Today's SFO trip to Derby Hill was far more rewarding and less brutal than yesterday's, but it was still a challenge. The temperature remained in the 40s, the wind remained brisk, but the rain was only in the afternoon and only intermittent. We even saw some blue sky eventually. A big difference was that the wind was from the west instead of the southeast. We had a speck-tacular raptor flight with good numbers and variety, but most were so high as to be just specks to the naked eye. Then when using binoculars to turn the specks into miniature silhouettes, one could often see higher specks beyond. Many birds only came into view when they were at a very high angle, making scope use impractical. In fact standing was impractical after awhile, and some of us leaned back at picnic tables or even lay down on the ground in our raingear.
Raptors included many SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, at least one COOPER'S HAWK, and I heard rumors of a Northern Goshawk There were many Buteos, too, mostly RED-TAILED HAWKS, a few BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, and just as we were leaving a relatively low-flying light form ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. At least two NORTHERN HARRIERS flew over us, and at least two OSPREYS, several BALD EAGLES, at least one GOLDEN EAGLE, and lots of TURKEY VULTURES. I heard rumors of a Merlin, too. The raptors were cruising eastward. Meanwhile occasional COMMON LOONS powered northward, scores of TREE SWALLOWS (plus a couple of PURPLE MARTINS and at least one BARN SWALLOW) flew randomly at mid-levels, and thousands of midges hovered from face-level to a few feet above head-height, each at an altitude calculated to appear the same size.
Another treat at the North Lookout was a first year WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW along with several NORTHERN FLICKERS on the lawn. Lake Ontario had heavy surf but from the vantage of the bluff we could see many RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, quite a few LONG-TAILED DUCKS (in various plumages), and some DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS and RING-BILLED GULLS.
While in the vicinity of Derby Hill, we checked out the "Snipe Spot," a small wetland with grass, cattails, phragmites, red osier dogwood and even a few trees at the corner of NYS-3 and NYS 104B. We kept seeing WILSON'S SNIPE flushing from the vegetation then dropping down to resume invisibility, but rarely could any of us see one on the ground let along show it to anyone else. But there was one bird in the vicinity which cooperated enough to be a life bird for much of my group: a VESPER SPARROW.
Despite spending plenty of time seeing plenty of raptors at Derby Hill we decided to go home via Montezuma.
At the Montezuma Audubon Center we saw AMERICAN WIGEONS, GADWALLS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, a GREAT BLUE HERON, and a female NORTHERN HARRIER, but the highlight was a SANDHILL CRANE who flew in, alit on a dike, and called.
Next we went to Carncross Road where I'd seen about a dozen GREATER YELLOWLEGS the day before. We found about 30 of them hunkered down in shallow water facing into the wind along with a single PECTORAL SANDPIPER. Just then a shower of mixed precipitation swept in, getting the inside of the car wet as we tried to view the shorebirds and several pairs of NORTHERN PINTAILS. When the air cleared again we got out and began searching more carefully. Yellowlegs throughout the corn stubble were hard to count or even identify as either the head or the neck seemed always to be obscured by a corn stalk. Nonetheless there was one smaller, shorter-billed LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Elsewhere on a bed of detritus we saw several SWAMP SPARROWS in the open.
A brief pause at Muckrace Flats on Savannah-Spring Lake Rd gave us great views of a pair of TRUMPETER SWANS, plus NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and both BLUE-WINGED and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. Meanwhile from a nearby yard we were serenaded by a NORTHERN CARDINAL singing an unusual song which included Carolina Wren-like 3-note phrases.
Our last stop was Towpath Rd, where a hot tip from Bob McGuire allowed a sharp observer in our group to find 2 roosting BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS. From that same spot on the road we added PIED-BILLED GREBE, WILD TURKEY, EASTERN PHOEBE and CEDAR WAXWING to our list. After such a long good day it was surprising and satisfying to be still finding new species at the end. Thanks to a great group.
--Dave Nutter
SFO group 7
