It continues to be a warm fall in the Adirondacks (each year becomes more worrisome). This past September was about the most beautiful that I can ever recall. Before listing a few October sightings, I wanted to mention that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds stayed quite late this year in Long Lake. A juvenile female stayed at our feeders until September 23 (a late record for us - typical is 9/8), and Bill Labes, also of Long Lake, reported two at his home until September 24th (a late record for him). The other unusual report I have is that after two sightings of Evening Grosbeaks in May, I failed to hear or observe any since! Many other birders have reported the same lack of any summer sightings for this nesting species in our area. Evening Grosbeaks nest near our home each spring, and I also hear them on most of my outings, but not this year. They did head south last winter (as did many of our other finch species), but it appears as if they have yet to come back. Unlike last winter, there is abundant food in the north this year, so it will be interesting to see what happens this winter. The first White-crowned Sparrow I observed this season was on September 24th, 2013 outside our Long Lake house.
Some October sightings: October 19, 2013 Sabattis Circle Road (Long Lake in Hamilton Co.) Some of the sightings: Ruffed Grouse Black-backed Woodpecker - at least 3 (I photographed a male and female) - drumming, calling, and rattling! I stopped my car at Sabattis Bog when I heard distant tapping. A male Black-backed Woodpecker was right outside my car tapping on a tree - not drumming, and not foraging, just quietly tapping. A female would call back to him when he would pause in this quiet tapping pattern. He flew back a few trees and began to drum - and had a drumming response up on a nearby hill. There were at least 3 birds near the bog. Other woodpeckers along Sabattis Circle Road - Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker, and Pileated. Gray Jay - calling near Sabattis Bog Common Raven Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Amer. Robins - still abundant and foraging on all the berries this fall Sparrows: Song (singing), Swamp, and Dark-eyed Junco Rusty Blackbird - flock of 10 to 15 flew over Sabattis Bog Purple Finch A large flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers foraged in the trees in our backyard later in the day. October 14, 2013 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) A Barred Owl was vocalizing outside our window from 6:15 to 6:30 a.m.! A nice alarm on Columbus Day! October 11-12, 2013 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) - camping trip at the north end of the lake My husband George and I camped at Island House lean-to near at the north end of Long Lake last weekend. We looked out at the island where Bald Eagles nest each year - they are still roosting on this island! I wrote a blog with interspersed photographs of our trip at: http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/nesting-behavior/a-night-out-in-th e-adirondack-wilderness . Earlier on October 11th, I took a short walk on the Roosevelt Truck Trail in Minerva (Essex Co.) and observed a flock of at least 4 Boreal Chickadees. Hermit Thrushes are still abundant and White-throated Sparrows were singing. October 10, 2013 Massawepie Mire (St. Lawrence Co.) & the Tupper Lake Causeway on the drive (Franklin Co.) Some of the sightings: Wood Duck - causeway Common Merganser - causeway Ruffed Grouse - 3 Wild Turkey Common Loon - Simon Pond (causeway) and Deer Pond (Massawepie) Belted Kingfisher - causeway Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Blue-headed Vireo - our Long Lake home Gray Jay - 2 Boreal Chickadee - several Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Palm Warbler - several Song Sparrow - causeway White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Purple Finch October 9, 2013 Lake Champlain Valley (Essex and Clinton Counties) Sean O'Brien, Ted Mack, and I spent the day in the Lake Champlain Valley between Westport and Ausable Point. Here are some of the 55 species found: Wood Duck Amer. Black Duck Common Merganser Ruffed Grouse Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Great Egret - several at Ausable Marsh Northern Harrier - Ausable Marsh Merlin - Ausable Marsh Greater Yellowlegs - Ausable Marsh Bonaparte's Gull - many in Westport Belted Kingfisher Eastern Phoebe - Ausable Marsh Carolina Wren - Westport Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Palm Warbler - (yellow, eastern) migrant among hoards of sparrows along a Clark Rd. hedgerow Sparrows: Chipping, Song, Swamp, White-throated, White-crowned, and Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird - we estimated over 50 birds at Ausable Marsh (I took photos of a few) October 6, 2013 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) Observed outside our Long Lake house: Eastern Bluebirds (several), Blue-headed Vireo, Nashville Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warbler October 5, 2013 Low's Ridge/Upper Dam Trail (St. Lawrence Co.) I led a trip for the Town of Long Lake on this trail (7.5 miles round trip). This was not a birding trip - more leaf-peeping, but I still kept track of birds! Here are a few of the species: Osprey - in a vocalization fight with the eagle over Hitchins Pond Bald Eagle - adult at Hitchins Pond - vocalizing back and forth with the Osprey Killdeer - at Hitchins Pond Blue-headed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Later in the day, I observed two Common Loons on Long Lake, and Eastern Bluebirds in the town of Long Lake with Chipping Sparrows. October 3, 2013 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) Outside our Long Lake house: Yellow-rumped and Blackpoll Warblers October 1, 2013 Low's Ridge/Upper Dam Trail (St. Lawrence Co.) A couple species to note: Red-shouldered Hawk - lovely views directly over me as it drifted south White-crowned Sparrow I've posted many photos to my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian I added a photographic blog post for September 2013 at: http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/boreal-birds/september-2013-photog raphs I also added a blog post with sightings from tours and outings for September 2013 at: http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/boreal-birds/september-2013-tours- and-a-few-other-sightings Joan Collins Long Lake, NY (315) 244-7127 cell (518) 624-5528 home http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/ http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian -- 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/ --
