>From 8:20-8:30pm this evening (21 Aug) I was by the mouth of Treman Marina >gazing across Cayuga Inlet at our 2 local roosting Great Egrets. The sedentary >one was on it's usual perch. The active one moved among 5 different perches >during the darkening 10 minutes I watched. When I left it was on the more >northerly of its 2 favorite roosting perch atop a small tree quite separate >from the other egret. How does it decide between the 2 perches it regularly >uses? How did the other decide on its single perch?
--Dave Nutter Ithaca, NY On Aug 20, 2011, at 10:34 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: > Sorry about that - the message got sent before it was finished. Consider > this interval while I finish writing to be like waiting for the egrets... > At 7:31pm I spotted the first Great Egret, but perhaps because I was only > armed with binoculars, it was only a minute away from landing. I first saw > it about lined up with East Shore Park against the hillside about halfway > between the lake and the sky. It flew south, then followed the Stewart Park > shoreline toward us, veering a bit north as it rounded the Swan Pond, and as > soon as it got to Cayuga Inlet it flew south to the perch occupied last night > by, I believe, the same bird. That was the earlier one taking off which > disappeared from my view for awhile because it took a more southerly route. > This bird stayed put at least until we left, also characteristic of the > earlier occupant of that perch. At 7:43 I spotted the second Great Egret > flying toward us, initially seen in about the same direction, but it flew in > a more direct path over the lake, then took a perch a few feet below its > comrade. As we walked around the marina I saw this lower bird fly to its > alternate perch, a low tree to the north. But by the time we had gotten back > to the Inlet it was back again at the perch it first came to this evening and > that it used last night. I wonder if they also have distinct feeding habits > or other personality traits to distinguish them if I were to see them > elsewhere during the day. > > --Dave Nutter > Ithaca, NY > > On Aug 20, 2011, at 10:01 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: > >> At 7pm this evening (Saturday 20 August) Laurie and I settled in on a bench >> north of the mouth of Treman Marina to await the arrival of our egrets. >> Judging by how long they took to disappear from view after taking off in the >> morning I figured I might have 6 minutes of lead time to see where they came >> from. >> >> --Dave Nutter >> Ithaca, NY >> >> On Aug 20, 2011, at 1:10 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Back at dawn today, Saturday 20 August, I found the 2 Great Egrets perched >>> near each other in the same tree as I left them. At 6:20am the first took >>> flight, and judging by perch choice it was the same one that flew first >>> yesterday without me seeing it. It flew north, then turned sharply east >>> just past Jetty Woods such that it was hidden from my view by 6:21am. I >>> thought (temporarily, it turns out) that perhaps it was headed for Stewart >>> Park or Fuertes Sanctuary. I immediately looked back to the roost tree and >>> found it devoid of egrets - no 15 minute delay between take-offs today! >>> Fortunately I saw the second egret in flight before it reached the end of >>> Jetty Woods, and I was able to follow it through my scope as it veered >>> northeast (a bit more northerly than yesterday) and flew steadily toward >>> the treeline atop the edge of the valley. As it cleared those trees I saw >>> that it was joined by the other egret, who must have taken a less direct >>> route, and they headed east together about where NYS 13 cuts through by the >>> Cayuga Heights exit. Again, I wonder where they go for they day to feed - >>> the Lab of O? Fall Creek's middle reaches? some fortunate farmer's pond? >>> And I'm intrigued that they return faithfully to Jetty Woods to roost, >>> sometimes to a particular branch. Perhaps they are attracted by the >>> Double-crested Cormorants who fly conspicuously around the area and have >>> established a successful and comfortable roosting site. >>> >>> --Dave Nutter >>> Ithaca, NY >>> >>> On Aug 19, 2011, at 10:12 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Today (Friday 19 August) I checked out the Ithaca egret roost in the >>>> morning and in the evening. During a dawn lull in work I stopped by >>>> Treman Marina and saw the 2 GREAT EGRETS in their separate trees a few >>>> minutes after 6am as I had left them Thursday night. Unfortunately I got >>>> distracted and did not see when one of them flew off around 6:10am. That >>>> one had been more actively stretching. I was hoping to see where they >>>> went. The second, more lethargic, bird eventually stretched more, and at >>>> 6:23am it suddenly took flight to the north. When it got to the white >>>> lighthouse jetty it turned toward East Shore Park, flapping continuously >>>> and slowly gaining altitude. Then it circled several times for more >>>> altitude and continued east over the treetops of Cayuga Heights and out of >>>> sight at 6:29am. I wonder if it went all the way to George Road or Dryden >>>> Lake. >>>> >>>> This evening both Great Egrets were back. At one point they occupied the >>>> same perches in separate trees as the previous night, but this evening >>>> there was more interaction and one of them (presumably the second to fly >>>> this morning, considering its perch preference) moved back and forth, >>>> landing near the other, returning to its previous perch (perhaps told to >>>> leave), then eventually settling down near the other bird. So tonight >>>> when I left they were just a few feet apart in the same tree. >>>> >>>> Other birds included an adult BALD EAGLE flying north over the lake. This >>>> morning I also stopped by Stewart Park and saw a/the adult Bald Eagle >>>> perched on the snag opposite the boathouse. I was able to see leg bands, >>>> blue on its left leg and silver on its right. I know I photographed an >>>> eagle with these color bands years ago on ice at Stewart Park, and when I >>>> get access to those photos I will check whether they were on the same legs >>>> and whether it was the adult or the juvenile with the bands. >>>> >>>> Continuing from this evening, I counted at least 80 DOUBLE-CRESTED >>>> CORMORANTS in the trees near the egrets. Two GREAT BLUE HERONS were also >>>> nearby. A GREEN HERON flew past over the inlet then turned east at the >>>> south edge of Jetty Woods. A GREAT HORNED OWL flew from around the north >>>> part of Jetty Woods westbound over the inlet and into the trees north of >>>> the marina. There were 13 CASPIAN TERNS discernible on the submerged red >>>> lighthouse breakwater from my vantage south of the marina boating >>>> entrance. There was also at least one BELTED KINGFISHER & BARN SWALLOW, >>>> lots of MALLARDS & RING-BILLED GULLS, a couple of GREAT BLACK-BACKED >>>> GULLS, and a few CANADA GEESE. >>>> >>>> --Dave Nutter >>>> >>>> >>>> On Aug 18, 2011, at 06:55 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> This evening (Thursday 18 August) the two Great Egrets were clearly >>>>> identifiable with binoculars at 8:30pm in the same two trees as before. >>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 13, 2011, at 07:48 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> This evening (13 August) I took a walk along Cayuga Inlet by Cass Park >>>>>> to Treman Marina. Although it was fairly dark by 9pm when I was >>>>>> opposite Jetty Woods, with binoculars I was able to discern what I >>>>>> believe were probably (the) 2 GREAT EGRETS roosting in separate trees. >>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 06, 2011, at 06:35 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Two GREAT EGRETS were roosting in the same spot on the edge of Jetty >>>>>>> Woods next to Cayuga Inlet this evening, 6 August. Also seen on this >>>>>>> evening's canoe-paddle all the way around the red lighthouse: 3 GREAT >>>>>>> BLUE HERONS, 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS, 2 PURPLE MARTINS, 3 SPOTTED >>>>>>> SANDPIPERS, 32 CASPIAN TERNS, 41 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, 3 WOOD >>>>>>> DUCKS, 6 COMMON MERGANSERS, 2 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, 1 HERRING GULL, >>>>>>> plenty of RING-BILLED GULLS, MALLARDS AND CANADA GEESE, one or more >>>>>>> BARN SWALLOWS, 2 AMERICAN ROBINS, and 1 MOURNING DOVE. Also heard were >>>>>>> 1 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and 2 SONG SPARROWS. >>>>>>> We did not see any fireflies in our yard this evening On August 1 we >>>>>>> only saw 1 firefly, but a few weeks ago it was spectacular. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 02, 2011, at 06:55 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The Great Egret is roosting in the same place this evening, 2 August. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Aug 1, 2011, at 9:56 PM, Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>> > On this evening's (1 Aug) canoe-paddle on Cayuga Inlet Laurie and I >>>>>>>> > saw a Great Egret atop a small tree on the edge of Jetty Woods. A >>>>>>>> > Great Blue Heron stood on a log below, and 17 Double-crested >>>>>>>> > Cormorants rested on dead trees or soared nearby. A Belted >>>>>>>> > Kingfisher and a couple of Caspian Tern families flew past. When we >>>>>>>> > got home an Eastern Screech-Owl was calling from the edge of our >>>>>>>> > yard. >>>>>>>> > --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>> > Ithaca, NY >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>> >>>>> Rules and Information >>>>> >>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>> >>>>> Archives: >>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>> >>>>> Surfbirds >>>>> >>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>> >>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>> -- >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>> Welcome and Basics >>>> Rules and Information >>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>> Archives: >>>> The Mail Archive >>>> Surfbirds >>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>> -- >> -- >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> Welcome and Basics >> Rules and Information >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> Archives: >> The Mail Archive >> Surfbirds >> BirdingOnThe.Net >> Please submit your observations to eBird! >> -- -- 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/ --
