RE: [nysbirds-l] Newburgh (Orange County) Hudson River Gulls
Further upriver in the Albany area, we are having an above-average to excellent white-winged Gull year. In the Cohoes area, where the Mohawk and Hudson meet, there is just enough open water due to the Cohoes Falls and a couple of power stations and the local dump doesn't hurt either! So even though the Hudson is completely frozen all the way across, the Gulls don't seem to be moving anywhere. I recently co-led a gull trip in that area, where we had 5 first cycle Iceland (Kumlien's) in one group, plus absolutely killer looks at an adult. Adults are rather rare in this part of the state and for many in the group it was the first adult bird they had seen! On that trip we had a 2nd Cycle Glaucous Gull, but on previous trips, have had up to 4 Glaucous Gulls, there has also been at least one adult Lesser Black-backed Gull as well. Other Iceland Gulls have shown up in just about any place there are good concentrations of Herring Gulls, including supermarket parking lots in Albany. And if we had access to the dumps, who knows how many more (if not something even better) could be found. Will RaupGlenmont, NYFrom: tele-...@hotmail.com To: nysbirds-l@cornell.edu; mearnsbirdc...@yahoogroups.com Subject: [nysbirds-l] Newburgh (Orange County) Hudson River Gulls Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 22:51:23 -0500 Just a quick update... Over the past month, Iceland Gulls have become a fairly regular event on the Hudson at Newburgh. The only exception to that rule occurred from roughly the 9th or so until last friday(1/16),when to my knowledge none were seen. Prior to that, we had at least 2 individual 1st year birds and a second year bird. This past Friday (1/16) I had an adult Iceland just south of the Gull Harbor Marina (Public Boat Launch) at the foot of Washington St. This evening, while out for a short time with my wife(Clara) and Father (Ken McDermott) I spotted a very dark mantled bird that I was unable to get a positive ID on due to fading light, distance and only being able to view the bird while it laid on the ice. The bird of interest appeared to be slightly smaller than neighboring Herring Gulls. The bird had a black ring around the bill with no obvious red mark on the lower mandible. The bird lacked the streaking on the head and nape, typically found on most winter plumage Lesser Black-backed and Slaty-backed Gulls. The bird appeared to show a slight dark smudge, concentrated around the eye. I was unable to get any color on the eye itself. Due to the fact that it was laying down, I was not able to get leg color. For no apparent reason, this gull and surrounding gulls lifted off and headed into Cornwall Bay, where they more than likely, are spending the night. At the time the gulls lifted off, I had briefly turned away from the bird. I never got a look at the bird in flight and after moving further south and scanning the area, never got on the gull again. Although I know it was not a Great Black-backed, I do not know what it was. I hope that local birders will keep an eye out for this bird. It's Ironic that sometimes the most interesting birds are the ones that aren't positively ID'd.. Good Birding, Curt McDermott PS. The Dutchess County side of the Hudson has fairly solid ice extending out approx. 200 meters/yards. Recently, that ice edge has held upwards of 3,000 gulls in the late afternoon. Free floating ice is beginning to appear on all parts of the river. This ice holds gulls as well. I recently heard a report that the river in Green County County is frozen all the way across. If these conditions continue, gull activity in Orange should be picking up soon. -- NYSbirds-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! -- -- 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/ --
RE: [nysbirds-l] Newburgh (Orange County) Hudson River Gulls
Further upriver in the Albany area, we are having an above-average to excellent white-winged Gull year. In the Cohoes area, where the Mohawk and Hudson meet, there is just enough open water due to the Cohoes Falls and a couple of power stations and the local dump doesn't hurt either! So even though the Hudson is completely frozen all the way across, the Gulls don't seem to be moving anywhere. I recently co-led a gull trip in that area, where we had 5 first cycle Iceland (Kumlien's) in one group, plus absolutely killer looks at an adult. Adults are rather rare in this part of the state and for many in the group it was the first adult bird they had seen! On that trip we had a 2nd Cycle Glaucous Gull, but on previous trips, have had up to 4 Glaucous Gulls, there has also been at least one adult Lesser Black-backed Gull as well. Other Iceland Gulls have shown up in just about any place there are good concentrations of Herring Gulls, including supermarket parking lots in Albany. And if we had access to the dumps, who knows how many more (if not something even better) could be found. Will RaupGlenmont, NYFrom: tele-...@hotmail.com To: nysbirds-l@cornell.edu; mearnsbirdc...@yahoogroups.com Subject: [nysbirds-l] Newburgh (Orange County) Hudson River Gulls Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 22:51:23 -0500 Just a quick update... Over the past month, Iceland Gulls have become a fairly regular event on the Hudson at Newburgh. The only exception to that rule occurred from roughly the 9th or so until last friday(1/16),when to my knowledge none were seen. Prior to that, we had at least 2 individual 1st year birds and a second year bird. This past Friday (1/16) I had an adult Iceland just south of the Gull Harbor Marina (Public Boat Launch) at the foot of Washington St. This evening, while out for a short time with my wife(Clara) and Father (Ken McDermott) I spotted a very dark mantled bird that I was unable to get a positive ID on due to fading light, distance and only being able to view the bird while it laid on the ice. The bird of interest appeared to be slightly smaller than neighboring Herring Gulls. The bird had a black ring around the bill with no obvious red mark on the lower mandible. The bird lacked the streaking on the head and nape, typically found on most winter plumage Lesser Black-backed and Slaty-backed Gulls. The bird appeared to show a slight dark smudge, concentrated around the eye. I was unable to get any color on the eye itself. Due to the fact that it was laying down, I was not able to get leg color. For no apparent reason, this gull and surrounding gulls lifted off and headed into Cornwall Bay, where they more than likely, are spending the night. At the time the gulls lifted off, I had briefly turned away from the bird. I never got a look at the bird in flight and after moving further south and scanning the area, never got on the gull again. Although I know it was not a Great Black-backed, I do not know what it was. I hope that local birders will keep an eye out for this bird. It's Ironic that sometimes the most interesting birds are the ones that aren't positively ID'd.. Good Birding, Curt McDermott PS. The Dutchess County side of the Hudson has fairly solid ice extending out approx. 200 meters/yards. Recently, that ice edge has held upwards of 3,000 gulls in the late afternoon. Free floating ice is beginning to appear on all parts of the river. This ice holds gulls as well. I recently heard a report that the river in Green County County is frozen all the way across. If these conditions continue, gull activity in Orange should be picking up soon. -- NYSbirds-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! -- -- 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] Newburgh (Orange County) Hudson River Gulls
Just a quick update... Over the past month, Iceland Gulls have become a fairly regular event on the Hudson at Newburgh. The only exception to that rule occurred from roughly the 9th or so until last friday(1/16),when to my knowledge none were seen. Prior to that, we had at least 2 individual 1st year birds and a second year bird. This past Friday (1/16) I had an adult Iceland just south of the Gull Harbor Marina (Public Boat Launch) at the foot of Washington St. This evening, while out for a short time with my wife(Clara) and Father (Ken McDermott) I spotted a very dark mantled bird that I was unable to get a positive ID on due to fading light, distance and only being able to view the bird while it laid on the ice. The bird of interest appeared to be slightly smaller than neighboring Herring Gulls. The bird had a black ring around the bill with no obvious red mark on the lower mandible. The bird lacked the streaking on the head and nape, typically found on most winter plumage Lesser Black-backed and Slaty-backed Gulls. The bird appeared to show a slight dark smudge, concentrated around the eye. I was unable to get any color on the eye itself. Due to the fact that it was laying down, I was not able to get leg color. For no apparent reason, this gull and surrounding gulls lifted off and headed into Cornwall Bay, where they more than likely, are spending the night. At the time the gulls lifted off, I had briefly turned away from the bird. I never got a look at the bird in flight and after moving further south and scanning the area, never got on the gull again. Although I know it was not a Great Black-backed, I do not know what it was. I hope that local birders will keep an eye out for this bird. It's Ironic that sometimes the most interesting birds are the ones that aren't positively ID'd.. Good Birding, Curt McDermott PS. The Dutchess County side of the Hudson has fairly solid ice extending out approx. 200 meters/yards. Recently, that ice edge has held upwards of 3,000 gulls in the late afternoon. Free floating ice is beginning to appear on all parts of the river. This ice holds gulls as well. I recently heard a report that the river in Green County County is frozen all the way across. If these conditions continue, gull activity in Orange should be picking up soon. -- 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] Newburgh (Orange County) Hudson River Gulls
Just a quick update... Over the past month, Iceland Gulls have become a fairly regular event on the Hudson at Newburgh. The only exception to that rule occurred from roughly the 9th or so until last friday(1/16),when to my knowledge none were seen. Prior to that, we had at least 2 individual 1st year birds and a second year bird. This past Friday (1/16) I had an adult Iceland just south of the Gull Harbor Marina (Public Boat Launch) at the foot of Washington St. This evening, while out for a short time with my wife(Clara) and Father (Ken McDermott) I spotted a very dark mantled bird that I was unable to get a positive ID on due to fading light, distance and only being able to view the bird while it laid on the ice. The bird of interest appeared to be slightly smaller than neighboring Herring Gulls. The bird had a black ring around the bill with no obvious red mark on the lower mandible. The bird lacked the streaking on the head and nape, typically found on most winter plumage Lesser Black-backed and Slaty-backed Gulls. The bird appeared to show a slight dark smudge, concentrated around the eye. I was unable to get any color on the eye itself. Due to the fact that it was laying down, I was not able to get leg color. For no apparent reason, this gull and surrounding gulls lifted off and headed into Cornwall Bay, where they more than likely, are spending the night. At the time the gulls lifted off, I had briefly turned away from the bird. I never got a look at the bird in flight and after moving further south and scanning the area, never got on the gull again. Although I know it was not a Great Black-backed, I do not know what it was. I hope that local birders will keep an eye out for this bird. It's Ironic that sometimes the most interesting birds are the ones that aren't positively ID'd.. Good Birding, Curt McDermott PS. The Dutchess County side of the Hudson has fairly solid ice extending out approx. 200 meters/yards. Recently, that ice edge has held upwards of 3,000 gulls in the late afternoon. Free floating ice is beginning to appear on all parts of the river. This ice holds gulls as well. I recently heard a report that the river in Green County County is frozen all the way across. If these conditions continue, gull activity in Orange should be picking up soon. -- 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/ --
