Year 1, issue 1

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Welcome to the first edition of The Cup, the unofficial electronic

newsletter of the David Cup/McIlroy Award.  You're probably asking yourself

why you're wasting your time reading a lengthy ASCII text file when you

could be out looking for Hawk Owls and Gyrfalcons in the nether reaches of

the Cayuga Lake Basin.  Well, more than likely, you're at work (during your

lunch hour, of course) strapped to your desk with mountains of paper daring

you to attempt a summit climb.  So it's either read this or eat your peanut

butter sandwich and begin your ascent.

 

You're also scrolling down (as opposed to simply hitting the "Delete" key)

because you want to know where you stand as a bird-loving contender in the

1996 David Cup/McIlroy race, and to do your part as a human being in the

world-wide (or at least Basin-wide) scheme of  the birding community.  We

hope in The Cup to capture the spirit of fun and friendly competition that

the David Cup/McIlroy Award embodies.  We also hope to serve as a forum for

sharing information about birding in the Cayuga Lake Basin.  To attain these

goals, we introduce here several columns that will appear regularly in The

Cup, including News, Cues, and Blues, Basin Bird Highlights, Pilgrims'

Progress, Kickin' Tail, Leader's List, Bird Brain of the Month, and Coach's

Corner.  Other features will include Cup Quotes, Dear Tick, and the

bestowing of the monthly Pioneer Prize.  Of course, we're always open to

suggestions (we're still considering running columns on the medicinal uses

of tree bark and on recent archaeological evidence for intergalactic

skeeball competitions as the cause for El Nino.)

 

 

                              @   @    @    @

                                NEWS and CUES

                                 @   @    @    @

 

WELCOME TO THE DAVID CUP CLAN:  Before we go any further, The Cup would like

to congratulate John Bower, Dan Scheiman, and Cullen Keaton Hanks for

hurling themselves face- first into the race for the David Cup.  May the

birds be with you.

 

SPECIAL RECOGNITION:  The Cup would like to extend special recognition to

our youngest David Cup/McIlroy participants.  These individuals deserve

applause for taking up the challenge of relying on grown ups to drive them

around in search of birds.  They are Jay McGowan (age 9),  Casey Sutton (age

11), and, maybe, James Barry (20something). 

 

T-SHIRT UPDATE:  You T-shirt fanatics will be happy to hear that the

response to our query about David Cup T-shirts has been joyous, and it looks

as though we'll be forging ahead with plans to get some made up.  Diane

Tessaglia, graphic artist extraordinaire and owner of Green Heron Graphics,

has seized the brass ring and volunteered to work on the design, with help

from the indefatigable Chris Hymes.  We'll be meeting soon to decide upon

the design. Once a decision has been made, we'll make the design available

(somehow) for your perusal, so you can decide that, yes, you'd like to join

the millions who've already committed.  To keep this cost-effective, we need

to know before we place the order how many to have made.  The Cup's

development personnel is reporting that a one-color design on a solid

colored, 100% cotton (quality) T-shirt will likely be under $10.  If you

haven't notified us yet of your interest in purchasing 1996 David

Cup/McIlroy T, please do.  We need a minimum of 15 in order to make things

happen.

 

BIRD CUP BLUES:   Several of our astute Cuppers caught bluesman Kenny Neal

at the Haunt on Wednesday, Valentine's Day.  "It was almost as good as

seeing five species of gull in a single ice flow, bobbing and squawking off

Stewart Park," says blueshead Ken Rosenberg.  He's relieved to have snagged

Golden-crowned BEFORE going to the show.

 

:>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>

:>  :>

No doubt many of you were so loyal to job, school, family, and televised

college basketball that you not only missed out on some spectacular January

birding but may in fact be clueless as to what was even out there.  Fear

not, we've tapped bird trendmaster Steve Kelling to write a monthly Basin

Bird Highlights column recounting what was seen when and where.  Now, though

a couch potato you may be, you'll be able to throw around a little birding

in-the-know at the water cooler at work.   

                           :> :> :> :> :> :>

                         BASIN BIRD HIGHLIGHTS

                                 by

                             Steve Kelling

:>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>

:>  :>

 

When reviewing the records that I have for the month of January, it strikes

me that the diversity of waterfowl seems a little above average.  It was

nice to see the appearance of 2 or possibly 3 RED-NECKED GREBES in the

Central Cayuga Lake vicinity (Sheldrake and Long Point).  The appearance of

a scattering of wintering MUTE SWANS this year is a new phenomenon, and

probably indicates that the breeding population in the Great Lakes is

increasing.  With the great numbers of COMMON GOLDENEYE present, everyone

should keep a look out for the possible BARROW'S.  Winter finches and other

northerly migrants seem to be in good numbers. EVENING GROSBEAKS and COMMON

REDPOLLS are in abundance.  SNOW BUNTINGS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS were here in

early January, but most had left by mid-month, a pattern that has been

evident for the past 3 years.  Watch for them on their return northward in

March.  NORTHERN SHRIKES continue to be seen just about everywhere there's

good habitat for them.  The BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS and the NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL

put on nice shows for people who were lucky enough to see them.  The

first-winter ICELAND GULL, found by Kevin McGowan, has been relatively easy

to find along the southern portions of Cayuga Lake. Also notable is the lack

of significant numbers of raptors.  The dozens of SHORT-EARED OWLS, NORTHERN

HARRIERS, ROUGH-LEGGED and RED-TAILED HAWKS that were in the King Ferry

region last year did not return.  Interestingly, there were no SHORT-EARED

OWL reports for the month of January.  It is my guess that rodent numbers

are down. Finally, few half-hardies have been reported, indicating the

severity of the snow pack early in the month and cold in the later part.

 

(Steve Kelling is the field notes editor for the Kingbird, Region 3.  He

teaches Cornell undergraduates the mysteries of physics and makes a mean

Jerk Chicken.)

 

    <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  PILGRIMS' PROGRESS

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

It's February.  The first month's totals for the First Annual David

Cup/McIlroy race are in.  The results read like a range map for

Black-throated Blue Warbler--widely distributed with some clumping near the

upper regions of the range. This, we think, is a reflection of personal

birding styles.  Much like in the New York Marathon, there are those who

sprint out ahead, leaping over small streams, scurrying up towering

embankments, breaking new ground.  Then there are others who prefer a more

rhythmic, steady pace in order to avoid mid-marathon cramping and other

obstacles that could thwart even the most stalwart effort.  Finally, there

are those who start slow, giving the impression that perhaps they're a tad

out of shape when before you know it, they've crept past those who'd seemed

destined for glory.  In other words, we've got some impressive totals so

far, but they're for January--the David Cup/McIlroy races are still

anybody's marathons.

 

Now, a few of you didn't turn in David Cup totals for January.  Many more of

you--obviously, as seen below, most of you--didn't turn in totals for the

McIlroy race.  As expected we heard all kinds of outrageous excuses: "My dog

ate it."  "It got frozen in the ice at Stewart Park."  "I used it to start a

fire when I got lost in Lettie Cook Forest."  Someone even thought we'd be

foolish enough to believe him when he shrugged, "I forgot."  Fortunately, we

know the real reason is because you were all too darned busy birding to add

up both your David Cup AND McIlroy lists.  Perhaps they'll surface, like a

coot with a billful of water-logged vegetation, for the next issue.

Meanwhile, here's what we have...

 

                     1996 DAVID CUP JANUARY TOTALS       

 

                            76  Tom Nix

                            69  Steve Kelling

                            67  Karl David

                            65  Scott Mardis

                            64  Bard Prentiss

                            61  Chris Hymes

                            61  Jeff Wells

                            59  Ken Rosenberg

                            51  Allison Wells

                            47  Martha Fischer

                            47  Pixie Senesac

                            45  Meena Haribal

                            43  James Barry

                            42  Kevin McGowan

                            39  Michael Runge

                            38  Matt Medler

                            37  Ralph Paonessa

                            36  Jim Lowe

                            35  Rob Scott

                            32  Bill Evans

                            31  Kurt Fox

                            30  Jay McGowan

                            17  Casey Sutton

                            14  David Haskell

                             4  Diane Tessaglia

 

 

                         1996 McILROY AWARD TOTALS

 

                              44  Jeff Wells

                              31  Jim Lowe

                              28  Michael Runge

                              28  Allison Wells

                              25  Rob Scott

                              17  Casey Sutton 

 

 

LEADER'S LIST  LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

Here are the many, many, many birds Tom challenged the cold to see.  Given

his impressive list, we'd say HE won.   

 

Common Loon, Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Tundra Swan,

Mute Swan, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, American Black Duck,

Mallard, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Canvasback, Redhead,

Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead,

Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Bald Eagle,

Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk,

Rough-legged Hawk, American Kestrel, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, American

Coot, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove,

Mourning Dove, Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl,

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern

Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Horned Lark, Blue Jay, American Crow, Fish

Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch,

White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet,

Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Bohemian Waxwing, Cedar Waxwing,

European Starling, Northern Shrike, Northern Cardinal, American Tree

Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Lapland Longspur, Snow

Bunting, House Finch, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch,

Evening Grosbeak, House Sparrow.

 

Total: 76

 

                              !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              !   KICKIN' TAIL!  !

                              !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

What better way to claim your 15 minutes of fame than by being featured in

an interview exclusively for The Cup?  KICKIN' TAIL brings well-deserved

honor and recognition to the Cupper who has glassed, scoped, scanned,

driven, climbed, dug, pinched, and otherwise made his/her way to the top of

the David Cup list.  This month's leader, Tom Nix, will reign eternal as the

first-ever monthly leader in the history of the David Cup. For that, may you

savor every word...

 

THE CUP: Congratulations, Tom, on being the January leader.  Were you

actually trying to out-bird the rest of us, was it your goal to have the

fullest David Cup by the end of January?

 

NIX: No, I wasn't trying to "out-bird" anybody. It's just that lots of the

"regulars" were working on their tans down in the tropics, so (no offense,

Jeff and Allison) there wasn't that much competition. In truth, though, it

did feel REALLY good to have a 30-bird lead on Steve, and have you noticed

how he has been scrambling, birding every morning, every lunch hour, even

evenings, to try to catch up?

 

THE CUP: Yes, everybody's been talking about it. Apparently he really

believes you've seen or heard all 76 of the birds on your list.  Just

between us, have you?

 

NIX: Excuse me?

 

THE CUP: Maybe you can just tell us which was your "best" January bird

and why.

 

NIX: Well, if the Thayer's gull was really a Thayer's, then it would have

been the rarest, and the Bohemians were certainly lovely, but finding a

Saw-whet Owl was a real rush. It was only the second one I've ever seen, and

the first was 30 years ago.

 

THE CUP: Yes, we made it up the lake to see the Saw-whet, what a fantastic

bird! As for the Bohemians, there's a flock that gathers often at the ABC

Cafe.  They seem to prefer tofu.  Which reminds us--what kind of binoculars

do you have?  And your scope?

 

NIX: I use a battered pair of 7 x 35 Bushnell Customs that I bought in 1976

from a mail order gun dealer. They're old and scratched and I even dropped

them out of a tree once, but they are really dear to me. Many well meaning

friends have urged me to trade them in on something better (pricey), but I

don't think so. They're kind of like my first VW bug, except they still

work. On the other hand, I have a good scope, a TSN-4.

 

THE CUP: After you've spent hours out there with the wind lashing your face,

whipping the tears from your eyes as you struggle to find that one Common

Loon that's wintering on Cayuga Lake, what's your favorite place to get a

steaming cup of java, and what do you recommend to go with it?

 

NIX: Who thought this question up?

 

THE CUP:  That came to us from the home office in Sioux City, Iowa.

 

NIX: Hmm, here in town I favor the Ithaca Bakery, which sells a variety of

food with magical good-luck-charm power, such as Foccacio and Rugelach (I

have no idea if those are spelled correctly). At the north end of the Basin

I have been introduced to a good deli in Seneca Falls.

 

THE CUP: What's your favorite color?

 

NIX: Who thought *this* question up?

 

THE CUP: Oh, Jeff was wondering.

 

NIX: How about the red on a Eurasian Wigeon's head?

 

THE CUP:  Okay, we can live with that. What was the most exciting thing that

happened to you during your January quest for the David Cup?

 

NIX: Other than the Saw-whet Owl, and riding to Rochester to see the

Tufted Duck

in an ice storm with Steve Kelling at the wheel, I'd say finishing the month

still ahead of Steve, definitely.

 

THE CUP: Some people, and we won't mention names, have said it's possible to

make the big 100 in January.  What are your thoughts on that?

 

NIX: No way, not without leaving the Basin.

 

THE CUP: What's your game plan for February?  Who are the key players

you'll be

keeping an eye out for?

 

NIX: My game plan is to try to find the Thayer's Gull. Key players:

Ross' Goose,

Gyrfalcon, Snowy Owl, LBB Gull, crossbills, Pine Grosbeak. Oh, you mean

human key players? Well, until Kelling gets a real 40-hour a week job, he's

got to be the favorite, since Karl must surely be spent after last year,

and Bill Evans will no doubt be lured out of town during spring migration.

If the lab guys would get out in the field they could be tough, and there

could be lots of sleepers that I'm not familiar with. If this were a Dryden

Lake Basin competition, Bard would have a walk.

 

THE CUP: Do you have any advice for contenders who have not yet gotten

Black-capped Chickadee for their David Cup list?

 

NIX: Give up. Or do lunch with Steve.

 

THE CUP: Tom, you spend so much time chasing birds.  Isn't there something

better you could be doing with your life?  Watching TV, maybe?

 

NIX: Hey, I'm strictly a weekend warrior so give me a break. I'd like to

catch

some hoops on TV, but my wife canceled the cable subscription.

 

THE CUP: Did you watch the Superbowl?

 

NIX: Puh-lease!

 

THE CUP: That wasn't too hard, was it?  Well, sorry if it was.  That's the

price you pay for being a celebrity.

 

NIX: It was my pleasure.

 

 

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

??????????????????????    PIONEER PRIZE   ?????????????????????????????

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

The editors of The Cup, through statistically significant birding polls as

well as phone taps, have determined that recognition is in order for the

Cupper who has braved wind, rain, ice, and snow in a quest for new Cup birds

for us all to enjoy.  Equally weighty in this award category is prompt

notification to other Cuppers of said sightings, be it via e-mail, phone

line, dramatic hand signals, or Western Union telegrams. 

 

We, the editors of The Cup, hereby bestow January's PIONEER PRIZE upon not

one but TWO Cuppers, the dynamic birding duo of Steve Kelling and Tom Nix.

Thanks to Steve and Tom, many of us the rare opportunity to marvel at the

splendor of Bohemian Waxwings, Saw-whet Owl, and a number of other species.

For their courageous efforts, each will receive a much-coveted 1996 David

Cup Pencil.  These dapper #2's were specifically designed for easy ticking

and scribbling of field notes.  Put them to good use, Pioneers!

 

                   

                       <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

                     <  COACH'S CORNER    <

                    <           <<<<<<<<<<<

                    <           < 

                     <         <

                       < < < <

                     

By popular demand, The Cup will run a little ditty each month designed to

enlighten those Cuppers yet to master the fine art of birding the Basin

month by month.  COACH'S CORNER will feature the advice of guest coaches who

are veteran local birders (and who may or may not otherwise get their 15

minutes of fame.)  E-mail us your questions about birding the Basin

(including the town of Ithaca, for the McIlroy Award) and we'll pass them

along to the next issue's coach who'll be covering the March to early April

period.

 

This month's coach is Kevin McGowan.  Here's Coach McGowan's suggested

strategy for February to early March:

 

I'll tell you the absolute key secret to winning The David Cup: spend time

in the field looking for birds.  I predict that the Cup winner will be one

of the people who's spent the most time in the field.  The reason is simple:

even if you're the world's best bird identifier, you can't find birds unless

you're out looking for them.  Beyond that, some birds are simply so rare

that you can't be sure of finding them, but spending more time in the field

will increase your chances. Of course, there are good ways to look for

birds, and there are bad ways.  Unless you can spend unlimited time and

effort on The David Cup, you should pace yourself and look for birds in the

most productive ways.

 

Obviously, not all of the birds that will turn up in the Cayuga Lake Basin

are here right now.  You should, therefore, spend time maximizing your

chances of finding birds that are present only now; don't waste your time

looking for things that will be common later.  Since this is winter (in case

you hadn't noticed), you should be looking primarily for winter birds.  At

this point in the competition, I'm far from being a leader in overall

numbers, but I'm actually in pretty good shape.  I have limited birding

time, so I have to martial my resources and not expend any family-good-will

capital now that might be needed in the spring or summer.  I haven't seen

Northern Pintail, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin,

or even American Goldfinch yet.  I'm not worried.  Those species are easy to

find at other times of the year.  I have managed to see Red-necked Grebe,

Bohemian Waxwing, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull,

Northern Shrike, and Common Redpoll, all of which can be difficult or

impossible to find in some years.  Now I'm much more concerned about seeing

Lapland Longspur, Pine Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, and Ross' Goose than anything

that is predictable later on.

 

So how can you predict what can be seen later?  Lots of information is

available to answer this question.  First, get yourself a checklist of the

Basin.  Look at the species listed there that breed in the area.  Those can

be found later.  Then look for the ones marked rare or accidental.  Anytime

any of these are reported, jump up and run after them.  But pay attention to

the entire listing.  American Wigeon, for example, is listed as rare in

winter but is common in migration.  There are a few on the lake right now,

but don't make a special trip to find them.  Of course, if you're out

looking for other things, keep you're eyes open.

 

Try to get an idea of what is exciting and what is merely interesting.

Check out Bull's Birds of New York and read some of the accounts.  Look at

the Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State and see what should be here

and what species are on the edge of their range.  Ask around about how

common some birds are.  Some things used to be common but now are difficult

or impossible to find (e.g., Golden-winged Warbler).  Others that are

regionally uncommon are relatively predictable in certain areas (e.g.,

Cerulean Warbler).  Others can be locally abundant one year but absent the

next (e.g., Pine Siskin).  Know when to take advantage of a local irruption

of unusual species (e.g., Common Redpoll, Northern Shrike).

 

Bird proactively, not reactively.  Think about where you are going birding

and why.  Don't just go out hoping to find birds.  You might find some

interesting species, but you'll have better luck if you know when to bird

the hills and when to bird the lake.  Look at migration dates in Bull or in

Beardslee and Mitchell's Birds of the Niagara Frontier Region and be

prepared to go look for unusual things at the best times.  Go to Montezuma

when the ducks or shorebirds are migrating, not in the heat of the summer

when little is moving (unless you need some of the breeders). Haunt the

viburnum thickets for Lincoln's Sparrows in mid-May and mid-September, but

don't expect to find them there at any other time.  The more you know about

the habits of birds in the area, the better you can spend your time when

you're out looking for birds.

 

If you have unlimited time, then by all means go find those American Robins.

You never know when you'll find Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks, or

Northern Shrikes instead. Anything that gets you to spend time in the field

is worthwhile and increases your chances of finding birds.  But if you are

time-limited, make sure you spend your time in the field wisely.

 

(Kevin McGowan is Associate Curator of the Cornell University Vertebrate

Collections.  Kevin has put together a list that ranks species of the Cayuga

Lake Basin according to the likelihood of finding them.  This list can be

obtained by e-mailing him at kjm2@cornell.edu.  And yes, he really can play

harmonica with his nose.)

 

+++Editors' Note+++:

To help birders who are uncertain about which species are wise choices

to look for in the next month or so, we've listed our opinions along with

some ideas on how to find them.  It should go without saying that species

that are accidentals (like Ross' Goose) should be pursued whenever they're

found, so we haven't mentioned such species here.  Our comments pertain

mainly to finding species for the David Cup, since in general, the

strategies

for McIlroy Award birds will be similar.

 

Species which may be extremely difficult to get the remainder of the

year (even next December) so you'd better find them now include:

 

BOHEMIAN WAXWING--The only place in the Basin where this species has been

seen more than once or twice this season is at the pipeline cut on Mt.

Pleasant Rd. in Ithaca.  Unfortunately, few (perhaps no) birders have had

any luck finding them in the last week or so.  They may well be somewhere in

the vicinity, though.  If you don't get them in the next month or so, you

probably won't get them this year. Like many northern irruptive species,

Bohemian Waxwings usually don't appear two seasons in a row.

 

PINE GROSBEAK--Again, a species that is unlikely to be around next December.

Try to get them now.  Unfortunately, the only spot in the Basin where any

have been seen is at Lettie Cook Forest in Union Springs. Recent checks by

many birders there have been unsuccessful.  Still, if they're in one place,

they're likely to be in others.  Search for them wherever there are lots of

fruiting trees (particularly apples and crabapples) and listen for their

mellow, yellow-leg-like call notes.

 

COMMON REDPOLL--We'll bet 100 Pine Grosbeaks and a Bohemian Waxwing that

there won't be a single redpoll in the Basin next winter.  This species has

been shown to exhibit a predictable pattern wherein the species appears one

winter, then is absent the next.  This winter has been very good for

redpolls; most of you already have them. If you don't, you should make an

effort to get them now--it will be your last chance.  Many birders have

reported them at feeders throughout the Ithaca area, and small numbers

continue to occur regularly at the feeders behind the green trailer at the

Lab of Ornithology (2 on 2/14).

 

EVENING GROSBEAK & PINE SISKIN--These finches are less predictable in their

year-to-year abundance patterns, though they tend towards following the same

2-year pattern as redpolls.  Grosbeaks are abundant at feeders at higher

elevation sites in the outskirts of Ithaca.  They have been frequently

reported from the Caroline area. A number of flocks of grosbeaks were seen

flying over and feeding in hemlocks and spruces at Connecticut Hill on 2/10.

They may be around next December, but why take a chance?  Pine Siskins are a

bit of an enigma this year.  Except for unreliable singles at feeders, there

have been almost none around.  Very few Cuppers have them on their lists so

far.  We may get lucky in March and early April and have large numbers of

siskins (and grosbeaks and redpolls) pass through on their way back north.

It is often during such a passage that the largest flocks of northern

finches are seen.  The best bet may be to keep checking large conifer

plantations like the one on Dodge Road in Ithaca and Lettie Cook in Union

Springs as wells as high elevation areas like Connecticut Hill (best bet).

 

NORTHERN SHRIKE--Although a few of these show up every year, this winter has

been the best in recent memory.  There won't be as many around next

December, it'll be much tougher (who knows, maybe impossible) to find one

then.  If you haven't seen one yet you should probably post a message on

CAYUGABIRDS asking where people have seen shrikes recently and get over

there as quickly as possible (the most recent we've heard of were at

Connecticut Hill and Irish Settlement Road.)

 

RED-NECKED GREBE--This can be a pretty tough species to get some years.

Your best bet is to stop by the Sheldrake waterfront sometime soon and seek

out the 1 or 2 birds that have been hanging out there.

 

MISCELLANEOUS--There are a few other species that may well show up next

December so that you could have another chance to get them then.  It may be

less critical to get them now but finding them in December could be

problematic. Iceland and Glaucous Gulls have been spotted at Stewart Park

and Myer's Point.  Both species will probably be scarce in December--best to

get them now.  Normally, it would be easy to find Short-eared Owl during

this period.  Unfortunately, the species has been in dramatically lower

numbers than in recent years.  Maybe next December will be better.  So far

this winter, the best places to look seem to be on the west side of the lake

from the Sheldrake area north to Seneca Falls.  Short-eared's have been

spotted near the Seneca Falls airport.  Speaking of owls, if you get the

opportunity to see or hear a Saw-whet or Long-eared now, it would be smart

to take advantage of it.  Many banding stations had record-high numbers of

Saw-whets pass through in the late fall and early winter.  These birds

should pass back through in the early spring (March) and looking and

listening for them in likely spots could well prove fruitful.  Lapland

Longspur is another one that will probably occur next November and December

and may, Steve points out in the Highlights column, even be easier to find

then.  If someone finds them regularly somewhere in the next month or two,

though, it would be a good idea to zip out and take a look yourself.

Longspurs were seen in early January on or near Center Road in King Ferry

but have not been seen since.  Don't worry about Snow Bunting--you can get

them next November and you'll probably run into some (not literally, we

hope) when you're looking for the longspurs (unless you're trying to get

them for your McIlroy list.  If so, look near Freese Road).

 

 

            ======================================================

                             BIRD BRAIN OF THE MONTH             

            ======================================================

 

For those of you wondering if the David Cup was named for the Biblical David

who brought down the giant Goliath because he refused to participate in the

Breeding Bird Survey, well, no, that's not where the title comes from.  The

David Cup is, in fact, named after the one and only Karl David, whose

contribution to Basin birding was recently summed up eloquently by Steve

Kelling, who suggested the title:  "Karl's determination over the years in

seeing how many birds you can find in the Basin has been inspiring.  Each

year, more and more of us joined in, so last year we decided to make it an

'official' event by coming up with some guidelines and giving it a name.

'The David Cup' came immediately to mind."  Some of you know Karl only

through his frequent postings on CAYUGABIRDS.  Here, we unveil the REAL Karl

David.

 

Karl's interest in birds started when he and his brother received some

beginning bird books as a present one year when he was about twelve.  "They

were four little books with differently-colored covers entitled the Red,

Green, Yellow and Blue Books of the Birds of America.  As field guides, they

were TERRIBLE, and I didn't find any knowledgeable adults to guide me, so my

interest simmered at low heat until I got into my 30's."  At that point his

life list was 150 or so species, with no warblers, he says, besides

Redstart, Yellow Warbler and

Yellowthroat.  Then, when teaching at Middlebury College in Vermont, a

birding colleague in the math department recruited him for Christmas Bird

Counts.  "This still didn't leave too much of an impression on me--except

for the -20 degree temperature on the first one!" he says.  "Then one spring

day in 1982 I decided to do a 'Big Day' all on my own, and I remember, at

the end of that day, figuring out the ID for Least Flycatcher all on my own

and feeling 100% certain of it and suddenly realizing, 'Hey, I can do this!'

My list for the day was 56, and I've never looked back."

 

On January 1, 1983 Karl threw away his old life list so he could begin anew.

"I wanted to have a precise date and location for every new bird on my

list--information I hadn't recorded up to then."  Thus, he says, his life

Black-capped Chickadee is dated January 1, 1983, seen in Barre,

Massachusetts, "just as my life Ruff is dated August 21, 1995, seen at

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, New York."  The last bird on Karl's old

list to be re-entered on his new one took 10 years to see.  "It was

Gyrfalcon, the one at Cayuga Marsh in 1992."  At the same time that he

discarded his old life list, Karl began keeping state lists for Vermont,

where he was living at the time, and Massachusetts, where he and his wife

usually went on vacations and breaks.

 

Fortunately for the Ithaca birding community, Karl moved to Aurora in 1984,

where he'd taken a job teaching math at Wells College.  "I joined the Cayuga

Bird Club, visited the Lab, and learned that there was a birding entity

called the Cayuga Lake Basin. So an omnibus Basin / New York State list

joined the others."  To this day, he says, the latter exceeds the former by

only 11 birds:  280 for the Basin, 291 for the state.  "I'm saving trips to

the Adirondacks, Long Island and pelagics in New York waters for the future

as something to look forward to," he says.

 

Karl's excitement for list-keeping came out of a lifelong interest in

gathering, comparing, and analyzing statistics.  "As a boy," Karl says, "I

think one reason I loved baseball so much was because it was so rich in

statistical lore, and that seems to have carried over into birding.  As I go

through the year in the Basin, for example, I compare myself constantly to

where I was at that point in previous years.  It just adds to the

enjoyment."

 

In 1990, Karl moved to Ithaca and that same year became president of the

Cayuga Bird Club.  Karl's commitment to the club's ideals is exemplified by

the fact that he continued to serve until 1995.

 

Karl's annual Basin lists have ranged from a low of 201 to last year's high

of 246.  "1992 was the most enjoyable year because Bill Evans, Ned Brinkley,

Adam Byrne and I were all listing."  For him, the camaraderie that develops

among fellow birders "is perhaps the chief joy of such a competition."

 

Like many birders, Karl is creative about finding time to bird. "I'm always

birding when I'm driving," he says, "and even in my busiest times I probably

squeeze in 2-3 hours, 2-3 times a week.  Having January and summers 'off,'

I do put in quite a bit of time then.  I'm afraid to

keep track, actually; I might be dismayed at how much time it really adds up

to."

 

How does Karl feel about having the David Cup named in his honor?  "Well,

what can I do but shuffle my feet, look down at the dirt and say, 'Aw,

shucks, you really shouldn't have!' Seriously, it's an honor, so let's take

collective aim at that 254 mark and have fun going for it!"

 

                 

                         @#$$%#%$^!(*$)%^@>(#?@<$&%^@(

                                   DEAR TICK

                         @#%$^!)$(%*&^>$*%?<!>*%^#*%(*&

 

Because birders suffer so many unique trials and tribulations--and now with

the added strain of intense competition brought on by the David Cup/McIlroy

Award--The Cup has graciously provided Cuppers with a kind, sensitive and

intuitive columnist, Dear Tick, to answer even the most profound questions,

like these...

 

DEAR TICK:

 

I had a Varied Thrush in my dream the other night.  Can I count it in the

David Cup?

 

                                               --Sleepy in Ithaca

 

Dear Sleepy:

 

No.  And as I understand it, the David Cup committee didn't even address the

issue of "dream" birds in the rules because, while they could name a few

Cuppers who might be tempted to include the frozen fowl at Wegman's under

the guise of Mandarin Duck and Peking Chicken, they were hard-pressed to

think of anyone who would be so preposterous as to try to sneak in a few

"dream" birds.  Shame on you.  My advice:  spend less time sleeping (3-4

hours a night should be sufficient) and you'll have more time to bird in the

*real* world.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----

 

DEAR TICK:

 

I have only 45 species.  Is there a prize for the person who has the lowest

count?  If not, can I get some points for my Texas trip, where I saw nice

birds like Whooping Crane and Harris' Hawk?

 

                                               --Texas Two-Stepper at

Cornell

 

Dear Texas Two-Stepper:

 

Yours is the voice of desperation, but not because of your January total,

which is respectable enough.  You deserted the Basin for Texas; clearly, the

Ithaca winters are getting to you, and now, in the icy competition of the

David Cup, you've retreated to natal memories of warmth and sunlight rather

than face the adult realities of the race for the Cup.  My inside sources

tell me that the rest of the hard-nosed Cuppers will take no pity on you.

They may continue to be so cruel as to tell you when certain unusual birds

have been spotted on the frozen, wind-swept desert of Cayuga Lake, thereby

forcing you to face this unresolved personal conflict.  Perhaps you should

consider forking out a little cash for some thermal underwear.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----

 

                     """""""""       CUP QUOTES      """"""""

 

"The singers are certainly warming up in the woods.  I was recently treated

to a lovely piece for wood, winds, and a chorus of Red-breasted Nuthatches."

                                                          

                                                     --John Bower

 

"Personally, (the David Cup) is making me much more aware and interested in

the dynamics of bird movements through our area.  Fun, educational, and no

calories! What more could you ask for?"

 

                                                     --Ralph Paonessa

 

"I'm not planning on winning nor even being a close contender, just hoping

that the losing player gets a grand prize, like *two* pencils or

something."

 

                                                     --Kurt Fox

 

"We had a screech owl peeing from a Wood Duck box in Union Springs."

 

                                                     --Meena Haribal

 

"Last year at the end of January my total was 80, including more

half-hardies."

 

                                                     --Tom Nix

 

"In 12 years of doing this, my January range has been 57 to 86, with 67 now

the modal class.  This is the third time I've ended the month there."

 

                                                     --Karl David

 

"I wait with rapt anticipation the first edition of The Cup."

 

                                                     --Ralph Paonessa

 

"My goal is to make everybody else feel better about their lists!"

    

                                                     --Diane Tessaglia

 

"Count me in for 14 species (including a 1/4 thesis-bird.)  I'm happy to

have my name associated with this impressive total in the newsletter."

 

                                                     --David Haskell

 

"I was a Rough-legged Hawk flying over Sapsucker Woods."

 

                                                     --Martha Fischer

 

"The name of the game is discovery and sharing."

 

                                                     --Ken Rosenberg

=======================================================================

May Your Cup Runneth Over,

 

Allison and Jeff

Editors