Hi Birders and Naturalists of Tompkins and Broome, I want to let everyone know the unsurprising news that a (lovely, young adult) crow in Ithaca/Cayuga Heights found 12 days ago was positive for WNV. So yes, trying not to get bitten by mosquitoes is a good strategy.
Also remember that the mosquito species most likely to pass on WNV to birds and people is *Culex pipiens* (or closely related *C. restuans*), the "house mosquito" that breeds readily in low yucky warm water in your flower pot bases and forgotten bird baths. You can have your bird bath and still fend off reproducing mosquito females. Just keep the water fresh and freshly changed, and C. pipiens doesn't do so well! Wigglers (larvae) are pretty easy to see--that's when to dump, wash out, and refill, if not before. Apologies for a slow alert. I meant to send this out last week--was reminded by a WSKG report about WNVpositive mosquito pools in NY. (Go, WSKG!) Best wishes for a downdraft today! Anne -- (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".") Cayugabirds-L List Info: NortheastBirding_DOT_com/CayugabirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/CayugabirdsRULES_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm ARCHIVES: 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/cayugabirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) aba_DOT_org/birding-news/ Please submit your observations to eBird: ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ --
