About a dozen participants joined me for this morning's local walk for Cornell's Spring Field Ornithology course. We found a lot of birds (50 species). A few times, it was almost too much fun to process at once. Here are some highlights.
Sapsucker Woods (7 AM-10 AM) * Lingering AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS in the feeder garden, plus at least two singing their high, clear songs across Sapsucker Woods Road. We tried to enjoy these birds as if we wouldn't get many more chances to see them for a while. * An AMERICAN KESTREL attacking a RED-TAILED HAWK by Kip's Barn * One RUSTY BLACKBIRD seen singing in the low wet brush north of the Lab building, plus another heard singing near the Sherwood Platform * Two continuing GREAT EGRETS sporting long nuptial plumes, seen several times along the western and southern edges of the pond * A pair of WOOD DUCKS taking flight from high in the trees along the Wilson Trail South * About a dozen RING-NECKED DUCKS, plus BUFFLEHEADS, HOODED MERGANSERS, and a pair of Wood Ducks on the pond * One pair of CANADA GEESE and one pair of MALLARDS copulating on the water (or maybe I should say "in" -- the females were pushed completely under the surface) * Two singing PURPLE FINCHES along the Wilson Trail North, with one perching for long, illustrative scope views * At least four GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS at the Wilson/West intersection * One SHARP-SHINNED HAWK migrating north over the woods west of the pond * A few BROWN CREEPERS, including one very close by along the Podell Boardwalk Newman Golf Course (10:15-11 AM) * One adult and two bulky, down-clad GREAT HORNED OWLS on their nest * A second-year BALD EAGLE lowering its legs like landing gear while circling above an OSPREY, then descending to the water and pulling out a huge fish Mark Chao --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
