Very late Tuesday afternoon the Clay-colored Sparrow was still singing atop the blue spruces. I heard two different song types, a three buzz song then on his next return a two buzz introduction followed by multiples. The songs may not be exciting or musical, but it sure is nice to see a new bird in the area. I scanned shorebirds at Towpath and saw the same collection of shorebirds, but with a male Wilson's Phalarope. I couldn't see any darker stripe on the neck, but very bright white face, neck and under parts, plain gray back. He was running in tight, alternating, circles and picking in deeper water. He also walked with a rapid left/right picking motion at times.
Gary From: bounce-37771914-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-37771914-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Nutter Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 3:56 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] continuing shorebirds on Towpath Rd, Clay-colored Sparrow on King Rd Ann Mitchell & I went to the north end of the basin starting early this morning. The CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was singing on King Rd north of Seneca Falls. We were brief and had no interactions with humans. The shorebirding was excellent (temp still cool; clouds) from Towpath Rd (off North May's Point Rd in Tyre) looking north into Knox-Marsellus marsh and, for closer views, further east into Puddler's marsh. We didn't try from East Rd, where breeze, backlighting and possibly earlier heat shimmer off the hill would have been issues. Here's highlights: KILLDEER - many, mainly on drier mud such as central/southwest part of K-M SPOTTED SANDPIPER - many, mainly on shorelines, but also in dry mud areas with Killdeers SOLITARY SANDPIPER - several, mainly on shorelines, often with Lesser Yellowlegs GREATER YELLOWLEGS - several, mainly to east of other shorebirds and fairly close to Towpath Rd in Puddler's LESSER YELLOWLEGS - a very large number, wading, along shores, and patrolling wet mud LEAST SANDPIPER - many, on dry mud, wet mud, and very shallow water BAIRD'S SANDPIPER - 1, in Puddler's in very shallow water and on wet mud STILT SANDPIPER - 1 in shallow water in Puddler's with Lesser Yellowlegs SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER - 2 in Puddler's, 1 in K-M, feeding in water near Lesser Yellowlegs WILSON'S PHALAROPE - 1 breeding plumage female with Lesser Yellowlegs in K-M along mud & water rows, fairly distant. It was not swimming, nor spinning, nor walking drunkenly. Instead it was walking in a low horizontal posture, lower and smaller than the Lesser Yellowlegs, and showing high contrast of white below & on foreneck, and black/maroon stripe on face and side of neck. Back was plain grayish. BLACK TERN - 40 or more in various plumages, many resting in shallow water BOBOLINK - 1, molting Waterfowl, mainly molting/eclipse, included: CANADA GEESE WOOD DUCK GADWALL AMERICAN WIGEON MALLARD BLUE-WINGED TEAL NORTHERN SHOVELER GREEN-WINGED TEAL The shorebird flats on the Wildlife Drive had a half dozen LESSER YELLOWLEGS, a couple of LEAST SANDPIPERS, and a KILLDEER. We arrived late in the heat, having skipped the visitor center, and did not spend much time or effort, so it's possible others were hidden in vegetation. Tschache is a desolate green field. May's Point Pool had several GREAT EGRETS, GREAT BLUE HERONS, TRUMPETER SWANS, WOOD DUCKS & CANADA GEESE. -- 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/>! -- -- 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/ --
