No time for a detailed post right now, but I spent a long time on Towpath Road today, watching the shorebirds. Numbers seem to be down somewhat from earlier in the week, but there is still plenty to look through. Highlights include continuing 3 Red-necked Phalaropes, multiple Baird's, White-rumped, Stilt, Pectoral, Least, Semipalmated sandpipers, dowitchers, and a (likely) juvenile Western Sandpiper (seen well but briefly and distantly in with the peeps; longer bill than Semipalmateds, apparently larger and longer-legged, rufous stripe on shoulder; probably a different bird than Chris and Jessie found, as this bird didn't have an enormous billl). At least three Sanderlings remain as well.
I also checked Benning from the thruway and did not see the godwit that was reported there a few days ago, though the habitat there (and in the newly created openings farther along the drive) looks nice. Van Dyne Spoor continues to have nice marsh and wet field habitat but no shorebirding, and the Mucklands remain unharvested expanses of corn. Finally, the crazy Tundra Swan is still living at Tschache as of this morning, sleeping complacently on a log. Jay McGowan Dryden, NY -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
