[cayugabirds-l] OT: penguin video

I sure wouldn't normally forward Internet videos, but this seem pretty unusual to me (and cute!) so I couldn't resist. Are their long treks to a food source the basis of this? Carol Schmitt Subject: FW: Penguin goes shopping > This 10-year-old King  Penguin was rescued from a fisherman's line

[cayugabirds-l] Red-headed Sun. 11am Aurora

Thanks for alerting everyone about the Red-headed Woodpecker. We easily saw it this morning where described, flying back and forth across the road a few times. It landed deeper in the grove of trees in the south east corner of Rte. 90 and Poplar Ridge Rd., and then more than once flew back a

[cayugabirds-l] previous Red-headeds in Aurora

Red-headed Woodpeckers were regularly seen on the Wells College golf course many many years ago, so there is a history of them in the area, for sure. Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http

[cayugabirds-l] any news on Snowy Owl?

Has anyone seen the Waterloo Outlet Snowy Owl recently??? Carol S -- 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

[cayugabirds-l] OT: Eagle Owl in slo-mo

This is quite lovely. Carol http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/ -- 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-arc

[cayugabirds-l] Lab front areas need names!

A modest proposal --- Maybe I've missed something, but I don't believe that the various small areas in front of the Lab have ever had any names. When something is sighted around the entrance ponds and little woodlots, like the recent Bittern, it seems that we struggle to describe exactly what

[cayugabirds-l] Aurora Borealis

Oh, Meena! Thanks so much for the sky alert! We rushed right out and in spite of suburban lights and many trees, a terrific broad streak of deep pink stretched overhead and lasted a few minutes before fading. A great sighting. Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.Northeast

Re: [cayugabirds-l] swallow fedgelings gone, nest too

Hi Asher, I suspect that the news isn't good, and that the nest was predated. I do suggest that you think about attaching predator guards to any nest box you have. These seem to work quite well for us. Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsW

[cayugabirds-l] CBC prez Linda on the radio!

Hi Everyone, Linda was interviewed on WHCU and did a terrific job promoting the Christmas Count. If you missed it, you can hear the podcast http://www.whcu870.com/ and click on Recent Podcasts. Good job, Linda! Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/Ca

[cayugabirds-l] Larue's honor

How delightful to hear that Larue's Lagoon is now official, and Larue St. Clair has been honored in this way for all his efforts! I will now proudly admit that Ron and I originated the name "Larue's Lagoon," in Sept. of 1995. When that area was first created, and given such a pitiful name,

[cayugabirds-l] foggy day

The Long-tailed Duck was still putting around off Myers Point. At Stewart Park, nothing could beat the sight of white swans shrouded in white mist. Happy Holidays, everyone. Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding

[cayugabirds-l] Linda Okin's radio interview

Linda had a great interview about the Count with Lee Rayburn this morning on WHCU. You can go to the WHCU webpage and listen to the podcast. http://whcuradio.com/morning-newswatch/cayuga-bird-count-wednesday/ Nice job, Linda! Thanks, Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.Northeas

[cayugabirds-l] Baby bird video

This was forwarded from a birding friend in Maine. How many of us would even take this on, much less succeed? http://www.trueactivist.com/a-man-going-for-a-jog-found-this-baby-bird-you-have-to-see-next-36-days/ Carol S. -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsW

[cayugabirds-l] Ques. on nest boxes/blow flies screens

We recently bought a nicely made bamboo nest box from Agway, and it has a screen at the bottom, presumably to help prevent blow fly larva from getting to the nestlings. If this actually works, I'd like to add screens to my other nest boxes. Does anyone know how effective this really would be a

[cayugabirds-l] Scoffield owls

We saw 2 Short-eareds swooping around the barn west of Scoffield, just as darkness was falling a few minutes after 5pm yesterday. Sorry, Marie! They appeared about 2 minutes after you left! I wonder -- will the food supply last all winter in this one area, or will they deplete it and m

[cayugabirds-l] I won binoculars/question

Just thought I'd tell people that I won a nice pair of Opticron Natura binoculars from Bird Watching magazine! I vaguely remember clicking on a contest a while back when looking at their website or something, and recently got an email that I'd won. Sure enough, they arrived yesterday. A n

Re:[cayugabirds-l] Great Horned Owl Golf Course

Donna, Thanks for very exacting directions. That's always a big help. Lovely owl soaking up the sunshine in an old Red-tail nest, easy to see through the group of bare trees, northwest from the parking lot. Carol S. Newman -Ithaca City golf cs.  Good way to see nest w/o getting in way

[cayugabirds-l] white hawk!

We enjoyed close views of a leucanistic Redtail this noon on Lake Rd, on our way to Pumpkin Hill for lunch. It perched on a roadside tree at the bend by the lake, gorgeous in it's total, creamy whiteness. Kettles of Turkey Vultures continue to circle overhead in large numbers, and loon mig

[cayugabirds-l] begging baby Goldfinches

Forgot to mention that our lake feeders are busy with baby Goldfinches, really begging hard from their parents. Fluttering wings and babyish demeanors succeed in getting the parents to really stuff them with birdseed. Seems kind of late, even for these late breeders, isn't it? Carol S. --

[cayugabirds-l] possible imm. red-headed woodpecker?

I must have Red-headed Woodpeckers on the brain. this afternoon about 5pm I got a brief glimpse of a dark bird with distinct white patches on rump and wings, swooping into the trees on N. Triphammer Rd, just across from the Asbury Church. We turned around, parked on the shoulder south of

[cayugabirds-l] thousands of Loons

There were amazing numbers of Loons on the lake yesterday afternoon, in the section from Aurora to Long Point and south.They seemed to continue north past Aurora, so it must have been the northern half of the lake, for I know they weren't apparent in those numbers back down at Myers. No on

[cayugabirds-l] Screech Owl in our nest box

I'm delighted to report that we were awakened early this morning by a tremolo outside our bedroom window -- a Screech Owl was in one of our "squirrel boxes".The face of a gray-phase was peering from the hole in the box facing our house, just 10 feet away. Finally! Our own Cayuga Heights

[cayugabirds-l] Linda Orkin on WHCU Tues/Xmas Count

We'll get some good Christmas Count publicity on Tuesday morning, when Linda Orkin will be interviewed by Dave Vieser on WHCU (870AM radio). Tune in at 6:45am to hear her! Cheers, Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.Northeas

[cayugabirds-l] Peregrine NW corner Bradfield 4:45pm Thurs

Thanks to Ann Mitchell for noting this corner spot for the Peregrine yesterday. We drove up at 4:45 and found it immediately, perched on the very outer NW top corner of Bradfield. After it surveyed it's world for a while, it turned, leaned down and fell straight down like a bungee jumper, he

[cayugabirds-l] Up the lake: Hooded Merg, Horned Grebes, etc

No Eared Grebes in Aurora, but 3 Horned. Many Red-breasted Mergs around the lake shore. 3 Mute Swans and a thousand Tundras, but just couldn't make one into a Trumpeter. There was a handsome Hooded Merg. too, up in the village of Cayuga. Bluebirds, Kestrels, etc. and gas is $2.70/9 in

[cayugabirds-l] Red-shouldered,Rough-legged, Sharpie, GHOwl, Buntings

A couple stolen hours away from the office yielded: Great-Horned Owl in her Stewart Park nest hole, Red-shouldered Hawk west of Kip's Barn, screaming from a perch on a utility pole, Rough-legged Hawk and Snow Buntings on Mt. Pleasant, and then a Sharpie posed in a branch over the road, coming bac

[cayugabirds-l] Ravens on Mt. Pleasant

Thanks to Marie's posting, I could easily find the Ravens up on Mt. Pleasant this morning.It was a nice comparison to the nearby crows. I forget how huge they can seem.Wish I could have heard them 'croak', but all were silent. Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.Nor

[cayugabirds-l] Crow gang wars

Interesting situation just now at our feeders -- Tagged TW and his crew began cawing loudly and I looked out when the din really increased, and was surprised to see a major fight among about 10 crows. They were down on the ground, tumbling and pecking and fighting in the snow. They cawed a

[cayugabirds-l] crow catches mouse!

Just watched a Crow standing under our feeders in an odd, crouched position. Suddenly he jabbed into the snow, and brought up a mouse! After a quick kill, he made a good bloody mess on the snow pecking at it, and has now flown off with it. Also, a large flock of Robins are at our Bucktho

[cayugabirds-l] yes, it was a shrew

Right, Kevin. I used "mouse" in a sloppy, generic way, since I didn't know if a vole would be out in the snow, or a shrew, or what. It was dark gray, and yes, checking a picture on Wikipedia, it definitely was a Blarina. Now I've learned something new. Cute story of little Jay! Ca

[cayugabirds-l] Stewart Pk. Mallard "mixed" pair

I don't think anyone has made mention of the Mallard pair at Stewart Park - a normal male with a lovely all-cream-colored female. They make an attractive couple! Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/Cayu

Re: [cayugabirds-l] Aurora Raven

Last summer I saw a Raven on Gully Road, (north of Aurora) just up the road a little bit from the lake. Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabi

[cayugabirds-l] sounded like a Least Bittern

Last night after sunset we enjoyed the Woodcock display up at the airport, on Warren Drive before it bends left onto Snyder Rd. Coming from the marshy area at the curve, we heard a call that I have to admit I couldn't i.d. It was a fairly quick, low whu whu whu sound, almost owl-like. We

[cayugabirds-l] Consensus: Snipe

Thanks everyone. Guess Snipe it is! I've never heard this before. Checking both calls again, that little bittern actually sounds more like what we heard (very "hollow" sounding") but of course we know how uncommon it would be anyway, and too early for it - just shows that if you don't know

[cayugabirds-l] another Bat

This afternoon, we saw a little brown bat flying over the water just offshore (south of Aurora).It was flying determinedly, with an apparent agenda, but didn't seem to be hunting.We certainly wondered about it's health, the time of day, etc. and so were interested to read Steve's descri

[cayugabirds-l] breeding-plumaged Long-Tailed Ducks!

Friday, 6:30pm We heard an odd, human/Loon like call, looked out from our deck, and are now watching 3 breeding-plumage Long-tailed Ducks! Two males, one female. The males are in full breeding plumage, and lifting their thin tails and shaking them, showing off to the female! Quite a surpri

[cayugabirds-l] last King Eider date

Yes, thanks Chris and Bob for spotting this great bird! My notes show that I saw a female King Eider at Myers on Jan. 15th, '99. Unless I've missed one in between, it's sure been a while since we were graced with one around here. Happy Tday to everyone, Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Inf

[cayugabirds-l] Linda Orkin on WHCU6:45amWed Xmas Count

Everyone set your alarm and get up to listen to Linda Orkin on WHCU tomorrow morning at 6:45 am (Wed. 12/29), talking about the Jan. 1st Christmas Count !!! She'll be interviewed by Dave Vieser again this year, giving our club some good publicity, so tune in to hear her! Cheers, Carol Schmit

[cayugabirds-l] swans, pheasants, etc

Thanks to Bob McGuire's email earlier this week, yesterday afternoon we could "get" the 4 pheasants on Rafferty/Dixon Rd., pecking around under the cow's feet like barnyard chickens. Two Mute Swans were close to shore just before the Lake Rd. bluffs, courting a bit by nodding their heads and