Ann Mitchell & I returned to Knox-Marsellus this morning.
We met one of our goals, which was a longer better look
at a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. Also present were most of
the species Ken mentioned, including at least 12 DOWITCHERS
(SHORT-BILLED presumably, although we did not hear
them as Ken did), lots of LESSER YELLOWLEGS,
PECTORAL, SEMIPALMATED & LEAST SANDPIPERS,
KILLDEER, & SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS.
There were a few SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, very few
GREATER YELLOWLEGS and we only saw 2 BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS compared to yesterday evening's 6. I think someone
mentioned seeing a STILT SANDPIPER but I didn't get a good
look. Despite the variety, I think the numbers overall were lower,
and I think some of the flying flocks left southbound. I don't
know whether this had anything to do with the continued
sporadic harassment by the young PEREGRINE FALCON.
Also continuing was the immature BONAPARTE'S GULL,
which often walked around picking at the mud and looking
distractingly like a distant Sanderling, a crowd each of
RING-BILLED GULLS and CASPIAN TERNS, and the
TRUMPETER SWAN family (2 adults & 4 young). Also
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, GREAT BLUE HERONS,
CANADA GEESE, MALLARDS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK,
WOOD DUCK, TREE SWALLOW, BANK SWALLOW, BARN
SWALLOW, COMMON MOORHEN, BALD EAGLE, and likely
other species besides. Along Towpath Road we also encountered
singing YELLOW WARBLER, INDIGO BUNTING and EASTERN
PHOEBE, quiet GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER and DOWNY
WOODPECKER, and calling CAROLINA WREN, GRAY CATBIRD
and NORTHERN FLICKER.
At May's Point Pool early in the morning we counted 32 GREAT
EGRETS, and saw several PIED-BILLED GREBES and COMMON
MOORHENS and a SWAMP SPARROW. Along the road we found
a quiet WARBLING VIREO and not as quiet AMERICAN GOLDFINCH,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, SONG SPARROW, and BLUE-GRAY
GNATGATCHER, but no unusual warblers.
At Tschache we saw several OSPREY and immature BALD EAGLES,
the family of 2 adult & 6 young TRUMPETER SWANS and 4 more
adult swans who rested half-hidden and declined to by identified.
PIED-BILLED GREBES were the only kind we found.
We also saw a WILSON'S SNIPE, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
and lots of KILLDEER at Larue's Lagoon, which has been
plowed and has some water in it. There was a SOLITARY
SANDPIPER just before there on the Wildlife Drive in the
traditional spot by the Seneca River along with several SPOTTED
SANDPIPERS. The Wildlife Drive is closed off at the photo blind
parking area and we noticed very little else of interest along it.
The Main Pool, if it exists, is hidden under a blanket of very tall
forbs of the sort which may be good duck food if they go to seed
and then get flooded. The visitor center pond is dry and was
being plowed/disked/harrowed in preparation for some water to
be added around mid-week according to rumors.
The other highlight of the trip was a MERLIN feeding atop a roadside
snag on NYS 89 just north of Canoga about 7am and another one on
the west side of East Road.
--Dave Nutter
We met one of our goals, which was a longer better look
at a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER. Also present were most of
the species Ken mentioned, including at least 12 DOWITCHERS
(SHORT-BILLED presumably, although we did not hear
them as Ken did), lots of LESSER YELLOWLEGS,
PECTORAL, SEMIPALMATED & LEAST SANDPIPERS,
KILLDEER, & SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS.
There were a few SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, very few
GREATER YELLOWLEGS and we only saw 2 BLACK-BELLIED
PLOVERS compared to yesterday evening's 6. I think someone
mentioned seeing a STILT SANDPIPER but I didn't get a good
look. Despite the variety, I think the numbers overall were lower,
and I think some of the flying flocks left southbound. I don't
know whether this had anything to do with the continued
sporadic harassment by the young PEREGRINE FALCON.
Also continuing was the immature BONAPARTE'S GULL,
which often walked around picking at the mud and looking
distractingly like a distant Sanderling, a crowd each of
RING-BILLED GULLS and CASPIAN TERNS, and the
TRUMPETER SWAN family (2 adults & 4 young). Also
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, GREAT BLUE HERONS,
CANADA GEESE, MALLARDS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
NORTHERN SHOVELER, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK,
WOOD DUCK, TREE SWALLOW, BANK SWALLOW, BARN
SWALLOW, COMMON MOORHEN, BALD EAGLE, and likely
other species besides. Along Towpath Road we also encountered
singing YELLOW WARBLER, INDIGO BUNTING and EASTERN
PHOEBE, quiet GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER and DOWNY
WOODPECKER, and calling CAROLINA WREN, GRAY CATBIRD
and NORTHERN FLICKER.
At May's Point Pool early in the morning we counted 32 GREAT
EGRETS, and saw several PIED-BILLED GREBES and COMMON
MOORHENS and a SWAMP SPARROW. Along the road we found
a quiet WARBLING VIREO and not as quiet AMERICAN GOLDFINCH,
BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, SONG SPARROW, and BLUE-GRAY
GNATGATCHER, but no unusual warblers.
At Tschache we saw several OSPREY and immature BALD EAGLES,
the family of 2 adult & 6 young TRUMPETER SWANS and 4 more
adult swans who rested half-hidden and declined to by identified.
PIED-BILLED GREBES were the only kind we found.
We also saw a WILSON'S SNIPE, a GREATER YELLOWLEGS,
and lots of KILLDEER at Larue's Lagoon, which has been
plowed and has some water in it. There was a SOLITARY
SANDPIPER just before there on the Wildlife Drive in the
traditional spot by the Seneca River along with several SPOTTED
SANDPIPERS. The Wildlife Drive is closed off at the photo blind
parking area and we noticed very little else of interest along it.
The Main Pool, if it exists, is hidden under a blanket of very tall
forbs of the sort which may be good duck food if they go to seed
and then get flooded. The visitor center pond is dry and was
being plowed/disked/harrowed in preparation for some water to
be added around mid-week according to rumors.
The other highlight of the trip was a MERLIN feeding atop a roadside
snag on NYS 89 just north of Canoga about 7am and another one on
the west side of East Road.
--Dave Nutter
