Main highlight was an interesting dabbling duck at the Visitor Center pool. The bird appeared entirely rufous from its undertail coverts (and possibly its tail), throughout the underparts, belly, breast, neck and head. The back below the nape and wings were a more typically-colored brown speckled with white. Bill was black, legs dark, about the size of a Mallard or slightly smaller. I took the bird to be a Pintail based on size, dark legs, neck & head shape, but am not entirely familiar with this plumage condition so have posted 4 bad photos at the link below.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22183060@N08/sets/72157627239741283/ Other highlights: Visitor's Center: 1 Black-bellied Plover (first I've seen this fall) and 1 Stilt Sandpiper Benning Marsh: 1 Lesser Yellowlegs (first shorebird I've seen there but it should be getting more soon) Wildlife Dr: 1 Great Egret Mays Pt: Shorebirds much as previously summarized in Larue & Jackie's survey from several days ago. One breeding-plumaged Bonaparte's Gull flying around. 59 Great Egrets. Along with Benning and Visitor Center, it should take over if K-M or Puddler goes completely dry. Puddler: Got there after sunset with not enough light for a meaningful survey. 2 Great Egrets. Scanning at low power didn't reveal anything obviously new. Dave W. Oswego County NY Montezuma NWR--Visitor Center, Seneca, US-NY Aug 4, 2011 5:15 PM - 6:45 PM Protocol: Stationary 19 species Mallard 8 Blue-winged Teal 1 or possibly 3 Northern Pintail 1 very rufous underparts including undertail coverts, belly, breast, and head/neck; more typical back and wing coloration, dark bill, dark legs, skinny neck; juvenile bird molting? hybrid? Great Blue Heron 1 Osprey 1 Black-bellied Plover 1 Semipalmated Plover 2 Killdeer X Spotted Sandpiper 1 Greater Yellowlegs 6 Lesser Yellowlegs X Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 10 Pectoral Sandpiper 5 Stilt Sandpiper 1 Wilson's Snipe 1 Ring-billed Gull 25 Caspian Tern 15 Black Tern 2 Montezuma NWR--Auto Loop, Seneca, US-NY Aug 4, 2011 7:00 PM - 7:30 PM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) 4 species Great Egret 1 Killdeer 1 Greater Yellowlegs 8 Lesser Yellowlegs 8 Montezuma NWR--Benning Marsh, Seneca, US-NY Aug 4, 2011 7:30 PM - 7:40 PM Protocol: Stationary 5 species Canada Goose X Wood Duck X Mallard X Great Blue Heron X Lesser Yellowlegs 1 Montezuma NWR--Mays Point Pool, Seneca, US-NY Aug 4, 2011 7:50 PM - 8:00 PM Protocol: Stationary Comments: Not enough light when I was there 12 species Great Blue Heron X Great Egret 59 no wing tags seen; birds all over the pool Sandhill Crane 2 Semipalmated Plover 4 Killdeer X Greater Yellowlegs X Lesser Yellowlegs X Semipalmated Sandpiper X Least Sandpiper X Pectoral Sandpiper 1 Short-billed Dowitcher 1 Bonaparte's Gull 1 full hood Montezuma NWR--Puddler Marsh, Seneca, US-NY Aug 4, 2011 8:30 PM - 8:50 PM Protocol: Traveling 0.5 mile(s) Comments: Incomplete and quick due to fading light; too close to dusk to use high powers on scope 15 species Canada Goose X Great Blue Heron X Great Egret 2 Killdeer X Spotted Sandpiper 1 Greater Yellowlegs X Lesser Yellowlegs X Semipalmated Sandpiper X Least Sandpiper X Pectoral Sandpiper X Stilt Sandpiper X Short-billed Dowitcher X Ring-billed Gull X Herring Gull 2 adults Caspian Tern X -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
