[cayugabirds-l] Crow flight to unknown roost
From about 5:00 until 5:20 this evening at our home on south hill (Stone Quarry Road) my wife and I noticed a large flight of crows passing north overhead. I attempted a rough count but missed the beginning of the flight, which I would guess must have totaled about 1000 birds (a VERY rough estimate). I would further guess that many of the crows in this flight might have been foraging in fields bordering W King Road between Upper Buttermilk SP and Sand Bank Road, since we saw hundreds of crows in that location on Sunday afternoon about 4:30 PM, the first time in our memories that we’ve seen such large numbers there. Any guesses as to the roost location? Also, on a walk through Upper Buttermilk Park on Sunday at about 5:20 PM, we heard two GREAT HORNED OWLS calling from about the same location in the park, suggesting a mated pair. And, while I’m at it, I’ll mention that on 2/12/13 at about 1 PM we got wonderful looks at a female NORTHERN HARRIER on Lake Road near its intersection with Route 90 (in the fields just past the winery). Sorry for the belated post. Lindsay Goodloe -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Fwd: The City Dark: documentary & discussion next Wednesday (2/27)
Apropos of the interesting film notice, here is a link that I should have sent out to all, because it relates to breeding dates! It might not be the early spring warmth...it might be all that long light from street lamps! http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2013/02/after-dark/ On Feb 19, 2013, at 6:50 PM, wrote: > Sounds like this film has relevance for birds and natural history in general. > --Dave Nutter > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: Jing Jin >> Date: February 19, 2013 4:06:35 PM >> To: >> hu...@cornell.edu,snr...@cornell.edu,lightsof...@cornell.edu,kyotonow-member...@cornell.edu,takebackthetap-l >> ,far...@cornell.edu >> Subject: The City Dark: documentary & discussion next Wednesday (2/27) >> >> - Please forward widely - >> Campus Conservation Nationals, Recyclemania, and Sustainability Hub >> presents: >> >> >> >> Wednesday, 2/27, 7-9PM, Uris Hall Auditorium >> Attend the Facebook Event | Watch the Trailer >> >> >> >> >> THE CITY DARK is a feature documentary about light pollution and the >> disappearing night sky. After moving to light-polluted New York City from >> rural Maine, filmmaker Ian Cheney asks: “Do we need the dark?” Exploring the >> threat of killer asteroids in Hawai’i, tracking hatching turtles along the >> Florida coast, and rescuing injured birds on Chicago streets, Cheney >> unravels the myriad implications of a globe glittering with lights—including >> health risks from exposure to light at night, and a generation of kids >> without a glimpse of the universe above. Featuring stunning astrophotography >> and a cast of eclectic scientists, philosophers, historians, and lighting >> designers, THE CITY DARK is the definitive story of light pollution and the >> disappearing stars >> >> This film is a NY Times Critics' Pick, Winner of the Jury Prize for Best >> Score/Music at the SXSW Film Festival, and the winner of the Grand Jury >> Prize Environmental Film Fest at Yale. >> >> Join us for a thought-provoking film and discussion! > > -- > Cayugabirds-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! > -- -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Fwd: The City Dark: documentary & discussion next Wednesday (2/27)
Sounds like this film has relevance for birds and natural history in general.--Dave NutterBegin forwarded message:From: Jing Jin Date: February 19, 2013 4:06:35 PMTo: hu...@cornell.edu,snr...@cornell.edu,lightsof...@cornell.edu,kyotonow-member...@cornell.edu,takebackthetap-l ,far...@cornell.eduSubject: The City Dark: documentary & discussion next Wednesday (2/27)- Please forward widely -Campus Conservation Nationals, Recyclemania, and Sustainability Hub presents: Wednesday, 2/27, 7-9PM, Uris Hall Auditorium Attend the Facebook Event | Watch the Trailer THE CITY DARK is a feature documentary about light pollution and the disappearing night sky. After moving to light-polluted New York City from rural Maine, filmmaker Ian Cheney asks: “Do we need the dark?” Exploring the threat of killer asteroids in Hawai’i, tracking hatching turtles along the Florida coast, and rescuing injured birds on Chicago streets, Cheney unravels the myriad implications of a globe glittering with lights—including health risks from exposure to light at night, and a generation of kids without a glimpse of the universe above. Featuring stunning astrophotography and a cast of eclectic scientists, philosophers, historians, and lighting designers, THE CITY DARK is the definitive story of light pollution and the disappearing starsThis film is a NY Times Critics' Pick, Winner of the Jury Prize for Best Score/Music at the SXSW Film Festival, and the winner of the Grand Jury Prize Environmental Film Fest at Yale.Join us for a thought-provoking film and discussion! -- Cayugabirds-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! --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Dark-eyed Junco singing
My junco at work on downtown east state street ithaca has been strongly singing for two weeks. Love hearing him. Linda Sent from my iPhone On Feb 19, 2013, at 4:36 PM, Marie P Read wrote: > Heard the first soft hints of trilling from a Dark-eyed Junco in the yard > this morning. > > Marie > > > Marie Read Wildlife Photography > 452 Ringwood Road > Freeville NY 13068 USA > > Phone 607-539-6608 > e-mail m...@cornell.edu > > http://www.marieread.com > > ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from > iTunes > > http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 > > -- > > 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/ > > -- > -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Dark-eyed Junco singing
Same thing this morning at our place, though it was a fairly loud and strong trill! David McCartt Tubbs Hill Rd. Richford --- On Tue, 2/19/13, Marie P Read wrote: From: Marie P Read Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Dark-eyed Junco singing To: "CAYUGABIRDS-L" Date: Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 4:36 PM Heard the first soft hints of trilling from a Dark-eyed Junco in the yard this morning. Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 -- 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/ -- -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Dark-eyed Junco singing
Heard the first soft hints of trilling from a Dark-eyed Junco in the yard this morning. Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com ***NEW*** Music of the Birds Vol 1 ebook for Apple iPad now available from iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/music-of-the-birds-v1/id529347014?mt=11 -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] We had a Redwing Blackbird on Fri 2/15 in West Danby
Here just north of Lindsay Parsons in West Danby we had our first Redwing Blackbird on Fri 2/15. This is probably a month earlier than I have seen one before in the past. I try to capture some quick photos as a record each year. Also the Redpolls are causing a giant sucking sound on our thistle and sunflower feeders. Like at least an est 1.5 to 2 kg of seed per day. I have to fill the feeders twice a day now. Even in the spring the flocks of Gold Finches would take several days to lower the large tube thistle feeder by 2/3rds. The Redpolls do this in a day along with a similar effect on the sunflower seed feeders. And they pretty much empty the small metal thistle seed feeder in half a day - they literally cover every inch of this feeder when feeding. Plus it sounds like "The Birds" in the morning. Nigel -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Robins
Just had a flock of 20 Robins feeding on my lawn! Spring is coming. I still have a few Redpolls each day at the feeders. Sent from my iPad -- 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/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Ravens
Our Ravens have been absent all winter. It is well into the courtship and nesting season for them, so we had just about given up on having them as neighbors this year. They mate for life, so we were ready to assume one of our resident pair had perished and the other had dispersed. That changed yesterday. While we were outside we heard that familiar "gronk" and saw two Ravens approaching from the east, just double tree-top level. They were flying very close together, wingtips almost touching. We ran to an opening to catch them in in the act of courtship display. What a sky dance! They swooped and swirled, looped and dooped, zigged and zagged, gronking mightily. It was jaw-dropping! To our surprise, another pair appeared from over our shoulders, again from the east, and headed straight for the first pair. These two dove right into the first pair and the sky suddenly became a swirling mix of big black birds, with sounds like bells ringing, metal clanking, frogs croaking, gronks, clunks and raspy caws. Jaws fell further. Finally, they split up, one pair continuing west, the other turning around and going back east. Gosh, but that was fun! So glad we were outside at that time!!! Sue -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Crows mobbing Great Horned Owl on nest
HI All, A very quick comment, although I do not in fact know of any data on how effective mobbing of owls is in moving them any substantial distance. Crows are indeed migratory in parts of their range and they do indeed often join roosts in winter. If they have migrated, they won't be present to defend or disturb early owl nesting, true. BUT many crows in Ithaca are returning to their territories almost every day, and some do NOT join winter roosts but sleep at home. (That is data based, gathered by Ithaca crow-ers, based on radio tracking crows in some pretty frigid weather all the way through winter.) We regularly see our marked birds on territories for periods in the morning and early evening, even for those who may join a local roost in Cayuga Heights or at Titus Towers or along the slopes of Spencer Rd or Morris Heights. So at least here, most adult crows (that is, breeders with territories) probably are not returning after a long winter flocking around. They are making regular moves locally for food and safety and sociality, but they are also monitoring their territories regularly. Hence that owl with 40 crows after it was probably on the territory of one or more of the groups harassing it. You don't often see predators being harassed by big loud groups out at the Stevenson Road compost, unless they have actually caught a crow. One or a few birds may bomb a red-tailed hawk but 50 crows don't follow. (Goodness knows one could chase redtails all day out there.) As for owls attacking crow roosts, again, I have no data except to say I have never seen signs of owl predation under the trees of roosts I have checked. A screaming lot of crows in the middle of the night might be off putting for a stealth predator. And a wild turkey makes a more substantial meal. So are crows successful in their efforts? I just don't know. Locating nesting owls might be good for pre-nesting crows so they know where NOT to nest, I suppose. Crow nests, by the way, are often or usually NOT in the middle of a territory, but located in the "right tree", even if on a corner of a territory. Crow nests built at the normal first-nest time of year (Mar-April) are rarely out where they can easily be seen. Usually they are in conifers and range from easy to see as a dark spot against light sky to basically invisible to humans. Is every crow harassing an owl bent on moving a dangerous animal, as opposed to showing off a bit or simply blinding joining its parents? Don't know that either. (I doubt they need the exercise though!) WE do know that crows sometimes lose their lives during hawk-owl harassment. And it seems logical that larger groups of crows will do a better job of moving a predator. And I should let everyone know: a trio of quonking ravens was at the Stevenson Road compost yesterday about 1300h for 10 min or so, flying around, landing in trees where crows were sitting and apparently making them fly up before quickly moving to the next tree. One looked young from my view of its "brownish" primaries. I was unfortunately walking a dog so saw it all through trees, and they were gone by the time I was in position to watch with a clear view. But there were three. Anne On Feb 18, 2013, at 11:32 PM, wrote: > I'm thinking more about crows and owls. It's a substitute for actually > knowing, so please chime in, Anne, or anyone else who knows better than I do > what really goes on. I've been impressed by how much the Great Horned Owls in > Renwick have withstood crows' harassment, and that impression flavored my > earlier comment. > > A big purpose of the harassment of owls by crows ought to be to drive the > predators away so the owls will cease being a danger to the harassing crows. > But it doesn't look to me like it would work very well. Great Horned Owls are > low-light, quiet, fairly slow (I think), stealth hunters, and in the daytime > they are not a danger to crows nor to anyone else. > > A roosting owl might be convinced to move, but would it move far enough to > shift its nighttime hunting area? Where would it not be in some crows' > territory? At some point the owl has to stop being driven, and I have heard > crows quit. Nesting owls, if they are to be successful, and obviously > sometimes they are successful, must not be ousted by crows for several > months, starting in early winter, when (I assume) crows are not defending > territories nor clearing them of owls starting a nest. Last spring's crow > nest can make a nice owl nest, which must be a disheartening discovery, to > find owls living smack-dab in the middle of the territory when the crows > return at the end of winter. > > In autumn and winter crows may travel for miles to roost during the night > when owls are hunting. By gathering thousands of crows out of outlying owls' > hunting territories, crows might improve their individual odds, but I would > think that an
