A short evening hike down Tallman Mountain to the marsh below:
Heard my first Red-winged Blackbirds of the season...and with the setting sun turning the phragmites golden, it almost felt like summer! From a higher spot at the swimming pool, I was able to finally see them...about 20 males (only) milling about. Is this pretty typical? Maybe the females were below the tops of the phragmites, out of view. Also flying just above the phragmites was a juvenile Northern Harrier. Several large flocks of Canada Geese overhead, all heading West...close enough to hear their wings beating. Hiking back up during sunset, the trees were alive with woodpeckers...several Downy Woodpeckers and one Hairy Woodpecker.
A quick jaunt out to the pier at dusk produced several hundred gulls, 2-pair Ruddy Rucks, and 3-pair Buffleheads.
Unfortunately, no sign this time around of the Common Raven we saw fly over the Palisades Pkwy last week.
Still was a gorgeous day to be out! Happy Birding, -Ania ----- Ania Grzesik www.AniaGrzesik.com -------- --- -- 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/ --
