[cayugabirds-l] Montezuma again
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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Yellow-headed Blackbird
Hello all, Additionally, while enjoying a very rare Matt-event (Alan Belford's middle was Matthew so he stood in as an honorary Matt for the night), and while Medler was on his phone and Williams was inspecting a sparrow-chip, Alan and I had an ADULT FEMALE YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD fly low over us with a mixed flock of Red-winged Blackbirds. Shorebird numbers weren't crazy high, but in addition to the phalaropes, we did manage 15+ STILT SANDPIPERS, 15+ DOWITCHERS (seemed to be Short-billed but they were at a pretty good distance), 1 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, 4 SANDHILL CRANES and much more. I even dusted off my skills and pulled out 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS. A nearly steady stream of migrant BOBOLINKS continued over for what had to be 30-45+ minutes --they were still going over when we left around 7:30. This was all at Knox-Marcellus from Towpath. Evening was topped off with dinner at the Dino in Syracuse. A good time for sure. Young myhosting.com - Premium Microsoft® Windows® and Linux web and application hosting - http://link.myhosting.com/myhosting -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Montezuma Phalaropes
Matt Williams, Matt Young, and I spent several hours birding the Knox-Marcellus Marsh at Montezuma yesterday (26 August 2010). We spent most of our time viewing from along Towpath Road, where we bumped into a migrant Alan Belford. I don't have time to post complete details now, but did want to let people know that there were three RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and a single WILSON'S PHALAROPE present along with more common shorebirds. I believe that all four of these birds were juveniles. Although they did split up at times, the four phalaropes were often in close proximity to each other (especially the three Red-neckeds). The Red-neckeds spent most of the time sitting on some of the deeper water in the area, often actively spinning around as phalaropes do. We viewed these birds from a rather expansive opening/vantage point along Towpath Road, a little ways before the impoundment wall (coming from East Road). Although I think Young first picked out the Red-necked Phalaropes with his binoculars, a spotting scope is really necessary to enjoy these and other shorebirds present. Good birding, Matt Medler Ithaca -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Some bird notes
Hi all, Good morning! I was up around 3.47 am to look at the close alliance of Moon and Mars. They were very pretty to watch. But while watching I listened to migrants. Exactly at that time there was a flock of Caspian Terns migrating and they were croaking along. I also heard several tseeps and chips. But as per Murphy's rule that also happened to be time when the train to Power Plant was also passing by. To save humans and animals I guess they honk every few seconds. Though railway line is more than a mile away as crow flies, the sound of train honking is heard several miles. So I decided to get up a little later and listen. I spent some 20 minutes listening and try recording, I did hear some tseeps, but very few, but then I heard lots of trucks rumbling down 79 and probably traffic from Rt 13. I decided to wind up. So it is that time of the year to listen to birds go south! Temp was almost freezing! Yesterday I spent some time in Mundy during lunch time. I saw more birders than birds. Highlights were a Warbling Vireo and a Magnolia in a chickadee flock. But the best bird was YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER at Kentucky spot. It was calling and flycatching. For those who are new to this area, Kentucky spot is to the south side of Plantations Hort Building in Mundy, A path from the south western end of the parking lot goes up the edge of the hill towards west with a board walk. The Kentucky spot is where this board walk is, there is a marshy seepage with skunk cabbages. This location is as follows in the Google maps. http://tiny.cc/snnsc Yesterday evening on an impulse, I got into the car to go somewhere to look for birds. I was deciding between Stewart park and some other locations. I took decision by the time I got out of my driveway to go to Six Mile Creeks Overlook. It is such a peaceful location and does not feel that you are in town. Sitting on "Edna Clausen" bench, I watched several Barn Swallows, one of the parent fed an youngster in flight; many waxwings flycatching, a chattering Baltimore Oriole, Chimney Swifts, two very cute ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, I think they were HY birds, House Wren, a Peewee, Kingfisher, Great Blue Heron, Red-bellied Woodpeckers (chukchuking) and more than 50+ robins coming in flocks of five to six birds, heading into Poplars. It is such a nice peaceful location, I am glad I went there. Let's see what the day hold for us! Meena Haribal Ithaca NY http://haribal.org/ http://picasaweb.google.com/ithmoths http://picasaweb.google.com/mharibal http://www.flickr.com/photos/91426...@n00/ -- 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/ --
