Year 7, Issues 10-12

***************************************************************** *^^^^^^^   ^     ^    ^^^^^^        ^^^^^^^    ^     ^    ^^^^^^^ *   ^      ^     ^    ^             ^          ^     ^    ^     ^ *   ^       ^^^^^     ^^ ^          ^          ^     ^    ^ ^^^^^ *   ^      ^     ^    ^             ^          ^     ^    ^ *   ^      ^     ^    ^^^^^^        ^^^^^^^      ^^^^     ^ *The electronic publication of the David Cup/McIlroy competitions. *  Editor-in-Chief:  Matt "Better Late Than Never" Medler *  Queen of The Cup:  Allison Wells *  Chef Extraordinaire:  Ben Fambrough *  Boy Wonder:  Jay McGowan *  Best Boy:  Jeff Wells ******************************************************************       Welcome to The Cup 7.10-7.12, the Lost Issue of The Cup!  That's  right, it's the issue of The Cup that you thought you'd never see,  covering October to December 2002.  And yes, that would make this issue  more than three years overdue.  Now that you're over the initial shock  of receiving this, are you having a hard time remembering 2002?  (I  know I am.)  After doing a little research, it appears that this is  what was happening in late 2002:  the Bush administration was busy  lying to the American public about Iraq, trying to justify an impending  invasion; both the Red Sox and White Sox were still looking for their  first World Series titles in more than 80 years; and the second "Lord  of the Rings" movie was just hitting theaters in December.  Closer to  home, Tim Lenz was still a runny-nosed undergrad looking to win his  first McIlroy Award, Jay McGowan had short hair and no driver's  license, and Pete Hosner was wrapping up the most dominant year in  Basin birding history.              Pete's final tally?  Two hundred sixty-three species of birds  identified in the Cayuga Lake Basin during 2002.  To put that in  perspective, not only did Pete shatter the old Basin record of 254, but  he actually saw more birds by himself in one year than all Basin  birders *combined* saw in 2001 (260 species) and 1998 (259 species).  Pete's phenomenal effort was the undisputed highlight in a year that I  view as the pinnacle of The Cup era.  Pete led a group of three birders  who matched or exceeded the legendary 254 total, and they were joined  in the exclusive 250 Club by another two Cuppers.  Just how hard is it  to see 250 species in the Basin in one year?  In the six Cup years  preceding 2002, the 250 mark had been reached only three times.        What made 2002 so special, though, was not that Pete set a new  record, or that five birders topped the 250 mark.  What impressed me  was the depth of the birding coverage throughout the year.  There were  so many different birders who were actively birding, and there never  seemed to a lull in the action.  In fact, there was no lull in the  action, as at least one new species was added to the Composite Deposit  during every month of the year.  A careful look at the Pilgrims'  Progress shows that 18 Cuppers joined the 200 Club during year, and  this total might even grow to 20 if Jeff and Allison ever send in their  final totals.  (I understand that Allison will be sending them right  after she finishes The Cup 4.11 & 4.12.)  The seventh David Cup  represented a complete year of birding by an entire community, and it  is for this reason that I feel obligated to document the conclusion to  2002, even three years after the fact.  Plus, now I can start pestering  Jay about when he is going to finish The Cup 10.10-10.12!     <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< PILGRIMS' PROGRESS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>    December, November, and October 2002 David Cup Totals    263, 262, 261 Pete Hosner  256, 255, 252 Mike Andersen  254, 252, 251 Matt Medler  253, 252, 250 Jay McGowan  250, ???, ??? Jesse Ellis  249, 248, 246 Kevin McGowan  238, 235, 231 Steve & Susie Fast  At least 236  Meena Haribal  236, ???, ??? Ken Rosenberg  232, ???, ??? Steve Kelling  229, 228, 227 Tim Lenz  227, ???, ??? Bruce Tracey  226, ???, ??? Jeff Gerbracht  212, ???, ??? Dan Lebbin  210, 209, 208 Anne Marie Johnson  209, 209, 206 Eric Banford  208, 208, 208 Bob Fogg  204, ???, ??? Tim Johnson  At least 184  Allison Wells  At least 182  Jeff Wells 173, 173, 173 Jai Balakrishnan  172, 172, 172 Matt Williams  At least 150  Anne James-Rosenberg  128, 127, 126 Tringa (the Dog) McGowan   94,  94,  91 Martin (the Cat) McGowan  At least 45   Rachel Rosenberg    Mike Andersen's 250th Bird:  Lincoln's Sparrow    Jay McGowan's 250th Bird:  Black Scoter    Matt Medler's 250th Bird:  Greater White-fronted Goose    Jesse Ellis's 250th Bird:  Snowy Owl    Tim Lenz's 200th Bird:  Short-billed Dowitcher     December, November, and October 2002 McIlroy Award Totals    190, 189, ??? Pete Hosner  189, 188, 187 Tim Lenz  173, 173, 173 Jai Balakrishnan  171, 169, 164 Jay McGowan  161, 155, 152 Kevin McGowan  140 Matt Medler  128 Allison Wells  127 Ken Rosenberg     December, November, and October 2002 Evans Trophy Totals    193, 193, 189 Jay McGowan  190, 189, 185 Kevin McGowan  170 Ken Rosenberg  164 Pete Hosner     2002 Yard Totals    145 Steve Kelling  136 McGowan/Kline Family  100 Nancy Dickinson   91 Rosenberg Family   67 Anne Marie and Tim Johnson   61 Jesse Ellis    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$  COMPOSITE DEPOSIT  The Composite Deposit total in The Cup 7.7-7.9 was 264; with  Christopher Thaddeus Tessaglia-Hymes's belated report of night-flight  Dickcissel calls on September 29, the CD total through the end of nine  months was actually 265.  The final three months of the year yielded  four additional species--American White Pelican, Black-legged  Kittiwake, Black-headed Gull, and Snowy Owl--resulting in a final  Composite Deposit for 2002 of 269.    This final tally of 269 represents a new record year total for the Cup  era, surpassing the 1996 total of 268 during the inaugural Cup.  The  Composite Deposit totals for the other five Cup years were:  267  (1997), 259 (1998), 263 (1999), 266 (2000), and 260 (2001).    Here's the complete Composite Deposit for 2002:  R-t Loon, Common Loon, P-b Grebe, Horned Grebe, R-n Grebe, EARED GREBE,  AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, D-c Cormorant, American Bittern, Least Bittern,  Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, CATTLE EGRET, Green Heron, B-c Night- Heron, GLOSSY IBIS, Turkey Vulture, Tundra Swan, Mute Swan, GREATER  WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, Snow Goose, ROSS'S GOOSE, Brant, Canada Goose,  Wood Duck, G-w Teal, American Black Duck, Mallard, N Pintail, B-w Teal,  N Shoveler, Gadwall, EURASIAN WIGEON, American Wigeon, Canvasback,  Redhead, R-n Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, L-t Duck, Black Scoter,  Surf Scoter, W-w Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Hooded  Merganser, Common Merganser, R-b Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Osprey, Bald  Eagle, N Harrier, S-s Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, N Goshawk, R-s Hawk, B-w  Hawk, R-t Hawk, R-l Hawk, Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin,  Peregrine Falcon, R-n Pheasant, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, KING RAIL,  Virginia Rail, Sora, PURPLE GALLINULE, Common Moorhen, American Coot,  Sandhill Crane, B-b Plover, American Golden-Plover, Semipalmated  Plover, Killdeer, AMERICAN AVOCET, G Yellowlegs, L Yellowlegs, Solitary  Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit,  MARBLED GODWIT, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper,  Least Sandpiper, W-r Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper,  PURPLE SANDPIPER, Dunlin, Stilt Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, S-b  Dowitcher, L-b Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe, American Woodcock, Wilson's  Phalarope, R-n Phalarope, LAUGHING GULL, LITTLE GULL, BLACK-HEADED  GULL, Bonaparte's Gull, R-b Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Lesser B- b Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great B-b Gull, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, SLATY- BACKED GULL, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Forster's Tern, Black Tern,  Rock Dove, Mourning Dove, B-b Cuckoo, Y-b Cuckoo, E Screech-Owl, Great  Horned Owl, SNOWY OWL, Barred Owl, L-e Owl, S-e Owl, N Saw-whet Owl,  Common Nighthawk, Whip-poor-will, Chimney Swift, R-t Hummingbird,  Belted Kingfisher, R-h Woodpecker, R-b Woodpecker, Y-b Sapsucker, Downy  Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, N Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, O-s  Flycatcher, E Wood-Pewee, Y-b Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, Alder  Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, E Phoebe, Great  Crested Flycatcher, E Kingbird, N Shrike, WHITE-EYED VIREO, Y-t Vireo,  B-h Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo, R-e Vireo, Blue Jay,  American Crow, Fish Crow, Common Raven, Horned Lark, Purple Martin,  Tree Swallow, N R-w Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow,  B-c Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, R-b Nuthatch, W-b Nuthatch, Brown  Creeper, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Winter Wren, Marsh Wren, G-c  Kinglet, R-c Kinglet, B-g Gnatcatcher, E Bluebird, Veery, G-c Thrush,  Swainson's Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray  Catbird, N Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, American  Pipit, BOHEMIAN WAXWING, Cedar Waxwing, B-w Warbler, G-w Warbler,  Tennessee Warbler, O-c Warbler, Nashville Warbler, N Parula, Yellow  Warbler, C-s Warbler, Magnolia, Cape May Warbler, B-t Blue Warbler, Y-r  Warbler, B-t Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie  Warbler, Palm Warbler, B-b Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cerulean  Warbler, B-and-w Warbler, American Redstart, W-e Warbler, Ovenbird, N  Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, CONNECTICUT WARBLER, Mourning  Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Canada  Warbler, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, Scarlet Tanager, WESTERN TANAGER, E  Towhee, American Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Vesper  Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow's Sparrow,  NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's  Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, W-t Sparrow, W-c Sparrow, D-e Junco, Lapland  Longspur, Snow Bunting, N Cardinal, R-b Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting,  DICKCISSEL, Bobolink, R-w Blackbird, E Meadowlark, Rusty Blackbird,  Common Grackle, B-h Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Pine  Grosbeak, Purple Finch, House Finch, W-w Crossbill, Common Redpoll,  Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak, House Sparrow.   LEADER'S MISS LIST  CATTLE EGRET, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-HEADED GULL, SLATY-BACKED GULL,  DICKCISSEL, and WESTERN TANAGER.  Amazingly, Pete only missed six of the 269 species seen/heard in the  Basin in 2002.  This represents a "ticking percentage" of 97.8%, which  is truly incredible.  Since Pete was so efficient (and lucky) in seeing  everything else in the Basin, it's worth noting how these six species  eluded him.  Cattle Egret, Black-headed Gull, Slaty-backed Gull, and  Western Tanager were all less-than-one-day wonders, gone within hours  of their discoveries (and in the case of the Black-headed Gull, not  identified until after the fact).  American Avocet, which had been  mentioned and looked for all summer, had the audacity to appear at  Montezuma while Pete was home in Michigan.  Finally, Dickcissel was not  even observed by a living person, instead being detected by a sound  recorder.  This last species raises the obvious question:  Pete, why  weren't you lurking outside of the Tessaglia-Hymes residence on the  night of September 29!?!      $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !                       KICKIN' TAIL!                      ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THE CUP:  Congratulations (slightly belatedly) on your amazing 2002  David Cup year!  Do you remember anything about 2002 in general, let  alone about The Cup?    PETE:  Actually, I don’t remember a whole lot from 2002 that wasn’t  related to The Cup, as you remember I didn’t really do much else.  I  think I took some classes as well.    THE CUP:  Ah yes, there were a few of those grueling Natural Resources  classes, weren't there?  THE CUP:  Two sixty-three!  Even though I was there with you to see a  good portion of those birds, that number still seems a bit unbelievable  when I say it or write it.  When you started thinking about doing a  really big David Cup year, did you ever imagine that you would top 260?   Or even the hallowed Basin record of 254?    PETE:  That’s 264 with Cackling Goose split, remember.  But who’s  counting?  I never pondered what a top number would be, I just wanted  to pick a good year for rarities and see what I could.  270 is doable,  with a lot of effort.  If Mike Harvey had a car, he’d probably already  have done it.    THE CUP:  What are some highlights that you still remember from that  year?  For me, I remember a lot of the birds, but the thing that really  stands out in my mind still is the camaraderie that year.  I was always  amused when people seemed so surprised to see four birders packed into  my car or your car at Montezuma.  In my mind, you, Jesse, Mike, and I  were like a birding team.  We obviously didn't bird together all the  time, since you ended up with the highest total (darn you!), but it was  rare when there wasn't at least two of us together on an outing.      PETE:  I really don’t think there was a single bird that I alone saw.   It helps to have more eyes out there, and other folks to keep you out  when the weather is harsh.  I guess a lot of the memorable birds for me  were ones that almost got away, like when I was almost sure I had a  Glossy Ibis fly over when I was driving out of the Wegman's parking  lot, and then having one show up at Montezuma the next day. Or the  anonymous report of White Pelicans at Myers.  The next day there was a  strong north wind, so we went up to Monty to look for them, and Matt  Victoria called when we were about five minutes away saying he was  there and he had them.  Then there was the Slaty-backed fiasco, when  Andersen almost got us thrown in jail at the Seneca Falls Dump.     THE CUP:  This seems like the perfect segue into an Academy Awards-type  acceptance speech.  Is there anybody you might like to thank--perhaps  Dominic Sherony? Or Steve Kelling?  Or maybe Ryan Bakelaar?  The person  who pointed out that first chickadee to you?  This is your chance to  thank anybody and everybody who has aided in your development as a  birder.  PETE:  I never would have gotten Green Heron for the year if it wasn’t  for Dominic.    THE CUP:  That can be a difficult bird.  You're fortunate that you  bumped into a real heron/bittern expert.   PETE:  I guess the previously mentioned folks helped me out more than  anybody--Andersen, Medler, and Jesse.  Of course the cell phone frenzy  helped a lot as well.  THE CUP:  Since you left the Basin for good in 2004, you've been on  ornithological expeditions to Borneo, done field work across the  American West, and spent months at a time in both Peru and Ecuador.   You've seen literally hundreds and hundreds of birds, including several  undescribed species in South America.  It all sounds very impressive,  but can any of it compare to seeing that Purple Gallinule at Montezuma  from the roof of my Ford Tempo?  PETE:  No, not really.  The only other bird I’ve needed to stand on a  roof to see was Gray Partridge in Ontario, but that was from the top of  my parents' Volvo.  At this point I remember the stories more than the  birds themselves from the Big Year, and traveling around as well.  A  lot of it is the places and trouble you get yourself into out in the  world just to see birds.  THE CUP:  Speaking of the trusty Tempo, I'm afraid that it now resides  in a space in the Big Parking Lot in the Sky.  Is the Little Bandit  still going, or is it permanently parked too?   PETE:  It's still going strong, 205,000 miles at this point.  I really  want to get it to 264,000 before it's done.  For some reason that  sounds like a good number to shoot for.  THE CUP:  That does sound like a good number.  It would be even better  if you could hit 264 somewhere along the Montezuma auto loop, perhaps  on a future Muckrace, maybe at night...in reverse.  THE CUP:  Have you followed The Cup closely in recent years?  If so,  what are your thoughts?  Do you see anybody topping your record any  time soon?  Jay has been quietly excellent the past four years,  reaching 250 each year and becoming the second repeat winner, but even  he maxed out at 256.    PETE:  I think it is really a matter of effort and luck.  There are  plenty of people in the Basin that have the skill to hit 270, it's just  a matter of spending the time.  Jay needs to schedule his classes with  birding time in mind, and possibly transfer to Natural Resources like  the rest of us to eliminate that pesky need for studying.   THE CUP:  Since this is The Cup, I am contractually obligated to give  you a hard time at least once in this interview, so here it is.  While  you saw a whole lotta birds in the Basin in 2002, there was just one  thing missing from your list--a new addition to the Basin checklist, a  bird that people will talk about years from now.  Sure, the King Rail  was nice, but I wouldn't categorize it as a CMF.  I hate to make you  feel bad (well, maybe I don't), but since your big year, there has been  a slew of new species added to the Basin list:  Wilson's Storm-Petrel,  White-faced Ibis, Cave Swallow, Black Guillemot, Mountain Bluebird, and  Pomarine Jaeger.  Heck, even Curtis "I chase other people's rarities"  Marantz was part of a group that found the Pomarine Jaeger.  Any  comment?      PETE:  What's a CMF?  Perhaps you need to elaborate on that.  THE CUP:  What?!  You haven't come across that term during any of your  world travels?  It's a British acronym:  CMF = Really Good Bird.    PETE:  I don’t know how I managed to not find any new species or even  previously recorded CMFs in the Basin, but it's not limited to that one  year either.  I guess I am better at finding birds that are supposed to  be there.  THE CUP:  Well, we did find the Piping Plover in 2001.  No less an  authority than Bill "Silvertop" Evans deemed that the "Bird of the  Century" for the Basin.    THE CUP:  Now, you are the only person to ever achieve the Triple Crown  of Basin birding--winning the David Cup, Muckrace, and McIlroy Award  all in the same year.  How does winning each of these events compare?    PETE:  I felt bad about that because I wanted Tim to win the McIlroy.    THE CUP:  Sure you did.  PETE:  He’s done ok since though.    THE CUP:  Yes he has.  He is definitely the poster child for The  Birding Club.  PETE:  Clearly the highlight is the Muckrace.  If I got a free bottle  of terrible wine for winning the David Cup I would reconsider.      THE CUP:  I had forgotten about your high standards in such matters.  THE CUP:  OK, this is it--your last Kickin' Tail question ever.  Do you  have anything you'd like to add?  PETE:  Is there a world Big Year record, and would someone sponsor me?  THE CUP:  Maybe you should talk to Matt "Big Spender" Sarver about  that.  He's always throwing around money.    THE CUP:  Congratulations again.  It was a great year!   :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  BASIN BIRD HIGHLIGHTS  For this, my final installment of The Cup, I've decided to go with a  different approach for the Highlights section.  Birders' highlights are  being presented "in their own words," straight from Cayugabirds posts.   My hope is that this approach with help "bring the readers back" to  those long-gone days of late 2002.  (Either that, or I'm just lazy and  don't want to go to the effort of a long, painstakingly-written  summary.)     This is a belated report.  I finally got the sounds from the VHS  recording I made on the 29th digitized for further analysis on the  computer.  While doing a rough run-through tonight, I discovered  several (4) flight calls of one (or more) DICKCISSEL(s) - Chris Tessaglia-Hymes, Oct. 2  This morning I went to Hog Hole to search for birds like Winter Wren,  Northern Harrier, etc.  No luck with those, but I did see a tern fly  down the inlet (most likely a COMMON TERN; had a brief look and it was  pretty far away).  The highlight of the trip, however, was seeing 500+  BRANTS fly over Stewart Park towards Ithaca.  They circled once as if  they were going to land, but then they just kept going.  Now I'm going  to sit at home for a while and dry off... - Tim Lenz, Oct. 3  John Greenly just called to say that a friend reported seeing two WHITE  PELICANS at Myer's Point at 5:00 this evening, Thursday 3 October  2002.  John went down and did not find them.  Perhaps they have made  their way to Stewart Park.  - Jay McGowan, for John Greenly, for Mary Walters (who submitted an  accepted NYSARC report, with photos), Oct. 3  We saw the Purple Gallinule this afternoon, and watched it for about 30  minutes.  We were parked about 10 yards north of signpost #1.  It  appeared through the reeds, then went north, while feeding, and then  south.  After about 15 minutes, it darted back to the inside of the  reeds. In a few minutes we saw it south of us, just where the reeds  start growing on the pool side.  It continued walking and feeding,  going south.  We were about 6 feet from the bird, when it was feeding  between the reeds and the road.  It will probably continue to be seen  between the road the the reeds, as long as there is sufficient water  there.  - Joe and Carol Slattery, Oct. 3  Hey, There were 5 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS on Dryden Lake this a.m. - Steve Fast, Oct. 4 [Editor's Note:  this marked the first of many sightings of all three  scoters and Long-tailed Duck in October, November, and December.]  Late in the afternoon I decided to go look for the AMERICAN WHITE  PELICANS at May's Point Pool. I arrived around 5:00 PM and they were  standing among the gulls. Also at May's Point were both YELLOWLEGS,  DUNLIN, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, 4 adult DOWITCHERS, 4 STILT SANDPIPERS, and  the EURASIAN WIGEON.  - Gary Chapin, Oct. 5  I went up to Montezuma to try for Purple Gallinule and the White  Pelicans.  As I was driving slowly along the wildlife drive looking  into the cattails I saw a few Swamp Sparrows and then a sparrow that  was very different, a NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW.  The head had  extensive orange buff and the rest was clear gray down the nape. The  chest and flanks were also orange buff and were streaked.  I've never  seen a Nelson's before and wasn't expecting to see one anytime soon.   But looking through my guides, that is the only thing it could have  been.  The bird was in the cattails about 100 yds. past the #1 marker  on the drive.  I didn't see the gallinule but others there did see it.   The 2 WHITE PELICANS were still present at May's Point Pool.  There was  also a flock of Snow Geese that flew over May' Point.  - Mark Dettling, Oct. 6  This morning I saw a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW while to my eBird census at  my house. I had very good views of the bird in good light and at about  15 ft. I had excellent views of the head. The bird had a very  noticeable white crown strip, pronounced whitish supercillium, a dark  eye-line, pale lores, dark buff auricular, dark moustache, white malar  stripe, gray nape, buffy flanks. The rump was buffy brown and the vent  was white. I also had many American Pipits flying overhead, and Yellow- rumped Warblers and American Robins were in abundance.  - Steve Kelling, Oct. 7  At May's Point Pool in the Montezuma NWR on 10/07/02:  1-Hudsonian Godwit juvenile [from 4:50 PM to 5:20 PM when I left for  home]  2-White Pelicans [from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM then they returned at 4:45 PM  and stayed till I left at 5:20 PM] - Tim Capone, Oct. 7  Subject: NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROW: Marten's Tract - Chris Tessaglia-Hymes, for Matt Victoria, Oct. 10  At 1pm I got my lunch break, but with all the movement and  chips I saw and heard, I decided not to eat.  I walked around the  property [at Mackenzie-Childs], staying at the edges of the Goldenrod  fields and shrubby patches.  HUGE numbers of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS  were everywhere!   Mixed in were W. CROWNED, CHIPPING, SONG, SWAMP and  a single LINCOLN'S.  Warblers were represented by 100's of YELLOW- RUMPED WARBLERS, but also by 6 PALM WARBLERS.  Other great finds were 7  EASTERN TOWHEES, 2 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS, a COOPERS HAWK with a  full crop and a BROWN CREEPER.  The Bird of the Break was undoubtedly a  first fall WHITE-EYED VIREO that was foraging with several RUBY-CROWNED  KINGLETS.  Wow!!!  What a way to spend a lunch break! - Matt Victoria, Oct. 11  I didn't have very much time for birding, but I did see some great  birds. While we were watching the duck-banding near the main pool  observation tower, a flock of 200-300 SNOW GEESE flew over our heads  trumpeting -- near the front of the flock was a very small white goose,  which I identified as a ROSS'S GOOSE. (I have much experience picking  out Ross's among flocks of Snows in Louisiana and California, and  although some individuals or hybrids may be intermediate in size, this  one was not).    I'm sure they will post, but I passed the McGowan/Kelling van on the  main drive, and they had just seen the PURPLE GALLINULE very close to  the road.    A brief scan at May's Point produced the single HUDSONIAN GODWIT that  had been there, plus a PEREGRINE and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL --  thanks to Meena and Matt Victoria for getting me on these birds so  quickly.  We returned to May's Point later in the afternoon, and I re- found the GODWIT and the GULL.  I also counted at least 40 LONG-BILLED  DOWITCHERS (a very large count for New York state), and with them were  at least 8 STILT SANDPIPERS (a large count for so late).  There were  also about 15 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and a few DUNLIN.  - Ken "I identify Ross's Geese in flight" Rosenberg, Oct. 12   LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL [at Montezuma NWR] - 3 - (2 adult basic and 1  3rd winter) if you're interested in a description, please see my next  post!  - Mike Andersen, Jesse Ellis, Dan Lebbin, and Matt Medler, Oct. 15  I saw the PURPLE GALLINULE today (SAT.) late morning.  It was asleep  mostly, seen in the channel to the west of the the auto-loop at its  start.  It was almost directly beneath that dead snag that stands tall  there.  - Steve Fast, Oct. 19 [Editor's Note:  this was the last report of the Purple Gallinule.]  1 GOLDEN EAGLE- while trying to relocate my weird peep, all of the  shorebirds flew at Benning.  I looked up hoping for a peregrine, but  all I saw was an eagle.  I thought to myself, that would be great if it  was a golden.  I raised my bins, and low and behold, it was!  A  gorgeous immature bird, with lots of white on the upperwing, underwing,  and tail.  - Pete Hosner, Oct. 20  About 20 minutes after Pete left me at Mays Pool, I saw the  aforementioned GOLDEN EAGLE.  It was somewhat harassed by 2 crows, then  landed in a tree at the east end of Mays Pool.  Over that wooded area  an immature BALD EAGLE then appeared.  As I watched it the golden  decamped.  Soon followed another immature BALD EAGLE, this one much  scruffier than the first.  Later while talking with 2 duck hunters, an  ADULT BALD EAGLE soared over.  I gave one of the hunters a look at it  thru my scope while he was telling me at his mom's place in Nova Scotia  they are very common.  Soon after this and just before the rain,  another immature GOLDEN EAGLE passed by.  This one had the bright white  band at the base of the upper tail, no white spots on the upper wing  surface(unlike the first), while the white lower tail band and  under wing spots were quite muted.  As the rains hit, another birder  pointed out a flock of 8+ AMERICAN PIPITS had just landed on the  mudflat.  -Steve Fast, Oct. 20  Just received a call from Meena Haribal.  She's at Mays Point Pool at  Montezuma, looking at a Greater White-fronted Goose out amongst the  thousands of Canadas.  Good luck!  - Jesse Ellis, for Meena Haribal, Oct. 20  From the Montezuma refuge visitor's center, we heard the familiar sound  of Tundra Swans.  We counted 175 from the tower.  Pete spotted a drake  EURASIAN WIGEON from the tower off to the west loosely associating with  other dablers and _Aythya_ species.  After ten minutes it tooked off  like a bat out of hell and flew due west accompanied by two other  American Wigeon.  - Pete Hosner, Mike Andersen, and Jessie Barry, Nov. 2  From the tower overlooking the main pool at Montezuma, Jesse Ellis  picked out a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in the same spot we saw a  drake Eurasian Wigeon last week (looking west).  The goose stayed put,  however, unlike the wigeon.  Mays had an incredible number of birds  with many thousands of Canada Geese and 836 TUNDRA SWANS. - Mike Andersen, Jesse Ellis, and Pete Hosner, Nov. 9  Allison, Evan, and I went for a walk at Dryden Lake today and we were  surprised to see a Great Egret (apparently the same one mentioned  already by Jay) feeding in the cattail marsh near the trail roughly  near the midpoint.  Actually, Evan wasn't that surprised as he was  snoozing by then. - Jeff Wells, Nov. 10 [Editor's Note:  this bird was reported as late as Nov. 22.]   I and several others (sorry I didn't catch all the names) braved the  mild south winds this morning at Taughannock SP.  There was one COMMON  LOON on the water.  Other birds of note were a singing CAROLINA WREN  and two flyby EVENING GROSBEAKS. - Jesse Ellis, Nov. 12  Jay and I (and my daughter Perri) were doing a quick check of Dryden  Lake at 13:00 today (16 Nov 02, Saturday).  The beloved "Dryden Lake  Effect" was in place on this gray, snowy day, and a large number of  ducks were on the lake.  As part of a semi-consistent census of the  lake that I am putting into eBird, I was counting the Ring-billed Gulls  floating in the middle of the lake.  I noticed one individual that had  a darker mantle and darker wing tips.  It just didn't look right, and I  put Jay onto it with the other scope.  My first impression was Laughing  Gull because of the darker mantle and longer winged look, but the bird  had markings on the back of the head, so I switched to Franklin's Gull  as a possibility.  Jay remarked on the spot behind the eye about the  same time I realized that the dark mark on the neck wasn't a partial  hood but rather a dark line/smudge at the base of the neck.  Those two  characters, plus the rounded head (not the pin-headed look of a  Bonaparte's or Black-headed) made me decide on immature BLACK-LEGGED  KITTIWAKE.    We solidified the identification, and then (with Perri's help as a  runner to the car; thank her next time you see her Pete) we called all  the numbers logged into my cell phone.  The bird was preening actively  and showed us the dark line across the wing, the dark nape mark, and  dark tail tip.  Jay got some decent, but far from good photographs  (good relative to the distance and heat distortion) while we watched  the bird.  It was drifting amongst the Ring-bills, but seemed to be the  most nervous of the bunch.  I was afraid that it would leave before  anyone else got there, and sure enough when it drifted next to an adult  Herring Gull, the larger gull tried to grab the kittiwake by the neck  and it flew up with a number of Ring-billed Gulls at 13:43.  They all  flew to the SW and disappeared out of sight.  We figured that the Ring- bills landed in the corn fields over by Purvis Road, but that the  kittiwake thought that was a stupid idea and circled back to the lake.   Pete Hosner (the luckiest person in the Cayuga Lake basin) arrived  about 15 minutes later and spotted the kittiwake circling back over the  lake.  It did not land, and drifted out of sight to the NW just as the  other contingent of avid birders arrived (and missed it).    In flight the dark "M" mark was quite apparent, along with the dark tip  to the tail and white trailing edge to the wing.  It had a faster  wingbeat and more buoyant flight than the Ring-bills.  I got one  through-the-binoculars flying photograph.  On the lake it was just  slightly smaller than the Ring-bills, with a darker mantle, similarly  rounded head, and all-dark bill.  It had a prominent dark spot behind  the dark eye, and a dark line where the neck met the back.  It showed a  thick dark line in the back half of the folded wing.  The wingtips had  no white in them.  When scratching, it showed its black legs.  - Kevin, Jay, and Perri McGowan, Nov. 16   Just got a call from Jesse Ellis, who got a call from Tim Lenz.  Tim  made a rare foray out of the Town of Ithaca this morning, and was  rewarded with two PURPLE SANDPIPERS at Myers.  Makes me wonder if I  missed them yesterday afternoon.  Anyway, hurry up there if you're  interested in seeing them.  Knowing Tim, I wouldn't be surprised if he  tries to "shoo" them southward, to the Red Lighthouse Jetty.  (Just  kidding.)  - Matt Medler, for Jesse Ellis, for Tim Lenz, Nov. 17   Dan Lebbin, Matt Medler, Pete Hosner and I, as well as Ken Rosenburg  and Chris TH all refound Tim Lenz's TWO PURPLE SANDPIPERS at Myers  point.  They were feeding with 7 Dunlin, as well as a single WHITE- RUMPED SANDPIPER and a single PECTORAL SANDPIPER.  From Myers we saw 6  or 7 Bonaparte's Gulls fly by, as well as 13 RED-THROATED LOONS on the  water.  4 SNOW BUNTINGS flew in while we were there too. A few BLACK  SCOTERS were north of Myers out on the lake.  From the Marina on the  south side we found a large raft of Scaup back up in the bay, several  Pied-billed Grebes, another raft of 16 BLACK SCOTERS, 5 COMMON LOONS  including one with a broken lower mandible (same bird as has been  repeatedly reported in other years?), lots of Bufflehead, Hooded Mergs,  and Coots.    We then went down to Stewart Park, and found 2 BRANT flying in, 100-150  Bufflehead, 10 BONAPARTE'S GULLS on the water, Hooded Mergs, Common  Mergs, Gadwall, A. Wigeon, Mallard, Black Duck, 3 Common Goldeneye (by  way of Tim), and 60 odd Scoters way out in the water. Chris TH got a  better look at them from a different vantage point and said they were  2/3 Blacks, and 1/3 White-winged Scoters (did I get that right?).  He  also had a raft of 21 Red-throated Loons.  There were probably other  waterfowl I'm forgetting...    A great morning.    I now hereby officially prod Ken to report what he had at Myers prior  to Tim finding the PURPLE SANDPIPERS.    - Jesse Ellis, Nov. 17   O.K. Here are a few more details to fill in for Sunday morning's great  birding.  I headed to Myer's Pt early for my own closer-to-home loon  watch -- I counted there from 7 am till just after 9.  Hunters were  already set up on the north side of the creek mouth, and a pair of  fisherman came and went from the main spit, so it was truly a multiple- use event.    I'll start with the morning's highlight:  at about 8:40, I spotted a  BONAPARTE'S GULL way our over the lake, and I got my scope on it (I was  scoping from underneath the shelter near the tennis court, so it wasn't  that bad for viewing).  There were at least 3 BONAPARTE'S circling out  over the middle of the lake, and I noticed that one gull looked  slightly larger and seemingly showed a dark underwing as it circled.  I  thought of Little Gull, and then, because of the size, Black-headed  Gull -- but when I zoomed in on the bird, I could see the strong upper- wing pattern of dark leading primaries, continuing across the wing in  the dark "W" pattern, plus a clear black smudge on the nape of the neck  and black-tipped square tail.  Realizing that this was a first-year  BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, I followed it in the scope for about a minute  before the group of gulls disappeared behind some trees, continuing to  circle towards the south.  I realize anything is possible, but it's  hard for me to believe that this bird seemingly migrating down the  middle of Cayuga Lake was the same individual that dropped into Dryden  Lake on Saturday.    Almost as unusual was the loon flight I observed earlier in the  morning.  After seeing a group of 6 COMMON LOONS low over the water  shortly after I arrived, I then counted several small flocks of loons,  totalling 53 birds, heading down the lake between 8 and 8:30 -- the  problem is, they were ALL RED-THROATED LOONS; pure flocks without even  a single Common mixed in.  I watched these birds very carefully,  scoping and counting each group, noting the smaller size, whiter neck  and head, smaller, upturned bills on every bird (I was looking for  Pacific Loon).  One group of 17 RTLOs came down and settled on the  lake, and scattered individuals were seen all morning in various  directions off Myer's Point.  Red-throated is usually a rare-but- regular species this time of year, most often as single birds in large  migrating flocks of Common Loons.  So the question is:  why were these  birds missed at the Taughannock Loon Watch?  Why didn't I see any of  the Commons that were reported migrating?  Could it be that for some  reason, Red-throateds were moving down the center or East side of the  lake and are more difficult to see from Taughannock?  Or was this just  a freak event?    During the entire time I was at Myer's, I watched a group of 6 DUNLIN  on the rocky spit that formed on the north side of the creek mouth, at  times walking very close to the hunters' blind and decoys.  I was  hoping that other shorebird species that might be in the area would  find this flock and join them (I was certainly thinking Purple).  None  had by the time I left, but apparently Tim Lenz arrived shorly  thereafter and witnessed the new shorebirds coming in from the north  side of the point after some hunters fired their guns.  I got the  message (after running into Pete Hosner at East Shore) and headed back  up to Myer's to join the group of birders admiring the 2 PURPLE  SANDPIPERS and other remarkable (for November) shorebirds.  What a  great sight!    The only other birds not specifically mentioned by others are 2 male  LONG-TAILED DUCKS flying north past Myer's, and 3-4 PIPITS on the spit  early in the morning.  - Ken Rosenberg, Nov. 17   After speaking with Jesse Ellis and various other birders this evening,  doing research in field guides, and then looking at images on-line, I  am fairly confident that Jesse and I did see an adult winter BLACK- HEADED GULL from East Shore Park in Ithaca at approximately 9 am on  Monday, 18 November 2002.  Here are my recollections of the situation  and the bird:    I was using a Kowa 20-60x scope to scan the water on the west side of  Cayuga Lake for possible scoters, so I believe I had the scope at 30- 40x.  I looked away from the scope for some reason, and when I looked  back, there was a gull in the scope, flying north, into a fairly stiff  north wind.  My first impression, based on the pattern of the  upperparts--light gray mantle and wings, a few white primaries forming  a white triangle at the leading edge of the outer wing, and a black  trailing edge to the primaries--made me think adult winter Bonaparte's  Gull.  For whatever reason, I encouraged Jesse to get on the bird, and  once he did, he quickly noted that the bird had dark underwings.  This  made us consider Little Gull, and indeed, the darkness of the underwing  was reminiscent of the coloration of the one adult winter Little Gull I  have seen.  However, as Jesse also quickly pointed out, the bird we  were watching had a white triangle on the leading edge of the  underwing, something that Little Gull does not have.  This white  triangle on the underwing contrasted sharply with the overall dark  appearance (what I would describe as "dark gray") of the rest of the  underwing.  While we had Little Gull on my mind, I commented that I  thought that the bird was much too big for a Little Gull, and that it  actually seemed bigger to me than a Bonaparte's Gull.  (I realize that  judging the size of a lone bird is a difficult task, but these were my  impressions of the bird's size).  I also thought that the bird's flight  was stronger and more direct than the typically bouncy, tern-like  flight of Bonaparte's Gull.  At the time, as we tried to rationalize a  default identification of Bonaparte's Gull, I thought that the bird's  flying into the stiff north wind might straighten out its flight (if it  were in fact a Bonaparte's), although now I wonder about this idea.  It  seems to me now that a Bonaparte's flying into a stiff north wind might  experience quite erratic flight.  At any rate, the bird was quite  distant from us, and flying away from us to the north, so I was unable  to get any feel for details like leg color or bill color.  The bird had  a white head, and to be honest, I don't specifically remember noting  the black ear-spot to be expected on both Bonaparte's and Black- headed.  I don't know if this was an oversight in my observations, or  if such a spot was just not visible due to the distance from which we  were viewing the bird.  Finally, the tail was all white.    When we arrived back at my apartment, we quickly checked the Sibley  Guide.  After seeing Sibley's depiction on p. 209 of an adult  nonbreeding Black-headed Gull with dark primaries, but whitish  underwing coverts and secondaries, Jesse ruled out Black-headed Gull as  a possibility, and we just "let it go" at the time.  While speaking  with Ben Fambrough this evening, he mentioned a Black-headed Gull in  the Cleveland area, and this spurred me to look at my "Gulls" (second  edition), by Peter Grant.  A look at the photographs in Grant,  specifically #19, suggested to me that Sibley's depiction might be  inaccurate.  A look at the European Collins Bird Guide, by Mullarney,  Svensson, Zetterstrom, and Grant includes a vignette on p. 171  comparing winter adults of Bonaparte's Gull and Black-headed Gull;  Black-headed is depicted as having a dark gray underwing (including the  underwing coverts) that becomes almost blackish in the primaries  immediately adjacent to the white outermost primaries.  The National  Geographic "Field Guide to the Birds of North America" (second edition)  shows Black-headed Gull with dark gray primaries, but white underwing  coverts.     Jesse and I strongly welcome comments (either on-list or privately) of  our report.  And, we hope that people will get out to Stewart Park,  East Shore, and Myers, in the hopes of getting longer, more detailed  looks of this bird.  - Matt Medler, Nov. 19   Nine cold observers were on hand this morning to observe the first  major Loon flight of the year. 1664 Loons were counted with 941 seen in  periods 1-4 and 727 during the remaining periods. 2746 Loons have been  counted so far this year which is by far the lowest number counted by  this time during the 10 years of the count. - Bob Meade, Nov. 23   There is a first winter Glaucous Gull at Stewart Park.  It was on the  ice near the tennis courts.  Amazing looks, only about 30 yards away.   Should be another hour of light left to look for it. - Pete Hosner, Dec. 12  There was a SNOWY OWL this afternoon on the south side of RT 31 at the  Savannah Mucklands in Northern Cayuga county. The bird was very distant  and a scope was required to make a positive ID (e.g. not just a  shimmering blob of snow) but the bird was best viewed from the  "potatoes building."       The bird had a vested appearance, being white down the center of the  belly and on the upper-breast. The head appeared all white but for a  few bars to the nuchal area/back of the head.  - Gerard Phillips, Dec. 18   I unfortunately skipped Stewart Park this morning on my way out of town   this morning, but saw those 2 loons from East Shore.  At the Aurora  Bluffs I found 2 nice female WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 2 Horned Grebes from  the boathouse, and 1 EARED GREBE with them.  I headed up to the  Mucklands where I failed to find the Snowy Owl.  Frankly, I don't  believe this bird exists.  I did see 2 clumps of snow and an all-white  ROCK DOVE. Also I heard a call note that sounded like a SONG SPARROW  but never got good looks at it. There were 30 or so Horned Larks in the  fields too. The lake in the town of Seneca Falls (sorry don't know the  name) had one "darker juvenile" GLAUCOUS GULL, as pictured in Sibley. - Tim Lenz, Dec. 21  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  A New Basin Species...Already on the Basin Check-list       Upon stepping out of the shower on a dreary November afternoon,  Pete Hosner was greeted by not one, not two, not three, but five  voicemail messages that all said the same thing:  "BLACK-LEGGED  KITTIWAKE AT DRYDEN LAKE!"  Why the excitement?  This message that I  originally posted to Cayugabirds-L on November 21 helps provide the  answer:       When Kevin McGowan called me on Saturday to tell me of the Black- legged Kittiwake that Jay and he found at Dryden Lake, I knew  immediately that it was an exceptional find for the Cayuga Lake Basin,  as it is listed as "Accidental" on Charlie Smith's "Check-list of the  Birds of the Cayuga Lake Basin" and I have never heard talk of any  sightings from the Basin.  After doing some research on the subject, I  am even more impressed by their find.  Their kittiwake sighting is  arguably the first valid record ever for the Basin, and is certainly  the first fully-documented Basin record.       John Bull's "Birds of New York State" (1974) includes only one  upstate inland (i.e., away from the Great Lakes) record of Black-legged  Kittiwake--an immature photographed by P. Trail on Seneca Lake at  Geneva, on December 31, 1968.  The new "Bull's Birds of New York State"  (1998), edited by Emanuel Levine, mentions one additional record, of  one bird at Iroquois NWR on February 21, 1981.       Why, then, is Black-legged Kittiwake on the Basin checklist?  To  answer that question, I visited the Rare and Manuscript Collection at  Cornell University's Kroch Library to review the late Dorothy W.  McIlroy's notes on birds in the Cayuga Lake Basin.  Here is the  information from McIlroy's Black-legged Kittiwake note cards:    1/1/61 n. end Cay. L.  John Morse & Enn Katkes            ? SHS question, not mentioned in Bull    [12/26/36 seminar report - 1, no details, no observer listed]  In 1930-40 Seminar records this species is checked on the 10/26/36  seminar list,  No comment, no indication of locality make me suspect that it was a  mistake for another species (DWM).  Bull mentions no Cayuga Lake Basin  record.  The Jan. 4, 1854 specimen mentioned in Eaton (1910) Vol. I, p.  121 was taken at Auburn, not in the basin.    Reed & Wright (1909) p. 411 - specimen reported by W. Hopkins in 1854.    Based on this information, I would argue that the previous inclusion of  Black-legged Kittiwake on the Basin checklist was questionable, at  best.  But, with Jay and Kevin's sighting, supported by a thorough  description and digital photographs, the species now rightfully belongs  on the checklist.     :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>  :>   "Cup Quotes"  After reading Tim's post, I decided to head out to Sapsucker Woods  on Tuesday afternoon to enjoy the beautiful weather (and maybe to look  around for the Lincoln's Sparrow that he and Mark saw). - Matt Medler  Allison and Evan and I had our lunch at Stewart Park today (10/9).  We  spotted a female-plumaged Surf Scoter off the west side, at one point  near the jetty then later further out.  Allison was able to add it to  her "Birds Seen While Nursing List" which also includes the Laughing  Gull from a few weeks ago.   Allison also had the unusual experience on Monday of spotting the  reflection of an adult Bald Eagle in dishwater in the sink then looking  up to watch it soaring over our house! - Jeff Wells   Subject: Scoterrific!    All three species of scoters can be seen from East Shore Park/Stewart  Park this morning, in calm winds and great light. - Tim Lenz   Hello Birders,   Just thought I'd give you the heads-up on Steve's incident at Wegman's,  late this afternoon.  Not being a big-store fan, Steve parked our car  at the far end of the lot and waited there while I zipped in to do a  little grocery shopping.  When I returned there were 2 men talking with  Steve, who was showing them his scope.  I figured they were asking  about birds.  Wrong!  The 2 had received a report from a customer that  a suspicious person was out in the lot with a tripod, maybe taking  pictures.  The men did not identify themselves as store security.  A  clue that they came from Wegman's:  one wore a white apron.  Incensed, I phoned the store when we got home. The manager apologized  for not identifying himself to Steve, however, he said he was doing his  job in investigating Steve.  "These days you can't be too careful."  I  asked if they figured he might be a sniper.  "Yes."  Steve does not  have a camera attachment on his scope -- if any of you do, and decide  to bird in Wegman's lot--oh, yes and IF YOU HAVE A BEARD--you will  probably be interrogated.    The good news is that the bird he was watching, with scope pointed 'way  up, was a PEREGRINE FALCON. And for that, Steve is pleased.  - Sue Fast   As everyone knows, there is no such thing as a "bad birding time".  That's like "extra beer" or "bad sex". They just don't exist. - Eric Banford   Subject: Snowy Owls DO exist!  On my way back to Ithaca today from Mayville, NY I stopped at the  Mucklands again to search for this mythical bird.  In a 360 degree scan  of the Mucklands, initially facing north, I found the SNOWY OWL a bit  to the southwest of the potato building.  Magnificent!  At first it had  its back to me but then it turned and stared at me, so I knew I wasn't  hallucinating.  Back in Ithaca, I checked Stewart Park, hoping those two Iceland Gulls  would still be around.  No luck there, but the Snowy Owl was a great  way to end a fantastic year of Basin birding!  - Tim Lenz   May Your Cup Runneth Over, Matt