Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Hudson Mohawk Birds > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Wednesday, March 17 at 09:46 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Merlin

17 Mar Brunswick Snow Goose/Hooded Mergansers [Brad Walker ] 17 Mar Yard Birds ["grossman.bernard" ] 17 Mar Cormorant report correction ["Nancy Jane K" ] 16 Mar Re: black raptors - Definitely tuvu's [marlene vidibor ] 16 Mar Purple ["Penny and Larry Alden" ] 16 Mar black raptors [marlene vidibor ] 16 Mar Black Hawk [marlene vidibor ] 16 Mar Unsual Feeder Bird [Will Raup ] 15 Mar Snow Geese ["Richard Guthrie" ] 15 Mar Snow Geese ["Richard Guthrie" ] 15 Mar Sharp-shinned hawk downtown albany [] 15 Mar Mike Peterson - Crown Point Banding Station ["WBU-Saratoga Springs NY" ] 11 Mar Birding Bed & Breakfast in Cape May ["ConserveBirds" ] 15 Mar Colmbia County 3-14, Great Cormorants Germantown ["Nancy Jane K" ] 15 Mar Avian Greetings From Jackson, Wyoming ["CurtM" ] 14 Mar Northern Pintails, Odd Duck at Vischer Ferry ["John" ] 14 Mar Carolina wren [] 14 Mar Wood ducks are back! ["birder428" ] 13 Mar Bald Ealges - Knickerbocker Lake, Columbia County [Will Raup ] 13 Mar Killdeer, TV ["Nancy Jane K" ] 13 Mar Brown Creeper ["grossman.bernard" ] 12 Mar American Woodcock - Vischer Ferry ["John" ] 12 Mar Great-horned Owl - New baltimore ["Richard Guthrie" ] 12 Mar Collins Lake - a few ducks ["Jeff Nadler" ] 12 Mar Shrinking Birds [Alan French ] 12 Mar Collared Canadian Geese at Collins Lake ["markclaydon.rm" ] 12 Mar Eagles, Herons, Kingfisher- 3/12 ["Thomas Williams" ] 11 Mar Black Vulture Bonanza [Chad Witko ] 10 Mar Black Vultures - New Baltimore Rest Area ["Richard Guthrie" ] 10 Mar Black Vultures - New Baltimore Rest Area ["Richard Guthrie" ] 10 Mar Ferry Drive 3/10/10 ["dpimainl" ] 10 Mar Collins Lake waterfowl ["Jeff Nadler" ] 10 Mar A Mallard Love Triangle ["avocet751" ] 10 Mar Ferry Dr. East- Ruffed Grouse and many waterfowl ["Thomas Williams" ] 10 Mar Eagles, Ashokan Reservoir ["cpkbh1" ] 10 Mar Mink Correction ["grossman.bernard" ] 10 Mar today-Saratoga County, NY ["susan" ] 09 Mar Re: Smiley's Pond Not Mill Pond (Where the Barnacle Goose Was Sighted) ["Shelley Gum" ] 09 Mar Vischer Ferry Goody ["grossman.bernard" ] 09 Mar Smiley's Pond Not Mill Pond (Where the Barnacle Goose Was Sighted) ["CurtM" ] 09 Mar Barnacle Geese--the Heavyweights Weigh In ["CurtM" ] 9 Mar Niskayuna bike path [anne magee ] 09 Mar a Few More Ashokan Eagle photos ["elisajohnsonshaw" ] 09 Mar Digiscoping suitable camera ["antes.paul" ] 9 Mar Blackbird and bluebirds [Priscilla ] 09 Mar Marsh Wren at VFNHP ["Thomas Williams" ] 9 Mar "they're here" [] 09 Mar GIY, GJ6, GJT (Yellow/Black) From Greenland and H7Y6 (Orange/whit) From Montreal ["CurtM" ] 09 Mar Redwings! ["khill" ] 09 Mar Collins Lake ["Jeff Nadler" ] 09 Mar Re: Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland ["CurtM" ] 8 Mar Grackles & Crossbills [Donna Zimmerman ] 8 Mar Re: New Arrivals (Columbia and Greene Counties) [marlene vidibor ] 8 Mar Re: Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland [Chad Witko ] 8 Mar New Arrivals (Columbia and Greene Counties) [Chad Witko ] 8 Mar Grackle! ["ConserveBirds" ] 08 Mar Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland ["CurtM" ] 08 Mar Immature eagles and small collection of sightings ["pnew40" ] 07 Mar Barnacle Goose ["justlookitup" ] 07 Mar Ramshorn-Livingston Sanctuary 3/7 ["Thomas Williams" ] 7 Mar Re:fish crows [anne magee ] 07 Mar yard observations 3/7/10 [Elayne Ryba ] 7 Mar RE: Re: Fish Crows ["Gerry Colborn" ] 07 Mar Re: Fish Crows ["jw.kent" ] 7 Mar Barnacle Goose still there in S.Egremont MA [] 7 Mar Fish Crows ["Ronald L. Harrower" ] 07 Mar Saratoga Battlefield ["vike188" ] 07 Mar Bald Eagles at Ashokan Reservoir ["avocet751" ] 07 Mar Young Feller On Ice ["CurtM" ] 6 Mar rough-legged hawk [george steele ] 06 Mar Barrow's Goldeneye Pair ["CurtM" ] 6 Mar Killdeer! ["Penny and Larry Alden" ] 06 Mar Northern Shrike gone-last photo taken ["Jeff Nadler" ] 05 Mar Re: Barrow's Goldeneye - Fort Miller ["John" ] 04 Mar Peregrine Falcon Green Island, NY ["cpkbh1" ] 4 Mar Re: Barrow's Goldeneye - Fort Miller [Chad Witko ] Subject: Brunswick Snow Goose/Hooded Mergansers From: Brad Walker <EdgarAllenHoopoe AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:45:46 -0400 Hi all, I just had a lone dark-morph SNOW GOOSE flying with a small flock of Canada Geese heading north. A quick scan of the water near my house showed a beautiful pair of HOODED MERGANSERS watching some copulating Mallards. -Brad [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Yard Birds From: "grossman.bernard" <grossman.bernard AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:42:38 -0000 A male purple finch just stopped by our feeders, while a carolina wren has been visiting, too. Three different woodpecker species chasing each other around and calling. Subject: Cormorant report correction From: "Nancy Jane K" <kernscot AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:01:43 -0000 Thanks to Rich Guthrie's questions about the 6 cormorants I reported, this is the corrected report: 2 definite Great Cormorants showing white flank patches 2 imm. Double-crested Cormorants 2 not sure I should have looked at my field guides and not relied on failing winter memories of Gloucester cormorant sightings. Nancy Kern Austerlitz, NY Subject: Re: black raptors - Definitely tuvu's From: marlene vidibor <mvidibor AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:50:21 -0700 (PDT) Found them on the Peregrine Fund website. We have several of them around here normally.  this was a big clutch. Marlene in Ghent Marlene Vidibor wildbraidart.com --- On Tue, 3/16/10, marlene vidibor wrote: From: marlene vidibor Subject: black raptors To: "birdline hmbc.net" , "hmbirds hmbirds" , "marcia anderson" , "Sandra Asmussen" , "Roberta Bernstein" , "Michael Birmingham" , "Fran Bogausch" , "Clare Bracken" <1916 AT taconic.net>, "dmdi" , "Mona Cady" , "Bill Cook" , "Robin Dropkin" , "Fred Werwaiss & Allison Heaphy" , "nancy jane kern" , "Judi & Jim Matthews" , "George Rodenhausen" , "Susan Scheck" , "carl and helen specht" , "Lorrie Dudley Tim Dormady" , "david trachtenberg" , "marion ulmer" , "MarionandWillard Ulmer" , "Valerie Wallin" , "Owen Whitby" , "Carol Whitby" , "Sandy Williams" , "Cris Winters" , "Chad Witko" , "Will Yandik" Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 5:06 PM I thought I just sent an email to all of you about 6 yellow billed black raptors flying overhead, no sound, with bright yellow beaks.  I can't find the email in my sent folder and don't know what happened to it.  I was unable to find it in researching the usual roundups of websites.  However, on the Peregrine Fund website, I found turkey vultures which look exactly like the birds I saw both from the bottom and the top.  Only one of them banked enough for me to see the beautiful brown patterning on the upper wings, the beaks were bright yellow.  From the angle and distance I would not have been able to see the red face but that's now always so visible even when they're in the trees.  We have a lot of turkey vultures around here and I assume these were they. Confirm, refute? Marlene in Ghent, Schnackenberg Rd. Marlene Vidibor wildbraidart.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Purple From: "Penny and Larry Alden" <overlook AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:43:25 -0400 After reading about the influx of Purple Finches in the north country, I wondered if they were around here, too. My question was answered this morning by a singing male Purple Finch checking out the evergreens along my road. Larry Alden Meadowdale (on the border of southern Guilderland and northern New Scotland) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: black raptors From: marlene vidibor <mvidibor AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:06:49 -0700 (PDT) I thought I just sent an email to all of you about 6 yellow billed black raptors flying overhead, no sound, with bright yellow beaks.  I can't find the email in my sent folder and don't know what happened to it.  I was unable to find it in researching the usual roundups of websites.  However, on the Peregrine Fund website, I found turkey vultures which look exactly like the birds I saw both from the bottom and the top.  Only one of them banked enough for me to see the beautiful brown patterning on the upper wings, the beaks were bright yellow.  From the angle and distance I would not have been able to see the red face but that's now always so visible even when they're in the trees.  We have a lot of turkey vultures around here and I assume these were they. Confirm, refute? Marlene in Ghent, Schnackenberg Rd. Marlene Vidibor wildbraidart.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black Hawk From: marlene vidibor <mvidibor AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:19:38 -0700 (PDT) Today in Ghent I had 6 hawks flying overhead.  The wings were black from the bottom but with a curved line diving the black into pitch and a lighter kind of see through patch.  Absolutely gorgeous lines.  They had very distinct bright yellow beaks.  One of them banked enough for me to catch a glimpse of the upper wing which appeared to have extraordinary brownish markings. Sadly, no sounds as they were clearly hunting.  They were overhead for a good close to 5 minutes, I guess flying in wide circles.  I have searched all the website and can't find anything like what I've described. Don't think they are the broad wings I had seen last year. M Marlene Vidibor wildbraidart.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Unsual Feeder Bird From: Will Raup <Hoaryredpoll AT hotmail.com> Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:57:34 -0400 Looked out the window this morning and did a double take at the feeder. Not present were the usual hoard of House Sparrows and Fish Crows, No American Crows, Grackles or Red-winged Blackbirds were present. No Chickadee's, Titmice, Nuthatches, Cardinals or Carolina Wrens. At my feeder were 6 Mallards (3 males, 3 females). Not something you see everyday at an urban feeder. Now my backyard, some would call "damp", so its not unsual to have a Mallard or two in the Spring spend the afternoon napping. But I never seen 6 before and they have never come to the feeders. 1st time for everything. Good Birding, Will Raup Albany, NY _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail is redefining busy with tools for the New Busy. Get more from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID27925::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:032010_2 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Snow Geese From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:39:32 -0400 Hundreds , no, a thousand or more, SNOW GEESE going by New Baltimore in many big flocks since dusk. The first flock that I saw go by before dark had over 600 geese in it (actually waves of skeins going over) I hear them via my monitor; flight, followed by flight. Neat Rich Guthrie New Baltimore The Greene County New York gaeltic AT capital.net http://blog.timesunion.com/birding [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Snow Geese From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:39:32 -0400 Hundreds , no, a thousand or more, SNOW GEESE going by New Baltimore in many big flocks since dusk. The first flock that I saw go by before dark had over 600 geese in it (actually waves of skeins going over) I hear them via my monitor; flight, followed by flight. Neat Rich Guthrie New Baltimore The Greene County New York gaeltic AT capital.net http://blog.timesunion.com/birding -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Sharp-shinned hawk downtown albany From: <marne-esq AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:46:01 -0400 Still here at work (almost 6 pm) and being treated to wonderful views right outside my window of a sharp-shinned hawk sitting on the back of the Brown Derby building (near Chapel & Orange Sts) There IS birdlife here other than pigeons and sparrows! Making my day after a long day here. Happy birding, Marne Subject: Mike Peterson - Crown Point Banding Station From: "WBU-Saratoga Springs NY" <wbu AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:45:12 -0400 This may not be new information for many of you but John M.C. (Mike) Peterson, who runs the banding station up at the Crown Point Historic Site, suffered a stroke back in September and has been in Montreal since. You can join me in sending your best wishes to Mike via my blog: http://bit.ly/9tliiQ Nancy Castillo Website: Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY Visit our blog: The Zen Birdfeeder [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Birding Bed & Breakfast in Cape May From: "ConserveBirds" <conservebirds AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:14:58 -0500 I'm am not affiliated in any way with this, but I have participated in the past and wanted to pass it along in case anyone is interested. The Unitarians have a Birding Bed and Breakfast each May in Cape May county, NJ. It is a reasonably priced weekend and an opportunity to see great birds in a wonderful birding area. The people are great birders and are friendly. They feed and house you, too! Info here: http://www.uucsjs.org/birding2010.html Mona South Glens Falls [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Colmbia County 3-14, Great Cormorants Germantown From: "Nancy Jane K" <kernscot AT hotmail.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:43:41 -0000 Made a big loop around the county today and got a nice variety of birds, but no new ones for me for this year. Great Cormorants - 6 on Hudson River Channel marker near Germantown, 4 males, and 2 females. Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Common and Hooded Mergs Kingfisher Great Blackbacked, Herring, and Ring-billed Gulls Mute Swans Ring-necked Ducks Am. Black Ducks Mallards Canada Geese Redbellied, Hairy, Downy, woodpeckers White-breasted Nuthatch BC Chickadees Tree Sparrows Song Sparrow Killdeer Black and Turkey Vultures Redtailed Hawks Kestrel Subject: Avian Greetings From Jackson, Wyoming From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:15:43 -0000 I saw all of these in my son's neighborhood. Trumpeter Swan running on water. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/584037918/pic/1447356972/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc Mountain Ducks--Barrow's Goldeneyes http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/584037918/pic/2129827185/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc Bombs Away--Bald Eagle http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/584037918/pic/2072752229/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc Subject: Northern Pintails, Odd Duck at Vischer Ferry From: "John" <hersheyj AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:40:21 -0000 I checked out the back pond at Vischer Ferry Preserve this afternoon and found an interesting assortment of ducks. I estimate about 50 Northern Pintails (more than I've ever seen there at one time), maybe 4 Green-winged Teal, 2 American Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 1 Ring-necked Duck, many Mallards and American Black Ducks; and 1 Mallard X American Black Duck hybrid. But, the most interesting duck by far was one that I've never seen before. It appeared to me to be a Northern Pintail and Mallard hybrid. It had the green head, chestnut chest, and white collar of a male Mallard. But, it had the more slender and elongated neck, head, and bill of a Northern Pintail. The bill was grayish blue like a Pintail rather than yellow like a drake Mallard. The white collar seemed to begin to have a white neck stripe like a drake Pintail but it did not extend very far up. The tail was also more like a Pintail. I took some digiscoped photos of this rather handsome but odd duck which I've posted in my folder (VFP). My apologies for the grainy quality of the pics due mainly to the long distance. Comments or hybrid expertise are welcomed. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/1155028296/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/1744734986/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/273587040/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/396620651/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/1272307184/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/882775384/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&dir=asc John Hershey Clifton Park Subject: Carolina wren From: <marne-esq AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:24:07 +0000 Today 3/14 in my neighborhood in Saratoga Springs, a Carolina wren was singing for quite some time this morning. Do only the males sing? If so, I'm dubbing him Justin (as in "Timberlake"). If it's a female, I will go with Mariah. I hope there is a pair who will stick around and perhaps find the attractive and well-maintained wren-sized nest box in our yard (even though I don't have any neon signs pointing to it). Also this morning and for the last three days or so, I've had a pair of house finches and another male house finch visiting the feeders. Goldfinches (including males starting to molt) are also making a more frequent appearance at the feeders. An American robin is singing starting at just before dawn. A small flock of DE Juncos (4-5) also seen in my yard this morning. Now, it's back to work :( Happy spring & birding, Marne Subject: Wood ducks are back! From: "birder428" <birder428 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:52:05 -0000 The wood ducks returned to the swamp in our yard in Salt Point on Monday 3/8. By yesterday, there were 6 males and 5 females. This morning a female was observed entering one of the nest boxes. Liz Martens Subject: Bald Ealges - Knickerbocker Lake, Columbia County From: Will Raup <Hoaryredpoll AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:55:20 -0400 There were 2 Adult Bald Eagles interacting with each other over Knickerbocker Lake, near Valatie, Columbia County this afternoon. Also many Red-tailed Hawks, with most observed as pairs. Will Raup Albany, NY _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail has tools for the New Busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?ocid=PID27925::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:032010_1 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Killdeer, TV From: "Nancy Jane K" <kernscot AT hotmail.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:34:54 -0000 First Killdeer yesterday, and FOS Turkey Vulture over our field today. Nancy Kern Austerlitz, NY Subject: Brown Creeper From: "grossman.bernard" <grossman.bernard AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:13:55 -0000 We've just had a brown creeper working one of the trees on the edge of our yard in Rexford. Subject: American Woodcock - Vischer Ferry From: "John" <hersheyj AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:49:23 -0000 I just got back from Riverview Rd. where I was listening to at least one displaying American Woodcock. From the road I could hear the "peent" sounds followed by the twittering of the wings in flight, and then the "chup-chup" sound as it descended. This was at the field just north of Vischer Ferry Preserve and just east of the hamlet of Vischer Ferry. It's great to have these birds back again! John Hershey Clifton Park Subject: Great-horned Owl - New baltimore From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:50:17 -0500 Here in the New Baltimore yard, I'm hearing a GREAT-HORNED OWL calling repeatedly this evening. I wonder where he's been till now since this is the first time this year I"ve heard him. Also two BALD EAGLES and two FISH CROWS today. A NORTHERN CARDINAL has been singing before dawn both days. Yesterday, I heard two WILD TURKEYS gobbling from across the river. I went by the cell tower by the thruway rest stop - NO Black Vultures this evening. So that may not be a reliable roost spot afterall. Rich Guthrie New Baltimore The Greene County gaeltic AT capital.net http://blog.timesunion.com/birding [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Collins Lake - a few ducks From: "Jeff Nadler" <jnphotonet AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:29:30 -0000 Waterfowl numbers are minimal - a pair of gadwall, a few American widgeon, and a few ringed-neck ducks. I was really hoping for much more - but visiting bald eagles, pied-billed grebes, and common loons have not stopped by yet. FOS killdeer and song sparrow were out in numbers and anyone who really wants to hear a singing Carolina wren, the western shore is a spot to go. Of interest to those that enjoy photographing birds, see my Collins Lake blog post: http://jnphotonet.blogspot.com/ Jeff Nadler Subject: Shrinking Birds From: Alan French <adfrench AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:20:21 -0500 http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8560000/8560694.stm Subject: Collared Canadian Geese at Collins Lake From: "markclaydon.rm" <markclaydon AT rocketmail.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:39:17 -0000 I took a quick stop by Collins Lake on Thursday, without my camera or binoculars, to see what was there. Nothing really exciting with just the naked eye except for a Canadian Goose on the water wearing a stylish yellow collar. I couldn't read the collar, and my attempts at making him come closer didn't work. Today I went back with binoculars in hand only to find the lake practically devoid of birds. As I sat waiting for new arrivals I got to watch local fisherman drown worms with a skill of which I thought only I possessed. After about 20 minutes, I could bear to watch no more and decided to leave with one last swing around the park. It was on the drive around the park that I spotted the goose and friends playing a quick game of tag on one of the baseball fields. As I approached them with binoculars in hand I discovered that of the six geese there, three of them had neck collars. I was able to read the collars as RT78, RT80, and RY24, with RT78 and RT80 being a mated pair. When I got home I reported them to the Bird Banding Labratory, and I will let all of you know when I hear something back. Mark Claydon Subject: Eagles, Herons, Kingfisher- 3/12 From: "Thomas Williams" <trwdsd AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:24:15 -0000 A muddy walk through Vischer Ferry Nature & Historic Preserve was rewarded with the following observations: Two immature Bald Eagles flying along the main waterway west of the Whipple bridge. They perched in the trees for a while, making the waterfowl split east and west. Two Great Blue Herons moved around the same area, gliding silently over the water. American Tree sparrows remain along the towpath heading west. They are now easily outnumbered by Song Sparrows. I did not detect Marsh Wren this morning. RWBB are everywhere, with their "konk-la-ree" call now a constant background sound. Common Grackle numbers are way up too. No Rusties seen or heard yet. A few robins are scattered about, as well as a couple of bluebirds. At the CP Water Authority road entrance, to the east of the bridge, the pond on the right is completely ice-free now, and there were many ducks cruising around. Mallard, black, Common and Hooded Mergansers were noted, as well as a good number of Canada Geese. The Belted Kingfisher is back on station over the pond to the left; he was doing a muted "rattle call" while eyeing me from his branch. They are one of my favorite birds; I'm glad he's back. Didn't see the missus around. Tom Williams Colonie Subject: Black Vulture Bonanza From: Chad Witko <cjtrapper AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:19:48 -0800 (PST) Greetings, Right around Noon today I checked out Rich Guthrie's reported Black Vultures. While the birds were not perched, as was expected at that time of day, there were a few (3) soaring around the cell tower/hillside just west of 9W in New Baltimore with a few Turkey Vultures (Greene County). As it usually happens when you go out of your way to see a species, the birds find you anyways. On my way home tonight there were an additional 2 Black Vultures soaring above the intersection of Ten Broeck Lane and Rte 9 in Hudson, near the Cedar Park Cemetery (Columbia County). Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles are showing up all over the place and a few Killdeer are announcing their presence in Coxsackie in some of the tilled fields. The boat launch today yielded no birds of interest (at least when I was there). Chad Witko Claverack, NY cjtrapper AT yahoo.com www.chat-happens.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Black Vultures - New Baltimore Rest Area From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:19:30 -0500 There's a roost of BLACK VULTURES visible from the New Baltimore Thruway Rest Stop parking area. This evening I counted 10 of them at the very highest horizontal components of a cell-tower visible by looking to the north and slightly west of the parking area. The tower can also be seen from the outside of the thruway property from NYS Rt. 144, where the railroad tracks cross, just east of Rt. 9-W. Rich Guthrie New Baltimore gaeltic AT capital.net -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l AT cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ -- Subject: Black Vultures - New Baltimore Rest Area From: "Richard Guthrie" <gaeltic AT capital.net> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:19:30 -0500 There's a roost of BLACK VULTURES visible from the New Baltimore Thruway Rest Stop parking area. This evening I counted 10 of them at the very highest horizontal components of a cell-tower visible by looking to the north and slightly west of the parking area. The tower can also be seen from the outside of the thruway property from NYS Rt. 144, where the railroad tracks cross, just east of Rt. 9-W. Rich Guthrie New Baltimore gaeltic AT capital.net [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ferry Drive 3/10/10 From: "dpimainl" <larry.main AT cengage.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:21:01 -0000 I stopped by Ferry Drive today about about 5pm. In addition to the waterfowl listed by Tom W, I added Wood Ducks, Green-winged Teal, and Northern Pintail. Lots of activity up and down the River. Larry Main Clifton Park Subject: Collins Lake waterfowl From: "Jeff Nadler" <jnphotonet AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:26:16 -0000 More species variety but still low numbers today gadwall, 1 pair American widgeon - 3 pair ring-necked duck - 7 common merganser - 2 dozen northern pintail - 2 pair blog: gadwall photo here: http://jnphotonet.blogspot.com/ Jeff Nadler Subject: A Mallard Love Triangle From: "avocet751" <blu.e75.jay AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:00:34 -0000 Romance turns to violence when a rival appears on the scene. Full story and photos on my blog at: http://blog.catbirdnotes.com/2010/03/10/mallards/ Clint Subject: Ferry Dr. East- Ruffed Grouse and many waterfowl From: "Thomas Williams" <trwdsd AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:51:36 -0000 Thanks to a tip from John H., I was able to find a Ruffed Grouse on the east side of Ferry Dr. The bird flushed about twenty feet from me, making a sort of "quip, quip" call as it left in a hurry. The habitat is different than much of the rest of the area, with sloping hillsides and many pines. The bird was in the pine straw beneath one of those pines. There were waterfowl up and down the Mohawk River this morning at 9AM. From the outcrop at Ferry Dr. near Vischer Ferry, a scan of the river revealed many Canada Geese, Mallard, black ducks, three Bufflehead, many Common Mergansers, a single American Wigeon, at least one Ringed-necked Duck, and many gulls. Tom Williams Colonie Subject: Eagles, Ashokan Reservoir From: "cpkbh1" <cpkbh1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:45:04 -0000 I also with a tip from Elisa (thanks very much) made the trip down to Ashokan Reservoir the other day and was rewarded with some great views of the eagles there. Here is a link to a few of the many many photos I took while down there: http://kenharperphotos.com/pelikenphotos_081.htm Subject: Mink Correction From: "grossman.bernard" <grossman.bernard AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:29:47 -0000 Chris asked me to point out that I incorrectly stated that she saw the mink pop up out of a hole in the ice. She only saw them as they ran along the ice on the canal surface. Subject: today-Saratoga County, NY From: "susan" <stewart51 AT verizon.net> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:02:57 -0000 FOY- Killdeer-1, Red-wing BlackBird-1 RTHawk active hunting.. several along walk route NoCardinal singing RBGull soaring on thermals hear- HoFinch, BlueBird have been vocal TuTi, BCCH vocal on different pitches.. Listening for AmWoodCock BrCreeper Ah-spring-here in Burnt Hills Sue Stewart Subject: Re: Smiley's Pond Not Mill Pond (Where the Barnacle Goose Was Sighted) From: "Shelley Gum" <shelley.gum AT verizon.net> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:52:40 -0500 Never never doubt a librarian :-)) Cheers, Shelley in Poughkeepsie ----- Original Message ----- From: CurtM To: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 5:52 PM Subject: [HMBirds] Smiley's Pond Not Mill Pond (Where the Barnacle Goose Was Sighted) According to the local librarian there, the small body of water at the intersection of Routes 23 and 41 in south Egremont, MA is known by the locals as Smiley's Pond, not Mill Pond as it was called 100 years ago (Mill Pond is still used on the Google Map for that pond). So it is official--Smiley's Pond not Mill Pond! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Vischer Ferry Goody From: "grossman.bernard" <grossman.bernard AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:08:02 -0000 Chris was walking west along the towpath at Vischer Ferry this afternoon when she saw two mink pop up through the ice on the canal and run away on it. The marsh wren spotting there as well as the response from the Danish researcher concerning the tagged Canada Geese were interesting notes for today. Subject: Smiley's Pond Not Mill Pond (Where the Barnacle Goose Was Sighted) From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:52:16 -0000 According to the local librarian there, the small body of water at the intersection of Routes 23 and 41 in south Egremont, MA is known by the locals as Smiley's Pond, not Mill Pond as it was called 100 years ago (Mill Pond is still used on the Google Map for that pond). So it is official--Smiley's Pond not Mill Pond! Subject: Barnacle Geese--the Heavyweights Weigh In From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:47:17 -0000 Min T. Huang (Migratory Gamebird Program Leader CT DEP N. Franklin CT) has this to say about the BGs-- "2 years ago we saw several barnacles mixed in with 9 of those Greenland collared birds, certain that we see wild barnacles here in CT from time to time. Friend of mine who does a lot of scanning of CAGO flocks is pretty much convinced that 7 of 10 of the big wintering flocks in CT contain a whitefront, if you look hard enough." Tony Fox (Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity, National Environmental Research Institute, University of Aarhus, Denmark)-- "The Barnacle Goose - what can I say!?? It is impossible to be sure if these birds are wild or not, but in my humble opinion there is more and more chance of wild European Geese making it to the eastern US now than ever before. With a whole host of goose experts, we have recently reviewed the status of all goose populations in Europe and the Barnacle Goose is increasing faster than most. The Russian population has started to breed in the Baltic and latterly in the North Sea areas, so this formerly arctic species now breeds on its former winter quarters and numbers close to 800,000. The east Greenland population (which winters in many of the same areas as the Greenland White-fronted Goose in Britain and Ireland and so therefore are likely to get caught up with them in west Greenland) has increased from 40,000 in the mid 1990s to over 71,000 now. Both Pink-footed and Barancle Geese nest in east Greenland, the far side of the massive 3 km high central ice cap, so there are good reasons why there are not huge numbers of these species in west Greenland. That said, the entire population of White-fronted Geese cross the inland ice every spring and autumn to get to their breeding areas in west Greenland. Once there, there are of course more and more Canada Geese in west Greenland that return to the US in autumn, so if they get caught up with these flocks, it is not beyond the realms of possibility of a vagrant making it all the way to you. There is no doubt there are more and more records of Greenland White-fronted Geese from your areas, even though their population size has decreased in the last 15 years, and the same is true of both Pink-feet and Barnacles. I think it is natural that you will see more of all three species, but without rings, it is hard to know if they are genuine vagrants or not!" Subject: Niskayuna bike path From: anne magee <annem122 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 13:56:44 -0800 (PST) Listening for and hearing the sounds of spring walking along the path,saw 2 white crowned sparrows scratching in the thicket,one common grackle,and oddly not yet no RWBB's heard or seen .Ice jam still present attracting the gulls...thought I was seeing a GB heron across the river in VF preserve and up the river but couldn't see well enough without a scope. Very nice day !! Anne Magee Albany [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: a Few More Ashokan Eagle photos From: "elisajohnsonshaw" <emjsmp AT hvc.rr.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:16:40 -0000 Taken today - March 9th. Long wait for them but worth it http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/2121293887/pic/715374985/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/2121293887/pic/408673630/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/2121293887/pic/1214010317/view?picmode=medium&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc - Elisa Shaw Subject: Digiscoping suitable camera From: "antes.paul" <Antes.Paul AT verizon.net> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:18:13 -0000 I hope this is OK to post. does anyone have a recommendation for an entry level camera suitable ($200-250) for digiscoping? Subject: Blackbird and bluebirds From: Priscilla <greenmtbluebird AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 11:36:24 -0800 (PST) At 5:45 am. I was awakened by a neighborhood hound dog howling to get back indoors.  But then I heard it...an Eastern bluebird singing just outside my window near a nesting box.  I sure hope his mate likes the place and decides to spend the summer.  Later I saw a RWBB eating on the ground with the crows. Had a pair of chickadees checking out another nesting box. Yesterday I saw (or identified) my first fish crow.  I never paid much attention to crows until I witnessed the massive roosting flight in Troy last year.  After all of the recent comments on fish crows, I checked out their call on the internet. I heard an "unk, unk" as I was getting out of my car at the Clifton Park Mall and looked up to see this smaller size crow in a tree.  I have learned so much by being part of hmbirds! Priscilla Leonard Jonesville [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Marsh Wren at VFNHP From: "Thomas Williams" <trwdsd AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:39:18 -0000 The RWBB numbers are increasing at Vischer Ferry NHP, and I saw my first three Common Grackles this morning. Most remarkably, however, a single Marsh Wren was singing from the crushed cattails along the towpath headed west, across from the first white house. I recorded them on Nov. 27th, and again on Jan. 19th, but after the heavy snows of late Februaury, which crushed and covered all apparent reed and cattail stands, I was doubtful as to their survival. BNA online shows overwintering birds as far north as southern NJ. I'll have to check Bull's tonight to see about any records farther north. Tough little guys, eh? Tom Williams Colonie Subject: "they're here" From: <marne-esq AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 9:25:04 -0500 (as said in "Poltergeist") As others are starting to report: on way to work this morning, saw a RWBB staking out his territory near the SPAC entrance in Saratoga Springs. Saw 4 more along the Northway between Exits 13 and 9. A robin is now singing starting just after 5 AM. Happy spring! Marne Subject: GIY, GJ6, GJT (Yellow/Black) From Greenland and H7Y6 (Orange/whit) From Montreal From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:18:36 -0000 I received an email from Dr. Tony Fox in Denmark concerning the geese on Mill Pond in South Egremont. There are some with bands but no collars; can someone read the yellow bands? Here's the email: I cannot tell you how thrilled we were to receive your mail with the reports of collared Canada Geese GJ6, GJT and GIY which you reported seen at Mill Pond, Sheffield, South Egremont, Massachusetts. I write to confirm that these were geese that we banded in Greenland and that we are extremely excited about the news! These were birds banded as part of a project to mark Greenland White-fronted and Canada Geese in west Greenland in the summers of 2008 and 2009. All three were originally caught on 17th July 2008 on at a lake simply known as Lake T to the catching team (very few lakes in this area have Greenlandic names) which is at 67°07'58"N 50°34'02"W in an area known as Isunngua, immediately north of the airport at Kangerlussuaq in west Greenland. This has been a study area for our investigations on and off over many years. All were adults, GJ6 was at that point ringed with the collar GLB, she and GJT were females, GIY was a male, all part of a catch of 42 non-breeding birds (there being no goslings associated). The amazing this is that all three were resighted on a nearby lake U at 67°08'04"N 50°34'26"W on 18th July 2009, GIY was seen there on that date, but not retrapped, but both GLB and GJT were caught and GLB was recollared with the code GJ6. What is more remarkable, is that GIY and GJT were reported from Smiley's Lake in South Egremont last year, on 15th March 2009, a site which I make about 5 kilometres from Mill Pond as the goose flies, and just a week apart one year later! Strangely, GLB/GJ6 was not with them then, and had been see alone in Connecticut and New York earlier in winter 2008/9. Needless to say, if you have any other later reports of this bird or any other ringed or collared Canada Geese (especially those beginning with G since these are ours!) please do not hesitate to report them - we would be extremely interested to know whether any other collars turn up in this area. All very best wishes and enormous thanks again! Tony Fox Department of Wildlife Ecology and Biodiversity National Environmental Research Institute University of Aarhus Kalø Grenåvej 14 DK-8410 Rønde Denmark Subject: Redwings! From: "khill" <naomi_kestrel AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:36:38 -0000 Red-winged blackbirds calling in the fields by my house this morning. Only a few so far, but what a welcome sound! Naomi Lloyd West Sand Lake Subject: Collins Lake From: "Jeff Nadler" <jnphotonet AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:15:43 -0000 Open water on 75% of the lake now - northern pintail - 1 hooded merganser - 2 common merganser - 24 male red-winged blackbirds singing - 3 common grackle - 1 carolina wren - 1 belted kingfisher - 1 great black-backed gull - 1 adult and 1 subadult Jeff Nadler Subject: Re: Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:35:47 -0000 Chad, I clearly read the letters and numbers on these bands with my 60x scope; I reported them to Bryan L. Swift, Leader of the Game Bird Unit NYSDEC Bureau of Wildlife. He told me right away that these numbers correspond to the banding (ringing) program going on in western Greenland. I am awaiting a response from Dr. Tony Fox who helped to lead that banding program in Isungua, Greenland near the Russell Glacier. Curt http://greenland09.wikispaces.com/Ringing+results+and+recoveries --- In hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com, Chad Witko wrote: > > Curt, > > If the locations of the banding site for these birds is as you say (and I trust this), then I think we can start safely thinking about the reason why the Barnacle Goose has made it to MA. Very good to know... > > I know the bird was sighted on Saturday, was there any reports from yesterday or today. I have yet to chase the bird myself and I wondered today as I saw lots of Canada Geese moving north about the bird's status. > > Chad Witko > Claverack, NY > cjtrapper AT ... > www.chat-happens.com (birding blog) > > --- On Mon, 3/8/10, CurtM wrote: > > From: CurtM > Subject: [HMBirds] Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland > To: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com > Date: Monday, March 8, 2010, 5:30 PM > > > > > > > >   > > > > > > > > > > No Barnacle Goose seen in Mill Pond in South Egremont, MA today; though I searched long and hard. I did see in this pond 4 neck-banded Canada Geese, three of which (yellow/black) were banded in the summer of 2009 in west Greenland near the Russell Glacier in a place called Issungua, Greenland*. For information about this banding program see the site below ** The 4rth goose had a orange/white number and I am awaiting a report from DEC on its origin. > > > > * http://images. google.com/ imgresimgurl= http://upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/ commons/thumb/ 1/14/Greenland_ location_ map.svg/300pxGre enland_location_ map.svg.png& imgrefurl= http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ Kangerlussuaq& usg=__ZZWHdFgtHY BEVPbi8y4Nte_ Xqk=&h=329& w=300&sz= 39&hl=en& start=14& itbs=1&tbnid= v0DaCFszdjlJQM: &tbnh=119& tbnw=109& prev=/images% 3Fq%3DIsunngua, %2Bgreenland% 26hl%3Den% 26tbs%3Disch: 1 > > > > ** > > http://greenland09. wikispaces. com/Ringing+ results+and+ recoveries > > > > Curt Morgan > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: Grackles & Crossbills From: Donna Zimmerman <hmbcbirder95 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 20:25:14 -0800 (PST) I saw my first Common Grackles of the year today; one on my morning walk to the bus stop in Colonie & two on the walk home in the afternoon.  There were also 3 Robins in one tree & one in another in the morning. Yesterday morning, Ellen & I saw our first Red Crossbills.  They were a mated pair at Burnt-Rossman State Forest in Schoharie County.  The female had been seen on Sat. carrying nesing material with the male following behind her.  Thank you, Tom for helping us locate these birds on Sunday.  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: New Arrivals (Columbia and Greene Counties) From: marlene vidibor <mvidibor AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 19:14:40 -0800 (PST) A pine tree full of cedar waxwings off my back deck. What a sight! First time I've seen them so close to the house. Usually they're up by the road and on wires. Great view. Then they were gone. Marlene in Ghent Marlene Vidibor wildbraidart.com ________________________________ From: Chad Witko To: Birds Hudson-Mohawk ; birdline HMBC Sent: Mon, March 8, 2010 10:12:05 PM Subject: [HMBirds] New Arrivals (Columbia and Greene Counties) Greetings, Between running some errands and work, I made it to a few different places in Columbia and Greene County today and had several new arrivals on the year. Not much, but a good sign of the spring to come. Columbia County: Kinderhook- 9h: Red-winged Blackbird (50) Killdeer (1) Coxsackie: Great Blue Heron (1)- Smith Rd. Catskill: Fish Crow (4)- 9w At the Coxsackie Boat Launch I could not pull out any different gulls. The "bully" Iceland Gull that has been frequenting the parking lot was not around either, which was a shame as I wanted to show my fiancee who came along for a day of work with me. Best, Chad Witko Claverack, NY cjtrapper AT yahoo. com www.chat-happens. com (birding blog) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland From: Chad Witko <cjtrapper AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 19:04:20 -0800 (PST) Curt, If the locations of the banding site for these birds is as you say (and I trust this), then I think we can start safely thinking about the reason why the Barnacle Goose has made it to MA. Very good to know... I know the bird was sighted on Saturday, was there any reports from yesterday or today. I have yet to chase the bird myself and I wondered today as I saw lots of Canada Geese moving north about the bird's status. Chad Witko Claverack, NY cjtrapper AT yahoo.com www.chat-happens.com (birding blog) --- On Mon, 3/8/10, CurtM wrote: From: CurtM Subject: [HMBirds] Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland To: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, March 8, 2010, 5:30 PM   No Barnacle Goose seen in Mill Pond in South Egremont, MA today; though I searched long and hard. I did see in this pond 4 neck-banded Canada Geese, three of which (yellow/black) were banded in the summer of 2009 in west Greenland near the Russell Glacier in a place called Issungua, Greenland*. For information about this banding program see the site below ** The 4rth goose had a orange/white number and I am awaiting a report from DEC on its origin. * http://images. google.com/ imgresimgurl= http://upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/ commons/thumb/ 1/14/Greenland_ location_ map.svg/300pxGre enland_location_ map.svg.png& imgrefurl= http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/ Kangerlussuaq& usg=__ZZWHdFgtHY BEVPbi8y4Nte_ Xqk=&h=329& w=300&sz= 39&hl=en& start=14& itbs=1&tbnid= v0DaCFszdjlJQM: &tbnh=119& tbnw=109& prev=/images% 3Fq%3DIsunngua, %2Bgreenland% 26hl%3Den% 26tbs%3Disch: 1 ** http://greenland09. wikispaces. com/Ringing+ results+and+ recoveries Curt Morgan [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: New Arrivals (Columbia and Greene Counties) From: Chad Witko <cjtrapper AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 19:12:05 -0800 (PST) Greetings, Between running some errands and work, I made it to a few different places in Columbia and Greene County today and had several new arrivals on the year. Not much, but a good sign of the spring to come. Columbia County: Kinderhook- 9h: Red-winged Blackbird (50) Killdeer (1) Coxsackie: Great Blue Heron (1)- Smith Rd. Catskill: Fish Crow (4)- 9w At the Coxsackie Boat Launch I could not pull out any different gulls. The "bully" Iceland Gull that has been frequenting the parking lot was not around either, which was a shame as I wanted to show my fiancee who came along for a day of work with me. Best, Chad Witko Claverack, NY cjtrapper AT yahoo.com www.chat-happens.com (birding blog) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Grackle! From: "ConserveBirds" <conservebirds AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 18:23:20 -0500 Yes, I know, I know... it's a grackle! But it's the first in my yard and a welcome bird - yea! Now I want to hear that first red-winged blackbird... Mona Bearor So. Glens Falls, NY Subject: Three Geese Banded in Western Greenland From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:30:52 -0000 No Barnacle Goose seen in Mill Pond in South Egremont, MA today; though I searched long and hard. I did see in this pond 4 neck-banded Canada Geese, three of which (yellow/black) were banded in the summer of 2009 in west Greenland near the Russell Glacier in a place called Issungua, Greenland*. For information about this banding program see the site below ** The 4rth goose had a orange/white number and I am awaiting a report from DEC on its origin. * http://images.google.com/imgresimgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Greenland_location_map.svg/300pxGreenland_location_map.svg.png&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangerlussuaq&usg=__ZZWHdFgtHYBEVPbi8y4Nte_Xqk=&h=329&w=300&sz=39&hl=en&start=14&itbs=1&tbnid=v0DaCFszdjlJQM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3DIsunngua,%2Bgreenland%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1 ** http://greenland09.wikispaces.com/Ringing+results+and+recoveries Curt Morgan Subject: Immature eagles and small collection of sightings From: "pnew40" <pnewman AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:26:57 -0000 Two seperate bald eagle sightings. Saturday we saw an Immature flying briefly over the river in Stillwater. One lone little Bufflehead bobbing around and a few Golden Eyes. Sunday we walked the Bike Path alittle in Niskayuna (think we saw a Peregrine Falcon chasing a small bird ,can not be confirmed) Later on leaving we drove along the road along river going into the water treatment area there. Saw another immature Bald Eagle being harrased by a seagull flying over one of the treatment pools. going home checked out Collins Lake..always hopefull to see my Eagles back as i enjoyed them so much almost everyday for a month last year. Alas this Feb./March has been a different year and has not given us too much to see with the ice intact untill very recently. I realize I was spoiled last year with all the neat birds to view there late winter. Yesterday ,a Redtail hawk being chased by crows ,a great blue heron in the small water area behind the lake where wood ducks hopefully will be seen again soon.On the lake a lone Ringneck was seen and a small group of common Merganzers with the usual Canandian geese and mallards. Pat Newman Glenville Subject: Barnacle Goose From: "justlookitup" <justlookitup AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:51:05 -0000 Bill Cook and I saw the Barnacle Goose in early afternoon on Sat., March 6. My first attempt at digiscoping is posted in the Photos section and below. The bird is snoozing in the background, partially hidden. The photo offers a size comparison with the Canada Geese in front of it, and shows the dark breast and pattern on the back. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/8409059/pic/353898700\ /view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc The bird did very briefly wake up and look around - what beautiful markings it had on its face! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Ramshorn-Livingston Sanctuary 3/7 From: "Thomas Williams" <trwdsd AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:12:39 -0000 At the end of a trip south along the Hudson River through Albany and Greene counties, Colleen and I stopped at the Ramshorn-Livingston Sanctuary towards noon. The highlights were an adult Bald Eagle, and a Wood Duck along the creek. Tom Williams Colonie Subject: Re:fish crows From: anne magee <annem122 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 14:09:05 -0800 (PST) This morning as I got home from work,I was greeted by the caws of a fish crow in a tall tree nearby,very nice and I have heard it before this year but somehow today it made it seem more like spring. oh those lovely sounds of spring are beginning.. almost expected to see some crocuses too. Anne Magee  Albany [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: yard observations 3/7/10 From: Elayne Ryba <eryba AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:36:50 -0500 -- Niskayuna FOY c. grackle the Pileateds have returned to the suet feeder very few white throat sparrows or juncos around the male cardinals are less tolerant of each other & have been singing since mid-Feb. the hairy, downy & red-bellied woodpeckers are getting romantic Elayne Ryba Subject: RE: Re: Fish Crows From: "Gerry Colborn" <gcolborn AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 14:59:31 -0500 To add to the conversation, I heard Fish Crow at Peeble's Island Yesterday. Also seen were 3 Bald Eagles, Cooper's Hawk and Carolina Wren. Robins were everywhere. From: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of jw.kent Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2010 10:23 AM To: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [HMBirds] Re: Fish Crows Fish Crows also seem to be unusually abundant in Albany in the past month or so. On my morning walks to work I have been hearing at least 2 or 3 of them each morning, and sometimes 5+. I also hear them in my neighborhood nearly every day. John Kent Albany --- In hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com , "Ronald L. Harrower" wrote: > > Though not on the circuit much these days, I was pleased to hear the nasal caws of 4-5 Fish Crows around my house on the outskirts of Saratoga Springs this morning. This the second year they've come here. > > Ron Harrower > Saratoga Springs > March 7, 2010 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Re: Fish Crows From: "jw.kent" <jw.kent AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:23:13 -0000 Fish Crows also seem to be unusually abundant in Albany in the past month or so. On my morning walks to work I have been hearing at least 2 or 3 of them each morning, and sometimes 5+. I also hear them in my neighborhood nearly every day. John Kent Albany --- In hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com, "Ronald L. Harrower" wrote: > > Though not on the circuit much these days, I was pleased to hear the nasal caws of 4-5 Fish Crows around my house on the outskirts of Saratoga Springs this morning. This the second year they've come here. > > Ron Harrower > Saratoga Springs > March 7, 2010 Subject: Barnacle Goose still there in S.Egremont MA From: ScottJStoner AT aol.com Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 10:23:02 EST as of late afternoon on Sat March 6, same location as previously reported. - Scott [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Fish Crows From: "Ronald L. Harrower" <rlharrow AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 10:17:54 -0500 Though not on the circuit much these days, I was pleased to hear the nasal caws of 4-5 Fish Crows around my house on the outskirts of Saratoga Springs this morning. This the second year they've come here. Ron Harrower Saratoga Springs March 7, 2010 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Saratoga Battlefield From: "vike188" <vike188 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:14:48 -0000 Several of us went and enjoyed the SEOWs at the Battlefield on Friday and Saturday. On Friday we walked from the parking lot up to the red barn and back around 4:30-5:15 and saw at least nine owls, and probably at as many as 14. High winds on Saturday dropped the count to five birds. However on Saturday we also saw one owl in the field on the south side of Rt 32. I haven't heard any reports of that before so I though I'd share. Earlie on Friday we stopped at Cohoes Falls but failed to spot any Bald Eagles but got to witness a Peregrine crouch into a dive and whack a pigeon. On Saturday we saw three vultures flying above the Toyota dealership south of Mechanicville (which makes one wonder if you'd want to buy a car in a place called Mechanicville. I guess maybe yes.). Two of them were Blacks, as far north as I've ever seen them. FOY Fish Crow in Stillwater and an early FOY Phoebe at the Stillwater Jerky store. FOY Killdeer at Saratoga Battlefield too. Subject: Bald Eagles at Ashokan Reservoir From: "avocet751" <blu.e75.jay AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:51:46 -0000 Thanks to Elisa's photos and directions, we were inspired to go look for the Bald Eagles at Ashokan Reservoir. We were not disappointed. Although the nest can only be observed from quite distance, the adult male perched in a tree and was quite accessible and I got the closest and most detailed photos of a Bald Eagle I have ever gotten. He is gorgeous. I posted a few photos on my photo blog at http://blog.catbirdnotes.com/2010/03/06/eagles/ -- Clint Subject: Young Feller On Ice From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2010 02:52:19 -0000 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/451306631/pic/1548526262/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=221&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/451306631/pic/1556535599/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=221&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/451306631/pic/839144916/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=221&dir=asc http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/451306631/pic/270704006/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=221&dir=asc Subject: rough-legged hawk From: george steele <unlessyoucare AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 18:46:05 -0800 (PST) Caught a look at a rough-legged hawk in flight over Route 30 at the intersection of 30 and Route 161 this afternoon. George Steele [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Barrow's Goldeneye Pair From: "CurtM" <pcmjr54 AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:38:55 -0000 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/451306631/pic/1682656150/view?picmode=original&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=221&dir=asc Subject: Killdeer! From: "Penny and Larry Alden" <overlook AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Sat, 6 Mar 2010 10:05:49 -0500 I was running errands this morning and stopped where Black Creek crosses Meadowdale Road to look for a possible Northern Shrike (no luck), but then saw a shorebird running around on the ice in the floodplain on the east side of the road. It was a Killdeer, stopping frequently to pick at some unseen speck on the ice, hopefully some kind of insect food! Larry Alden Meadowdale (on the border of southern Guilderland and northern New Scotland) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Subject: Northern Shrike gone-last photo taken From: "Jeff Nadler" <jnphotonet AT yahoo.com> Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:49:48 -0000 The northern shrike in Charlton seems to have departed and now the mockingbird is hanging out in the same shrubs. This was the last photo that I took of the shrike during the last day I encountered it near the road. http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/8337/northernshrike006.jpg Jeff Nadler Subject: Re: Barrow's Goldeneye - Fort Miller From: "John" <hersheyj AT nycap.rr.com> Date: Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:07:28 -0000 I went back to Fort Miller this morning to see if I could get a better look and some better pictures of the female Barrow's (or whatever else it might be) Goldeneye that I reported yesterday. I did see the bird briefly but it was surprisingly elusive, and I didn't get any photos that were a help over yesterday's. Besides the area of Fort Miller Rd. just south of the Fort Edward Town line, I tried the area across the River in the Town of Northumberland at Harris Rd. and at the fishing access site there. I could not find the bird on the west side perhaps because of the glare off the water, though it seems like it would be a good vantage point perhaps at a different time of day. The water was also a little choppy. I searched the HMBirds files and found that last year on 3/8 a female Barrow's Goldeneye was reported in about the same place in Fort Miller. The previous year a female Barrow's was also reported at Fort Miller on 3/23/08 and had apparently been there for well over a month. It seems likely to me that it has been the same bird each year. After reading Chad's and Sibley's comments on female Goldeneye identification, I think it would be challenging to get a better look at this bird and some better photos. In particular I'd like to see a photo with the supposed Barrow's along side a Common Goldeneye for comparison. In looking at my photo, plus, using my memory from yesterday, it seems that most all of the field marks point to Barrow's rather than Common, even though a completely yellow or orange bill is not apparently a definitive field mark for Barrow's. The color of this bird's head, I believe, was darker than the other female Goldeneyes. The highest point of the head is closer to the front. It has a noticeably steeper slope of the forehead than a Common. And, the bill is shorter and stubbier than a Common. But, I think it would be useful to see some more photos and hear some other opinions. (Photos are difficult because of the distance.) The possibility of a hybrid makes it very complicated! My photo is in my folder named VFP. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/77752785/pic/765068391/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=41&count=20&dir=asc John Hershey --- In hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com, Chad Witko wrote: > > To all the soon-to-be Goldeneye chasers out there. There is a great and informative read on female goldeneye identification from David Sibley on his website. I looked it over several weeks ago and it's very good. It might also serve useful for those that saw the bird reported by John. > > http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/01/identification-of-hybrid-female-goldeneyes/#more-1505 > > Best, > Chad Witko > > --- On Thu, 3/4/10, John wrote: > > From: John > Subject: [HMBirds] Barrow's Goldeneye - Fort Miller > To: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com > Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010, 1:26 PM > > > > > > > >   > > > > > > > > > > The Thursday Morning Group found a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE late this morning in the Hudson River just south of the sign at the Fort Edward Town line on Fort Miller Rd (which a little further south is called River Rd). The duck was moving around in the River loosely associated with a few Common Goldeneye and a pair of Greater Scaup. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE had a completely orange bill and a head that was darker than the female Common Goldeneyes. > > > > I was able to get a distant digiscoped photo of the bird which I am posting in my folder (VFP). > > > > http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/hmbirds/ photos/album/ 77752785/ pic/765068391/ view?picmode= &mode=tn& order=ordinal& start=41& count=20& dir=asc > > > > John Hershey > > Clifton Park > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > Subject: Peregrine Falcon Green Island, NY From: "cpkbh1" <cpkbh1 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:45:22 -0000 The Peregrines of Green Island are still quite active and can be found in the cotton woods along the river. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds/photos/album/830073697/pic/50555894/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc Subject: Re: Barrow's Goldeneye - Fort Miller From: Chad Witko <cjtrapper AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 14:16:39 -0800 (PST) To all the soon-to-be Goldeneye chasers out there. There is a great and informative read on female goldeneye identification from David Sibley on his website. I looked it over several weeks ago and it's very good. It might also serve useful for those that saw the bird reported by John. http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/01/identification-of-hybrid-female-goldeneyes/#more-1505 Best, Chad Witko --- On Thu, 3/4/10, John wrote: From: John Subject: [HMBirds] Barrow's Goldeneye - Fort Miller To: hmbirds AT yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010, 1:26 PM   The Thursday Morning Group found a female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE late this morning in the Hudson River just south of the sign at the Fort Edward Town line on Fort Miller Rd (which a little further south is called River Rd). The duck was moving around in the River loosely associated with a few Common Goldeneye and a pair of Greater Scaup. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE had a completely orange bill and a head that was darker than the female Common Goldeneyes. I was able to get a distant digiscoped photo of the bird which I am posting in my folder (VFP). http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/hmbirds/ photos/album/ 77752785/ pic/765068391/ view?picmode= &mode=tn& order=ordinal& start=41& count=20& dir=asc John Hershey Clifton Park [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]