RBA
* New York
* Syracuse
* April 24, 2006
* NYSY 0604.24
hotline: Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert
date(s): April 17 - April 24, 2006
RBA BirdBox: (315)-637-0318
to report by e-mail: fickity AT netscape DOT net
covering upstate NY Counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife
Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga
County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis,
Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, & Madison.
compiled: April 24 AT 5:00 p.m. (EST)
compiler: Matt Victoria
Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org
#14 - Monday, April 24, 2006
Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of
April 24, 2006.
Highlights:
RED-THROATED LOON
GREAT EGRET
SANDHILL CRANE
PEREGRINE FALCON
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
UPLAND SANDPIPER
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL
VESPER SPARROW
PINE SISKIN
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex
(MWC)
- - - - - - - - - -
The last affirmative sighting of the SANDHILL CRANES occurred on
the 23rd again from Carncross Rd. in the Town
of Savannah. The Cranes are likely the same Sandhill Cranes that nest
in the MWC. Check the cut corn field along the south side of
Carncross Rd., or try to find the Cranes by scanning from the DEC
Parking Area at the end of Morgan Rd. Sandhill Cranes can be tricky to
locate, a few attempts may be necessary. Refer to page 74, Grid D1
in the NYS DeLorme.
2 singing VESPER SPARROWS were found along Morgan Road, one on each
side of the road between 1640 and 1639 Morgan Road, on the 23rd. Morgan
Rd. is in the Town of Savannah, refer to page 74, Grid D1 in the NYS
DeLorme.
The recently constructed wetland area on the east side of the
Wildlife Drive along the Erie Canal held two mysterious Dowitchers on
the 20th. Initially reported as Short-billed, their numbers swelled to
6 Birds by the 21st. Careful study of the Dowitchers on the 21st and
22nd resulted in the ID of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER for all 6 of them.
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS rarely occur in our area during Spring migration,
but are commonly encountered in Autumn migration. The flock was still
present in the new wetland area as of the 23rd. Further along the
Wildlife Drive Auto Loop, a GREAT EGRET was discovered on the 23rd.
Cayuga County
- - - - - - - - - -
Early morning Lake watches from the point at Long Point SP south of
Aurora resulted in the sighting of a GREAT EGRET on the 19th and a
RED-THROATED LOON on the 21st. Long Point SP is located on Lake Rd.
south of Wells College and is accessed from NY-90 (not I-90, aka the
Thruway) just outside the Village of Aurora, Town of Ledyard, NY.
Refer to page 60 in the
Delorme NY State Atlas and Gazetteer.
2 PINE SISKINS were noted at a private feeding station in Hannibal
on the 23rd.
Onondaga County
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The PEREGRINE FALCON that has been seen atop the 20th floor of State
Tower Building at 109 South Warren Street in the City of Syracuse is
currently in the nestbox platform at the time of writing this report.
On March 30th, the female drastically changed her behavior, and began
huddling inside the box constantly, instead of coming and going in and
out. This likely indicates eggs have been laid. A pair of Falcons have
nested here for the past two years, and utilize a nestbox/platform. A
webcam allows viewers to observe the Falcons while nesting. Refer to
the following URL:
http://www.usadatanet.com/falconcam.html
PINE SISKINS were reported from a Pompey feeder on the 18th.
Louisiana Waterthrushes are back on territory throughout Onondaga
County. If you would like to see one, try Pratts Falls County Park in
the Town of Pompey and along Gulf Rd. near Pompey Center and the Madison
County line. Refer to page 61 in the DeLorme Grid A7. On the west
side, try the 13 curves of Cedarvale Rd. in the Town of Onondaga,
DeLorme pg. 61 Grid A5.
Oswego County
- - - - - - - - - - -
Raptor migration is moving right along, and many Hawks were recorded
this past week for Derby Hill Bird Observatory's annual Hawk Watch.
Refer to the following URL for directions, daily observations, and
flight predictions:
http://www.derbyhill.org
Highlights from the past week include a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL heard
vocalizing from the woods of the North Lookout on the 19th, a flyover
SANDHILL CRANE on the 21st and a flyby UPLAND SANDPIPER on the 23rd .
See the Derby Hill website for a full tally of Hawks observed.
Directions to Derby Hill can be found at the website, the Hill is
located on DeLorme page 83.
UPLAND SANDPIPERS have returned to the area surrounding the Oswego
County Airport. 4 UPLAND SANDPIPERS were reported the morning of the
21st along the north side of Howard Road, near it's intersection with
Silk Road. They were on the landfill, just across from the Oswego County
Airport.. Refer to page 74 in the Delorme NY State Atlas and Gazetteer.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Migrants reported from this past week include:
White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Loon, American
Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, Spotted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper,
both Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Caspian and Common Tern,
Purple Martin, N. Rough-winged, Barn and Bank Swallows, Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker, Eastern Kingbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, Winter Wren, Brown Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, Pine Warbler,
Yellow-rumped, Palm and Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern
Waterthrush, Eastern Towhee, Vesper Sparrow, and
Purple Finch.
--end transcript
* New York
* Syracuse
* April 24, 2006
* NYSY 0604.24
hotline: Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert
date(s): April 17 - April 24, 2006
RBA BirdBox: (315)-637-0318
to report by e-mail: fickity AT netscape DOT net
covering upstate NY Counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife
Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga
County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis,
Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, & Madison.
compiled: April 24 AT 5:00 p.m. (EST)
compiler: Matt Victoria
Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org
#14 - Monday, April 24, 2006
Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of
April 24, 2006.
Highlights:
RED-THROATED LOON
GREAT EGRET
SANDHILL CRANE
PEREGRINE FALCON
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
UPLAND SANDPIPER
NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL
VESPER SPARROW
PINE SISKIN
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex
(MWC)
- - - - - - - - - -
The last affirmative sighting of the SANDHILL CRANES occurred on
the 23rd again from Carncross Rd. in the Town
of Savannah. The Cranes are likely the same Sandhill Cranes that nest
in the MWC. Check the cut corn field along the south side of
Carncross Rd., or try to find the Cranes by scanning from the DEC
Parking Area at the end of Morgan Rd. Sandhill Cranes can be tricky to
locate, a few attempts may be necessary. Refer to page 74, Grid D1
in the NYS DeLorme.
2 singing VESPER SPARROWS were found along Morgan Road, one on each
side of the road between 1640 and 1639 Morgan Road, on the 23rd. Morgan
Rd. is in the Town of Savannah, refer to page 74, Grid D1 in the NYS
DeLorme.
The recently constructed wetland area on the east side of the
Wildlife Drive along the Erie Canal held two mysterious Dowitchers on
the 20th. Initially reported as Short-billed, their numbers swelled to
6 Birds by the 21st. Careful study of the Dowitchers on the 21st and
22nd resulted in the ID of LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER for all 6 of them.
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS rarely occur in our area during Spring migration,
but are commonly encountered in Autumn migration. The flock was still
present in the new wetland area as of the 23rd. Further along the
Wildlife Drive Auto Loop, a GREAT EGRET was discovered on the 23rd.
Cayuga County
- - - - - - - - - -
Early morning Lake watches from the point at Long Point SP south of
Aurora resulted in the sighting of a GREAT EGRET on the 19th and a
RED-THROATED LOON on the 21st. Long Point SP is located on Lake Rd.
south of Wells College and is accessed from NY-90 (not I-90, aka the
Thruway) just outside the Village of Aurora, Town of Ledyard, NY.
Refer to page 60 in the
Delorme NY State Atlas and Gazetteer.
2 PINE SISKINS were noted at a private feeding station in Hannibal
on the 23rd.
Onondaga County
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The PEREGRINE FALCON that has been seen atop the 20th floor of State
Tower Building at 109 South Warren Street in the City of Syracuse is
currently in the nestbox platform at the time of writing this report.
On March 30th, the female drastically changed her behavior, and began
huddling inside the box constantly, instead of coming and going in and
out. This likely indicates eggs have been laid. A pair of Falcons have
nested here for the past two years, and utilize a nestbox/platform. A
webcam allows viewers to observe the Falcons while nesting. Refer to
the following URL:
http://www.usadatanet.com/falconcam.html
PINE SISKINS were reported from a Pompey feeder on the 18th.
Louisiana Waterthrushes are back on territory throughout Onondaga
County. If you would like to see one, try Pratts Falls County Park in
the Town of Pompey and along Gulf Rd. near Pompey Center and the Madison
County line. Refer to page 61 in the DeLorme Grid A7. On the west
side, try the 13 curves of Cedarvale Rd. in the Town of Onondaga,
DeLorme pg. 61 Grid A5.
Oswego County
- - - - - - - - - - -
Raptor migration is moving right along, and many Hawks were recorded
this past week for Derby Hill Bird Observatory's annual Hawk Watch.
Refer to the following URL for directions, daily observations, and
flight predictions:
http://www.derbyhill.org
Highlights from the past week include a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL heard
vocalizing from the woods of the North Lookout on the 19th, a flyover
SANDHILL CRANE on the 21st and a flyby UPLAND SANDPIPER on the 23rd .
See the Derby Hill website for a full tally of Hawks observed.
Directions to Derby Hill can be found at the website, the Hill is
located on DeLorme page 83.
UPLAND SANDPIPERS have returned to the area surrounding the Oswego
County Airport. 4 UPLAND SANDPIPERS were reported the morning of the
21st along the north side of Howard Road, near it's intersection with
Silk Road. They were on the landfill, just across from the Oswego County
Airport.. Refer to page 74 in the Delorme NY State Atlas and Gazetteer.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Migrants reported from this past week include:
White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Loon, American
Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, Spotted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper,
both Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Bonaparte's Gull, Caspian and Common Tern,
Purple Martin, N. Rough-winged, Barn and Bank Swallows, Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker, Eastern Kingbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, Winter Wren, Brown Thrasher, Hermit Thrush, Pine Warbler,
Yellow-rumped, Palm and Black-throated Green Warblers, Northern
Waterthrush, Eastern Towhee, Vesper Sparrow, and
Purple Finch.
--end transcript