Several Cayugabirders and I joined Lyn Jacobs and a throng of Eaton Birding Society members on Saturday morning at the VanRiper Conservation Area, a 68-acre Finger Lakes Land Trust preserve established in 2011 on the lake in Romulus. We found an impressive variety of birds, including a mix of warblers to rival the variety at much larger sanctuaries like Lindsay-Parsons or Sapsucker Woods – HOODED, MOURNING, BAY-BREASTED, PRAIRIE, MAGNOLIA, BLACKBURNIAN, BLACKPOLL, CHESTNUT-SIDED, TENNESSEE, BLUE-WINGED, NORTHERN PARULA, AMERICAN REDSTART, and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. From among these, despite much effort, most of us managed to see only Common Yellowthroat and Bay-breasted Warbler (at least 2 males and 1 female in hardwoods high above North Cayuga Lake Road). Not surprisingly, the Tennessee Warblers were especially vexing – very loud and right nearby in several spots, but stubbornly, defiantly invisible. I was extremely surprised not even to hear any Yellow Warblers or Ovenbirds.
Still, who could complain about “merely” hearing 11 of 13 warbler species along these beautiful trails and back roads? And where else around here could you find all those warblers (with Hooded and Prairie breeding, I think) and six RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS too, all at one public site? Probably nowhere -- only at VanRiper and the adjacent 13-acre Whitlock Nature Preserve (also owned by the Land Trust). After the group walk, Kathy Strickland and I went to MNWR. We were hoping to see Red-Headed Woodpecker along Mays Point Road and maybe a bittern along the Wildlife Drive. We missed both, but we did enjoy the shorebirds and ducks in the Main Pool. We also heard a VIRGINIA RAIL calling near Benning Marsh. Mark Chao Running Spring Bird Quest (SBQ) totals: 99 bird species, 43+ donors SBQ reports and photos: http://www.fllt.org/spring-bird-quest-blog-by-mark-chao/ -- 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/ --
