Hi, I know it's not Cayuga basin but thought I'd mention a couple finds this
morning:
Besides the resident 2-3 pair of Buffleheads, had 4 Red-breasted Mergansers (3
female, 1 male) moving
south down the lake about a mile south of 96A/East Rd junction. Also had a
single Barn Swallow, a very
A quick run through Montezuma brought fewer ducks than last couple weeks but
did see 15 Caspian Terns and about a dozen Pectoral Sandpipers,
all in the new shorebird pool (before curve). East Road, Van Dyne Spoor
Railroad roads had a lot of Wood Ducks, DC Cormorants, 1 Horned Grebe,
and a pair
Sorry about the late post - just a quick run down on some sightings Sunday
morning:
No Marbled Godwit on the auto route but did have a Sandhill Crane pass over the
shorebird unit and a few Dunlin. A few ducks around; N. Shovelers, BW GW
Teal, Mallards, Redhead, Ring-neck, Gadwall, N. Pintail,
Marsh by the time I left
May's Point. Mark Miller
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This is just a quick note to let everyone know that the area off Railroad Rd.
in Savannah (North of Montezuma) is having a youth hunt on Saturday morning
(10/8). This is being coordinated through the Audubon Center (MAC), so you may
want to plan to bird elsewhere. An additional note; the Esker
I didn't see the Cackling or Greater White-fronted Geese this morning, but the
resident Graylag is back with several Canada Geese at La Rue's Lagoon. I also
spotted a Phalarope (Red-necked) in the shorebird unit (just before the sharp
curve on the auto route) about 8:30 this morning. I went
Just a note to my previous post, I reviewed my photos and the Phalarope's beak
seems very thick with a trace of yellow on the base. As I said I'm no expert
but my Sibley's guide seems to lean towards a Red Phalarope, not a Red-necked.
If anyone wants to see a photo, I'll be working at the
Final note on the subject, the Phalarope at Montezuma's Shorebird Unit is a Red
Phalarope. Thanks Jay Meena for your help. I last saw it near the bend on the
auto route about 4:30 PM Saturday. It was moving around through the open water,
often close to the road.
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After reading the post about possible red-necked grebes off Van Dyne Spoor Rd
(Savannah NY), I went out to check the area. All I could find was the usual
pied-billed grebes, coots, common gallinules, cormorants, and ring-billed
gulls. I spent about 20 minutes at the turn-around and didn't see
I took a mid morning hike along the Esker Brook/South Spring Pool trail at
Montezuma. Not any great finds but did have a lot of sparrows; Field, Song,
White-throated, and Savannah. The RC Kinglets were abundant and quite a few
Rusty Blackbirds were along the Ridge trail (south end). Also had a
Just made a run over to Montezuma today (didn't do the auto route), the visitor
center pool was full of C. Geese, assorted ducks, and a Godwit (Hudsonian,
non-breeding?). Also hiked Esker Brook/South Spring Pool trail and found a lot
of robins, (hermit) thrush, several rusty blackbirds, YR
A few other birds at Montezuma today (after reviewing my photos) include
American Tree Sparrows Fox Sparrow (Esker Brook Trail). At May's Point a few
Great Egrets remain along with a large group of Hooded Mergansers. An imm.
Peregrine Falcon and a Kingfisher were in the dead wood section near
Just an update on some things around Montezuma this afternoon. A mature Bald
Eagle and Imm. Peregrine Falcon were harassing the dunlin, ducks geese at the
visitor's center. A young Brant at Larue's Lagoon (faint trace of a white
collar) was in with other C. geese and random ducks (Life Bird,
Not a lot going on Thursday afternoon at MWR, Brant still at Larue's Lagoon,
lots of swans, snow geese, ducks at Knox-Marsellus along with a couple Tree
Sparrows on Towpath. I did want to pass on the lecture series Nature of
Montezuma will present a 1 to 1 1/2 hour slide presentation on the
Was up to Sodus Point from noon to 2 PM Saturday, at the pier and lighthouse
museum overlook. About a hundred common mergansers in a feeding frenzy, 5
white-winged scoters, a couple small groups of bufflehead, several long-tailed
ducks, assortment of gulls (gbb, ring-billed, herring,
Talking about strange vocalizations, a few times in the last week or two I've
found a Carolina Wren (got a visual ID at about 5' away) making a croaking
sound. It was definitely not it's typical song, but each time was at 7 AM and
it flies off before it gets light enough to photograph. This was
As far as the Purple Sandpipers go, I did look for them but didn't see any. It
was rather windy rainy so they may have not been out, or I could have missed
them (wasn't sure of where exactly they had been sighted).
From: Joseph Brin
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2011 4:14 PM
To: Mark Miller
Went back to Fairhaven State Park today, found 3 Purple Sandpipers on the south
side of the pier despite the 50+ mph winds that almost knocked me off the pier.
They were on a little spit of sand rocks just before the pier turns right
along the channel. (Don't know how they could stand the
Around Montezuma this morning at sunrise, some C. Geese, 1 mature Bald Eagle, 1
male Hooded Merganser, couple N. Harriers Red-tailed hawks. Over to East
Rd/Potato shed lots of geese (Snow Canada) but no Snowy Owl. Gulls all over
this morning with some ducks (mostly Mallards). A pair of Horned
Spent the morning around Knox-Marsellus, East Rd, VanDyne Spoor/Wright/Railroad
roads and didn't see the shrike or any owls. I did have about a million snow
geese (at least a couple thousand) take off from knox-marsellus and 14 sandhill
cranes on the frozen puddlers marsh. Had a dozen or more
I finally got to see a Snowy Owl after trying for a couple years! The owl was
across the Thruway from the Waterloo Outlet Center about 2 PM, then flew to the
corner tower by Timberland. From there it landed atop a telephone pole behind
the northwest corner of the outlet center. I spotted it
Spent early morning at Montezuma (auto route), lots of C. Geese, T. Swans, Am
Tree Sparrows, and a pair of Red-winged Blackbirds. Also had a few N. Harriers,
mature Bald Eagle, Ring-necked and Scaup (Lesser?) in/along the Seneca River.
Lots of Mallards Gadwall flying around. More T. Swans N.
I abbreviated Tundra Swans in my earlier post (T. Swans) by mistake, sorry for
the confusion. They are still being seen all around Montezuma (main pool, East
Rd, etc). I also had a flock of turkeys by the corner of Sutterby and Lamb Rds,
just NW of the village of Tyre on Friday AM.
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Just a couple of points on the Waterloo Premium Outlets; the Snowy Owl was on
the NW corner of the cupola by the Under Armour Store, mainly visible from
behind the stores (I could see top of head from way across parking lot though).
If you use the signs on the back side of the stores for a
Just wondering if you had a better location for possible Snowy Owl location by
Chiropractic College (Seneca Falls). The campus doesn't actually lie along
routes 520. Maybe they meant route 89 and E. Bayard St. (NE corner of campus)?
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Spent an hour or 2 driving around north ends of Seneca Cayuga lakes. Seneca
Lake State Park had it's normal mallards black ducks, along with a female
long-tailed duck, several bufflehead, and 1 pair of common mergansers getting
busy until a GBB gull dived at them. Gulls were mainly
Forgot to mention, next to the pier in Geneva (west of the chamber of commerce)
was a raft of about 100 coots.
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I meant Tundra Swans (most likely) at Cayuga State Park Friday, but it was too
far for positive ID's. Dozens were flying by the park and congregating about
1/4 mile south of the park.
Saturday morning Esker Brook Trail at Montezuma offered several E. Bluebirds,
but didn't see any GC Kinglets
In NYS the crow season is Sep 1, 2011 to Mar 31, 2012 (all of upstate and Long
Island, excluding NYC) but only on Fri, Sat, Sun, Mondays. There is no daily
limit or possession limit. They are also exempt for HIP registration and may be
hunted with rifles and use of electronic calls. (from the
I didn't mean to start any battles, I was just relaying the info from the NYS
Hunting Regulations (www.dec.ny.gov). Although I have hunted in the past (not
for a few years), I have never shot a crow and was taught that you always eat
what you kill. I grew up in a single income family of 8 and
Quick notes on Seneca Lake St Park for Sat AM. Bald Eagle (mature) is still
hanging out across the canal from the marina, Am Wigeon, C. Goldeneye, C.
Mergansers, Bufflehead, Mallards, Black Ducks all present. Couple swans too far
out for an ID. No sign of the Egyptian Goose.
Sodus Pt pier (1
It's definitely not Cayuga basin but I ran into enough locals while there to
post this note. Had a Great Blue Heron (aka Great White Heron) white morph at
Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge at the north end of the Bio Lab Rd. I don't have
posting access to any of the FL birdingonthe.net sites so
A pair of eagles are back at the mud lock nest, alternating on off. A few
Canada Geese and assorted ducks at the pool by the MWR visitor's center (GW
teal, Mallards, N. Pintail). Visitor's Center is due to open Friday (3/16) but
auto route isn't suppose to open until 3/31 ( ? ).
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Has anyone heard anything about the Bohemian Waxwings up at Wehle Park in the
last day or 2? I'm thinking of heading up that way and would greatly appreciate
any updates or any specific areas to look. Thanks.
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Okay, just had to comment! I was at MWR (visitor center) last weekend when a
lady came in with a report of a Smew by mud lock (thanks to Linda B. for
checking it out), now a report of lots of Cinnamon Teal at MWR? Well the Smew
turned into an old Long-tailed duck decoy that had floated away and
Went up to Braddock Bay, weather not cooperating, Owl Prowl Woods only offered
a quick glimpse of a Great Horned Owl (and a few BC Chickadees BG
Gnatcatchers). Stopped in the warbler banding station to see mostly RC Kinglets
and 1 N. Waterthrush 1 Brown Creeper getting banded. No raptors
Hiked the Esker Brook Trail and drove towpath rd at Montezuma this afternoon,
Spring is definitely here! This is a list of species seen (didn't track
numbers). I probably won't remember everything, but here it goes;
Yellow-rumped Warblers
Yellow Warblers
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated
I also had a Cerulean Warbler (male) near S. Winter pond on Howland's Island
(north of Port Byron). Photo posted on Eaton Birds Facebook page. Had many RB
Grosbeaks, several Am Redstarts, Scarlet Tanager, pair of Wood Thrushes, Yellow
Yellow-rumped Warblers, YT Vireos, Great Crested
As with Mark Chao's report, not as much activity this morning. I did see a few
things though;
3 wood thrushes (all together)
red-eyed vireo (with a dragonfly snack)
red-tailed hawk (along the trail in the lower canopy)
great crested flycatcher
belted kingfisher
carolina wrens
cedar waxwings
Just hoping to avoid confusion, and I assume the Seneca Co Fairground post was
actually the Lott Farm (aka Empire Farm Days site).
The Lott farm is located near the Finger Lakes airport (originally Seneca Falls
airport) on Martin Rd and route 414 just south of the (former) village of
Seneca
Didn't see the phalarope, but Hudsonian Godwit is still at Benning Marsh (about
9 AM), also had a pair of Spotted Sandpipers at Benning. Tschache Pool had a
Great Egret in the tree next to the tower, Towpath (very muddy) had a lot of
ducks, GB herons, and shorebirds (on the far side). Had a
Went on a 5 mile hike around the Seneca Meadows Wetland Complex (Seneca Falls)
today. Lots of Song Savannah sparrows all over, a few Bobolinks around the
prairie sections. Had an American Bittern near the parking lot, and a Brown
Thrasher, Pileated, and Least Bittern all on the east end of the
I'm about 95% sure this was a raven and not a crow, seen along the auto route
ay Montezuma, sitting on the new muck piles (near the heavy equipment). Not
much else seen along the drive, GBH, killdeer, Am crows, C. geese goslings,
etc. Did have a male N. Harrier fly over. I will post the Raven
A couple hours at the Seneca Meadows Wetland Complex this morning (Black Brook
Rd Seneca Falls) failed to find the Dickcissel but did see lots of Bobolinks in
transition to nonbreeding plumage, several Marsh Wrens, couple Red-bellied
Woodpeckers, an Indigo Bunting (also in transition), and a
Not much this evening until you get to Benning Marsh on the auto route. Tons of
Yellowlegs (both), solitary least sandpipers. Also had a pectoral sandpiper
and a wilson's snipe, all close in to the road. Did have a nice view of a
rainbow on the drive through.
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I don't mean to harp on the point, just want to avoid confusion. The Lott farm
is the location of Empire Farm Days (which ended Thursday) on the corner of
route 414 and Martin Rd, south of the (former) village of Seneca Falls. The SMS
Fair ground site is about a mile north on route 414, just
Around the refuge this morning (9/2/12):
South Spring Pool (Esker Brook Trail)
Philadelphia Vireo
Great Crested Flycatcher
Magnolia Warbler
Green Heron
Common Yellowthroats
GW Teal
Yellowlegs (both)
Auto Route
Dowitchers
GBB Gull
Semipalmated Plovers
Least Sandpipers
Yellowlegs
American Golden
A short walk around South Spring Pool at Montezuma (off the route 89 parking
area) around 1 PM Friday produced very few birds but did see a Northern
Waterthrush and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on the north side of the path,
about 100 yards or so past the overlook platform. Also had a bunch of
Spent the morning at Montezuma, great day to be outside birding! (finds at
Knox-Marsellus were with the Rochester Birding Association - thanks Mike).
Auto Route:
Pectoral Sandpipers
Trumpeter Swans (family of 5)
Bald Eagles (2 adult/ 2 Imm.)
American Pipits
Savannah Sparrows
Am Wigeon
It's a little out of the local area but thought it of interest, a Black-billed
Magpie has supposedly been seen in on the west side of Cleveland OH. (per
whatbird.com post).
Locally, both Franklin Gull Avocet are still at Know-Marsellus Puddler's
marsh, along with a nice male N. Harrier, all
The wildlife drive at Montezuma was a little sparse, few ducks Canada Geese
(A. Wigeon, Gadwall, Shovelers, Black Ducks, Mallards, GW Teal, N. Pintail,
Coots). Also had Pectoral ( Semipalmated?) Sandpipers at Benning Marsh and a
Peregrine Falcon near the spillway. Knox-Marsellus/Puddlers had
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