On Wed. 25 Mar. 2015 Becky Sewell, my daughter, saw 2 CHIPPING SPARROWS under her feeders. She is 3.5 mi. east of Union Springs, inside "the Basin" & has far more varieties of feeder birds than I do.
I've had a SONG SPARROW under my feeders since 26 Mar.. I saw one on 18 Jan. but didn't try to keep track of it or other birds because of high winds/weather/snow, etc.. A Bluebird was checking out my bird boxes on the 26th. On 23 Mar. when I went to look at the Snowy owl between Aurora & King Ferry, I looked at the new BALD EAGLE nest by the creek at the south edge of Aurora at the corner of Rte. 90 & Poplar Ridge Rd. & saw the white head sticking up. The nest at Great Gully farm is too far away for me to see with binox. Seems that part of our resident Turkey Vultures have returned. Saw the 1st ones on 24 Mar.. Still don't know where they roost. Also on the 24th I found a Canada goose with a large white "elongated cap" atop its head & the chin strap was shorter & more narrow than normal. Got Becky & she took pix & posted them on her Facebook page. Becky has, for over a wk., seen & taken pictures of a male RED-NECKED GREBE on Mill Pond here in Union Springs. I saw it today now that the vast numbers of Canadas weren't there. A COOT joined the Mallards, Buffles & Redheads today. Pond outlets along Frontenac Park have many swans, ducks & geese. Lake ice is still down to Farley's but with the thaw & rain, water is now atop the ice. Snows & Canadas were late getting into the air today. Finally about 11 a.m. great flocks of them headed out to feed & at 4 p.m. I saw many in fields east of us. Seems most any farm fields east of Rte. 90 between King Ferry & Mud Lock, as well as all over MNWR lands, people can find geese. Also saw many in fields going down 89. Snows are still here in great nos.. No ospreys here in Union Springs, yet, that I've seen. Fritzie -- 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/ --