I did a leisurely day of birding around Tompkins County today. Highlights include:
A continuing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH in the bog on Purvis Rd, south of Dryden Lake. I had this bird a couple of weeks ago, and considered that a late date. But, I figured I'd try again today, and it was still there. I heard its distinctive call note before the bird itself appeared to be photographed. I will post on my Picasa site soon. Two cold Killdeer were in a wet tractor rut where I expected snipe, in the field east of the south end of West Lake Rd near Dryden Lake. A long crow watch at the Cornell compost by the Game Farm turned up only 4 tagged crows, a couple of Fish Crows, an increasing number of Herring Gulls, and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull (a near-adult sporting a black bill with a yellow quarter tip). Turkey Vulture numbers were down to about 20. Plenty of Red-tailed Hawk action kept clearing the piles. Lesser Black-back was in groups loafing on the hill; viewing for species was better from Stevenson Rd than in the compost area. A single male Purple Finch was with House Finches at the corner of Warren and Bluegrass Lane. I did not find anything interesting on Bluegrass, despite Tom's sparrows. A stomp through the north side of the community gardens on Freese Rd turned up a bunch of House Sparrows, lots of American Goldfinches, a few White-throated Sparrows, a good number of Song Sparrows, and a single Fox Sparrow. The light was bad for photographing birds today, but the countryside is really beautiful right now. We do live in a beautiful place! Kevin -- 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/ --
