Yesterday (Sunday 30 Jan) Ann Mitchell, Bob McGuire & I went to Summerhill in the morning
hoping to see the Hoary Redpolls in the big flock of Common Redpols which Matt Young
reported on Lane E along Lake Como Rd. We met Jay McGowan there with similar hopes,
and although we saw a lot of COMMON REDPOLLS at times, which is quite fun, it was a very
challenging viewing situation, with birds flying between close spruce trees and behind the house
with the feeders. Although Ann said she briefly saw a light colored individual, none of the rest
of us saw any solid candidates. We also swung by the Hovel Chalet on our way there and back,
where there were impressive numbers of BLUE JAYS and lots of other species, but we did not find
any Evening Grosbeaks. However we did find a very cooperative and gratifying immature
NORTHERN SHRIKE atop the tallest twig of a tree on Eaton Rd.
Ann then had to go to work, but after dropping her off in Ithaca, Bob & I went clockwise around the lake.
One thing we noticed was TUNDRA SWANS seemingly scattered along all the shoreline. When we
got to the north end of the lake we saw solid birdless ice. There were no openings even at Mud Lock
or Harris Park. However near Mud Lock there were 5 TRUMPETER SWANS sitting on the ice. They
were not veryclose, yet they did not tolerate us using a scope and binoculars through the open window
of Bob's car. The 4 adults bobbed their heads then flew north through a heavy snowfall, making their loud
bleating call as they went. The single immature stayed sitting on the ice, neck vertical. I wonder where the
adults went and how long it was before they were reunited. The ice comes south well past Lower Lake Rd
on the west. We did not drive that road, as we saw people walking many places on the ice, but instead went
west to Van Cleef Lake That, too, was frozen solid and birdless. On the east, the ice comes past
Union Springs, as far south as Farley's Point In Union Springs we saw an Eastern Screech-Owl plugging
the hole of the box in the Factory Street Pond.
We did not see vultures yesterday, but early this afternoon (1220) I had a chance to drive by Burdick
Hill Road briefly. I wish I could've stayed longer. Instead of 14 Turkey Vultures and 1 Black Vulture
on the back row of fenceposts around the big yard on the north (as we saw on Saturday at 1030)
today there were 15 TURKEY VULTURES and zero Black Vulture, which I found very amusing as
there were no doubts about ID. The TVs were sunning themselves in various positions, facing toward
or away from the sun, some with spread wings, others closed. Turkey Vulture #15 arrived from the
north as I watched. Is there a carcass beyond the trees? Was the Black Vulture still feeding? By 4pm,
the next time I could check, they had all left, which is not surprising because the sun was low no longer
so attractive in that area.
This evening as I left work at 5pm it was still light, and none of the American Crows had yet returned
to their roost site of the past several days, the treetops along Spencer Rd north and south of the intersection
of Stone Quarry Rd. I walk under them in the darkness on my way to work. A possible reason there were
no crows around as I began my walk home was a PEREGRINE FALCON which came winging overhead,
circled once and disappeared over South Hill After the Peregrine left, a single AMERICAN CROW flew past.
--Dave Nutter
