[cayugabirds-l] 7 Horned Grebes @ STEW. PK.
7 Horned Grebes @ STEW. PK. 0730 h. Eastern side. STuart Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] George Pond
I think the William George Agency (a.k.a. George Junior Republic) owns not only the fields/pond in question, but also much of the length of the abandoned railroad bed in the area.Matt Young may know more about people to talk to or institutional policies, as I believe he once worked there.If the William George Agency is working with the Town of Dryden to open parts of the railroad bed to the public, they are to be commended, and they may be happy to know of the value to wildlife and birders of those fields being flooded. I hope we can find out whether allowing the beavers to remake their dam, or otherwise raising or controlling the water level, even seasonally as I think was the case a few years ago, is an option amenable to this private landowner. Maybe the Cayuga Bird Club would have a role here.If the railroad bed is to be open to the public, that could be great for viewing, as it is on the south side, closer to some of the most interesting habitat and with the sun from behind.It would be good if there were a couple of small openings in the brush along the north edge of the railroad bed - ideally even blinds - to look through. I certainly hope the brush/tree strip alongside the railroad bed is left otherwise intact, however, both as wildlife habitat and as a screen so wildlife is not generally disturbed by people or dogs and remains comfortable on the south side of the fields/pond. This may be an issue for the Town or whoever is designing and building the path. I also hope that there is signage to ask dog owners to keep dogs on leash to minimize disturbance to wildlife and people.Parking on Springhouse Road, even though it involves a walk, will be better in many ways than the current options: park on NYS-38 by the corral and walk or stand on the road shoulder alongside 55mph traffic; park on George Rd by field gates and stand on narrower road shoulder; park on or near the end of Hart Rd. The latter 2 options aren't great in terms of visibility to traffic coming over the rises. All of the current options are far enough away from the pond and wet areas as to almost require a scope.--Dave NutterOn Apr 09, 2012, at 10:15 PM, Linda Orkin wingmagi...@gmail.com wrote:Thanks Carl. Let us all know and if there is a role the Cayuga Bird Club can play in this I would like to have us step forward. I think this was here for longer than a couple of years though. Linda. Sent from my iPhone On Apr 9, 2012, at 9:41 PM, Carl Steckler c...@cornell.edu wrote: FYI the "George Pond" was never a declared wetland. It was and is private property owned by the William George agency. It became a pond a couple of years ago when during a very rainy season beavers built a dam on the creek and flooded the area. Last week the town of Dryden crews working on the walking trail, the old Lehigh Valley Railroad right of way, removed the beaver dam in order to repair a damaged drainage culvert which resulted in draining the pond. At this time it is unknown what is planned for the future. I plan on making an appointment with the Dryden Town Supervisor to inquire as to whether there are any plans and what they are. I will report what I find out. Carl Steckler "For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know" -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html'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/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html'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/ -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
[cayugabirds-l] Birds and sounds
Thinking about the pishing issue, I just remembered that in my days as an avid (pun intended) backpacker and working on the bird atlas, I always noticed how birds would be greatly attracted to the sound of the rushing gas my backpacking stove made while it was lit. So I always made sure my binocs and bird book were handy as I made my meal---I could often see 5 or 10 species in the process. I really noticed the difference on those occasions when I would use my alcohol stove, which made no noise---it didn't attract any birds. Don Timmons -- 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/ --faint_grain.jpg
Re:[cayugabirds-l] had birding ethics changed
I want to thank you all for your very considerate comments. I do believe that, in the final analysis, any resolution to a question of professional or personal ethics lies firmly with the individual. It is discussions such as this one that provide the grist for making the personal decision. Like others, I have used callers for education and to enhance research and continue to do so with our saw-whet project. Birding is undergoing an electronic revolution; that coupled with more people afield and easy availability of devices may cause us to at some point rethink the issue. Now, I think we've much covered it all and should table this discussion. The only point not raised is what effect would an electronic call have on the birders who are out of sight on the other side of whereever? If they could distinguish the call as a lure then perhaps it was being overused. John -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ Conserve and Create Habitat -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] playback
Unafraid to beat a dead horse...Yes, we use playback occasionally in SFO. Tonight, in fact, we will try to call in owls. Yes, this is the breeding season. This is educational, and it is concentrated into one evening for dozens of people to hear the results. I want to assure everyone that as far as I could tell, on the owling trip which I led last year NO OWLS were disturbed: We stood out in the chilly damp and heard no response. This is a good lesson. The year before, a Barred Owl did respond - by crapping on the head of the SFO field trip leader holding the speaker. This is also a good lesson. I don't think SFO students will go out and pester owls, but they will know about owl habitat, are more apt to protect it, are more apt to recognize owls they happen to hear, and they learn more about the species with whom we share the land.Yes, SFO sometimes uses playback to elicit rail responses Yes, this breeding season. We often combine field trip groups in order that as many students as possible can hear or see any responding rail, while the rail is only disturbed once that day. Some field groups did not participate, including mine this year. I have also been with DEC personnel doing playback during the breeding season to census several marsh species, including rails. They do this multiple times throughout the season, and it is likely the best way to tell if DEC is being successful at providing good habitat and the birds are doing well.I have been with friends using playback at other times. A recording of a screech-owl being mobbed by chickadees can help tell what birds are present, but would otherwise be silent and hidden. This is educational as well as useful for censusing. Using the call of an individual species, may be effective at bringing in a defensive male, but the responding bird may be visibly upset. I generally prefer to witness less disturbed bird behavior, and don't even pish much, as I find it ineffective at eliciting a view or vocalization.Finally I appreciate ALL the responses on the topic, those which quoted actual ABA guidelines, those which referenced studies, and those which recounted ornithological experience, but I also appreciated the dark poetic response. That one hurt, but I did not find it offensive, because I think it is largely true. I don't think it was irrational, either, when you look at, for instance, the national response to greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change, or the way humans keep eating away at natural habitats and only preserving or re-creating small parts. Despair and misanthropy are rational responses, but the problem is they aren't helpful, they tend not to help in seeking facts and solutions, and they make one miserable, so I try not to get caught in such an unhappy emotional trap. Speaking of traps, I know I am good at rationalizing, and I think this is a broad human trait to keep in mind in any passionate discussion. I also don't want to criticize primitive emotions because all of us are in this community - even the folks who do rigorous scientific ornithological work - because of an irrational love of birds. --Dave Nutter -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
[cayugabirds-l] OT: Eagle Owl in slo-mo
This is quite lovely. Carol http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/ -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] White-throated Sparrow
Hi All, I usually just have black oiled sunflower seeds in my feeders, but added a mixture of seeds to one of them this week. I had my first White-throated Sparrow this afternoon. Diana Whiting Diana Whiting dianawhitingphotography.com -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Wetlands classification and conservation
Hello all, Well, I don't post that often anymore, but I'll add a few comments about the George Rd Pond since a couple people remembered that I worked at the WGA as a Director for several years. However, I'd first like to thank Meena for her kind words regarding my passion for protecting local bird and rare plant habitat. It is truly a passion of mine as many of you know! As for the George Rd Pond, Carl S. really covers the salient points. It is, and has been, a complicated issue for 10+ years, and as I told one local birder recently, I didn't think it was a classified wetland for obvious reasons. I walked the pond a few years ago, and the needed vegetation for wetland classification were not presentat least for sizable portions of the pond. Also, remember what has made this a good stopover is the fact it's private property that cannot be hunted. When I worked at WGA I did have a couple conversations with higher up administration about the importance of the pond to the local birding community. The Beavers moved into this site somewhere between 1998-2001 I believe, so yes, it's been there for a good 10+ years at this point. Trust me, the loss of one the best birding hotspots in Dryden bugs me too. Obviously the desire to continue building the walking trail on the old Lehigh RR played a part -- This is not a bad thing. I think best case scenario is the trail goes in, the beavers build again somewhere along this stretch so that it doesn't adversely affect the walking trail, and some of the species that have graced this location start to return again. cheers, Matt Young mail2web.com What can On Demand Business Solutions do for you? http://link.mail2web.com/Business/SharePoint -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Hermit Thrush, Brooktondale
Heard my first-of-year HERMIT THRUSH sing a few faltering times this morning outside my window at 6 a.m., out here on Shindagin Hollow Rd in Brooktondale, next to the state forest. It was soon replaced by the robust song of the WINTER WREN that sings every morning in the valley below. Melissa Melissa Groo Fine Art Photography http://melissagroo.com -- 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/ --
RE: [cayugabirds-l] George Pond and Ethics
Thanks Dave for noting Matt Young's efforts. He had sent some detailed e-mail regarding George Pond a few years ago. In fact, as for preserving habitats, as a sole person, Matt Young has done great job. He has played key role in preserving some bog habitats in our locations including McIllroy Preserve and one of the Cornell Plantations natural areas. So if you are interested in preservation you don't need whole jingbang, one person can do a lot. If more people are involved it is great and sometimes not great. So don't feel that nobody else is doing anything. You go ahead do what has to be done! Changes begin with one person behaving differently. As for ethics, there definitely has been change in birders behaviors and attitude. All the past references of harming or not harming are no more applicable. Modern gadgets have definitely played a role. Then very few people used to play playbacks now everyone wants to use that technique to see the birds. I have myself have seen in SFO class in last few years, as soon as some bird is heard, some of the students who carry around their gadgets immediately want to do playback so that they can see the bird clearly and up close. So there is sharp rise in birders who want dirty and quick way to see the birds. Also, as Marie mentioned number of photographers who want to get good photos have started using playbacks. There is a quite rise in people who use playbacks and will be rising further in next few years. And there are evidences in many cases where the birds are stressed in instances such as Punta Tumbo penguins that are being continuously visited by tourists is making them nervous. The park people have done variety of things to reduce stress to the birds. I watched one penguin, seeing some people walk by, to reach the safety he climbed the stairs used by humans. When the danger passed, meaning the human walked away, then he could not figure out how to get down as he could not see the land. He was so nervous spent 10 minutes figuring out how to climb down. After he climbed down, he walked very fast away from that location. A recent paper did conclude that birds were stressed when people were around. In last two three years there are quite a few studies to show stress in birds when humans, including scientists interfere with them. So it is not necessary use play back just to tick a bird as sport. Often people do some things unknowingly as they are not educated enough to understand the complexities. So if birders are educated correctly right from the beginning with the reasoning, they will behave correctly. Of course there are always exceptions. Or as one of my friends used to call them yahoos. One more thing, all individual birds are not same. Like us some are bolder and others are nervous wreck. So one glove does not fit all hands. So if one bird at one location was fine at a given point may not necessarily mean this would be the case next time. If people have some patience and wait for things to happen quietly, one can hear or see all kinds of things. One day I spent almost whole day at Marten's tract, I heard Sora, Virginia rail, bittern and Sandhill cranes within an hour or so. I myself have been stressed by continuous sphishing by my fellow birders on some of the trips, and have been irritated by this. So if I get irritated, I am sure birds also feel the same. Bird watching itself is stressful to birds as we are watching them, they are aware we are watching them. Many of them take off or others hide behind branches so they do not see you. So why should we stress them more by adding additional stressors? Therefore, there should be judicious use of playbacks, spishing or whatever methods people are using to get the attraction of birds just because they want to see them better and get an id on them. Think of it as how you would feel when someone comes to your neighborhood and screams their heads off or spishes continuously in front of your window, wont you get annoyed? May be you will come out with a gun to shoot the nuisance maker. So I don't agree with the justification that we are stressing them for a short time only. Stress is stress. So all that is needed is educating themselves why one should do something or not do something. Cheers Meena PS: I did not want to get into this discussion, well, but now I am deep into it! From: bounce-46827082-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-46827082-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Nutter Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 8:59 AM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] George Pond I think the William George Agency (a.k.a. George Junior Republic) owns not only the fields/pond in question, but also much of the length of the abandoned railroad bed in the area. Matt Young may know more about people to talk to or institutional policies, as I believe he once worked there. If the William George Agency is working with the Town of Dryden
[cayugabirds-l] OT: Not birds, but something relevant about stress- if plants can remember why not birds!
This is the paper for our lab reading. I just started reading this and realized how interesting. Multiple exposures to drought 'train' transcriptional responses in Arabidopsis Pre-exposure to stress may alter plants' subsequent responses by producing faster and/or stronger reactions implying that plants exercise a form of 'stress memory'. The mechanisms of plants' stress memory responses are poorly understood leaving this fundamental biological question unanswered. Meena -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Hermit Thrush, Brooktondale
Eeeyup. HERMIT THRUSHES are definitely back - saw one up here on Saturday at EVI and Jane Graves and I saw FIVE of them at Shindagin Hollow on Sunday. Stephanie On 4/10/12 6:54 AM, Melissa Groo wrote: Heard my first-of-year HERMIT THRUSH sing a few faltering times this morning outside my window at 6 a.m., out here on Shindagin Hollow Rd in Brooktondale, next to the state forest. It was soon replaced by the robust song of the WINTER WREN that sings every morning in the valley below. Melissa Melissa Groo Fine Art Photography http://melissagroo.com -- *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* Welcome and Basics http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME Rules and Information http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Subscribe, Configuration and Leave http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm *Archives:* The Mail Archive http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html Surfbirds http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds BirdingOnThe.Net http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html *Please submit your observations to eBird http://ebird.org/content/ebird/!* -- -- Stephanie Greenwood Ecovillage at Ithaca 221 Rachel Carson Way Ithaca, NY 14850 607 280 1050 -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] GHOW visiting GRBH at night
I did not see this posted on Cayugabirds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBGYPQKt3wAfeature=youtu.benoredirect=1 GHOW visiting Great Blue heron at night at sapsucker woods. I wonder from the where the owl came to visit this nest. Meena Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ -- 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/ --
