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Austerlitz- Adult Bald Eagle
Nancy Kern
Austerlitz, Columbia, US-NY Dec 15, 2012 7:15 AM - 11:00 AM Protocol: Traveling 21.0 mile(s) Comments: Sunny, clear day and part of the Alan Devoe Bird Club Chatham Christmas Bird Count 24 species Bald Eagle 1 Red-tailed Hawk 4 Rock Pigeon 2 Mourning Dove 4 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 3 Hairy Woodpecker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 1 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 12 Black-capped Chickadee 16 Tufted Titmouse 5 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Brown Creeper 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 American Robin 1 European Starling 3 American Tree Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 6 Northern Cardinal 3 House Finch 2 American Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 5 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12311587 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
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Helmeted Guineafowl in Brunswick, NY
bjlosasso1
As a new member I'm not sure how to and where to make postings. I have posted this Guineafowl under 'rare birds' with a photo and thought it might automatically post here, but anyway following is a copy of my rare bird posting (you can go there for the picture):
We returned from shopping at about 3PM today (12/16/2012)and heard what sounded like a combination of crows cawing and ducks quacking! Looking out the window I saw a covey of 22 Helmuted Guineafowl! Our location is at the edge of a cornfield near the end of Brunswick Drive in Brunswick. Initially I thought they were Bobwhite because of the white on their faces, but there was no dark line going thru the eye, nor did the colorings match. I then thought they might be Partridge or Grouse, but the plummage didn't match up here either. Puzzeling was the red color on and near the beak as well as a red 'beard' hanging below the 'chin'. I took many photos from my window and then went outside to get closer shots. They didn't appear frightened by my presence, but after a while they returned to the cornfield 'single file'- just as was told in one description I read! Finally I found the exact match up under Domestic Gamebirds in my Crossley Guide and confirmed it all in my Sibley Guide. Also, the habitat and the scratching and feeding on seed below my bird feeders matches the descriptions found on the internet. The sound file found on the internet was identicle to what I heard from the birds as they fed. However, the puzzlement continues because these birds are native to Africa and very uncommon here! If anyone can answer this I would appreciate it. I have attached one of my photos. Bill LoSasso
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Redpolls (finally)
birderlarry
Us, too! Yesterday there were 4, and (probably) the same ones back this morning in Palenville, Greene County. One was suspiciously light-colored – I’ll try to get pix.
Larry Federman Education Coordinator Audubon New York Rheinstrom Hill, Buttercup Farm, and RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuaries and Centers From: Richard Guthrie Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 11:19 AM To: HMBirds Yahoogroups ; midhudsonbirds Cc: Philip Whitney Subject: [MidHudsonBirds] Redpolls (finally) For me anyway. I had a dozen C. Redpolls at my feeders in New Baltimore this morning – before the squirrels took over; also a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Neither species made an appearance yesterday to be counted on the Albany Co. Christmas Bird Count (which includes my yard). Tomorrow is the Catskill CBC. That’s always a good one for surprises. Let’s see what turns up this year. Want to help? Contact Larry Federman (birderlarry@...) to join in. Rich Guthrie New Baltimore The Greene County gaeltic@...
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Redpolls (finally)
Richard Guthrie
For me anyway. I had a dozen C. Redpolls at my feeders in New Baltimore
this morning - before the squirrels took over; also a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Neither species made an appearance yesterday to be counted on the Albany Co. Christmas Bird Count (which includes my yard). Tomorrow is the Catskill CBC. That's always a good one for surprises. Let's see what turns up this year. Want to help? Contact Larry Federman (birderlarry@...) to join in. Rich Guthrie New Baltimore The Greene County gaeltic@...
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Re: How do I post pictures?
Richard Guthrie
I go to the HMbirds yahoo site. You have to sign in as a "member" (of yahoo
- not necessarily HM bird club). You can also post pictures on your ebird list. Again, you have to be signed up for eBird - but who wouldn't want to be? Rich Guthrie From: hmbirds@... [mailto:hmbirds@...] On Behalf Of moose_lover12345 Sent: Monday, December 17, 2012 9:30 AM To: hmbirds@... Subject: [HMBirds] How do I post pictures? Could someone help me figure out how to post pictures to the picture page? I am usually good at this sort of thing, but I can't figure it out! Thanks :) _Melissa M
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How do I post pictures?
moose_lover12345
Could someone help me figure out how to post pictures to the picture page? I am usually good at this sort of thing, but I can't figure it out! Thanks :)
_Melissa M
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slightly extralimital report (Essex County, NY) - Gray Jay and Bohemian Waxwings
scottjstoner
Hi all - Gregg Recer asked me to post the following north country report for him:
"in westport [Essex County, NY] we had a flock of about 2 dozen bohemian waxwings right next to the road. location was camp dudley rd (CR 22), roughly two miles south of the center of westport (waypoint coord. 44 9.833'N 73 24.984'W)."
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Re: Southeastern Shores of Saratoga Lake
curtmorgan@rocketmail.com
Sorry about that; Dick Guthrie helped me make a correction: the white stripe at the base of the Greater Scaup female's bill is even bigger than that of the Lesser Scaup female. If anyone wants to take a stab at which Scaup from a photo that is not real good (the lighting was bad and the distance was great) then have at it:
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/630365065/pic/752560305/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=541&dir=asc Curt
--- In hmbirds@..., "curtmorgan@..." <pcmjr@...> wrote:
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Southeastern Shores of Saratoga Lake
curtmorgan@rocketmail.com
Nice variety of ducks on Saratoga Lake today at 2:30 p.m.
Ring-necked Ducks Common Goldeneyes Lesser Scaup (the tip-off here is the bright white crescent on the face of the females) American Wigeon Buffleheads Common Mergansers Black Ducks Mallards 1000's of Canada Geese Three Snow Geese There is really no good place to pull over to look, so I could not see more than this although I really believe the variety is much greater than I could confirm. Unlike Jim Ries, I was unable to see the Eastern Screech Owl in the box at the northeast corner of Wright's Loop--asleep or absent.
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Turkeys - Waterford
Diane Steele
With all the development and removal of natural habitat in the area of Riverbend in Waterford, I was saddened by the loss of the diversity in wildlife. On my first winter here 11 yrs ago, it was not uncommon to have two dozen turkeys in my yard. Tonight, for the first time in two years, I have 4 nesting high in the trees adjacent to the river. What a great Christmas present!
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Redpolls are back
Rico Birdo
We have about 50 common redpolls at our feeders today. The one in the photo is resting on our porch railing after a session of hanging onto the niger seed bag in the rain and wind while jostling competitors.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/279945682/pic/1511598498/view - Gabrielle Isenbrand Esperance
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Lone snow goose, Bramans Corners Schdy County
Brabetz, Barbara L
There was a lone snow goose sitting in corn fields on Millers Corners Rd (near #1025) at 11:20 am this morning. This is near the border of Schenectady and Montgomery counties. We did see it fly but it stayed low in the sky.
The weather was deteriorating with a steady strong wind and some sleet. Barbara Brabetz Lost Valley (1000')
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12/15/12 Redpoll/Siskin
moose_lover12345
Hey everyone, today my birdfeeders were extremely busy. Seems everyone
discovered it! I noted a two birds I haven't seen before and spent some time IDing them and they turned out to be a Pine siskin and a Common Redpoll. I've heard that this year has been an eruption year for finches so I wasn't too surprised. Other birds included blue jays, chickadees, tufted titmouses, hairy woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, white bellied nuthatches and red bellied nuthatches. Lake Luzerne, NY Melissa M
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Top O' The Cross
curtmorgan@rocketmail.com
Here is another photo of that Merlin taken atop the cross at the Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Queensbury yesterday*. I took 7 shots of the Pine Grosbeaks in the crabapple trees and 5 minutes after I arrived the Grosbeaks scattered, gathering others from the neighborhood with their flock as they flew. Then the reason for their flight appeared on top of the cross at the church--the Merlin. The lighting was horrible (shooting a dark object against a bright grey-white sky), but I fired off a bunch of shots along with Deb Kral and Maha, her friend. The results were not pretty, but definitive enough, anyway.
It is the WHITE EYEBROWS that give away a Merlin. The brownish females are a little smaller than a male Peregrine (13 1/2 inches vs 14 inches), in contrast to the female Peregrine which is 19 inches (about the size of an American Crow; female raptors are usually bigger than their male mates). The Peregrine has a dark hood and very distinct sideburns-adults have horizontal striping on the breast and immatures have vertical stripes (Merlins always have vertical breast stripes). If you get a photo of the side of a mature Peregrine's head, the design of the hood and sideburns can serve as an identifier for that individual bird. * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/630365065/pic/415249454/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=541&dir=asc
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Re: Queensbury Evacuator
Will Raup
Thanks Curt.
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I hadn't meant to send my response to all HM Birds... but I did. Sorry! Will Raup Albany, NY ________________________________
To: hmbirds@...
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Re: Queensbury Evacuator
Deborah Kral
I just looked more closely at my images and concur with Curt; merlins have a 'weak" moustache (per Sibley), the wingtips do not reach tail tip, the breast is also more rufousy than most Peregrines, streaking instead of barring, barred tail, broad dark terminal tail band bordered with white.Will, it is a female Merlin. Merlins do have sideburns and Peregrines don't have light superciliaries. >>>If you were there it would have been more clear to you :)Curt It sure broke up the party!!!! It was nice meeting everyone Deb Kral
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Re: Queensbury Evacuator
curtmorgan@rocketmail.com
Will, it is a female Merlin. Merlins do have sideburns and Peregrines don't have light superciliaries. If you were there it would have been more clear to you :)
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Curt
--- In hmbirds@..., Will Raup <Hoaryredpoll@...> wrote:
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Re: Queensbury Evacuator
Will Raup
Size is misleading in photographs, but those dark and long side burns look more like a Peregrine Falcon, than Merlin to me. Merlin typically doesn't have much "sideburns".
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Will Raup Albany, NY ________________________________
To: hmbirds@...
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Queensbury Evacuator
curtmorgan@rocketmail.com
Due to the presence of the female Merlin* on top of the OLA Church cross, Pine Grosbeaks and any possible waxwings were keeping their distance while I was there today from 1-2 p.m. Also seen were a group of about 15 Pine Grosbeaks (one died at the church perhaps due to collision with the building; appropriately kept under wraps in the church), Starlings, and a mature Red-tailed Hawk (another reason for smaller birds to stay away), and a flock of Canada Geese.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Jim Ries, Deb Kral, and her friend Maha. * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/630365065/pic/997530005/view?picmode=large&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=541&dir=asc
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Niskayuna Bike Path
cab110
My sister and I walked west from the train station around 1 pm
Friday. There was a small group of common redpolls feeding in trees and on the ground near the station. Also a small flock of Am. Tree Sparrows there too. Near the bridge was an American wigeon(male)mixed in with a group of mallards. Carol
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