4/9/13 Long Lake, NY (Northern Hamilton Co.)
There were very few Golden-crowned Kinglets that stayed north this winter. It appears they have returned! One was singing outside our house this morning and I found quite a few while out birding midday. It was the same situation for Evening Grosbeaks, and they too, appeared today. There were two vocal males at a feeder location on our road. There is a huge movement of sparrow species underway and they lined the roadways. I found six species: Amer. Tree, Vesper, Fox, Song, and White-crowned Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos. The Vesper Sparrows were mixed with White-crowned and Song Sparrows at the Long Lake Beach location. I had my scope trained on a Vesper Sparrow when a couple of Long Lake birders stopped to see what I was observing. They had never seen a Vesper Sparrow, so I'm glad they stopped! There was literally a river of Dark-eyed Juncos flowing down our road as I drove home - I stopped since it was such a remarkable sight, and that's when I heard the Evening Grosbeaks. The homeowner said they arrived today. Many of the sparrows I found today were singing, which was lovely. A female Black-backed Woodpecker was loudly vocalizing at Sabattis Bog in the same group of trees that I often find this bird (I assume it is the same bird). We continue to have hundreds of Common Redpolls visiting our feeders, including the 4 Hoary Redpolls. Our ground is still covered in snow and the forecast calls for 10 more inches of snow on Thursday night. The water on 14-mile Long Lake is just beginning to open up under the bridge. I've observed Mallards, Canada Geese, and Common Mergansers on this small section of open water, but no Common Loons yet. Joan Collins Long Lake, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
