This morning, I trekked up to visit and scope out the area of Savannah Mucklands and the Armitage Road areas for field birds. I was there from about 7:30am to 8:30am.
In the fields near the Potatoes building were about 10+ Savannah Sparrows, 8 Horned Larks and 3 AMERICAN PIPITS. One thing of note, regarding the dirt road to the South of the Potatoes Building. This is the dirt road located about a mile West of the Village of Montezuma along Route 31, about half-way along the entire Savannah Mucklands area, on the left side of the road. There is now a rope fence with a posted sign preventing the casual observer from pulling into that dirt road to even turn around. Don't plan on accessing any portion of the farm fields on the South side of the road. Active farm machinery was in the fields to the North of the Potatoes building (North of Route 31). I would not advise visitation when persons are actively cultivating or preparing the fields for planting, so as to prevent disruption from their routine and their need for open and ready access to the lanes. These fields belong to the persons who farm this area. Please be respectful of their lands. Driving along Armitage Road, I scoped out the fields well North of Armitage Road. Several Savannah Sparrows (10+) and 2 Horned Larks were present. A single SANDHILL CRANE was standing in the field, then took flight, calling all the while. An adult BALD EAGLE was standing guard near the large Bald Eagle nest, located on the SW side of the open potato/corn field located on the South side of Armitage Road. Good birding! Sincerely, Chris T-H -- Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes TARU Product Line Manager and Field Applications Engineer Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850 W: 607-254-2418 M: 607-351-5740 F: 607-254-1132 http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp -- 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/ --
