The Cornell compost facility on Stevenson Road has been pretty dull since the shutdown. It's always slow this time of year anyway, but the near absence of students, and apparently changed processing of dorm food (take out not composted?) has meant that it's been slim pickings for crows and gulls. All they seem to be finding are eggs and the odd dead pheasant.
I check the compost every weekend anyway, looking for tagged crows. Saturday I had an adult SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER along the second drainage pond, in with at least 10 Killdeer. The past few weeks I have been having 6 Killdeer (2 parents and 4 locally produced juveniles) and a Spotted Sandpiper (didn't see yesterday). You can check my eBird checklist for some crude photos of the Semipalmated: https://ebird.org/atlasny/checklist/S71603590. Apparently John Garrett and Tom Schulenberg had a LEAST SANDPIPER in the same place today. John's checklist, https://ebird.org/atlasny/checklist/S71629148, contains 2 photos that are clearly not the same bird I saw Saturday. Leg color, bill shape, and markings on the chest and back differ significantly. It's always a surprise to remember that shorebird migration is already in swing here in July. The two sandpipers at the compost this weekend were kind of ragged adults. One presumes their nesting attempts up on the tundra failed, and it was time to get going south. So be on the lookout. The only reliable place for shorebirds at the south end of the lake is Myers Point. But watch for shorebirds on any patch of mud, pond, or puddle. Best, 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/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/ --
