(This is being sent from my main email address: joancoll...@adirondackavianexpeditions.com <mailto:joancoll...@adirondackavianexpeditions.com> . I'll be losing my old Frontier address since we changed internet and phone providers.)
There is a huge flock (>100) of Evening Grosbeaks visiting a feeder location in Long Lake about 50 to 100 feet east of Stewarts on Route 28N (& across the street from Stewarts). I stopped at Stewarts yesterday afternoon and immediately heard them! (I also ran into Renee Davis and Marge Gorton in Stewarts - they were up birding in the Adirondacks and also got to see the flock.) I spoke with the feeder owner, Emily Farr, this morning and she said they have been at her home for 2 days. I counted over 80, but I couldn't see many that were in trees behind her home. It appears the flock is well over 100 birds. She said they have been visiting all morning - and eating a LOT of seed! I hope they find my home! I have not observed a winter flock that large in years. Evening Grosbeaks are showing up all over NY and VT. It would be interesting to know where they are coming from. A few other sightings: December 3, 2018 Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) Canada Jay - 10 (2 along Route 30, 2 at the Rd. Lake Trailhead, 6 at Sabattis Bog) Evening Grosbeak - >100 as described above Common Redpoll - 1 female at the same feeder location as the Evening Grosbeaks White-crowned Sparrow - along Route 30 near where I feed Canada Jays On December 1 and 2, 2018, there was a warm-up and I observed 4 Ruffed Grouse (12/1/18) and 3 Ruffed Grouse (12/2/18) along Sabattis Circle Road. November 30, 2018 Long Lake to Lake Placid (Essex Co.) This was not a birding day, just errands, but the birding became a huge distraction! Wild Turkey - I am still feeding between 40 and 50 at our home Pileated Woodpecker - eating berries outside the Adirondack Hotel in Long Lake Black-backed Woodpecker - 1 at Sabattis Bog Canada Jay - 10 (all in Long Lake - 2 along Route 30, 2 at the Round Lake Trailhead, and 6 at Sabattis Bog) Boreal Chickadee - at least 3 at the Big Brook bridge along Route 30 (I had stopped to photograph a Beaver and they flew in - appeared to be out of curiosity) Bohemian Waxwing - 25 to 30 behind Pizza Hut in Saranac Lake Cedar Waxwing - at least 2 among the Bohemian Waxwings Pine Grosbeak - I came out of the UPS store in Lake Placid and I could hear Pine Grosbeaks behind Price Chopper, but couldn't see them. There is a neighborhood of homes behind that plaza - likely a food source in the area. Common Redpoll - several flocks heard in Long Lake - just about everywhere I stopped. There was also a large movement of Common Redpolls on 11/29/18 (in addition to 11/30/18). The last day I observed the Pine Grosbeaks visiting fruit trees by the Long Lake ballfield was on 11/25/18 (11 birds). They were eating Ash tree seeds - one of their favorite winter foods (I got photos and videos of this behavior). I suspect they moved on to another spot, but there is still fruit in the trees around that house. A Muskrat has been feeding on Mussels at the inlet of Little Tupper Lake along Sabattis Circle Road - you can see exactly where they feed at the ice holes with Mussel shells lined up! Two Beavers have been feeding near the Big Brook bridge along Route 30 in Long Lake. They seem remarkably tolerant of humans. I have been stopping to photograph them and they just ignore my presence! Usually they slap their tails and disappear when I am anywhere near them. The chewing sounds they made while feeding were really loud. I've gotten some interesting videos of their feeding behaviors. 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.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/ --
