There’s been an Osprey on one of the snags in the back pond of Sapsucker Woods the last three mornings. I saw it between 8 and 8:30 the last two mornings. It’s best viewed from the Sherwood Platform at the back of the pond or the bridge between the Wilson Trail and the Visitor Center entrance.
While looking at the Osprey from that bridge this morning, a Common Gallinule walked out of the cattails and started swimming toward the island off shore from the Visitor Center. It was a stunning, close up view, and the first time I recall seeing or hearing one in SSW. There’s been a flock of about 40 Rusty Blackbirds in SSW the past two days. It moves around, though. Yesterday morning they were foraging in the pools on the Wilson Trail behind the pond. Then at noon yesterday, they were gathered along the Woodleton Boardwalk on the east side of Sapsucker Woods Rd. This morning they were between the road and the Podell Boardwalk on the west side of the road. They have been extremely vocal and can be heard from some distance away. Other highlights on the Wilson Trail this morning included Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers. I did not hear a Northern Waterthrush today, although I heard one near the Sherwood Platform yesterday morning. Anne Marie Johnson -- 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/ --