Hello all, Today at the Lab, at about 10:30am, there were two SPOTTED SANDPIPERS having an altercation-- stiff wings spread wide, up on their tip-toes, batting and weaving and going at it with their bills, right on the gravel "beach" of the pond.
After one of the sandpipers had been chased into the grass, the one that remained underwent an attack by a Red-winged Blackbird on the shore-- looked like the blackbird made some hearty contact, and the sandpiper flew off to the west. Why would a blackbird have a problem with a sandpiper? Because it moves? Other highlights for me were PHILADELPHIA VIREO (no song, but a good look, over on the first East side of the road pond), WILSON'S WARBLER, lots of RED-EYED VIREO turf fights, more GRAY CATBIRDS apparent than chickadees (!), and an up-close encounter with a PILEATED WOODPECKER messing around on the ground on the East trail. Also one Painted Turtle using the West Trail, somewhat ineffectually, so I moved him/her off to the side near what looked like some semi-permanent water (what do the turtles do when most of the woods except near the pond dry up?) and lots of snakes. Yesterday was BAY-BREASTED WARBLER day, with a total of eight (two were female) in and about the spruces on the Wilson Trail. Also a TENNESSEE WARBLER singing, and lots of BLACKPOLL WARBLERS. Also my first really good listen to ORCHARD ORIOLES, right in the parking lot. Where are folks finding the Alder Flycatcher? I'd sure like to hear/see him. Also any of the other flycatchers, other than Least, which I seem to be able to find no problem. Tips appreciated. Happy May! And it is! Pesky leaves, coming with June's onset... Caroline Manring Ithaca -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
