2/8/16 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) & Route 421 (St. Lawrence Co.)
Late this morning, I found a newly killed male Red Crossbill (still warm) in Route 30 near the end of Sabattis Road in Long Lake. I've observed a pair gritting at this spot several times and it was disturbing to find the male dead. On Sabattis Circle Road I found a flock of at least 7 Red Crossbills - gritting, foraging, males fighting, and I observed two females collecting nest materials. The females collected lichens and what appeared to be sticky spider web material from a broken off tree trunk. It was interesting to see the females on the tree trunk together as they collected nest material. There were at least 5 Gray Jays at Sabattis Bog. I took a quick drive down Route 421 (toward Horseshoe Lake) and found several Pine Siskins gritting in the road. The Bog River Falls was raging and there was a lot of open water on Tupper Lake. On my drive out I spotted a foraging Common Raven behind a snowbank at the end of a trail. Another raven perched over it at the top of a tall Red Spruce. Behind the snowbank I found a dead Coyote. I believe it had been shot - yet another disturbing sight. 2/7/16 Long Lake and Spring Pond Bog (Franklin Co.) I drove Sabattis Circle Road before a meeting in Tupper Lake. I heard calling Red Crossbills fly over my car at the Little Tupper Lake inlet. At Sabattis Bog, there were 4 Gray Jays and a female Black-backed Woodpecker in a tree that appears to be a favorite (I find them in this tree a lot). Pat & John Thaxton and I visited the Spring Pond Bog complex for about an hour in mid-afternoon. We found a pair of gritting Red Crossbills at the beginning of the drive in. The road conditions after the caretaker's gate were icy - there was a thin layer of snow over ice. The road had been plowed at some point, but not salted or sanded. I would not have gone in without 4-wheel drive. As we drove in, a grouse flew right toward my windshield with a Northern Goshawk in pursuit! Our car appeared to interfere with the chase and the goshawk broke off into the forest. We are sure the grouse was happy about our timing! We took a walk in the Kildare direction and found at least 2 Boreal Chickadees with nice views of one. 2/5/16 Long Lake I found 2 Red Crossbills gritting in Sabattis Circle Road with 2 Pine Siskins. I also found 4 Gray Jays at the bog and 2 Ruffed Grouse together - one displaying. On my drive home, I spotted 2 Red Crossbills along Route 30. I stopped and found the male singing away with a female nearby. After a while, I heard another calling Red Crossbill approaching. The male started to make unusual sounds that I'd never heard before. It pointed its head straight up with its bill wide open as a second male flew into its territory - I had my camera on the male and got a photo of this behavior (on my Facebook page below). I observed all 3 birds for another half hour and the males fought on and off the whole time. I could tell them apart since their upper mandibles crossed in different directions! They spent a lot of time gritting in the highway - this was harrowing to watch since people drive along at 65 mph. 2/4/16 Long Lake I found a displaying Ruffed Grouse in Sabattis Circle Road with 3 other Ruffed Grouse nearby! 2/3/16 Long Lake I found a pair of Red Crossbills along Sabattis Circle Road. I ran into Jack Delehanty (from Tupper Lake) at Sabattis Bog and we watched 6 Gray Jays. I am often asked about his mother Charlcie from people around the state - Jack said she is now in her 90s and still watching birds! 2/2/16 Long Lake It was nice to meet Zach Schwartz-Weinstein (from Albany) at Sabattis Bog. We were both headed to other places, but we lingered talking, and it was good thing because at least 2 calling White-winged Crossbills made a circle toward the bog (from the direction of Bog Stream where I suspect they are nesting - it is private property) just as we were about to leave. It had been 8 days since I'd heard them, so it was nice to know they are still near the bog. We also heard a couple of Red Crossbills calling and observed 6 Gray Jays. A Black-backed Woodpecker called and we also heard Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers. Purple Finches and Pine Siskins were also found. 1/28/16 Long Lake I heard a bird hit our glass door (not hard) and when I went to the door to look out, I came face to face with a Northern Shrike perched on top of a bird feeder! I took a couple photos of the shrike as it perched in a tree along our lawn, but it flew off after a feeder bird - a relentless pursuit and they disappeared behind a huge White Pine so I didn't see the outcome. Joan Collins President, NYS Ornithological Association Editor, New York Birders Long Lake, NY (315) 244-7127 cell (518) 624-5528 home http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/ http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian -- 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/ --
