As I mentioned a couple of days ago, on Sunday Ken Rosenberg and others found a very late SCARLET TANAGER on Salt Point in Lansing. I was able to refind it yesterday despite blowing snow. It looks to be a hatch-year male based on some juvenal feathers at a molt limit in an otherwise black wing, as well as very pointed rectrices in the tail. It was hanging out in the main brushy area on the point, mostly eating wild grapes while I was there. Its right wing is drooping as if injured, but it seems to fly short distances without too much trouble. List with photos here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32650473 Tanagers are one of the rarer breeders to have overwinter so very interesting to see this guy hanging on here. Salt Point is often a good place to find half-hardies in November and December, and we have had Baltimore Orioles, Common Yellowthroats, and lots of other species turn up here long after they should all be gone. I am holding out hope for an Ash-throated Flycatcher or other western vagrant here some day! Last Wednesday I did not happen upon the tanager, but did find a couple of later species, including a Field Sparrow and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32577604 And last Monday, I found a lingering Yellow Warbler: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32535073 None of these were apparent yesterday, but they could easily have been tucked away sheltering the storm.
Also, here are a few shots of the Cackling Goose from Stewart Park on Saturday: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32619658 And some mediocre photos but decent audio recording of the NORTHERN SHRIKE that was hanging around Niemi Road by the airport for a couple of days: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32597117 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32603045 And finally, my last couple of visits to the Stevenson Road compost piles haven't been too productive, but others have had several Lesser Black-backed there recently, and Kevin had an adult ICELAND GULL on Saturday: https://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S32619544 Cheers, Jay -- Jay McGowan Macaulay Library Cornell Lab of Ornithology jw...@cornell.edu -- 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/ --
