[cayugabirds-l] Red-breasted nuthatch
There have been more species of birds at my feeders this weekend than any other! Today there is a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH visiting my feeders for the first time, as well as a FOX SPARROW, lots of COMMON REDPOLLS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, along with all the regulars. Some of the recently returned regulars also, like RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS. Marla -- Marla L. Coppolino Groton, New York USA http://marlacoppolino.com http://kibibiacres.com http://mypage.siu.edu/mlcopp/ Email: marlacoppol...@gmail.com -- 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] Snow Geese on Cayuga Lake last week-end a video link and possible Auroras possible to night
Hi all, I thought some of you might enjoy this video of thousands of snow geese that assembled at the north-end of Cayuga Lake. Some of you witnessed the sight and for those who did not get chance might love to watch this. Around 0.50 minutes in the video, the snow geese take to air, but before that there is so much murmur in the air. Best if you view it in HD format resolution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFBDiXyfdIkfeature=youtu.be Also today night if the sky remains clear it is possible to view both Pan-STARRS comet and Auroras in the evening sky. So keep your eyes peeled to western and northern skies. Right now at least it is a clear weather in Ithaca. Except for a Great Black-backed Gull that passed over my house that was visible from my home-office window today no other bird activity to report. Cheers Meena Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ -- 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] Sandhill cranes
Kathy Strickland I saw 4 SANDHILL CRANES at Morgan Rd. last evening one SHORT-EARRED OWL near the river on Carncross Rd.. Saw many ducks, esp. in the May's Pool inlet canal along Rte 89. Pintails abound! Still LOTS of snow geese in the air. I drove across the new bridge onto Howlands Island but really recommend that others not try to go until the mud dries UNLESS you have 4WD. I have a Subaru but even so, the rutted, bumpy mud really grabbed the tires there's no place to turn around until you get to the end of the road. In the afternoon John I went to the Sherwood Rd. farm pond east of Rte. 34 to look for snows blues but found only ice. On over on Owasco Lake we found 1 to 2,000 snows blues. Bill Hecht said many snows are still on the Cayuga lake out from Cayuga Lake St. Park. He also reported 2 eagles in the trees near his house south of Cayuga, south of the RR tracks on 90. Kathy I saw one in the tree near the new nest at Mud Lock. Time to watch for the 1st ospreys! Saw our 1st FLICKER here Sat.. Fritzie/Union Springs -- 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] Hooded Mergansers on Fall Creek near Flat Rock
There was a trio of beautiful Hooded Mergansers on Fall Creek near the suspension bridge at Flat Rock, when we crossed at about 12:45pm after a long walk. Two males were escorting an elegant female, flashing their hoods in the sunlight and displaying non-competitively. Beavers have been cutting down a lot of beech and other small trees all along the north bank of the creek. Nari Gin Mistry -- 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] Cooper's Hawk having probably red squirrel for lunch in my yard
As I am typing this there is Cooper's hawk having a meal, I would not call it enjoying as he is very alert, lots of people and cars passing by on Honness Lane. I saw him half an hour ago under the Norway Spruces. First when I saw him, I thought it was a bunny as I saw one yesterday morning eating greens in my yard. But he looked different then it dawned on me that it was a hawk. I got my binoculars and watched him for quite some time. Now I am recording him on the video through my bedroom window glass. Not so great. Don't dare to open window as he might fly away. First 7 minutes he just sat and looked left and right. Then started tearing his meal. Actually, by the time I saw the meal it was barely visible except for some red meat and a stomach, but occasionally saw the tail, looked like a red squirrel. I am letting the digital media roll and see if I can get some unusual shots. He is visible from my home-office window too. Now suddenly he is in full sun! More alert! If I get anything good I will post it! This is first time I am watching a hawk eating meal in my yard and that to has caught a natural meal! Cheers Meena Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ -- 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] Sapsucker Woods, Sun 3/17
At around 2:45 PM on Sunday, Tilden and I saw what I identify as a female southern HOARY REDPOLL, in the feeder garden at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We first noticed this bird because of its paler gray-toned back (not brown like nearby Common Redpolls). We confirmed larger size, vague and reduced flank streaks, no pink plumage at all, and white undertail coverts with three short, almost invisible black lines as if drawn by a sharp pencil. The bird retreated somewhere for a few minutes, but Tilden immediately spotted it when it reappeared. During our second viewing, we reconfirmed all the above-mentioned features, plus a white rump. PINE SISKINS, a couple of SONG SPARROWS, and other expected birds were in the garden too. (I also heard a rumor from Holly Adams that an experienced birder also saw a FOX SPARROW here on Friday or Saturday.) We also enjoyed watching a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS diving together under the ice on the pond (Holly says one emerged with a frog the other day), and a Black-capped Chickadee that foraged for half a minute at our knee level, about one meter away from Tilden. We watched a snowflake settle on this bird's forehead, remain there for a few minutes like a jewel, and then finally melt away. Mark Chao -- 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] Red-shouldered Hawk
There are two Red-shouldered Hawks on Hunt Hill Road off Ellis Hollow Road. I had great looks at one and heard two a little later. Ann Mitchell Sent from my IPhone -- 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] Goetchius shrike, Lake Rd. Harriers.
Going up and back on the east side of Cayuga Lake, besides the wonderful waterfowl, we noted 3 No. Harrier over the grassy fields on Lake Rd. near Rt. 90. Two close together were an after second year male (gray ghost) and the pale brown ASY female. A couple hundred yards away we saw a second year bird (russet chest). Wouldn't it be nice if the adult male+female stayed around. At Goetchius I saw the No. Shrike using the same perches frequented in the past. This was my first observation in about two weeks. I had thought that it had left on its northward migration, but I guess not. Birds are full of pleasant surprises. Made the trip with Bob and Sally Love and a young couple from Spain. (Sorry I'm so bad with remembering names).The later were quite familiar with Spanish birds, but not our birds. It is so much fun to see our common birds through the excitement of good birders seeing them for the first time and comparing them to Spanish birds. Cheers, John Confer -- 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] Around the Lake
Laura Stenzler and I spent today circling the lake clockwise. Stewart Park had considerable new ice and a greatly reduced waterfowl population including numerous Hooded Mergansers and couple of Common Goldeneys. We drove up the west side directly to Lower Lake Road, hoping to find Snow Geese close in (and a Ross's with them). From Woolfy's, the geese were way out - approximately half way across. Then of thousands of them still around, but we did not linger to count. There was a good variety of waterfowl at that end, including Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasbacks, both Scaup, all three Mergansers as well as a few Goldeneye, Tundra Swans, and a small flock of Ruddys. We drove through the Mucklands, noting the low water level in the fields (no Pintails, Mallards, or Black Ducks). There was some open water at Knox-Marsellus, and we found a large group of Northern Pintails. Tschache also had open water, and we scoped through a large number of American Wigeons but had no luck with Eurasian. Back down the east side of the lake, we stopped at the new development just opposite Letty Cook Woods and spent a good hour picking through the dispersed raft of ducks: similar species to the west side and no Eurasian Wigeon. The raft of Snow Geese was slightly closer to us at that point, but still too distant to make out any small geese. Shortly before we left, Dave Nicosia arrived with his group. I'll be interested to hear if they found anything new. Off the boathouse at Aurora we found a single Eared Grebe but no Horned Grebes. And the highlights of the day were a fly-over Peregrine Falcon at the Montezuma Winery and a pair of Wood Ducks swimming across Factory Street pond in Union Springs. Bob McGuire -- 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] Around the Lake
Went birding up the east side of Cayuga Lake and Montezuma and vicinity with my friends Melissa Penta and Renee DePrato. We didn't have luck finding any Ross's Geese either as the huge raft of snow geese was too distant as we only went up the east side of the lake. We saw probably a couple thousand wigeon between Cayuga Lake and Montezuma and vicinity and just could not make out any into Eurasians. Conditions in many places were bad for viewing... lots of wind and cold. BRR. From the east side of Cayuga Lake, just before the railroad tracks north of Union Springs across from Letty Cook Woods (where we met Bob and Laura) is where the best aythya raft is with the huge raft of snow geese farther out. We had the same as Bob and Laura here plus BUFFLEHEAD, and NORTHERN PINTAIL We did not get any horned or eared grebes at all today. We had only had one PIED-BILLED GREBE from the end of Van Dyne Sporer Road. Mud Lock had several TRUMPETER SWANS. Tschache Pool was loaded with waterfowl. Loaded. Mostly RING-NECKED DUCKS, and loads of AMERICAN WIGEON. The wind and the cold made it almost unbearable from the tower to sort through the wigeon. Eyes were tearing up so much, and the wind was shaking our scopes and I believe the tower a little. Conditions were very difficult to find anything unusual that was distant. We did get on a group of TUNDRA SWANS distant and there was also GADWALL, Scaup sp. some NORTHERN PINTAIL, BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. We could only stand the wind and cold for maybe 15 minutes so we moved on. We did not spend as much time as we would have liked here. We probably missed some here. May's Point was also loaded. I have never seen so many NORTHERN PINTAIL in my life. They were everywhere with many many AMERICAN WIGEON too and quite a few GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The shear numbers were impressive. From East Road we had around 50 TUNDRA SWANS on the ice and many more NORTHERN PINTAIL. In Savannah, from Savannah Spring Lake Road at the Muckrace Flats we had 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS. there were again more pintail, wigeon and green-winged teal here. Carncross, Morgan and Van Dyne Sporer Roads also had tons of NORTHERN PINTAIL as well. This was a Pintail day for sure. We also had many many AMERICAN WIGEON, plus quite a few GREEN-WINGED TEAL, HOODED and a few COMMON MERGANSERS. We counted 53 TUNDRA SWANS in the field to the right of Carncross Rd and 79 more from Morgan Rd looking toward Van Dyne Sporer rd. There were many AMERICAN COOTS at the end of Van Dyne Sporer Rd. In all places, there were many blackbird flocks, mostly RED-WINGED but also COMMON GRACKLES. Did not scour through these for Rusties or by chance a rogue yellow-headed blackbird. Just before sunset, the trees in the woods along Van Dyne Sporer road were becoming full of blackbirds and they still were flying in when we left. But the bird of the day for us was a lone SHORT-EARED OWL that flew toward us and almost overhead from the end of Morgan road just at sunset so we still had good lighting. This was a great view and fairly close. In all we totaled 61 species which was definitively worth it, given the cold and windy conditions Dave Nicosia From: bob mcguire bmcgu...@clarityconnect.com To: cayugabirdlist cayugabirds-L@cornell.edu Sent: Sunday, March 17, 2013 6:13 PM Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Around the Lake Laura Stenzler and I spent today circling the lake clockwise. Stewart Park had considerable new ice and a greatly reduced waterfowl population including numerous Hooded Mergansers and couple of Common Goldeneys. We drove up the west side directly to Lower Lake Road, hoping to find Snow Geese close in (and a Ross's with them). From Woolfy's, the geese were way out - approximately half way across. Then of thousands of them still around, but we did not linger to count. There was a good variety of waterfowl at that end, including Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Canvasbacks, both Scaup, all three Mergansers as well as a few Goldeneye, Tundra Swans, and a small flock of Ruddys. We drove through the Mucklands, noting the low water level in the fields (no Pintails, Mallards, or Black Ducks). There was some open water at Knox-Marsellus, and we found a large group of Northern Pintails. Tschache also had open water, and we scoped through a large number of American Wigeons but had no luck with Eurasian. Back down the east side of the lake, we stopped at the new development just opposite Letty Cook Woods and spent a good hour picking through the dispersed raft of ducks: similar species to the west side and no Eurasian Wigeon. The raft of Snow Geese was slightly closer to us at that point, but still too distant to make out any small geese. Shortly before we left, Dave Nicosia arrived with his group. I'll be interested to hear if they found anything new. Off the boathouse at Aurora we found a single Eared
[cayugabirds-l] birding and beer
At the Ithaca Beer company last night I spotted something up high, I had my binocs. and rushed outside and saw 3 Sandhill cranes heading north up the Inlet Valley. At first I thought they might be herons but there were 3 flying tightly together and they were way bulkier than herons. I have only seen them once before in Northern Ontario. The brewery has a great outdoors patio looking south across a farm field, with a pond that will be filling in. Should be a good birding spot while enjoying good beer. Toby -- 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/ --