[cayugabirds-l] Stewart Park and Renwick Woods birds
I birded Stewart Park and Renwick woods from about 8-10am this morning, blissfully unaware of any unusual grebes farther north. In Renwick Woods, I found a GREAT HORNED OWL roosting while being mobbed by three American Crows. The crows gave up without dislodging the owl from its roost. A poor photo is in my checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9554337 At Stewart Park, the highlight was the huge numbers of Aythya ducks - over 3000 at least. One huge raft east of the lighthouse jetty contained ~2500 REDHEAD and much smaller numbers of RING-NECKED DUCK, SCAUP, and a handful of CANVASBACK. When the entire raft took flight and swirled around in the air (for reasons I never determined), I thought that the scaup were mostly LESSER, but I'm not sure. I had at least 1 GREATER SCAUP near the ice edge. West of the lighthouse jetty was a smaller raft of 400 REDHEAD and 20 CANVASBACK. Also present: 8 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 5 COMMON LOONS, 2 RUDDY DUCK, 1 WOOD DUCK, and 1 COOT. My checklist, including two pictures of the Aythya in flight: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9554387 Good Birding, Nick Sly -- 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] Cackling and Lesser Canada - Ithaca
While birding in the City of Ithaca today, I found a Cackling Goose and what I think is a Lesser Canada Goose (B. c. parvipes) in the Cayuga Lake Inlet. The parvipes was a very small, dark goose that I initially mistook for a second Cackling, until I looked closer and saw that its head and bill shape made it a small Canada. It was larger than the nearby Cackling (I couldn't get them in the same photo), but much smaller than surrounding Canadas. It stood out as the darkest goose present, with a darker breast and more dark flecking on the sides. I embedded some photos of both in my checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9406491 I would appreciate any comments for or against the ID of this bird. The geese were on the mowed grass embankments on the west side of the Inlet. About 100 Canadas were roosting just upstream of the small dam and fish gate, another 90+ Canada, plus the Cackling and Lesser were downstream of the dam and around the bend. I also birded the Larch Meadows Trail at Buttermilk State Park and Southwest Natural Area (aka Negundo Woods). I didn't see anything too unusual. Highlights include a good mixed flock at the very back of Larch Meadows, along the Inlet, with many Titmice and a Carolina Wren. In Negundo Woods I had a pair of Hooded Mergansers and a Great Blue Heron along the Inlet. Larch Meadows checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9406195 Negundo Woods checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9406259 Finally, on my way back home a flock of 74 Tundra Swans flew overhead, calling, as I passed the Ithaca Bus Station. Checklist with photo: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S9406273 Good birding, Nick -- 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] Eared Grebe still present, but distant
I scoped from the East end of Stewart Park for Tim's Eared Grebe from 11:15 to 11:45. The grebe was distant to the west: from my vantage point it was between the red lighthouse and the large, tall marker farther out on the lake. Over the course of the half hour it pushed farther and farther northwest, until it was just a speck near the far shore. If anyone is going for it now, maybe Hogs Hole would be a better scoping spot. Hopefully it loops back in close. Cheers, Nick -- 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] Cayuga Lake and Montezuma - Ross's, White-rumped, Long-tailed Duck, etc
I birded Cayuga Lake and Montezuma NWR this morning with Sahas Barve and Ben Freeman. At the Aurora Lake Road Bluffs, we had a flock of 25 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and ~75 COMMON LOONS. The Visitor's Center, Larue's Lagoon, and the main pool were mostly devoid of birds. 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS flew over the HQ. There were 14 SWANS on the Main Pool. I called them TRUMPETER at the time, not realizing until later that TUNDRA SWANS had arrived in force. I probably should have given them all a better look. There were large duck flocks flying around farther back than the open main pool, scared around by Bald Eagles. At Benning Marsh, there was a flock of 37 DUNLIN with 2 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and one late (according to eBIrd filters) juvenile WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. We also had 5 TREE SPARROWS around here. May's Point had about 36 SWANS, almost all sleeping and left unidentified. We didn't see any shorebirds there. Towpath was certainly the most interesting stop today. Knox-Marcellus had at least 400 TUNDRA SWANS and some possible Trumpeters, assorted dabbling ducks, 8 GREATER SCAUP, 25 COMMON MERGANSERS, 3 RUDDY DUCKs, and 1 PIED-BILLED GREBE. In Puddler's, there was a flock of 5 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and 4 DUNLIN. I really nicely asked a particularly small, bright juvenile Pectoral to turn into a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, but it wouldn't. There were 1000+ SNOW GEESE in view at Puddler's, among which I found one juvenile ROSS'S GOOSE. Before I could get the others on it, another 1000+ SNOW GEESE flew in from foraging in the mucklands, and the whole group rose out of Puddler's and moved back over to K-M. We didn't rescan them for more Ross's. Sahas and Ben had a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK that I missed. We had some flyover flocks of PIPIT and HORNED LARKS. We had 5 SANDHILL CRANES visible from East Road in Knox-Marcellus. On Armitage Road at the intersection with East Rd, we suddenly found ourselves in the epicenter of a massive swirling blackbird extravaganza. There were swirling masses in the air, constant streams of birds from one wood patch to another, and flocks of birds moving in the fields. Birds were crossing over the road in groups of 1000s. The streams of birds into the wood patches north, east, and southwest of this intersection were just packing into the trees and undergrowth, filling it with birds. We very roughly estimated 30,000 birds, with roughly a 60:30:10 split between Starlings, Common Grackles, and Red-winged Blackbirds. There was also at least one Brown-headed Cowbird. I scanned the trees for any Rusty's but did not find any. The swirling masses of birds were occasionally disturbed by several hawks in the area. The weirdest thing was, when we drove back through this area just 10 minutes later, after scanning from the Potato Building for Lark and Bunting flocks (none seen), the 30,000 blackbirds had completely vanished. We drove back down the west side of Cayuga, but barely saw any more birds. Highlight was one female WHITE-WINGED SCOTER swimming close together with one female LONG-TAILED DUCK at Sheldrake, right close to shore to the north. There was also at least 7 BLACK DUCKS and 9 BUFFLEHEAD, along with several COMMON LOONS, south of Sheldrake on CR 153. Good Birding, Nick -- 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 at midday
I didn't really have anything new for Stewart Park today - just the standard assortment of ducks and a few songbirds along the back pond. Here's my complete checklist: Stewart Park, Tompkins, US-NY Nov 6, 2011 12:33 PM - 2:08 PM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) 26 species Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 860 American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 1 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 60 Redhead (Aythya americana) 9 Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 8 all females Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 1 female Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 12 seven males and five females Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 20 17 of them in Fall Creek - all 20 female Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 30 Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 1 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 15 Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1 American Coot (Fulica americana) 190 Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 150 Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 80 Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 25 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 Swan Pen American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 4 Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 8 Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 2 Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1 House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 3 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) Good birding, Nick -- 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] Ontario, Montezuma, Cayuga birds - Ross's Goose, etc
As a follow up to Tim's post, I just thought I'd share some of the other good birds we had in an awesome all-day trip (Tim, if you're writing a similar follow-up, sorry to cut you off!). As Tim noted, we started at dawn at Broadway Rd on Lake Ontario. Highlight for me was the immature BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE. I missed Tim's loon, because I was scoping from another section of the bluffs, and my view was blocked by trees. I went running as soon as Tim yelled, but I couldn't get on the bird fast enough. Other highlights from the Broadway Rd bluffs: hundreds or low thousands of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, and at least one small flock of COMMON MERGANSER COMMON GOLDENEYE - a small group of less than 10 LONG-TAILED DUCKS - a few scattered flybys, I don't think more than 10 total WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS - small numbers Tim had at least one RED-THROATED LOON and RED-NECKED GREBE plenty of HORNED GREBE and COMMON LOON BRANT - a flock, I didn't count but probably around 50, on the water far to the NW After the YB Loon disappeared, we searched in that direction for a while in case it was on the water somewhere. With no luck, we decided to scout further west. We scanned the lake at the end of Brown Road, at the end of East Port Bay Rd, and from Chimney Bluffs State Park. No YB Loon was refound and we saw far fewer numbers of birds than from Broadway, but by then it was late morning. Highlights: SURF SCOTER at Chimney Bluffs BLACK WHITE-WINGED SCOTER at Port Bay SNOW BUNTINGS - a flock of 30 on the jetty at Port Bay After giving up on Lake Ontario, we turned our attention to Montezuma. At East Road, we had four flyover AMERICAN PIPITS and one flyover SNOW BUNTING. On Towpath Road, we had a good mixed flock with WHITE-CROWNED, WHITE-THROATED, SWAMP, and one FIELD SPARROW, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BROWN CREEPER, and both KINGLETS. In Knox-Marcellus and Puddler's Marshes, scanned from both roads, there was the usual assortment of thousands of ducks and geese, plus: ROSS'S GOOSE - one adult and one juvenile in with several hundred SNOW GEESE in Puddler's. Many later flew, including at least one of the Ross's, to the Mucklands to forage in the fields. A lifer for me, to make up for the missed loon lifer! SANDHILL CRANES - at least 6 PEREGRINE FALCON - 2 NO Avocet was seen May's Point still has 6 DOWITCHERS and both YELLOWLEGS. At the Refuge Visitor's Center, there were several thousand Canada Geese crowding the pool. We did not find the godwit that has been there, but we did see 20+ DUNLIN. In the Lesser Yellowlegs Unit on the Wildlife Drive, there was a single BRANT with the Canadas Moving down the west side of the lake, we had large numbers of COMMON LOONS, between 500 and 1000 total, at least, and thousands of gulls roosting on the lake. We scanned these birds from many points heading south until dark, hoping for a Pacific and thus a four loon day, but we had no luck in finding that species. From Dean's Cove, we had 3 (!) adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and 3 RED-NECKED GREBES. Somewhere south of Dean's Cove, a brief stop yielded a RED-THROATED LOON flying back up the lake north. A few RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and HORNED GREBES were around, plus at least two BONAPARTE'S GULLS. I think that covers it, but I hope I haven't forgotten any other notables. It was a long, long day... Good birding, Nick -- 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 this morning
I stopped briefly at Montezuma this morning on the way out towards Buffalo. The Visitors Center and Wildlife Drive held nothing unusual, just small numbers of waterfowl that were buzzed at the HQ by a Peregrine. There were only handfuls of Canada Geese present, and no sign of the White-fronted or Snow x Canada hybrid. May's Point was more interesting. There continues to be a massive amount of Green-winged Teal there, sometimes flushed up by a Bald Eagle for quite a spectacle. I counted 940 Teal, when they were settled down on the pool. At one point while they were flushed, I noticed a flock of about 20 Calidris sp. flying with them, which I refound after landing and confirmed as DUNLIN. A group of 12 DOWITCHERS is still present on the right-hand side of the pool, presumably Long-billed. My full eBird checklist for May's is below. Cheers, Nick Montezuma NWR Mays Point Pool, Seneca, US-NY Oct 12, 2011 9:35 AM - 10:10 AM Protocol: Stationary 18 species (+1 other taxa) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 130 Gadwall (Anas strepera) 16 American Wigeon (Anas americana) 17 American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 2 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 10 Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 2 Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 940 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 18 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 5 Great Egret (Ardea alba) 3 Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 2 Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 2 Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 2 Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca/flavipes) 20 Dunlin (Calidris alpina) 20 Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) 12 Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 10 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) 50 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.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 this morning
I walked down to Stewart Park and birded it from 8-9 this morning. Here's my full checklist, with some highlights added. A note about the Scaup. A male scaup was sitting on a log just off from Swan Pen, preening and then swimming. I knew a scaup has been hanging around Stewart for a while, but I couldn't remember what species. I identified it in the field as Lesser, on the basis of head shape (this was actually fairly ambiguous, but I was leaning towards Lesser more than Greater) and flank color (heavy grey vermiculations rather than a purer white in Greater). Then I checked eBird and talked to Jay when I got back and realized that people had been seeing a Greater Scaup. Now I'm not sure which Scaup it is, and I'll have to go back and get pictures. Stewart Park, Tompkins, US-NY Oct 8, 2011 7:50 AM - 9:25 AM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) 35 species BRANT (Branta bernicla) 4 - with a group of Canadas grazing on the grass near the boathouse Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 170 WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa) 3 - on the Swan Pen pond American BLACK DUCK (Anas rubripes) 1 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 75 GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Anas crecca) 1 REDHEAD (Aythya americana) 2 RING-NECKED DUCK (Aythya collaris) 1 Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) 1 HOODED MERGANSER (Lophodytes cucullatus) 2 COMMON MERGANSER (Mergus merganser) 1 RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis) 1 Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3 Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 13 Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1 Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) 1 American Coot (Fulica americana) 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius) 1 Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 100 Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 15 Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 6 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2 Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2 American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 4 Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1 Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 1 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 25 Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 6 BLACKPOLL WARBLER (Setophaga striata) 1 - foraging with House and Song Sparrows and Starlings in the big weedy patch by the floating dock PALM WARBLER (Setophaga palmarum) 1 - foraging with House and Song Sparrows and Starlings in the big weedy patch by the floating dock YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Setophaga coronata) 5 - Swan Pen Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 5 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 1 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 25 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org) Cheers, Nick -- 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/ --
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Nelson's Sparrow, Hog Hole
Justin Proctor and Emilie Ospina joined me in searching for the Nelson's at Hog Hole this evening. We failed to find it, instead finding many Song Sparrows, at least four Swamp Sparrows, a Spotted Sandpiper, and the four Brant back in their usual spot at the entrance to the marina. We also checked the ducks at Stewart, where we had all the species I had this morning, plus about 20 female Common Mergansers. The scaup sp. was too far out to photograph well (my camera won't digiscope). Good birding, Nick On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 12:20 PM, J. Gary Kohlenberg jg...@cornell.edu wrote: When Stuart,Ann and I left the Nelson's sparrow had moved into the main field , NW corner, bordered by the trail as it runs along the lake. Slow careful movement kept him from being terrorized by giants. We were able to get several great looks;, it was a lifer for Stuart. Ann only crashed to the ground once. Thanks Jay ! Gary On Oct 8, 2011, at 8:38 AM, Jay McGowan jw...@cornell.edu wrote: Just found a Nelson's Sparrow at Hog Hole, in the goldenrod along the lake just west of the NW corner of the main path. Jay McGowan -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- 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
I headed up to Montezuma early this morning with a crew of Golondrinas technicians (Justin Proctor, Maria Stager, Emilie Ospina, and Eric Lopresti). We got to Towpath Road while the marshes were still enveloped in the morning fog, so we birded the road for migrants for a while. We had one NASHVILLE, BLACKPOLLs, Palm, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, one LINCOLN'S SPARROW, many White-throated Sparrows and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. After the fog lifted, there was good shorebirding on the north end of Puddler's: Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) 3 Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) 8 Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) 5 AMERICAN AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana) 1 Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) 1 Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) 2 Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 10 Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) 45 Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) 15 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER (Calidris fuscicollis) 45 Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) 3 DUNLIN (Calidris alpina) 3 The shorebirds were repeatedly flushed by a Peregrine and two Harriers. We were surprised when we realized one of the balls of shorebirds flying around was almost entirely White-rumps - we counted about 45 total in the flats, I think the most I've ever seen at once. The Avocet was still present. No sign of any Godwits. There was one female Common Merganser. Overhead and in the Knox-Marcellus half of the marshes were many thousands of ducks and geese. Hundreds of Snow Geese were flying around in large flocks, I think most of them originating in K-M and flying away. We estimated several thousand dabbling ducks were put up in great flocks by the raptors, but they were too far for us to estimate composition. On East Road, the highlight for the Golondrinas crew was of course the approximately 2000 Tree Swallows on the wires, overhead, over the fields, swarming the nest boxs and sign posts, and for some reason mobbing an immature PURPLE MARTIN. I didn't pick out any other swallow species. It is certainly pretty late for a Martin, but I got a great look as it passed over the car with Tree Swallows in pursuit. We also checked Mays Point and the Headquarters on the way back, but didn't see anything new. Best bird at May's was probably 2 White-rumped Sandpipers flying away. Good Birding, Nick -- 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] A few Sapsucker Woods birds
I walked up the Eastern side of Sapsucker this morning. There was a mixed flock at the pond on the east side of East Trail that included one SAPSUCKER, and BLACKPOLL, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, and BLACK-THROATED GREEN warblers. There was also a lot of activity in the powerline cut, where I had more BLACKPOLL and several MAGNOLIA warblers, Common Yellowthroat, both Kinglets, Phoebe, Red-eyed Vireo, and Pileated Woodpecker. Also, there seemed in general to be many more White-throated Sparrows in the woods than last week. Good Birding, Nick -- 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] Ithaca migrants
Despite the cold and rain today, I decided to walk all over town in search of birds. Birds were very active all morning, so it was definitely worth it. Sapsucker Woods this morning in between the bouts of rain (7:30am): 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk getting mobbed by jays and crows Flock of 7 Wood Duck flying away from the main pond 1 Tennessee Warbler 3 Myrtle Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler In the Hanshaw Road fields southwest of the intersection with Sapsucker Woods Rd: 42 Killdeer plus plenty of Mallard, Canada Geese, and Ring-billed Gulls 1 Turkey Vulture, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, and 1 Kestrel overhead Walking down the northern half of Bluegrass Lane (the gravel track from the Equine Facility north to Hanshaw), there was an abundance of sparrows (probably ~50 in total), flushing off the road and flying around in the tall grass field on the west side of the road. Since there were no hard exposed perches in the field, it was almost impossible to see any of the sparrows except in flight. I only ID'd Song, Savannah, and Chipping. Along the hedgerow at the south end of that field, there was a small mixed flock with ~10 Chipping Sparrows, 2 Magnolia Warblers, 1 Nashville and 1 Yellowthroat. The paved portion of Bluegrass Lane was just teeming with activity everywhere. Highlights: Phoebe - 2 Blue-headed Vireo - 1 Philadelphia Vireo - 1, eBird says this is late for this species Red-eyed Vireo - 3 Golden-crowned Kinglet - 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1 Gray Catbird - 7 Nashville Warbler - 1 Common Yellowthroat - 4 Magnolia Warbler - 2 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 White-throated Sparrow - 4 White-crowned Sparrow - 1, a juvenile, the first fall record for Tompkins County this year - has anyone been seeing these yet? After lunch at the Farmer's Market downtown, I walked the weedy undeveloped footpath (future waterfront trail) that starts near the southwest edge of the Market and winds south along the edge of the Inlet. Here I had 1 Tennessee, 1 Magnolia, and 1 very bright immature Yellow Warbler, another late find according to ebird. I also had 2 Mockingbirds in the community gardens just around the corner from the Farmer's Market. I then went to Hogs Hole where I caught Dave Nutter just as he was leaving, and he showed me the four Brant. I had much the same birds as reported by others for this spot today, including 9+ Palm Warblers. Good birding, Nick -- 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] Sapsucker Woods migrants
I ran into several large mixed flocks before and after work in Sapsucker Woods today. This morning, the first flock was south of the pond on Wilson Trail. Most of the 10+ warblers were two far and obscured in the canopy, but I picked out one Blackburnian. Near the intersection of Wilson and Severinghaus trails there was a cluster of 4+ Catharus thrushes, but I only identified 2 as Swainson's before they moved off into the forest away from me. I found a much bigger mixed flock along the north end of Wilson Trail in the flooded forest between the trail and the building. Highlights from this flock: Blue-headed Vireo - 2 Nashville Warbler - 1 Magnolia Warbler - 3 Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1 Blackpoll Warbler - 5 Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 From 5 to 5:30pm, there was a very active mixed flock at the north end of the Podell Boardwalk. Highlights: Eastern Phoebe - 1 Blue-headed Vireo - 2 Red-eyed Vireo - 3 Swainson's Thrush - 1 Northern Parula - 1 Magnolia Warbler - 3 Bay-breasted Warbler - 1 Blackburnian Warbler - 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler - 2 Blackpoll Warbler - 2 Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2 Black-throated Green Warbler - 6 Good birding, Nick -- 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] Sapsucker Woods this morning
Highlights from a walk through Sapsucker from 07:40-8:40, mostly on the East side: Gray-cheeked Thrush - one on East Trail near Frog Barn (91 Sapsucker Woods Road) Northern Parula - one in mixed flock by Frog Barn Blackpoll Warbler - one in mixed flock on powerline cut Black-throated Blue Warbler - two, one alone on Hoyt-Pileated Trail, one in mixed flock on powerline cut, both adult breeding plumage males Black-throated Green Warbler - one in mixed flock by Frog Barn My full checklist: Sapsucker Woods, Tompkins, US-NY Sep 27, 2011 7:38 AM - 8:45 AM Protocol: Traveling 1.5 mile(s) 25 species Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 47 Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1 Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1 Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [auratus Group]) 1 Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 2 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 5 American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 4 Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 15 Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 3 White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1 Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) 1 East Trail near Frog Barn Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) 1 American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1 Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 2 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 15 Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 5 Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 1 In mixed flock by Frog Barn Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1 In mixed flock on powerline cut Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2 1 alone on Hoyt-Pileated Trail, 1 in mixed flock on powerline cut, both adult breeding plumage males Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 1 In mixed flock by Frog Barn White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1 Tan-stripe morph calling and singing quietly near Frog Barn Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 5 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 10 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.org) Cheers, Nick -- 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] Freese Road - Dickcissel, Lincoln's, etc
I birded the Freese Road gardens this morning with a number of other birders looking for the Dickcissel and enjoying the sparrow show. I uploaded lousy pictures of the Dickcissel, Lincoln's Sparrows, and others here: http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/aa220/slybirdsly/Birding/Freese%20Road%202011/ The Dickcissel was moving around a bit in different portions of the garden. Gary K found it first (after an hour or more of all of us searching) in the southern section of gardens near the corn plot. I refound it twice later in the north section in a dense grassy area. It seemed to be foraging mostly on the ground out of sight, and was hard to find initially and then hard to relocate. My eBird checklist is below. Cheers, Nick Freese Road, Tompkins, US-NY Sep 25, 2011 8:12 AM - 10:22 AM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) Comments: with many CBC birders looking for the Dickcissel 29 species Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 16 Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 1 Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1 Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 1 High flyover coming from Monkey Run Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [auratus Group]) 1 Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 5 American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 6 Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 4 White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2 House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1 Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 5 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 7 Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 200 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 2 Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 1 Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 2 Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 4 Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 41 Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 2 Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 2 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 1 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 1 Dickcissel (Spiza americana) 1 Seen well by many observers and photographed. Other observers saw it sing briefly. Foraging in the garden plots, mostly on the ground and hard to find and relocate. House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 1 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 11 House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 8 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.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] Freese Road - Lincoln's Sparrow
I birded Hanshaw and Freese Road this morning. In the fields on Hanshaw south from Sapsucker Woods Road, there were at least 39 KILLDEER mixed among the large numbers of Canada Geese and Ring-billed Gulls. In the Freese Road garden plots, I had one beautiful LINCOLN'S SPARROW, two FIELD SPARROWS, one CHIPPING SPARROW, several PALM WARBLERS and one MAGNOLIA WARBLER. I had two BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS in with a flock of chickadees in the forest by the Dyce Lab. On the southern edges of the field, I had at least 10 CATBIRDS, one HOUSE WREN, more PALM and MAGNOLIA warblers, a juvenile INDIGO BUNTING, and EASTERN BLUEBIRD. A male NORTHERN HARRIER flew across the fields west of Freese Road at one point. My full ebird checklists are below. Cheers, Nick Hanshaw Rd at Sapsucker Woods Rd, Tompkins, US-NY Sep 24, 2011 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM Protocol: Stationary 7 species Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 160 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 1 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 39 Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 205 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 11 American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 3 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 5 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.org) Freese Road, Tompkins, US-NY Sep 24, 2011 9:35 AM - 11:20 AM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) 27 species Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 1 Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) 1 Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2 Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 200 Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1 Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1 Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 5 American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 8 Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 10 House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 1 Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) 1 Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 10 European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 64 Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 3 Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 6 Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 2 Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) 5 Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2 Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) 2 Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 12 Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 23 Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 2 Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2 Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) 1 House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 4 American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 12 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://ebird.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/ --
Avocet still at Mays this morning
Paul Hurtado and I headed up to Montezuma NWR early this morning. The American Avocet was still foraging straight out from the observation platform at May's Point. I didn't check the time but I think that was around 8am. Other shorebirds included both yellowlegs, Solitary and a Short-billed Dowitcher. Cheers, Nick -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Temporary archive: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
