I was not on a college tour in Vermont today. Siri made "Bennington" out 'Benning'. and I didn't catch it. Sorry about that. I'll spare you how she voice-recognized "Two Fox Sparrows in tree in Earhardt's yard".
A few highlights from a full day of birding locally and around the lake: I tried unsuccessfully for Vesper Sparrow by the lone tree west of Liddell lab this morning before 7 AM. I did see a Coyote in the field to the southeast of the grass track and then another one to the south, each at about 300 yards. They briefly checked me out before slipping into the woods. One them had a yellowish pelt . They me the primal willies (they make me feel like food). At 0735 I found a very cooperative Vesper Sparrow singing persistently on the northwest corner of Cherry Rd. and Warren Dr. near Ithaca Airport. Around noon at Aurora Boathouse I saw a flock of 8 Long-tailed Ducks about 500 yards out and another pair flying up the east shore of the lake. I saw Northern Harriers today in the Rafferty Rd. area, Lake Rd., and Montezuma. Just before stopping at Benning a male Harrier was doing courtship loops and stoops over the marsh to the south. Benning (really) was crawling with shorebirds as reported by others and most were in great light and fairly close to the wildlife drive. I counted 55 Wilson's Snipe and probably missed a few. The Pectorals and Dunlin were also putting on a show. I struck out on BC Night Heron at Towpath but I did see a cooperative Ruby Crowned Kinglet on the way out to Puddlers where there were 9 Caspian Terns fishing and loafing with Herring and Ring-billed gulls. I also saw a lone Great Egret, presumably the same one reported yesterday. Good birding tomorrow. Stuart -- 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/ --
