I'm looking to aquire or view a book.

W.W. Judd "The birds of Albany County", published in 1907

If anyone knows where I can purchase this book or if a local library has it, please contact me off list.

Hoaryredpoll@...

Thanks,

Will Raup
Albany, NY

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Although today was a work day on the 'farm', I still found time to make note of the abundant birds. The following were all seen on Whitbeck Road in Coeymans Hollow town of Coeymans, Albany County.

The List:

Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey, Eastern Phoebe, American Crow, Blue Jay, Common Raven (Pair, very active again...) Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Ovenbird, Prairie Warbler (uncommon at this location), Song Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Bobolink, Red-winged Blackbird, Bald Eagle (Adult), Common Grackle, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Cardinal, Common Yellowthroat, Chipping Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, American Robin, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Canada Goose, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, American Goldfinch, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Wood Thrush, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Chimney Swift, Pileated Woodpecker, Mourning Dove.


Also a flock of Brant flying north over Feura Bush at dusk.

Will Raup
Albany and Coeymans Hollow, NY

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May 21, 2006 - Schodack Town Park. The Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club held a field trip at this little gem of a park this past Sunday morning. A group of 20 birders showed up under surprisingly sunny blue skies at 8 AM, until 10 AM when the two or three weeks of monsoons resumed. Highlights included a pair of Louisiana Waterthrushes along the hemlock-lined streambank; a Blue-winged Warbler and a Prairie Warbler singing next to each other in the same tree; nice looks at a Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat; and Baltimore Oriole; a Broad-winged Hawk soaring overhead; Red-bellied Woodpecker; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Red-eyed Vireo; Blackburnian Warbler; Scarlet Tanager; Veery; Field Sparrow; and a first of the season Eastern Wood Pewee. We heard Indigo Bunting but no luck finding it. Later that day I was pumping gas at North Greenbush and there was one singing at the top of a tree in plain view right along the busy highway.

Frank Murphy
Rensselaer NY

May 25, 2006 - The male Orchard Oriole is still singing up a storm at the Rensselaer Tech Park. I've seen it nearly every day since late April (except for Century Day ;-). A week ago there was a pair, but I haven't seen the female since. I haven't seen any evidence of nest construction but I've read that they build their nest about a month later than the Baltimore Oriole.

Willow Flycatchers have returned and are actively singing their fitz'bew songs, if you can call it a song.

This evening there was an uncommon Common Nighthawk flying through.

Mosquitoes are out in full force.

On a sorry note, I don't hear the Wood Thrush that I've grown accustomed to hearing each year in the back yard.

Frank Murphy
Rensselaer NY

After missing this species on our Big Day on Saturday, what do I encounter this morning at the corner of Overlook Lane and Meadowdale Road but a White-crowned Sparrow. Timing is everything.

Speaking of timing, does anybody have any advice about dealing with House Sparrows? I had a pair in one of my boxes and I let them lay eggs so they would leave the other birds alone. Then, I removed the eggs (this is legal with this introduced species) hoping they would be occupied with laying more.

I also had a pair of bluebirds which occupied one of my nest boxes and had six eggs. Some time after they hatched, they abandoned the box (I don't know why.) Now the sparrows have taken over a box that had tree swallows, the swallows are building in the box that held the bluebirds, and the bluebirds are checking out a box that I believe holds tree swallows. Musical chairs.

If I let the sparrows alone, will they leave the other birds alone? I'm skittish because I had house sparrows kill a tree swallow in a nest box a few years ago. House sparrows are not on my "Good Bird" list.

Larry Alden

This is a summary of some of the sightings that were sent to the
Birdline of Eastern New York this past week. Call the birdline
(518-439-8080) for the full report. Please call in YOUR sightings
or email to birdline@...

Coxsackie Grasslands 5/17: KILLDEER with fledglings, GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, 7+
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, ALDER FLYCATCHER, NORTHERN PARULA, ~15
YELLOW WARBLERS, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and
SCARLET TANAGER

Five Rivers EEC 5/17: BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO

Meadowdale 5/17: COMMON LOON

Black Creek Marsh 5/17: Several large flocks of BRANT

Black Creek Marsh 5/18: GREEN HERON, GREAT BLUE HERON, WOOD DUCK,
OSPREY, AMERICAN KESTREL, VIRGINIA RAIL, SORA, CHIMNEY SWIFT,
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER,
WILLOW FLYCATCHER, LEAST FLYCATCHER, GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER,
EASTERN KINGBIRD, WARBLING VIREO, MARSH WREN, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER,
VEERY, WOOD THRUSH, BROWN THRASHER, BLUE-WINGED WARBLER,
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, PRAIRIE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, SWAMP
SPARROW, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, and numerous BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Southern Albany and northern Greene Counties 5/18: GREAT BLUE HERON,
GREEN HERON, BRANT, GADWALL, BALD EAGLE, GOLDEN EAGLE (at Stanton
Pond), CHIMNEY SWIFT, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN FLICKER,
EASTERN KINGBIRD, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, WOOD THRUSH, YELLOW
WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER,
PRAIRIE WARBLER, OVENBIRD, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, SCARLET TANAGER,
EASTERN TOWHEE, FIELD SPARROW, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BOBOLINK, and
BALTIMORE ORIOLE

Schenectady 5/18: 3 CHIMNEY SWIFTS and a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD

Scotia, Western Gateway Bridge 5/19: The nesting RED-TAILED HAWKS
have 3 nestlings close to fledging

West Sand Lake 5/20: YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO

Albany 5/20: PEREGRINE FALCON

Black Creek Marsh & vicinity 5/20: AMERICAN BITTERN, LEAST BITTERN,
GREEN HERON, WOOD DUCK, BALD EAGLE, AMERICAN KESTREL, RUFFED GROUSE,
VIRGINIA RAIL, SORA, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, GREAT HORNED OWL, COMMON
NIGHTHAWK, ALDER FLYCATCHER, WILLOW FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-THROATED
VIREO, WARBLING VIREO, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, CEDAR WAXWING, and
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH

Blossom Hill Road 5/20: WORM-EATING WARBLER

Brunswick 5/20: AMERICAN KESTREL

Coeymans 5/20: OSPREY, WORM-EATING WARBLER

Cohoes (New St.) 5/20: BALD EAGLE, COMMON NIGHTHAWK

Cole Hill 5/20: PURPLE FINCH

Five Rivers EEC 5/20: BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, EASTERN SCREECH-OWL,
PRAIRIE WARBLER, and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH

Myosotis Lake 5/20: COMMON LOON

"Northway" 5/20: BROAD-WINGED HAWK

Papscanee Island (including Staats Island Road) 5/20: GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, SOLITARY
SANDPIPER, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, BANK SWALLOW, BLACKPOLL WARBLER,
and CERULEAN WARBLER

Partridge Run 5/20: GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW,
and PURPLE FINCH

Petersburg 5/20: AMERICAN WOODCOCK, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, BARRED OWL,
WARBLING VIREO, NASHVILLE WARBLER, AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD,
INDIGO BUNTING, and PURPLE FINCH

Rensselaerville 5/20: NORTHERN HARRIER, SAVANNAH SPARROW, and EASTERN
MEADOWLARK

Saratoga County Airport 5/20: HORNED LARK

Saratoga Lake 5/20: 6 COMMON LOONS, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, 6-8 BLACK
TERNS, and PURPLE MARTIN

Stanton Pond 5/20: GADWALL

Thacher Park 5/20: COOPER'S HAWK, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, COMMON RAVEN,
WINTER WREN, HERMIT THRUSH, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER,
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN
WARBLER, OVENBIRD, and SCARLET TANAGER

Tomhannock Reservoir 5/20: DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT

Vischer Ferry NHP 5/20: PIED-BILLED GREBE, AMERICAN BITTERN, LEAST
BITTERN, COMMON MOORHEN, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, and
COMMON NIGHTHAWK

Petersburgh 5/22: OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER

West Sand Lake 5/24: An albino BLUE JAY photographed

Colonie, Mohawk River bike path 5/24: BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO

Went back to Papscanee again yesterday (Wednesday, 5/24) evening. In the first wet spot in the fields along the left side of the road to the north entrance 7 Semipalmated Plovers were resting and feeding. Further along 2 Solitary Sandpipers (acting solitary, 1 on each side of the road) were also feeding.

At the flooded fields by the south entrance a single Greater Yellowlegs and several Killdeer foraged.

Along the trail at the south entrance the missing Carolina Wren was back with reinforcements (at least three fledglings). And a Wood Thrush and I startled each other (ok, I was probably more startled) when it popped off its nest about six-and-a-half feet off the ground but about three feet from my head.

Corey Finger




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I noticed this goose on the side of I787 in the company of several
normal Canada geese. It looks from the pattern on the back to be a
cross of a Canada and a domestic goose. It was identical in size to the
Canada's and also vocalized as a Canada would. Ideas?

http://www.through-my-lens.com/new.htm#cross

On another note there is now a 2 nest Heron rookery at the hand hollow
conservation area.

Dennis

Dennis Donohue
Freelance Nature and Equine Photography
Watervliet, NY
http://www.through-my-lens.com
http://www.silksatsunrise.com

I have posted some new pictures in my album. They are no Nadler's but
I like em! Linda W. Porter Corners

You never know what you'll get when you google.

Here is an interesting site of local interest.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/eagle/spring2006/Update050306.html

Good Birding,

Will Raup
Albany, NY

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I saw another exchange at the Peregrine Falcon nest this afternoon about 3:30. I had a much better view of the nest. The falcons stayed off to one side long enough for me to see that there are 4 eggs.

Paul Saffold
Hudson Falls, NY
capasa@...

The PEFA have returned to nest again in the Jointa-Galusha quarry near Glen St. in Glens Falls. I saw the PEFAs switching incubation duties this afternoon and I was able to see 2 eggs. I could not see all of the nest so it is possible that there are other eggs.

Last year there were 2 chicks that fledged.

I will post updates as they occur.

Paul Saffold
Hudson Falls, NY
capasa@...

I birded Papscanee Island yesterday evening for about an hour. The
fields on the way in are getting more and more overgrown with
vegetation but I still found a couple Greater Yellowlegs (there were
probably more shorebirds around but I can only stand behind my scope
for so long). Along the trail a Yellow-throated Vireo was
singing...this was the first time I found one without someone else
pointing out its "Three-A, Three-A" song so I was pretty proud of
myself. I flushed a pair of Veerys that I am pretty sure have a
nest but I couldn't spot it. Also, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (which
wasn't around on Saturday) let me get a brief, unsatisfying look
through the very thick undergrowth. Unfortunately, the Cerulean was
nowhere to be seen.
Be careful on the dirt road in...I have twice recently nearly run
over turtles (a baby snapper and a young painted) in the road even
though I was driving slowly.

I've had a couple of questions about some Century Run birds so here
goes...first off, the rails and bitterns at Black Creek Marsh are
pretty easy to get if you get there early in the morning and listen
(or, if it's dead quiet, play a tape of them)...I had never seen or
heard Virginia Rail, American or Least Bittern before this spring
but their voices are completely distinct. I am sure other people
have more experience and can probably offer more pointers than this.

Second, the Worm-eating Warbler (originally found by Tom Williams)
hangs out at the Deer Mountain Nature Trail in Coeymans just over
the little wooden bridge on the east trail (literally about 20 feet
beyond the bridge on the left). You can probably hear it from the
parking lot (and you might have to be happy with hearing it as it is
pretty shy about showing itself).

Good Birding,
Corey Finger

Hope - it's time for these birds to migrate through to their nesting areas - bogs in the Adirondacks for the ones that nest in NYS. They are one of the later migrants, along with most of the other flycatcher clan. You could look on the atlas maps to see how close they nest to you. Go to www.dec.state.ny.us and search on "bird atlas".

Alan

Hi all!
Earlier today (12:30ish) I had an Olive-sided Flycatcher here in Petersburgh. Does anybody know how common they are around here at this time of year? I've never seen one in this area before, so I don't know...
Happy birding!
~Hope Batcheller

I hesitate to call this a true century run because (1) we did not break 100,
and (2) we thought of it more as a 13-hour day of intense birding, rather
than the frenetic pace of trying to 'get' as many species as possible. The
group composition was somewhat varied during the day and partially impacted by
baseball. However, we collectively tallied about 85 species in 13 hours,
beginning at 0600 at Vischer Ferry and ending at 1900 at Five Rivers, with visits
to Thacher Park and Thompson's Lake in between. Wind and cold certainly
hampered the birding, but highlights included:

- Orchard Oriole (first year male), Least Bittern, Common Moorhen, and YB
Cuckoo at Vischer Ferry

- BTG, BTB warbler, Ovenbird (seen well - which delayed us), and Scarlet
Tanager - enjoyed views at eye level from a higher elevation road, with further
delayed us)

- A family of Louisiana Waterthrushes along the Vlomankill trail at Five
Rivers in the early evening - with at least one fledged young, very active,
loud chipping... BBCuckoo, Prairie warbler and Blue-winged warbler at Five
Rivers as well.

- Participants: Denise Hackert-Stoner, Scott Stoner, Gregg Recer, Bryce
Recer, and Cathy Graichen

Just to add on what Corey reported, we also had a very cooperative Eastern Screech Owl at Five Rivers and a single Great Horned Owl near Black Creek Marsh. We also had Solitary Sandpiper at several locations and a total of 5 Bald Eagles, including a great look at an adult at New St. in Cohoes.

We also missed Northern Waterthrush and Fish Crow. It should also be noted that both Northern Harriers we saw, were Males.

Will Raup
Albany, NY

From: Corey Finger <here471@...>
To: Bird Line <birdline@...>, Hudson Mohawk <hmbirds@...>
Subject: [HMBirds] 5/20 Century Run
Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 08:54:12 -0700 (PDT)

Tom Williams, Will Raup and I gathered 123 species in 18 hours (3 AM-9 PM) in the Century Run. Highlights included:

A single (juvenile) Common Loon at Lake Myosotis;
Virginia Rail, Sora, Least and American Bittern, Black-billed Cuckoo and Yellow-throated Vireo at Black Creek Marsh;
19 species of wood warbler, including a territorial Worm-eating Warbler singing at the Deer Mountain Nature Trail in Coeymans and a very territorial male Cerulean Warbler that came down out of the canopy to investigate us at Papscanee Island (definitely the best of the day as far as I am concerned);
All 6 expected species of Woodpecker;
6 species of Flycatcher (but no Pewees);
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs at the flooded fields on the way into the south entrance of Papscanee Island;
A Savannah Sparrow, an Eastern Meadowlark and a Northern Harrier in the "high tundra" in (near?) Renselaerville;
Common Nighthawks (several) feeding on bugs attracted by streetlamps between the New St. Dam and the bridge above it in Cohoes;
Pied-billed Grebe and Comon Moorhen at Vischer Ferry.

We missed Common Raven, Indigo Bunting, Carolina Wren and could not find the Orchard Orioles at the Renn. Tech Park. Also, the lack of sunlight seemed to keep the raptors down--we only had 6 species.

Good Birding,

Corey Finger


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This is just a reminder to anyone who got out yesterday to do the HMBC Century Run. Please remember to send your list of sightings, observers, times, and localities to Bob Yunick for his compilation. If anyone needs Bob's address, reply to me off-line. Look for an article and table in Feathers in a couple months.

Larry Alden

My wife Kathy and I did our 1st Big Day/Century Run here yesterday
(2AM-7PM). Our plan was to stick mostly to Fulton, Montgomery, and
Schoharie Counties and eventually finish in Schenectady County. The
cold, rain and wind in that higher elevation area eventually drove
us east to Albany and certainly contributed to our stopping early.
Our total was 105 species. I'm amazed by our misses--ours included
Hairy Woodpecker, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, and Chimney
Swift. I think some birds took the day off, the few stakeouts we
did have were a mixed bag. Some more scouting and refining this
route probably would also help.

Our highlights:
13 warbler species including Canada, Nashville, N. Parula, and
Blackpoll along Pinnacle Rd., Bleecker Twp., Fulton Co.
Common Loon--Pine Lake, Caroga Twp., Fulton Co. (where they breed)
Grasshopper Sparrow--Kilts Rd., Sharon Twp. Schoharie Co.
Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren, Hooded Merganser, Common Moorhen at pond,
Gilmartin Corners, Root Twp., Montgomery Co.
Kahn Rd., Palatine Twp., Montgomery Co.--Harrier, Savannah Sparrow,
Sora, and a Wilson's Snipe that made me think it was a Upland
Sandpiper by sitting on a fence post 5' off the ground.
Peregrine Falcon (Albany)

Species totals:
3 rails
6 raptors
19 warblers
9 sparrows
3 swallows
6 flycatchers

Happy birding to all--
Larry Rowland
Glenville

Jackie Bogardus, Steve Chorvas, and I (Larry Alden) did the HMBC Century Run yesterday. We were in the field from 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and limited our birding to Albany County, exclusively. We ran into at least five other teams in the process (poaching our birds?)

114 species. Here are our highlights...

both cuckoos
six woodpeckers
seven flycatchers
four vireos
five swallows (anybody know of Purple Martins in Albany Co.?)
both nuthatches
three wrens
seventeen warblers
six sparrows

specifics:
Gadwall (two drakes and one hen) at Stanton Pond
Hooded Merganser in a small pond in Berne
Common Loon (one at Lake Myosotis and one flying over the escarpment at Thacher Park)
American Bittern, Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, Ruffed Grouse, Northern Waterthrush, Am. Black Duck, Alder and Willow flycatchers at Black Creek Marsh
Peregrine Falcon (Albany)
Common Raven, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Junco, Blue-headed Vireo, Blackburnian, Yellow-rump, Magnolia, BTB, BTG warblers at Thacher Park
White-throated Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Purple Finch, and more ravens at Partridge Run

We also had one Common Merganser (species 115) just over the county line in Saratoga County.

Weather was definitely a problem, with a steady cold wind in the hilltowns. The copious recent rains limited the shorebirds at the usually-productive Cohoes area.

Misses:

Green Heron, Bald Eagle (as well as some other raptors), shorebirds other than Spotted Sandpiper, all the owls, Belted Kingfisher, Carolina Wren.

Our memorable moment was having flyover American Bitterns (maybe the same one?) THREE separate times!

Larry Alden