[nysbirds-l] Elba and Montezuma Mucklands
Betsy and I went back to the Elba Mucklands (Genesee County) this morning and again, it was really nice. There are several flooded fields here that are holding many ducks and shorebirds. As Steve Taylor has pointed out, the drive in to the area on West Muck Road is a dirt road that is presently very muddy in several spots. Four-wheel or all-wheel drive is strongly recommended if you are going to drive in. Note that I am referring to driving in on the west side of Rt 98 and on the north side of the big drainage ditch, which crosses Rt 98. Alternatively, one could park at the beginning of the road, next to Rt 98, and walk in. It's roughly a half mile to the first flooded fields and well over a mile to where the road/trail ends. Today, both species of yellowlegs and snipe were mostly on the north side in the big field that is just before the "Dead End" sign. (The Dead End sign is about a mile from Rt 98.) The Pectorals and Dunlin were on the south side in the very flooded field that is just after the Dead End sign. Specifically, there was a small area of mud and corn stubble sticking above the water that was tucked up against the north side of that field and which was difficult to see - that's where the Pecs and Dunlin were. The EURASIAN WIGEON was in the very flooded field on the north side that is just after the Dead End sign. The ducks were using these same fields plus others. A scope is necessary to see most of these birds. We also had our first SPOTTED SANDPIPER of the year here. Here is our eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36164852 After checking the Elba Mucklands, we continued east to the Montezuma Mucklands (Seneca and Wayne Counties). Whereas the Elba Mucklands were really nice, the Montezuma Mucklands were a spectacle of nature, and well worth the trip! Thousands of ducks here and a great variety of other birds. The number of rarities that were found along a very short stretch of Rt 31, from Rt 89 on the west to the Seneca River on the east was amazing! Continuing birds today were two WHITE PELICANS, one BLACK-NECKED STILT, two adult LITTLE GULLS, and reported by others, two EURASIAN WIGEONS, a COMMON TEAL, and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. To check out most of the area, park at the potatoes building on the north side of Rt 31. Look from there and also walk east along the road to check out other wetlands. A scope is essential. Here is our eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36172279 About eight miles south of the Montezuma Mucklands at the NY Chiropractic College, a CATTLE EGRET continues. Good birding! Willie -- Willie D'Anna Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Elba and Montezuma Mucklands
Betsy and I went back to the Elba Mucklands (Genesee County) this morning and again, it was really nice. There are several flooded fields here that are holding many ducks and shorebirds. As Steve Taylor has pointed out, the drive in to the area on West Muck Road is a dirt road that is presently very muddy in several spots. Four-wheel or all-wheel drive is strongly recommended if you are going to drive in. Note that I am referring to driving in on the west side of Rt 98 and on the north side of the big drainage ditch, which crosses Rt 98. Alternatively, one could park at the beginning of the road, next to Rt 98, and walk in. It's roughly a half mile to the first flooded fields and well over a mile to where the road/trail ends. Today, both species of yellowlegs and snipe were mostly on the north side in the big field that is just before the "Dead End" sign. (The Dead End sign is about a mile from Rt 98.) The Pectorals and Dunlin were on the south side in the very flooded field that is just after the Dead End sign. Specifically, there was a small area of mud and corn stubble sticking above the water that was tucked up against the north side of that field and which was difficult to see - that's where the Pecs and Dunlin were. The EURASIAN WIGEON was in the very flooded field on the north side that is just after the Dead End sign. The ducks were using these same fields plus others. A scope is necessary to see most of these birds. We also had our first SPOTTED SANDPIPER of the year here. Here is our eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36164852 After checking the Elba Mucklands, we continued east to the Montezuma Mucklands (Seneca and Wayne Counties). Whereas the Elba Mucklands were really nice, the Montezuma Mucklands were a spectacle of nature, and well worth the trip! Thousands of ducks here and a great variety of other birds. The number of rarities that were found along a very short stretch of Rt 31, from Rt 89 on the west to the Seneca River on the east was amazing! Continuing birds today were two WHITE PELICANS, one BLACK-NECKED STILT, two adult LITTLE GULLS, and reported by others, two EURASIAN WIGEONS, a COMMON TEAL, and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. To check out most of the area, park at the potatoes building on the north side of Rt 31. Look from there and also walk east along the road to check out other wetlands. A scope is essential. Here is our eBird checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36172279 About eight miles south of the Montezuma Mucklands at the NY Chiropractic College, a CATTLE EGRET continues. Good birding! Willie -- Willie D'Anna Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
