16 shorebird species from Knox-Marsellus yesterday), the distance data, and the optics
observations.
I've been thinking that the Buff-breasted Sandpipers (there may have been more than 2)
might be easier to see from East Road south of the overlook in the evening when the light
is coming from behind you, and heat shimmers may have subsided. From that raised vantage
you would not have to contend so much with the birds being hidden behind other birds,
behind the height of the strips of land, or behind some of the weeds. Were they found from
East Road in the evening?
As for optics, I have shared the frustrations. Really good optics are really expensive.
Scope envy is common to many of us. I also envy people who have really good eyes
and who know really well where & when to look and also know what to look for when they
do find a bird. We are fortunate here in having so many people who are willing to share
what they see. But more than anything I give thanks every day to the folks who figured
out optics enough for people like me to be able to see everyday objects clearly as we pass
age 35. Let's hear it for spectacles and their inventors, prescribers, and makers!
I also envy people who are good at getting close to birds without scaring them off.
I think an eyes-only list would be a fine thing to keep, even though I try to carry my
binoculars at hand whenever I go outside or even near a window. Among other fun
lists, Ann Mitchell just started an ID-through-a-rear-view-mirror list yesterday when
she saw a Northern Harrier while backing out of a driveway on Rafferty Road. Also
Stuart Krasnoff started an ID-from-over-a-mile-away list while wistfully scoping Cayuga
Lake from Ithaca College and seeing Double-crested Cormorants and Great Black-
backed Gulls but knowing that Chris Wood had seen a Long-tailed Jaeger fly
south from Myers Point shortly after Stuart had left there.
--Dave Nutter
From: Meena Haribal <[email protected]>
Date: August 29, 2010 8:38:02 AM
To: "cayugabird...@cornelledu" <[email protected]>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Migrants in the morning
Yesterday birds were something like 400 m to 1000 m away
from observation site (I actually checked using google distance
calculator) and everyone is watching Phalaropes, Buff Breasted Sandpiper
and I barely could see them in my scope. Again Kevin McGowan mentioned,
that with his old scope, which was similar to my current he could not see birds
so well, but with current Swaroski he can see things much better. Oh
well, but = since last two years I have been thinking I need to get better
optics, but recently they seem to have become so very expensive and beyond my
reach. I have been digging in my yard to see if someone has buried any
treasure, but so far have found none L
But I was musing about how birding and optics have changed. But now I am thinking maybe I should go back bare basics. Just use good old eyes and go closer to see birds! Or look for those birds that are visible! Do we really need to spend so much of money to see birds that far away? Anyway I thought I will share this with others and see what others think.
Yesterday, on the way back from an errand in Rochester at the junction of 318 and 414, I saw a huge flock of BROWN-HEAED COWBIRDS. There may have been more than 1000+ birds and flock was almost pure cowbirds only.
Also this did not make it to Cayugabirds. To add to Dave Nutter’s list of shorebirds at Knox Marcellus, later in the evening while searching for Buff-Breasted, Mike Tetlow found a Golden Plover from East Road. Viewing was much better from East Road at this time, I could actually see RED-NECKED PHALAROPES as red-necked and not just phalaropes, with the same scope. There were also 7 SANDHILL CRANES in the marsh.
Meena
