2/5-6/14 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.)
I spotted a male Purple Finch among the hoards of American Goldfinches at our feeders today. Yesterday, 2/5/14, was this winter's peak for the number of goldfinches and seed consumed at our feeders. A Sharp-shinned Hawk dispersed them all for a short time yesterday. It has certainly been unusual to have Amer. Goldfinches at our feeders in winter - and in such remarkable numbers. (Amer. Goldfinches and Purple Finches generally leave our area in late fall.) 2/4/14 Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties I took a drive on Tuesday to St. Lawrence Co. I stopped at the dead deer drop on Route 458 in Santa Clara, and found two adult Bald Eagles that took flight and were joined in a thermal by two Common Ravens. This was an unusual sight, so I kept observing. One of the ravens began to attack one of the eagles - smashing into the eagle's back over and over. The eagle did not fight back and eventually the eagle pair flew off. There were Common and Hooded Mergansers on a small section of open water on the St. Regis River. At Hawkins Point, there was an Iceland Gull (photos on my Facebook page - link below), Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, and Common and Hooded Mergansers. I found an active Porcupine in a tree along Haverstock Road. There were large numbers of waterfowl in the St. Lawrence River along Haverstock Road, but they were far away, and it was nearly dark. A Barred Owl flew across the road in front of my car in Childwold as I drove home. 2/1/14 Minerva in Essex Co. At an area where Red Crossbills appear to be getting ready to nest, a Gray Jay was vocalizing amid many Blue Jays. I imitated a Gray Jay call, and the bird flew toward me. It perched and vocalized for several minutes. The Blue Jays continued to call. The Gray Jay suddenly gave its loud raptor-sounding vocalizations. As it did, a Boreal Chickadee started to vocalize, and 3 Red Crossbills flew in! Matt Young analyzed my terrible iPhone recordings from this area, and he is 99% sure there are Type 1 and Type 10 Red Crossbills on the recordings - he said he is sure enough to count them as such. Interesting! On a brief hike of the Roosevelt Truck Trail, I startled a Ruffed Grouse (it startled me more), and I found a female Black-backed Woodpecker that I observed for a long time (photos on my Facebook page below). I also found 2 Boreal Chickadees, and a vocalizing Evening Grosbeak - in the exact same location where I found several that I posted on 12/4/13. On my drive back to Long Lake, I spotted over 20 Common Ravens at the Long Lake dead deer dump location (near the town sign on Route 28N). 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/ --
