I drove up the lake today hoping that, with the recent southerly flow of air, there would be some new guys around. And there were.
Large numbers of Tree Swallows were swarming over the pool at the refuge visitor’s center along with 20 Purple Martins, a few Barn Swallows and a lone BANK SWALLOW. The only shorebirds there were two GREATER YELLOWLEGS. I picked out two COMMON GALLINULES along the drive and my FOY SPOTTED SANDPIPER at Benning Marsh. A House Wren was singing continually at the beginning of Towpath Road, but I could find no Night-Herons. Carncross Road held the jackpot. Well hidden in the corn stubble were some 20 Greater and one LESSER YELLOWLEGS as well as 2 DUNLIN and 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. Three SANDHILL CRANES flew over and landed closer to Martin’s Tract, so I headed over there. From the dike to the south I was abel to call in a VIRGINIA RAIL, and then a second VIRRAI responded from deep in the reeds. Finally, there was a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON stalking prey at the back side of the pond, seen from the overlook. On the way back south, I drove through the Lott Farm (with permission from Mrs Lott: 315 568 9501). Passing by Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, and Horned Larks, I found a single UPLAND SANDPIPER in the short (for now) grass at the far north end of the property. Back to Rt 89, I came across the lingering flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls just north of the Varick town line. 100 or so birds, but no Little Gull that I could find. Bob McGuire -- 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/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
