I was about to text to the list about the RED-THROATED LOON still being off East Shore Park
this morning when I got Jessie Barry's RBA about the King Eider at Sheldrake, and suddenly
my news seemed less important. But perhaps my cumulative observations today are worth sharing.
Birds at Stewart Park today included 34 REDHEADS, 1 female CANVASBACK, 1 non-breeding male
LESSER SCAUP, 30 BUFFLEHEADS, 1 male & 6 female HOODED MERGANSERS, 1 male COMMON
MERGANSER, a pair of distant GADWALL, 1 resting immature DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
and a few scattered (but intact) AMERICAN COOTS.
Other random observations today included the 7:50am emergence from the abandoned
Ithaca Gun smokestack of a couple dozen CHIMNEY S...TARLINGS. I didn't know Starlings
could or would perch in there. I frequently see a Red-tailed Hawk atop that stack, perhaps a
dangerous place for a songbird to roost.
Later in the morning I saw an immature SHARP-SHINNED HAWK scatter all but one HOUSE
SPARROW from some small bushes along the sidewalk of Stewart Avenue. After I dropped off
my passenger I returned a mere 12 minutes later and found the hawk and its prey were gone
and the other House Sparrows had returned to their inadequate shelter in those thin shrubs.
Finally, on my way walking home from work I heard (despite traffic noise) an
EASTERN SCREECH-OWL calling from a yard on Spencer Road.
--Dave Nutter
this morning when I got Jessie Barry's RBA about the King Eider at Sheldrake, and suddenly
my news seemed less important. But perhaps my cumulative observations today are worth sharing.
Birds at Stewart Park today included 34 REDHEADS, 1 female CANVASBACK, 1 non-breeding male
LESSER SCAUP, 30 BUFFLEHEADS, 1 male & 6 female HOODED MERGANSERS, 1 male COMMON
MERGANSER, a pair of distant GADWALL, 1 resting immature DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
and a few scattered (but intact) AMERICAN COOTS.
Other random observations today included the 7:50am emergence from the abandoned
Ithaca Gun smokestack of a couple dozen CHIMNEY S...TARLINGS. I didn't know Starlings
could or would perch in there. I frequently see a Red-tailed Hawk atop that stack, perhaps a
dangerous place for a songbird to roost.
Later in the morning I saw an immature SHARP-SHINNED HAWK scatter all but one HOUSE
SPARROW from some small bushes along the sidewalk of Stewart Avenue. After I dropped off
my passenger I returned a mere 12 minutes later and found the hawk and its prey were gone
and the other House Sparrows had returned to their inadequate shelter in those thin shrubs.
Finally, on my way walking home from work I heard (despite traffic noise) an
EASTERN SCREECH-OWL calling from a yard on Spencer Road.
--Dave Nutter
