First, a huge thank you to Tim Lenz for finding this rare visitor from the West
and for getting the word out so quickly!
After learning about this bird, and having an open-enough schedule to make a
dash for it, I trekked the 45 minutes to Sampson State Park, arriving shortly
after noon. Having no familiarity with Townsend's Solitaire (this would end up
being a Lifer for me) made it difficult to know what to look for in regards to
behavior or habits. After spending much time poking around the area with
several other birders throughout the afternoon, I sighted the bird at least
four different times – each time learning more about this particular bird's
habits. It seemed that this bird would appear out of the lower and more dense
understory of the scrubby juniper habitat, about every 30-45 minutes. It would
pop right out into the open in a much taller and leafless deciduous tree. The
bird would then stay in the open or flit from open tree to open tree for about
3-5 minutes before dropping down into the junipers for another foraging and
hiding stint – this bird was clearly gorging on the blue juniper berries which
some of the trees are loaded with.
All I can suggest to others who will try for this bird: have patience, the bird
will appear. Don't wander too far, but do make short forays along the adjacent
roadways and paths. Regularly scan the tops of the distant (and nearby) taller
deciduous trees in the area – the bird can (and will) pop up without warning,
possibly right overhead. Know the vocalization of this bird, as it does produce
its pure-toned heeh notes repeatedly at times while flitting about from
treetop to treetop. This bird did not venture farther than 300-400 feet from
the general area of its discovery today.
To get there, Google: Sampson State Park. You will drive into the park entrance
(Sampson State Park Rd.) heading due West. You will encounter a large rotary.
Take this around to the third exit, basically, continue heading due West.
Take this to the end of the roadway to the T-intersection with East Lake Road.
Make a right-hand turn onto East Lake Road. Drive almost one mile North, to the
point where you can see Seneca Lake to the North, beyond a green gate and
residential houses outside of the Park. Pull over and walk around the area to
the South of the green gate; especially the area about 200-300 feet South of
the green gate.
Here are some pictures that may help those who may be in a similar position
that I was in:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112522159565855378380/TownsendSSolitaire
Good luck and good birding!
Sincerely,
Chris T-H
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Christopher T. Tessaglia-Hymes
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
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