Saw Mill River Audubon's regular 4th Monday morning walk at Croton Point Park in Westchester observed a lone, first-year male Purple Martin actively vocalizing and flying around the tall emergency siren cluster by the main parking area. It kept perching on the siren tower & appeared to be trying to enter the various siren cones.
Here's hoping this bird might attract more savvy Purple Martins who will recognize the brand new Purple Martin structure nearby, erected this spring on the landfill edge by the park office. (With thanks for financial support to Feed the Birds store in Croton and Westchester Parks Foundation and additional thanks to the SMRA volunteers who have been playing Purple Martin dawn songs this spring.) On the landfill grasslands this morning: one Grasshopper Sparrow seen perched up singing, one fly-by Eastern Meadowlark and unknown number of Bobolinks (at least three) heard singing but not seen. Willow Flycatchers here and there singing in park shrub edges this morning. Marsh Wren briefly heard in the marsh edge along the low/river road below the RV campground. Two Bald Eagles -- full adult and subadult IV -- perched in dead trees along Croton Bay shoreline in this area as well. Anne Swaim, Saw Mill River Audubon schedule of free bird walks here: www.sawmillriveraudubon.org -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
