10/27/11 Long Lake (northern Hamilton Co.), 34 degrees, calm winds, low cloud ceiling, snow covered landscape! (Last night's snow was the first of the season in Long Lake.)
Pine Siskin continues to be the most abundant species encountered on outings (& outside our house, but none at the feeders yet). Today, the number of siskins was even more remarkable. Flocks were encountered everywhere I walked and whenever I stopped my car. I visited the outlet area of Little Tupper Lake and Sabattis Bog (10 a.m. to noon), both on Sabattis Circle Rd. in Long Lake. The outlet area of Little Tupper Lake is often an exciting birding location, and this morning it was filled with birds. There were a couple hundred Pine Siskins at this spot - calling and singing - it was loud! The first bird heard when I got out of the car was a singing Rusty Blackbird. After an hour of birding at this location, I was just about to get in my car (freezing with completely numb hands) when a male Rusty Blackbird flew into the berry bushes a few feet from me. It was picking the red berries - it would pause for a moment with a large berry in its bill before swallowing it - one of those moments when I wished Jeff Nadler was there with his camera! After eating berries, it flew up to a branch on a dead snag, and a Pine Siskin joined it - yet another wonderful photo opportunity! The morning became even more exciting at Sabattis Bog. Here are some of the 30 species encountered this morning: Ruffed Grouse Common Loon Turkey Vulture - 2 Northern Goshawk - flying over the trees surrounding Sabattis Bog Red-tailed Hawk - 3 Black-backed Woodpecker - 2, one male and one female Northern Flicker - several Gray Jay - 2 Common Raven Boreal Chickadee - 4 (2 groups of at least 2) Red-breasted Nuthatch Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler - small flock, one bird had no tail Song Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow (small flock of ~10 found near the intersection of Tarbell Hill Lane and Route 28N - same location I found them yesterday (10/26/11)) Dark-eyed Junco Rusty Blackbird Common Grackle Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill - one heard near Sabattis Bog Pine Siskin - hundreds (there was a huge flock heard at the intersection of Route 30 and Sabattis Circle Rd.) Blue Jays and Amer. Robins continue to be abundant also. Geese were on the move, but with the low clouds, it was impossible to see them. While I was walking at Sabattis Bog, a car stopped, and the people asked if I was looking for the moose! I should keep a tally of how many times I am asked that question! They told me that people have recently been observing a moose on Sabattis Circle Rd. 10/25/11 Long Lake Two Hermit Thrushes were observed in the trees outside our home. While I was out with our dogs in the evening, I heard a fox calling. Later in the evening, a coyote pack howled, which was amplified over the baby monitor we have on our porch to bring in feeder bird sounds. 10/22/11 Northville-Placid Trail (S) in Long Lake I hiked 2 miles round trip on the N-P Trail (S). A Ruffed Grouse was drumming as if it were spring - heard several times on the way in and way out. A Black-backed Woodpecker called and flew between the tops of two trees. A Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrushes, Winter Wrens, and Pine Siskins were some of the other species found. Joan Collins Long Lake, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
