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Vesper Sparrows, waterfowl in RensCo
Naomi Lloyd
In my local ramble today, I found singing Vesper Sparrows on American Oil Rd, and a flock of displaying Wild Turkeys.
Ospreys are back on their nest at Schodack Island SP. Nassau Lake had a few assorted Scaup, Buffleheads, one Ruddy Duck and two Horned Grebes in breeding plumage. Naomi Lloyd
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Re: Hooded Mergansers in Averill Park
Dan Leonard
EBird can tell you scientifically, I guess. But...they returned through Collins Lake, Scotia early last month...
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Sent from Dan’s iPhone
On Apr 8, 2020, at 4:32 PM, Brian Smith <brijsmith@...> wrote:
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Hooded Mergansers in Averill Park
Brian Smith
Saw my first Hooded Mergansers of the year on Burden Lake today. Good to that they're back. I'm wondering about timing, if this is about the time they usually come back.
Looking forward to warblers.
Brian Smith
Averill Park
From: hmbirds@groups.io <hmbirds@groups.io> on behalf of Ellen <lnmp@...>
Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2020 9:18 AM To: hmbirds@groups.io <hmbirds@groups.io> Subject: [hmbirds] Sapsuckers and more Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers are back in my neck of the woods. The morning chorus today included multiple sapsuckers drumming and calling, as well as vocal Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Carolina Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Song Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal, to name a few. Still no kinglets – last year I didn’t see them until late April.
Ellen P. West Charlton
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Sapsuckers and more
Ellen
Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers are back in my neck of the woods. The morning chorus today included multiple sapsuckers drumming and calling, as well as vocal Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Northern Flicker, Carolina Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Song Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal, to name a few. Still no kinglets – last year I didn’t see them until late April.
Ellen P. West Charlton
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Woodcock bonanza in Salem
Scott Varney
Every other weekend, my sister Heidi and I walk the 4 mile loop from my house in Salem, up Riley Hill Road to Blind Buck Road then to East Broadway, and then back to my house. This weekend, there were a plethora of Woodcock....lots of "Peents". It seems we always find some amazing natural gems along Riley Hill Road in every season. This time the Woodcocks. Last Summer it was a firefly fireworks show that was better than the Disney performance! On several occasions, it has been the symphony of local Coyotes that has captivated us. Gotta love Washington County! Scott Varney Salem NY
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american woodcock - luther forest blvd in malta
gregg_recer
cathy graichen and I were able to locate 1, possibly 2 calling woodcock this evening in the field at the corner of rocket way and luther forest blvd in malta; heard peents and display flight. This has been a reliable location for a number of years now, but we noticed a new road cut from rocket way running behind that field to meet the circle at cordero blvd, and a little clearing work in the rocket way field. So change may be happening there.
-- gregg recer malta NY
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Re: Vischer Ferry
Sue Rokos
Monday Greetings: After blowing up this picture a bit more, and advice from advance birders (Thanks Alan!) we've decided this in fact is a Double Breasted Comerant, since clearly a hooked beak. Who knew they had a brown strip in their tail ends?? Sue Rokos
On Sun, Apr 5, 2020 at 4:43 PM Sue Rokos <szrokos@...> wrote:
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Vischer Ferry
Sue Rokos
Afternoon, nice 4 hours, 43 minutes, 3.12 miles at Vischer Ferry in relative solitude.... highlights were first successful picture through scope of female pheasant in a tree (a very patient bird sitting), male hooded merganser displaying for his mate, FOS hermit thrush and grey catbird, other cool ducks....flyover great blue, red tailed hawk and bald eagle. Final bird was belted kingfisher as getting into car!
Sue and Dennis Rokos
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Buckingham Pond, Albany - Black-crowned Night-Heron
Alison Van Keuren
While visiting Buckingham Pond to seek the Harris's Sparrow [not seen] a Black-crowned Night-heron was seen in the trees and along the shore west of parking lot. Other highlights of the visit was a Fox Sparrow and a pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets. Alison Van Keuren
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Nothing weird today at American Oil
Steve Mesick
So if there was anything weird yesterday it wasn’t there today. There were a couple House Finches, though they were singing a regular HOFI song. Further up the road, near the curve, there were two White-crowned Sparrows and a Savannah among the multitudinous Song Sparrows. Also at least one Rusty Blackbird.
Steve Mesick, East Greenbush
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Re: Possible oriole??
Richard Guthrie
A male Hooded Oriole just showed up in Ohio - first state record. Just sayin' Rich Guthrie
On Sat, Apr 4, 2020 at 10:04 PM Steve Mesick <stvmesick@...> wrote: So have not been able to post about this till now but I had a weird sighting this morning at the northern end of Papscanee (at the American Oil Road entrance). Got out of the car and immediately heard a weird song - a little like a House Finch but not quite right in either the voice or the song. And it kept repeating the same song. There was possibly a second bird singing the same song back a little further. I tried to track it down - it was singing from back over the oil storage facility. I was assuming it was a weird House Finch (or possibly Purple). Did not see any finches but I did see an orange bird with a darker head quite a ways back at the top of a tree. Could not see it well and was trying to get a picture that I could magnify later but it flew back and down and did not reappear or sing again. It looked like an oriole but it was way too far off to really ID. Hung araound for a while hoping it would reappear but it didn’t. I literally was thinking along the lines of one of the non local orioles (song was nothing like Baltimore). It was not till later that Orchard occurred to me and I listened to a couple samples of songs for that and those were pretty close to what I had heard. Problem with Orchard (apart from the obvious problem of it being way early) is that the orange was much brighter - more like Baltimore than the rusty of the Orchard. It was in the sun which may have lightened it up some. -- Richard Guthrie
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Possible oriole??
Steve Mesick
So have not been able to post about this till now but I had a weird sighting this morning at the northern end of Papscanee (at the American Oil Road entrance). Got out of the car and immediately heard a weird song - a little like a House Finch but not quite right in either the voice or the song. And it kept repeating the same song. There was possibly a second bird singing the same song back a little further. I tried to track it down - it was singing from back over the oil storage facility. I was assuming it was a weird House Finch (or possibly Purple). Did not see any finches but I did see an orange bird with a darker head quite a ways back at the top of a tree. Could not see it well and was trying to get a picture that I could magnify later but it flew back and down and did not reappear or sing again. It looked like an oriole but it was way too far off to really ID. Hung araound for a while hoping it would reappear but it didn’t. I literally was thinking along the lines of one of the non local orioles (song was nothing like Baltimore). It was not till later that Orchard occurred to me and I listened to a couple samples of songs for that and those were pretty close to what I had heard. Problem with Orchard (apart from the obvious problem of it being way early) is that the orange was much brighter - more like Baltimore than the rusty of the Orchard. It was in the sun which may have lightened it up some.
And then again maybe the song and the visual were different birds. Anyway if anyone is going there see if you can find what I was looking for and come up with a better answer. I may go back tomorrow. Steve Mesick East Greenbush
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Harris's Sparrow
Frank Mitchell
Continuing bird seen at 12:30 PM today at Buckingham Pond at the corner of Milner Ave and Raft Rd.
Good birding, Frank Mitchell
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Sandhill Crane (not seen by me)
Ellen
James Colborn wanted me to post that he had a Sandhill Crane flyover on the west towpath (at Vischer Ferry) at approximately 4:30 pm today.
Ellen P. West Charlton
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Woodcocks
Ellen
Acting on a surprising tip (okay, it was actually an eBird report), I drove about three-quarters of a mile down the road after dinner, got out of the car at one of the farm fields, and listened. “Peent! Peent!” I heard from the field beside me. I could hear another woodcock not far off. Even with binoculars, I was unable to see either bird, although we were separated only by a brushy area along the roadside.
I was cold, so I started to head back, leaving my car windows open. Again, I heard “Peent! Peent!” so I stopped and got out. This woodcock sounded like it was RIGHT in front of me, but between the bird’s camouflage and the emerging darkness, it was impossible to see. Then, the bird took off, looking like a chunky football with wings.
Ellen P. West Charlton
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Red-shouldered Hawk VS Red-tailed Hawk in Fort Ann, NY
Scott Varney
Went to visit my friend's 1200 acre property in Fort Ann, NY today and immediately upon starting my 4.5 mile hike around the lake, I was greeted with a very raucous air battle between an adult Red-shouldered Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk...stunning low altitude views of both birds. Ultimately, the Red-tailed Hawk settled into a large Maple Tree perch and the Red-shouldered left screaming....and then came back immediately upon seeing the Red-tailed off his perch! I'm pretty sure the Red-shouldered Hawk won the duel. He continuously screamed for 5 more minutes after winning to make sure that every organism on the 1200 acre property would understand his position in the food chain! So much fun! By the way, I was searching for Hellbenders (aquatic salamander) but with no luck! Only place I've ever seen one IN MY LIFE! Scott Varney Salem, NY
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Great Egret at Papscannee
Naomi Lloyd
In a walk through Papscannee Preserve this morning, I found my FOY Great Egret in a flooded field. Other good sightings included my FOY Field Sparrow, and a flock of Rusty Blackbirds tossing leaves and creaking.
In over 3 hours I saw two other walkers and three dogs. All maintained proper social distancing except one of the dogs. Why do they always stick their nose into my bins? Naomi Lloyd
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Cedar Waxwings at Landis
Sue Rokos
Greetings, fos cedar Waxwings (2) arrived at Landis about 5:00! Other sightings include bluebirds, purple finches, American kestrel, red bellied, nuthatch, tufted titmouse, Robins, eastern Phoebe, groundhog, sleeping porcupine in a tree, and heard 3? Barred owls calling. And crows. Sue and Dennis Rokos
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Black-capped Chickadee Nest-building
adir46er
While “atlasing" near home this morning, Robert and I observed a pair of black-capped chickadees excavating their nest. Quite amazing! Photos attached. Rita Reed East Hoosick, NY (Rensselaer County)
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Eastern Phoebe
Alan
I was talking on the phone, looking out the back sliding glass doors, when my FOS Phoebe landed on the bird bath and enjoyed some water.
Clear skies, Alan Glenville
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