7/7/15 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.)
My younger son came home at 12:15 a.m. and announced that a Black Bear was near our garage! We had cooked outside on the grill, and at this time of year, it often attracts bears. Late this afternoon (4 p.m.), I drove to Sabattis Circle Road. I found a Ruffed Grouse standing in the road - it stood guard as its young crossed the road! The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker nest that I found on 7/5/15 was still active with a very loud baby at the nest hole. I was putting down raisins and bread under a tree at Sabattis Bog when I heard the soft vocalizations of Gray Jays - I looked up and there were 4 Gray Jays perched above me. I find their social structure fascinating. Since the pair I fed all winter raised one baby, they have been joined by a 3rd adult bird - so they are now a group of 3 adults and 1 juvenile. As I photographed the Gray Jays, a Black-backed Woodpecker flew in calling - annoyed by the Gray Jay presence. (I posted Gray Jay photos on my Facebook page.) Lincoln's Sparrows were singing away in the bog. 7/5/15 Long Lake A Merlin was hunting in our backyard. I found an active Yellow-bellied Sapsucker nest along Sabattis Circle Road (photos on Facebook). On a 7/3/15 tour with Robin and Lowell Taubman from Long Island, we found 63 species visiting Whiteface Mountain at dawn, Bloomingdale locations, and an area in Santa Clara. Bicknell's Thrushes were carrying food for young including the neon green caterpillars that I've observed them carrying in prior years during July. Here is our list: Canada Goose Common Loon - 4, including two chicks Turkey Vulture Northern Harrier - 2 different birds (male and female) Broad-winged Hawk Wilson's Snipe - many Ring-billed Gull Mourning Dove Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Hairy Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker - female Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Gray Jay - at least 8! Including tame birds that came to hands for food. Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven - nice views! Tree Swallow Cliff Swallow - colony with adorable young! Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee Boreal Chickadee - at least 3! Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Bicknell's Thrush - nice views of foraging birds! (Including a bird carrying a neon-green caterpillar) Swainson's Thrush Hermit Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird European Starling Cedar Waxwing Ovenbird Black-and-white Warbler Nashville Warbler Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Chipping Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Scarlet Tanager Indigo Bunting Bobolink Purple Finch American Goldfinch We also found a beautiful Red Fox north of Saranac Lake! On a June 30, 2015 tour with a birder from Rochester, we found 67 species by visiting Whiteface Mountain at dawn, Bloomingdale locations, Spring Pond Bog, and Sabattis Circle Road. Here is our list: Canada Goose Ruffed Grouse Wild Turkey Common Loon Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Broad-winged Hawk Mourning Dove Barred Owl Ruby-throated Hummingbird Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Hairy Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker - 2 heard Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Alder Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Gray Jay - at least 5 Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Tree Swallow Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Black-capped Chickadee Boreal Chickadee - 3 (nice views of a pair) Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Bicknell's Thrush - nice view! Swainson's Thrush Hermit Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing Ovenbird Black-and-white Warbler Nashville Warbler Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Blackpoll Warbler - views Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Canada Warbler Chipping Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Indigo Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Purple Finch American Goldfinch We also observed a young Black Bear on Sabattis Circle Road! Joan Collins Editor, New York Birders Long Lake, NY (315) 244-7127 cell (518) 624-5528 home http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/ http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian -- 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/ --
