[nysbirds-l] Red & White-winged Crossbills in the central Adirondacks & more
The numbers of Red and White-winged Crossbills greatly increased during January - it is quite an irruption! Both species are singing, and even within flocks, the birds are paired up. On January 21, 2018, I observed a flock of Red Crossbills in Newcomb along Route 28N (near the intersection with the Blueridge Road). One of the females was carrying nesting material which I believe was Usnea (Old Man's Beard) - I'm not sure she actually did anything with it, and it may have been part of courtship. I observed a pair break off from the flock and spend an hour on a dead snag covered in Usnea. They appeared to be eating pieces of loose bark and cleaning their bills. (I had a strong feeling I was near a potential nesting location by their behavior.) Male and female birds are still being observed gritting together, so females are not yet on eggs. (In irruptive years, I usually begin to see fledglings by mid-to-late March.) White-winged Crossbills have been found singing at every marsh/brook location between Long Lake and Sabattis Circle Road. They are also all along the northern 3 miles of Sabattis Circle Road, which parallels Bog Stream and Sperry Brook, and along the outlet of Little Tupper Lake (inlet of Round Pond) and Hedgehog Pond. The White-winged Crossbills remind me of Bicknell's Thrushes - they sing and call in groups. The White-winged Crossbill males sing in flight, or, similar to Bicknell's Thrush, from the top of a dead snag. Red Crossbills are all over also - on every street in Newcomb near Overlook Park. They are also on Rice Road in Long Lake and Jody Brodsky reported they are also behind the Adirondack Hotel. They can be found near the outlet of Little Tupper Lake and I've observed them feeding in Red Pines at that location. For vocal activity and gritting, it is always best to be out at dawn. During the Long Lake Winter Birding Weekend, we saw many Red and White-winged Crossbills gritting at the intersection area along Sabattis Circle Road early in the morning. I've found both Red and White-winged Crossbills in the following counties: Hamilton, St. Lawrence, Essex, and Franklin. Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, and Amer. Goldfinches are everywhere. Many Pine Siskins have been killed while gritting in the roads - I've observed Common Ravens benefitting from these deaths. Here is the updated list of trees and which species have been observed feeding in them: Red Pine: Red Crossbill White Pine: Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin Red Spruce: Red and White-winged Crossbill Black Spruce: White-winged Crossbill Tamarack: Red and White-winged Crossbill (also Black-capped Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatch) Hemlock: Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill (I found a flock of Red Crossbills feeding on Hemlock cone seeds on 1/22/18 along Horseshoe Lake Road in St. Lawrence Co. - took a video.) Balsam Fir: Pine Siskin, Purple Finch Birch: Pine Siskin, Amer. Goldfinch White Cedar: Pine Siskin, Amer. Goldfinch Unusual winter observations - I've been observing Springtails ("Snow Fleas") all winter (normally, they are a "sign of spring" observed in March-April). Ruffed Grouse are walking around the roads with males displaying for groups of females - similar situation with Wild Turkeys - males are displaying and chasing females (we feed 20 at our home). (A male Wild Turkey recently chased a female around and around a tree non-stop for several minutes - it was very comical!) Species not normally found in the central Adirondacks in the heart of winter that are still here: American Goldfinches, Purple Finches, American Crows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Snow Buntings, Amer. Robins, and American Tree Sparrows. I didn't list Blue Jays because this is now the 3rd winter they have stayed - so I guess it isn't so "unusual" anymore. I also observed a Red-tailed Hawk soaring over Sabattis Circle Road on 1/26/18. The temperature continues to see-saw (low so far was -27 and high was nearly 60 degrees). Within a couple days the temperature ranged 80 degrees and everyone is wondering how this is affecting wildlife and hibernating animals. Here are just some of the sightings from January: 1/29/18 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) On a brief outing to Sabattis Circle Road in late morning I found many singing White-winged Crossbills near the parking area for Round Lake (the inlet and outlet area of Little Tupper Lake). Later on, I ran into Pat Martin and we also found a Snow Bunting at this location. There were many Gray Jays as usual! (I heard the Amer. Tree Sparrow at Sabattis Bog - it has been spending the winter at this location.) On my drive home, I heard more singing White-winged Crossbills along Route 30 near John Dillon Park's entrance. I took photos from my car window of one of the singing males that was perched at the top of a conifer (there were more singing in flight overhead). 1/27-28/18 Winter Birding Weekend co-sponsored by Long Lake Parks & Recreation Dept. and Northern NY Audubon Areas
[nysbirds-l] Red & White-winged Crossbills in the central Adirondacks & more
The numbers of Red and White-winged Crossbills greatly increased during January - it is quite an irruption! Both species are singing, and even within flocks, the birds are paired up. On January 21, 2018, I observed a flock of Red Crossbills in Newcomb along Route 28N (near the intersection with the Blueridge Road). One of the females was carrying nesting material which I believe was Usnea (Old Man's Beard) - I'm not sure she actually did anything with it, and it may have been part of courtship. I observed a pair break off from the flock and spend an hour on a dead snag covered in Usnea. They appeared to be eating pieces of loose bark and cleaning their bills. (I had a strong feeling I was near a potential nesting location by their behavior.) Male and female birds are still being observed gritting together, so females are not yet on eggs. (In irruptive years, I usually begin to see fledglings by mid-to-late March.) White-winged Crossbills have been found singing at every marsh/brook location between Long Lake and Sabattis Circle Road. They are also all along the northern 3 miles of Sabattis Circle Road, which parallels Bog Stream and Sperry Brook, and along the outlet of Little Tupper Lake (inlet of Round Pond) and Hedgehog Pond. The White-winged Crossbills remind me of Bicknell's Thrushes - they sing and call in groups. The White-winged Crossbill males sing in flight, or, similar to Bicknell's Thrush, from the top of a dead snag. Red Crossbills are all over also - on every street in Newcomb near Overlook Park. They are also on Rice Road in Long Lake and Jody Brodsky reported they are also behind the Adirondack Hotel. They can be found near the outlet of Little Tupper Lake and I've observed them feeding in Red Pines at that location. For vocal activity and gritting, it is always best to be out at dawn. During the Long Lake Winter Birding Weekend, we saw many Red and White-winged Crossbills gritting at the intersection area along Sabattis Circle Road early in the morning. I've found both Red and White-winged Crossbills in the following counties: Hamilton, St. Lawrence, Essex, and Franklin. Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, and Amer. Goldfinches are everywhere. Many Pine Siskins have been killed while gritting in the roads - I've observed Common Ravens benefitting from these deaths. Here is the updated list of trees and which species have been observed feeding in them: Red Pine: Red Crossbill White Pine: Red Crossbill, Pine Siskin Red Spruce: Red and White-winged Crossbill Black Spruce: White-winged Crossbill Tamarack: Red and White-winged Crossbill (also Black-capped Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatch) Hemlock: Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill (I found a flock of Red Crossbills feeding on Hemlock cone seeds on 1/22/18 along Horseshoe Lake Road in St. Lawrence Co. - took a video.) Balsam Fir: Pine Siskin, Purple Finch Birch: Pine Siskin, Amer. Goldfinch White Cedar: Pine Siskin, Amer. Goldfinch Unusual winter observations - I've been observing Springtails ("Snow Fleas") all winter (normally, they are a "sign of spring" observed in March-April). Ruffed Grouse are walking around the roads with males displaying for groups of females - similar situation with Wild Turkeys - males are displaying and chasing females (we feed 20 at our home). (A male Wild Turkey recently chased a female around and around a tree non-stop for several minutes - it was very comical!) Species not normally found in the central Adirondacks in the heart of winter that are still here: American Goldfinches, Purple Finches, American Crows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Snow Buntings, Amer. Robins, and American Tree Sparrows. I didn't list Blue Jays because this is now the 3rd winter they have stayed - so I guess it isn't so "unusual" anymore. I also observed a Red-tailed Hawk soaring over Sabattis Circle Road on 1/26/18. The temperature continues to see-saw (low so far was -27 and high was nearly 60 degrees). Within a couple days the temperature ranged 80 degrees and everyone is wondering how this is affecting wildlife and hibernating animals. Here are just some of the sightings from January: 1/29/18 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) On a brief outing to Sabattis Circle Road in late morning I found many singing White-winged Crossbills near the parking area for Round Lake (the inlet and outlet area of Little Tupper Lake). Later on, I ran into Pat Martin and we also found a Snow Bunting at this location. There were many Gray Jays as usual! (I heard the Amer. Tree Sparrow at Sabattis Bog - it has been spending the winter at this location.) On my drive home, I heard more singing White-winged Crossbills along Route 30 near John Dillon Park's entrance. I took photos from my car window of one of the singing males that was perched at the top of a conifer (there were more singing in flight overhead). 1/27-28/18 Winter Birding Weekend co-sponsored by Long Lake Parks & Recreation Dept. and Northern NY Audubon Areas