[nysbirds-l] Central Park geese
The small Canada/Cackling Goose that I first reported on the Central Park (NY Co.) Reservoir on February 12th was still present today. In addition, also today, was a second similarly sized goose. This second bird, however, is not as dark as the other one, but is similar in color to the larger Canada's. It also called. The call was noticeably different and to my ear higher pitched. Peter Post NYC Sent from my iPhone -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Central Park geese
The small Canada/Cackling Goose that I first reported on the Central Park (NY Co.) Reservoir on February 12th was still present today. In addition, also today, was a second similarly sized goose. This second bird, however, is not as dark as the other one, but is similar in color to the larger Canada's. It also called. The call was noticeably different and to my ear higher pitched. Peter Post NYC Sent from my iPhone -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Fledgling Red Crossbill/Bohemian Waxwings/Black-backed Woodpeckers & more
Pine Siskin numbers soared at our feeders after the first ice storm, but we had another ice storm on 3/2/16 and they sky-rocketed! I returned home on 3/2 to find all 20 feeders empty. The siskins were eating over 15 pounds of thistle seed and 15 pounds of sunflower hearts each day through 3/7. Things finally settled down yesterday with warming temps. We have never had this many feeders birds (even in the years when we have 500 redpolls). My husband said his brain was ringing with siskin sounds! They covered every feeder, both the front and back porch floors (where I put more seed since there isn't enough perches), and they were all over the ground around the house and they also filled the trees - it was wild! Long Lake is opening up quickly and if things continue like this, I won't be surprised to see a Common Loon on the lake soon. I suspect many new record early arrival dates will be set this year. Sightings from the past week: 3/9/16 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) It went over 70 degrees today. Moths flying around our outside lights once again this evening. It feels like May in early March. A Coyote was just howling in the forest behind our home - I howled back and it kept answering. Gray Jay - 2 (1 along Route 30 and 1 at the Round Lake Trailhead) Brown Creeper - singing everywhere I went Golden-crowned Kinglet - one song heard today American Robin - flock along North Point Road (with grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays, and European Starlings (a very rare species to see in Long Lake!)) Snow Bunting - 2 different birds along Sabattis Circle Road Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle - 2 at our feeders and more with the robin flock Red Crossbill - 12 (flock of 10 along Sabattis Circle Rd. with at least one fledgling, first year males, and adult males and females - I observed the fledgling be fed a spruce seed by an adult male! Two more Red Crossbills flew over me at Sabattis Bog.) Pine Siskin - everywhere - many are paired off now and appear to be getting ready to nest. 3/8/16 Long Lake Moths flying around our outside lights in the evening - such a bizarre sight for early March. Ruffed Grouse - 3 Gray Jay - 7 (2 different groups of 3 along Route 30 and 1 at Sabattis Bog) The two different groups of 3 Gray Jays along Route 30 were foraging along the road and continuously caching food - I assume an insect outbreak from the warm temps. They were completely focused on this activity and it was fascinating to watch. One of the birds carried a stick. 3/7/16 Long Lake This was the last record setting day at our feeders for Pine Siskins. We also had 50 Amer. Crows and 11 Wild Turkeys outside the house. I found 7 Gray Jays - 1 along Route 30, 3 at the Round Lake Trailhead, and 3 at Sabattis Bog. One Red Crossbill called at Sabattis Bog. 3/5/16 & 3/6/16 On a two day tour with 6 birders from NYC, we visited Long Lake, Newcomb, Minerva, North Hudson, Keene, and Jay (all in Essex Co. except Long Lake). It was a beautiful winter weekend and the days began in single digit temps! Here are some of the species found: Ruffed Grouse - 2; a flushed bird, and a bird displaying on the Blue Ridge Road Bald Eagle - adult at Long Lake Sharp-shinned Hawk - perched over feeders in Newcomb Barred Owl - along Route 30 in Long Lake Black-backed Woodpecker - 2 in Minerva (1 observed on Sat. and 2 observed in the same location on Sun. - one was a male observed foraging. It then flew and another Black-backed Woodpecker followed - they drummed back and forth.) Merlin - in Newcomb (observed in flight and perched) Northern Shrike - 1 along Hesseltine Road in Jay Gray Jay - 8 (1 vocalizing at a marsh in Newcomb, 1 flew across the road in Minerva, 1 observed along the Roosevelt Truck Trail, and 5 observed at Sabattis Bog in Long Lake) Common Raven Boreal Chickadee - 6 (distant vocalizing bird at the north end of the Roosevelt Truck Trail on Sat., at least 4 in a mixed flock in Newcomb on Sunday with nice views of 2, and 1 heard vocalizing in Minerva) Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Bohemian Waxwing - nice views of a flock of 15 to 20 feeding on crab and common apple trees in Keene on 3/6/16 next to the "Keene Arts" building American Tree Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird - flock in Newcomb Purple Finch - many Red Crossbill - several - flock observed in Newcomb, a perched singing male observed in Newcomb, and several others heard in Newcomb-Minerva on Sat. On Sun., several flyovers, several gritting birds flushed along the Blue Ridge Road including one male that perched and sang. Pine Siskin - many American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak - flock observed in Newcomb near a feeder, and more heard both in the town of Newcomb and around the Newcomb-Minerva town border along Route 28N. On Sunday, a flock was observed at a feeder location on Hazen Road in Jay, and we heard several flyover birds in
[nysbirds-l] Fledgling Red Crossbill/Bohemian Waxwings/Black-backed Woodpeckers & more
Pine Siskin numbers soared at our feeders after the first ice storm, but we had another ice storm on 3/2/16 and they sky-rocketed! I returned home on 3/2 to find all 20 feeders empty. The siskins were eating over 15 pounds of thistle seed and 15 pounds of sunflower hearts each day through 3/7. Things finally settled down yesterday with warming temps. We have never had this many feeders birds (even in the years when we have 500 redpolls). My husband said his brain was ringing with siskin sounds! They covered every feeder, both the front and back porch floors (where I put more seed since there isn't enough perches), and they were all over the ground around the house and they also filled the trees - it was wild! Long Lake is opening up quickly and if things continue like this, I won't be surprised to see a Common Loon on the lake soon. I suspect many new record early arrival dates will be set this year. Sightings from the past week: 3/9/16 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) It went over 70 degrees today. Moths flying around our outside lights once again this evening. It feels like May in early March. A Coyote was just howling in the forest behind our home - I howled back and it kept answering. Gray Jay - 2 (1 along Route 30 and 1 at the Round Lake Trailhead) Brown Creeper - singing everywhere I went Golden-crowned Kinglet - one song heard today American Robin - flock along North Point Road (with grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Blue Jays, and European Starlings (a very rare species to see in Long Lake!)) Snow Bunting - 2 different birds along Sabattis Circle Road Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle - 2 at our feeders and more with the robin flock Red Crossbill - 12 (flock of 10 along Sabattis Circle Rd. with at least one fledgling, first year males, and adult males and females - I observed the fledgling be fed a spruce seed by an adult male! Two more Red Crossbills flew over me at Sabattis Bog.) Pine Siskin - everywhere - many are paired off now and appear to be getting ready to nest. 3/8/16 Long Lake Moths flying around our outside lights in the evening - such a bizarre sight for early March. Ruffed Grouse - 3 Gray Jay - 7 (2 different groups of 3 along Route 30 and 1 at Sabattis Bog) The two different groups of 3 Gray Jays along Route 30 were foraging along the road and continuously caching food - I assume an insect outbreak from the warm temps. They were completely focused on this activity and it was fascinating to watch. One of the birds carried a stick. 3/7/16 Long Lake This was the last record setting day at our feeders for Pine Siskins. We also had 50 Amer. Crows and 11 Wild Turkeys outside the house. I found 7 Gray Jays - 1 along Route 30, 3 at the Round Lake Trailhead, and 3 at Sabattis Bog. One Red Crossbill called at Sabattis Bog. 3/5/16 & 3/6/16 On a two day tour with 6 birders from NYC, we visited Long Lake, Newcomb, Minerva, North Hudson, Keene, and Jay (all in Essex Co. except Long Lake). It was a beautiful winter weekend and the days began in single digit temps! Here are some of the species found: Ruffed Grouse - 2; a flushed bird, and a bird displaying on the Blue Ridge Road Bald Eagle - adult at Long Lake Sharp-shinned Hawk - perched over feeders in Newcomb Barred Owl - along Route 30 in Long Lake Black-backed Woodpecker - 2 in Minerva (1 observed on Sat. and 2 observed in the same location on Sun. - one was a male observed foraging. It then flew and another Black-backed Woodpecker followed - they drummed back and forth.) Merlin - in Newcomb (observed in flight and perched) Northern Shrike - 1 along Hesseltine Road in Jay Gray Jay - 8 (1 vocalizing at a marsh in Newcomb, 1 flew across the road in Minerva, 1 observed along the Roosevelt Truck Trail, and 5 observed at Sabattis Bog in Long Lake) Common Raven Boreal Chickadee - 6 (distant vocalizing bird at the north end of the Roosevelt Truck Trail on Sat., at least 4 in a mixed flock in Newcomb on Sunday with nice views of 2, and 1 heard vocalizing in Minerva) Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Bohemian Waxwing - nice views of a flock of 15 to 20 feeding on crab and common apple trees in Keene on 3/6/16 next to the "Keene Arts" building American Tree Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird - flock in Newcomb Purple Finch - many Red Crossbill - several - flock observed in Newcomb, a perched singing male observed in Newcomb, and several others heard in Newcomb-Minerva on Sat. On Sun., several flyovers, several gritting birds flushed along the Blue Ridge Road including one male that perched and sang. Pine Siskin - many American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak - flock observed in Newcomb near a feeder, and more heard both in the town of Newcomb and around the Newcomb-Minerva town border along Route 28N. On Sunday, a flock was observed at a feeder location on Hazen Road in Jay, and we heard several flyover birds in
[nysbirds-l] Woodcocks in Westchester
My wife and I recently came upon a recovering wetland along Old Post Road in Armonk (opposite the Beehive restaurant). There's a stream and marshes and fields where there once a bowling alley stood (only the foundations and patches of parking lot remain) but are now NYS property. We went there tonight at about 5:45. A huge chorus of (wood?) frogs, calling grackles and red-winged blackbirds, and then--at around 6:20--at least three and likely more woodcocks calling. We caught a few glimpses from the driveway in, but mostly it was just wonderful to hear them and think of spring. Joe Wallace Pleasantville -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Woodcocks in Westchester
My wife and I recently came upon a recovering wetland along Old Post Road in Armonk (opposite the Beehive restaurant). There's a stream and marshes and fields where there once a bowling alley stood (only the foundations and patches of parking lot remain) but are now NYS property. We went there tonight at about 5:45. A huge chorus of (wood?) frogs, calling grackles and red-winged blackbirds, and then--at around 6:20--at least three and likely more woodcocks calling. We caught a few glimpses from the driveway in, but mostly it was just wonderful to hear them and think of spring. Joe Wallace Pleasantville -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
