This morning I birded with Jeanette and Cutler Baldwin (from Owego) for a couple hours, starting at the Refuge and looping up to the Savannah area before heading back to Union Springs. A few highlights:
Wildlife Drive (8 a.m.): 8-10 immature Bald Eagles on the ground, in the trees across the river, and in the air Tschache: Trumpeter Swan feeding near tower. 4 fishing Ospreys (with considerable success), Swamp Sparrow calling, not seen. (and at other locations as well) Mays Point: 5 Black Terns (sometimes harassing the Great Blue Herons), Marsh Wren (there and everywhere!), Wood Ducks distant in glare Knox-Marsellus: Newly-hatched young at the nest with both adult Trumpeter Swans, to the south toward Towpath. Too distant for a count. (La Rue and Jackie doing the census and kindly shared scope.) Carncross: spectacular views of the Sandhill Crane family in the sunshine, just beyond the nearest grass ridge. Their rusty orange really stands out against the now-solid green of the vegetation, and the young are tall enough to be easily seen even when their heads are down feeding. Martens Tract: Pied-billed Grebe w/4 small young, several Common Moorhens, Willow Flycatcher and Common Yellowthroat singing and seen. VanDyne Spoor (wooded stretch): Veery, Wood Thrush, Redstart, Cerulean Warbler, to name a few heard but not seen. Mud Lock, River Rd: Osprey sitting in dead tree near Bald Eagle nest; adult B Eagle in tree to the south at end of point. Didn't attempt the really bumpy roads with Baldwin's car. Save the jeepin' for mine! ----------------Kathy Strickland, Union Springs _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_2 -- 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/ --