Horses in the Snow

Many young kids dream of owning a horse but I wasn't in that camp.  I preferred running through the woods and playing basketball with the boys than riding horses.  We had a horse named Strawberry and though she was kind, she didn't feel like mine.  My father would have us train her and it felt more like work than fun.  

Even though I never really liked horses I did come to learn to appreciate them for their intelligence, their sheer size, and their good looks.  Last week I waxed poetic about cows and even though horses don't quite create the same feelings in my heart, I still think they are beautiful.  

I was especially fond of these horses as they rolled in the snow and galloped around like it was summer.  This day was particularly cold but they didn't seem to mind it one bit.  These horses were big and well fed.  They seemed to like the company as I sat idling in my car snapping photos.  But I didn't come out in the freezing temperatures to look at horses so I said my goodbyes.

Though my trip was mostly to relocate a Snow Owl and Gryfalcon (which I dipped on both!) I was given the consolation prize of a field of turkeys.  These Wild Turkeys were a welcome sight and new for the year list!  Andy is only ahead of me by two for the year so I hope that means the tide is turning!

New York Big Lifer Day

This past week was an exceptional bird week or I should say bird day.  Sunday I went birding with the Cayuga Bird Club.  At Myer's Park I saw my lifer Surf Scoter and Red-necked Grebe.  Then we searched the agricultural fields where we found my lifer Lapland Longspur.  I even snagged that photo above with the spur showing!

After leaving the Horned Larks and Snow Buntings we headed north where we we were able to pick out two Trumpeter Swans from the Tundra Swans by the Lock Dam all the way north bordering Montezuma Wildlife Refuge.

We circled the lake and unsuccessfully did not find any interesting raptors near Seybolt Road but we had one more big trick in our bag - the Ithaca Yacht Club.  A Tufted Duck has been lingering around the yacht club and we had killer looks.  We also spotted the little Pied-billed Grebe above staying close to shore.  Mixed in the rafts were Common Loons, Red-throated Loons, Ruddy Duck, and countless Redheads and Scaup species.

The big day came to an end as we watched a family of Tundra Swan drift out towards the middle of Cayuga Lake.  I had one last glance at the Tufted and called it a day.

New Year Birds:

Red-necked Grebe - Lifer

Surf Scoter - Lifer

Lapland Longspur - Lifer

Trumpeter Swan - Lifer

Tufted Duck - Lifer

Common Loon

Ruddy Duck

A To-do about a TUDU

Finally after a month of near misses I saw the Tufted Duck on Cayuga Lake.  This TUDU doesn't have an impressive tuft but he was sleek with that jet black back and white-flanked side.  He was also very busy chasing Scuap for a hand-out.  I watched him successfully steal two meals in just a few minutes time.  Luckily for me, this lifer chase wasn't a very long one and though I did have to work for it, the prize was only sweeter.

Tufted Duck on Cayuga Lake, New York

Tufted Ducks are rare Eurasian visitors but Cayuga Lake has a habit of getting one or two every winter.  The first one reported was in a large raft of ducks off of Hog's Hole near downtown Ithaca.  I searched a couple of times there but the flock was huge and without a scope I felt a little like I was searching for a needle in the haystack.  This time around the location was only slightly farther away at the Ithaca Yacht Club and merely a short walk down to the water's edge.  I was with the Cayuga Bird Club field trip and for the first 5 minutes we couldn't find it.  I wandered out to the edge of the point and found it for the whole group.  We were all on it moments later and spent the next 20 minutes watching it feed and chase and then we moved on as birders do to the next bird.  I'll give more details soon (in the Friday update) about the bird trip.  

When I finally succumbed to the cold, I gave the Tufted Duck one last glance with my glass and said goodbyes.  It's always nice to see a lifer and it was even better shared with a large group of like-minded individuals celebrating the rarities of life.  Good luck TUDU - may you find your way safely when spring comes.

Cows in the Snow

I have a love for cows, especially the black and white variety that remind me of my childhood.  My grandfather let us name the new calves each summer and help feed them by tossing them watermelon rinds off the back of the pickup truck.  Now that I am in upstate New York I expected to see cows more often but it's been so cold that I think many have been shut away in the barns.  On this bright and sunny day the cows were out and my heart stopped when I saw this young black and white beauty against the barn.

Cows always seem to be curious in our actions.  They pause and watch us full-on.  There's no sideways glancing or feigned interest.  They turn their bodies and heads and look at you.  Usually after awhile they go back to feeding or walking or chewing their cud but it's that moment when you and a cow lock eyes that always speaks to me.  Did I mention that I love cows?

On this almost balmy winter day I was happy to share some moments with the local cattle.  Size each other up and make mental notes.  I know the cows don't nearly care as much about me as I care about them.  No cow-blogging going on about the human in the blue CR-V staring down the field of cows.  But it's a shared moment with another animal and I enjoy those.

Thanks black-and-white cows for sharing space, locking eyes, and making me remember my sweet childhood riding in the back of that beat up Ford pickup.  My summers were spent riding in truck beds, fishing with cane poles, and feeding cows.  I think it made me a better person. For sure, it made me stop and appreciate the every day.

Winter Birding Around Cayuga Lake

The past week was a breakthrough with a few more year birds to add to the list.  After two weeks of temperatures hovering around zero and no new birds I was beginning to get a little itchy.  This is my first year living in a truly cold winter (who knew Colorado had mild winters!) and my cabin fever was setting in. Spring can't come fast enough for New York! 

To my surprise last Saturday was sunny, in the 20s and perfect for birding. My first stop was Myer's Park where I found Common Goldeneye by the skyfull.  Redhead and Common Mergansers were in large number as well. No new birds at Myer's but the sheer number of duck species was great as I reached double digits before leaving to the next stop.

After getting a brief look at a lifer White-winged Scoter in flight with the Goldeneyes I decided to try for another lifer - the Lapland Longspur.

I headed to County Line Road but there was some type of hunting activity going on with dogs and men in trucks at every stop.  I wasn't too surprised to find the usual birds to be gone but I did find a Horned Lark that gave me a discerning eye as I slowly drove by.  With the dip on the longspur I decided to just keep heading north and go to Long Point State Park.  There I found Tundra Swans, Bald Eagles, and a few land birds in the neighboring communities.

Feeling invigorated, I headed north to Union Springs where I found the pond teeming with Canada Geese, American Widgeon, Gadwall, and a new year bird - Horned Grebe.  You can see the little Horned Grebe in the photo above - just a wisp of a bird in all those geese.

At this point I had made the whole length of Cayuga Lake so instead of backtracking I merely decided to loop over the top and search for both the Gryfalcon and the recent Snowy Owls.  I scanned in the Gryfalcon territory but came up with only 2 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Rough-legged Hawk, and a very spritely Sharp-shinned Hawk that attacked a large flock of European Starlings.  The Sharpie came up empty and then an American Crow pecked the top of its head as it flew by.  It was interesting to watch the whole scene unfold.  Hunger was setting in as I headed to the Snowy Owl fields and I got a little mixed up and only later realized I didn't go far enough East to see the Snowy that was sitting in a field all day. A lifer left for another day!

Overall, great birding on Saturday and though I dipped on both a Snowy and an Eastern Screech-owl on Sunday it was a pleasant birding weekend. I was finally able to emerge from the house and get outside (though in only brief moments). This weekend I plan to bird with the Cayuga Bird Club on Sunday and hopefully find a few target species.  Wish me luck!

Amish in New York

According to Amish American website, New York state has the 5th largest Amish population in the country.  As I drive into the agricultural lands surrounding Ithaca I have encountered a few horse/buggy signs but it wasn't until Sunday that I spotted my first signs of Amish life as many people were heading home from church.

The roads were fairly empty on this blustery winter day and it seemed that I passed more horse-driven rides than cars. In the 1940's I have read that there was little Amish presence in the Empire State but things have changed.  Now the population is above 13,000 people in 96 church districts.  I can understand the appeal - agricultural land for the plenty and at a lower cost than land in Pennsylvania Dutch country.

My mission on Sunday was to find a Snowy Owl and though I did criss-cross the country roads sharing spaces with the Amish, I didn't find an owl.  I did find a herd of deer feeding and a nice flock of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks.  I guess there's always next time!

I'll admit I had my heat on and my windows up except for times of scanning fields for the elusive white owl.  I wonder how the Amish keep warm in a black rectangular buggy? I probably will never know first hand but I bet it requires warm clothes and a short commute.

Spring Field Ornithology

Despite my birding pursuits, I actually have never taken an ornithology class. That will change this spring as I am excited to attend the Spring Field Ornithology course hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Wednesday evening lectures will be taught by Project Puffin's very own - Stephen Kress and various guest speakers.  Steve has taught this course for over 30 years.  Topics cover everything from birding the Cayuga Lake Basin to bird song identification to bird behavior.  There's still time to sign up if you live in the area and want to brush up on  your birding skills.

Virunga

You should watch Virunga for its breathtaking natural beauty and its heart-wrenching story.  I was captivated by the scenery and then held in suspense by the stories of the people. Their dedication to conservation and the wildlife in this park is unparalleled. Virunga is streaming on Netflix or you can learn more at their website.

When Will Winter End

The temperatures never hit double digits and so my GBBC weekend had birding attempts but mostly misses. Luckily I had a dear friend, Hewy, to keep me company on this freezing weekend. 

We searched the snowy fields for Snowy Owl, we attempted 2 trips to see Short-eared Owls but all our owl chasing was hindered by blinding snow and slippery roads. 

We did successfully find Hewy a lifer Tundra Swan and Redhead. We also had a nice walk around the pond in Sapsucker Woods. Despite our losses we still drank celebratory beers and warmed up inside for most of Sunday. I wish I had more birds and better weather but there's always next time!

This was my first full week of no new year birds.  Hopefully something that doesn't become a regular occurrence.  I'm going to venture out this weekend if the snows aren't too much and look for interesting birds in the remaining non-frozen water.  Even the pond at the Lab of O. was no bigger than a swimming pool by week's end. 

Hog Island Audubon Camp

This island is so beautiful it really makes my heart ache!

Why, it seems to me God's own heaven

can hardly be more perfect.

- Mabel Loomis Todd

Hog Island Audubon Camp has been on my wishlist of destinations for many years now. Roger Tory Peterson, Allan Cruickshank, Rachel Carson, Scott Weidensaul, Kenn Kaufman, and many more have spent time there, taught classes there, been a part of birding history, and now I get to add my name to the distinguished list.

Photo by Stephen Kress

In college I was interested in everything and nothing. Two semesters I volunteered at a banding station but then like the wind my attention went elsewhere. Years later I taught "Ornithology" classes but I mostly was trying to get kids to appreciate the biology of birds and the fact that they exist.  I couldn't identify flycatchers or gulls but I was somehow qualified to take kids in the woods to a pond that had Black-crowned Night Herons and Wood Storks.

The real birding came later. In 2007 I started working at Green Cay Nature Center and I immersed myself in identifying spring migrants.  I was hooked on warblers like an addiction and it hasn't stopped since. Now my vacations consist of birding trips and my work is once again back in the world of birds.

Photo by Stephen Kress

This summer I will be working and living at the Hog Island Audubon Camp as the Program Manager. I won't be an instructor but more of a director of people as they go from boats to dining halls to cabins.  I also plan to do a lot of birding and really delve into the allure of The Hog.

Photo by Stephen Kress

If Hog Island is on your wish list, why don't you join me? We still have openings for a few of the sessions. I think the Hands-on Bird Science led by Scott Weidensaul is going to be especially interesting. Bird banding, songbird recording, taxidermy, you name it!  Or for those beginner birders try Breaking Into Birding.  We have something for all walks of life.  If you're an educator we have Educator's Week or if you're just a birding fan we have Joy of Birding or Field Ornithology. The best part - this is a summer camp for adults. For many of us, that's something that feels right, that feels nostalgic.  Why not go to camp this summer? I'm going to be there, I hope you join me!