Cayugabirders, Some highlights of birding today (with Jay McGowan, Meena Haribal, and numerous others!) around Montezuma NWR and Savannah included: -Sandhill Crane - 11 including 8 at Van Dyne Spoor Rd.; 1 very small crane presumed G. c. canadensis (Lesser Sandhill Crane) photographed -American Golden-Plover - 7+ juveniles (others had 12) at Rt. 89/ 31, Savannah Mucklands -Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - 1 HY/ first cycle at Van Dyne Spoor Rd. seen well numerous times on wires and in fields south of the road -Northern Shrike - adult at Van Dyne Spoor Rd., Savannah (this along with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and a Northern Mockingbird made for an interesting hat-trick of slim, gray and white passerines) -Nelson's Sparrow - 2 at Martens Tract, Savannah
I think the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a first cycle (HY) bird because of the apparent lack of emarginations in the outer primary on each wing (p10). Sex of HY Scissor-tails is hard to determine and is probably best left as unknown in this case, though the specific thin, pointed shape of the p10s (see diagram in Pyle 1997) as well as the relatively long tail for an immature suggest that the bird might be a male. Some photos of the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bonxie88/ Also, there were many whispers floating around today of a Hudsonian Godwit seen on Van Dyne Spoor Rd. earlier today - details would be appreciated. Cheers, Tom -- Thomas Brodie Johnson Ithaca, NY [email protected] mobile: 717.991.5727 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
