Last Sunday Lee Ann van Leer and I did a breeding season Basin big day. I really enjoyed the June Counts we did back in the day; this area is a wonderful mix of breeding species from south and north. My goal was to help Lee Ann see more than 100 species in one day, and we easily exceeded that expectation. We finished the day with 123 species for both of us (I detected 2 more).
Most of the expected species were where they were supposed to be, although we missed a few (Prothonotary, Acadian). We picked up a few where we didn't expect them (Hooded and Black-and-white warblers at Ford Hill), and a couple of stake-outs paid off (Vesper Sparrow on Morgan Rd, Clay-colored on King Rd, Virginia Rail at Montezuma shorebird flats). Although we got a few migrant shorebirds I didn't have the weekend before, we missed the Ruff, probably because of a passing thunderstorm. Highlights were too numerous to mention, but baby grebes, coots, and gallinules on Van Dyne Spoor and an evening serenade by multiple Upland Sandpipers at the Farm Days fair grounds stand out. This is a great part of the world, and there are lots of birds out there. Don't wait for migration to get out and enjoy it! Kevin -- 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/ --
