[nysbirds-l] Today's Shorebird Walk Montezuma NWR Knox-Marcellus Marsh Aug 12, 2017

[David Nicosia]

We had a dozen people this morning and walked the dike between
Knox-Marcellus Marsh and Puddler's Marsh. Water levels are fairly high
still and the best shorebird habitat is interspersed between quite a bit of
vegetation.  Viewing was often difficult but occasionally we would get some
decent looks. There was a PEREGRINE FALCON terrorized the birds most of the
time we were there from around 7 am to 1130 am . This made for lots of
shorebirds and others in flight which was neat.  The waders were most
impressive with large numbers of GREAT EGRETS and nearly as many GREAT BLUE
HERONS all on the north side of K-M Marsh initially. As we walked down
toward the dike initially, Jay McGowan spotting a smaller white heron which
turned out to be a juvenile SNOWY EGRET. The bird gave us decent scope
views and photos but only hung around for about 30 minutes or so and then
flew south over the tree line. There were also decent number of
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS adults and juveniles. Additionally lots of
waterfowl. We did have at least 3 SANDHILL CRANES (probably more). I also
got lucky and got a short glimpse of a SORA that quickly went back into the
reeds. Unfortunately, I don't believe anyone else got on this elusive bird,

As for songbirda, there was a fair amount of flyover BOBOLINKs, at least 2
INDIGO BUNTINGS, SWAMP SPARROW, MARSH WREN and CEDAR WAXWINGS among others.
Some of us did get a look at a MERLIN in the woods on the way back to the
cars near the end of the outing.

Shorebirds were in decent numbers but again hard to see. We saw many flying
around . Species found were   PECTORAL SANDPIPERs , SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERs, LEAST SANDPIPERs, 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, many SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS, groups of juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. We got good looks at
the "tiger stripe" pattern on the tertials of these birds.  There were also
a lot of KILLDEER around with both species of yellowlegs.  A few of us
heard a SOLITARY SANDPIPER but it was not seen. This gave us 10 species of
shorebirds for this outing.  I accidentally selected a DUNLIN from my ebird
app which was an error. So the initial checklist sent out to the Seneca
County ebird rare bird alert for the snowy egret was in error with the
DUNLIN. I corrected this. I totaled 63 species, but as a group this number
likely is higher.

Thanks to all who came along and a big thanks to Montezuma NWR for allowing
these shorebird walks in the fall migration season!!!

My ebird list for this outing can be found here (along with photos of the
Snowy Egret): http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/email?subID=S38603820


Dave Nicosia

--

NYSbirds-L List Info:
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm

ARCHIVES:
1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html
2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L
3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01

Please submit your observations to eBird:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

--

[nysbirds-l] Today's Shorebird Walk Montezuma NWR Knox-Marcellus Marsh Aug 12, 2017

[David Nicosia]

We had a dozen people this morning and walked the dike between
Knox-Marcellus Marsh and Puddler's Marsh. Water levels are fairly high
still and the best shorebird habitat is interspersed between quite a bit of
vegetation.  Viewing was often difficult but occasionally we would get some
decent looks. There was a PEREGRINE FALCON terrorized the birds most of the
time we were there from around 7 am to 1130 am . This made for lots of
shorebirds and others in flight which was neat.  The waders were most
impressive with large numbers of GREAT EGRETS and nearly as many GREAT BLUE
HERONS all on the north side of K-M Marsh initially. As we walked down
toward the dike initially, Jay McGowan spotting a smaller white heron which
turned out to be a juvenile SNOWY EGRET. The bird gave us decent scope
views and photos but only hung around for about 30 minutes or so and then
flew south over the tree line. There were also decent number of
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS adults and juveniles. Additionally lots of
waterfowl. We did have at least 3 SANDHILL CRANES (probably more). I also
got lucky and got a short glimpse of a SORA that quickly went back into the
reeds. Unfortunately, I don't believe anyone else got on this elusive bird,

As for songbirda, there was a fair amount of flyover BOBOLINKs, at least 2
INDIGO BUNTINGS, SWAMP SPARROW, MARSH WREN and CEDAR WAXWINGS among others.
Some of us did get a look at a MERLIN in the woods on the way back to the
cars near the end of the outing.

Shorebirds were in decent numbers but again hard to see. We saw many flying
around . Species found were   PECTORAL SANDPIPERs , SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERs, LEAST SANDPIPERs, 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, many SEMIPALMATED
PLOVERS, groups of juvenile SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. We got good looks at
the "tiger stripe" pattern on the tertials of these birds.  There were also
a lot of KILLDEER around with both species of yellowlegs.  A few of us
heard a SOLITARY SANDPIPER but it was not seen. This gave us 10 species of
shorebirds for this outing.  I accidentally selected a DUNLIN from my ebird
app which was an error. So the initial checklist sent out to the Seneca
County ebird rare bird alert for the snowy egret was in error with the
DUNLIN. I corrected this. I totaled 63 species, but as a group this number
likely is higher.

Thanks to all who came along and a big thanks to Montezuma NWR for allowing
these shorebird walks in the fall migration season!!!

My ebird list for this outing can be found here (along with photos of the
Snowy Egret): http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/email?subID=S38603820


Dave Nicosia

--

NYSbirds-L List Info:
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm

ARCHIVES:
1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html
2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L
3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01

Please submit your observations to eBird:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/

--