We also saw an Eurasian Wigeon in Knox Marcellus. There were many Green-winged Teal feeding on the mud flats, and for a second there my heart got excited with the possibility of large flock of large sandpipers, but, sad to say, no such luck.
John ________________________________________ From: bounce-119116854-25065...@list.cornell.edu <bounce-119116854-25065...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of bob mcguire <bmcgu...@clarityconnect.com> Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2015 5:49 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Montezuma Thursday John Confer and I spent the morning helping out with the Refuge’s marsh bird survey. Our route covered the south end of the Main Pool and on west into Black Lake. We drove north on the dike directly across from the Visitor’s Center, parked opposite the Center and saw immediately that we were in for a slog. We donned chest waders, took the canoe off the top of the car, and set out to pull it a couple hundred yards west through the fallen cattails. Along the way we heard the first of two MARSH WRENs for the day and flushed a pair of SANDHILL CRANES that may well be setting up a nest. That, of course, would be great for all the visitors because their calls will be heard easily from the viewing deck. It was another slog through fallen cattails to our next point where, in addition to responses from several VIRGINIA RAILS we heard our only SORA of the day. Shortly after that we came out onto open water (4 - 6” deep!) and were able to paddle to our remaining three points. All in all we encountered 6 Virginia Rails and two AMERICAN BITTERNs. Other than that, a couple of American Coots, numerous Swamp Sparrows, and eagles and ospreys flying over. The south end of the Main Pool was surprisingly quiet. No Least Bitterns yet. The Refuge is draining the Main Pool for the season at a couple of inches per day so it is questionable whether or not we will be able to conduct the next two required surveys (two weeks apart). Nevertheless, it was great to be out there: warm temps, no wind, and clear blue skies. We checked Knox-Marsellus Marsh on the way home. There were at least 20 Bald Eagles but only one shorebird (Greater Yellowlegs) on all of the exposed mud, and hundreds of ducks, mostly teal and shovelers. Finally down Rt 90 near the Aurora Shoe Company, an EASTERN KINGBIRD flew up from the ditch to a overhead wire. 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/ -- -- 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/ --
