[cayugabirds-l] TODAY and TOMORROW Bins Testing @ the Lab of Ornithology

[Marc Devokaitis]

Hi All,

I'll be in the Visitor Center *today and tomorrow between Noon and 2:00*
(maybe 2:30 depending on the flow)* testing compact binoculars (8x32) for
our upcoming review*. Different models out today than were out during the
last session. Input from the community so far has been extremely helpful
and greatly appreciated!

Sadly, the smoke will keep us inside for the testing today, but maybe we'll
be able to go outside for it on Friday.

Swing by if you can!

Marc

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[cayugabirds-l] TODAY: POP UP BINOCULAR DEMO @ Lab of Ornithology

[Marc Devokaitis]

>From 1:00p - 3:00p today I'll be at the Visitor Center (out on the portico)
demoing a wide variety of new 8x32 binoculars, and asking for help in
comparing the different models for an upcoming review.  Light refreshments
provided, while supplies last!


If you are someone looking for a budget friendly, smaller, lighter pair
that is also a very good all around binocular, you should swing by and
check some of these out -- will be doing a few more of these in the weeks
to come.


Maybe that Golden-winged Warbler will swing by too!


Marc

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[cayugabirds-l] Today Jan 2nd 2017 Cayuga Lake Trip

[David Nicosia]

Did my annual early January trip to Cayuga Lake with my friend Dan Watkins.
First stop was the Dandy Mart in Slaterville and we saw the EASTERN SCREECH
OWL roosting in the same hole as last year.
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33366479

Then we hit Stewart Park but missed the Ross's Goose. But the shear numbers
of birds here is awesome for us since all of our small ponds and larger
lakes are frozen now. There also has been a lot of ice in the rivers so our
waterfowl and gulls are in dribs and drabs and not concentrated like at
Stewart Park or other parts of Cayuga Lake.  Best birds for us were
LONG-TAILED DUCKS, NORTHERN PINTAILS, 1 adult LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL, 1
PIED-BILLED GREBE and a decent flock of REDHEADS among many others.

Next stop was Ladoga, and Myer's Point and there really wasn't much up
there that we hadn't seen at Stewart. Long Point State Park also was sparse
but we did get 5 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS from the bluffs over Aurora Bay.

The best concentration of waterfowl was found from "Cayuga Lake Near
Railroad Tracks Rte 90, Cayuga County, New York, US" This was the name of
the ebird hotspot. There were at least 5000 ducks in two long rafts well to
the south of the viewing spot and we couldn't really ID anything. Lighting
was poor too. But the spot we were at can be seen from this google map link
https://goo.gl/maps/aeQuP15nzmx  The two long rafts were closer to "Fire
lane 21" probably where the stream flows out. There were two hunting boats
and decoys north of these rafts but they were not heading down to where the
ducks were suggesting they weren't allowed to hunt down there. This is
worth checking out if someone has the time.

We also saw close up views of the typical waterfowl at Mill Pond In Union
Springs. Nothing usual but nice looks at GADWALL, REDHEADS, AMERICAN WIGEON
and BUFFLEHEAD among others.

Then we got on the SNOWY OWL at the Finger Lakes Airport following up on
Jay McGowan's RBA report. We only found one of the two birds there and we
saw this bird from Martin Road just east of the airport buildings. See:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33376367

Then from Lower Lake road there was a nice raft of aythya genus much closer
and we had all typical aythya species except CANVASBACK. Most of the birds
were in a very tight pack and were REDHEADS like usual. see:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33377839

We totaled 58 species in the Cayuga Basin today. A great start to the new
year for us.

Happy New Year and Birding to all!!
Dave Nicosia

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[cayugabirds-l] Today: See our new Handbook of Bird Biology & Course at Migration Celebration at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

[Lee Ann van Leer]

Hi to my birding friends.  If you aren't at the Muckrace today, come birding at 
Sapsucker Woods during Migration Celebration.

Check out the much anticipated Handbook of Bird Biology, 3rd Edition. Also have 
a sneak preview at the new online course that accompanies the book.  We will be 
at the Cornell Lab's Migration Celebration today 10am -3pm.

Kevin McGowan (the course instructor) Noah Warnke (web designer) and I will be 
at the "Learn from Afar" and the "Bird Academy" tables.

You can also try out our other  Bird Academy online courses such as Be a Better 
Birder: Duck and Waterfowl 
ID.

The Bird Academy table will be featuring interactive fun things like the 
upcoming "Flight Game" (an educational video game).

We will be making more official announcements about the offerings.

Migration Celebration has lots of events (as previously posted to the list).

More information here:
Migration Celebration

Please stop by and say hello. Extra incentive: We have chocolate at our table 
(while supplies last) and other freebies. :)
Apologies if you don't like plugs but so many of you have been asking me when 
the new book was coming out and I wanted you to be amongst the first to see it.

Also please let me know if anyone is wanting to do any birding road trips!

Sincerely,

Lee Ann van Leer

Bird Academy Project Assistant
Bird Academy
la...@cornell.edu
(607) 254-8312
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Room 237
159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850

Try our Bird Academy 
Courses
and online bird webinars


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[cayugabirds-l] Today up the Lake

[bob mcguire]

I drove up the lake today hoping that, with the recent southerly flow of air, 
there would be some new guys around. And there were.

Large numbers of Tree Swallows were swarming over the pool at the refuge 
visitor’s center along with 20 Purple Martins, a few Barn Swallows and a lone 
BANK SWALLOW. The only shorebirds there were two GREATER YELLOWLEGS.

I picked out two COMMON GALLINULES along the drive and my FOY SPOTTED SANDPIPER 
at Benning Marsh.

A House Wren was singing continually at the beginning of Towpath Road, but I 
could find no Night-Herons.

Carncross Road held the jackpot. Well hidden in the corn stubble were some 20 
Greater and one LESSER YELLOWLEGS as well as 2 DUNLIN and 3 PECTORAL 
SANDPIPERS. Three SANDHILL CRANES flew over and landed closer to Martin’s 
Tract, so I headed over there. From the dike to the south I was abel to call in 
a VIRGINIA RAIL, and then a second VIRRAI responded from deep in the reeds. 
Finally, there was a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON stalking prey at the back side 
of the pond, seen from the overlook.

On the way back south, I drove through the Lott Farm (with permission from Mrs 
Lott: 315 568 9501). Passing by Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, and Horned 
Larks, I found a single UPLAND SANDPIPER in the short (for now) grass at the 
far north end of the property.

Back to Rt 89, I came across the lingering flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls just 
north of the Varick town line. 100 or so birds, but no Little Gull that I could 
find.

Bob McGuire
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[cayugabirds-l] today

[joe Diana]

Hi All,

It felt good to drive around today with the windows down and the sun shining. I 
thought I might let people know where there is some open water with some birds. 
Mud Lock is quite free of ice and a person with a scope had his eye on a 
Long-tailed Duck. There were a few Red-breasted Mergansers and an Eagle was in 
the tree near the nest.  I didn't stay as the driveway is not plowed, but there 
were other waterfowl as well. A later stop in the day had hardly any birds. 
Must be the Eagle is hunting there. The damn on the Clyde River off of Route 89 
had quite a few birds at the foot of the damn which is the only open water. 
There were Common Mergansers, Golden Eyes, Herring Gulls, Red-headed Ducks, 
Red-breasted Mergansers, and 4 Great-blue Herons that looked like they were 
enduring the cold. A Red-tail joined in when I was leaving. I passed a 
Rough-legged hawk on Route 89 near Tyre and found a beautiful dark morph on 
Armitage Rd. near the Eagle's nest. I think I saw an eagle there too, but I was 
concentrating  on the Rough leg. I came upon a small flock of Turkeys on Leader 
Rd. that were eating sumac. One was up in the trees shaking some down for the 
rest. I did not find the Gyrfalcon.

As much as today felt like a gift, I bet the wildlife was grateful for some 
sun. Here is a photo of the Rough-legged Hawk.

http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/Galleries/Birds/Birds-of-Prey/13273665_3ptKMG#!i=3893769030k=TX2HMgF

Diana Whiting





























Diana Whiting 

http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/


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[cayugabirds-l] Today-MNWR- Honoring 20 yr. volunteer-Larue St.Clair

[John and Fritzie Blizzard]

National Wildlife Week celebration at Montezuma today.

10a.m to noon: Roving naturalists along Wildlife drive to help ID birds

Noon to 3 p.m.: opening reception for the Marsh Birds of Montezuma Art Show at 
Visitor's Center

1:30 p.m. CEREMONY TO HONOR LARUE ST. CLAIR FOR HIS 20 YRS. VOLUNTEER SERVICE 
AT THE REFUGE.

Refreshments will be be served.  Music by Jim Clary  Joe Dady.
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[cayugabirds-l] today on Tupper Road

[Geo Kloppel]

Seems like a very birdy morning. No time for birding, alas, but  
earlier I walked my dog Sandy around at the eastern edge of my  
property, which coincides with the Danby/Newfield town line and  
adjoins the westernmost edge of the L-P Preserve in West Danby (an  
area also known as Beech Hill Brook, the South Branch Woods, the  
South Branch of West Danby Creek, Beech Hill Road, Tompkins  
County Unique Natural Area #189, and other names besides (the real  
old timers call it the back stairs).  I was happy to hear both  
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. Had an INDIGO BUNTING,  
a singing MOURNING WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLER, lots of HOODED  
WARBLERS and many other birds.  One spot, which I think of as 'City  
of the Redstarts' on account of their breeding density, was the scene  
of a mass squabble among about ten male Redstarts. They were zooming  
about so aggressively that Sandy actually jumped and snapped after  
them, as if they were horseflies!


Here's my warbler list so far today:

BLUE-WINGED WARBLER
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
MAGNOLIA WARBLER
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
AMERICAN REDSTART
BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLR
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
TENNESSEE WARBLER
NASHVILLE WARBLER
HOODED WARBLER
MOURNING WARBLER
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH
OVENBIRD
CANADA WARBLER
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

-Geo

Geo Kloppel
Bowmaker  Restorer
227 Tupper Road
Spencer NY 14883

607 564 7026
g...@cornell.edu
geoklop...@gmail.com




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[cayugabirds-l] Today Ithaca.

[Linda Orkin]

Heard my first of season Eastern Phoebe down by Fall Creek today. 

Saw my first of season Mourning Cloak on Bluegrass Lane. 

Linda


Sent from my iPhone

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[cayugabirds-l] Today around the Lake

[bob mcguire]

Susan Danskin, Drew Fulton, and I met at Stewart Park at dawn and were  
soon joined by Dave Nutter (in his office). Susan spotted a tern-like  
bird out past the Pile Cluster. Try as we might, we were ultimately  
unable to pin down the ID before the bird was lost: likely a Common  
Tern, but not for sure.


The three of us then headed up the west side of the lake for the day.

Around Cayuga Lake SP: several martin houses with starlings, but no  
Purple Martins.


MNWR Visitor's Center pool: Green-winged teal, gadwall, Mallards,  
several each of GREATER  and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 4 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS,  
DUNLIN. Several hundred TREE SWALLOWS around the marten houses, no  
Purple Martins.


Wildlife Drive: relatively few birds (teal, shoveler at LaRue's, Main  
Pool nearly empty of birds, new shorebird area empty, Bennings, a few  
ducks)


Tschache Pool: 200 AMERICAN WIGEON, shoveler, gadwall, teal, several  
BALD EAGLES, Ring-billed Gulls


Mays Pool: a pair of TRUMPETER SWANS, a few ducks

East Road: 4 SNOW GEESE, numerous DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, no night- 
herons or egrets


Howland Island: We walked a three-mile loop, encountering 2 EASTERN  
PHOEBES, 2 YELLOW-RUMPER WARBLERS, 6 DOWNEY WOODPECKERS, 2 RED-BELLIED  
WOODPECKERS, 2 NORTHERN FLICKERS, 5 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES, 3  
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 1 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, 2 BROWN CREEPERS,  
chickadees, titmice, cardinals, Bluejays, Tree Swallows, a flock of  
mixed blackbirds including several RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, and a fair number  
of ducks (teal, pintails, Gadwall, wigeon, ring-necked)


Marten's Tract: 2 TRUMPETER SWANS, 3 VIRGINIA RAILS, SONG, SWAMP,  
CHIPPING SPARROWS


Morgan Road: AMERICAN KESTREL around the nest box, otherwise most of  
the fields were dry and devoid of ducks and shorebirds.


MAC: newly-excavated marsh on the east side of Rt 89: 4 WILSON'S SNIPE  

Van Dyne Spoor Rd: 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS that gave us fits trying  
to ID (until Jay came along) Showing no signs of breeding plumage,  
they seemed to fall between golden and black-bellied plover, with  
darkish (but not too dark) cap, light (but not too light) belly, and  
an over-all golden color. We never did see them fly or raise a wing so  
could not assess the armpit color. Jay, apparently, heard one of them  
call. There also was a single DUNLIN and a couple of yellowlegs. As  
well as hundreds of ducks: mainly teal and pintail.


Railroad Road: Calling VIRGINIA RAIL and AMERICAN BITTERN.

It was a cold, windy day, but luckily no rain. Good luck to the SFO  
groups heading up that way tomorrow.


Bob McGuire







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