Interesting morning. Hawthorns nearly devoid of bird life when I arrived around 9:15am then I encountered the Yellow-rumped Warbler flock streaming into the Hawthorn Orchard from the West.
Highlights: CAPE MAY WARBLERS (2), ALDER FLYCATCHER (1), Tennessee Warblers (6) and Yellow-rumped Warblers (41). See my general comments and individual species comments below. Good birding! Sincerely, Chris T-H cth4th May 18, 2013 Hawthorn Orchard Traveling 1.25 miles 110 Minutes Observers: 1 All birds reported? Yes Comments: Very interesting. The Hawthorn Orchard was nearly devoid of any bird life. Then I encountered a large flock of mostly Yellow-rumped Warblers, all streaming (unsolicited) into the Hawthorn Orchard from West to East at allocation about 1/3 of the way South along the East Ithaca Recreation Way (EIRW) between Mitchell St. and Honness Lane. They were apparently arriving from a location in the direction of Six Mile Creek, perhaps up from the nearby feeder creek, which forms the North edge of the Hawthorn Orchard, by way of two very productive spruce trees near the location they were streaming across the EIRW at. 7 Canada Goose -- 2 adults, 5 goslings. 16 Double-crested Cormorant -- Flyover flock 1 American Kestrel 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird -- Flyover 1 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Alder Flycatcher -- Seen and heard calling "pip" notes from deep along Western edge of HO 1 Red-eyed Vireo 7 Blue Jay 5 American Crow 2 Tree Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 4 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Tufted Titmouse 1 House Wren 5 American Robin 5 Gray Catbird 1 Brown Thrasher -- Singing just SW of HO 5 European Starling 1 Cedar Waxwing 1 Blue-winged Warbler -- Singing from NW edge of HO. 6 Tennessee Warbler -- Calling only in NE corner. Later, one half-heartedly singing in NW corner. Later, 4 more moved into Hawthorn Orchard from West to East along with amazing group of 39 Yellow-rumps and one Black-throated Blue at location about 1/3 of way along EIRW path heading South. 3 Yellow Warbler 1 Magnolia Warbler 2 Cape May Warbler -- Male and female foraging in two spruces just down gravel pathway off to West of EIRW, located about 1/3 of way along EIRW heading South. 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler -- Female seen giving chip notes, about 1/3 of way South along EIRW. This bird was at lead of flock of 39 Yellow-rumps and 4 Tennesses all moving into Hawthorn Orchard from West to East. 41 Yellow-rumped Warbler -- Amazing movement of 39 Yell-rumps from area about 1/3 of way South along EIRW, from West to East into Hawthorn Orchard! Previously, HO was nearly devoid of birds. Also, four Tennessees and one Black-throated blue were in this flock. 1 Black-throated Green Warbler -- Singing near NW corner. 2 American Redstart 5 Common Yellowthroat 1 Chipping Sparrow 3 Song Sparrow 3 White-throated Sparrow 1 White-crowned Sparrow 5 Northern Cardinal 2 Indigo Bunting -- Male. Visual and heard "bzhttt" flight notes repeatedly. Just inside Eastern edge of HO. Later one flyover. 6 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Common Grackle 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 3 Baltimore Oriole 1 House Finch 6 American Goldfinch 4 House Sparrow Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
