Yesterday, I discovered the Catbird when I was walking by myself up Wilkins Rd, having parked in the Racker Center parking lot, after having dropped off Mary Jean and Phil at the rt. 96 end. The spot was just west of the Racker Center mowed field, where brambles and scrubby growth begin. I saw the Catbird briefly, perhaps 10-15 seconds. It was low in a thicket of multiflora rose and I found it by scanning with my binos. I hadn't heard a vocalization nor had I seen movement, just came across it while scanning. And I only saw the back half of it. It was moving a bit, bobbing its tail, which I interpreted as attempts to pick off rosehips. So, what I saw was the all gray color, and the occasional glimpse of the rusty color under the tail. When Mary Jean and Phil met me, we all tried to get another look, but weren't that fortunate, even with a lot of spishing and squeaking. At one point we thought we heard a catbird call, following a redbelly churring. But we didn't hear it again and we had to move on, since this was our first stop of the day.
About mid-day today, we went back to see if we could all get to see the Catbird. We spent about a half hour, again spishing and squeaking, and this time with a very weak iPod recording of a catbird singing. At one point we again thought we heard a catbird call, this time repeated. But, it wouldn't show itself. Finally, Phil started toward the car, as I kept looking. A bird popped up about 30-40 yards in from the road. I put my binos on it, and hollered "I got it". It was up and fully in view for probably 30 or 40 seconds. Phil and I both got good looks and Mary Jean caught a glimpse. Definitely a Gray Catbird. Best, Marty Schlabach Mary Jean Welser Phil Welser ====================================== Marty Schlabach m...@cornell.edu 8407 Powell Rd. home 607-532-3467 Interlaken, NY 14847 cell 315-521-4315 ====================================== -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
