Just a few general observations from up north.
Pine Siskins continue to be heard everywhere I hike/camp in the Adirondacks. Purple Finches are also moving around. Golden-crowned Kinglets are abundant - as Shai Mitra mentioned regarding Downy Woodpecker movements, it can be tricky to distinguish movements in local, year-round residents. Golden-crowned Kinglets are typically found year-round in the Adirondacks, but they appear to currently be much more abundant than normal - seemingly in every bush and tree! Wild Turkeys had another good year and they are abundant. Barred Owls are heard every night outside our home and everywhere I camp. Small mammal populations were way up this past summer, and numbers are dropping off a bit now. Last winter, we had Blue Jays at our feeders (in the Central Adirondacks) throughout the winter for the first time. Blue Jays have been perching on our porch railing for the past few days and appear to be searching for the feeders! I normally wait until late October to start feeding birds to avoid Black Bears and Raccoons, but I decided to start feeding this week. We have been observing an Eastern Coyote outside our house for the past week or so. I took a dawn photo of the coyote on 10/12/14 and posted it to my Facebook page listed below. 10/12/14 Long Lake (Hamilton County) I observed the season's first (juvenile) Golden Eagle migrant over Big Brook along Route 30 in Long Lake at 2 p.m. It appeared to be taking off (it was right over the road) with a Common Raven encouraging it to leave. It soared higher and higher - in the background of my scope view, I could just make out several much smaller raptors in the same thermal with the eagle! (This was the same day that the first Golden Eagle was tallied at Franklin Mountain Hawk watch.) There was a female Eastern Towhee migrant at the outlet of Little Tupper Lake with a bill covered in berry juice! (Photo on my Facebook page.) This location is a magnet for many migrating species and one of my favorite birding locations, because you never know what you'll find. (Other sparrows: White-crowned, White-throated, Chipping, Song, and Dark-eyed Junco) Among many Yellow-rumped Warblers at Sabattis Bog, a tail pumping (yellow) Palm Warbler appeared. Gray Jays have been actively feeding along the road by Sabattis Bog for several days. Dragonflies were active and I photographed a lovely butterfly at Sabattis Bog (photo on Facebook). 10/11/14 Bloomingdale Areas (Franklin Co.) On a half-day tour with a couple from New Jersey, we visited boreal habitat areas. Here are some of the species found: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Black-backed Woodpecker - two different birds calling (one upset by the appearance of the 2 friendly Gray Jays!) Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker American Kestrel Blue-headed Vireo Gray Jay - 5 (two different groups of 2 and a 5th heard vocalizing) - we encountered two very friendly Gray Jays in an area where I didn't think they would be tame! (Photo on my Facebook page.) Common Raven Boreal Chickadee - at least 6 (flock of at least 4 and another group of at least 2) Brown Creeper Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush - several Yellow-rumped Warbler Purple Finch Pine Siskin On my way back to Long Lake, I found a calling/rattling Black-backed Woodpecker across Sabattis Bog (Sabattis Circle Road) and 3 foraging Gray Jays by the bog. I nearly hit a Ruffed Grouse that suddenly ran into Route 30. There was a solo Ring-necked Duck and Wood Ducks on Shaw Pond in Long Lake. 10/9/14 Long Lake - I observed an Eastern Towhee migrant with the hordes of Dark-eyed Juncos on our lawn. 10/5/14 Whiteface Mountain & Bloomingdale (Essex and Franklin Counties) Larry Master and I went up Whiteface Mountain pre-dawn on 10/5 and encountered freezing temps and blowing fog (& some snow on the trees - see my Facebook page!). It was tough to get out of the car. We found many birds, including a couple of Bicknell's Thrushes. We also found a couple of Boreal Chickadees on the drive down. I spent time birding in lowland areas (River Road and Bloomingdale) after we came down to a warmer climate! Here are some of the species: Ruffed Grouse - 2 All 6 possible woodpecker species, including a male Black-backed Woodpecker (photos on my Facebook page) Blue-headed Vireo Gray Jay - 2 Boreal Chickadee - 7 (2 on Whiteface, and groups of 2 and 5 in the Bloomingdale area) Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird - large flock Bicknell's Thrush - at least 2 on Whiteface Swainson's Thrush - 2 (one on Whiteface and another along River Road foraging with robins and bluebirds) Hermit Thrush Nashville Warbler - 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler Sparrows: Savannah, Song, White-throated, White-crowned, and Dark-eyed Junco Finches: Purple, Pine Siskin, and Amer. Goldfinch 10/2/14 to 10/3/14 Canoe-camp trip on Lake Lila in the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area w/ a climb of Frederica Mountain (Long Lake, Hamilton Co.) I have a blog on this trip with many photos that will soon be published - I'll send the link when it appears. It was a terrific night for migration and I was thrilled to be out camping! I was next to Shingle Shanty Brook at camp site 17. Here are some of the species found on the trip: Canada Goose - non-stop flocks came over in wave after wave beginning at dusk Ruffed Grouse - 2 Common Loon Osprey Bald Eagle - 2 Greater Yellowlegs - 2 Wilson's Snipe - 2 Barred Owl - several Belted Kingfisher Pileated Woodpecker Blue-headed Vireo - singing Gray Jay - 2 Brown Creeper - singing Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet - singing "Gray-cheeked Thrush" - first of the season night flight call heard Swainson's Thrush - a few migrants Hermit Thrush - many pre-dawn Common Yellowthroat - Shingle Shanty Brook Yellow-rumped Warbler - many flocks Sparrows: Song, Swamp (a few singing), White-throated (singing), and Dark-eyed Junco Finches - Purple, Pine Siskin - many heard including a flock at the first hint of dawn light, and Amer. Goldfinch There was a bull Moose observed at the mouth of Shingle Shanty Brook an hour before I arrived! I saw the huge paths in the vegetation when I canoed Shingle Shanty Brook. Joan Collins Long Lake, NY (315) 244-7127 cell (518) 624-5528 home http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/ http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian -- 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/ --
