[cayugabirds-l] Carolina Wrens
I went outside this bright sunny morning to get some firewood and was surprised to hear two Carolina Wrens singing from different parts of the yard. I had assumed I'd been seeing only one over the past month, but perhaps both are showing up at my feeders Bill Baker Caroline Center - This message was sent using Endymion MailMan. http://www.endymion.com/products/mailman/ -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] (Cooper's?) Hawk vs Blue Jay
After an uneventful walk on Mt Pleasant this morning (where the highlight was just a single Horned Lark), I rounded a bend to hear the sudden distress screams of a Blue Jay from near the edge of the cornfield across from my house on Mineah Road. I couldnt locate the jay among the downed cornstalks and mud lumps at first, but suddenly a hawk flew up dragging the fluttering jay in its talons. Weighed down by its prey, it landed on the ground, a bit further toward the woods. I watched transfixed while there unfolded a terrible struggle, with lots of screaming from the jay and its flock mates, and flapping of wings by both victim and attacker. The hawk was most likely a Cooper's, but possibly a female Sharp-shinned. I was too far away to tell although it looked like the hawk wasnt much bigger than the jay itself. Other jays started mobbing the hawk, and the captured jay put up a valiant fight for several minutes, but its screams became weaker and fewer, as the hawk mantled it, bending down over and over again to peck and toss clumps of feathers into the air. Finally, there was silence, the other jays had left, and the hawk flew again a short distance toward the shrubbery. Finally I watched it drag its prey, still on the ground, into some bushes presumably for protection, and out of sight. An experience both thrilling and deeply disturbing. Marie Marie Read Wildlife Photography 452 Ringwood Road Freeville NY 13068 USA Phone 607-539-6608 e-mail m...@cornell.edu http://www.marieread.com http://www.agpix.com/mari -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Linda Orkin on WHCU Tues/Xmas Count
We'll get some good Christmas Count publicity on Tuesday morning, when Linda Orkin will be interviewed by Dave Vieser on WHCU (870AM radio). Tune in at 6:45am to hear her! Cheers, Carol Schmitt -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Count Week
CBC: Sunday, January 3 (Day of the count) Count Week birds are countable species, if not seen the day of the count. Count Week is 3 days before and 3 days after the count day. Count Week: Thursday, December 31 Friday, January 1 Saturday, January 2 We will meet after the count at 5 pm for dinner (order from the menu) and count compilation at the Blue Ribbon Restaurant in Phelps, intersection of Rte. 96 & Rt. 88. So, try to scout your section count week. All are welcome - CBC participants and non- CBC participants for the compilation at the Blue Ribbon. See you Sunday, at 5 pm! Joe &Carol Eaton Birding Society -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] ducks ousted
A late-morning / early-afternoon walk revealed that the southwest part of Cayuga Lake pretty well had the birds cleared out of it. The only Aythya I saw there were a couple of male Redhead carcasses held by one of half a dozen gunners in camo who had set up with a couple of grounded boats and a lawn chair in water a few inches deep along the shore of Treman Marine Park, while their dogs sat beside them on the beach. For live birds on the lake (greatly outnumbered by plastic) there were 2 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 3 MALLARDS, a tight flock of AMERICAN COOTS, 6 COMMON LOONS in the distance (including a close group of 4 to the northeast), 1 HORNED GREBE in the distance to the northwest, and in the inlet 1 male REDHEAD listing heavily, 2 female LESSER SCAUP (1 with a disheveled wing), and 6 female BUFFLEHEAD. When the gunners packed up and left for the East Shore Marina, even before the sound, smell, and wake of their boats subsided, a flock of 1 male and 6 female HOODED MERGANSER flew from that direction to the southwest corner of the lake. At Stewart Park the ice was crowded with CANADA GEESE (including the domestic hybrid), MALLARDS, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, a couple of COMMON MERGANSERS, and plenty of HERRING, RING-BILLED, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS. Off the ice off Stewart Park I saw 1 male and 2 female COMMON GOLDENEYE. The lake looked empty compared to the hundreds of ducks, geese, and swans that were on it a couple days ago, and I am sad despite the beautiful day. I look forward to the return of the survivors when it it safe. Other birds included 2 separate NORTHERN FLICKERS, an EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 5 AMERICAN ROBINS foraging together on some lawn, 2 separate NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, 3 separate singing CAROLINA WRENS, at least 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS in a flock near the mouth of the inlet, a couple of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, a SONG SPARROW, lots of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, among other expected birds. Twice I heard but did not see a RED-TAILED HAWK, but once I suspected BLUE JAYS were to blame. --Dave Nutter -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
