Ann Mitchell & I were at the west peak of Mount Pleasant by the observatory from quarter after 1 until quarter to 4. I sent the message below just after the eagles went over: Using binoculars I had found a speck over the south horizon, got my scope on it and told Ann it looked like a GOLDEN EAGLE - a dark bird with long parallel-edged wings in a slight dihedral. She aimed her scope and agreed. Then we each noticed a second bird move through the view from opposite directions and realized we had been watching two different Golden Eagles as they crossed paths. From then on I concentrated on the closer one, which eventually yielded plumage clues as well - golden crown, slightly paler basal portions of primaries and tail. It crossed paths again with another bird, this time an adult BALD EAGLE, and they circled and climbed together for awhile. Later we saw at least a 3rd RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (there were 2 additional possible Red-shouldereds), and an emphatically northbound male AMERICAN KESTREL. The SNOW GEESE (no Ross' and nearly all adult white type) were in a single flock aimed at the Cayuga Lake valley. Non-migrants (for the time being) included several RED-TAILED HAWKS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, TURKEY VULTURES, COMMON RAVENS, AMERICAN CROWS, EUROPEAN STARLINGS, a small flock of HORNED LARKS, and a singing male EASTERN BLUEBIRD. The 3 separate audio-visual KILLDEER events all seemed possibly migratory as each ended to our north even though they were otherwise erratic. We saw no Icterids. The weather was calm and relatively warm (we had dressed heavily, just in case), and most of the snow was gone. Several people stopped by and kept us company for a pleasant afternoon.
--Dave Nutter

On Mar 11, 2014, at 02:53 PM, 6072292...@vtext.com wrote:

2 Golden, 1 Bald Eagle, 2 Red-shoulder, 3 Rough-legged, 70 Snow Geese, 3 Killdeer - Mt Pleasant last 1.5 hrs.
--Dave Nutter
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