HI all, Type 3s are on the move eastward and I suspect some are type 3 for sure. I did just received a Paul Smith's recording that sounded like type 1 or 2, but I have to take a closer look in the studio.
As for pair formation with different crossed bills, nothing noting this has ever been found in Red Crossbills, however, Red Crossbill populations are generally in a 1:1 ratio with directionality of bill crossing and whereas with WW Crossbill it's 3:1 right to left I believe. The difference in directionality has to do with WW Crossbill being primarily a spruce specialist and Red Crossbill being more of a generalist comparatively speaking. cheers, Matt ________________________________ From: [email protected] <[email protected]> on behalf of Joan Collins <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2015 6:19 PM To: NYSBIRDS-L; [email protected] Subject: [nysbirds-l] Bohemian Waxwings/Evening Grosbeaks/Red Crossbills, and more Red Crossbills are widespread from Long Lake to Minerva (northern Hamilton Co. to western Essex Co.). David Buckley and I also found many in Santa Clara (Franklin Co.) near the St. Regis River several days ago. Pine Siskins continue to be everywhere. Purple Finches and Amer. Goldfinches are still here – unusual since both species usually leave the central Adirondacks by now. Blue Jays are also still around (unusual). I’ve heard White-winged Crossbills only twice during the past few weeks – both times fly-over birds. I’ve had several Evening Grosbeak sightings – including a huge flock near the Newcomb/Minerva town line. Still no snow cover (our house is at 2,000’). There was a major movement of Canada Geese today. Most lakes are still wide open and Amer. Black Ducks and Hooded Mergansers are still being observed. Gray Jays: I continue to find large numbers. I suspect this species is experiencing a likely short-term advantage in much warmer late winter/early springs (when they nest). Instead of seeing one or two juveniles, I often see three or four now. I mention “short-term” since climate change will likely have a negative impact on boreal habitat over time. I recently found 14 Gray Jays driving along the dirt road at the Spring Pond Bog complex – and 11 along Sabattis Circle Road (and there are many other locations for this species along trails in that area), plus locations along Route 30 in Long Lake. I am also regularly finding this species in new areas in Newcomb-Minerva. From just my personal experience, I am seeing a lot more Gray Jays. Red Crossbills: I was showing my husband some of my Red Crossbill photos and pointing out how some of the upper mandibles cross to the right and equal numbers cross to the left. He asked if pairs form based on having differently crossed bills – which is a great question! I looked back over years of photographs and all the pairs appear to have differently crossed bills except for one pair – I can’t be absolutely sure from the photos, but it appears their bills cross in the same direction. So this question is my new obsession! I photographed a pair at Sabattis Bog on 12/12, but the photos weren’t good enough to tell bill cross direction. A recent pair photographed in Minerva showed differently crossed bills. There is nothing in the BNA on this possible factor in pair formation. I recently read that the crossed bill allows a bird to access half a cone’s seeds, so pairs with differently crossed bills may offer a feeding advantage. I would love to hear from other birders this winter if bill direction in Red Crossbill pairs can be observed. Here are some recent and older sightings: 12/13/15 Sabattis Circle Road, Long Lake (Hamilton Co.) Black-backed Woodpecker – 3 at Sabattis Bog (Photos of a male and female on my Facebook page below) Gray Jay – at least 6 at Sabattis Bog Boreal Chickadee – at least 3 at Sabattis Bog Bohemian Waxwing – 7 at the Little Tupper Lake inlet (over 40 found here on 12/7) (Photo on Facebook) Purple Finch Pine Siskin – many Amer. Goldfinch Red Crossbill – heard at the Little Tupper Lake inlet and Sabattis Bog 12/12/15 Long Lake village & Sabattis Circle Road Sharp-shinned Hawk – flying over Sabattis Bog Gray Jay – 8 at Sabattis Bog Red Crossbill – heard flying over a friend’s house in the village of Long Lake and a pair found (& badly photographed!) at Sabattis Bog. Doug Blodgett reported he has been seeing them in the trees around his home in Long Lake on Rice Road (this is one of their usual winter nesting locations). Amer. Tree Sparrow – 1 at the Little Tupper Lake inlet 12/11/15 Sabattis Bog & a marsh in Newcomb (near the Minerva town line) Gray Jay – 4 at Sabattis Bog At the marsh in Newcomb: Boreal Chickadee – at least 3 Purple Finch Red Crossbill – heard flying over Pine Siskin - many Amer. Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak ~ 50 - A huge, loud flock! (at the marsh) This is the largest flock I’ve observed in a very long time (years). 12/10/15 Sabattis Circle Road Hooded Merganser – 2 Gray Jay – 4 Black-backed Woodpecker – female at Sabattis Bog 12/9/15 Route 30 and Sabattis Circle Road in Long Lake Hooded Merganser Ruffed Grouse Gray Jay – 9 (1 along Route 30 and 8 at Sabattis Bog) 12/8/15 Keese Mills Road and the southern end of Blue Mountain Road to Quebec Brook (Franklin Co.) in the town of Santa Clara David Buckley (Piercefield) and I had a terrific time birding on this perfectly still, but cold day! We birded Blue Mountain Road and hiked two different trails. We found many Moose tracks! Here are some of the 20 species found: Ruffed Grouse – 3 Black-backed Woodpecker – 4 (1 along the road, and then 3 near each other along the road) Pileated Woodpecker Gray Jay – 2 (two different seemingly solo birds) Common Raven Boreal Chickadee – 12 (groups of 4, 1, 3, & 4) Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Purple Finch – many Red Crossbill – many, particularly near the St. Regis River Pine Siskin – abundant Amer. Goldfinch – a few Evening Grosbeak – 3 males at a feeder location (photo on Facebook) 12/6/15 Raquette Lake in Hamilton Co. My husband (George Yellott) and I climbed West Mountain from the Brown’s Tract Ponds Trail. It is 12 miles round trip. We began to encounter snow as we started to ascend the peak and there was 2 inches of snow on the summit. At the beginning of the hike, I bushwhacked toward a foraging woodpecker. A huge flock of Pine Siskins flew into trees over my husband as he waited on the trail. Then, a Blue Jay flew over him and started giving a Broad-winged Hawk call over and over again! My husband yelled, “What is that”?!!! I explained that it was a Blue Jay and that it was trying to frighten him away! About 3 miles in on the trail, we encountered 3 very curious Boreal Chickadees and I was actually able to snap a few photos! (photo on my Facebook page) 12/5/15 Sabattis Bog & Minerva Barred Owl – Minerva Merlin – Boreas River Bridge in Minerva Gray Jay – 4 Sabattis Bog Red Crossbill – Boreas River Bridge 12/4/15 Sabattis Circle Road Gray Jay – 11 (8 at Sabattis Bog and 3 near the Round Lake Road trailhead) 12/2/15 Sabattis Bog White-winged Crossbill – calling birds flying over Some November sightings: 11/30/15 Long Lake & Minerva Gray Jay – 5 at Sabattis Bog Red Crossbill – at least 5 (3 near the railroad crossing and a pair at the Boreas River Bridge – photos on Facebook) 11/28/15 Sabattis Circle Road & Newcomb Hooded Merganser (Little Tupper Lake, Round Pond inlet, Hudson River) Black-backed Woodpecker – 1 Newcomb Gray Jay – 4 Sabattis Bog Boreal Chickadee – 1 Sabattis Bog Bohemian Waxwing – 10 in Newcomb Snow Bunting – 9 along Sabattis Circle Road 11/21/15 Sabattis Bog & St. Lawrence County Bog: 2 Black-backed Woodpeckers and 4 Gray Jays (some) St. Lawrence Valley birds: Amer. Wigeon – 24 Wilson Hill Amer. Black Duck Green-winged Teal – 27 Wilson Hill Bufflehead Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Common Loon – 6 Great Blue Heron – several Rough-legged Hawk – light morph on May Road in Potsdam – first of the season Peregrine Falcon – Barnhart Island Bridge in Massena 11/13/15 – a Black Bear was observed in the middle of Sabattis Circle Road! 11/12/15 – Northville-Placid Trail (S) in Long Lake White-winged Crossbills were heard flying over the trail. On a 11/9/15 tour with a birder from Long Island, we found 33 species by birding in Newcomb-Minerva, Sabattis Bog, and the Spring Pond Bog complex. Here are some of the birds found: Bufflehead Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Ruffed Grouse Wild Turkey Bald Eagle – 4 adults (photos on Facebook) Belted Kingfisher Black-backed Woodpecker – female in Newcomb Pileated Woodpecker – several Gray Jay – 7 (3 at the Newcomb marsh and 4 at Sabattis Bog) Common Raven Boreal Chickadee – 7 (3 at the Newcomb marsh, and 4 in the Spring Pond Bog complex) Brown Creeper Golden-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Dark-eyed Junco Purple Finch Red Crossbill – Minerva Pine Siskin – abundant Amer. Goldfinch Evening Grosbeak – heard a the Newcomb marsh and near the Roosevelt Truck Trail-head Here are a few recent ROOST (Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism) blogs: Car-birding boreal habitat from Newcomb to Minerva: http://www.schroonlakeregion.com/blog/2015/12/boreal-birding-newcomb-minerva Boreal Birding in Newcomb & Minerva | Schroon Lake, New York<http://www.schroonlakeregion.com/blog/2015/12/boreal-birding-newcomb-minerva> www.schroonlakeregion.com Our Schroon Lake Region Blogger details a fruitful day of Adirondack birding between Newcomb and Minerva. Birding and biking at Massawepie Mire (and a close encounter with a Snowshoe Hare!): http://www.tupperlake.com/blog/2015/11/biking-boreal-birding-massawepie-mire-beyond Fall boreal birding at the Spring Pond Bog complex: http://www.tupperlake.com/blog/2015/11/spring-pond-bog-fall-boreal-birding Joan Collins President, NYS Ornithological Association Editor, New York Birders Long Lake, NY (315) 244-7127 cell (518) 624-5528 home http://www.adirondackavianexpeditions.com/ http://www.facebook.com/AdirondackAvian -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- 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/ --
