirds & swallows.

I am dismayed about the spay & neuter program started here in the 
village by several women who, for several mos., have been feeding larger 
& larger nos. of strays  some 22 to 30 by their own counts & 
sightings _in just 2 colonies_. I love cats but won't have any that 
aren't "fixed." I am angry to see these feral cats coming here into my 
area, some distance away from downtown, as they hunt, (despite now being 
well fed), spread fleas & fight with house pets. A vet comes from Ithaca 
to Wells College to spay, neuter & give shots for $40 ... funded in part 
by the Facebook "Go fund me" page. Last I knew the women had collected 
about $1200!!! These cats have no true shelter so come winter, once 
again, cats will have frostbitten limbs & ears, or will freeze to 
death.  And who will be able to catch & pay for cats that have other 
diseases or abscesses & other injuries from fighting?

Late getting this posted but for those who haven't been by Mill pond 
along Rte. 90 for a couple wks.. The Eagle Scout, perhaps with help from 
someone in the village, has erected a kiosk with a bit of history of the 
area along with very nice pictures of ducks & geese that have frequented 
the pond during migration. The only activity on/in the pond recently has 
been a GBH  (great blue heron.) I've seen no one sitting on the new 
benches the scoutput along the pond.

On Factory pond, Becky saw a new set of "woodie" woodlets following 
their mom last wk. but I didn't see any yesterday. The first set of 
"woodlets" are almost full size now. These are the first wood ducks to 
raise young there in quite some time that I know of. Becky & I have seen 
some very large fish in the pond & suspect someone put their catch of 
carp in the pond, maybe thinking they would clean up the scum on the 
surface.  I complained to the village public works supervisor about how 
disgusting Factory pond looks with the mung all over it & the beaver 
fallen trees in the water.  Waste of breath!That's the news from 
Union Springs. I'm grateful for a cloudy day today.

Fritzie



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[cayugabirds-l] East Rd. Purple martins?????

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

The Mennonite couple who lived in the house that burnt on East Rd. put 
up a Purple martin house several years before they moved away about two 
yrs. ago. The box had been occupied by martins almost from the time the 
box was put up & I saw martins there last yr.. I don't recall anyone 
ever having posted to the list about seeing martins. I didn't just 
because I didn't have the time.  Last I knew, the box was still there, 
out by the garage. This is just a heads up for others to keep an eye out 
for martins & not "just swallows."


Becky & I missed the stilt yesterday at Know-Marcellus but found more 
new osprey nests & the starts of 3 others on our travels. We saw 5 
ospreys on poles north of the Van Dyne Spoor Rd. platform which we think 
are the parents & 3 offspring.


After you cross the RR tracks, just past Wright Rd., an unmarked road 
bears off to the left from Van Dyne Spoor & a new kiosk has been placed 
there but no information is yet on it.  That road parallels VDS Rd. & at 
the end are 2 newly placed picnic tables, a pit grill & a lovely nature 
mural  has been painted on the old  bridge abutment. From that spot you 
can look north & see the Morgan Rd. facility. Hope I'm not turned around 
on directions : N, E, S, W The woods are close along the road & seem 
to be very birdy. I chose to not drive beyond the picnic area, esp. 
since that area had had enough rain Mon. night to make puddles so I 
suggest the road beyond be walked. We did see "No Trespassing" signs in 
the woods. Becky heard a lot of birds singing in the woods.


For those looking for food, pizza, salads, ice cream, drinks, pit stop, 
gasoline, etc. a new Byrne Dairy has opened in Magee on the corner of 
Rtes. 318 & 414. We had very good "subs" made of bread .. sub rolls 
aren't used. Food & prices were better than the Day & Night gas station 
on 5 & 20 at Rte. 90 east of the refuge entrance.


Fritzie

Union Springs.





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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Stilt

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

You aren't alone there!  And you left the apostrophe ('s) off else. 
So .. why try? We all knew what you meant!


Chuckled to see your post. Our neighbor is also Judy Wright but she's 
handicapped so WE KNOW she can't go birding.


Fritzie . Union Springs

On 6/22/2016 1:40 PM, Judith Wright wrote:
In my posting yesterday evening I accidentally called the 
"black-necked stilt" a “black-necked stint”.
I can proof read anyone else work but it takes days for me to see my 
mistakes


Judy Wright
Baldwinsville. NY




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[cayugabirds-l] Tree swallow male replaced

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

This past Mon., 6th,  John realized the male tree swallow hadn't been 
"standing guard" on the weather vane on our clothesline post. Since the 
neighbor's long, strong, male Siamese type cat had gotten the first 
male, I have to feel the cat also got the 2nd male which had been very 
chatty with me as had been the female since he & she had set up 
housekeeping & accepted my white feathers for their nest.


On Tues., right on schedule, 5 babies hatched at 12 days. With rain & a 
nasty, chilly wind blowing, Mom seemingly was hard pressed to know 
whether to stay "inside" & keep babies warm or go out to try to find 
bugs. Same on Wed. while I kept praying a single female might be in the 
area as I reached in to pet mom & be certain babies were still there. 
Thurs. a.m. ~ ~~  an answer to prayer ~ ~ ~  I saw a 2nd swallow fly to 
the box & enter as the one inside exited. Since then the comings & 
goings have continued. Tomorrow I will check on the no. of babies & 
their growth.


While this is the 1st time I've had an obvious female replace a lost 
male it is not the 1st time I have seen a 2nd female help parents raise 
a brood.


Since the neighbor cat constantly lurks nearby, often let outside before 
daybreak, Wed. evening I took some 4 ft. high garden fencing & made a 
wide enclosure around the bottom of the clothesline pole. Thus far it 
has thwarted the cat & at the same time, encouraged the bluebirds to be 
more enthusiastic about checking out the birdbox on the opposite end of 
the clothesline arm. They also are defensive against the ever watchful, 
destructive male house sparrows.


Daughter, Becky, was working in the garden yesterday a.m. & spotted a 
pr. of brown thrashers feeding a youngster on the ground. We've been 
thrilled to have the thrashers coming to eat bird seed along our back 
sidewalk about 20' from the door. I laughed one day to see a thrasher 
grab hold of  the tail of a male house sparrow & pull as the sparrow 
tried to escape.


On Factory St. pond here in Union springs, NY, I saw no wood duck adults 
on Fri. but did see 2 ducklings swimming in the mung on the water. Hard 
to say whether the other 5 babies were caught by a turtle or a great 
blue heron. Most people, even birders, are unaware that GBHs find 
ducklings easy pickings.


A green heron was on the Mill pond last evening along with a GBH. Thurs. 
Becky & I found yet another new nest start for an osprey along Rte. 90 
south of Union Springs on a pole  almost across from Kings Corners Rd..


She was able to see the Garganey duck at Knox-Marcellus last evening but 
it swam out of view before I got to the scope. Mark Miller was there & 
also got to see the duck. Tomorrow is my 83rd BD so maybe I should try 
again for the Garganey. Belated BD wishes to Donna Scott who got to see 
it yesterday on her BD.


A (?) swan was on a muskrat mound at May's Pool with several cygnets. 
Also saw wood duck moms with babies. Didn't look for the red-headed 
woodpeckers as we ran out of light.


Fritzie



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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Observation

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Hm, Carol,

I've wondered the last 2 or 3  yrs. why narrow strips of bark have been 
peeled from a cedar tree. Didn't look like where a deer
had rubbed its antlers on the tree yrs. ago. I noticed the missing bark 
when I went to get thin strips of bark for our son when he
was here teaching some people survival techniques including how to start 
fires. Thanks for the heads up!


Fritzie in Union Springs, NY

On 5/9/2016 7:16 AM, Carol Keeler wrote:

 A starling was peeling bark off my River Birch. I assume it was for 
nesting material. I've watched birds gather many nesting materials but 
never peeling bark.



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[cayugabirds-l] Cormorants on Frontenac Island ... dozens!!!

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

At 11 a.m. I was quite dismayed to see many, many, many dozens of 
cormorants in the trees, on the rocks & in the waters of Frontenac 
Island in Cayuga Lake here at Union Springs. :-(:-(   The Bass 
tournament will take place here 23-24 June if the cormorants leave any 
fish! This is the first yr. I have ever seen them FILLING the trees on 
the island. Hopefully they will move on.

I'm presuming the scout who put the benches & cut out a path along the 
south side of Mill pond is the one who, a couple wks. ago, put up 3 duck 
boxes a few ft. from the path along the pond edge & not far from the 
benches. They are not adequately safe-guarded from predators. Another 
duck box has been put on a post along the south side of the path. I saw 
at least one bluebird box attached to a tree, with no predator shield.  
This was done by the scout seeking to get his Eagle Scout ranking & 
whose mother told me they knew nothing about birds.  Give them credit 
for wanting to do a good deed & following through with structures that 
look good. We'll have to wait a yr. to see if anything other than 
starlings build in the boxes. Stay tuned!

Several pairs of Buffleheads continue on Mill pond along with a Redhead 
& a Ring-necked pair.

Why is it the feral & neighborhood cats (from 2 & 3 blocks away) don't 
ever seem to catch any of the several doz. house sparrows? Yesterday I 
destroyed 5 of the 6 sparrow eggs in one of 6 bird boxes.

Fritzie

Union Springs



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[cayugabirds-l] Mating turkey vultures

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

This morning atop a tall chimney on the Union Springs Academy campus, I 
observed a pair of copulating turkey vultures.


This is late but last Wed. a.m., (13th)  a golden eagle came flying 
right over our house. Had very good binocular views of all sides of the 
bird with the sun showing highlights.


Yesterday afternoon, Becky & I went out checking osprey nests around 
MNWR areas. We found 2 new nests on back roads between Port Byron & 
Montezuma.   As light began to fade she saw a new nest on a high tension 
power pole NE of Rte. 5 & 20 near Rte. 90. We stopped. Saw another nest. 
Thinking about roads in the areas to the north we went searching for the 
side road that would get us closer to the power poles. We hit paydirt. 
Found another nest. Went then to the next side road & parked under the 
power lines focusing on poles to the east & saw 3 nests in a row. As I 
looked up to the west, right beside me next to the road was a pole with 
a nest on it.


Becky keeps a list of all the nests we have found & whether they are 
occupied. Two yrs. ago when I decided to count nests between Union 
Springs & the refuge that I knew about I had only 17 nests. A few days 
later Becky & I found 6 more. Since then, with Candace Cornell eagerly 
on the trail we now have over 80 known nests!!! Not all are occupied, 
perhaps for various reasons such as birds may not have survived 
migration, but their nos. are climbing.


Fritzie
Union Springs


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[cayugabirds-l] Turkey vultures: Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

At 9:30 this a.m at least 24 TVs were in the field between Spring St. & 
Seminary St.  with wings
outstretched, facing the sun. They stayed for nearly an hour with one at 
a time eventually taking
off. I have seen them circling around the tall evergreens immediately 
west of where they sat &
wondered if they might be roosting there instead of down in the swamp 
behind the high school.


Factory St. pond has been hosting 3 to 5 prs. of wood ducks. Several 
buffle heads continue on Mill.


I have birdhouse holes covered to keep out house sparrows until I see 
bluebirds & tree swallows.


Daughter Becky, has been out checking osprey nests & finding a lot of 
them occupied & several new
NYSEG installed risers on utility poles. During our warm spell early 
last mo. a  man on Kozy Kove Rd.
put up a very tall pole with nice "regulation size" platform with a 
perch pole & "seeded" it with sticks.


Fritzie Blizzard

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[cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Osprey

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

I saw no osprey in Cayuga nor did I see any in my travels today. A lady 
walking the Seneca Trail along the river took a picture of a male 
hovering above the platform (seen from the bridge on Rte. 5 & 20, just 
E. of MNWR entrance) & showed it to the lady at the desk. MNWR main 
drive will open on 1 April.


The bald eagle on the Mud Lock nest was moving around, maybe turning her 
eggs. An adult eagle was in a tree on Frontenac Island west of Union 
Springs. Maybe someday the trees there will grow large enough for an 
eagle to safely build a nest.


Many pintail ducks remain in the flooded field along Carncross Rd.. Nice 
to see May's  pool is flooded. Lots of muskrat houses will provide 
nesting sites for Canadas & ducks & maybe the rats will keep the 
cat-tail growth in check so birders can have better viewing.


Fritzie

Union Springs

On 3/19/2016 11:28 AM, Diane Morton wrote:
A perched osprey perched in a tree above the lake, village of 
Cayuga. Seen from rte 90 NW of blinking light.






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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs 12/28/15

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

_Mill pond_ finally has feathers on it!

Redheads & Gadwalls ... at least 50 each
Green-winged teal  1 pair
Am. wigeon .. 2 pair
Bufflehead  10-12
Canada geese ... 12 +-
Mallards . 12 +-

_Factory St_. pond

Gadwall . one lonely pair.

_Overhead_, at home on east edge of the village:

Snow geese . 1,000 minimum ... heading south
Canadas .. 50+- ... going out to feed

Have had bluebirds, titmice, juncos, nuthatch, red-tail hawk, harrier,
red-bellied, downy & hairy woodpeckers, house & goldfinches,
A. robins, far too many house sparrows, 100s of crows & starlings,
night crawlers, flies & a honeybee.

Cold weather has finally set in so maybe things will be back to normal.
I scavenged a tossed C'mas tree, put it by a feeder on the clothesline
arm that birds have ignored & within about 15 min. a goldfinch was at
the feeder. Proof that birds prefer having "shelter" nearby.

Happy New Year, everyone. May your blessings be many.

Fritzie Blizzard

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[cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese and a magical moment in the sun

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

And I saw hundreds heading south this afternoon about 3 p.m. just east 
of our house on the east edge of Union Springs village. These were the 
1st I've seen this _FALL_ ... ha, ha ... tomorrow is _WINTER_!

Fritzie

On 12/20/2015 7:08 PM, Sandy Wold wrote:
> Today, I found myself very fortunate to be looking up just as a 
> glorious flock of Snow Geese flying high, so high I could not hear 
> them, and flying southbound. Hundreds of geese glistened and sparkled 
> like jewels in the bright sun.  I savored this sight for less than two 
> minutes, until their angle of reflection changed. About 200-300 
> individuals danced through the sky in a loose but connected formation 
> of V's and v's which rippled about but stayed connected.  It was 
> nothing less than spectacular! Seen from Cascadilla Gorge, Fall Creek 
> this morning around 8:30AM.
> --


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[cayugabirds-l] Turkey Vulture with white wings

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Good to know. Thanks, Ann. I've been wondering if anyone had seen it as 
I haven't seen any posts this yr..


Fritzie


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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Stewart Park birds, plus OT comments

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Brief & to the point but I agree with Linda Tuyn. I wish I could write 
as well as has Dave.


Fritzie Blizzard.

On 11/19/2015 8:50 PM, Linda K Tuyn wrote:

I appreciate all the information you have posted, and find it eloquently 
stated.



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[cayugabirds-l] New Roots Cayuga wetland project

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

When I first saw Dave Nutter's post about what the charter school 
teacher/students had in mind I was going to write almost what Phillip 
Bonn has written. All one has to do is look at May's pool to see how 
fast an area is overgrown & ruined by cattails. Think how quickly the 
Main pool has filled back in after the muskrats had all but wiped out 
cattails (on the surface) several yrs. ago. Now Tschache is showing 
signs of its invasiveness. I'm also noticing that Phragmites are being 
allowed to grow on the refuge.

Too many people get "ideas" that "sound good" but are anything BUT! To 
get them off their backs, those in authority who should know better, 
cave in  This is an issue, an idea, that needs more thought & more 
resistance from all of us birders.

Fritzie



On 11/10/2015 8:07 PM, Phillip Bonn wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I usually don’t reply to posts but this one really caught my attention.
>
> Cattails are highly invasive and spread by underground runners as well 
> as by seed. They can and will grow in areas you don’t want them and 
> create monocultures…not good for a wetlands project.
>
> I suggest that they plant something more beneficial to wildlife; 
> Arrowhead is a good choice, ducks love eating the roots, pickerel weed 
> is another good choice as are bulrushes or sedges. All these are low 
> growing emergent plants that supply vegetative cover and food.
>
> The Plantsman has some sedges/rushes they could purchase or check with 
> the Lab of O, see what they have planted in the pond, maybe they would 
> be willing to give them some root stock.
>
> Ask a wildlife biologist for input on what to plant other than 
> cattails, they might as well plant Phragmities!
>
> Anything but cattails!
>
>


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[cayugabirds-l] Knox-Marcellus Sandhills & East Road house fire

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Around the drive at MNWR were many people looking for the mystery 
"cinnamon" teal. No one we talked to had seen it. Frogs  & turtles were 
out enjoying the warm day. Becky helped a painted turtle across the 
road. A crow captured a leopard frog & flew away with it. We saw more 
frogs on the road across from Larue's & more crows watching for them. 
Love the harriers & juvenile bald eagles.


Has anyone noticed that what may be a new pool is being dug in the field 
toward the Thruway north from Eaton Marsh between Benning & the river? 
That is probably where the dirt is coming from to make the raised area 
across from the Thruway fence.


Today Becky & I saw no fewer than 43 sandhill cranes continuing at 
Knox-Marcellus. Time was short so we couldn't stay long.


What was of importance to us was the remains of the lone house on East 
Rd., once owned by my distant Mennonite cousin. It burnt to the ground 
either Fri. night or sometime Sat.. It was still smouldering this 
afternoon & we could feel the heat from it. Becky & I had been by it at 
almost dark on Fri. evening & saw voluminous clouds of black smoke 
coming from the chimney, something I'd never seen in all the yrs. I'd 
been by there or when I'd stopped to visit Janelle. The house was heated 
by a wood furnace in the basement.


We saw Jackie Bakker & Larue St.Clair at the entrance to the refuge but 
they had no news nor had they been by the house. The nearest fire dept. 
is in Montezuma village. Such a sad loss. Just wanted fellow birders to 
know when & what as that gray house has been a marker for a number of yrs..


Yesterday on Mill pond, we had many mallards, several prs. of buffles & 
2 female woodies. Today 2 teachers  had at least 20 middle school youths 
at the gazebo, looking at the buffle-heads.


Fritzie B.


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[cayugabirds-l] Union Springs Mill Pond .. 1st Buffleheads

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky, reported seeing 7 buffleheads  on her way home from 
work this afternoon. She is by the pond everyday & these are the first 
she's seen. Only thing I've seen has been mallards.


This was a bird filled day here today as I was working in the garden. 
Nothing spectacular but nice!
Many crows ... gleaning in the 100 acres of freshly mowed field. 
Probably finding lots of dead mice.

Cedar waxwings
Starlings
FOY House finches
Bluebirds again checking out their boxes
Robin
Downy
Canadas
Ring-billed gulls
Sharp-shinned hawk
Red-tailed hawk
Mourning doves
Chipping & House sparrows
Blue jays

Fritzie B.
Union Springs

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[cayugabirds-l] Meena's report re: TVs migrating

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter, Becky & I went to Upper Saranac Lake on Thurs.. North of 
Oswego on Rte. 3, for at least 20 mi. we saw perhaps 200 TVs migrating 
on either side of the road. We didn't try to count but neither of us had 
ever seen so many. The sky seemed to be full, far as we looked. We saw 
none at Derby Hill, though. Saw only a few RB gulls there. Wind was 
fierce from the north all day.

The Adirondacks  was rather devoid of feathers ... a few crows, juncos & 
blue jays but only one each of loon, song sparrow, bald eagle & ring 
neck duck. Not one TV. Tree color was mostly green &  nowhere near peak 
color except as we traveled between Speculator & Hinckley Reservoir 
yesterday on our way home. If I hadn't seen a recent post about how LOW 
the water is there, I would have been shocked beyond what I was. 
Hinckley has always been a favorite stopping spot for us. No more. The 
beauty is only a memory. Sad that the waters have been drawn down so 
far. We usually could depend on seeing loons there. Saw only a lone, 
scrawny RB gull.

Here at home this evening, bluebirds & a downy were checking out my bird 
boxes. They both roost in the boxes in fall & winter. Today we saw 2 
flocks of Canadas flying very high, heading north!!

Fritzie,
Union Springs

On 10/4/2015 3:12 PM, Meena Madhav Haribal wrote:
> So far 34


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[cayugabirds-l] Mill pond path ... Union Springs

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Today I walked along the new "path" along the south side of Mill pond. 
Needless to say, it left me feeling angry that the scout's mother, who 
admitted to me that she knew next to nothing about birds & their needs, 
pushed through their (her) agenda of making the path, DESPITE all the 
letters you caring, knowledgeable birders wrote. Letters that were 
polite, filled with suggests & reasons why the path should not be there.

This was a mother pushing her shy son into something she thought he/they 
could do so he could become an Eagle Scout. I understand ...  it's hard 
to find projects that would earn a merit badge. (The roofless, gazebo 
with no seats was one.)

  I don't know who on the village board gave the final approval or if 
liability has been considered. I do know that the former mayor who 
recently resigned, was ready to give immediate approval at that 1st 
meeting after only the _barest_ of plans were presented. Indeed, there 
were no _real_ plans presented at the meeting I attended. It was _just a 
proposal_ with the boy to give more thorough plans at a future date as 
to what part the village would play & what the boy was to do. Oh, & he 
proposed erecting a sign about the birds that stop there.

So folks, today I did a slow boil as I walked the rough path which still 
needs a LOT of clearing, leveling, digging out stumps & putting in wood 
chips. The path is as close as 5' from the water (with no bushes to hide 
walkers) & as far as 20'. Beware, in places there is poison ivy 
underfoot & along the path. A beaver has dropped a tree into the water. 
I was happy to see a catbird in bushes between me & the water. ALL the 
ducks were at the NE area of the pond. Not unusual but what will it be 
like when the pond is full? Futile question.

Thank you all who tried, as did I, to keep the pond edge & the pond as a 
safe haven & home for "our" birds.

Fritzie    24 yrs. here, loving & enjoying the birds of Union Springs.



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[cayugabirds-l] Willet

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

Daughter Becky  I saw the Willet at Larue's late Friday afternoon. 
Several other birders were there looking at it but I didn't have time to 
find out who they were.


We enjoyed the beauty of the 20 Caspian terns at Eaton Marsh where we 
also saw 2 great egrets  several common gallinule preening at the edge 
of the reeds.


Fritzie Blizzard
Union Springs

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