6/9/10 Pillsbury Mountain, Adirondack Mountains of NY, elevation 3602', temp 32, calm winds throughout the survey, few clouds, survey started at 4:33 a.m.
The first Bicknell's Thrush song was heard at 4:22 a.m. Conditions were perfect with calm winds throughout the survey. Fifteen species were tallied at point counts: Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (0,2,1,1,0) Blue-headed Vireo (0,0,1,1,1) Red-breasted Nuthatch (0,0,0,1,0) Winter Wren (0,0,1,1,0) Bicknell's Thrush (4,3,0,0,0) There were several birds singing/calling between points 1 and 2, and another bird calling between points 3 and 4. Swainson's Thrush (4,2,1,1,1) Hermit Thrush (0,0,0,2,1) Magnolia Warbler (0,1,1,2,2) Black-throated Blue Warbler (0,0,0,0,1) Yellow-rumped Warbler (1,3,3,1,3) Black-throated Green Warbler (0,0,0,1,2) Blackpoll Warbler (2,2,1,2,1) Canada Warbler (0,0,0,0,2) Nice view of one. White-throated Sparrow (1,1,1,2,1) Dark-eyed Junco (1,1,1,0,1) When the 4th Bicknell's Thrush began to sing on the summit, it aggressively flew after another singer a short distance from me. Wild sounds came from the conifer as these two birds tangled. I found it interesting that this is the same exact location where I witnessed two Bicknell's Thrushes tangling in the evening when I camped on the summit several years ago. (The location is a conifer at the edge of the clearing by the fire tower.) The dirt road to the trailhead is a wonderful birding area, so I stopped at a couple locations on my way out. Several Mourning Warblers were heard in addition to many other warbler species. I stopped at two wetlands and both had a female Hooded Merganser near the road. One of these females took off loudly as I got out of my car - she came back a few seconds later flying low over me as she loudly called. I must have been close to her nest, so I moved. A Common Loon called from a nearby location and a Brown Creeper sang. A highlight for me was finding a Common Grackle nest near the road. The babies were in an open nest about 15 feet up in a dead deciduous trunk at a knot location. I saw a beautiful orange sunrise as I finished the survey, and rising white fog revealed all the lakes and rivers below. It is always a highlight of my year to be alone on Adirondack summits at dawn. Wonderful solitude. Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
