This morning (Wed 24 Aug) from Snyder Rd behind the airport I had a brief glimpse of the 2 Great Egrets flying north-ish above the trees by the Borg-Warner factory at 6:31am, but I lost track of them while moving to what I thought would be a better vantage. Stuart Krasnoff saw them in a tree together yesterday evening at 7:45pm in Jetty Woods looking from Treman Marina.
--Dave Nutter Ithaca, NY On Aug 23, 2011, at 7:36 AM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: > Tuesday 23 August I stood by the North Triphammer Road bridge over NYS 13 as > a gorgeous sunrise spread across the clouds to the west. At 6:24am the 2 > Great Egrets appeared over the horizon to the southwest. Although they > crossed North Triphammer to the south of me, their course carried them north > across MYS 13 before I lost them beyond trees to me east around Warren Rd at > 6:27am. I suspect they were headed for the many ponds near the airport. I > neglected to check the business park ponds, but I did drive around the back > of the airport, where fog, vegetation, and fences hampered my efforts. If > anyone with access to the research ponds behind the Equine Drug Testing lab > or by Neimi Road, or east of the airport could look around and let me know if > there are a couple of egrets around, I'd be very grateful. > > --Dave Nutter > Ithaca, NY > > On Aug 22, 2011, at 9:36 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: > >> ...Route 13 and disappeared to the east over the trees and out of the lake >> valley. >> (Sorry again about the hair-trigger "send" feature on this device I'm using.) >> --Dave Nutter >> Ithaca, NY >> >> On Aug 22, 2011, at 9:28 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: >> >>> This evening (Monday 22 August) the egrets are, like last night, sleeping >>> separately. I walked through the dusk to have a brief look (8:35-8:40pm). >>> Yet this morning as I scoped from East Shore Park they appeared nearly >>> simultaneously out from behind Jetty Woods at 6:18am and immediately flew, >>> very close together, almost directly towards me over the lake. When they >>> were nearly overhead they circled once, then continued over NYS >>> >>> --Dave Nutter >>> Ithaca, NY >>> >>> On Aug 21, 2011, at 9:48 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: >>> >>>> From 8:20-8:30pm this evening (21 Aug) I was by the mouth of Treman Marina >>>> gazing across Cayuga Inlet at our 2 local roosting Great Egrets. The >>>> sedentary one was on it's usual perch. The active one moved among 5 >>>> different perches during the darkening 10 minutes I watched. When I left >>>> it was on the more northerly of its 2 favorite roosting perch atop a small >>>> tree quite separate from the other egret. How does it decide between the 2 >>>> perches it regularly uses? How did the other decide on its single perch? >>>> >>>> --Dave Nutter >>>> Ithaca, NY >>>> >>>> On Aug 20, 2011, at 10:34 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Sorry about that - the message got sent before it was finished. Consider >>>>> this interval while I finish writing to be like waiting for the egrets... >>>>> At 7:31pm I spotted the first Great Egret, but perhaps because I was only >>>>> armed with binoculars, it was only a minute away from landing. I first >>>>> saw it about lined up with East Shore Park against the hillside about >>>>> halfway between the lake and the sky. It flew south, then followed the >>>>> Stewart Park shoreline toward us, veering a bit north as it rounded the >>>>> Swan Pond, and as soon as it got to Cayuga Inlet it flew south to the >>>>> perch occupied last night by, I believe, the same bird. That was the >>>>> earlier one taking off which disappeared from my view for awhile because >>>>> it took a more southerly route. This bird stayed put at least until we >>>>> left, also characteristic of the earlier occupant of that perch. At 7:43 >>>>> I spotted the second Great Egret flying toward us, initially seen in >>>>> about the same direction, but it flew in a more direct path over the >>>>> lake, then took a perch a few feet below its comrade. As we walked >>>>> around the marina I saw this lower bird fly to its alternate perch, a low >>>>> tree to the north. But by the time we had gotten back to the Inlet it >>>>> was back again at the perch it first came to this evening and that it >>>>> used last night. I wonder if they also have distinct feeding habits or >>>>> other personality traits to distinguish them if I were to see them >>>>> elsewhere during the day. >>>>> >>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>> >>>>> On Aug 20, 2011, at 10:01 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> At 7pm this evening (Saturday 20 August) Laurie and I settled in on a >>>>>> bench north of the mouth of Treman Marina to await the arrival of our >>>>>> egrets. Judging by how long they took to disappear from view after >>>>>> taking off in the morning I figured I might have 6 minutes of lead time >>>>>> to see where they came from. >>>>>> >>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>> >>>>>> On Aug 20, 2011, at 1:10 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Back at dawn today, Saturday 20 August, I found the 2 Great Egrets >>>>>>> perched near each other in the same tree as I left them. At 6:20am the >>>>>>> first took flight, and judging by perch choice it was the same one that >>>>>>> flew first yesterday without me seeing it. It flew north, then turned >>>>>>> sharply east just past Jetty Woods such that it was hidden from my view >>>>>>> by 6:21am. I thought (temporarily, it turns out) that perhaps it was >>>>>>> headed for Stewart Park or Fuertes Sanctuary. I immediately looked back >>>>>>> to the roost tree and found it devoid of egrets - no 15 minute delay >>>>>>> between take-offs today! Fortunately I saw the second egret in flight >>>>>>> before it reached the end of Jetty Woods, and I was able to follow it >>>>>>> through my scope as it veered northeast (a bit more northerly than >>>>>>> yesterday) and flew steadily toward the treeline atop the edge of the >>>>>>> valley. As it cleared those trees I saw that it was joined by the other >>>>>>> egret, who must have taken a less direct route, and they headed east >>>>>>> together about where NYS 13 cuts through by the Cayuga Heights exit. >>>>>>> Again, I wonder where they go for they day to feed - the Lab of O? Fall >>>>>>> Creek's middle reaches? some fortunate farmer's pond? And I'm intrigued >>>>>>> that they return faithfully to Jetty Woods to roost, sometimes to a >>>>>>> particular branch. Perhaps they are attracted by the Double-crested >>>>>>> Cormorants who fly conspicuously around the area and have established a >>>>>>> successful and comfortable roosting site. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Aug 19, 2011, at 10:12 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@me.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Today (Friday 19 August) I checked out the Ithaca egret roost in the >>>>>>>> morning and in the evening. During a dawn lull in work I stopped by >>>>>>>> Treman Marina and saw the 2 GREAT EGRETS in their separate trees a few >>>>>>>> minutes after 6am as I had left them Thursday night. Unfortunately I >>>>>>>> got distracted and did not see when one of them flew off around >>>>>>>> 6:10am. That one had been more actively stretching. I was hoping to >>>>>>>> see where they went. The second, more lethargic, bird eventually >>>>>>>> stretched more, and at 6:23am it suddenly took flight to the north. >>>>>>>> When it got to the white lighthouse jetty it turned toward East Shore >>>>>>>> Park, flapping continuously and slowly gaining altitude. Then it >>>>>>>> circled several times for more altitude and continued east over the >>>>>>>> treetops of Cayuga Heights and out of sight at 6:29am. I wonder if it >>>>>>>> went all the way to George Road or Dryden Lake. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> This evening both Great Egrets were back. At one point they occupied >>>>>>>> the same perches in separate trees as the previous night, but this >>>>>>>> evening there was more interaction and one of them (presumably the >>>>>>>> second to fly this morning, considering its perch preference) moved >>>>>>>> back and forth, landing near the other, returning to its previous >>>>>>>> perch (perhaps told to leave), then eventually settling down near the >>>>>>>> other bird. So tonight when I left they were just a few feet apart in >>>>>>>> the same tree. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Other birds included an adult BALD EAGLE flying north over the lake. >>>>>>>> This morning I also stopped by Stewart Park and saw a/the adult Bald >>>>>>>> Eagle perched on the snag opposite the boathouse. I was able to see >>>>>>>> leg bands, blue on its left leg and silver on its right. I know I >>>>>>>> photographed an eagle with these color bands years ago on ice at >>>>>>>> Stewart Park, and when I get access to those photos I will check >>>>>>>> whether they were on the same legs and whether it was the adult or the >>>>>>>> juvenile with the bands. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Continuing from this evening, I counted at least 80 DOUBLE-CRESTED >>>>>>>> CORMORANTS in the trees near the egrets. Two GREAT BLUE HERONS were >>>>>>>> also nearby. A GREEN HERON flew past over the inlet then turned east >>>>>>>> at the south edge of Jetty Woods. A GREAT HORNED OWL flew from around >>>>>>>> the north part of Jetty Woods westbound over the inlet and into the >>>>>>>> trees north of the marina. There were 13 CASPIAN TERNS discernible on >>>>>>>> the submerged red lighthouse breakwater from my vantage south of the >>>>>>>> marina boating entrance. There was also at least one BELTED >>>>>>>> KINGFISHER & BARN SWALLOW, lots of MALLARDS & RING-BILLED GULLS, a >>>>>>>> couple of GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS, and a few CANADA GEESE. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Aug 18, 2011, at 06:55 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@me.com> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> This evening (Thursday 18 August) the two Great Egrets were clearly >>>>>>>>> identifiable with binoculars at 8:30pm in the same two trees as >>>>>>>>> before. >>>>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Aug 13, 2011, at 07:48 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> This evening (13 August) I took a walk along Cayuga Inlet by Cass >>>>>>>>>> Park to Treman Marina. Although it was fairly dark by 9pm when I >>>>>>>>>> was opposite Jetty Woods, with binoculars I was able to discern what >>>>>>>>>> I believe were probably (the) 2 GREAT EGRETS roosting in separate >>>>>>>>>> trees. >>>>>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> On Aug 06, 2011, at 06:35 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> >>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Two GREAT EGRETS were roosting in the same spot on the edge of >>>>>>>>>>> Jetty Woods next to Cayuga Inlet this evening, 6 August. Also seen >>>>>>>>>>> on this evening's canoe-paddle all the way around the red >>>>>>>>>>> lighthouse: 3 GREAT BLUE HERONS, 2 BELTED KINGFISHERS, 2 PURPLE >>>>>>>>>>> MARTINS, 3 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 32 CASPIAN TERNS, 41 DOUBLE-CRESTED >>>>>>>>>>> CORMORANTS, 3 WOOD DUCKS, 6 COMMON MERGANSERS, 2 GREAT BLACK-BACKED >>>>>>>>>>> GULLS, 1 HERRING GULL, plenty of RING-BILLED GULLS, MALLARDS AND >>>>>>>>>>> CANADA GEESE, one or more BARN SWALLOWS, 2 AMERICAN ROBINS, and 1 >>>>>>>>>>> MOURNING DOVE. Also heard were 1 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH and 2 SONG >>>>>>>>>>> SPARROWS. >>>>>>>>>>> We did not see any fireflies in our yard this evening On August 1 >>>>>>>>>>> we only saw 1 firefly, but a few weeks ago it was spectacular. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 02, 2011, at 06:55 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> >>>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> The Great Egret is roosting in the same place this evening, 2 >>>>>>>>>>>> August. >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 1, 2011, at 9:56 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@mac.com> >>>>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > On this evening's (1 Aug) canoe-paddle on Cayuga Inlet Laurie >>>>>>>>>>>> > and I saw a Great Egret atop a small tree on the edge of Jetty >>>>>>>>>>>> > Woods. A Great Blue Heron stood on a log below, and 17 >>>>>>>>>>>> > Double-crested Cormorants rested on dead trees or soared nearby. >>>>>>>>>>>> > A Belted Kingfisher and a couple of Caspian Tern families flew >>>>>>>>>>>> > past. When we got home an Eastern Screech-Owl was calling from >>>>>>>>>>>> > the edge of our yard. >>>>>>>>>>>> > --Dave Nutter >>>>>>>>>>>> > Ithaca, NY >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>>>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Rules and Information >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Archives: >>>>>>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Surfbirds >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>>>>> Rules and Information >>>>>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>>>>> Archives: >>>>>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>>>>> Surfbirds >>>>>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>>> Rules and Information >>>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>>> Archives: >>>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>>> Surfbirds >>>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>>> -- >> -- >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> Welcome and Basics >> Rules and Information >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> Archives: >> The Mail Archive >> Surfbirds >> BirdingOnThe.Net >> Please submit your observations to eBird! >> -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
