[cayugabirds-l] Stevenson Road, Fri 8/30
My son Tilden and I stopped along Stevenson Road on Friday morning. Among the dozens of Turkey Vultures, we found two BLACK VULTURES - the first of this species in the Basin for either T or me. The Black Vultures stayed mostly side by side and once came together for a friendly nuzzle. As others have noted, ID requires attention to the possibility of gray-headed juvenile Turkey Vultures. Having studied The Crossley ID Guide, Tilden immediately picked out one Black Vulture by its bright whitish-gray legs. This field mark, previously unknown to me, is evident in both Crossley's photos and Sibley's illustrations but is not specifically noted in either book's text. We also noted completely black plumage on both birds, as well as the diagnostic wing patches on one bird that briefly took flight. I found that size differences aren't particularly helpful as a basis for ID. Looming impressively in the tree above the compost piles, the throng of Turkey Vultures is worth a look even without rarities among them. One Turkey Vulture had a white wing. What's more, we also got to watch a PEREGRINE FALCON perched incongruously atop this vulture roost tree. After about 10 minutes the falcon took off, made a rather nonchalant pass at some pigeons across the back of the compost facility, then swept 270 degrees over to the edge of the pheasant farm, across the road, and eastward past our car, finally alighting in a distant tree south of the double silos. We left the site at about 9:45 to check the edge of the Dodge Road spruces (no warblers except a Common Yellowthroat); the falcon was still in this same tree when we returned for one last look at about 10:05. Many thanks to Jay for finding the Black Vultures and to everyone for the updates! Mark Chao -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] RHW
One of the babies has fledged. Seen being fed by parent. Sent from my iPhone -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Black Vultures and Broad-winged Hawks
Having the day off, I got over to Stevenson Rd about 1030, arriving at the same time as Bud, where we found Reed and Eric. Reed and Eric had already scouted the vultures and found at least two BLACK VULTURES as they took wing and started circling higher. This gave me time to see them in binocs then grab the scope and share brief views with the others as the birds departed the immediate area. As Bud kindly gave Eric and Reed a lift back to campus, I noticed a huge kettle had formed up over Dodge Rd so went that way solo. I pulled over more or less under the kettle and scanned, spotted one of the BLVUs but not in time to take a photo, but a few minutes later refound it or another and got some distant shots that i have not yet got off the camera. The kettle had broken up into smaller sets by that time. A new basin bird for me! I had not had enough bug bites yet so headed to Monkey Run where the moose-quitos armed with BBQ forks and carving knives were waiting for me. The bug spray i was using was effective only at making their foothold slippery, so some left and returned wearing muck boots to finish the job. As I was fleeing, I heard piercing calls from two BROAD-WINGED HAWKs and walked toward the sound. One flew up from the path to a low perch (15') and the other was at a similar height in an adjacent tree. I crept forward to the continual shrieking of the pair and got some good pics of them. The one that had flown seemed to be splaying its tail and one wing, making me think this was a juvenile begging from the other, which might also account for all the noise they were making. It doesn't seem like the time of year for mating displays. ChrisP __ Chris Pelkie Research Analyst Bioacoustics Research Program Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14850 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Mundy Warblers during lunch time
Hi all, I came across a small pocket warblers and other species on a short Cayuga trail that passes along the Plantations road. There were following: Redstarts 2 female/first year male types Blackpoll warbler 1 Chestnut-sided 1 Magnolia warbler 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 Eastern Wood Peewee 1 Carolina Wren (local resident) along with Chickadees and a family of Red-bellied woodpeckers. This is my first fall encounter with warblers! Cheers Meena Dr. Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Ph: 607-3011167 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Stewart Park
A nice winter-type FORSTER'S TERN is sitting on a log distantly off the west end of Stewart Park right now, and one of two male REDHEADS that have been around for at least a few days is swimming near the east end. Jay -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Reminder and some thoughts about CBC Bell Station Field trip
Just to remind and welcome you to the Cayuga Bird Club Field trip tomorrow. Meet either at the Lab of O parking lot, 7:30 AM or drive straight to Nutridge Road in Lansing and meet there by 8. Donna Scott has provided some information about terrain and parking as follows. Bell Station land Terrain will be a rutted old dirt road, & depending on where Paul leads us, there may be no path at all. There are gradual slopes in the woods and as I say, no trails. It will be woods with fairly low understory plants. We may walk through a couple creeks above the water falls. He will pick out a more shallow spot to cross, probably. With the recent rains, it will be muddy. Near the beginning of this utility road (by Nutridge Rd.) is a spur path that goes to the lake. By the lake is the usual gravel beach, or nearby , the flat bed of former Railroad. Wear hiking shoes or boots that can get wet & bring a hiking stick, if you use one for rough terrain or for crossing creeks. Park on the south side of Nutridge rd.. Off the road a little. Beach residents on dirt road to north need to use Nutridge Rd. too. Hope to see you there. Linda -- Don't ask what your bird club can do for you, ask what you can do for your bird club!! <')_,/ -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Eurasian Wigeon Knox Marcellus marsh
Now. Plus 22 American Golden plovers which flew out moments ago. Still hear at least one in the marsh. Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] nighthawk
I had just got home from work (2015), and thought to step out front for a last peek at the sky. As I reached the edge of the driveway, a COMMON NIGHTHAWK tilted over, not 10' up. The wife was standing on the porch and I shouted "look!" She went "Wha?" I said "nighthawk". She responded with Yea!!! And we watched it dart on down the road. This gives me 6 for the season so far, about average. Steve Fast Brooktondale -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Montezuma Knox-Marcellus Marsh Friday Evening August 30 2013
Went with my birding pal Melissa Penta to Knox-Marcellus Marsh and viewed from East Road. We arrived around 5 pm and stayed for a little over 2 hours. The viewing conditions were good with little if any heat shimmer. Lighting of course was very good. The mosquitoes however were brutal! One highlights was a flock of AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS that flew in after we had been there for about an hour or so. We counted 16 at first, but when they took off after 30 minutes or so we counted 22 as they flew almost directly over us across east road!! The birds were in various stages of molt. There was one that still was in a ragged-looking breeding plumage. These birds had smaller heads than the black-bellied and thinner bills with a very prominent white stripe above the eye. In addition, many of these birds were stretching their wings on the ground and you could see the armpits were light and of course when they flew over you could see all were light. We did find 4 more on the ground of which were joined, for a short time, by a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. This guy was more plump, bigger head and thicker bill and when he took off... blackish armpits. Very nice to see both species together. The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN continues and we found a gorgeous EURASIAN WIGEON among AMERICAN WIGEONS with a very cinnamonish face and very faint stripe down the forehead. NORTHERN SHOVELERS are back now along with many BLUE-WINGED and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. There were 4 SANDHILL CRANES and many waders, and CASPIAN TERNS among the usual gulls. No black terns today. I imagine most have departed by now. There was one BALD EAGLE, one gorgeous young NORTHERN HARRIER and 2 PEREGRINE FALCONs Then, after searching a while, the WHIMBREL finally came out! We were there almost 2 hours before he finally showed up. He was seen well from east road to the right of the purple loosestrife. He was mainly feeding by the edge of a ponded area most of the time until it was almost dark. The number of shorebirds is down from last visit with yellowlegs species the most common followed by semipalmated sandpipers and least sandpiper. There were still a fair number of pectoral sandpipers too. I did not find baird's this evening or white-rumped. Dowitcher species continue. I heard a short-billed for sure but all of the dowitchers I saw were in their duller non-breeding plumage so not sure exactly which of the 2 species they were. I did not hear any long-billed calls. I counted 11 STILT SANDPIPERs. There were also a few SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS which is much less than last time and several KILLDEER. I did not find any phalaropes this evening. No godwits either. Keep in mind that the last two evenings that I came up to Montezuma, godwits were found the very next morning!! First it was the single marbled godwit then the large flock of hudsonian's. So tomorrow should yield a bar-tailed for those lucky enough to go up Good Birding to all!! Dave -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
