Re: [nysbirds-l] Raven nest in Queens
This talk of Ravens is very interesting - After the last snowstorm I went out to shovel snow (here in Bayville) and heard a very unusual crow (diff from any other crow I've heard 'round here). I did think to myself - that it was really odd & sort of raven-y. I wasn't able to really persue it - 10" of snow...shoveling... stuff like that, but now you have me thinking... Now I'll have to pay more attention. On Mar 9, 2010, at 5:02 PM, Corey Finger wrote: > Johnny Lawrenson, a Kew Gardens naturalist, mentioned that Common > Ravens were regular in his neighborhood and had nested last year. > He provided the exact location and I went and checked it out today, > and, sure enough, within seconds of arrival, a Common Raven flew > over vocalizing and a second raven flew in to and sat on a nest. > The first bird disappeared but the second bird stayed on the nest > for the ten minutes that me, my partner Daisy, and our infant son > Desmond stuck around. > > So far as I know this is a first breeding record for Long Island/ > New York City/Kingbird Region 10 (the BBA shows none south of > Westchester). I don't think it would be wise to give the exact > location of a nest, especially of such a rare breeder for the > region. I was so skeptical of the initial report (sorry Johnny!) > that I did not bring my camera and digiscoping rig with me today > but I will certainly be heading back over tomorrow to get pictures > (and I will be monitoring the nest to see if it succeeds). > > Good Birding, > Corey Finger > http://1birds.com > > > __ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com Susan Herbst graphic design/illustration/photography 516-633-7730 susie...@optonline.net www.susieart60.etsy.com www.facebook.com/MermaidSuesStudio -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] West Meadow, LI: Red-Shouldered Hawks, et al.
A small kettle of raptors over the Weast Meadow Creek in Stony Brook held 3 RED-SHOULDERED, 1 BROAD-WINGED, and 2 COOPER'S HAWKS this morning at 10:30. Also along the beach was 1 SNOW BUNTING and 2 KILDEER. Enjoy the sunshine. -Peter -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Golden Eagle remains at Bashakill
The immature Golden Eagle reported yesterday by John Haas was seen at the DEC Bashakill WMA in Sullivan County again late this morning, when Ed Morse and others found it perched in a large grove of trees just south of Haven Road. It remained for about a half hour until it was disturbed by an immature Bald Eagle. This bird was photographed at the Bashakill on Saturday March 6 by Gary Van Houten, so today was at least the fifth day it spent at the Bashakill. We have records of a single Golden Eagle remaining for extended periods at the Rio/Mongaup area of southwestern Sullivan County (last in 2001), but not previously at the Bashakill. Should you plan to also check out the Bald Eagles regularly seen at the Bashakill from the Main Boat Launch off South Road, be aware that 4-wheel drive is required to enter (and more important, to exit) that parking lot. A map and more information about the Bashakill is available at http://www.sullivanaudubon.org/ResourcesWhere.htm#Bash Valerie Freer -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Raven nest in Queens
I returned to the nest site today and witnessed one bird sitting on the nest until the second flew in making an interesting croaking noise. The bird on the nest took off before the second bird landed. The second bird landed next to the nest, hopped up on the edge of the nest, and dipped its head into the nest and moved it around a bit. If I had to guess I would say it was turning eggs but I couldn't see for sure what it was doing. It then settled down on the nest and didn't budge for the fifteen minutes I remained. Pics on the blog: http://1birds.com/common-raven-nest-in-queens-ny.htm Good Birding, Corey Finger http://1birds.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Shu Swamp (a.k.a. Mill Neck Preserve) Birds - Nassau Co.
We decided to take advantage today of what might be the last day of sunlight until next week by visiting Shu Swamp in northeastern Nassau Co. There was a nice mix of early Spring migrants and winter residents, including Wood Duck(4) American Woodcock (1), Winter Wren (2), Hermit Thrush (1), Yellow-rumped Warbler (2) and Rusty Blackbird (8). Bird Banding Data: Birders may remember observing the orange-collared Canada Geese this past fall and winter at Sunken Meadow State Park (Suffolk Co.) while searching for the elusive Pink-footed Goose and Barnacle Goose. Sue and I forwarded the collar numbers for three Canada Geese to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and recently received the results. The three birds were banded by the Canadian Wildlife Service and Quebec University near Varennes, east of Montreal, Quebec in 2007. Ken Feustel -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Prospect Park, Brooklyn 3/10/10 Eastern Phoebe
Saw my first-of-year EASTERN PHOEBE today in Prospect, a sure sign that spring migration is on. A fair number of birds were moving, with increased numbers of Blackbirds, Juncos and Song Sparrows on hand, as well as a flyover flock of 16 WOOD DUCKS. The blackbirds were mostly Red-winged, but at least 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were seen within the park; Rustys have been present in Prospect for most of the winter but these singing males were probably migrants. Good birding, Alex Wilson Brooklyn -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Queens County Bird Club Inc. - Upcoming Meeting Info-
The Queens County Bird Club Inc. will be meeting
at the Alley Pond Environmental Center
on Wednesday March 17 at 8pm
Our Speaker will be:
Dr. Angus Wilson. Chair of the New York State Avian Records Committee
(NYSARC) and Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, New York
University Medical Center and Member of the NYU Cancer Institute.
Doing a presentation on
"A NEW YORKER'S GUIDE TO WATCHING SEABIRDS AND CETACEANS: WHERE, WHEN
AND HOW"
Non members and guests are invited to join us for our meetings featuring
noted guest speakers, and to join us on our renowned field trips.
QCBC is a tax exempt, charitable organization {501c3}.
Trips and Meetings are free! :-)
Please consider joining or making a contribution when you attend or
participate.
Please check our website for more information
- {N.B. The website is down, but will be up again shortly }
Arie Gilbert
President: *Queens County Bird Club Inc*.
http://queenscountybirdclub.org/
--
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ARCHIVES:
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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--
[nysbirds-l] Sullivan County Bashakill - patagonia road side rest effect
This afternoon I returned to the Bashakill at 3pm to see if the Golden Eagle was still around and what else might be among the abundant waterfowl. When I arrived, no one else was there. I scanned the marsh on both sides of the road. On my second scan of the north side, I looked to the extreme left and found a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE standing on an iceberg! This is the first county record for Sullivan County! I snapped a few distant pics and then started the phone calls. Arlene Borko arrived first, followed by Tony and Sue Russo. Ken McDermott and Lance Verderame soon followed. We had great views of the bird. I was able to sneak through the woods, the last hundred feet on my belly, to get many decent shots of this bird. We remained with the bird until dark, at which time it began cackling and took flight. It flew well down the Bash then eventually turned around and landed in a large flock of Canada Geese. It was now to dark to discern the bird. Hopefully it will remain and be seen in the morning. As we watched this bird hundreds of ducks and geese began flying around the kill with many others flying high overhead. Thirteen species of waterfowl were present. The blackbird flocks were immense with thousands passing overhead. The numbers of birds was staggering. Great Birding! John Haas -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Black Vultures - New Baltimore Rest Area
There's a roost of BLACK VULTURES visible from the New Baltimore Thruway Rest Stop parking area. This evening I counted 10 of them at the very highest horizontal components of a cell-tower visible by looking to the north and slightly west of the parking area. The tower can also be seen from the outside of the thruway property from NYS Rt. 144, where the railroad tracks cross, just east of Rt. 9-W. Rich Guthrie New Baltimore gael...@capital.net -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] American Woodcocks
I heard American Woodcock tonight in Broome County. - Robert Grosek Binghamton, New York -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] W. Meadow Raptors - Correction (No BW)
My report from West Meadow today included a Broad-winged Hawk, which I have learned would be improbably early. Luckily I was able to grab photos of all the birds today and the one previously ID'd as BW was in fact a RS...so, 4 RSHAs on the day. No BWs. Still plenty of sunshine. Cheers! -Peter -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Tundra Swans over Hamburg, Erie Co.
With east winds and fair weather, Dave Wheeler and I witnessed a large movement of Tundra Swans today over the NE end of Lake Erie from the William D. Williams little league fields (Hamburg Hawkwatch alternate site) on Rogers Rd. in the town of Hamburg, Erie Co. The final tally from 12 to 4 pm was 2408 TUNDRA SWANS in 29 flocks, all of which were heading west at low to moderate heights over the solid ice cube of Lake Erie towards Long Point, Ontario. We also saw over 800 Canada Geese heading the same directions (with some in Swan flocks and vice versa), including one flock that also held 2 CACKLING GEESE. The hawk migration was rather slow with most of the activity occurring between 2 and 3 when the sun came out the temp. ran up to nearly 60 degrees. Two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (dark, and ad. m. light), and a juv. BALD EAGLE amongst a few Red-tails and TVs were the highlights. Small flocks of Blackbirds were also moving north throughout the morning and early afternoon, mostly Red-wings and Grackles, along with a MEADOWLARK, and at least 30 KILLDEER. After the flight ended around 4, we checked out Buffalo Harbor, and inside the breakwalls just south of Times Beach NP was a flock of about 250 mixed Athyha (Redhead, Canvasback, and Scaup), along with 8 Hooded Mergansers, 4 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 6 WIGEON, and 2 more Tundra Swans. Jim Pawlicki Amherst, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] very recent Manhattan birds
Wednesday, 10 March, 2010 - Central Park & Manhattan, N.Y. City At Central Park in Manhattan, not too much in the way of arrivals, although migrants have passed by & thru over the last 10 days or so... and just today, at the park's far north end (specifically on the "ridge" a bit south of the Blockhouse, and on the path a short way uphill / north of the Loch) were two separate Eastern Phoebes: each singing a bit - the first one (seen) could be heard at the same time after the second was in view. These still fairly early- most can be expected in the last week of March well into April... yet there have almost always been a few moving up well ahead, and in some years early phoebes reported in NY state are fairly far inland. On the regional bird-lists, one eager eastern phoebe was noted at a Rhode Island site today. Of other apparently recent arrivals, a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets, one reported Tuesday, and 3 in one area today (Wed.) along the Great Hill. Also today as in many recent days, a smallish stream of blackbirds, that is icterids, seemingly made up primarily of Common Grackle flocks, with far lesser numbers of Red-winged Blackbird and a very few Rusty Blackbirds, plus (just today) 2 Brown-headed Cowbirds - which more typically come along a bit later than the first grackles or red-winged blackbirds, arriving before spring is fully sprung. The other signs of spring have included a fairly good movement of waterbirds, but most of that (thru Central Park, that is) have been quick stopovers with not that many lingerers so far - and there also has been very stubborn skim-ice on waterbodies, even as of today the reservoir was more covered than not by a slushy layer in the earliest daylight hours - this after 100 hours of temperatures above freezing and 4 days of sunny, 55-60 high temp's. in N.Y.C. American Woodcock have seemingly been very scarce so far in Central, despite more & more being seen & heard in many locations north of NYC over the past week or more. At least 3 had been flushed (accidentally) off woods paths some days ago in the park; perhaps others have moved thru but not been well-reported or widely seen. Another species that has passed thru but barely seems to have stopped in so far at Central Park - 2 Killdeer were at the Sheep Meadow in early morning of Sat. March 6th, but could not be found there or anywhere else in Central later that day or since - the species is certainly much harder to come by as a passage migrant in this park that it once was, for a variety of reasons (likewise for a number of "field" birds such as horned larks etc.) There have also been some very modest flights of American Robins, with up to several hundred noted a few different mornings, but even with these a majority so far have not lingered. A few small flocks of Cedar Waxwings have been seen, these not expected in large numbers until much later spring anyhow. The sparrow numbers have changed, but almost imperceptibly so far, with also more singing by the few Fox, greater numbers of Song and especially White-throated Sparrows. One modest surprise today was a single Chipping Sparrow, seen singing near Cedar Hill, while a couple of (uncommon in Central) American Tree Sparrows linger on at the Ramble feeding area & nearby. A modest flock of Dark-eyed Juncos have continued in the north end & small numbers continued elsewhere. A Brown Thrasher remains in the areas including both sides of the W. Drive at Tanner's Spring, the Winterdale Arch and to the east & north of those sites as well; a couple of Hermit Thrushes have been seen, probably still representing ones that overwintered in the park or very near, but in the month of March that thrush species will increase greatly, mostly towards month's end... Among the waterbirds so far noted - Great Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron (1, Meer), Double-crested Cormorant (occasional at reservoir in past 10 days), Wood Duck (pair at the Pond today, but have been moving about), Bufflehead (up to 30, with at least 20 on the reservoir this morning), Gadwall (in varying numbers generally fewer than 10, park-wide), N. Shoveler (down to under 30 after a brief appearance of about 60 last week), Hooded Merganser (up to 10 or more, and at least 5 today), plus small numbers of Ruddy Ducks at the Meer (so far) - and the usual 3 gull species in varying numbers, fewer lingering just now at the reservoir with diminished ice - maximum about 900+, & some days less than 100 at a time. There have been a few Turkey Vulture flyovers mostly later in recent days and also a few Snow Goose flyovers in early mornings, along with a few notable flights of Canada Geese that appeared to be moving beyond very local (ie, manhattan waters) sites. Raptors seen lately at Central include the local Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels and occasional Peregrine sorti
