Flocks of Snow Buntings and Bohemian Waxwings have been moving around for the past week. Gray Jays are nesting and acting stealthy! (Several people have emailed about them being hard to find. Gray Jays are more secretive in March and April.) Many Red-winged Blackbirds and Amer. Crows returned to the central/northern Adirondacks during the unusually warm weather of February - a month earlier than usual (and a record-early Killdeer at Crown Point in Essex Co. on 2/23/17). Winter returned with the large snowstorm on 3/14. All in all, there was only about a 3-week stretch of appropriate snowmobile conditions this winter/spring - down from 5 months or more 20 years ago. (I might add that a record number of snowmobiles went through the ice in the Adirondacks too.) The Adirondack climate continues to rapidly warm and "winter" is quickly disappearing.
March sightings from the past 2 weeks (& a few from late Feb.): 3/25/17 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.), Tupper Lake (Franklin Co.), and Massawepie (St. Lawrence Co.) David Buckley, Piercefield, and I decided to go birding in the Tupper Lake - Massawepie area today. On my drive to David's house, I found a Boreal Chickadee along Route 30 in Long Lake, a Black-backed Woodpecker at the Round Lake Trailhead on Sabattis Circle Road, 3 Gray Jays at Sabattis Bog, and 3 flocks of Snow Buntings (2 flocks along Route 30 in Tupper Lake, and 1 flock along Route 3 in Piercefield). We found a Bald Eagle, an Amer. Robin, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Common Grackles in Tupper Lake. At Massawepie the lakes are still frozen. We parked where plowing stops - about 1.5 miles in, and we walked to the Mountaineer Trail on the groomed snowmobile trail. The Mountaineer Trail had snow drifts so we opted to turn around! I was briefly in the Long Lake - Tupper Lake area on 3/24 and found similar species plus 2 Pine Siskins vocalizing at a feeder in Tupper Lake. 3/23/17 Long Lake Gray Jay - 6 (2 along Route 30, 2 at the Round Lake Trailhead along Sabattis Circle Road, and 2 at Sabattis Bog) Boreal Chickadee - 2 along Route 30 (These 2 Boreal Chickadees are found nearly every time I stop at this location to feed Gray Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, and Red-breasted Nuthatches. They appear to be flock mates of the BCCH and RBNU and announce my presence when I get out of the car!) 3/22/17 Long Lake Boreal Chickadee - 2 along Route 30 3/21/17 Long Lake Bald Eagle Gray Jay - 10 (2 Rt. 30, 3 inlet area of Little Tupper Lake, 2 Rd. Lake Trailhead, 3 Sabattis Bog) Boreal Chickadee - 2 along Rt. 30 Snow Bunting - 2 flocks 3/17/17 Long Lake and Tupper Lake Bald Eagle Gray Jay - 4 (2 Rt. 30, 2 Sabattis Bog) Bohemian Waxwing - 105 in 2 flocks (1 flock of 25 in a fruit tree in Long Lake at a house next to the school ballfield, and a flock of ~80 in Tupper Lake just north of the Skyline Ice Cream stand) Snow Bunting - 2 flocks in Long Lake 3/15/17 Long Lake Golden Eagle - very loudly vocalizing Amer. Crows alerted me to its presence perched along Sabattis Circle Road! It took off and soared above the road for a few minutes - I was even able to take a few flight shots. The Amer. Crows were relentless in chasing it away. Gray Jay - 5 (2 Rt. 30, 3 at the Little Tupper Lake inlet along Sabattis Circle Road) Snow Bunting - 1 outside our house (it showed up after the storm and stayed a few days to eat the cracked corn we put out for Wild Turkeys), and a flock along Route 30 3/14/17 Long Lake (the big storm day - over 30 inches fell at our Long Lake home) I thought I could go out and back before the snow got bad, but I didn't make it! I found a flock of 8 Bohemian Waxwing in a fruit tree in front of the Long Lake Library in near blizzard conditions. My camera couldn't cope and kept trying to focus on the snow! 3/13/17 Long Lake Black-backed Woodpecker - female along the Northville-Placid Trail (S) in Long Lake Gray Jay - 10 (2 Rt. 30, 4 Round Lake Trailhead, and 4 at Sabattis Bog) Boreal Chickadee - 2 along Rt. 30 3/12/17 Long Lake & trip to Albany on the Northway Turkey Vulture - 2 different birds observed as we headed south on the Northway Boreal Chickadee - 3 along Rt. 30 3/11/17 Newcomb Evening Grosbeak - small flock at a feeder outside of Newcomb (I was heading to a class in Plattsburgh early in the a.m.) On a Feb. 18-19, 2017 tour with 2 birders (1 from NYC and 1 from Long Island), we spent one day in boreal habitat and one day in the St. Lawrence Valley. Here are our sightings by day (40 species): February 18, 2017 (21 species; Mostly boreal habitat areas of Newcomb, Minerva, Long Lake, Tupper Lake, and Indian Lake) Wild Turkey Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Hairy Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker - 9 (2 viewed in Minerva (male & female) along Route28N, 4 drumming along the Hudson River in Newcomb (Santanoni Dr.), 1 drumming by the golf course along Santanoni Dr. near Route 28N, 2 drumming in Minerva) Pileated Woodpecker Gray Jay - 7 (3 near the marsh along Route 28N in Newcomb, and 4 along Route 30 by the marsh in Long Lake) Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Boreal Chickadee - 8 (4 along Tahawus Road in Newcomb, 1 heard in Minerva, and 3 along Route 30 in Long Lake) Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper American Robin Bohemian Waxwing - 25 (Along Big Brook Road in Indian Lake) American Tree Sparrow Northern Cardinal Pine Siskin - 2 at a feeder in Newcomb Evening Grosbeak - 6 in Newcomb February 19, 2017 (33 species; This was our day in the St. Lawrence Valley where we spent time in Massena seeing the Great Gray Owls and Barred Owl - then driving the open fields to look for Rough-legged Hawks.) Gadwall Mallard Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Wild Turkey Bald Eagle - 2 Red-tailed Hawk - 2 Rough-legged Hawk - 1 light morph in Lisbon Herring Gull Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Barred Owl - 2 (1 in Massena, and 1 in Piercefield) Great Gray Owl - 2 (beautiful views!) Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Eastern Bluebird American Robin - many! European Starling Cedar Waxwing American Tree Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak - 52! (12 at a feeder along Taylor Road where it intersects Maple Ridge Road and then becomes Munson Rd.; and at least 40 at a feeder along Route 53 (River St.) in Brasher Center.) House Sparrow On a Feb. 22-23, 2017 tour with 2 birders from Long Island, we spent one day in boreal habitat and one day in the Lake Champlain Valley. There was unusually warm weather and a LOT of waterfowl on Lake Champlain! Here are our sightings by day (60 species): February 22, 2017 Mostly boreal habitat areas in Newcomb, Minerva, Long Lake, and Tupper Lake. (27 species): American Black Duck - 2 on Long Lake (some open water - extremely unusual!) Wild Turkey Bald Eagle - 3rd year bird Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Down Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker - 4 (2 viewed near the golf course along Santanoni Dr. in Newcomb - one was a male, and 2 drumming along Tahawus Road in Newcomb) Pileated Woodpecker Gray Jay - 10 (4 along Route 30 in Long Lake, 3 past the inlet of Little Tupper Lake along Sabattis Circle Road in Long Lake, and 3 at Sabattis Bog in Long Lake) Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Boreal Chickadee - 7 (3 in Minerva, 2 along Tahawus Road in Newcomb, and 2 viewed along Route 30 in Long Lake) Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper - singing! Bohemian Waxwing - 27 in Newcomb! Snow Bunting - several locations Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird - 2! (1 in Newcomb and 1 in Tupper Lake - quite a surprise for February!) Pine Grosbeak - 1 heard flying over as we watched the Black-backed Woodpecker (in deep snow!) Pine Siskin - 2 at a feeder in Newcomb American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak - 20 at a Newcomb feeder February 23, 2017 Lake Champlain Valley (55 species): Canada Goose Mute Swan American Wigeon American Black Duck Mallard Northern Pintail Canvasback Ring-necked Duck Tufted Duck - wonderful views! Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Barrow's Goldeneye - pair observed off the Port Henry pier! Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Ruffed Grouse - 1 foraging in a fruit tree by a house in Newcomb! Wild Turkey Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Bald Eagle - at least 7! Northern Harrier Accipiter sp. In Westport Red-tailed Hawk Rough-legged Hawk - 7 Killdeer (flying from Crown Point, NY across to VT! - This is a new early record for Essex Co. NY) Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove (Dead Barred Owl at Crown Point) Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Horned Lark Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper - singing! Eastern Bluebird American Robin European Starling American Tree Sparrow Song Sparrow - 2 (1 singing under the Champlain Bridge!) Dark-eyed Junco Northern Cardinal Red-winged Blackbird House Finch American Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak House Sparrow I posted a few photos on my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian/ Joan Collins President, NYS Ornithological Association 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.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
