Meg and I took a trip up the east side of the lake to MNWR, Railroad
Road, Martin;s Track then down the west side to Sheldrake for a good day
of birding.
Nothing much going up to MNWR, but the main pool was resplendent with
Green and Blue-wing Teal, Pie-billed Grebes, Gadwall, Northern Pintail
and American Widgeon. We also had very nice views of a Greater and
Lesser Yellow legs. The Purple Martins by the visitor center were very
active.
Going along the loop provided more Pied-billed Grebes and Coots. Swamp
and Savannah Sparrows were in abundance and one particular Swamp Sparrow
was very co-operative in posing for a photo. A Northern Harrier gave us
a farewell fly-by as we headed to Railroad Road. Along the way we were
treated to two Bald Eagles circling lazily overhead.
There were a few ducks at the pond on Railroad Road, mostly Northern
Shoveler, but the real treat for me was the dozen or so Wilson's Snipe I
flushed as I walked around the pond.
Martin's Track provided more Pie-billed Grebes, a calling Moorhen and
many Tree Swallows and Meg heard a Ruffed Grouse thumping in the nearby
woods.
Along the road at Sheldrake we saw many Buffleheads, Common Mergansers
and several Common Loons.
Total species seen ( or heard ) today, 43
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Ruffed Grouse - heard
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Common Moorhen - heard
American Coot
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wilson's Snipe
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Northern Flicker
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
European Starling
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow.
Carl Steckler
--
"For those who fought for it,
Freedom has a flavor the
protected will never know"
--
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/
--
