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14 May NNYBirds: Another Plattsburgh Mockingbird [] 13 May NNYBirds: St. Lawrence Co./Hamilton Co. ["Joan E. Collins" ] 13 May Re: NNYBirds: boreal bird photo needed [] 13 May RE: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird [Linda LaPan ] 13 May NNYBirds: boreal bird photo needed ["Kinglet" ] 12 May RE: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird ["Larry Master" ] 12 May NNYBirds: Wilson's Warblers - Northern NY breeding? ["jnphotonet" ] 12 May NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird ["stickadk" ] 12 May NNYBirds: SyracuseRBA [Joseph Brin ] 12 May RE: NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population ["Larry Master" ] 12 May NNYBirds: Potsdam Season Firsts 5/7-5/12 ["Joan E. Collins" ] 12 May NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population ["adkarcadia" ] 12 May NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population ["adkarcadia" ] 11 May NNYBirds: Upcoming Field Trips ["Joan E. Collins" ] 12 May NNYBirds: First Hummingbird (for us), Wilmington ["adkbunkhouse" ] 11 May NNYBirds: Bluebirds Nesting in the Champlain Valley ["Kath" ] 11 May NNYBirds: Solitary Sandpiper, etc ["stickadk" ] 11 May NNYBirds: Backyard Birds: Loon, Sparrows, RB Grosbeaks ["revnacarter" ] 11 May NNYBirds: Birds at our home south of Canton ["adk3356" ] 11 May NNYBirds: Table Top Mountain ["Diane Demers" ] 10 May NNYBirds: Long Lake - Ruby-throated Hummingbird ["adkmurray" ] 10 May NNYBirds: Northern Mockingbird [] 09 May NNYBirds: Long Lake- Eastern Towhee ["adkmurray" ] 09 May NNYBirds: Merlin photos, Saranac Lake ["adkcyn" ] 9 May NNYBirds: Partial Albino Robin, Clinton County [Bill Krueger ] 08 May NNYBirds: Big warbler day on Fort Drum ["jsbolsinger" ] 8 May NNYBirds: Crown Point Banding Station [John M Peterson ] 8 May Re: NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA [Joseph Brin ] 07 May NNYBirds: white-crowned sparrows ["WILLIAM P HILLS" ] 08 May NNYBirds: Backyard Birds: FOS Orioles & Sparrows Continue ["revnacarter" ] 07 May NNYBirds: Busy week for arrivals ["jsbolsinger" ] 7 May Re: NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA [Jeff Bolsinger ] 07 May NNYBirds: White-crowned Sparrow ["stickadk" ] 07 May NNYBirds: lake alice day 2 [] 07 May NNYBirds: new arrivals in Newcomb ["Ellen Rathbone" ] 6 May NNYBirds: King Bay/N. Lk. Champlain (Yesterday) [William Stahl ] 06 May NNYBirds: Elizabethtown CBC Results [Matthew Medler ] 6 May NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA [Joseph Brin ] 06 May NNYBirds: Long Lake - New Arrival ["adkmurray" ] 6 May NNYBirds: eBird Report - Bloomingdale Bog , 5/6/08 - Bittern , Harrier, Least Flys ["Larry Master" ] 06 May NNYBirds: Rand Hill Clinton County list [] 6 May NNYBirds: FOS Ruby-Throated Hummingbird ["Nancy Carter" ] 6 May NNYBirds: Avian Ecology Workshop [High Pond Farm ] 5 May RE: NNYBirds: Whip-poor-will Monitoring Volunteers Needed ["mycteria AT stny.rr.com" ] 06 May NNYBirds: Spring arrivals ["Brian J. McAllister" ] 5 May NNYBirds: Potsdam sightings ["Joan E. Collins" ] 5 May NNYBirds: Port Kent raptors ["Dana Rohleder" ] 05 May NNYBirds: lake alice comes alive [] 04 May NNYBirds: Whip-poor-will Monitoring Volunteers Needed [Matthew Medler ] 04 May NNYBirds: warblers and others ["Tom M." ] 04 May NNYBirds: Indian Creek Nature Center arrivals ["jsbolsinger" ] 03 May NNYBirds: Paul Smiths VIC birds ["Brian J. McAllister" ] Subject: NNYBirds: Another Plattsburgh Mockingbird From: <heintzjf AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 07:38:49 -0500 (CDT) While riding my blke on the former Plattsburgh air base property, I discovered another Northern Mockingbird neat Seton High School. Subject: NNYBirds: St. Lawrence Co./Hamilton Co. From: "Joan E. Collins" <JECollins AT twcny.rr.com> Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 23:54:28 -0400 There were two more first of the season birds to add to yesterday's list: 5/12/08 Potsdam Ruby-throated Hummingbird (observed by my husband George) House Wren 5/13/08 Potsdam Veery - singing when I arrived home tonight I had to travel to Long Lake today, and I stopped along Fox Marsh on Route 56 and heard a Lincoln's Sparrow singing. There were many warblers vocalizing near Sevey Bog, including a Magnolia Warbler. I stopped by Sabattis Bog and ran into Jeff Nadler. He was photographing a Palm Warbler! I also stopped by Little Tupper Lake where there were many warbler species vocalizing, including several Yellow Warblers (not a very common species in Hamilton Co.) near the outlet (Bog Stream), and one Canada Warbler. An American Redstart perched in a bush along the road. I took a short hike on the Northville-Placid Trail (S) in Long Lake in late afternoon, and heard many singing warblers. I found a total of 15 warbler species in Long Lake. I listened for Mourning Warblers in their usual breeding areas, but did not hear one yet. The Golden-crowned Kinglets and Brown Creepers were also singing. Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: NNYBirds: boreal bird photo needed From: <marne-esq AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 19:20:58 -0400 Hi Mona, I'm sure you've received many responses. If you'd like, I'd be happy to offer my pics of a Cape May Warbler (is that a boreal bird?) It's on my Flickr website, www.flickr.com/emlo38 and you'll see them on the last page. If you have trouble w/ website just let me know. Marne ---- Kinglet wrote: > I would like to put a blurb in our Southern Adirondack Audubon chapter > newsletter about the upcoming two Adirondack birding festivals. Can anyone > offer use of an image of a boreal bird for the article? We can't pay for > use but will gladly give credit to the photographer. > Mona Bearor, So. Glens Falls > > > Ramona Bearor - Editor > Southern Adirondack Audubon > 4 Windy Lane > So. Glens Falls, NY 12803 > > ramonabearor AT roadrunner.com > 518-745-8637 > Subject: RE: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird From: Linda LaPan <stickadk AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:14:22 -0700 (PDT) It funny how when they show up,,,they show up. I've had 6 Purple Finch for a few weeks now, and just 1 pair of Goldfinch. I've seen quite a few Goldfinch kayaking the past few weeks. Send some my way!! I just built a vernal pond/big bird bath,,,very rustic in the backyard, and my wildlife seems to like it. At first they were a little shy, but now they are getting into it. The REAL small one I had last summer overwintered some of my dragonfly nymphs so I'm exited about that. The ice went off of it on late Sunday a few weeks ago, and the next Tues. morning I had Am. Toad eggs already,,,very cool. They've already hatched. Last year I had a Green Frog emerge,,so I'm hoping for more things w/the bigger one It needs to go through a fall to get more debris in, but we'll see what happens. Spotted Salamanders laid eggs last summer, and they were the cutest salamanders. I also had Shadow Darners oviposting last fall. If you build it,,,they will come!! tata-Stick Larry Master wrote: I also had the first Ruby-throat (a male) of the season today at our Lake Placid feeders, although a friend across the lake has had two males now since the 9th. There have been 15-20 each of Purple Finches and Goldfinches at the feeders for about a week now. Larry Master Lake Placid _____ From: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of stickadk Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 6:06 PM To: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird Today a male Ruby-throat showed up at my feeder. Only seeing one so far, but so glad to see the "little guy" here. I didn't loose snow in my backyard till last week,,,so in that way,,,it seems quick!! Linda LaPan Lake Placid, NY [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: boreal bird photo needed From: "Kinglet" <kinglet AT adelphia.net> Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 07:01:49 -0400 I would like to put a blurb in our Southern Adirondack Audubon chapter newsletter about the upcoming two Adirondack birding festivals. Can anyone offer use of an image of a boreal bird for the article? We can't pay for use but will gladly give credit to the photographer. Mona Bearor, So. Glens Falls Ramona Bearor - Editor Southern Adirondack Audubon 4 Windy Lane So. Glens Falls, NY 12803 ramonabearor AT roadrunner.com 518-745-8637 Subject: RE: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird From: "Larry Master" <larry AT masterimages.org> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:14:11 -0400 I also had the first Ruby-throat (a male) of the season today at our Lake Placid feeders, although a friend across the lake has had two males now since the 9th. There have been 15-20 each of Purple Finches and Goldfinches at the feeders for about a week now. Larry Master Lake Placid _____ From: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of stickadk Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 6:06 PM To: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird Today a male Ruby-throat showed up at my feeder. Only seeing one so far, but so glad to see the "little guy" here. I didn't loose snow in my backyard till last week,,,so in that way,,,it seems quick!! Linda LaPan Lake Placid, NY [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Wilson's Warblers - Northern NY breeding? From: "jnphotonet" <jnphotonet AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 23:20:35 -0000 Wondering if anyone has knowledge of past history of the rare breeding of this warbler in our state, northern NY to be specific if need be. Here in southern Saratoga County, I've been observing a male and female Wilson's Warbler along a perfect habitat shrub-choked creek for four days. I realize this species is probably a fairly common migrant here as it heads further north to Canada. I am sure they are just hanging out a bit during migration but perhap's I'm dreaming that this pair might stay to breed. I'll keep a watch. Here's the male as of this morning: http://www.jnphoto.net/wilsonswarbler-3535.jpg Jeff Nadler Subject: NNYBirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird From: "stickadk" <stickadk AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:06:02 -0000 Today a male Ruby-throat showed up at my feeder. Only seeing one so far, but so glad to see the "little guy" here. I didn't loose snow in my backyard till last week,,,so in that way,,,it seems quick!! Linda LaPan Lake Placid, NY Subject: NNYBirds: SyracuseRBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 14:09:38 -0700 (PDT) RBA * New York * Syracuse * May 12, 2008 * NYSY 08.05.12 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s):May 6, 2008-May 12, 2008 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and MontezumaWetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:May 6, 5:00 p.m.. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #103 -Tuesday May12, 2008 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of May 6, 2008 Highlights: SANDHILL CRANE GREAT EGRET BLACK TERN WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL RED-HEADED WOODPECKER CLAY-COLORED SPARROW WHIP-POOR-WILL Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) ------------ On 5/8 2 SANDHILL CRANE colts (young) were seen with the adults on Carncross Road. Oswego County ------------ On 5/8 a GREAT EGRET was spotted in the swamp On Peter Scott Road east of Phoenix. On 5/8 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, BRANT, and a BLACK TERN were seen from Phillips Point on the north shore of Oneida Lake. On 5/9 2 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were seen at the end of Nine Mile Point Road near Noyes Sanctuary. Onondaga County ------------ A late report this week included a picture of a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL seen at a feeder in Westvale on the west side of Syracuse on 5/2. On 5/8 a late SNOW GOOSE was seen on a pond on Pine Grove Golf Course west of Syracuse. On 5/9 and 10 a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was seen and heard on Gully Road which is off of New Seneca Turnpike west of Marcellus. An attempt to find it on 5/11 was unsuccessful. On 5/11 a WHIP-POOR-WILL was spotted off of Potter Road in the Three Rivers WMA north of Baldwinsville. Fort Drum (Jefferson County) ------------ On 5/8 19 species of warbler were seen on the grounds of Fort Drum near Watertown. For those not familiar, Fort Drum has some of the best birding in our area. However you must get a permit to get into the area. For those interested contact Jeff Bolsinger at jbolsinger AT yahoo.com for information on birds and obtaining a permit. New Migrant seen this week: LEAST SANDPIPER YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO WHIP-POOR-WILL RED-HEADED WOODPECKER MARSH WREN PRARIE WARBLER HOODED WARBLER WILSON¢S WARBLER SCARLET TANAGER INDIGO BUNTING --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ All postings to Northern_NY_Birds are protected by copyright law. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Northern_NY_Birds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Northern_NY_Birds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:Northern_NY_Birds-digest AT yahoogroups.com mailto:Northern_NY_Birds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Northern_NY_Birds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: RE: NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population From: "Larry Master" <larry AT masterimages.org> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 11:32:11 -0400 Laura, Thanks for the potentially expensive (:-)) tip about BIRDS-N-SUCH. If case you and other are not aware, Bent's Life Histories of North American birds are available for reading and download on the Internet. Two sites I've used are http://www.birdzilla.com/sub.asp?strType=omnibus_intro &strTitle=Birdzilla:+Wild+Bird+Omnibus, which has Bent's accounts for 900 species as well as range maps, song recordings, etc., and http://birdsbybent.com/ which has accounts for many common species (e.g., cowbird). Cowbirds are a native species, and although they've spread due to human activities and habitat change, I would not recommend looking for nest with cowbird eggs and removing the eggs. (An exception would be critically endangered species where trained and permitted professionals are involved.) Approaching a nest may alert potential nest predators (e.g., crows, jays, orioles, chipmunks, squirrels) to the location of the nest as well as unnecessarily disturb the parent birds and even cause nest abandonment. Larry Master Lake Placid _____ From: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of adkarcadia Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 9:45 AM To: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population Hi all, First, at southern end of Willsboro Bay we have two pairs Evening Grosbeaks. 1 pair Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, a 1yo Male Indigo Bunting appeared this morning and a Hummingbird arrived 5 days ago. No wrens or catbirds yet. Two Bobolinks seen yesterday in the field and 1 Baltimore Oriole this AM in top of tall spruce. I am in desperate need on some thoughts as to what to do about increasing numbers of cowbirds. At present at least 6 pairs in immediate area. The goldfinch and purple finch populations have been on the decline. I have been reading up on the nests of choice and also on how they became parasitic birds. The A.C. Best guides are a wealth of info. It states that cowbirds became nomads following cattle to feed off of insects on them and because the cattle were on the move, the cowbirds learned that to reproduce they would need foster parents to raise their young. They then started depositing their eggs in the nests of other birds and moving on with the cattle. They will quite often remove the eggs from the foster parents' brood which has been devastating for certain populations. I'm guessing that all I can do is remove their eggs if I can find the nests. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This last item I really hate to divulge as I would like first dibs on his books but I have already overextended my book budget for the next several years in the last few weeks due to this discovery. I came across a bookdealer from Maine who sells on EBay and specializes in bird books. I do have to warn you though that his selection is amazing and you will be hard pressed to resist. That said here's the link http://stores. ebay.com/BIRDS-N-SUCH You've been forewarned. Happy Birdin' Laura [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Potsdam Season Firsts 5/7-5/12 From: "Joan E. Collins" <JECollins AT twcny.rr.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 10:16:02 -0400 First of the season birds since last Wed.: 5/7/08 (Wed.) Wood Thrush Blackburnian Warbler 5/8/08 (Thurs.) Common Yellowthroat 5/9/08 (Fri.) Least Flycatcher 5/10/08 (Sat.) Great-crested Flycatcher Northern Parula Black-throated Blue Warbler 5/11/08 (Sun.) Gray Catbird Scarlet Tanager Baltimore Oriole (a pair hanging out near the same tree where there was an oriole nest last year) 5/12/08 (Mon.) Red-eyed Vireo - just one singing bird; I had to go on a long bushwhack to finally view it! Ruby-crowned Kinglets and White-crowned Sparrows are still moving through. I observed Ovenbirds copulating in the forest this morning. On Saturday (5/10) morning, I was leading 3 music teachers/professors on a walk behind our home, and we observed Downy Woodpeckers copulating. On Wednesday (5/7), I had a wonderful view of a Snowshoe Hare in the middle of the trail ahead of me. I second Laura's observations from Willsboro Bay this morning - there are many more Brown-headed Cowbirds this year on the 80-acres that I hike behind our Potsdam home. They seem to be everywhere and it is distressing to think about the negative effects they will have on other species. Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population From: "adkarcadia" <arcadia1 AT arcadiaco.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 13:45:00 -0000 Hi all, First, at southern end of Willsboro Bay we have two pairs Evening Grosbeaks. 1 pair Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, a 1yo Male Indigo Bunting appeared this morning and a Hummingbird arrived 5 days ago. No wrens or catbirds yet. Two Bobolinks seen yesterday in the field and 1 Baltimore Oriole this AM in top of tall spruce. I am in desperate need on some thoughts as to what to do about increasing numbers of cowbirds. At present at least 6 pairs in immediate area. The goldfinch and purple finch populations have been on the decline. I have been reading up on the nests of choice and also on how they became parasitic birds. The A.C. Best guides are a wealth of info. It states that cowbirds became nomads following cattle to feed off of insects on them and because the cattle were on the move, the cowbirds learned that to reproduce they would need foster parents to raise their young. They then started depositing their eggs in the nests of other birds and moving on with the cattle. They will quite often remove the eggs from the foster parents' brood which has been devastating for certain populations. I'm guessing that all I can do is remove their eggs if I can find the nests. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This last item I really hate to divulge as I would like first dibs on his books but I have already overextended my book budget for the next several years in the last few weeks due to this discovery. I came across a bookdealer from Maine who sells on EBay and specializes in bird books. I do have to warn you though that his selection is amazing and you will be hard pressed to resist. That said here's the link http://stores.ebay.com/BIRDS-N-SUCH You've been forewarned. Happy Birdin' Laura Subject: NNYBirds: Great Birding Book Source, Need input on high cowbird population From: "adkarcadia" <arcadia1 AT arcadiaco.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 13:44:56 -0000 Hi all, First, at southern end of Willsboro Bay we have two pairs Evening Grosbeaks. 1 pair Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, a 1yo Male Indigo Bunting appeared this morning and a Hummingbird arrived 5 days ago. No wrens or catbirds yet. Two Bobolinks seen yesterday in the field and 1 Baltimore Oriole this AM in top of tall spruce. I am in desperate need on some thoughts as to what to do about increasing numbers of cowbirds. At present at least 6 pairs in immediate area. The goldfinch and purple finch populations have been on the decline. I have been reading up on the nests of choice and also on how they became parasitic birds. The A.C. Best guides are a wealth of info. It states that cowbirds became nomads following cattle to feed off of insects on them and because the cattle were on the move, the cowbirds learned that to reproduce they would need foster parents to raise their young. They then started depositing their eggs in the nests of other birds and moving on with the cattle. They will quite often remove the eggs from the foster parents' brood which has been devastating for certain populations. I'm guessing that all I can do is remove their eggs if I can find the nests. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This last item I really hate to divulge as I would like first dibs on his books but I have already overextended my book budget for the next several years in the last few weeks due to this discovery. I came across a bookdealer from Maine who sells on EBay and specializes in bird books. I do have to warn you though that his selection is amazing and you will be hard pressed to resist. That said here's the link http://stores.ebay.com/BIRDS-N-SUCH You've been forewarned. Happy Birdin' Laura Subject: NNYBirds: Upcoming Field Trips From: "Joan E. Collins" <JECollins AT twcny.rr.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 21:03:44 -0400 Hi Everyone, There are many upcoming St. Lawrence-Adirondack Audubon/High Peaks Audubon field trips. The outings scheduled for next weekend include: Saturday, May 17: Breakfast with the Birds - Keene Valley (Essex County) Indian Creek Nature Center - Canton (St. Lawrence County) Sunday, May 18 Massawepie - Piercefield/Colton (SE St. Lawrence County) The Gulf - (Northern Clinton County) For more details, visit the SLAA/HPAS web site at: http://www.highpeaksaudubon.com/events_trips.htm Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: First Hummingbird (for us), Wilmington From: "adkbunkhouse" <adkbunkhouse AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 00:34:22 -0000 Reading all the hummingbird reports, I put out the feeder yesterday. Around 7:30 tonight, we had our first hummingbird of the season (female). Cheers, Bill Stahl Wilmington Subject: NNYBirds: Bluebirds Nesting in the Champlain Valley From: "Kath" <sneezebeez AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 22:29:58 -0000 Spring has officially sprung for me. Last week's check of my Rt 22 Bluebird Trail from Willsboro to Westport counted 20 Bluebird eggs being incubated. And my white egg laying female is back too. :) This morning's check in Lewis had my first Bluebird egg but she had chosen the box with an active Chickadee nest. :( Such is nature. See you all at the Great Adirondack Birding Celebration - June 6-8. Happy Bluebirding Everyone! Kathy Linker Lewis, NY Essex/Warren County Coordinator NYS Bluebird Society Subject: NNYBirds: Solitary Sandpiper, etc From: "stickadk" <stickadk AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 22:21:17 -0000 Today I was kayaking in a sphagnum moss bog off of the Saranac River, and had my first Solitary Sandpiper. I've never seen one out there before, so it made my day. It was feeding on the mud flats of the lily pads, and doing a lot of bobbing, with some short flights. I was there for dragonflies, and it was the first day that I had 3 species emerge. At home I had my FOS female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Usually I get a few males first. It was a beautiful day, and Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers!! Linda LaPan Lake Placid, NY Subject: NNYBirds: Backyard Birds: Loon, Sparrows, RB Grosbeaks From: "revnacarter" <revnacarter AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 16:45:25 -0000 Date: May 8-11, 2008 Location: Northern End of Lake George, Near Cook Mountain Preserve HIGHLIGHTS Thursday, May 8 Sparrows: I got up around 5:30 expecting to see the flock of 30-40 white-throated sparrows that had been here for a while. They were gone. The 3 white-crowned sparrows remain, some chipping sparrows, and song sparrows (in addition to house sparrows). Common Loon: Around 7 am a friend and I both heard a loon on the lake. We both looked for it with our binoculars but could not find it. Grosbeaks: Two Rose-Breasted males at the feeders - very handsome! Orioles: Two together - one bright orange, the other yellow orange Woodpeckers: One Pileated wp seen and heard (in addition to the usual hairy and downy woodpeckers) Flycatchers: 2 Eastern Phoebes have been here a while. Male hummingbird since May 6... Friday, May 9 Woodpeckers: A female Northern Flicker on the lawn in addition to usual suspects Sparrows: White Crowned, Chipping, and Song Saturday, May 10 I saw a female hummingbird at the feeder for the first time... Sunday, May 11 Sparrows: White Crowned, Chipping, and Song In the morning, a half dozen White Throated Sparrows... Also there is one Dark-eyed Junco here! Nancy A Carter Visiting in Ticonderoga Subject: NNYBirds: Birds at our home south of Canton From: "adk3356" <adk3356 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 15:51:42 -0000 At home, we have had many rose-breasted grosbeaks for the past week. As many as three males at a time have been in view. A pair of evening grosbeaks have made appearances the past few days. It was interesting to see both an evening grosbeak and rose-breasted (male) together on the same feeder. We have also had baltimore orioles, pine siskins, and goldfinches. This morning, walking in the property adjacent to the back end of ours, Eileen was attacked by a sharp-shinned hawk. A few hours later, in the same vicinity I also was subject to attack by a sharpy. I believe I saw two of them. Must be a nest there. Further along the path, I came upon a solitary sandpiper in one of the marshes. The least flycatchers were chebekking and Eileen reported seeing her first great crested flycatcher. The barred owls have been calling every night, starting before sundown. Tom Wheeler Canton Subject: NNYBirds: Table Top Mountain From: "Diane Demers" <ddemers03 AT hotmail.com> Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 02:01:53 -0000 Hi everyone. Today I hiked up Table Top Mountain, in the Adirondacks. The summit (elevation 4427 ft) has trees on it and does not offer much view points to the surroundings. As I had almost reached it, I was rewarded by a female Black-backed Woodpecker sighting. The back, solid black with seemingly bluish reflections, was contrasting with brownish feathers; so I guess the bird wasn't an adult. I watched the bird for about 5 or maybe 10 minutes as it worked on a tree close to the trail, and then worked alternately on smaller trees next to it. The complete list goes as follows: Ruffed Grouse, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher (lots of them along Marcy Dam), Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Ovenbird, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eye Junco, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch. Diane Demers, Montréal (Québec) Subject: NNYBirds: Long Lake - Ruby-throated Hummingbird From: "adkmurray" <adkmurray AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 22:31:53 -0000 Hello All, Not a rarity but interesting that he arrived one day earlier then last year and since 2004 arrived within a 4 day span. Cheers, Jim Murray Long Lake Subject: NNYBirds: Northern Mockingbird From: <heintzjf AT verizon.net> Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 10:47:07 -0500 (CDT) While working on the ward 3 Plattsburgh cleanup day, I heard and saw a Northern Mockingbird by the Temple on Bowman. Other than the regular city birds there were Song Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows and Yellow-rumped warblers around my clean-up site. JUDY HEINTZ Subject: NNYBirds: Long Lake- Eastern Towhee From: "adkmurray" <adkmurray AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 16:15:44 -0000 Another new bird here under the feeder this morning, a female Eastern Towhee. Haven't seen one of these for a while. Cheers, Jim Murray Long Lake Subject: NNYBirds: Merlin photos, Saranac Lake From: "adkcyn" <adkcyn AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 11:23:18 -0000 I have posted two photos taken by David Martin of the "resident" Merlin at Trudeau Institute on Lower Saranac Lake. - Cynthia Saranac Lake Subject: NNYBirds: Partial Albino Robin, Clinton County From: Bill Krueger <billkrueger AT hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 07:14:40 -0400 Charlie Mitchell and I found this bird on 4/30 and I saw it again yesterday, 5/8, along Point au Fer Rd. Its bill and head were normal. Its chin and a section just forward of its undertail coverts were the normal red. Its under side coloration was not symmetrical. On the left the entire chest and belly were white, but on the right there was a narrow red stripe just below the folded wing and a partial red bar at the chest. Its wings had two large white patches and some additional white spots in no particular pattern. Its back was was white as was its tail except for the central feathers. which were the expected charcoal gray. A striking improvement over its usual colors, the perched bird (viewed from the right) reminded Charlie of Eastern Towhee. When I first saw it (in flight), the flashy black and white pattern put me in mind of White Wagtail or alternate plumaged Snow Bunting. If anyone gets a picture of this bird, please let me know. Bill Krueger Plattsburgh, NY _________________________________________________________________ Make Windows Vista more reliable and secure with Windows Vista Service Pack 1. http://www.windowsvista.com/SP1?WT.mc_id=hotmailvistasp1banner Subject: NNYBirds: Big warbler day on Fort Drum From: "jsbolsinger" <jsbolsinger AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 23:54:20 -0000 This morning Gary Lewandrowski and I witnessed a very large influx of warblers on Fort Drum. While working in Training Area 14 in the southeast corner of the installation we tallied 19 species of warbler plus 1 hybrid: Blue-winged, Golden-winged, "Brewster's", Nashville, N. Parula, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Yellow- rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Pine, Prairie, Palm, Black- and-white, Am. Redstart, Ovenbird, N. Waterthrush, and Com. Yellowthroat. Warblers were absolutely everywhere we looked, making for a great day to be in the field. For those interested, this weekend I'll post a reminder about how to get permits to bird Fort Drum plus a few tips on seeing some of the more unusual species the installation has to offer. Jeff Bolsinger Canton, NY Subject: NNYBirds: Crown Point Banding Station From: John M Peterson <jmcp7 AT juno.com> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 17:54:44 -0400 The spring bird-banding station on the grounds of the Crown Point Historic Site will be open to visitors from Saturday, May 10th through Sunday, May 25th. This marks the 33rd consecutive year of banding at this NYS Bird Conservation Area. A total of 14,598 birds of 98 species (plus five subspecies and hybrids) have been banded since 1976, and the tally should reach 15 thousand sometime in the next few weeks. Excellent details, with visitor hours & directions, can be found on the Wild Birds Unlimited website: http://saratogasprings.wbu.com/content/show/9303 From this web page, there are links to The Zen Birdfeeder blog with further information on both "Crown Point bird banding" and "Crown Point birding." Even when the banding is slow, birding is usually excellent at the tip of Crown Point peninsula, a natural migrant trap. Stop along the entrance road to consult the interpretive panels on the left, showing a map of the Historic Site (and location of the banding station), plus information on birding and banding. We hope to see you in the hawthorn thickets sometime this month. --Master-Banders Mike Peterson (Elizabethtown & Montreal) and Gordon Howard (Clemson & Auger Lake) for Crown Point Banding Association Subject: Re: NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 10:36:38 -0700 (PDT) Jeff, I recieved the report from Judy Thurber,one of our more experienced birders. She was called by friends Martin and Gloria Sage who saw the bird on the beach at their camp which is just above Southwick Beach. The Sages are world travelers and have seen Oystercatchers before so I believe the report to be accurate. Also, the Sages may be coming on your field trip this weekend so you may be able to get first hand information. Otherwise feel free to call them at 315-472-4977. I have been lax in putting Jefferson County in the RBA and promise to remedy it in the future. What you might do to assist our local birders is either send to Oneida Birds or me a primer in getting a permit to get on Fort Drum. Joe Brin ----- Original Message ---- From: Jeff Bolsinger To: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, May 7, 2008 7:13:35 PM Subject: Re: NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA Hi Joe, Can you give me some details on the Oystercatcher report from Jefferson County? I'm interested in knowing who reported it and any other information about the sighting you may have so I can include it in the Region 6 Kingbird report. Also, I thought Jefferson County was part of the normal reporting area for the Syracuse RBA--is that no longer true? Thanks, Jeff Bolsinger Joseph Brin wrote: RBA * New York * Syracuse * May 6, 2008 * NYSY 08.04.28 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s):Apri28, 2008-May 6, 2008 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and MontezumaWetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:May 6, 5:00 p.m.. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon .org #102 -Tuesday May 6, 2008 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of April 28, 2008 Highlights: AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Extralimital) At least 3 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were reported on a beach in between Southwick Beach and El Dorado State Park on Lake Ontario on 5/4. The birds were not relocated. Not much in the way of rarities this week but migration is now the big story. New arrivals this week include: BRANT BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER BLACK TERN RED-EYED VIREO BANK SWALLOW CLIFF SWALLOW VEERY SWAINSON¢S THRUSH WOOD THRUSH GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER NORTHERN PARULA MAGNOLIA WARBLER BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER CERULEAN WARBLER AMERICAN REDSTART OVERBIRD GRASSHOPPER SPARROW LINCOLN¢S SPARROW ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK BALTIMORE ORIOLE --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 USA ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile. yahoo.com/ ;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR 8HDtDypao8Wcj9tA cJ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------ --------- --------- ------ All postings to Northern_NY_ Birds are protected by copyright law. Yahoo! Groups Links ------------ --------- --------- --- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: white-crowned sparrows From: "WILLIAM P HILLS" <bandmhills AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 22:40:29 -0400 White-crowned sparrows just outside our house, two, three and four at once, daily since Monday, strenuously working the ground beneath our feeders and around shrubs and paying little attention to anything else. Not seen at this location in past couple of years. Bill Hills [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Backyard Birds: FOS Orioles & Sparrows Continue From: "revnacarter" <revnacarter AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 01:43:16 -0000 Date: May 7, 2008 Location: Northern End of Lake George, Near Cook Mt Preserve, This morning when I got up, I heard an Oriole. I heard him several times during the day but did not see any orioles until this evening (2 together, one dark orange, the other yellow orange) The flocks of sparrow continue (they must like the cracked corn). Looks like there are around 30 white-throateds, st least 3 white-crowned, a few song sparrows, and around 10 chipping sparrows. Yesterday afternoon, some sort of medium size gray raptor came swooping in, flying by the front porch some 10 feet above the ground. It ended up in a tree next door & the Blue Jays called loudly. I went out to see if I could get a better look at it but it was a silhouette against the bright sky. When it saw me, it flew away. Nancy A. Carter Visiting in Ticonderoga Subject: NNYBirds: Busy week for arrivals From: "jsbolsinger" <jsbolsinger AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 23:43:40 -0000 I've been so busy chasing new arrivals this week that I haven't had time to post anything. Here are a few highlights: Monday, May 5 Gary Lewandrowski and I spent the morning working several areas on Fort Drum. Among the 72 species we saw were the following firsts for the year: Upland Sandpiper Common Yellowthroat Scarlet Tanager Rose-breasted Grosbeak Henslow's Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow In the afternoon Gary and I headed over to Perch River WMA to kill some time before we did an evening survey on Fort Drum. The highlight here was watching a Bald Eagle chasing an Osprey all over the place until the Osprey dropped the fish it was carrying, which the eagle snagged out of the air just before it hit the water. Although waterfowl were not abundant we saw a nice mix of species, including Redhead and Lesser Scaup; also a pair of Trumpeter Swans across Vaadi Road from the check station. First of season birds here included: Common Moorhen: 4 Least Sandpiper Black Tern: at least 20 from the Vaadi Road tower Eastern Wood-Pewee Marsh Wren In the evening I ran a woodcock survey route on Fort Drum. I only heard 3 woodcock on this route, but heard at least 16 Whip-poor- wills and 2 Barred Owls. It was a nice way to end a very long day. Tuesday, May 6 Gary and I canoed (actually we spent a lot of time carrying the canoe) a stretch of the Indian River in the northeastern corner of Fort Drum to conduct a waterfowl survey. We only saw a few Wood Ducks, but the woods along the river were loaded with birds, including 11 species of warbler (my first double-digit day of the year). Veery and Blackburnian Warbler were new for the year. On my way home from work I stopped at the Cerulean Warbler spot on River Road in Dekalb, St. Lawrence County. Although it was 2 pm and the woods were generally quiet, I did hear my first Cerulean Warbler of the year. He sang only 2-3 songs during the five minutes or so I was present. Wednesday, May 7 I didn't spend as much time in the field as I would have liked today, but still managed to hear my first Clay-colored Sparrow of the year on Fort Drum. Gary and I also spent an hour or so following around a group of Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers trying to get looks at all the singers. The 3 Golden-wings we saw were my first of the season, although they likely arrived a day or two ago. This evening Carol Cady heard her first Chimney Swift of the year. I haven't heard one yet--has anybody come across one in Region 6 before today? Jeff Bolsinger Canton, NY Subject: Re: NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA From: Jeff Bolsinger <jsbolsinger AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 16:13:35 -0700 (PDT) Hi Joe, Can you give me some details on the Oystercatcher report from Jefferson County? I'm interested in knowing who reported it and any other information about the sighting you may have so I can include it in the Region 6 Kingbird report. Also, I thought Jefferson County was part of the normal reporting area for the Syracuse RBA--is that no longer true? Thanks, Jeff Bolsinger Joseph Brin wrote: RBA * New York * Syracuse * May 6, 2008 * NYSY 08.04.28 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s):Apri28, 2008-May 6, 2008 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and MontezumaWetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:May 6, 5:00 p.m.. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #102 -Tuesday May 6, 2008 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of April 28, 2008 Highlights: AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Extralimital) At least 3 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were reported on a beach in between Southwick Beach and El Dorado State Park on Lake Ontario on 5/4. The birds were not relocated. Not much in the way of rarities this week but migration is now the big story. New arrivals this week include: BRANT BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER BLACK TERN RED-EYED VIREO BANK SWALLOW CLIFF SWALLOW VEERY SWAINSON¢S THRUSH WOOD THRUSH GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER NORTHERN PARULA MAGNOLIA WARBLER BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER CERULEAN WARBLER AMERICAN REDSTART OVERBIRD GRASSHOPPER SPARROW LINCOLN¢S SPARROW ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK BALTIMORE ORIOLE --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 USA ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ All postings to Northern_NY_Birds are protected by copyright law. Yahoo! Groups Links --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: White-crowned Sparrow From: "stickadk" <stickadk AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 22:16:41 -0000 Yesterday I had my first White-crowned Sparrow in my feeder. So far just one lone bird. Put Hummingbird feeders up Monday, but still nothing. I know they're getting close!! Linda LaPan Lake Placid Subject: NNYBirds: lake alice day 2 From: mruddyduck AT aol.com Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 11:31:44 -0400 Hello all, Yesterday morning Lake Alice had more new arrivals, including 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and the first singing HERMIT THRUSHES. LEAST FLYCATCHERS, OVENBIRDS, YELLOW WARBLERS?and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES were abundant songs throughout the refuge. I also stumbled upon an AMERICAN BITTERN on the main trail, who was?standing right behind me for a few minutes while I admired the YELLOW WARBELRS before he finally became spooked and scared both of us. The bird feeders at home have had a nice flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS the past couple of days. Variuos other migrants have popped into the yard and adjacent fields, including LEAST FLYCATCHERS, EASTERN MEADOWLARK?and?NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS. Happy spring! Melanie McCormack Plattsburgh [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: new arrivals in Newcomb From: "Ellen Rathbone" <ejrathbo AT gw.dec.state.ny.us> Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 10:57:42 -0400 Yesterday, while digging up the veg. garden, I glanced up to see a bird perched on my neighbor's clothesline. It would dive to the ground then back to the line. Could it be? Was that a flash of blue? Yes, indeed, it was a bluebird - the first of the season in Newcomb!!! On the phone with Amy Freiman this morning I learned that she had her first hummingbirds at her house yesterday, too! Time to break out the sugar water and red feeders...and start digging out the remaining snow so the birds know that food is available!!! Ellen Rathbone Ellen Rathbone Environmental Educator 1 Visitor Interpretive Center 5922 State Route 28N, PO Box 101 Newcomb, NY 12852 Subject: NNYBirds: King Bay/N. Lk. Champlain (Yesterday) From: William Stahl <adkbunkhouse AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 16:03:28 -0700 (PDT) 5/5/08- Fished from Catfish Bay almost to Little Cazy R. (BOAT) 3 Caspian terns 61 Snow Geese 7 Greater Yellowlegs 3 Spotted Sandpipers 2 Gadwall Large flock of divers in the middle of King's Bay. Scaup, Ring-neck Duck, and a few Redhead. 2-300 in all. Forgot binoculars. Bill Stahl Wilmington --- Matthew Medler wrote: > Hi All, > > I just realized recently that I never posted the > Elizabethtown CBC > results to the listserve. Here they are, for those > who are interested. > > Matt Medler > Niskayuna > > > The 35th annual Elizabethtown Christmas Bird Count, > centered in the > Essex County seat, was conducted on Saturday, > December 29, 2007. Most > of the Elizabethtown count circle falls within one > of three Adirondack > ecozones--the Eastern Adirondack Foothills, > Adirondack High Peaks, and > Central Adirondacks--while just a small portion > extends eastward into > the Lake Champlain Valley. The western half of the > circle is dominated > by large roadless areas associated with Hurricane > Mountain (3,678 feet) > and Giant Mountain (4,626 feet), limiting coverage > in these areas. The > vast majority of the count area is forested, with > hemlock-northern > hardwood and white pine-northern hardwood forests > predominating. There > are also areas of spruce-fir forest on the upper > elevations of Hurricane > and Giant. Typically, only the spruce-fir areas of > Hurricane are > covered for the count. This year, however, a > special effort to cover > the upper reaches of Giant, where there was three > feet of snow and winds > gusting to 30 mph, yielded the count's only Boreal > Chickadee, at an > elevation of 4,271 feet. > > The thirty participants on this year's count tallied > 2,692 individuals > of 40 species; there were three additional count > week species reported. > The number of individuals almost exactly matched > the 34-year count > average of 2,680, while the species total was two > above average. The > highlight of this year's Elizabethtown CBC was the > count's first-ever > Peregrine Falcon. Several pairs of Peregrines nest > in and around the > E'town count circle, and there have been records in > recent years of > other overwintering individuals in the > Adirondack-Champlain region, so > this was an anticipated and welcome addition to the > count species list. > Other uncommon species (those seen on less than a > third of previous > counts) include: Ring-necked Pheasant, > Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bohemian > Waxwing, and Hoary Redpoll. Participants tallied > new high counts for > four species--Wild Turkey, Mourning Dove, Common > Raven, and Cedar > Waxwing--with birds/party-hour maxima also attained > for all but Mourning > Dove. No record lows were set on this year's count, > but totals for the > following species were notably below their long-term > averages (provided > in parentheses): American Crow (215), Red-breasted > Nuthatch (66), > American Goldfinch (138), and Evening Grosbeak > (325). > > The totals for the irruptive Cedar Waxwing, Bohemian > Waxwing, and Pine > Grosbeak are intriguing, especially when compared > with totals from the > Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake CBCs. Interestingly, > this is the first > time in the Elizabethtown count's 35-year history > that both species of > waxwing have been seen on the same count. And as > noted above, it was > Cedar Waxwing that was seen in record numbers, > despite the fact that 575 > Bohemians (and zero Cedars) were tallied on the > Plattsburgh count and > hundreds of Bohemians were seen in the Champlain > Valley just outside of > the E'town count circle in November and December. > With the Saranac Lake > count reporting only two Bohemian Waxwings, it > appears that this species > largely stayed in lower elevation areas in > northeastern New York this > winter. Pine Grosbeaks, meanwhile, were seen in > excess of 100 > individuals on both the Saranac Lake count (in the > Adirondack High > Peaks) and the Plattsburgh count (in the Lake > Champlain Valley), but > only six were tallied on the Elizabethtown count > (which lies primarily > in the Eastern Adirondack Foothills between the two > other regions). > These results appear to lack a simple habitat or > elevational > explanation, but could perhaps be due to additional > food supplies > (feeders and ornamental trees) associated with the > population centers of > Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid. > > 44°13'N 73°36'W Center at Essex Co. Courthouse. Dec > 29, 2007; 5:30 a.m. > to 4:45 p.m. Temp: 14° to 39°F. Wind Variable, > 5-20 m.p.h. Snow > cover: 4-36 inches. Still water frozen, moving > water open. A.M.: > cloudy with no rain to light rain. P.M.: cloudy > with no snow to light > snow. Observers: 30 in field in 9 parties > (non-owling). Total > party-hours: 60.75 (24.75 on foot, 4.0 on > cross-country skis, 32.0 by > car). Total party-miles: 317.85 (23.85 on foot, > 4.0 on cross-country > skis, 290.0 by car). Feeder effort: 8.5 hours by > two observers. > Owling effort: 5 miles covered in 1.75 hours. > > American Black Duck 5, Mallard 78, Ring-necked > Pheasant 1, Ruffed Grouse > 8, Wild Turkey 91, Peregrine Falcon 1, Sharp-shinned > Hawk 1, Cooper's > Hawk CW, Accipiter sp. 1, Red-tailed Hawk 3, > Rough-legged Hawk 1, Rock > Pigeon 185, Mourning Dove 180, Barred Owl 2, Downy > Woodpecker 31, Hairy > Woodpecker 20, Northern Flicker CW, Pileated > Woodpecker 4, Northern > Shrike 3, Blue Jay 195, American Crow 91, Common > Raven 56, Black-capped > Chickadee 742, Boreal Chickadee 1, Tufted Titmouse > 23, Red-breasted > Nuthatch 10, White-breasted Nuthatch 41, Brown > Creeper 4, Golden-crowned > Kinglet 23, American Robin 48, European Starling > 146, Bohemian Waxwing > 3, Cedar Waxwing 231, American Tree Sparrow 102, > Song Sparrow 2, > Dark-eyed Junco 35, Northern Cardinal 12, Pine > Grosbeak 6, Common > Redpoll 158, Hoary Redpoll 1, Pine Siskin CW, > American Goldfinch 17, > Evening Grosbeak 22, House Sparrow 108. > > Totals: 40 count-day species; 2,692 individuals. > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: NNYBirds: Elizabethtown CBC Results From: Matthew Medler <mdm2 AT cornell.edu> Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 18:24:34 -0400 Hi All, I just realized recently that I never posted the Elizabethtown CBC results to the listserve. Here they are, for those who are interested. Matt Medler Niskayuna The 35th annual Elizabethtown Christmas Bird Count, centered in the Essex County seat, was conducted on Saturday, December 29, 2007. Most of the Elizabethtown count circle falls within one of three Adirondack ecozones--the Eastern Adirondack Foothills, Adirondack High Peaks, and Central Adirondacks--while just a small portion extends eastward into the Lake Champlain Valley. The western half of the circle is dominated by large roadless areas associated with Hurricane Mountain (3,678 feet) and Giant Mountain (4,626 feet), limiting coverage in these areas. The vast majority of the count area is forested, with hemlock-northern hardwood and white pine-northern hardwood forests predominating. There are also areas of spruce-fir forest on the upper elevations of Hurricane and Giant. Typically, only the spruce-fir areas of Hurricane are covered for the count. This year, however, a special effort to cover the upper reaches of Giant, where there was three feet of snow and winds gusting to 30 mph, yielded the count's only Boreal Chickadee, at an elevation of 4,271 feet. The thirty participants on this year's count tallied 2,692 individuals of 40 species; there were three additional count week species reported. The number of individuals almost exactly matched the 34-year count average of 2,680, while the species total was two above average. The highlight of this year's Elizabethtown CBC was the count's first-ever Peregrine Falcon. Several pairs of Peregrines nest in and around the E'town count circle, and there have been records in recent years of other overwintering individuals in the Adirondack-Champlain region, so this was an anticipated and welcome addition to the count species list. Other uncommon species (those seen on less than a third of previous counts) include: Ring-necked Pheasant, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Bohemian Waxwing, and Hoary Redpoll. Participants tallied new high counts for four species--Wild Turkey, Mourning Dove, Common Raven, and Cedar Waxwing--with birds/party-hour maxima also attained for all but Mourning Dove. No record lows were set on this year's count, but totals for the following species were notably below their long-term averages (provided in parentheses): American Crow (215), Red-breasted Nuthatch (66), American Goldfinch (138), and Evening Grosbeak (325). The totals for the irruptive Cedar Waxwing, Bohemian Waxwing, and Pine Grosbeak are intriguing, especially when compared with totals from the Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake CBCs. Interestingly, this is the first time in the Elizabethtown count's 35-year history that both species of waxwing have been seen on the same count. And as noted above, it was Cedar Waxwing that was seen in record numbers, despite the fact that 575 Bohemians (and zero Cedars) were tallied on the Plattsburgh count and hundreds of Bohemians were seen in the Champlain Valley just outside of the E'town count circle in November and December. With the Saranac Lake count reporting only two Bohemian Waxwings, it appears that this species largely stayed in lower elevation areas in northeastern New York this winter. Pine Grosbeaks, meanwhile, were seen in excess of 100 individuals on both the Saranac Lake count (in the Adirondack High Peaks) and the Plattsburgh count (in the Lake Champlain Valley), but only six were tallied on the Elizabethtown count (which lies primarily in the Eastern Adirondack Foothills between the two other regions). These results appear to lack a simple habitat or elevational explanation, but could perhaps be due to additional food supplies (feeders and ornamental trees) associated with the population centers of Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid. 44°13'N 73°36'W Center at Essex Co. Courthouse. Dec 29, 2007; 5:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Temp: 14° to 39°F. Wind Variable, 5-20 m.p.h. Snow cover: 4-36 inches. Still water frozen, moving water open. A.M.: cloudy with no rain to light rain. P.M.: cloudy with no snow to light snow. Observers: 30 in field in 9 parties (non-owling). Total party-hours: 60.75 (24.75 on foot, 4.0 on cross-country skis, 32.0 by car). Total party-miles: 317.85 (23.85 on foot, 4.0 on cross-country skis, 290.0 by car). Feeder effort: 8.5 hours by two observers. Owling effort: 5 miles covered in 1.75 hours. American Black Duck 5, Mallard 78, Ring-necked Pheasant 1, Ruffed Grouse 8, Wild Turkey 91, Peregrine Falcon 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Cooper's Hawk CW, Accipiter sp. 1, Red-tailed Hawk 3, Rough-legged Hawk 1, Rock Pigeon 185, Mourning Dove 180, Barred Owl 2, Downy Woodpecker 31, Hairy Woodpecker 20, Northern Flicker CW, Pileated Woodpecker 4, Northern Shrike 3, Blue Jay 195, American Crow 91, Common Raven 56, Black-capped Chickadee 742, Boreal Chickadee 1, Tufted Titmouse 23, Red-breasted Nuthatch 10, White-breasted Nuthatch 41, Brown Creeper 4, Golden-crowned Kinglet 23, American Robin 48, European Starling 146, Bohemian Waxwing 3, Cedar Waxwing 231, American Tree Sparrow 102, Song Sparrow 2, Dark-eyed Junco 35, Northern Cardinal 12, Pine Grosbeak 6, Common Redpoll 158, Hoary Redpoll 1, Pine Siskin CW, American Goldfinch 17, Evening Grosbeak 22, House Sparrow 108. Totals: 40 count-day species; 2,692 individuals. Subject: NNYBirds: Syracuse RBA From: Joseph Brin <brinjoseph AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 13:23:47 -0700 (PDT) RBA * New York * Syracuse * May 6, 2008 * NYSY 08.04.28 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s):Apri28, 2008-May 6, 2008 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and MontezumaWetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:May 6, 5:00 p.m.. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #102 -Tuesday May 6, 2008 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of April 28, 2008 Highlights: AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Extralimital) At least 3 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were reported on a beach in between Southwick Beach and El Dorado State Park on Lake Ontario on 5/4. The birds were not relocated. Not much in the way of rarities this week but migration is now the big story. New arrivals this week include: BRANT BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER BLACK TERN RED-EYED VIREO BANK SWALLOW CLIFF SWALLOW VEERY SWAINSON¢S THRUSH WOOD THRUSH GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER NORTHERN PARULA MAGNOLIA WARBLER BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER CERULEAN WARBLER AMERICAN REDSTART OVERBIRD GRASSHOPPER SPARROW LINCOLN¢S SPARROW ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK BALTIMORE ORIOLE --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 USA ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ All postings to Northern_NY_Birds are protected by copyright law. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Northern_NY_Birds/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Northern_NY_Birds/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:Northern_NY_Birds-digest AT yahoogroups.com mailto:Northern_NY_Birds-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Northern_NY_Birds-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: NNYBirds: Long Lake - New Arrival From: "adkmurray" <adkmurray AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 20:12:51 -0000 A Rose-breasted Grosbeak has been coming to our feeder the last two days. Have the Hummingbird feeder up. Since 2004 they have arrived here between the 7th and the 13th of May. Jim Murray Long Lake Subject: NNYBirds: eBird Report - Bloomingdale Bog , 5/6/08 - Bittern , Harrier, Least Flys From: "Larry Master" <larry AT masterimages.org> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 15:59:50 -0400 I spent 2.5 hrs (7-9:30) birding Bloomingdale Bog this morning. Nothing particularly notable, although the Least Flycatchers seemed a bit early and the nuthatches had a nest at the start of the southbound trail from Route 55. Location: Bloomingdale Bog Observation date: 5/6/08 Number of species: 26 Canada Goose 2 American Black Duck 2 Mallard 1 American Bittern 1 Northern Harrier 1 Broad-winged Hawk 1 Least Flycatcher 2 Blue-headed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 2 Black-capped Chickadee 4 Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 Brown Creeper 1 Winter Wren 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 6 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 Hermit Thrush 1 Nashville Warbler 10 Yellow-rumped Warbler 15 Palm Warbler 1 Song Sparrow 2 Lincoln's Sparrow 4 Swamp Sparrow 4 White-throated Sparrow 2 Red-winged Blackbird 4 Common Grackle 4 Purple Finch 2 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org) Larry Master Lake Placid Subject: NNYBirds: Rand Hill Clinton County list From: <heintzjf AT verizon.net> Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 10:09:21 -0500 (CDT) May 5-6 on my land on Rand Hill. Some warblers are back: Ovenbird, Black-th-Blues, B&W, N. Waterthrush, Yellow-rump, also Winter Wrens, Hermit Thrush, Phoebes, Broad Wing Hawk. Other birds seen or heard: Barred Owl, Robins, RB and WB nuthatch,Blue-headed Vireo, Grouse, Purple Finch, YBSapsucker, N.Flicker, Pileated, and Hairy Woodpecker, Ravens, Blue Jays, BC Chickadees, Juncos, WT Sparrows. Subject: NNYBirds: FOS Ruby-Throated Hummingbird From: "Nancy Carter" <revnacarter AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 10:19:49 -0400 Location: Northern End of Lake George, Ticonderoga Date: May 6, 2008 By: Nancy A Carter Seen at 10:15am this morning at the hummingbird feeder. I'm also enjoying lots of white-throated sparrows, chipping sparrows, some song sparrows, and one white-crowned. Eastern Phoebes are here. Yesterday, 2 male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Saw one bald eagle on the lake on Sunday. And the usual summer suspects... [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Avian Ecology Workshop From: High Pond Farm <birds AT highpondfarm.org> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 09:29:04 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Ornithology Workshop in Plymouth, NH Avian Ecology: Populations and Communities June 19-22 Leonard Reitsma This 3-day workshop will combine lecture and discussion of key principles and theories concerning bird morphology, behavior and ecology, together with experience in the field. The field component will include bird identification and observation on visits to two active avian ecological research sites near High Pond Farm: the Bear Pond Natural Area in Canaan, NH, and the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in Campton, NH. The research being undertaken at each site will be thoroughly discussed. There will also be time to explore the environs of High Pond Farm and to spend time in the classroom reviewing what we’ve learned in the field. Fee: $350, includes instruction in field and classroom, lodging for 3 nights, and all meals from Thursday evening supper through Sunday lunch. Len Reitsma received his B.S. in Biology from William Patterson University and his Ph.D. in Biology from Dartmouth College. He has been professor of Biology at Plymouth State University since 1992, and is currently chair of the Biology Department. Len is an active researching avian ecologist specializing in migrating songbirds; in particular American Redstarts, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Norther Waterthrushes, Louisiana Waterthrushes, and Canada Warblers. His research takes him to New Hampshire, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. He is the recipient of PSU’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and is President and Co-Founder of NEILE (New England Institute for Landscape Ecology). For more information, visit our website at http://www.highpondfarm.org High Pond Farm is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Plymouth, New Hampshire, whose mission is to provide educational opportunities for amateur and professional naturalists. Our email address is info AT highpondfarm.org. Subject: RE: NNYBirds: Whip-poor-will Monitoring Volunteers Needed From: "mycteria AT stny.rr.com" <mycteria@stny.rr.com> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 23:38:36 -0400 Matt, They should do a route on Dekalb Rd. starting at 812 heading east towards Rt. 15. I used to see 2-3 along the edges of the road. I at first thought they were rabbits in my cars headlights as their eyes were reddish. I finally slowed to check one out and couldn't believe it! All the back roads in that area to Upper and Lower Lakes WMA are likely locations. I've seen them all over. Heck, I was walking through my yard just outside of Canton, NY and had one nearly fly into me as it was fairly dark. I didn't flush the bird it was flying in from at least 20 feet away. If I was still up there, I would certainly volunteer for this neat and worthwhile project. Kind Regards, Jeff Holbrook Corning, NY Original Message: ----------------- From: Matthew Medler mdm2 AT cornell.edu Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 18:35:06 -0400 To: Northern_NY_Birds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: NNYBirds: Whip-poor-will Monitoring Volunteers Needed Hello All, The New York State Ornithological Association (NYSOA) is once again coordinating a Whip-poor-will monitoring project in New York as part of the regional Northeast Nightjar Survey project. Last year, New York volunteers surveyed more routes and counted more Whip-poor-wills than participants in any other state in the Northeast. For a summary of last year's efforts, including the importance of northern New York to Whip-poor-wills, visit the NYSOA web site at: http://www.nybirds.org/ Most of last year's volunteers will be covering their routes again this year, but we are in need of a few new volunteers to ensure that as many route as possible are covered again. Because Whip-poor-wills are still relatively widespread in northern New York, it would be great to have all North Country routes covered. Right now, the following North Country routes are in need of coverage: Sciota (Clinton County) North Wilmurt (Herkimer) DeGrasse (St. Lawrence) Hopkinton (St. Lawrence) South Horicon (Warren) If you are interested in doing a Whip-poor-will survey, and would like to learn more about what is involved, and whether there is an available route near you, check out this page: http://www.nybirds.org/ProjWhip_Volunteers.htm And, to see where these routes are located, and how many birds there were on them last year, see: http://www.nybirds.org/ProjWhip.htm#Results I hope some of you will consider participating in this year's monitoring efforts. This project is helping gather valuable trend information for this species, which has not been previously covered by other monitoring efforts. Plus, it can be a great excuse to get out and hear a Whip-poor-will, or one of the 20 other species that last year's volunteers heard at night. If you are interested in volunteering, or would like to learn more information, please feel free to e-mail me. Thanks, Matt Matt Medler Niskayuna -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web.com - Microsoft® Exchange solutions from a leading provider - http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange Subject: NNYBirds: Spring arrivals From: "Brian J. McAllister" <birder64 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 03:05:01 -0000 Hello All, Saw the following at the Paul Smiths Visitor Interpretive Center and along the Northville-Placid Trail in Lake Placid: YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER PALM WARBLER NASHVILLE WARBLER BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER OVENBIRD HERMIT THRUSH BROAD WINGED HAWK AMERICAN BITTERN NP trail: BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER PILEATED WOODPECKER YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER Brian McAllister Saranac Lake Subject: NNYBirds: Potsdam sightings From: "Joan E. Collins" <JECollins AT twcny.rr.com> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 21:29:31 -0400 5/5/08 Potsdam First of the season species: Blue-winged Warbler - 2 singing males Golden-winged Warbler - 2 singing males (the first bird had me going over, under, and through an old barbed-wire fence in a wet shrubland to finally get a visual observation!) Yellow Warbler - singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak - singing Bobolink - several vocalizing White-crowned Sparrows have been moving through for a couple days. Today, they sang throughout the day. There were still a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets singing along the trail behind our house. I heard claws on bark early this morning and spotted a porcupine climbing (rather quickly!) up a tree in the vicinity where my dogs were running around. Fortunately, the dogs never spotted the porcupine. 5/2/08 Potsdam Rusty Blackbirds were still around on Friday. Joan Collins Potsdam & Long Lake [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Port Kent raptors From: "Dana Rohleder" <dcrohleder AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 21:24:17 -0400 5/5/8 Today, while I was working on the lawn, a Goshawk made a circle around the property before moving on to the north. About 20 minutes later, I noticed a Broad-wing sitting in a nearby tree. It continued to observe the vicinity for about 5 minutes before moving on. Tree Swallows have started to build nests in some of my boxes. Dana C. Rohleder Port Kent, NY [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: lake alice comes alive From: mruddyduck AT aol.com Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 21:08:48 -0400 Hello all, Despite the awful cold that I've been fighting, I couldn't let the sunny spring morning pass by without looking for new arrivals. Today was the day I hope for all winter, the day when the woods come alive with new migrants. Lake Alice was full of bird songs this morning, and I really think I've underappreciated this as a great birding spot during migration in past years. New arrivals today included: Least Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Blue-headed vireo Warbling Vireo Nashville Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-throated blue warbler Black-throated greeen warbler Black and White Warbler Ovenbird Baltimore Oriole Lake Alice continues to be a dependable location for a pair of Osprey, many Northern Waterthrushes and?large flocks of?swallows, including tree, barn, and northern rough-winged. In a short walk this morning I tallied 40 species, I can't wait until I have a day off to find more! Happy spring! Melanie McCormack Plattsburgh [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: NNYBirds: Whip-poor-will Monitoring Volunteers Needed From: Matthew Medler <mdm2 AT cornell.edu> Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 18:35:06 -0400 Hello All, The New York State Ornithological Association (NYSOA) is once again coordinating a Whip-poor-will monitoring project in New York as part of the regional Northeast Nightjar Survey project. Last year, New York volunteers surveyed more routes and counted more Whip-poor-wills than participants in any other state in the Northeast. For a summary of last year's efforts, including the importance of northern New York to Whip-poor-wills, visit the NYSOA web site at: http://www.nybirds.org/ Most of last year's volunteers will be covering their routes again this year, but we are in need of a few new volunteers to ensure that as many route as possible are covered again. Because Whip-poor-wills are still relatively widespread in northern New York, it would be great to have all North Country routes covered. Right now, the following North Country routes are in need of coverage: Sciota (Clinton County) North Wilmurt (Herkimer) DeGrasse (St. Lawrence) Hopkinton (St. Lawrence) South Horicon (Warren) If you are interested in doing a Whip-poor-will survey, and would like to learn more about what is involved, and whether there is an available route near you, check out this page: http://www.nybirds.org/ProjWhip_Volunteers.htm And, to see where these routes are located, and how many birds there were on them last year, see: http://www.nybirds.org/ProjWhip.htm#Results I hope some of you will consider participating in this year's monitoring efforts. This project is helping gather valuable trend information for this species, which has not been previously covered by other monitoring efforts. Plus, it can be a great excuse to get out and hear a Whip-poor-will, or one of the 20 other species that last year's volunteers heard at night. If you are interested in volunteering, or would like to learn more information, please feel free to e-mail me. Thanks, Matt Matt Medler Niskayuna Subject: NNYBirds: warblers and others From: "Tom M." <sunsetseeker78 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 04:30:33 -0000 May 2nd I birded the wetland area and river along East Martinsburg road just east of Lowville, also I walked along the river at the fishing access. I saw greater yellowlegs(6), wilson's snipe(3, a couple were displaying with their wonderful winnowing sound midday), red-winged blackbirds were numerous, one killdeer was heard. there were also white-breasted nuthatch, song sparrow, common grackle, american robin, a good flock of canada geese, chipping sparrow, brown- headed cowbird, wood duck, northern flicker, mallards, black-capped chickadee, and american crow. I then headed back up on the Tug Hill above Whetstone state park, there I saw hooded merganser(2), tree swallow (250+), barn swallow (2), Cliff swallow(2), least sandpiper(2), belted kingfisher(1), red- winged blackbird, common grackle, american crow, blue jay, yellow- rumped warbler, northen flicker, green-winged teal, canada goose, swamp sparrow. Today, May 3rd, I went back to the wetland area along East Martinsburg road and the fishing accdess along the Balck River east of Lowville, and saw the following, greater yellowlegs(10), solitary sandpiper(7), yellow-bellied sapsucker, american crow, mallard, song sparrow, canada goose, red-winged blackbird, swamp sparrow, barn swallow, wilson's snipe(1), and turkey vulture. I then went up and birded along the roads from lenard lane out to barnes corners on the Tug Hill. There I observed singing northern waterthrush(2 along french rd), black-throated blue warbler(1 along french rd), black and white warbler(1 along French rd), and black- throated green warbler (1 along Flatrock rd). Also there were numerous yellow-rumped warblers and loads of blue-headed vireo singing. The rest was swamp sparrow, eastern phoebe, winter wren, dark-eyed junco, mallard, ruffed grouse, and ruby-crowned kinglet. Cheers! -Tom M. Subject: NNYBirds: Indian Creek Nature Center arrivals From: "jsbolsinger" <jsbolsinger AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 02:30:12 -0000 This morning I led a trip to Indian Creek Nature Center for the North Country Bird Club. I wouldn't say that the woods were crawling with birds, but there were several new arrivals for the season: Eastern Kingbird (several flying over), Yellow-throated Vireo, Gray Catbird, and Chestnut-sided and Black-throated Blue Warblers. We also heard Bobolinks flying overhead several times throughout the morning. Lower Lake was still mostly devoid of birds, but after scanning the lake for quite a while a single male Greater Scaup swam into view near us while we were on the marsh deck. A couple of non-bird highlights: watching two muskrats vocalize and then briefly fight before swimming off in different directions, and seeing several butterfly-like moths that we later learned were grapevine epimenis, a species for which I'm told the published range does not extend this far north (somebody please correct me if I am wrong on this). Trip participants: Dick and Marion Brouse Eve and Morgan Sweatman David Prosser Jeff Bolsinger Canton, NY Subject: NNYBirds: Paul Smiths VIC birds From: "Brian J. McAllister" <birder64 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 03 May 2008 17:46:41 -0000 Hello All, While on a couple walks(Fri/Sat) at the Visitor Interpretive Center at Paul Smiths we saw the following(highlights): AMERICAN BITTERN(m & f courting) COMMON MERGANSER HOODED MERGANSER BROAD-WINGED HAWK NORTHERN HARRIER(a VERY LIGHT gray male) YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER WINTER WREN GRAY JAY HERMIT THRUSH PALM WARBLER YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARLBER SWAMP SPARROW WHITE-THROATED SPARROW EVENING GROSBEAK PURPLE FINCH ....and a RIVER OTTER! FYI...Registration is NOW OPEN for Field Trip sign-ups for the 6th Annual Great Adirondack Birding Celebration June 6,7,& 8. (518)327-300 www.adkvic.org Brian McAllister Saranac Lake