Decided to drive down to Greensprings and Arnot Forest this morning (pretending SFO was still happening, I guess). The upper part had the usual suspects (Bobolink, Blackburnian, Ovenbirds too shy to pose for video, Towhees, Black-Throated Greens and Blues, Black and White). At the bottom, things felt quiet as I drove until I saw a Blue-Headed Vireo foraging at eye-level right next to the road, soon joined by a female Blackburnian. I ended up standing there for a good hour watching Blackburnians chase each other, Black-Throated Blue Warbler and Blue-Headed Vireo, some Canada Warblers singing loudly above but never showing themselves, and a Bay-Breasted Warbler at eye level but too brief for a photo. A pretty fun morning, but as I was receiving notifications of Golden-Winged Warblers in Ithaca (a bird I haven't seen yet, although I've seen two Lawrence's), I wondered whether I should've stayed closer to home.
I drove over to Cayuta Lake to paddle up the inlet, having to get past four beaver dams before reaching the foot bridge I couldn't get under. Notable sounds include Yellow-Throated Vireo and Northern Waterthrush. A silent little gray-brown bird turned out to be a Marsh Wren. Then on a log in the flooded woods just off the main channel I spied a clear brown heron shape: an American Bittern! Managed to snap a couple shots as it skulked away into the tussocks not to be seen again. Back out on the lake an adult Bald Eagle soared overhead - I think they're nesting somewhere on the east side of the lake. And in the swamps I caught a brief glimpse of a Wood Duck hen with some six ducklings trailing behind. Out of nowhere a Northern Waterthrush flew in loudly and announced itself several times high in the open before diving down to a possible nest site? Ended up being a good day. Suan -- 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/ --
