Enroute Montour Falls on Skyline Drive (East Hill) at around 1130 today we spotted the two adult Sandhill Cranes feeding in a newly hayed field. The birds were on a line of sight to the Fairgrounds (most notable landmark across the canal would be the road salt environmental structure. this is most likely the pair that has attempted nesting in Queen Catharine Marsh these last two years, apparently unsuccessfully.
In Montour Falls at Stillman's Greenhouse we counted at least 40 Turkey Vultures kittling. We see TVs all the time as they take advantage if the hillside thermals between Seneca Lake and Horseheads but have never seen so many at once. Folks at the Greenhouse however thought it common. There's a lovely old property across the street from them that was abandoned for years. We're told the TVs would roost on the house and in the AM, would sun dry on the lawn! The home has been rehabbed and occupied so the TVs have moved roost to the fire academy just to the SE. John -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat" -- 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/ --