- RBA * New York * Buffalo * 01/20/2005 * NYBU0501.20 - Birds mentioned ---------------------------------------------------------- Please phone in any rare sightings so they may be shared via the DAB telephone update system, and submit email contributions directly to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you, David ---------------------------------------------------------- SHORT-EARED OWL SNOWY OWL LARK SPARROW GRAY CATBIRD HERMIT THRUSH Lesser Scaup King Eider White-winged Scoter Bufflehead Little Gull Iceland Gull L. Black-b. Gull Glaucous Gull American Robin
- Transcript Hotline: Dial-a-Bird at the Buffalo Museum of Science Date: 01/20/2005 Number: 716-896-1271 To Report: Same Compiler: David F. Suggs ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Coverage: Western New York and adjacent Ontario Transcriber: David F. Suggs Website: www.BOSBirding.org Thursday, January 20, 2005 Dial-a-Bird is a service provided by your Buffalo Museum of Science and this answering system was donated by the Buffalo Ornithological Society. Press (2) to leave a message, (3) for updates, meeting and field trip information and (4) for instructions on how to report sightings and use this system. To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200. Highlights of reports received January 13 through January 20 from the Niagara Frontier Region include SHORT-EARED OWLS, SNOWY OWLS, LARK SPARROW, GRAY CATBIRD, and HERMIT THRUSH. January 17, in the Niagara County Town of Porter, on Youngstown-Wilson Road, east of Dickersonville Road, a fascinating report of at least 26 SHORT-EARED OWLS, seen at the unusual time of 9 AM. The owls were flying along the road and resting on the ground, in the trees, and on the roof of a barn. Lesser numbers of SHORT-EARED OWLS have been present in this area throughout the winter, and are typically seen in the early evening, hunting over the large fields along Dickersonville Road. While GREAT GRAY OWLS are still being found in Ontario near the north shore of Lake Ontario, the recent appeal for reports of GREAT GRAY OWLS in the Niagara Frontier has yet to produce any confirmed reports. Please continue to report any possible GREAT GRAY OWLS, identified by their magnificent size, dark gray color, rounded head, and wingspan of over four feet. The owl reports received this week were an interesting collection of what are most likely the "eared" owls, GREAT HORNED OWL or possibly LONG-EARED OWL, and the cavity roosting EASTERN SCREECH-OWL. From West Seneca, a likely SHORT-EARED OWL along East-West Road near Union Road. And probable SNOWY OWLS were described from a yard on Tonawanda Creek Road in Lockport, and at a location reported only as "Newell Road". [There is a Newell Road in Dunkirk]. Confirmed SNOWY OWLS this week - in Buffalo, at the Pier Restaurant on Fuhrmann Blvd. And, in Ontario, on Lighthouse Road in Port Dalhousie. January 16, LARK SPARROW was reported again at 1073 Youngstown Road in Porter. Also in Porter, on Dietz Road, east of Four Mile Creek State Park, a GRAY CATBIRD and a HERMIT THRUSH. An AMERICAN ROBIN was noted in the Town of Tonawanda. Robins, thrushes and catbirds generally survive the winter by feeding on berries and fruit. Gulls on the Niagara River this week were highlighted by the continued high numbers of ICELAND GULLS at the Beck overlook in Ontario - at least 25 Icelands on January 16, with 3 L. BLACK-B. GULLS and a GLAUCOUS GULL. At Goat Island in Niagara Falls, New York, 4 ICELAND GULLS and 7 L. BLACK-B. GULLS. LITTLE GULL continues on the lower Niagara between Queenston and Lewiston. A few highlights from the New York State waterfowl count on January 16 - female KING EIDER on Lake Ontario off Fort Niagara State Park, 1926 BUFFLEHEADS on the Niagara River off Fort Erie, Ontario, and a LESSER SCAUP and a WHITE- WINGED SCOTER at the Small Boat Harbor on Fuhrmann Blvd in Buffalo. Dial-a-Bird will be updated Thursday evening, January 27. Please call in your sightings by noon Thursday. You may report sightings after the tone. Thank you for calling and reporting to Dial-a-Bird. - End Transcript
