First I wanted to thank again Wildlife Biologist Linda Ziemba and Visitor Services Manager Andrea VanBeusichem at Montezuma NWR for allowing access to Knox-Marcellus and Puddler's marshes for Today's shorebird walk. We had a total of 54 people turn out for this walk!!!! It was a great day to be out, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 60s and 70s with light winds. There were virtually no bugs, and the paths were in excellent condition for walking.
We saw 15 species of shorebirds and at least 55 total species of birds. Below is the ebird list I put together. If you want me to share this list with you in e-bird, please send me your email address. Also, if you saw something that I don't have on the list below please email me because I want to have a comprehensive list of all species seen. Highlights: The RED-NECKED PHALAROPE continues. The bird was first seen in Puddler's Marsh and then re-found at K-M marsh which was much closer for observers. The bird was in basic plumage. We also had a surprise UPLAND SANDPIPER flyover K-M marsh with its bubbly call. The bird landed briefly a few times in the grassy areas of K-M marsh and then disappeared. There were also at least 2 STILT SANDPIPERS, 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and quite a few PECTORAL SANDPIPERS. There were decent numbers of LEAST and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and quite a few SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS as well. There were at least 3 KILLDEER. The LESSER YELLOWLEGS continues to be the most common shorebird with only a few GREATER YELLOWLEGS seen. A SOLITARY SANDPIPER was seen by one observer with a SPOTTED SANDPIPER see by a few. Then we get to the dowitchers. There was considerable debate between SHORT-BILLED and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER among observers for this one bird which was in juvenile plumage. There was another dowitcher that we concluded was SHORT-BILLED. Other birds of note...a juvenile BONAPARTE'S GULL, 10 SANDHILL CRANES, 10 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS, 3 GREEN HERONS, and 78 CASPIAN TERNS We also had a dark PEREGRINE FALCON fly by and stir up the shorebirds and a close look at a low-flying NORTHERN HARRIER. See e-bird list below. I am going to post some photos later if they came out decent. I would also like to thank other folks who helped lead this trip by sharing their knowledge and expertise with the large group that showed up. This includes Dave Nutter, Bob McGuire, Ann Mitchell and Gary Kohlenberg. If I left someone out I apologize as I am sure there were others helping too. Below is what I have for the entire group so far entered into e-bird. Again, please let me know if you had any additional species so I can add them. Montezuma NWR--Knox-Marsellus and Puddler Marshes, Seneca, New York, US Aug 9, 2015 8:10 AM - 12:40 PM Protocol: Traveling 2.0 mile(s) Comments: Montezuma Knox-Marcellus and Puddler's Marsh Shorebird Walk, 54 observers. 55 species (+1 other taxa) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 35 estimated numbers Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 25 estimated numbers Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 35 estimated numbers Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1 1 flyover bird fairly high up Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 25 estimated numbers Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1 Green Heron (Butorides virescens) 3 3 birds flew out of woods on north end of K-M marsh Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 10 seen by Puddler's Marsh Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 2 Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 3 Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) 10 seen flying into Puddler's Marsh Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 35 estimated numbers Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 3 Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1 Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) 1 seen by at least one observer Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 3 Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 350 estimated numbers Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) 1 1 bird flew in over K-M marsh, landed briefly was calling with a soft bubbly quality when flying. long neck, roundish head. Seen by many. Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) 2 Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 300 estimated numbers White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) 3 Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) 15 estimated numbers Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) 150 estimated numbers Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) 1 Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) 1 positively identified by one observer at least Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus/scolopaceus) 1 Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) 1 first seen actively swimming in Puddler's Marsh, later in K-M Marsh. Great views. Bird was in basic plumage, possibly a juvenile as it showed some rust in its streaked back. Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 1 juvenile Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 40 estimated numbers Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 3 Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) 78 exact count by one observer Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1 Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 seen by a few observers Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) 1 bird flew out over K-M marsh stirred up shorebirds and then landed in a tree in the woods on the north end of K-M marsh. Very dark individual, juvenile? Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1 heard Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) 1 heard Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1 heard distant American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1 heard Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) 1 heard, flyover bird Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 1 heard Purple Martin (Progne subis) 3 heard on at least 3 occasions different location Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 100 estimated numbers Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 100 estimated Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) 50 estimated Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 1 heard Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 20 heard and seen near end of walk. estimated numbers. Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 3 Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 1 Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 4 Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 1 Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1 heard Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 3 heard in a few locations singing. Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) 5 several flyover birds calling "bink" "bink" Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 25 estimated numbers American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 10 estimated. View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24554531 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) Dave Nicosia -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES 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://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
