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20 Nov Rochester Christmas Bird Count - Sunday, December 20, 2009 [ROBERT SPAHN ] 19 Nov Eurasian Collared Doves (3) - Hilton, NY (Monroe County) [Andy Guthrie ] 19 Nov Eurasian Collared Doves (3) - Hilton, NY (Monroe County) [Andy Guthrie ] 18 Nov Stilt Sandpiper,Barrow's Goldeneye ["Dave" ] 18 Nov N. Chautauqua County ["David Neveu" ] 18 Nov 11-18-09--Devil's Hole SP- Iceland and L. Black-Back Gulls ["Christian Newton" ] 18 Nov RE: isaac gordon park, pittsford ["Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" ] 18 Nov isaac gordon park, pittsford ["aamado" ] 16 Nov Rochester and Points West [Shilfiell Nels Rada ] 17 Nov Niagara River Field Trip - This Saturday ["Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" ] 16 Nov Rochester and Points West [Shilfiell Nels Rada ] 16 Nov Syracuse RBA [Joseph Brin ] 16 Nov Ravens - Genesee County Forest [Joseph Mitchell ] 16 Nov RBA Field Trip at Durand-Eastman Park on Nov. 15 [Jay Greenberg ] 16 Nov Puffin questiion ["Zettel, Martha" ] 16 Nov Catbird, Shrike, R. Leg - Sunday [Barbarah Henderson ] 16 Nov Oatka Trail, Wheatland NY ["Leupold, Maureen A." ] 15 Nov Cattaraugus County [Jeffrey Reed ] 15 Nov Black-headed & California Gulls - Niagara River [] 15 Nov Red-necked grebes and other east lakeshore waterfowl. ["Michael and Joann Tetlow" ] 15 Nov Hamlin Beach plus - 11/15 - Red-necked Grebes [ROBERT SPAHN ] 15 Nov Lake Ontario Red-necked Grebes [Norma Platt ] 14 Nov Re: Northern Shrike at Burger Park [Jay Greenberg ] 14 Nov Northern Shrike at Burger Park [Jay Greenberg ] 14 Nov Dayton Sandhill ["David Neveu" ] 14 Nov Muar Lake, Canandaigua ["Carolyn Jacobs" ] 14 Nov Common Loons, Red-necked Grebe ["Carolyn Jacobs" ] 14 Nov Northern Shrike - Honeoye Falls (now) [Brad Carlson ] 13 Nov Erie Basin Marina Bufflehead [David Gordon ] 13 Nov Ross's Goose - Orleans County [Andy Guthrie ] 13 Nov Belated post: Attica Reservoir, Batavia WWTP, Gypsum pond, etc ["Kurt and Jeannine Fox" ] 12 Nov Ducks at Charlotte [Jay Greenberg ] 12 Nov First Goldeneyes ["David Neveu" ] 11 Nov Sodus Point area Merlin, Mergs and Bonaparte's Gulls ["Leona Lauster" ] 11 Nov 11/10/09-- (FOS) American Tree Sparrow--Holland, NY ["Christian Newton" ] 11 Nov Peregrines, LBB Gulls... [Barbarah Henderson ] 11 Nov Hamlin Beach catchup - 11/9 to 11 lakewatch and west end lists below CAVE SWALLOWS [ROBERT SPAHN ] 11 Nov Re: Sandhill cranes [Jay Greenberg ] 11 Nov Sandhill cranes [Lynn Braband ] 11 Nov Bonaparte's and Little Gulls - Lake Ontario ["Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" ] 11 Nov Fwd: [Ontbirds] Phainopepla in Brampton (W. of Toronto, Ontario) [] 10 Nov Iceland Gull, Northern Shrike & Brant [Brad Carlson ] 10 Nov Tifft N. P. Northern Goshawk [] 10 Nov adult bald eagles ["Schultz, Leane" ] 10 Nov Buckhorn Island S. P. Winter Wren, Peregrine Falcon.Yellow-r Warbler, Bald Eagle [] 9 Nov Cave Swallows continued ["Dave" ] 9 Nov Syracuse RBA [Joseph Brin ] 9 Nov Hamlin Beach lakewatch - 11/8 [ROBERT SPAHN ] 9 Nov Charlotte [Judith Gurley ] 9 Nov Cave Swallows - Hamlin Beach [Andy Guthrie ] 8 Nov Photo's of California Gull and L. Black Back Gull observed yesterday. ["Christian Newton" ] 8 Nov 11/7/09--Iroquois NWR area - Tundra Swan, Cackling Canada, Greater Yellowlegs... ["Christian Newton" ] 8 Nov Birding this past week [Greg Lawrence ] 8 Nov Sunday Shorebirds [Steve Taylor ] 8 Nov Hamlin Beach SP - lake watch and Yanty Creek Trail - 11/8 [ROBERT SPAHN ] 8 Nov Tifft N. P. - Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher [] 8 Nov Bird migration [Gloria Betlem ] 7 Nov 11/7/09--Niagara River and falls- California, Little, and L. Black Back Gull.. ["Christian Newton" ] 7 Nov Dec pond in Avon [Jay Powell ] 7 Nov Warsaw & Geneseo: TVs & Longspur [] 7 Nov Dunkirk Forster's ["David Neveu" ] 7 Nov Hamlin Beach Lakewatch - 11/7/09 [ROBERT SPAHN ] 7 Nov Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Goat Island, Niagara Falls NY [David M Mark ] 7 Nov Northern Shrike - Honeoye Falls [Brad Carlson ] 7 Nov Greater White-fronted Goose - Cayuga Lake [Brad Carlson ] 6 Nov 11-6-09--Iroquois NWR, Shelby Area--Greater-white Fronted, Cackling Canada Goose, and Lapland Longspurs... ["Christian Newton" ] 6 Nov Catchup on Nov lakewatch lists - 11/1, 3, and 4 plus campground walk 11/1 [ROBERT SPAHN ] 5 Nov TVs ["Zettel, Martha" ] 5 Nov Auburn Trail - Tree and Fox sparrows, rusty blackbird [Steven Daniel ] 5 Nov RFI: help with some "year birds" [David M Mark ] 4 Nov Evening Grosbeak in Colden, NY ["kjlandau" ] 2 Nov Geneseo [] 2 Nov Syracuse RBA [Joseph Brin ] 2 Nov Monday afternoon birding [jay powell ] 2 Nov Belted Kingfishers [Lynne ] 2 Nov Auburn Trail & Irondequoit Bay ["K. Hartquist" ] Subject: Rochester Christmas Bird Count - Sunday, December 20, 2009 From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:54:09 -0800 (PST)     This notice will also appear in the next Little Gull (RBA newsletter), But I would like to get the information out sooner to increase the possibility of more people seeing it and participating and possibly joining us for the countdown dinner afterward. Pease read the announcement pasted below and call any of the sector leaers if you are interested in participating. Bob Spahn Rochester Christmas Bird Count Sunday, December 20, 2009   This is the 110th Christmas Bird Count of the National Audubon Society and the 106th Rochester CBC. Last year we bounced back from the weather-related low count of 2007 to reach the second highest count total here ever at 101, with six more species added during the count week. Can we hit 100 two years I a row?!  The aim of the count is both the gathering of data on birds in the circle and a chance for birders to get together socially. Even if you’ve never been on a count before, please consider joining us this year. Inexperienced observers will be teamed up with the more experienced. If you cannot get out to bird in the field, consider watching your feeder for some time during the day, then phoning in your count of birds seen at your feeder; all data is useful. Look over the list below and call an area leader to volunteer in an area of interest to you. There is a $5.00 participation fee for those taking part (not required for feeder watchers). Participants will receive a summary of the Count in the fall of next year from National Audubon.   The count date is Sunday, December 20. The count circle is 15 miles in diameter and is centered at the intersection of Dewey Avenue and Stone Road in the Town of Greece. The count week is December 17 to 23. Birds seen during the week, but not on the count day may be called in to the area leaders for inclusion in the year’s species total. Different groups may start or end at different times of day on the 20th, so be sure to ask your area leader.   In the evening of the count day, December 20, all who can make it will meet at the Humphrey House restaurant in Penfield about 6:00 PM for dinner and the tally of the species seen this year, with comparisons with the past. Those who wish may have a cocktail, and we will be seated about 6:30. There may be some changes in next month’s newsletter, but as of now you will order dinner off the menu. Last year there was a problem with payment by credit card, which I will try to resolve for this time, but it would be prudent to bring enough cash for your dinner and drinks. We will be in a second floor room with plenty of space and quiet for the countdown. We will be finished by about 9:00 PM. Even if not interested in dinner, please join us for the tally. The restaurant is on the south side of Penfield Road (Rt. 441) a long city block west of the four corners (intersection with Five Mile Line Road) in Penfield. There is an easily visible sign on the lawn near the road and the drive to the parking is west of the building. We need a rough count by Monday, December 14. Please send an email to rspahn AT prodigy.net or call and leave a message at 585-671-5690.   Rochester CBC areas and leaders are as follows: Braddock Bay to Long Pond Road                               Bob and Susan Spahn   671-5690 Long Pond Road to Dewey Avenue                              Kevin Griffith   225-7004 Dewey Avenue to Charlotte Harbor                              Jay Greenberg  256-0485                            Summerville to Culver Road                                          Dominic Sherony   223-7353 Culver Road to Baker Road (Webster)             Don and Donna Traver   671-3796 Highland Park, Genesee Valley Park, Mt. Hope Cemetery   Shirley Shaw   385-3907 Seneca Park                                                                 Tom and Pat Smith   385-7714 Maplewood Park, Holy Sepulcher and Riverside           Kim Hartquist  461-4855 cemeteries, and Turning Point Park Area west of Rochester-Monroe County Airport           Jack Hartwig   343-0867   Robert Spahn, Compiler   585-671-5690_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Eurasian Collared Doves (3) - Hilton, NY (Monroe County) From: Andy Guthrie <guthrand AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:07:07 -0500 There were THREE Eurasian Collared Doves together on the wires along Curtis Road in Hilton today at around 2:20 pm. The birds were east of the intersection of Curtis Road and Rte 259, near the sixth telephone pole from the intersection (about 0.2 miles). These may well be the "regular" Curtis Road individual plus the two present at nearby Church Road during the summer, but it would be interesting to see if any more join the group! Cheers, Andy Guthrie Hamlin, NY_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Eurasian Collared Doves (3) - Hilton, NY (Monroe County) From: Andy Guthrie <guthrand AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:07:07 -0500 There were THREE Eurasian Collared Doves together on the wires along Curtis Road in Hilton today at around 2:20 pm. The birds were east of the intersection of Curtis Road and Rte 259, near the sixth telephone pole from the intersection (about 0.2 miles). These may well be the "regular" Curtis Road individual plus the two present at nearby Church Road during the summer, but it would be interesting to see if any more join the group! Cheers, Andy Guthrie Hamlin, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Stilt Sandpiper,Barrow's Goldeneye From: "Dave" <dktetlow AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:58:56 -0500 This afternoon there was a Stilt Sandpiper at the end of the east spit of Braddock Bay feeding with three Dunlin. The birds' left leg was broken. It was close enough to obtain video. This morning the returning male Barrow's Goldeneye was east of the Pt. Breeze harbour about a 1/2 mile out on the lake. Dave_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: N. Chautauqua County From: "David Neveu" <daveneveu AT roadrunner.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:46:44 -0500 11/16/09 - 23 Common Mergansers, 21 Buffleheads, 6 Common Goldeneyes, 5 Bonaparte's Gulls and 3 Red Tailed Hawks, Saint Columbans, Rte. 5, Sheridan. - 24 Buffleheads and 1 Red Bellied Woodpecker, Van Buren Rd. ponds, Pomfret. - 13 Great Blue Herons, 140 Bonaparte's Gulls, 2 A. Black Ducks and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, Dunkirk Harbor. 11/17/09 - 5 Horned Larks and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, South Dayton. - 182 Common Mergansers, 104 Hooded Mergansers and 4 Buffleheads, Country Side Gravel Ponds, Rte. 62, Dayton. - 11 C. Mergansers, 2 Hooded Mergansers and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, Silver Creek upper reservoir, Hanover. 11/18/09 - 10 Horned Grebes, 1 C. Merganser, 3 Red Breasted Mergansers, 4 Buffleheads, 5 Gr. Scaup, 2 Black Ducks, 58 Bonaparte's Gulls and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, Dunkirk Harbor. - 4 Red Tailed Hawks, Dunkirk Airport. - 2 C. Goldeneyes, 25 Buffleheads, 1 Black Duck, 2 C. Mergansers and 1 juv. Bald Eagle, Saint Columbans, Rte. 5, Sheridan. David Neveu_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: 11-18-09--Devil's Hole SP- Iceland and L. Black-Back Gulls From: "Christian Newton" <cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:15:59 -0500 Hey all, spent a few hours this late morning at Devil's Hole State Park, Niagara River (just north of the falls) in hopes the Black Headed Gull (reported a few days ago) would make an appearance with the roosting gulls. Later in the day might be better as it didn't show its self this AM, however there was several hundred gulls to go thru and they were constantly coming and going. Lots of Bonaparte's, Herring, and Ringbill Gulls, and one 1st year Iceland, 2 Lesser Black Back ( 1st year bird and an adult), 2 1st year Great Black Back Gulls, and I'm pretty sure an adult Glaucous Gull. The Glaucous was flying and I only got a brief look at it, as it headed down stream. Christian H. Newton Holland, NY Chris Newton's Wildlife Photography chriswildlifephotography.com cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com Have a good one and good birding!! _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: RE: isaac gordon park, pittsford From: "Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" <dannapotter AT roadrunner.com> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:51:19 -0500 Betsy says that it is osage orange. Cheers, Willie _____ From: geneseebirds-l-bounces AT geneseo.edu [mailto:geneseebirds-l-bounces AT geneseo.edu] On Behalf Of aamado Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 1:22 PM To: geneseebirds-l AT geneseo.edu Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] isaac gordon park, pittsford I hiked Isaac Gordon Park and while I did not spy many birds, I did come upon an unusual fruit bearing tree and ask for help identifying the fruit: It is yellow, softball sized, dimpled. The tree was near the trail head on Clover. Anthony J. Amado Brighton_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: isaac gordon park, pittsford From: "aamado" <aamado AT frontiernet.net> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:21:31 -0500 I hiked Isaac Gordon Park and while I did not spy many birds, I did come upon an unusual fruit bearing tree and ask for help identifying the fruit: It is yellow, softball sized, dimpled. The tree was near the trail head on Clover. Anthony J. Amado Brighton_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Rochester and Points West From: Shilfiell Nels Rada <ksucy AT eznet.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:49:10 -0500 I wanted to drive around on my brand new snow tires today, so with some time to spare in the afternoon before my next car maintenance task (gotta get ready for Gull Trip!) I headed westward to see what I could see. No luck with the Burger Park Shrike, but I wasn't worried - I have better luck with that guy later in the day, and I know I'll see at least one Shrike there this winter. So, not seeing anything too cool along Salmon Creek, I jumped on the parkway till the end and drove to various points along Lakeshore Road in Orleans County. First up was Yates Town Park, where the brushy area along the road yielded a more cooperative Northern Shrike than the local bird...this spot is one of my reliable Shrike stops and a nice place to watch the lake. Unfortunately, the local youth seemed to be having a small party along the beach and I decided to study the lake from Golden Hill instead. Golden Hill was NICE! A scope study of the lake turned up over 10 of what I believe were Horned Grebes - small bills, whitish throats, nice white cheeks. About a dozen Common Goldeneye, too, plus a Common Loon, dozens of Red-Breasted Mergansers, and a Bufflehead. A pretty line of seven White-Winged Scoters flew by - it's almost like I could see winter coming just from the types of ducks I could spot. I couldn't see any Red-Necked Grebes but I'm bad at ducks and worse with distance, so don't count 'em out. I walked the west side trails at Golden Hill (how long has that bridge been out, and when will they fix it?) when I heard the crows going insane. I followed their calls to a line of pines, just in time to see a Great Horned Owl flush and head north with the crows in hot pursuit. When walking over to see if I could re-locate the mob, I heard an odd sound, not very pretty, that I'd never heard before....hhhmmmmm. I froze in place and let it move closer, but didn't see anything, so I started moving again, and out of the corner of my eye saw a Northern Shrike fly off a nearby treetop and depart at great speed. I took out my iPhone and played (softly, to myself) the Northern Shrike sounds from iBird...yep, that was it! How cool. That's been one of my goals, to heard Shrikes make a sound. Usually they just sit silent at great height like lethal little Christmas Tree Angels. Lots of Tree Sparrows along the trails, too, and Chickadees of course. Coming back along the country roads, I searched for Short-Eared Owls but didn't see any yet. Last year I had good luck just East of Golden Hill in the farm fields, but it's till quite early so I'll keep trying for this season. I did have another Shrike along Rt 18 near Lyndonville Road, though. It's like I'm the Shrike Whisperer sometimes. :) -kimberly _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Niagara River Field Trip - This Saturday From: "Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" <dannapotter AT roadrunner.com> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:35:56 -0500 On this Saturday, November 21st, I will be co-leading the Buffalo Ornithological Society (B.O.S.) and Rochester Birding Association (R.B.A.) annual Niagara River field trip. Bob Spahn (rspahn AT prodigy.net) will lead the group from the Rochester area to the meeting place at Fort Niagara State Park. Buffalo area birders should meet at Fort Niagara by 9:00 a.m. The group will check the mouth of the river at Fort Niagara, then proceed to Lewiston, before crossing the border to the Canadian side. IMPORTANT: TO CROSS THE BORDER YOU MUST HAVE A VALID PASSPORT, NEXUS CARD, OR ENHANCED DRIVER'S LICENSE. Gulls seen so far this season include Lesser Black-backed, Iceland, Thayer's, Glaucous, Little, Black-headed, Sabine's, and California, as well as the four common species. Black-headed Gull was seen today at the southern corner of the Robert Moses power dam while California Gull was on a rock a few hundred yards upriver from there. We are unlikely to see all of these species but we will try and should pick up several of them. There will also be waterfowl, loons, grebes, as well as other birds. Although it is not likely to be true gull-weather this Saturday, be prepared for wind and cold just in case. Due to the large attendance we typically have on this trip, I request that anyone who is interested in attending who is not a member of one of these two clubs to please contact me at the email address below. Anyone who is interested in joining one of these clubs should contact Karen Landau (kjlandau AT localnet.com) for the B.O.S. or Kim Sucy (ksucy AT eznet.net) for the R.B.A. Good birding! Willie ---------- Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Rochester and Points West From: Shilfiell Nels Rada <shilfiell AT mac.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:20:55 -0500 Arrggghh, mail from my usual client is being rejected - sorry if this gets posted twice! I wanted to drive around on my brand new snow tires today, so with some time to spare in the afternoon before my next car maintenance task (gotta get ready for Gull Trip!) I headed westward to see what I could see. No luck with the Burger Park Shrike, but I wasn't worried - I have better luck with that guy later in the day, and I know I'll see at least one Shrike there this winter. So, not seeing anything too cool along Salmon Creek, I jumped on the parkway till the end and drove to various points along Lakeshore Road in Orleans County. First up was Yates Town Park, where the brushy area along the road yielded a more cooperative Northern Shrike than the local bird...this spot is one of my reliable Shrike stops and a nice place to watch the lake. Unfortunately, the local youth seemed to be having a small party along the beach and I decided to study the lake from Golden Hill instead. Golden Hill was NICE! A scope study of the lake turned up over 10 of what I believe were Horned Grebes - small bills, whitish throats, nice white cheeks. About a dozen Common Goldeneye, too, plus a Common Loon, dozens of Red-Breasted Mergansers, and a Bufflehead. A pretty line of seven White-Winged Scoters flew by - it's almost like I could see winter coming just from the types of ducks I could spot. I couldn't see any Red-Necked Grebes but I'm bad at ducks and worse with distance, so don't count 'em out. I walked the west side trails at Golden Hill (how long has that bridge been out, and when will they fix it?) when I heard the crows going insane. I followed their calls to a line of pines, just in time to see a Great Horned Owl flush and head north with the crows in hot pursuit. When walking over to see if I could re-locate the mob, I heard an odd sound, not very pretty, that I'd never heard before....hhhmmmmm. I froze in place and let it move closer, but didn't see anything, so I started moving again, and out of the corner of my eye saw a Northern Shrike fly off a nearby treetop and depart at great speed. I took out my iPhone and played (softly, to myself) the Northern Shrike sounds from iBird...yep, that was it! How cool. That's been one of my goals, to heard Shrikes make a sound. Usually they just sit silent at great height like lethal little Christmas Tree Angels. Lots of Tree Sparrows along the trails, too, and Chickadees of course. Coming back along the country roads, I searched for Short-Eared Owls but didn't see any yet. Last year I had good luck just East of Golden Hill in the farm fields, but it's till quite early so I'll keep trying for this season. I did have another Shrike along Rt 18 near Lyndonville Road, though. It's like I'm the Shrike Whisperer sometimes. :) -kimberly _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Syracuse RBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:35:20 -0800 (PST) RBA * New York * Syracuse * November 16, 2009 * NYSY 1611.09 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s): November 09, 2009 - November 16, 2009 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:November 16 AT 8:00 p.m. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #180 -Monday November 16, 2009 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of November 09 , 2009 Highlights: ----------- RED-THROATED LOON RED-NECKED GREBE TUNDRA SWAN GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE WHITE-WINGED SCOTER BLACK SCOTER SANDHILL CRANE GOLDEN EAGLE GOSHAWK ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK GLAUCOUS GULL NORTHERN SHRIKE CAROLINA WREN FOX SPARROW EVENING GROSBEAK Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) ------------ 11/15: 13 SANDHILL CRANES were seen from East Road. Cayuga County ------------ 11/10: At Fairhaven State Park 1 RED-NECKED GREBE, 3 RED-THROATED LOONS, and BLACK and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were found. 11/14: At Fairhaven 2 RED-THROATED LOONS were seen. Onondaga County ------------- 11/10: A GOLDEN EAGLE was seen flying over the intersection of Tater Road and Rt. 370 in westernmost Onondaga County. 11/12: A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found in Van Buren Park south of Baldwinsville. As of today (11/16) the bird is still being seen at the same location. 11/15: At least 6 FOX SPARROWS were found on Kellog Road near 60 Road in Three Rivers WMA. A CAROLONA WREN was seen on the south side of Syracuse. Oneida County ------------ 11/11: An EVENING GROSBEAK was seen at a feeder in Camden. 11/14: NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen in Waterville and the Erie Canal Village in Rome. Oswego County ------------ 11/11: 9 Raptor species were seen at Bishop Road north of Pukaski. Highlights were 2 GOSHAWKS, 3 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and 1 GOLDEN EAGLE. Also seen were SNOW BUNTINGS, HORNED LARKS, and PIPPITS. 11/14: 47 TUNDRA SWANS were seen at Bernhard’s Bay on the north shore of Oneida Lake. Madison County ------------ 11/14: A PINE SISKIN was seen on Coon Tree Lane in DeRuyter. 2 CACKLING GEESE were seen on Woodman Pond. A possible BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was spotted on Hatch Lake but identification could be made definate. 11/15: A juvenile GLAUCOUS GULL was seen at the Madison County landfill on Buyea Road. --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Ravens - Genesee County Forest From: Joseph Mitchell <rhettbutler81 AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:24:37 -0500 I drove through Carlton Hill WMA today with the only notable sighting being a Pileated Woodpecker. I continued on to Genesee County Park and Forest and had a NORTHERN SHRIKE near the Nature Center and two COMMON RAVENS near the entrance off of Bethany Center Rd. They were calling quite regularly and slowly made their way past the parking lot heading north. I managed to get a decent flight shot of one of them. http://picasaweb.google.com/josephcmitchell/2009# Joe Mitchell Alden _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: RBA Field Trip at Durand-Eastman Park on Nov. 15 From: Jay Greenberg <conservationist AT earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:41:14 -0500 Some of the highlights were: *16 gadwalls and 2 hooded mergansers at Eastman Lake *A gray catbird in the sparrow area near the intersection of Zoo Rd. and Log Cabin Rd. *2 wood ducks at Pat Lake *2-3 pine siskins near the park headquarters on Zoo Rd. Jay Greenberg Rochester, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Puffin questiion From: "Zettel, Martha" <Martha_Zettel AT URMC.Rochester.edu> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:11:27 -0500 I am trying to get some information for a friend about where to go on the east coast to see Puffins and when is the best time of year to do so. I know nothing about Puffins so I thought I would ask if anyone has any suggestions. Thanks! Martha _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Catbird, Shrike, R. Leg - Sunday From: Barbarah Henderson <henyoe131 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:32:19 -0800 (PST) Golden Hill SP - 1 Catbird 2 Purple Finch...   Lower Lake Rd. just E. of Johnson Cr. Rd. (Somerset) - 1 Shrike   Olcott - 2 RN Grebe...   Cambria-Lockport T.L. Rd. (on both sides of rd. & just S.of 104) - 1 R Leg   Peter, Barbara     _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Oatka Trail, Wheatland NY From: "Leupold, Maureen A." <MALeupold AT genesee.edu> Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:31:57 -0500 A pair of white blue birds flew into my yard with a fully blue bluebird. I spotted a pair of white birds about 5 weeks ago but was too far away to ID. I also have a Baltimore Oriole in the yard today. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Cattaraugus County From: Jeffrey Reed <jeffreed58 AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:05:21 -0500 Hi, A light-phased Rough-legged Hawk was working the fields around my house this morning. First one of the season for me. Jeff _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Black-headed & California Gulls - Niagara River From: Tigger64 AT aol.com Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:47:40 EST Too much to list from the Niagara River today. Highlight was 8 species of gull at one time on the roosting rocks upstream of the power plants. A beautiful adult Black-headed Gull was my personal favorite, plus an adult California Gull. At one point the California swam next to the Black-headed and at another they were both standing in the same scope view. Wow! In addition to the four species one would expect (only one Great Black-backed), an adult Lesser Black-backed and 2nd-winter Iceland rounded out the 8 species on the rocks. There were no Glaucous, Little, or Sabine's there. I was more interested in the Black-headed and didn't pay as much attention to the plumage of the California as I probably should have. I believe the bird showed an obvious red gonydeal spot at considerable distance and thus couldn't really be the same bird as shown in Chris Newton's photos of the Goat Island bird (which didn't show much red at much closer range). The Goat Island bird also showed a little black in the tail and tertial feathers, which I don't think today's did, and I thought today's was lighter-backed. But, who knows. Great visibility and tons of gulls and ducks at Goat Island. No Sabine's below the falls late in the day and no swallows or shorebirds that I could find. Way too much to look at in the time available and given the mad visibility offered by warm temps and cloudy skies. Lots of Bonaparte's at the Whirlpool. I didn't make it to Lewiston and there was virtually no flyby at Fort Niagara._______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Red-necked grebes and other east lakeshore waterfowl. From: "Michael and Joann Tetlow" <mjtetlow AT frontiernet.net> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:24:34 -0500 Planning to ride from Ontario to Sodus today Joann and I read Norma Platt's post and decided to scan off of Sandbar Park in Webster about a mile east of the bay outlet. The lake was dead calm and we quickly found 10 Red-necked Grebes fairly close to shore. Visibility was good so we decided to scope the large numbers of waterfowl in the distance. Here are the totals: 124 Red-necked Grebes, 45 Common Loons, 120 Long-tailed Ducks, 150 Red-breasted Mergansers, 8 White-winged Scoters. Continuing east we stopped at Bear Creek in Ontario: 4 Red-necked Grebes, 100+ Common Loons, 40 Long-tailed ducks and 200+ Red-breasted Mergansers. From the historic Sodus Point Lighthouse just west of the point: stopped counting Common loons at 500(probably 200 more), 1 Red-throated Loon, 25 Horned Grebes, 2 Long-tailed ducks and 200+ Red-breasted Mergansers. 3 Imm. Bald Eagles kettled up at the south end of Sodus Bay just as the winds switched to NW. Mike and Joann Tetlow _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Hamlin Beach plus - 11/15 - Red-necked Grebes From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:47:11 -0800 (PST)     Today was quite foggy off Hamlin Beach SP, so Sue and I didn't stay long. The one notable event of the day was that there were lots of Red-necked Grebes on the water resting, feeding and calling; it was like an April morning except that they were in basic plumage. Even with the fog, I counted 44 off the lakewatch as a maximum. Later, walking in the woods west of Parking Lot #5 (6), nearly devoid of birds, we could hear Red-necked Grebes calling out off Devil's Nose. So we went back to the lakewatch and found it even foggier. Traveling west to the Morton Exit, I counted 49 off Troutburg, again limited by the fog. Heading back east, we stopped at North Ave Hilton to try again. Lots of birds farther from the viewing point so that I was only sure of 3 Red-necked Grebes.     If this had been a clearer day with reasonably calm water, I'm sure we could have tallied hundreds of Red-necked Grebes off shore. This has seldom been recorded in the fall in the past. The only really high fall count I am aware of was 535 from Hamlin Beach to Kendall on 11/27/2006.     It was interesting to read Norma Platt's post that the grebes were also off the lakeshore on the east side.     It could be interesting tomorrow if the lake is not too rough. Bob Spahn_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Lake Ontario Red-necked Grebes From: Norma Platt <normap1 AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:59:32 -0500 Sunday 8 AM The water is very calm this am, and the fishing must be good. Off our house, just east of the Bay outlet, we just saw: two dozen red-necked grebes, red-neck merganser common loons long-tailed ducks. Norma Platt _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Re: Northern Shrike at Burger Park From: Jay Greenberg <conservationist AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:45:14 -0500 Correction: It was to the SOUTH of the parking lot. Jay Greenberg Rochester, NY On Nov 14, 2009, at 6:34 PM, Jay Greenberg wrote: > I saw the resident (?) shrike at Burger Park today. It was in the > tall trees to the north of the parking lot. A scope is needed. > > Jay Greenberg > Rochester, NY > > _______________________________________________ > GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu > http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Northern Shrike at Burger Park From: Jay Greenberg <conservationist AT earthlink.net> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:34:30 -0500 I saw the resident (?) shrike at Burger Park today. It was in the tall trees to the north of the parking lot. A scope is needed. Jay Greenberg Rochester, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Dayton Sandhill From: "David Neveu" <daveneveu AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:57:20 -0500 11/13/09 - 1 Sandhill Crane, 1 wh. ph. Snow Goose, 153 Common Mergansers, 12 Red Breasted Mergansers, 133 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Pied Billed Grebes, 2 Bonaparte's Gulls, 2 A. Kestrels and 2 ad. Bald Eagles, Country Side Gravel Ponds, Rte. 62, Dayton, Catt. County. - 1 Common Goldeneye, 52 Buffleheads, 3 Common Mergansers, 1 Horned Grebe and 2 Bonaparte's Gulls, mouth of Silver Creek. - 1 Red Bellied Woodpecker, 5 A. Goldfinches, 1 Tufted Titmouse, 1 DE Junco and 1 White Breasted Nuthatch, our yard in Silver Creek.] 11/14/09 - 1 Belted Kingfisher (flyover), 4 Tufted Titmice and 1 White Breasted Nuthatch, our yard in Silver Creek. - 150 Bonaparte's Gulls, 1 Hairy Woodpecker and 2 Red Tailed Hawks, Mouth of Big Sister Creek, Bennett Beach, Old Lake Shore Rd., Evans, SW Erie County. - 45 Common Mergansers, 22 Bonaparte's Gulls, 1 Belted Kingfisher and 3 Red Bellied Woodpeckers, mouth of Cattaraugus Creek. David Neveu_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Muar Lake, Canandaigua From: "Carolyn Jacobs" <jaclyn AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:52:43 -0500 This morning, at approximately 9:00 AM, I stopped at Muar Lake, Canandaigua and observed 30 Greater Scaup, 17 Ruddy Duck, 33 Redhead, 300 Lesser Scaup, 150 Canada Geese, 5 Mallard, 4 Ring-billed Gulls. Lyn Jacobs _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Common Loons, Red-necked Grebe From: "Carolyn Jacobs" <jaclyn AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:47:23 -0500 137 COMMON LOONS, 1 RED-NECKED GREBE on Canandaigua Lake. The loons are best viewed from the Water Treatment Plant on WEST Lake Rd. I observed the grebe from Ontario Beach Park on EAST Lake Rd. in the middle of the lake, just south of the park. Lyn Jacobs _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Northern Shrike - Honeoye Falls (now) From: Brad Carlson <bradcarlson1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:15:48 -0500 There currently is an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE on Old French Road in Honeoye Falls. It is vocalizing a lot. Regards, Brad Carlson Honeoye Falls, NY BradCarlson1 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Windows 7: It works the way you want. Learn more. http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/windows-7/default.aspx?ocid=PID24727::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WWL_WIN_evergreen:112009v2 _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Erie Basin Marina Bufflehead From: David Gordon <dgordonphoto AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:10:43 -0800 (PST) Approximately 2250 bufflehead and lesser numbers of common goldeneye, mallard, and common merganser were seen in Lake Erie off the Erie Basin Marina (located about one mile south of the Peace Bridge) today at noon. This group of birds extended to the Fort Erie, Ontario shore. Sunny conditions and light wind (flat water) allowed for excellent viewing of these birds which were feeding while drifting in the current and then flying back upstream to begin again. The bright light on the bufflehead made them sparkle. Number of species: 8 Canada Goose 150 Mallard 8 Bufflehead 2250 Common Goldeneye 20 Common Merganser 25 Double-crested Cormorant 5 Ring-billed Gull 40 European Starling 30 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/ny) In birding, David Gordon _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Ross's Goose - Orleans County From: Andy Guthrie <guthrand AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:17:08 -0500 Dave Tetlow just called with word of a Ross's Goose he found on Lake Ontario in Orleans County. He is looking from the Lake Ontario Parkway, about a quarter mile east of the Lakeshore Road exit, and the goose is in a flock of Canadas on the lake. Cheers, Andy Guthrie Hamlin, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Belated post: Attica Reservoir, Batavia WWTP, Gypsum pond, etc From: "Kurt and Jeannine Fox" <jfox62 AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:11:25 -0500 Someone had indicated that the numbers of geese seemed down at INWR & RN Marsh. They probably moved to Batavia WWTP, Gypsum pond and vicinity. EARED GREBE and ~450 Ruddy Duck at Batavia WWTP were highlights. Nov 7 - Sat - Attica Reservoir - nothing really noteworthy. ~1500 Canada Geese, no loons, PB Grebe, Mallard, Black, pintail, Gadwall, Shoveler, GW teal, Ruddy (7), RN Duck, L Scaup, Bufflehead, Cmn Goldeneye, Cmn and Hooded Merg, Wood Duck, Am Wigeon and ~50 RB Gull. Nov 7 - Sat - Glor Rd pond - nothing really noteworthy (but great numbers for the location). ~300 Canada Geese, Mallard, Black, pintail, Gadwall, Shoveler, GW teal (6), Ruddy (4), RN Duck (4), L Scaup(2), Hooded Merg, Wood Duck, Am Wigeon (40) Nov 8 - Sun - Batavia WWTP - 2 EARED GREBE, ~450 Ruddy Duck, 1 Bonaparte's Gull, 1 Snow Bunting 1500 Canada Geese, no loons, 2 PB Grebe, 100s Mallard, ~40 Black, Pintail, Gadwall, ~75 Shoveler, GW teal, RN Duck, L Scaup, Bufflehead, Cmn Goldeneye, Cmn and Hooded Merg, Am Wigeon and ~15 RB Gull. Nov 8 - Sun - Oakfield, Gypsum pond on Hutton Rd. ~3500 Canada Geese, 3 Cackling, 3 Blue, 2 Snow. no loons, PB Grebe, Mallard, Black, Pintail, Gadwall, Shoveler, GW teal, Ruddy, RN Duck, L Scaup, Bufflehead, Cmn Goldeneye, Cmn (~75) and Hooded Merg, Am Wigeon, 1 great blue heron, and flyover Am Pipit. Nov 9 and Nov 10 - Mon/Tues Buffalo at Lasalle Park, Erie Co Basin Marina. No swallows (several scans throughout the day). Two shorebirds flushed by fishermen (likely Sanderlings), Most cormorants are gone (~30 remain on outer pier). LBB Gull. Cmn Loon. An estimated 600 Bufflehead on the Niagara River above the Peace Bridge. Oldsquaw and many more ducks (not scanned thru due to lack of time). Kurt Fox Alexander, NY_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Ducks at Charlotte From: Jay Greenberg <conservationist AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:44:46 -0500 Today, I lugged my scope all the way out to the end of the Charlotte Pier. I was rewarded by the sight of thousands and thousands of ducks way out either flying by or on the water. I think most of them were red-breasted mergansers. However, there were undoubtedly others. Even with a scope at the end of a pier that sticks out about a mile into the lake, they were too far away to see clearly. I suspect that there were also common mergansers, scaups, and possibly goldeneyes. There were also some common loons. Jay Greenberg Rochester, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: First Goldeneyes From: "David Neveu" <daveneveu AT roadrunner.com> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:40:59 -0500 11/11/09 - 1 N. Harrier, 2 Red Tailed Hawks and 120 Common Mergansers, Country Side Gravel Ponds, Rte. 62, Dayton, Catt. County. - 13 Common Goldeneyes, 240 Buffleheads, 6 Golden Crowned Kinglets, 1 ad. Bald Eagle and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, Saint Columbans, Rte. 5, Sheridan. 11/12/09 - 2 A. Black Ducks, 10 Great Blue Herons, 11 Bonaparte's Gulls and 150 Greater Black Backed Gulls, Dunkirk Harbor. - 8 Common Goldeneyes, 42 Buffleheads, 1 Greater Scaup, 2 Common Mergansers, 1 Bonaparte's Gull and 1 juv. Bald Eagle, Saint Columbans, Rte. 5, Sheridan. - 1 Hairy Woodpecker, 1 Red Bellied Woodpecker, 1 A. Goldfinch, 2 White Breasted Nuthatches and 3 Tufted Titmice, our yard in Silver Creek. David Neveu_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Sodus Point area Merlin, Mergs and Bonaparte's Gulls From: "Leona Lauster" <leonal AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:35:41 -0500 I found a Merlin perched in the willows near the pier at Sodus Point this afternoon. A Merlin has been showing every November for the last few years. Lake Ontario was full of Red-breasted Mergansers at least 250 and 4 Common Mergansers. On the bay at Shaker Tract Road there were about 40 Lesser Scaup and one Canvasback and 3 Pied-billed Grebes. At Sodus Bay Bridge there were 3 Bonaparte's Gulls and 38 Mute Swans. Leona Lauster Lyons, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: 11/10/09-- (FOS) American Tree Sparrow--Holland, NY From: "Christian Newton" <cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:45:57 -0500 Hey all, just wanted to report that I got my first of season American Tree Sparrow at my feeders yesterday. Sparrows have really winded down the last couple of weeks, I primarily have Junco's, a couple Song Sparrows, now the Tree and still have 1 White-throated Sparrow coming in. Christian H. Newton Holland, NY Chris Newtons Wildlife Photography chriswildlifephotography.com cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com Have a good one and good birding!! _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Peregrines, LBB Gulls... From: Barbarah Henderson <henyoe131 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:14:11 -0800 (PST) Nov. 6th -  N. Grand Is. bridge light posts - 2 PEREGRINE. Dietz Rd. (W. side 4 Mile Creek SP) 1 LBB GULL.   Nov. 8th - Goat Island - 4 LBB Gull 4 Yellow Rump   Control Structure (Nia. Falls, Canada) - 2 LBB Gull 3 Dunlin   Adam Beck - 1 LBB Gull   Nia.-on-the-Lake - ~ 2,000 (rough est.) Bonies... 1 Bunting (overhead)   Peter _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Hamlin Beach catchup - 11/9 to 11 lakewatch and west end lists below CAVE SWALLOWS From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:56:08 -0800 (PST)    Theses will be list from the past 3 days. The Cave Swallow data has been more completely posted already by Andy Guthrie and Dave Tetlow on 11/9 none since, yet.     Note for today the contrast been the numbers for Hamlin and those posted earlier by Willie D'Anna for farther west near Wilson. Bob Spahn Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/11/09  7:40-10:10 AM Notes:        Stff NE breeze. Only loons, Bonaparte's gull, and white-winged Scoter moving at all. Virtually all birds headed west.     Contrast the numbers with those seen by Willie D'Anna near Wilson. Where do all his BOGU come from? Our biggest clump nearly together was 14. There were VERY few moving way out, and those were headed east. Number of species:    23 Snow Goose    1 Canada Goose    211 American Black Duck    17 Mallard    45 Ring-necked Duck    1 Greater Scaup    22 Lesser Scaup    13 White-winged Scoter    88 Long-tailed Duck    35 Bufflehead    9 Common Goldeneye    36 Common Merganser    2 Red-breasted Merganser    81 duck sp.    2 Red-throated Loon    73 Common Loon    74 Horned Grebe    2 Red-necked Grebe    3 Bonaparte's Gull    72 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    1 American Crow    1 American Robin    1 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/10/09  7:55-8:55 AM Notes:        Would there be left over swallows? No.     Wind WNW, 5 but increasing to 10+ mph. Very Little moving. After an hour I headed to the west end for a walk (another list and quiet, too). After That Dominic Sherony was at the lakewatch and i stopped to visit. Still QUIET. Number of species:    28 Canada Goose    134 American Black Duck    3 Mallard    2 Greater Scaup    4 Lesser Scaup    1 Surf Scoter    1 White-winged Scoter    59 Black Scoter    2 Long-tailed Duck    20 Bufflehead    4 Common Goldeneye    12 Common Merganser    1 Red-breasted Merganser    150 Red-throated Loon    2 Common Loon    14 Horned Grebe    17 Bonaparte's Gull    16 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    3 Red-bellied Woodpecker    1 Blue Jay    2 American Crow    1 Black-capped Chickadee    2 Red-breasted Nuthatch    1 Snow Bunting    2 Pine Siskin    4 American Goldfinch    2 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - West end woods Observation date:    11/10/09  9:00-9:45 AM Number of species:    17 Brant    2 Canada Goose    126 Red-bellied Woodpecker    2 Downy Woodpecker    2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)    1 Blue Jay    1 American Crow    2 Black-capped Chickadee    4 Red-breasted Nuthatch    6 Hermit Thrush    1 American Robin    3 Gray Catbird    2 Song Sparrow    2 White-throated Sparrow    3 Dark-eyed Junco    2 Snow Bunting    2 Northern Cardinal    9 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/9/09  7:40-11:40 AM Notes:        Cloudy day, with temperatures heading from about 50 to nearly 70 degrees F. Cave swallows were expected.   Andy Guthrie was there for much of the early time, then many arrived. Dave and Mike Tetlow watched from a short ways west where you can see both inland and over the lake, but lake the shelter from the wind. They had the first 2 CASW about 9:45. After that we all moved out there and about 10:30 had 5 more CASW close by that would have passed right above the lakewatch site. At 11:17 another passed right over us.   I had to leave , but several stayed and later Andy came back. By 1:30 the total was 47 CASW and by 3:15 73 (posted earlier by Andy and Dave). Many of the birds passed inland back by the parkloop roads.   Early the wind was S. Later, stronger and sw to wsw. Number of species:    40 Brant    2 Canada Goose    73 Tundra Swan    4 American Black Duck    2 Mallard    10 Green-winged Teal    31 Greater Scaup    29 Lesser Scaup    11 Greater/Lesser Scaup    33 Surf Scoter    1 White-winged Scoter    33 Black Scoter    1 Long-tailed Duck    16 Bufflehead    36 Common Goldeneye    22 Hooded Merganser    1 Common Merganser    1 Red-breasted Merganser    330 Red-throated Loon    33 Common Loon    28 Horned Grebe    35 Red-necked Grebe    4 Double-crested Cormorant    2 Northern Harrier    1 Sharp-shinned Hawk    1 Cooper's Hawk    1 Bonaparte's Gull    48 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    4 Northern Shrike    1 American Crow    6 Horned Lark    4 Red-breasted Nuthatch    1 Eastern Bluebird    1 American Robin    2 European Starling    19 American Pipit    3 Snow Bunting    20 Red-winged Blackbird    3 House Finch    7_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Re: Sandhill cranes From: Jay Greenberg <conservationist AT earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:16:20 -0500 It would be great if we could put radio transmitters on them, or at least band them, to see if the same ones keep coming back to Taylor, and find out where they go. Jay Greenberg Rochester, NY On Nov 11, 2009, at 2:20 PM, Lynn Braband wrote: > I was in and at Taylor Marsh north of Honeoye in Ontario County > this past Sunday from about 3:00 to 5:45 PM. Highlight was a pair > of Sandhill Cranes that noisily flew in just past sunset. They kept > calling and apparently ended up (for you Taylor Committee people) > in the "honey hole" behind the beaver dam. They were still calling > when I drove out of the area. > > -- > Lynn Braband > NYS Community IPM Program at Cornell University > 249 Highland Avenue > Rochester, NY 14620-3036 > (585) 461-1000 ext. 241 > FAX (585) 442-7577 > > Human beings are inveterate boundary setters. We can't seem to go a > day without identifying who is "us" and who is "them". > John E. Phelan Jr. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Sandhill cranes From: Lynn Braband <lab45 AT cornell.edu> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:20:19 -0500 I was in and at Taylor Marsh north of Honeoye in Ontario County this past Sunday from about 3:00 to 5:45 PM. Highlight was a pair of Sandhill Cranes that noisily flew in just past sunset. They kept calling and apparently ended up (for you Taylor Committee people) in the "honey hole" behind the beaver dam. They were still calling when I drove out of the area. -- Lynn Braband NYS Community IPM Program at Cornell University 249 Highland Avenue Rochester, NY 14620-3036 (585) 461-1000 ext. 241 FAX (585) 442-7577 Human beings are inveterate boundary setters. We can't seem to go a day without identifying who is "us" and who is "them". John E. Phelan Jr. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Bonaparte's and Little Gulls - Lake Ontario From: "Willie D'Anna and Betsy Potter" <dannapotter AT roadrunner.com> Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:46:22 -0500 There was a big flight of Bonaparte's Gulls on Lake Ontario this morning. They were streaming by continuously. Although we do not have a very wide view from where we looked (in front of home), there were at least 50 in view every time I counted from east to west. They moved slowly across the horizon and I estimate that we saw several hundred, perhaps over 1000, in the two hours that we spent watching. Most were far out and moving east, although a good chunk of them were moving west, perhaps feeding. The flight direction is not typical based on experience from prior years. They usually fly west, toward the Niagara River. We also had two adult LITTLE GULLS, including one bird that was feeding and in view for about 20 minutes, though very far out. Other birds were in relatively low numbers and included the standard fare - Red-breasted Mergs, Long-tailed Ducks, Common Goldeneyes, White-winged Scoters, Canada Geese, three Mute Swans, one SURF SCOTER, a few scaup and Mallards, and one Amer. Black Duck. I also heard a SNOW BUNTING flying over the yard and we had seven PINE SISKINS arrive at our feeders today. No swallows - but it was cold. Perhaps later... There was also a decapitated juvenile COOPER'S HAWK in the yard where we watch from. If I had to guess I would say it was the victim of a Great Horned Owl, as the large spruces there would seem ideal for them to roost in. We do hear that species very occasionally. I suppose a Red-tailed Hawk is another possibility since I have seen one in that area several times lately. However, it would seem it would have had to have been pretty desparate - and why would one take such a risk if it was not going to eat it? Good birding! Willie ---------- Willie D'Anna Betsy Potter Wilson, NY dannapotterATroadrunner.com http://www.betsypottersart.com _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Fwd: [Ontbirds] Phainopepla in Brampton (W. of Toronto, Ontario) From: Jmpawli88 AT aol.com Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:45:29 EST Just an FYI for those that do not subscribe to Ontario Birds and might be interested in seeing this bird. As Glenn writes in detail below, please pay close attention to the situation in which the bird is being seen and adhere to accordingly. As for anyone who might be wondering the orgin of this bird, it'd be good to take into consideration the recent weather, plus Cave Swallows on the south Ontario shore, Ash-throated Flycatcher at Point Pelee, and now a Summer Tanger in Prince Edward Co. (on the north Ontario shore west of Kingston). Brampton is located west of Toronto and can be reached by crossing in Lewiston, taking the 405 to the QEW into Hamilton, and then the 407 out of Hamilton into Brampton. Jim Pawlicki Amherst, NY Ontbirds subscribers, Yesterday, on a tip from a friend (who prefers to remain anonymous for now), I checked and confirmed the presence of a Phainopepla in a residential subdivision in south Brampton. Let me preface this by saying that this is a quiet subdivision with many senior residents, so I believe it would be in the birding community's interest to try to be good ambassadors for our hobby when searching for this bird. Parking is limited in the area (so be sure not to block driveways), and views into area backyards are not easily possible (nor ultimately necessary). It can be found by staying on local sidewalks. This bird has already been adequately and amply photo-documented, so walking around this neighbourhood with long telephoto lenses and cameras is something I think can be deemed an unnecessary intrusion on the residents of this subdivision. Spotting scopes would also seem unnecessary and are probably best left in the car as well. The experience in this instance will likely dictate whether I ever report future rarities via Ontbirds, so observers have a personal interest in trying to keep our impact on local residents as benign as possible please. The bird in question is a male near the end of transition to first basic plumage. The head, nape, breast and shoulders are entirely glossy-black, with the belly, flanks and undertail retaining much of the brownish-gray juvenal plumage. The irides are carmine red. The striking white flash of the primaries is readily visible, even at great distance (although a little less bright white than in adult males). It will be helpful to know the call of this species, as the bird was fairly vocal when I observed it yesterday. The bird has been present since at least Monday morning when it was initially discovered. It is typically seen flying from house to house feeding on berries in the various trees and bushes of front yards, so I will not centre out any particular address, so as not to encourage vigils in front of any particular house. While I watched the bird, it was seen concentrating on feeding on berries in barberry bushes, juniper, wild grape and mountain-ash (in that order) - there would easily appear to be adequate food for it for some time. >From the corner of Dixie Rd. and Steeles Ave. E. in Brampton, go north on Dixie Rd. Turn right (east) at the second street after going under the railway bridge, which is Birchbank Rd. Take Birchbank Rd. east to Avondale Blvd. Turn left (north) on Avondale Blvd. Continue north on Avondale Blvd. to Addington Crescent (the third right turn north of Birchbank Rd.). Turn right onto Addington Crescent. The bird was readily seen in front yards on the east-west portion of Addington Crescent. Good luck in finding this striking rarity. Glenn Coady Whitby _________________________________________________________________ New: Messenger sign-in on the MSN homepage http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9677403_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS AT hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Iceland Gull, Northern Shrike & Brant From: Brad Carlson <bradcarlson1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:00:57 -0500 I missed the Cave Swallow flight yesterday since I was busy with my family. So, today I was very interested in getting out in the field to see if any swallows were still around. I only had a few hours this afternoon, and I had to balance that with my 4 year old son Noah. We compromised and decided to enjoy as many parks and playgrounds as we could along the lakeshore. The only thing of interest during a 5-minute stop at the South end of Irondequoit Bay were four (4) BRANT. No swallows, shorebirds, or other birds of interest were there. We headed west to Hamlin. Once there I put in a solid five minutes of intense lake watching before heading off so that Noah was able to enjoy no less than four (4) playgrounds!!! The lake was fairly quiet, and no swallows of any sort were observed during our time there. I kept one eye on teh air most of teh time for a couple of hours. Six SNOW GEESE, including one "BLUE" were in the lake at parking lot #3 (playground #2) with the congregation of Canada Geese. It seems like I rarely see Snow Geese in Monroe County. On our way home, I made a 5 minute stop to look behind Docksiders on Manitou Road where there was one (1) 1st winter ICELAND GULL amongst the 150 Ring-billed Gulls and 2 Herring Gulls. I counted twenty-eight (28) DUNLIN still present at this location. Again, no swallows. My last 2-minute stop was at Burger Park on Hogan Point Road. There was an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE perched in the top of the hedgerow to the west side of the field. No sooner did we get out of the car here, than we got back in to leave because there was a duck hunter literally hunting from the parking lot observation platform. Unfortunately no swallows here either. Regards, -Brad Carlson Honeoye Falls, NY BradCarlson1 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Tifft N. P. Northern Goshawk From: WilliamWatsonSr AT aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:24:54 EST Near the Parking Lot today at At about 9:15 AM a Nothern Goshawk flew over Tifft Nature Preserve. Also at Tifft there was: a Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Mockingbird 14 Hooded Mergansers 30 Gadwall Bill Watson_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: adult bald eagles From: "Schultz, Leane" <schultzl AT ecc.edu> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:36:05 -0500 Sunday, 11/8/09 - 1:30pm traveling north on route 390, between Geneseo and Livonia two adult bald eagles were sighted. Leane Schultz Buffalo, NY ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message, including attachments. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Buckhorn Island S. P. Winter Wren, Peregrine Falcon.Yellow-r Warbler, Bald Eagle From: WilliamWatsonSr AT aol.com Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:32:56 EST November 9 - An evening walk into Buckhorn Island State Park at the northern tip of Grand Island in the Niagara River with Jim Pawlicki yielded a few interesting bird among the 28 bird species. A Peregrine Falcon came in and perched atop the electrical tower closest to the trail and then made two spectacular (but unsuccessful) attacks on a flock of about 30 Red-wing Blackbirds that were flying across the Niagara River. Also Observed were: at least 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers a Winter Wren at least three Fox Sparrows 3 Brown Creepers 2 Tufted Titmice Northern Flicker and Hairy Woodpecker 8 Pied-billed Grebes 5 American Coots about 30 American Tree Sparrows At Navy Island the larger female and smaller male Bald Eagles were observed about 20 feet below the nest. 107 Double-crested Cormorant nests were counted at the Water Diversion Weir. Best Wishes for Great Birding, Bill Watson Tonawanda, NY_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Cave Swallows continued From: "Dave" <dktetlow AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:41:26 -0500 The final tally as of 3:15 today was 73 birds. Other than the (3) birds early in the day heading east, all other birds were heading west. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Syracuse RBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 16:10:53 -0800 (PST) RBA * New York * Syracuse * November 09, 2009 * NYSY 0911.09 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s): November 02, 2009 - November 09, 2009 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:November 09 AT 7:00 p.m. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #179 -Monday November 09, 2009 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of November 02 , 2009 Highlights: ----------- TRUMPETER SWAN CACKLING GOOSE GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE ROSS’S GOOSE GOLDEN EAGLE SANDHILL CRANE NORTHERN SHRIKE PALM WARBLER FOX SPARROW EASTERN MEADOWLARK Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) ------------ 11/7: 1 CACKLING GOOSE and at least 1 ROSS’S GOOSE were seen from East Road. At Van Dyne Spoor Road and Armitage Road a total of 31 TRUMPETER SWANS were counted. Also at Van Dyne Spoor Road 2 SANDHILL CRANES were spotted. 11/9: A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was seen at the Visitor’s Center and a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen at East Road. Onondaga County ------------ 11/4: A NORTHERN SHRIKE was found at Three Rivers WMA north of Baldwinsville. 11/5: At Green Lakes State Park 3 FOS SPARROWS and 1 PALM WARBLER were found among a number of birds. 11/6: 3 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen in Tully. 11/8: A CACKLING GOOSE was seen in with the many Canadas in Van Buren Park in Baldwinsville. Madison County ------------ 11/5: 2 CACKLING GEESE were found among 13 species of waterowl on Woodman Pond. AGOLDEN EAGLE was seen near Erieville. Oneida County ------------ 11/5: A juvenile NORTHERN SHRIKE was observed hunting in Durhamville. Cayuga County ------------ 11/8: A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was found in a pond along Rt.370 east of Meridian near the Sunoco gas station. --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Hamlin Beach lakewatch - 11/8 From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:10:29 -0800 (PST)    Andy Guthrie pointed out to me this morning that I copied the Yanty Creek Trail list twice yesterday, so I'll post the lakewatch list now.     Since I am busy and he has posted the Cave Swallows for 11/9, I won't rush to post today's list. Pretty quiet on the lake again today. Bob Spahn Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/8/09  7:35-10:35 AM Notes:        Another even quieter day at the lake. Very little waterbird movement. A significant part of this count is birds on the water. There was fog way off shore which became denser and slowly came closer over time.   The x's for Ring-billed and Herring gull indicate that I generally do not try to count those moving offshore and rsting through the morning. As it was a quiet day, we did try guesstimating the RBGU's on the beach, then counting. Getting better with practice - my 400 guess was closer than usual to the 421 count (usually 25% or a bit more low). Also 7 Herring Gulls on the beach at that point. The Peregrine Falcon passage was good for a clear and reset for the beach gulls.     Observer number varied over the morning from 1 to 6 representing 7 people at least visiting plus passing dog walkers and walkers without dogs. Number of species:    36 Brant    2 Cackling Goose    1 Canada Goose    1314 Tundra Swan    10 American Black Duck    1 Greater Scaup    31 Lesser Scaup    3 White-winged Scoter    70 Long-tailed Duck    84 Bufflehead    13 Common Goldeneye    81 Common Merganser    5 Red-breasted Merganser    350 Red-throated Loon    26 Common Loon    10 Horned Grebe    26 Red-necked Grebe    1 Double-crested Cormorant    2 Sharp-shinned Hawk    1 Peregrine Falcon    1 Bonaparte's Gull    10 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    4 Blue Jay    6 American Crow    7 Horned Lark    2 Black-capped Chickadee    1 Red-breasted Nuthatch    1 American Robin    2 European Starling    2 American Pipit    2 Pine Warbler    1 Snow Bunting    19 House Finch    3 American Goldfinch    208_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Charlotte From: Judith Gurley <judylgurley AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 15:20:44 -0500 At the end of the pier, a Ruddy Turnstone landed by my feet and began pecking at gull droppings. It had two legs, but only one foot. The fisherman told me it's name was Fred! Seven Bonaparte's Gulls put on quite a show. They fished right by the edge of the pier. Two sat on the railing just a few feet away. Of course my camera was in the car. Judy _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft's powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/ http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Cave Swallows - Hamlin Beach From: Andy Guthrie <guthrand AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 14:15:56 -0500 There has been a nice movement of Cave Swallows at Hamlin Beach so far today. Dave Tetlow called me a little before 10 am to say two had passed going east. As of noon when I arrived they were up to 8. Between about 12:40 and 1:30, several flocks went by, totaling another 47 birds. All of the latter birds were moving west, a fair ways in from the shoreline, and getting pretty high at times. There was also a lone Northern Rough-winged Swallow moving east earlier in the morning, not associated with any Cave Swallows. Cheers, Andy Guthrie Hamlin, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Photo's of California Gull and L. Black Back Gull observed yesterday. From: "Christian Newton" <cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 22:26:41 -0500 Below are some links to the California Gull, Lesser Black Back Gull that I observed yesterday (11/7) and Rusty Black Birds taken on 11/6. 3rd cycle winter plumage California Gull: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/q9-7pyh1HxKdbieNB2nbFA?feat=directlink California Gull (action) shot: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aa68ANIxHHNiReD3oXfqUQ?feat=directlink Lesser Black Back Gull: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ROWn7QgqlwTGfrxB08q7fw?feat=directlink Rusty Blackbird: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_kDUXl9eb_ew5aSngnuVAw?feat=directlink There's more shots of the California on the on my Picasa site. Christian H. Newton Holland, NY Chris Newtons Wildlife Photography chriswildlifephotography.com cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com Have a good one and good birding!! _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: 11/7/09--Iroquois NWR area - Tundra Swan, Cackling Canada, Greater Yellowlegs... From: "Christian Newton" <cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 22:23:13 -0500 Hey all ran up to Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Tonawanda WMA, and Oak Orchard WMA. Just had a few hours, but Canada Geese numbers where way down at Ringneck Marsh (or at least around noon they were), maybe a thousand geese, however there was still at least 1 Cackler Canada in there. Several Ringneck Ducks, Scaup, Hoodies and Gadwall. Went through the field areas of Shelby and not much to speak of bird wise (perhaps they all went north with this very nice weather we are having). The tower overlook in Oak Orchard WMA had 11 Tundra Swans and bunch of waterfowl, but all at scope views. Last place I checked out was the mud area off of Griswold St. which had 1 Greater Yellowlegs and my FOS American Tree Sparrow. Christian H. Newton Holland, NY Chris Newton's Wildlife Photography chriswildlifephotography.com cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com Have a good one and good birding!! _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Birding this past week From: Greg Lawrence <glawrence21 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 17:07:26 -0800 (PST) Hello all, Today, my parents had 2 BRANT at Hamlin Beach SP-Parking Lot 5 around 2:30 PM. The birds were walking in the grass just onshore. Other birding includes... On Tuesday, 11/3, Kevin Griffith and I went birding from 3:30 to ~5:00 Highlights included: * 7 GW Teal and 14 Dunlin at Buttonwood Creek. * 3 GW Teal, 1 Harrier, 3 Cedar Waxwings, 78 Dunlin and 3 Juncod at the Salmon Creek marina. * ~400 Lesser Scaup, 9 Gadwall, 7 Black Ducks, 14 GW Teal, 17 Wigeon, 3 Redhead and 16 Coot at Long Pond/Northrup Creek * 1 Common Loon, 1 Bonaparte's Gull, 6 AB Ducks, 12 Gadwall, 3 Wood Ducks, 18 Wigeon, 120 Mallard, 15 Coot, 7 Shoveler at Round Pond before the hail started... * 3 Common loons, 21 RB Mergs, 20 Bonaparte's Gulls at Rigney Bluff under poor viewing conditions * 8 Tundra Swan separate from the 24 Mutes on Buck Pond and were calling to each other making it a very cool sightingOn Wednesday, 11/4, Kevin Griffith and I went to the same spots. Highlights include: * 70 Dunlin, 20 Bonaparte's Gulls at the Salmon Creek Marina * 1 Cormorant and a Cooper's Hawk at Russell Station/Slater Creek * 2 Wood Duck, 12 AB Ducks, 14 Gadwall, 38 Wigeon, 10 GW Teal, 180 Mallards, 20 Shovelers, 22 Pintail, 95 RN Ducks, 2 Bufflehead and 1 Trumpeter Swan at Round Pond. * 60 AB Ducks, 8 GW Teal, 7 WW Scoter, 30 Black Scoter, 1 Goldeneye, 4 Common Mergs, 2,265 RB Mergs, 1 RT Loon, 99 Common Loons, 7 Horned Grebe, 53 Cormorants, 48 LT Ducks, 185+ Bonaparte's Gulls, 350 RB Gulls at Rigney Bluff all part of a huge Merganser and Gull feeding frenzy right offshore.Saturday, Kevin Griffith and I went birding yet again and had: * 6 Chickadees, 1 Downy, 2 WB Nuthatches, 3 Titmice, 2 Creeper, 1 Junco and 1 GCKinglet at Island Cottage Woods (GLT side) * 145 RB Mergs, 10 Common loons, 135 LT Ducks, 5 Black Scoters, 1 Lapland longspur (flyover), 16 Bonies, 5 Horned Grebes, 1 Bufflehead, 15 Goldeneye, 45 Common Mergs and 3 RT loons at Rigney Bluff * 14 Pintail, 22 RN Ducks, 4 AB Ducks, 19 Shovelers, 4 GW Teal, 1 RB Merg, 26 Wigeon, 4 Gadwall, 3 Tundra Swan and 2 Trumpeter Swan at opposite ends of the pond making an interesting Swan comparison, 8 Bufflehead, 7 Coot and 1 Wood Duck at Round Pond * ~400 Lesser Scaup with 1 Ruddy Duck, 2 Common Mergs, 4 Hooded Mergs, 1 Cooper's Hawk, 20 GW Teal, 14 AB Ducks 12 Wigeon and 6 Gadwall at Long Pond * 76 Dunlin, 2 Killdeer and 84 Bonaparte's Gulls at Salmon Creek * 1 Marsh Wren and 1 SS Hawk at Brush CreekOther recent highlights include a Merlin at Basil Marella Park in Greece. My parents have had Snow Buntings periodically at the Summerville Pier since 10/17. Happy Birding! Greg Lawrence _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Sunday Shorebirds From: Steve Taylor <steve999 AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 19:41:19 -0500 Shorebird numbers and species diversity diminishing with each day Salmon Creek 10:15 - 10:45 AM 52 Dunlin 1 White rumped sandpiper (nice juvenile plumage) Northrup Creek 10:50 - 11:00 AM 3 Killdeer 2 Dunlin South end of Irondequoit Bay 2 Killdeer 1 Least sandpiper NO Dunlin 3 Brant (alive) 1 Brant (carcass) Steve Taylor Pittsford NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Hamlin Beach SP - lake watch and Yanty Creek Trail - 11/8 From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 14:55:28 -0800 (PST)    Another VERY QUIET morning in both locations. But a BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!        Willie D'Anna pointed out that I missed Bonaparte's Gull on yesterday's list - number was only 5 and has been edited into the eBird list. Not much better today.      NO on Cave Swallows thru at least 10:30 AM and at least out near the lake.     50 Dunlin and a White-rumped Sandpiper still on Salmon Creek near the Braddock Bay Hotel on the way home. Bob Spahn Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Yanty Creek Trail Observation date:    11/8/09  7:35-10:35 AM Notes:        Again, VERY QUIET in the woods. Lots of spishing and screech-owl whistling to stir up anything. Number of species:    14 Mallard    2 Great Blue Heron    2 Red-bellied Woodpecker    1 Downy Woodpecker    2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)    1 Blue Jay    2 Black-capped Chickadee    11 White-breasted Nuthatch    1 Brown Creeper    4 Hermit Thrush    1 Swamp Sparrow    2 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)    4 Northern Cardinal    8 American Goldfinch    46 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Yanty Creek Trail Observation date:    11/8/09  10:40-11:30 AM Notes:        Again, VERY QUIET in the woods. Lots of spishing and screech-owl whistling to stir up anything. Number of species:    14 Mallard    2 Great Blue Heron    2 Red-bellied Woodpecker    1 Downy Woodpecker    2 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)    1 Blue Jay    2 Black-capped Chickadee    11 White-breasted Nuthatch    1 Brown Creeper    4 Hermit Thrush    1 Swamp Sparrow    2 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)    4 Northern Cardinal    8 American Goldfinch    46_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Tifft N. P. - Indigo Bunting, Brown Thrasher From: WilliamWatsonSr AT aol.com Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 15:06:32 EST November 8 - Today at Tifft Nature Preserve in southwest Buffalo at about noon a female non-breeding Indigo Bunting was observed with a small group of White-throated Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows along the Service Road about half way between Mosquito Junction Boardwalk Trail and Warbler Walk (near the bench). Near by a Brown Thrasher was observed. Also at Tifft Nature Preserve there was 34 Gadwall, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Pair of Northern Shovelers, a Northern Mockingbird on East Rabbit Run just south of the trail to Lisa Pond, and 26 Hooded Mergansers on Beth Pond. Bill Watson_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Bird migration From: Gloria Betlem <globeing AT aol.com> Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 00:59:08 -0500 Hi all. I just received this from another list, and thought it worth sharing. Gloria Here are two links to two absolutely fascinating audio stories about bird migration on the award winning NPR show “Talk of the Nation”. The first one was done at Cornell and consisted of a panel of leading ornithologists and the latest research on migration. They’re MP3 files and you can listen to them with anything capable of MP3 just by clicking on the links. I’m sure you will enjoy them and find them quite interesting and worth your time. Warning: do it when you have time or download to an MP3 player…the first one is 47:13 long; the second is only 7:26. But both are fascinating and well worth listening to. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113663006 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113870286 =_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: 11/7/09--Niagara River and falls- California, Little, and L. Black Back Gull.. From: "Christian Newton" <cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 23:27:39 -0500 Hey all, birded with my father today who was visiting, so we birded the river and falls, but took our time about it. Also stayed on the U.S side as we had an expired passport on us, not worth the hassle of crossing into Canada with that. We started up in Lewiston along the river around noon and had lots of Bonapart's and 1 Little Gull and one 1st year Great Black Back Gull. We continued down the river stopping at Devil's Hole and Whirlpool SP, not much other then lots of Bonapart's and a few Long-tailed Ducks. Last stop was Goat Island; we stayed away from the paying part of the parking lot, so we parked over in the Three Sisters Islands area. Which ended being a good thing as an adult winter plumaged California Gull was standing in some of the rapids right in front of the foot bridge mixed with all the other gulls. I got some good photos, which I will post tomorrow. Also with the gulls were 4 Lesser Black Back Gulls, one 1st year Great Black Back Gull and 2nd year bird that I felt confident was a Thayer's or shall I say a Thayer's type. Christian H. Newton Holland, NY Chris Newtons Wildlife Photography chriswildlifephotography.com cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com Have a good one and good birding!! _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Dec pond in Avon From: Jay Powell <jayghost66 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 20:12:33 -0800 (PST) 2 Brant on the grass and 1 cackling goose up close among 500 or more geese! Nice treat to see all this up close! Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Warsaw & Geneseo: TVs & Longspur From: <ljkim AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:41:33 -0500 I spent a couple hours this afternoon watching a soccer game at the Warsaw High School and couldn't help but notice a study progression of Turkey Vultures, 30 or more passing along the Oatka valley. At one point there was a kettle of 12 accompanied by what looked to be a high flying immature Bald Eagle (I didn't have my binoculars). I have been checking every other day or so, this evening included, for Short-eared Owls at the Geneseo airfield and have not seen any yet. I did have a Lapland Longspur last Thursday (Nov. 5) by the farm field just north of the landing strip. Jim Kimball _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Dunkirk Forster's From: "David Neveu" <daveneveu AT roadrunner.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 18:27:48 -0500 11/5/09 - 1 Forster's Tern, 14 Bonaparte's Gulls and 1 Horned Grebe, Dunkirk Harbor. - 3 juv. Bald Eagles, Saint Columbans, Rte. 5, Sheridan. - 1 Horned Grebe, 2 Common Mergansers and 25 Bonaparte's Gulls, mouth of Silver Creek. 11/7/09 - 32 Buffleheads, 3 Gr. Scaup, 4 Hooded Mergansers, 13 Common Mergansers, 1 Great Blue Heron and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, Van Buren Rd. ponds, Pomfret. - 1 Forster's Tern, 23 Bonaparte's Gulls and 3 deceased Common Loons, Dunkirk Harbor. - 37 Buffleheads, 4 Common Mergansers, 2 Bonaparte's Gulls and 1 Red Tailed Hawk, mouth of Silver Creek. - 2 Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, 1 Winter Wren, 18 Bonaparte's Gulls, 1 Belted Kingfisher and 16 Common Mergansers, mouth Cattaraugus Creek. David Neveu_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Hamlin Beach Lakewatch - 11/7/09 From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 13:36:44 -0800 (PST)    Pretty quiet, but a steady flow of loons, especially Red-throated; essentially all headed west. First day for me that RTLO exceeded 100 and out did COLO for count. Bob Spahn     Cave Swallow tomorrow or Monday??????? Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/7/09   7:30-10:30 AM Notes:        Relatively quiet day at the lake. However, it was the first day for me that the RT Loon count was greater than the Com. Loon count and also over 100. The RTLO's were often flying in packsof 6 to 20 birds.     John Lehr stopped by for a bit in the 8-9 period and Dave Tetlow and Andy Guthrie about 10 on. Andy picked up the Parasitic Jaeger and Dave got on it; I did not before it dropped to the water well out. Number of species:    30 Canada Goose    106 Mute Swan    5 Wood Duck    2 American Black Duck    15 Mallard    21 Northern Pintail    1 Greater Scaup    1 Lesser Scaup    3 Greater/Lesser Scaup    20 White-winged Scoter    51 Black Scoter    3 Long-tailed Duck    191 Bufflehead    16 Common Goldeneye    99 Red-breasted Merganser    995 Red-throated Loon    253 Common Loon    85 Horned Grebe    17 Red-necked Grebe    4 Double-crested Cormorant    1 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    1 Parasitic Jaeger    1 American Crow    3 Horned Lark    1 Black-capped Chickadee    2 Red-breasted Nuthatch    1 Snow Bunting    62 Pine Siskin    2 American Goldfinch    24_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Goat Island, Niagara Falls NY From: David M Mark <dmark AT buffalo.edu> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 16:14:57 -0500 (EST) There were two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the rocks upstream from the Three Sisters Islands on the south side of Goat Island, Niagara Falls, NY, at around 1pm today, November 7 2009. They were standing on the rocks, best viewed from the last of the three foot bridges on Three Sisters Islands, along with several dozen Herring Gulls, several hundred Ring-billed Gulls, and two Great Black-backed Gulls. Otherwise, I birded the area below the falls from Goat Island, and also stopped at Lewiston and at Fort Niagara. I did not see any Sabine's Gulls, nor Purple Sandpipers, not even Little Gulls, nothing "interesting" other than the Lesser Black-backed Gulls. David ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ David M. Mark Amherst, New York dmark AT buffalo.edu http://www.geog.buffalo.edu/~dmark/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Northern Shrike - Honeoye Falls From: Brad Carlson <bradcarlson1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 15:22:10 -0500 Shortly after arriving home from Cayuga Lake, I saw what I initially suspected to be our resident Northern Mockingbird chasing the American Goldfinches around the feeder. After watching for more than a second, I realized it was an immature NORTHERN SHRIKE. It perched in our Sumac trees for about 10 minutes, and then continued west into the adjacent empty lot where I lost sight of it. The empty lot is at the dead end on Old French Road in Honeoye Falls. A Northern Shrike spent 2 days in this lot this past January, so it may be refindable. Regards, -Brad Carlson Honeoye Falls, NY BradCarlson1 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft's powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/ http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Greater White-fronted Goose - Cayuga Lake From: Brad Carlson <bradcarlson1 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 15:15:07 -0500 Dominic Sherony and I spent the morning at Cayuga Lake trying to refind the Pacific Loon that was photographed there earlier this week by Dave Nutter. We did not have any luck, although we did see ~125 COMMON LOONS, 4 RED-THROATED LOONS, and numerous loons too distant to identify. Most of the loons were almost in the center of the lake, and seemed to be congragating out from the Aurora Boat house and/or Myers Point. While looking for loons from the Aurora Boat House, we found a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE mixed in with ~1000 CANADA GEESE and 7 SNOW GEESE. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was a western pink-billed / light breasted subspecies. Also at this location were 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS. Regards, -Brad Carlson Honeoye Falls, NY BradCarlson1 AT hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft's powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/ http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: 11-6-09--Iroquois NWR, Shelby Area--Greater-white Fronted, Cackling Canada Goose, and Lapland Longspurs... From: "Christian Newton" <cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 19:05:27 -0500 Hey all spent a few hours up in the Iroquois NWR, Tonawanda WMA, and some Ag. Fields in the Shelby area. I checked the mud on the dried up lagoon off of Griswold St. no shorebirds but 6 Rusty Blackbirds with some Red-wings was nice. Then headed over to Ringneck Marsh, most of the geese where best observed from Ringneck Overlook off of Oak Orchard Ridge Rd. Canada Geese numbers seemed down from a couple of weeks ago, just a few thousand this time- however there was still one Greater White Fronted Goose in the group. Not sure if this one left over from the 8 a couple weeks ago. One Cackler as well. From Mallard overlook off of Sour springs rd. there was a large raft of Ringneck Ducks- I tried for a Tufted but no go. I then headed over to the Shelby area to check out some of the fields. One field off of Barber rd had several very good size flocks of birds foraging in them. At least 100 Horned Larks, 20 + Snow Bunting's, and 3 Lapland Longspurs. There may have been at least 3 more Lapland's, 3 birds flew off that I was pretty sure were Longspurs. The field is huge so just scan until you see the flocks move. At first the flocks were further back but fine for a scope, I returned about 30 minutes later and had several groups right along the road- including a nice male winter plumaged Lapland Longspur with a bunch of Snow Buntings. From Holland to the area that I birded I counted 9 Red Tailed Hawks, 2 Kestrels, 1 Cooper's. Iroquois NWR is located along Route 77 outside of the town Alabama. Shelby Ag. Fields are located: Are along South Wood rd, off of Fletcher Chapel Rd., Posson rd off of Fletcher Chapel rd. If you follow Posson Rd from Fletcher Chapel Rd.(south), Posson Rd ends at East Shelby Rd, continue straight this is Barber Rd. The fields along Barber seemed the most active. If you bird this area make sure to pull off the road as there is a fair amount of farm equipment that goes along these roads. Christian H. Newton Holland, NY Chris Newtons Wildlife Photography chriswildlifephotography.com cnewton2 AT roadrunner.com Have a good one and good birding!! _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Catchup on Nov lakewatch lists - 11/1, 3, and 4 plus campground walk 11/1 From: ROBERT SPAHN <rspahn AT prodigy.net> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:54:41 -0800 (PST)     I'll paste all of the lists below. Interesting mix of birds. Only the N. Gannet was on the rarer side. Bob Spahn Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/4/09  7:15-9:45 AM Notes:    Decent day, though the wind moved from early and expected SSW to NE by 8:30 AM and much of the movement slowed, particularly the loons. Dominic Sherony arrived about 45 min after I started.   After the lake watch we tried a walk through the campground, but that was so quiet it is not even worth submitting a report. Number of species:    31 Brant    2 Cackling Goose    1 Canada Goose    270 Mute Swan    2 American Wigeon    1 American Black Duck    4 Mallard    61 Northern Pintail    5 Green-winged Teal    70 Greater Scaup    44 Lesser Scaup    5 Surf Scoter    17 White-winged Scoter    558 Black Scoter    66 Long-tailed Duck    699 Bufflehead    19 Common Goldeneye    35 Hooded Merganser    3 Common Merganser    3 Red-breasted Merganser    1392 duck sp.    35 Red-throated Loon    9 Common Loon    57 Horned Grebe    7 Red-necked Grebe    15 Double-crested Cormorant    25 Bonaparte's Gull    118 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    1 Snow Bunting    5 American Goldfinch    2 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/3/09  7:20-10:05 AM Notes:        Stiff breeze from the NW. Surf made any possibility of hear passerines overhead unlikely. Good mix of waterfowl. Essentially all waterfowl moving west and all Bonaparte's Gulls E.   Right before I left, all the ducks and geese flushed and finally through the milling crowd came a beautiful ad Peregrine Falcon at low level right over me! Number of species:    33 Brant    2 Canada Goose    122 Tundra Swan    5 Gadwall    1 American Black Duck    4 Mallard    10 Northern Pintail    2 Green-winged Teal    4 Canvasback    1 Greater Scaup    41 Lesser Scaup    15 Surf Scoter    11 White-winged Scoter    137 Black Scoter    41 Long-tailed Duck    530 Bufflehead    94 Common Goldeneye    27 Common Merganser    12 Red-breasted Merganser    1400 Ruddy Duck    10 Red-throated Loon    28 Common Loon    135 Horned Grebe    16 Red-necked Grebe    3 Double-crested Cormorant    0 Peregrine Falcon    1 Bonaparte's Gull    57 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    4 Parasitic Jaeger    1 European Starling    9 Snow Bunting    7 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Parking Area 4 Observation date:    11/1/09 7:35-10:35 AM Notes:      Turned out to be an RBA field trip day plus other visitors. The number of observers is a guess - I was writing down what I saw plus what people nearby who I thought knew what they were looking at called out that I didn't try to catch up with. The number of such people close enough and vocal varied. The mob is both some help and often a distraction as those new to looking at birds over the water ask for ID help. Others certainly would have different tallies for the same period.   The immature N. Gannet passed by E-W about 9:22 AM (made a call about the bird just at the end of the pass which was logged as 9:24) and at very close range. All present got on it and had great looks. It was a relatively gray and pale individual, especially in the head and neck area. Number of species:    33 Brant    26 Cackling Goose    1 Canada Goose    300 Mute Swan    3 American Wigeon    19 American Black Duck    20 Mallard    3 Northern Pintail    5 Greater Scaup    64 Lesser Scaup    19 Surf Scoter    4 White-winged Scoter    97 Black Scoter    2 Long-tailed Duck    426 Bufflehead    27 Common Goldeneye    14 Common Merganser    15 Red-breasted Merganser    1739 Red-throated Loon    17 Common Loon    44 Horned Grebe    38 Red-necked Grebe    10 Northern Gannet    1 Double-crested Cormorant    1 Dunlin    1 Ring-billed Gull    X Herring Gull (American)    X Great Black-backed Gull    3 Horned Lark    1 Black-capped Chickadee    3 Red-breasted Nuthatch    1 American Pipit    2 Snow Bunting    6 Location:    Hamlin Beach SP - Campground Observation date:    11/1/09  10:50-12:20 Notes:        Interesting walk through the campground and around the pond between Parking lots # 3 and 4. The Osprey was perched over the pond. It is getting toward the late side, but a bird has been hanging around the area for several days.     Hordes of RBNU!! Numbers of all the birds in the woods are conservative counts and estimates. Number of species:    21 Canada Goose    50 American Black Duck    1 Mallard    6 Hooded Merganser    1 Osprey    1 Sharp-shinned Hawk    1 Downy Woodpecker    2 Blue Jay    4 American Crow    10 Black-capped Chickadee    30 Red-breasted Nuthatch    100 White-breasted Nuthatch    6 Brown Creeper    5 Golden-crowned Kinglet    1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)    5 Song Sparrow    2 Swamp Sparrow    3 White-throated Sparrow    20 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)    25 Northern Cardinal    5 Pine Siskin    20_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: TVs From: "Zettel, Martha" <Martha_Zettel AT URMC.Rochester.edu> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 22:05:25 -0500 I was happy to see the Turkey Vultures seem to be getting ready to spend the winter in our neighborhood again. I counted at least 30 flying over Five Pts Rd in Rush today before the hail started :-( Martha_______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Auburn Trail - Tree and Fox sparrows, rusty blackbird From: Steven Daniel <sdaniel1 AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 21:16:25 -0500 There was a quite a bit of activity on the Auburn Trail this morning until the rain calmed things down. Plenty of DARK-EYED JUNCOS (>20) feeding in the grassy path, and several WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS. My first TREE SPARROWS of the year (7), and a couple of FOX SPARROWS. One RUSTY BLACKBIRD. Also a BELTED KNGFISHER, a pair of BLACK DUCKS along with the usual suspects. Steven Daniel www.saveauburntrail.org _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: RFI: help with some "year birds" From: David M Mark <dmark AT buffalo.edu> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 13:30:05 -0500 (EST) Dear Western NY Birders: Once again, I have been travelling a lot, and now find myself in early November and still missing several local resident bird species for my 2009 annual list. If anyone can point me to a good place to see or hear any of these species in the next month or so, I would be very appreciative. I'll be even happier if the location is within an hour or so of Buffalo, namely Erie, Niagara, Genesee, orleans, or Wymong counties. Thanks in advance! Hearing the owls or the grouse will be good enough for me... The WNY resident bird species that I still seek for 2009*: Ruffed Grouse Eastern Screech-Owl Barred Owl Long-eared Owl Short-eared Owl Red-shouldered Hawk Thanks in advance! David PS: * I have not seen all the other WNY reswident birds in WNY, I have just seen all the others SOMEWHERE during 2009. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ David M. Mark Amherst, New York dmark AT buffalo.edu http://www.geog.buffalo.edu/~dmark/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Evening Grosbeak in Colden, NY From: "kjlandau" <kjlandau AT localnet.com> Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:11:21 -0500 Today's colder temperatures have ratcheted up the feeder activity in the yard. In with lots of the usual suspects this afternoon was a single male Evening Grosbeak, who was feeding on black oil sunflower seed on a tray feeder. This is also the 5th day that there have been multiple Fox Sparrows around the yard. as well. Happy trails, Jim Landau Colden, NY _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Geneseo From: <ljkim AT rochester.rr.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 22:06:36 -0500 I went down by the Geneseo airfield and adjacent farm land a couple times yesterday. Birds of interest included: Wood Duck 8 (in the river with about 40 Mallards) Black-bellied Plover 2 (flew over calling) Wilson's Snipe 1 (flushed up near the landing strip) Horned Lark 6 Robin 15 Am. Pipit 3 Song Sparrow 1 Red-winged Blackbird c. 300 (roosting in the Hemp Pond) Jim Kimball _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Syracuse RBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:51:17 -0800 (PST) RBA * New York * Syracuse * November 02, 2009 * NYSY 0211.09 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s): October 26, 2009 - November 02, 2009 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:November 02 AT 6:00 p.m. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #178 -Monday November 02, 2009 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of October 26 , 2009 Highlights: ----------- RED-THROATED LOON RED-NECKED GREBE BRANT EURASIAN WIGEON WHITE-WINGED SCOTER MERLIN NORTHERN GOSHAWK MERLIN RED-NECKED GREBE SANDHILL CRANE BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER SANDERLING DUNLIN WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER RED PHALAROPE LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER BONAPARTE’S GULL LAPLAND LONGSPUR RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET BLUE-HEADED VIREO BOBOLINK Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) ------------ 10/27: A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen on Van Dyne Spoor Road. 3 SANDHILL CRANED were seen in Knox-Marsellus Marsh. 5 species of shorebird were seen at the visitor’s center including WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER. 10/29: 2 EURASIAN WIGEON were seen in Tschache Pool. St. Lawrence County ------------ 11/1: A RED PHALAROPE was seen at Coles Creek State Park on the St. Lawrence River near Massena. Oneida County ------------ 10/26: A late BOBOLINK was seen in Camden. 10/29: At Sylvan Beach the following were seen. 4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, 10 SANDERLING, 2 DUNLIN, 11 BRANT, and 16 BONAPARTE’S GULLS. Onondaga County ------------ 10/30: A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen near Northern Lights Shopping center. 10/31: 15 BRANT were seen in the Inner Harbor. Oswego County ------------ 10/31: A late swallow, possibly a CAVE SWALLOW, was seen at Mexico Point. 11/1: At Derby Hill the following birds were seen. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, MERLIN, and LAPLAND LONGSPUR. Cayuga County ------------ 11/1: At Fairhaven State Park a RED THROATED LOON, a RED-NECKED GREBE, and a MERLIN were all seen. --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Monday afternoon birding From: jay powell <jayghost66 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:06:55 -0800 (PST) Location: White Brook Nature Area Observation date: 11/2/09 Notes: First American tree sparrows for this season for me! Number of species: 15 Mourning Dove 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1 Blue Jay 4 American Crow 8 Black-capped Chickadee 5 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 11 Northern Mockingbird 1 American Tree Sparrow 14 Song Sparrow 1 Swamp Sparrow 1 Red-winged Blackbird 26 House Finch 1 Northern Cardinal 4 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Belted Kingfishers From: Lynne <lazycats AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:12:34 -0800 (PST) I have kingfishers that nest in the sand bank along a creek on my property every year. That's one of my first signs of spring, is when I hear them defending their territory. Anyways, they're still here. Isn't it late for them to still be around? And they're calling loudly, just like they do in spring. _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l Subject: Auburn Trail & Irondequoit Bay From: "K. Hartquist" <k2quist AT frontiernet.net> Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:25:34 -0500 Greetings, It was a beautiful day to be out birding. The Auburn trail was covered in frost to start, but as the morning warmed up, the frost melted and most of the usual birds became active. I heard different, funny sounds from the carolina wren, bluebirds in the distance, white throated sparrows singing full song, a fox sparrow, nuthatches and a beautiful ruby crowned kinglet - close enough to see the bright ruby on it's crown. The unexpected was a butterfly this late - an eastern comma sunning on leaves in the footpath. It will be a great loss if this trail is paved to 10 feet wide. All of the frost covered meadow will be lost, the aesthetic value of enjoying a good birding location in early morning, gone. Might as well bird on the canal path. Irondequoit Bay mudflat was quieter today - no dowitcher. The brant (15) are still there, 6 dunlin, several killdeer and a least sandpiper. Enjoy the week, Kim Hartquist www.saveauburntrail.org _______________________________________________ GeneseeBirds-L mailing list - GeneseeBirds-L AT geneseo.edu http://mail.geneseo.edu/mailman/listinfo/geneseebirds-l