6/2/10 Blue Mountain, Adirondack Mountains in NY, elevation 3760'; temp ranged from 55 degrees at the trailhead to 50 on the summit; sky was clear; calm winds on the trail, but very windy on the summit; survey started at 4:35 a.m.
The first vocalization heard during the nocturnal climb up Blue Mountain was a Common Loon on Blue Mountain Lake. At least 4 loons were heard vocalizing several times (whole range of their different calls). It is rare to encounter a vehicle in this part of the Adirondacks during the night (gas stations close down by 10 p.m.), and I noticed the loons vocalized as a tractor trailer went by, and then again when a Harley-Davidson sounding motorcycle overwhelmed the night with noise. (Over the years during camping trips, I've noticed that songbirds around my tent (& loons from nearby lakes) become restless when jets go overhead - they appear to hear the jets several seconds before my ears can pick it up.) When the loons vocalized, I turned off my headlamp and just stood listening in a beautifully clear night under the stars and moon. While I enjoyed their sounds, I was aware that it was probably a result of alarm on their part. As I often do in the wilderness, I tried to imagine the Adirondacks hundreds of years ago - before humans added so much noise to the environment. If only we could time travel. A White-throated Sparrow sang during my climb up the peak, and Bicknell's Thrush began singing at 4:16 a.m. (later than I usually hear them). I counted 9 singing Bicknell's Thrushes on the way to the summit (a lower number than usual). I tallied 20 species during the 5 point counts (& an additional 17 species on the descent). I arrived on the summit at 4:30 a.m. and spent a few minutes setting up before beginning the survey. I found it odd that I did not hear a Bicknell's Thrush singing on the summit this year - I was on the summit until 4:45, and the only vocalizing thrush was a Swainson's. I tallied a total of 5 Bicknell's Thrushes (2 at point two, and 3 at point three). Swainson's Thrushes were found at all 5 points, and were widespread all the way to the trailhead. Here is the point count data: Common Loon (0,0,0,0,1) American Bittern (0,0,0,0,1) Interesting find this year!!! The topo map indicates a ravine with a brook in the direction where it was heard. (For the past several years, we've had an Amer. Bittern vocalizing down the mountain from our Long Lake house also.) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (0,0,0,0,1) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (0,0,2,2,0) Blue-headed Vireo ((0,0,1,0,1) Common Raven (0.0.0.1.1) Boreal Chickadee (0,2,0,0,0) Red-breasted Nuthatch (0,0,0,0,1) Winter Wren (1,1,2,2,1) Golden-crowned Kinglet (0,0,0,0,1) Bicknell's Thrush (0,2,3,0,0) Swainson's Thrush (1,1,1,1,2) Hermit Thrush (0,0,0,0,1) Magnolia Warbler (0,1,2,1,2) Black-throated Blue Warbler (0,0,0,0,1) Yellow-rumped Warbler (1,0,1,1,1) Black-throated Green Warbler (0,0,0,0,1) Blackpoll Warbler (1,1,2,2,2) White-throated Sparrow (3,2,1,1,0) Dark-eyed Junco (1,0,1,1,1) Other species found on the peak (not at pt counts) (several found in the parking area): Ruffed Grouse Broad-winged Hawk Pileated Woodpecker Red-eyed Vireo Black-capped Chickadee Brown Creeper Amer. Robin Nashville Warbler (heard between point counts also) Northern Parula Chestnut-sided Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Amer. Redstart Ovenbird Canada Warbler Indigo Bunting Chipping Sparrow Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
