Started at K-M Marsh from East Road around noon. As expected lighting was bad but clouds helped to some extent. Most of the shorebirds were distant and in the shimmer which again, as expected, was really bad. Notable, but not rare birds, were a single CASPIAN TERN loafing with the lingering waterfowl. Same bird as last week? There was also a GREATER YELLOWLEGS closer to the west edge of the marsh in the weedy area. Again, same bird as last week? I also heard and then found a male adult ORCHARD ORIOLE singing from the top of a willow by the edge of the marsh.
Next stop was Armitage Road. PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS were the highlight.The nest hole is easily seen from the road and I saw the female go in. The male was in close proximity and at one time was dive bombing a poor AMERICAN ROBIN who was innocently perched on the top of the dead tree stump just above the nest hole. I also heard a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH singing and singing. Same location as a week or so ago. I assume this is a breeder or at least a singing male on territory. This is a very interesting place where birds of northern affinities meet southern birds. CERULEAN WARBLERS are fairly common here. I also heard a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO calling. Near the bridge, to the left in the woods across the river, I heard what I believe was an ACADIAN FLYCATCHER. The song was pretty apparent... pit see!!! But it was distant and I heard it only twice so I can't be certain. Next stop was Seneca Meadows. There was nothing unusual. Highlight was baby KILLDEER along the path and in the gravel parking lot. Also spoke with the Field Biologist there, Mike McGraw?? and he mentioned that he has one singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROW down there. Then I stopped back at East Road with better lighting, less shimmer and thicker clouds. The shorebirds got closer at times and I was finally able to pick out a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER among the many SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS. The bird clearly had a longer primary projection, finer more even mottling down to the flank, white supercilium. It was also bigger, especially at the "shoulders" or upper wing area. Then when it flushed, the white-rump was easily seen. I also picked out one LEAST SANDPIPER with its darker brown plumage, slightly curved bill and of course lighter legs. Then I had a late SOLITARY SANDPIPER which was taking a bath at first. There were also SPOTTED SANDPIPERS,and KILLDEER as expected, and many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. 3 BLACK BELLIED PLOVERS including 2 gorgeous adult breeding plumage birds and one that was either a female or one still in molt, 1 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, atlantic race, as the orangish-red did not extend all the way to the tail. I also had a breeding plumage DUNLIN and 1 basic plumage DUNLIN with no evidence of any black at all on the under belly, a first summer bird?? The GREATER YELLOWLEGS of earlier in the day was still present almost in the same spot and also in the weedier areas I found a late LESSER YELLOWLEGS too. For this late date, I had 12 species of shorebirds. I also wonder if some of these birds (yellowlegs, SOSA) will linger into the summer and "merge" with the fall migration of shorebirds that begins in just a few weeks! The CASPIAN TERN also was still present with numerous BLACK TERNS. Will this CASPIAN linger into July and eventually be joined by southbound CATE?? Lingering or breeding waterfowl included both species of teal, shovelers, gadwall, and american wigeon. I also heard another YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO from the woods by Towpath road. The ORCHARD ORIOLE was also singing away from the same willow that I had him earlier. I could not re-locate any phalaropes but I probably just missed them. Dave Nicosia -- 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/[email protected]/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/ --
