Thanks Tom! Heading up soon.... KEN
On 7/31/10 12:35 PM, "Tom Johnson" <t...@cornell.edu> wrote: Cayugabirders, I checked only a few of the good spots around Montezuma this morning, but ended up seeing neat birds anyway. What is likely the same Prothonotary Warbler found a few weeks ago is still present along the road at Mays Point Pool - each of the three times I've seen it, the bird was drawn to the roadside by a noisy chickadee mob. The Knox-Marcellus impoundments at East/ Towpath Roads are still in excellent shape, with high concentrations of shorebirds, herons, terns, and molting/ migrating passerines (Bobolinks, Yellow Warblers, swallows). A buffy juvenile Wilson's Phalarope (clearly different from the well-colored adult bird that had been present earlier in the month) was feeding with yellowlegs, and there are surely more goodies out there among the 1500+ shorebirds present. Morning viewing is good from Towpath Rd., but in the afternoon/ evening East Rd. is better, especially if you search for more creative viewing spots. The draw down of the western impoundment here has been superb for drawing in lots of shorebirds during early and now, peak shorebird migration, but several birders have expressed concern that the water level is still dropping and the pool might dry out entirely in the near future. Perhaps a bit of reflooding from the canal and then another drawdown would help to replenish the flats here... The main pool/ visitor center at Montezuma NWR might still be worth checking (LaRue's Lagoon has water but few birds), but the clear highlights of the refuge seem to be Knox-Marcellus, Mays Point, Tschache Pool, and North Spring Pool at the current time. I didn't go further north into Wayne County today, but the Savannah area has been quite good in recent weeks as well, especially Van Dyne Spoor Rd. Sandhill Cranes were along Rt. 89 near the Armitage Rd. intersection in two different fields (7 birds). Good birding, Tom -- Thomas Brodie Johnson Ithaca, NY t...@cornell.edu mobile: 717.991.5727 ********************************************** Ken Rosenberg Director of Conservation Science Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca NY 14850 Phone: 607-254-2412 cell: 607-342-4594 k...@cornell.edu www.birds.cornell.edu -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
