An interesting event before Mark joined us this morning. Just as we were coming off the boardwalk to the Fuller Wetlands, we noticed and were observing (exclaiming over) a Canada Goose family, two parents and many, perhaps seven, goslings, over to the right on the grassy trail. At that moment the Red-tail swooped in on strong winds between the parents, ostensibly to snatch a downy baby. The parents both shot straight up in the air like jack-in-the-boxes and the Red-tail immediately swooped away, right over our heads with a Red-wing in hot pursuit. A very fraught moment for them and exciting for us.
Just wanted to publicly acknowledge Mark for taking my little mixed-group of birders in tow and leading us to a warbler festival. Every time I am lucky enough to accompany, or be accompanied by Mark, I learn much from his patient, and bubbling enthusiasm and his vast store of knowledge. And he is so gracious, he thanks me for the opportunity. I hope this does not embarrass him (Mark?) and I would like to encourage everyone to support his efforts on the Spring Bird Quest to benefit the Finger Lakes Land Trust> Thanks. Linda On Sun, May 9, 2010 at 10:21 AM, Mark Chao <markc...@imt.org> wrote: > In hopes that the severe weather might have downed some birds, I went to > Myers Park on Sunday morning. I found no extreme birds, but I did find > extreme birder Jay McGowan, some COMMON TERNS, a SNOW GOOSE (smaller than > Canada Geese, typical structure and grin patch -- not a white domestic > goose), an ORCHARD ORIOLE singing near the entrance, and a SCARLET TANAGER > in the trees around the private marina. I missed a BRANT that Jay found > north of the spit. > > Then I joined a public walk led by Linda Orkin in Sapsucker Woods. We > found quite a nice variety of birds on the Wilson Trail, mostly in a loose > mixed flock by the lone bench south of the Sherwood Platform, during a brief > appearance by the sun. (The east-facing edge here is perhaps the best of > several excellent spots in Sapsucker Woods for finding concentrations of > insectivorous birds on cold but sunlit mornings.) This flock included > BAY-BREASTED WARBLER and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER perched in the same > binocular view and offering a nice comparison of songs; MAGNOLIA WARBLER; > CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (2 males), AMERICAN REDSTART, > NASHVILLE WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and BLUE-GRAY > GNATCATCHER, plus a few Yellow Warblers and many Yellow-rumped Warblers. I > also saw a PALM WARBLER before the first fork in the Wilson Trail North and > heard a EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE singing somewhere near the sharp bend after the > small footbridge. > > Even aside from the warblers, a visit to Sapsucker Woods is plenty > enjoyable just for the sight of Great Blue Herons on their nests and the > noisy spectacle of Baltimore Orioles everywhere gathering nest material and > defending territories. > > Mark Chao > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
