This morning, SFO Group 2 went first to Dryden Lake, where there was a surf scoter at decent scoping distance. Other highlights were fly-by osprey and great blue herons, many buffleheads, some lesser scaups, a pair of ring-necked ducks, and some ruddy ducks; red-bellied woodpecker and eastern phoebe(s); and the thumping of ruffed grouse (which Susan's group was lucky enough to see).
Next stop was what's left of the George Road pond, which hosted a modest flock of green winged teal and not much else special. The muck leftover from the draining looked like it may be good for snipe or even shorebirds, but we were a little too chilly to do a careful scan. Finally we went to Genung Preserve in Etna, whose highlight was a fox sparrow perching nicely for a great view then singing its melodious whistle. Golden-crowned kinglets started appearing and gave good but fleeting views to many; white-throated sparrows sang broken songs and looked scraggly and difficult to ID save for a faint hint of yellow in the forehead; red-bellied woodpeckers danced about, while across the creek a purple finch sang incessantly. We also heard the thumpings of ruffed grouse, once seemingly quite close, though it never presented itself. What better way to spend a chilly morning with light drizzle! Suan -- 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/ --
