[cayugabirds-l] East Shore Surf Scoter
Hi all, I stopped late yesterday at East Shore Boathouse. Along with the few thousand REDHEADS was one distant SURF SCOTER and an A. WIGEON closer to shore. Maybe the Scoter was one of the ones seen at Myers earlier this week. I didn't see any white-winged Gulls among the hundreds of mostly Herring Gulls. Gary -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] East Shore yesterday, Stewart Park today
I paused yesterday at East Shore Park just after noon and saw a female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER out to the northwest. This morning at 8:41 a male WHITE-WINGED SCOTER flew south to Stewart Park to join the COMMON GOLDENEYES and all 5 AYTHYA swimming, resting, and feeding near the ice edge. Also present were a few MALLARDS, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, and at least one each of adult TUNDRA SWAN, male BUFFLEHEAD, and female RUDDY DUCK. Further out were COMMON MERGANSERS, and of course there were some CANADA GEESE on and off shore, including the HYBRID domestic Greylag. I did not pick out any unusual gulls, just the usual 3 species. A RED-TAILED HAWK perched in a snag across from the Cascadilla boathouse. A single SONG SPARROW foraged on the driveway of the boathouse near the ramps. CAROLINA WRENS countersang from Renwick Sanctuary and Jetty Woods. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD sang from trees below noisy EUROPEAN STARLINGS. HOUSE SPARROWS and ROCK PIGEONS were also present. A WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH clung to the base of a tree. Several BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were high in Renwick Sanctuary. A few AMERICAN CROWS were noisy there for awhile. The presumed male GREAT HORNED OWL clung to the upper part of the opening of the tree cavity, and using a scope from just the correct distance and angle I was able to discern the top of the face of the presumed female very low in back on the right. I think the cavity must have been rotted or excavated much deeper this year. --Dave Nutter
[cayugabirds-l] Eastern Phoebe
Hi All, I took a walk today with my dog and I saw an Easter Phoebe on the Charlie Major Nature Trail in Skaneateles. It was at the 2nd bridge coming in from the Franklin Rd. entrance. There were also a large flock of Cedar Waxwings, a Brown Creeper, Cardinals and Chickadees singing, Goldfinch, Robins, American Crows,and some that got away as the light faded. Nice place for birding if you haven't been there. Diana Whiting -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Lake Ridge Road and Aurora
10:00 AM this morning Meg and I checked out the Horned Larks on Lake Ridge road just short of the Triangle Diner. Some were right up by the road and provided good photographing. Mixed in were Crows, Rock Doves, Starlings and a few Snow Buntings. Moving on to the bluff overlooking the bay at Aurora. There is still a large raft ( several hundred) of Redheads with Coots, Common Goldeneyes, and Mallards mixed in and about. Carl Steckler -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Singing today.....
Today's singers in the backyard include Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, and (very briefly) Dark-eyed Junco. House Finches were chirruping away merrily when I came out of the Lab of O mid-morning. Yesterday there were several male Horned Larks singing from the snow-covered fields along Center Road. Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Roosting cedar waxwings
I have never given much thought to what birds do at night, except for owls. Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in our kitchen counting our feeder birds, when something caught my eye. I looked at a 35' black walnut tree standing by itself in the yard about 40' from the house, and saw a couple CEDAR WAXWINGS in what I thought was an odd posture. Looking carefully, I counted 14 total. The oddity was that this didn't look like the typical waxwing flock high in a tree. The birds were somewhat scattered and appeared to have been stuffed into branch crotches. Several were perched on twigs, but only in a spot where their backs were against a limb surface or another twig. Susie remarked next morning that they looked like they had been jammed into these places. The other odd thing was their total immobility. I first noticed them at 1630 and I watched them carefully until 1800 and could detect no movement, not even eye movement, using the scope. At 1735, a jet went over low, but the birds didn't flinch. It was as if they had entered a cataleptic state. At 1800, I went out to the base of the tree to put down food for our yard bunny; no change in any of the birds' posture. Observations with binos at 1815, 2300 (strong moonlight), then 0200, 0450, 0545 this morning revealed absolutely no posture changes. Other birds (doves, crows, sparrows) were flying about the yard from 0630 onward, but made no impression. Susie and I continued to watch these frozen birds until 0700, when one suddenly stretched a wing and a leg, and within 15 seconds all were stretching and moving a bit. Susie grabbed the newspaper and noted that the official sunrise today was at 0700 (overcast here). Coincidence? At 0701, 24 more CEDAR WAXWINGS flew into the tree from the east. The flock now assumed a normal appearance (that is, what I would expect a flock of this size to look like perched high in a bare tree). All now began preening. An AMER. CROW flew into the tree a few minutes later and they left, not returning. I think they are a migrant group, as we have seen no waxwings in the area since last Dec. The catalepsy would certainly be of benefit to birds sleeping in the open, as any movement might be detected by an owl. Steve Fast Brooktondale -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Summerhill Today
I walked Salt road from the snowmobile shack to Dresser Rd and back this morning. Very quiet. Only a few chickadees, Blue Jays, and a Red- breasted Nuthatch. However, I did have a fly-over Red Crosbill near the car . This is the second time I have heard a REDCRO in approximately the same location, many days apart. Again, this bird flew from SE to NW as though headed in the direction of Lick/Hoag Rd junction (white spruces??). Bob McGuire -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Wood Duck, Mute Swan, White-winged Scoter
Tim Lenz and I did a little birding off Stewart Park at lunch, highlights were male Wood Duck, male White-winged Scoter and a pair of Mute Swans. Full eBird list below. Canada Goose - Branta canadensis 200 Mute Swan - Cygnus olor 2 **Rare; along western ice edge near the Tundra Swans Tundra Swan - Cygnus columbianus 20 Wood Duck - Aix sponsa 1 **Early; a pulchritudinous male with the Aythya raft along the east ice edge American Wigeon - Anas americana 1 American Black Duck - Anas rubripes 3 Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 40 Canvasback - Aythya valisineria 800 Redhead - Aythya americana 900 Greater Scaup - Aythya marila 25 Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis 50 Greater/Lesser Scaup - Aythya marila/affinis 50 White-winged Scoter - Melanitta fusca 1 Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola 3 Common Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula 50 Common Merganser - Mergus merganser 10 Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis 50 Herring Gull (American) - Larus argentatus smithsonianus 120 Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus 40 Rock Pigeon - Columba livia 1 American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 10 Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 1 singing -- Jeff Gerbracht Lead Application Developer Neotropical Birds, Breeding Bird Atlas, eBird Cornell Lab of Ornithology 607-254-2117 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Tundra Swan, Dryden Lake
A quick check of the open north corner of Dryden Lake a moment ago yielded a single Tundra Swan, always a good bird for Dryden. Jay McGowan Dryden, NY -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Gull ID help, please
This afternoon I found a black legged gull mixed in with the Herring, Ring-billed, and (2) Great Black-backed Gulls on Van Cleef Lake in Seneca Falls. The sizable flock was as close to the village side shore as I've seen them recently so good binocular looks. Again, black legged, black eyed, no eye ring noticed, same size or a touch smaller that the Ring-billed, no white seen on primaries, faint hood, yellow bill with black end. Could not find a match with any aged dark legged gull(esp. bill). Poor pic quality but hopefully you can see the faint hood and the bill coloration. https://picasaweb.google.com/fishwatchers/VanCleefLakeBlackLeggedGull?authkey=Gv1sRgCInLp-y63Or3qwEfeat=directlink Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. Dave -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] question
Hi Alicia and Dave, That's interesting. I guess the idea occurred to me when I saw the other one sitting by the female. I don't get to watch them for extended periods of time so I am curious. Thanks, Diana On Feb 17, 2011, at 7:34 PM, Alicia Plotkin wrote: Hi, I haven't been up to watch the eagles in 15 yrs or more, but lived in Seneca Falls from 1985-1995 and during much of that time the only eagles that successfully fledging young were The Trio, two males and a female. I was told by the man who observed the nest that only one of the males bred with the female, and that in fact there was some courtship behavior between the two males but not between the 'other' male and the female. All three participated in feeding the young but the 'other' male played the smallest role. The three birds in the trio did not seem to be related - the two males had been banded as fledglings and their background was known - and it wasn't clear why they went on as a trio year after year, but they did successfully fledge many young and I heard they continued to do so after we moved away. Don't know if the eagles you saw are some of the same birds - I guess eagles can live to be 30 yrs or more, but I think it was back in 1987 that the trio first fledged young, and they would certainly be getting close to 30 now. Best - Alicia On 2/17/2011 6:59 PM, joe Diana wrote: Hi All, I watched the Eagles on Armatage Road last weekend and got a good close up one of them mating. While observing them, I noticed the third bird in the distance not too far away form the pair I photographed. I later saw the odd bird fly and sit next to the female near the nest. Believe me, It was hard, but I was keeping track. What I wonder is if this bird may reap some fringe benefits from helping the mated pair' like I've read about some other species that spread their genes in this manner. http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Birds-of-Prey/13273665_xTBkm#1190296947_6qd6X The other question is, whether there was just Hoary Redpolls at Beaver Lake or was there some Greater Redpolls in there for further confusion? Joe Brin was kind enough to point out the differences which were easier to see when they were on the feeder together. When I got home, and looked at the website with all the variations, I was confused again. Here are some photos for the experts. It really is a good place to view them in the comfort of the nature center with some good company. http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Passerines/12959449_nvru5#1190605876_FARJC http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Passerines/12959449_nvru5#1190612461_T9yTK http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Passerines/12959449_nvru5#1190620272_Epfmh http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Passerines/12959449_nvru5#1190635861_Rqasd Diana Whiting -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.872 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3450 - Release Date: 02/17/11 14:34:00 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re:[cayugabirds-l] cayugabirds-l digest: February 16, 2011
Upstate NY Birding digest cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu wrote: CAYUGABIRDS-L Digest for Wednesday, February 16, 2011. 1. snow buntings 2. merlin yesterday near Cornell compost 3. picking out longspurs -- Subject: snow buntings From: Linda Post Van Buskirk l...@cornell.edu Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:55:00 -0500 X-Message-Number: 1 Could you please change my email address to jas...@gmail.com Thank you Judy Abrams Nice large flock on Lake Ridge Road, just north of the county line, near the machine shed. About 8:15 am. I would appreciate advice on how to pick out longspurs. Linda P. Van Buskirk, Ph.D. Sr. Lecturer in Communication Cornell University Ithaca, New York 607-255-2161; fax 607-254-1322 -- Subject: merlin yesterday near Cornell compost From: Andrew Myers atmy...@syr.edu Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 20:18:31 -0500 X-Message-Number: 2 Hi all, Sorry this is a little late. I saw a merlin on a telephone pole yesterday on the north side of Stevenson Rd just west of the intersection with Turkey Hill. It turned its head 180 degrees to check me out and then flew north along the hedgerow. Cheers! Andrew Myers -- Subject: picking out longspurs From: Dave Nutter nutter.d...@me.com Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:42:51 + X-Message-Number: 3 Linda raised a really good question: How to pick out Longspurs? I've done this a few times, and I'll share my ideas, but I think others' insights might be helpful, too. First of all, forget the name. You'll hardly see the feet, let alone the hind toe, and the chances of seeing the long claw on it seem remote to me. At least I haven't yet. Lapland Longspurs tend to crouch, keep low to the ground and favor low spots as they forage, so although they may be with Snow Buntings and Horned Larks, it's a good idea to watch them a long time if there's any terrain at all for a longspur to hide in or behind - clumps of dirt, tractor ruts, etc Check out every bird and movement. Lapland Longspurs are smaller and shorter tailed than Snow Buntings and Horned Larks which is useful in flight as well as on the ground. Another clue in flight is they lack the white wing patches of the Snow Buntings. Among foraging birds, Lapland Longspurs are stripier above than Horned Larks. Longspurs have a short thick bill like Snow Buntings, but are browner and more sparrow-like. Their color is sparrow-like stripes above (gray/black, brownish, whitish), but I wouldn't worry too much about the chestnut wingpatch or nape - I haven't found them to be prominent. The tan side of the face with darkish gray line or spots surrounging the earpatch seems useful, as are the streaked flanks which are expanded into a smudge of dark gray at the side of the top of the breast. I've only once seen them in breeding plumage, and that was in May, so expect winter plumage. I've seen them the same places as and among Snow Buntings Horned Larks: low winter fields of weeds or corn stubble, usually with snow, often with manure or sometimes on a bare roadside getting salt or grit or seeds. In Tompkins County we're fortunate to find an individual or two in a minority of the flocks. From what I've read on Geneseebirds-L they get larger numbers and sometimes pure flocks farther north and west in NYS. The mucklands south of NYS 31 west of the village of Montezuma can be a good spot for Lapland Longspurs, along with Snow Buntings, Horned Larks, Savannah Sparrows, and American Pipits. The last time I saw Lapland Longspurs there were 2 in a relatively small flock of probably fewer than 20 total of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks. I first saw the flock crowded on the road edge, and I wasn't sure whether I was seeing each bird clearly enough through binoculars, so when they flew 30 yards off into the adjacent field I got the scope out and looked carefully. It was only in the scope that I saw the Lapland Longspurs. So they can be easy to overlook. It's really good if you enjoy looking at Horned Larks and Snow Buntings. --Dave Nutter On Feb 16, 2011, at 06:55 AM, Linda Post Van Buskirk l...@cornell.edu wrote: Nice large flock on Lake Ridge Road, just north of the county line, near the machine shed. About 8:15 am. I would appreciate advice on how to pick out longspurs. Linda P. Van Buskirk, Ph.D. Sr. Lecturer in Communication Cornell University Ithaca, New York 607-255-2161; fax 607-254-1322 --- END OF DIGEST -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2)
