Game on, dude...

 Birds are finally on the move! Many species are two weeks later than normal, but the ground is starting to thaw out, and ice is going out on the rivers. Ponds and creeks are opening gradually, and dabbling ducks are starting to move back in. Wood Ducks and a few Green-winged Teal are being reported. Hooded Merganser numbers are increasing, and a couple more of Pied-billed Grebe sightings as well. Common Goldeneye, on the other hand, seem to be taking leave of the area. Snow Goose have been reported in some decent numbers in the region, and moreso to the west, but the majority are still just south of us. I predict the big flight day may be Tuesday or Wednesday as we flip the calendar page.

 Tree Swallow, Eastern Phoebe and especially American Woodcock are slowly increasing their presence. 

 Colleen and I had an exciting experience at Stanton Pond on Saturday the 29th. We were scanning geese and ducks at Stanton Pond late this morning, and we found four Greater White-fronted Geese in with a large group of Canada Geese. They were grazing together in a stubble field. We made sure that they weren't domestic Greylag Geese, as some exotics hang around the farm pond there. As we were putting the finishing touches on that ID, every single duck and goose rose aloft in unison, honking and quacking in fear of something. "Something" was a very large, dark bird being escorted over the pond by a relentless crow. The back of its head had a paler sheen to it, and there was just a hint of white at the base of the primaries. The head was small compared to the tail, and as it soared higher, the wings were held in a dihedral, with the primaries spread and noticeably curved upwards. It was a Golden Eagle! The eagle headed away in a NE direction. About two thirds of the geese left the area, and the Greater White-fronteds were not among those that stayed.

 One day last week I looked up to see two Black Vultures slowly circling their way north directly over our house. New yardbird whoop...

Black Vulture, Colonie

 Black Vultures, Colonie

 Possible sign of spring? Pussywillow blooming at Five Rivers

 We made a second trip down to the boat launch in Germantown, Columbia County, and were successful in seeing two distant Great Cormorants. They were perched on top of a channel marker with three other cormorants whose identity could not be determined at that great distance (4500 ft. away), i.e. they didn't show the distinctive white flank patch often exhibited by Great Cormorant (see photos below.)

 Cormorants on channel marker near Inbocht Bay, between Catskill and Germantown

 Great Cormorant showing white flank patches, just above IB sign

 The ponds at the Coxsackie Grasslands Preserve are open water now, and Killdeer and ducks have returned to the area.

Killdeer at Coxsackie Grasslands Preserve

What's Next:

March 29- April 4: Common Loon, American Coot, and Red-necked Grebe begin to arrive now. There has been a much higher presence of Red-necked Grebes south and east of the Great Lakes this winter, the birds apparently driven from normal wintering spots by ice. It will be interesting to see if we observe greater than normal numbers in our region as the grebes return north. Osprey have been tracking steadily up the East Coast and should appear on time this week. Wilson's Snipe can be found probing in the grass and mud along shallow ponds, streams, ditches, and flooded fields. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers will be back in earnest, drumming on any hard surface they can find, and making their cat-like "mew" calls. Swamp Sparrows will breathe some life back into the area marshes and wetlands, their song is very welcome after a long winter. And finally, we may find our first migrant warbler of the year, if we get a couple of warm days in early April. Pine Warblers get here first, look for them in the appropriate habitat, namely, uh, pines! I have found a reliable spot for them is from the Albany Pine Bush- Madison Pinelands trailhead, about a quarter mile in.

Next week: A plethora of new species...

Capital Region Bird-finding Calendar is here

TW

A thousand miles, and poles apart...

Down in Florida, the birding this past week was spectacular in some cases, here are a couple of eBird checklists from Fort De Soto County Park (Google map here), near Tampa:

March 22nd

March 18th


And in our corner of the world, it looks like this, STILL:

Service Road at Five Rivers EEC in Delmar

The deer watching was good...

We took a ride down to Germantown, on the Columbia County side of the Hudson River, on Saturday the 22nd. The hope was that some or all of the river ice had broken up, promoting northward movement of geese, ducks, and especially cormorants. We saw many groups of between two and thirty Canada Geese northbound along the partially unfrozen waterway. Small flocks of unidentified ducks flew past frequently as well.

Germantown Boat Launch

Barge traffic, snow-covered Catskill Mountains behind

Brash ice heading downriver on the ebb tide

At the RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill, two Great Blue Herons flew over the cattail marsh, investigating the mostly frozen RamsHorn Creek. Bald Eagles, one adult and one sub-adult, were in the area also. No sign of any migrants.

Trailhead at RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary in Catskill

View from top of the observation tower at RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary

What's next:

March 22-28: The fourth week of March usually features a brief break between the early moving migrants, and the steady stream of new species that will be seen almost daily as the calendar turns to April. Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, and occasionally Long-tailed Duck will begin to show up this week, and Eastern Meadowlarks can be heard singing on sunny, warm mornings (remember those?) around this time. This year, we'll be playing catch up, as we are still waiting for Tree Swallows, Field and Fox Sparrows, Eastern Phoebes, and Pied-billed Grebes, among others. Don't forget to report your Rusty Blackbirds to Ebird, or at this website. 

Next week:

Loons, Ospreys, and our first migrant warbler?

Capital Region Bird-finding Calendar is here

TW

Slow northward March...

There was finally some northward movement of birds this past week. Long overdue Turkey Vultures finally arrived, their numbers increasing to the point that they are now seen daily. Canada Geese have also suddenly joined the waterfowl mix, but in low numbers for now. Still very little in the way of dabbling ducks, just a few reports of Wood Ducks, mostly. Several more sightings of Barrow's Goldeneye were made, amongst large groups of Common Goldeneyes along the Hudson River north of the Capital District.

Killdeer made a big push to the north on Tuesday, March 11th. Multiple observers throughout upstate NY and New England had first-of-season (FOS) birds on that day, which featured above-normal temperatures and southerly winds early in the day to help propel migrants. Common Grackle and Red-winged Blackbird numbers are also increasing every day, their calls and songs have suddenly become a welcome part of the background noise again. There were even a couple of reports of Tree Swallows along unfrozen sections of the Hudson River, these pioneer birds will need to use all their survival skills for the next day or two.

The best birds of the week were two Tundra Swans that showed up on the Hudson in Stillwater. This is a species whose eastern residents spend the winter in the mid-Atlantic region, and return to their breeding ground in the tundra of Northern Canada via the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay. Our area averages a sighting nearly every year, as a few birds use the Hudson River corridor to head north and south.

Tundra Swans, Stillwater, NY

What's next:

March 15-21: Northern Shoveler should join the dabbling ducks arriving this week, and Hooded Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, and Greater/Lesser Scaup will augment the brigades of diving ducks. Look for Horned Grebe as well; in alternate (breeding) plumage they are one of the best looking of our waterfowl.

This is the week to search the sky for Golden Eagles heading northward to their breeding grounds in Quebec and Labrador. Regional hawk watches are already reporting them.

Field Sparrow, Eastern Phoebe, and Rusty Blackbirds may start to appear at the end of the period. Please report all Rusty Blackbird sightings through eBird, or other methods available at this website. Their population has declined dramatically over the last quarter century, and scientists are trying to understand their distribution, movement, and habitat in order to develop a response.

Double-crested Cormorants would normally start heading up the Hudson River by the end of the period, but as a diving, fish-eating bird they will await the break up of the river ice before proceeding. 

Next week:  A lull in the action.

Capital Region Bird-finding Calendar is here

TW

Waiting for the sun...

One of our Pileated Woodpeckers returned the other day, to start connecting the dots, apparently.

 Pileated Woodpecker, Colonie

A flock of Wild Turkeys has been living in the small woodlot behind our house for the last few years. Periodically, they make a foray out into civilization and visit our bird feeder area. It is nice to see that all eight poults from last season have survived and grown up.

Wild Turkeys, Colonie

A Common Grackle finally showed up here in our yard on March 9th; this is about ten days later than normal, but not surprising for a short-distance migrant considering recent weather conditions and snow cover. On a trip through Ravena that same day, we saw our first Turkey Vultures of the year, soaring along the small ridge behind R-C-S Senior High School. No sign of Killdeer or American Woodcock yet, their arrival is imminent, though.

What's next:

March 8-14: American Woodcock typically return around the second week of March. Listen for their "peent" call around dusk in open areas adjacent to woodlands. Dabbling ducks, such as Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, and Green-winged Teal, will arrive wherever they can find open water for foraging. Snow Goose, and perhaps other rare geese mixed in with Canada Goose flocks, begin to show up at this time as well. By the end of the period, other returnees would include Red-shouldered Hawk, Tree Swallow, Pied-billed Grebe, and Fox Sparrow. However, given the unrelenting grip winter has applied this year, these species may well be delayed until we thaw out a bit. 

Next week: More ducks, cormorants, and Rusty Blackbirds

Capital Region Bird-finding Calendar is here

TW

Winter, and our discontent...

"When Chekhov saw the long winter, he saw a winter bleak and dark and bereft of hope. Yet we know that winter is just another step in the cycle of life. But standing here among the people of Punxsutawney and basking in the warmth of their hearths and hearts, I couldn't imagine a better fate than a long and lustrous winter." ~ Phil Connors, "Groundhog Day"

I'm starting to lean towards the Chekhovian view. The 12-18 inches of snow on Feb. 13th-14th, and subsequent below normal temperatures, have left us with a thick blanket of snow that refuses to yield to the warmer sun of March. It will take quite a while to get short-distance migrants moving north from their wintering grounds just to our south. A few reports of Turkey Vulture, Common Grackle, and Red-winged Blackbirds (I saw a group of sixteen in Niskayuna along the Mohawk) have been noted over the last ten days, but the pipeline is not full of birds yet by any means. The Hudson River is frozen solid as far south as Catskill. The Great Lakes are approaching 90% ice coverage. Medium-range weather forecasts offer a brief return to near normal temperatures this coming weekend, but no hint of a real thaw.

 female Red-breasted Merganser, Crescent Power Plant, Cohoes

 Cedar Waxwings, Five Rivers, Delmar

female Purple Finch, Five Rivers orchard, Delmar

What's Next:

MARCH 1-7: Mute Swan, and Killdeer. Neither species will find tolerable conditions this week, although a few ambitious Killdeer will probably show up in favored locations. Hope they have a round-trip ticket.  

Next Week: Ducks (?) and more

Capital Region Bird-finding Calendar is here


TW