Nancy Ostman and I enjoyed a number of excellent views of the Rufous Hummingbird at the Schlabach home between 9:40-10:50 am. today. It is a stunning male, especially when the sunlight catches it just right. Many thanks to Marty and Mary Jean for opening their yard to birders!
We headed to Knox-Marcellus where there were thousands of Canada Geese, some Cackling Geese, 30+ Green-winged Teal, 17 Sandhill Cranes, 37 Great Blue Herons together in a group in the grass, and a lone Bald Eagle perched in a tree top. As soon as we got there we were treated to a spectacular murmuration of starlings undulated across the marsh. Along the towpath, Fox and White-Crowned sparrows bathed in the puddles and foraged in the weeds. Another thousand or so Canada Geese also dominated the water into Puddler's Marsh. There they were joined by 150+ Snow Geese, more Cackling Geese, 20+ Northern Shovelers, 10+ Double-crested Cormorants, and numerous gulls. Two large plovers and a handful of peeps were too far away to ID. However, a flock of 25+ Pipits combed the water's edge up-close, affording terrific views of their foraging antics. Just as we were about to leave (13:00), the Bald Eagle soared overhead causing the entire flock of geese to take off in a panicked cacophony. What a beautiful birding day! Candace Cornell -- 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/ --
