The RED CROSSBILLS reported here yesterday by Ken Fuestel and David La Magna earlier this morning were still present when I was there (7:45-9:30), in numbers at least as large and perhaps significantly greater than Ken noted. Airborne flock(s) containing as many as 35-40 birds were seen, and flocks of various sizes were moving about, splitting up, and coming together again, so an accurate total was not possible. I encountered the first flock of 8-9 birds in the cedars and small pines just east of the swimming pool. A larger flock was in the pines between parking fields 7 & 8 (both closed) and then the mayhem of moving flocks ensued. The bulk of the birds were last seen flying east toward the RC model airplane field, south of which there are also many pines in which they could feed. At least 2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS (both males) were mixed in with one feeding flock. Other notable birds were an adult Peregrine Falcon, immature Northern Harrier and many Red-breasted Nuthatches. Photos and video (mostly for audio of the calls) later at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jgluth_brb/
-- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
