Radar images early this morning suggested "fallout" conditions in the southern tier of NY. There were fairly heavy radar bird echoes across PA with much less returns in NY...especially north of Binghamton. A cold front dropped south last night and migrants eventually encountered northerly winds in NY which apparently halted their northward progress. So, in anticipation of good birding today, I went to Upper Lisle County Park in northern Broome Co where I know there are a lot of blooming hawthorns on the edge of a woodland. This habitat is similar to the famed Hawthorn Orchard in Ithaca and, this morning, this area produced a nice wave of migrants. At times it was overwhelming for just one set of eyes.
Most of the action was confined to about 2 acres of hawthorns mixed with aspen and an occasional norway spruce. The most common warbler was the TENNESSEE (~15). There were also MAGNOLIA (3),BLACKBURNIAN (1), BAY-BREASTED (1), CANADA(1), WILSON'S (2), MOURNING (heard not seen), CHESNUT-SIDED(3), YELLOW (many) BLACK-THROATED GREEN(3), BLACK-THROATED BLUE (female), AMERICAN REDSTARTS (many), OVENBIRDS, and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (3). In this general area(maybe 10-15 acres), there were also many RED-EYED VIREOS, 1 YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, 1 BLUE-HEADED VIREO, at least 8 BALTIMORE ORIOLES, 4 SCARLET TANAGERS (1 male,3 female), several ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, and 1 LEAST FLYCATCHER. This is what I could identify in about 1 hour. There were many that I missed since there were, at times, 5 or 6 birds flitting around at once in the tops of the trees and bushes. I could not get my bins on all the birds at once! The northern end of Whitney Point Lake was loaded with migrant swallows too. Most were BANK and BARN with some TREES. I was surprised to see so many CLIFF SWALLOWS as well. I counted at least 5. I also found a SOLITARY SANDPIPER perched on a fence! He was very cooperative and I got some great photos. See.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/davenicosia/5727959160/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/davenicosia/5727958386/ As the rain started getting heavier I decided it was time to head home. But, as I got closer to home, the rain let up some and I was soaked anyway, so I stopped at Murphy's Pits in Broome County to check out the mudflats along the Susquehanna River. The river has receded markedly in the past week creating great shorebird habitat. As I drove in, I saw a huge bird that turned out to be a GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL, which is rare in Broome County. I don't think I have ever had one near the Susquehanna River. This bird was missing an eye but seemed fine. I got a couple shots http://www.flickr.com/photos/davenicosia/5727405335 http://www.flickr.com/photos/davenicosia/5727400327/ The mudlflats along the Susquehanna were loaded with LEAST SANDPIPERS(40-50). There were also many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. I also had 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS. So the saying..."bad weather = good birding" definitively held today! Dave Nicosia Johnson City, NY -- 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/ --
