I was among a bunch* of birders who went to Sheldrake looking for waterfowl and upland Ovid looking for field birds this afternoon. (*The others were Paul Anderson, Wes Blauvelt, Susan Danskin, Gary Kohlenberg, Bob McGuire, Ann Mitchell, and Judy Thoroughman.) We were successful in both cases, and found what I think are the first for the basin this year of NORTHERN PINTAIL and AMERICAN PIPIT, one of each along CR-153 in Sheldrake (Town of Ovid). In the fields around CR-129 and Center Road we found numerous HORNED LARKS & SNOW BUNTINGS, but did not find the Lapland Longspur nor the Snowy Owl which Marty Schlabach found yesterday. Some folks then headed back to Ithaca, while the rest of us checked sites where I had seen Snowy Owl earlier this winter. Aunkst Rd and the Finger Lakes Regional Airport were disappointing, but we finally refound the SNOWY OWL on Kuneytown Rd off Seybolt Rd in Fayette. At first it was inconspicuous, just another white lump along a strip of weeds in a snowy field, but we all had good scope views, though we were getting cold. Most of us were buckled up and about to leave when Wes noticed it had shifted position (it had been facing the stiff wind). As we glanced back we saw it take flight with deep powerful wingbeats. It crossed the road behind us, playing an owl trick on us as we all failed to turn our heads far enough to follow it, then perched atop a power pole in full sunlight with yellow eyes glowing. This was a tundra bird trick, forcing us to get outside again to admire it more and get even better photos. Lots of year-birds all around.
--Dave Nutter
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