Went to Montezuma Today with Melissa Penta and her husband, Diego. Some birds we wanted to see were the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, AMERICAN AVOCET, HUDSONIAN GODWITS and CATTLE EGRET.
We arrived at Towpath Road and saw Ken Rosenberg. Of course, he was on the phalarope, godwits and avocet already in Knox-Marcellus Marsh. The lighting was OK especially when the sun was behind the clouds. Three down. Thanks Ken! Then another gentlemen pointed out the CATTLE EGRET in a bush on the other side of the levee in Puddler's Marsh. 4 down. Then Ken got on a distant BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER too. All 5. It really helps to be among some great birders!!! We also had SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, BLACK BELLIED PLOVER, AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS. many yellowlegs. a lone LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER flew in and had a few DUNLIN with it. There were also 3 SANDHILL CRANES that flew in and landed and likely another 3 that flew by. I probably forgot some birds. The RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and HUDSONIAN GODWITS were very distant. Then we went to the visitor's center and wildlife drive. The visitor's center had a couple PINTAIL among other typical waterfowl and shorebirds. There were a few LEAST SANDPIPERS at LARUE'S with a bunch of KILLDEER. Then at the new shorebird area...there was another RED-NECKED PHALAROPE close to the road. Melissa Penta go some great pictures of this bird which she graciously shared with me(I left my camera's memory card in my computer. grrrrrrrr.). See http://www.flickr.com/photos/davenicosia/sets/72157631552306254/ This time we got tremendous views of this bird. The bird was not far from the bend close to some stubble with a couple yellowlegs. wow. We also got the CATTLE EGRET at Benning marsh (same bird probably flew over from Puddler's) Dave Nicosia Johnson City, NY -- 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/ --
