Year 9, Issues 1-2

***************************************************************** *^^^^^^^   ^     ^    ^^^^^^        ^^^^^^^    ^     ^    ^^^^^^^ *   ^      ^     ^    ^             ^          ^     ^    ^     ^ *   ^       ^^^^^     ^^ ^          ^          ^     ^    ^ ^^^^^ *   ^      ^     ^    ^             ^          ^     ^    ^ *   ^      ^     ^    ^^^^^^        ^^^^^^^      ^^^^     ^ *The Cup 9.1-9.2 ­ January/February 2004 *The electronic publication of the David Cup/McIlroy competitions. *  Editor-in-Chief:  Jay McGowan *  Highlights:  Jay McGowan ******************************************************************  Welcome to the Cup 9.1-9.2!  2004 is off to a fairly good start.  Cuppers have enjoyed the virtually  unprecedented number of Hoary Redpolls this winter, as well as more  usual winter visitors.  We have a lot of new names in the David Cup this year, and hopefully a  few more will swell our ranks in the coming months.  Thus, some of  these names might look a little unfamiliar to some of you. Scott? Erin?  Lena?  All the new names make me nostalgic for the good old days, back  when all the top contenders were named "Matt."  If you met an  enthusiastic young male birder in the field, there was no need to  remember names; chances were he was a Matt.  And now look--only a  single Matt in the David Cup (and he’s fading fast!) ----------------------------   <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< PILGRIMS' PROGRESS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>   January, February 2004 David Cup Totals  Steve Fast took a well-deserved lead in February.  We weren’t able to  bring you an interview with him this issue, but possibly we will at  some point in the future.  89, 99 Steve Fast 89, 96 Jay McGowan 75, 95 Scott Haber 88, 94 Kevin McGowan 68, 84 Bruce Tracey 50, 83 Pete Hosner 45, 80 Tim Lenz 31, 75 Lena Samsonenko 53, 73 Perri McGowan 63, 71 Bard Prentiss 61, 71 Ken Rosenberg ??, 69 Julie Hart ??, 68 Matt Medler 34, 67 Mark Chao ??, 64 Steve Kelling 43, 63 Anne Marie Johnson 18, 55 Erin Hewett 32, 42 Allison Wells 33, 41 Chris Tessaglia-Hymes 27, 36 Tringa (the Dog) McGowan 32, 35 Jeff Wells 19, 22 Martin (the Cat) McGowan 10, 11 Evan Wells      0 Dan Lebbin   January, February 2004 McIlroy Award (Ithaca) Totals  With Tim Lenz reportedly leaving town for good this spring, Ken  Rosenberg looks like a shoe-in for Ithaca champion this year...unless  Jeff Gerbracht can make a big push.  Come on Jeff!  61, 69 Ken Rosenberg 42, 54 Kevin McGowan 44, 50 Jeff Gerbracht 30, 50 Jay McGowan 14, 42 Tim Lenz 29, 36 Allison Wells 21, 23 Jeff Wells   January, February 2004 Evans Trophy (Dryden) Totals  Steve Fast has joined the ranks of the Dryden listers.  Can he topple  Beam Hill-monarch Jay McGowan for the Evans Trophy?  48, 55 Jay McGowan ??, 54 Steve Fast 46, 53 Kevin McGowan 38, 42 Bard Prentiss   January, February 2004 Yard Totals  28, 31 McGowan/Kline Family, Dryden ??, 28 Steve Kelling, Caroline  13, 15 Anne Marie Johnson, Caroline   January, February 2004 Lansing Competition Totals  Yes, that’s right: the Lansing Competition has been reinstated!   Although not many people have competed in it in the past, it has the  potential to be a pretty high-scoring affair...maybe?  Lansing is a big  place, and maybe some of you will join in and count your species there.  ??, 68 Kevin McGowan ??, 62 Bruce Tracey   January, February 2004 Etna Challenge Totals  And finally, the little competition that could...or not.  Feel free to  join Allison in her quest to find birds in Etna (you know that’s in  Dryden, right Allison?)  24, 32 Allison Wells    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$  BASIN COMPOSITE DEPOSIT The Basin birding community racked up 110 species in January, with an  additional 5 in February, making a total of 115 for the year so far.  Mute Swan, , Tundra Swan, Canada Goose, Snow Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard,  Am. Black Duck, Gadwall, N. Pintail, Am. Wigeon, G-w Teal, Canvasback,  Redhead, R-n Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, L-t Duck, Black Scoter,  W-w Scoter, C. Goldeneye, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, Bufflehead, Hooded  Merganser, C. Merganser, R-b Merganser, R-n Pheasant, Ruffed Grouse,  Wild Turkey, R-t Loon, PACIFIC LOON, C. Loon, P-b Grebe, Horned Grebe,  R-n Grebe, EARED GREBE, D-c Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Turkey  Vulture, Bald Eagle, N. Harrier, S-s Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, N. Goshawk,  R-s Hawk, R-t Hawk, R-l Hawk, Am. Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon,  Am. Coot, Killdeer, Bonaparte's Gull, R-b Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland  Gull, Glaucous Gull, Lesser B-b Gull, Great B-b Gull, Mourning Dove,  Rock Pigeon, S-e Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, E. Screech-Owl,  Belted Kingfisher, R-b Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker,  N. Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, N. Shrike, Blue Jay, C. Raven, Am.  Crow, Fish Crow, Horned Lark, Tufted Titmouse, B-c Chickadee, R-b  Nuthatch, W-b Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Winter Wren, G-c  Kinglet, E. Bluebird, Am. Robin, Hermit Thrush, N. Mockingbird,  European Starling, Am. Pipit, BOHEMIAN WAXWING, Cedar Waxwing, Y-r  Warbler, N. Cardinal, E. Towhee, Am. Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, W- t Sparrow, W-c Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, D-e Junco, Lapland  Longspur, Snow Bunting, B-h Cowbird, R-w Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird,  Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, House Finch, W-w Crossbill, C. Redpoll,  HOARY REDPOLL, Pine Siskin, Am. Goldfinch, House Sparrow.   LEADER’S MISS LIST Of the total, this month’s leader missed the following birds: Double-crested Cormorant, Black Scoter, Red-shouldered Hawk, Killdeer,  Bonaparte's Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Barred Owl, Northern  Shrike, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Bohemian Waxwing, Chipping Sparrow,  White-crowned Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-winged Crossbill, HOARY  REDPOLL.  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$    JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2004 HIGHLIGHTS by Jay McGowan       The Ithaca Christmas Bird Count was conducted as usual on January  1st.  75 species were recorded, with an additional four count week  birds.  Highlights included a TURKEY VULTURE near Ellis Hollow Road  (new to the count), PEREGRINE FALCON, Fish Crow, EASTERN TOWHEE, and  CHIPPING SPARROW.  The Montezuma CBC had a fairly low count, totaling  67 species.  Highlights included high numbers of SNOW GEESE and TUNDRA  SWANS, an assortment of diving ducks, and 9 BALD EAGLES.      One of the main attractions of this winter was, of course, the  winter finches.  On the 1st of January, Bruce Tracey found a WHITE- WINGED CROSSBILL at Summerhill, and Mickey Scilingo reported several  flying over his house on Yellow Barn Road in Dryden on the 15th.   EVENING GROSBEAKS continued to be seen regularly at the feeders on  Fillmore Lane in Summerhill, but virtually nowhere else in the Basin.   PINE SISKINS were seen regularly at Summerhill, and less often at  various other locations.  COMMON REDPOLLS, though their numbers were  not as high as they might have been, were enjoyed by many feeder  watchers.  Just outside the Basin limits, Steve Kelling’s yard in  Caroline hosted a female PINE GROSBEAK on February 1st.  The most  interesting phenomenon was the number of HOARY REDPOLLS reported in the  Ithaca area.  One was reported from the west side of Beam Hill on the  3rd of January, and a female turned up at our house on the east side of  Beam Hill on the 6th.  We continued to see at least two different  female Hoaries intermittently until mid-February.  A Hoary was  photographed at a feeder on Hunt Hill in late January, and another was  reported near Mount Pleasant on February 7th.  A Hoary was reported at  the Lab of O on February 8th, and a male was seen there again on the  13th, and observed by a few individuals over the course of the next  week or two.  Another Hoary Redpoll was reported in Ithaca on the 16th.      At Myers Point, a yellow wing-tagged TRUMPETER SWAN (one of the  same birds as last year, 305) was seen often, in association with one  or more Tundra Swans.  Additionally, a family of three (two adults and  one immature) TRUMPETER SWANS spent time on the Mill Pond at Union  Springs.  Also in the main pond at Union Springs, a RED-NECKED GREBE  spent some in late January, allowing close looks.  RED-NECKED GREBES  began appearing in mid-January and increased in numbers through  February.  Additionally, the EARED GREBE continued to be seen from  Aurora throughout the winter.  A BONAPARTE’S GULL appeared briefly off  Stewart Park, and two female LONG-TAILED DUCKS spent all of January and  February at the ice edge at the south end of the lake.  Single WHITE- WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS were seen near Long Point S.P. on January  25th.  On January 25th, Mark Dettling discovered a male BARROW’S  GOLDENEYE with a flock of Common Goldeneye at Myers Point.  This bird  was fairly cooperative for most people and stayed until at least March  5th.      A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK spent January and February around Sapsucker  Woods (possibly the same individual as exhibited similar behavior in  the same are last year?), and a MERLIN was seen over the pond on the  6th and 7th of January.  A HERMIT THRUSH was seen at Sapsucker Woods on  January 15th.  Nearby, a single CHIPPING SPARROW was seen at feeders  for most of January.      Apparently the only FISH CROWS around this winter frequented the  neighborhood near the P&C on the north side of Ithaca.  LAPLAND  LONGSPURS were seen regularly at Cornell Lane near Harford, and  occasionally at other locations.  As usual, some observers were able to  find a few YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS wintering in the cedars along Lake  Road near Long Point S.P.      The campus PEREGRINE FALCON continued to be seen roosting on  Bradfield Tower into March.  Red-tailed Hawk numbers at the game farm  at Game Farm and Stevenson roads were very large, with a high count of  65 birds on January 17th.  SHORT-EARED OWLS were seen once or twice one  both sides of the lake in January and February.  On February 10th, my  sister Perri and I found one sitting on the ice north of the red  lighthouse at the south end of the lake.      On February 8th, Pete Hosner, Tim Lenz, Mickey Scilingo, and  Melanie Driscoll observed a probable PACIFIC LOON off the marina at  Myers Point.  Other observers looked for the loon, but confusion ensued  when a dark, immature RED-THROATED LOON--apparently not the same bird  as Pete and Tim’s Pacific--also was seen.  The probable Pacific Loon  was not seen again after the 8th, though the Red-throated was present  until late February.      ICELAND, GLAUCOUS, and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were all seen at  various locations around the lake throughout the winter.  A possible  immature THAYER’S GULL was seen at the Seneca Meadows Landfill in  Seneca Falls on February 14th, but the characters were not quite  convincing enough for it to be counted on the year list.      On February 22nd, Meena Haribal found a BOHEMIAN WAXWING in a  large flock of Cedar Waxwings near Asbury Road.  This bird was not  relocated, despite substantial searching later that day.      A late report was received of a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER frequenting  a feeder in Lansing in late January and early February.      Towards the end of February, a few early "spring" arrivals were  noted, including KILLDEER and AMERICAN PIPIT.   --------------------------------------------- \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ CAYUGA BIRD CLUB BULLETIN BOARD /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  Kevin McGowan has put together an online bulletin board to display  photos of local birds of the Cayuga Lake Basin and surrounding areas.   Anyone is welcome to have their photos displayed for others to view.   Not just photos of rare birds, but also interesting plumages, behaviors  or just nice photos are welcome.  The site can be viewed by anyone at  .  Some recent  interesting photos on the site at present include an assortment of  Hoary Redpolls, the Aurora Eared Grebe, Myers Point Barrow’s Goldeneye,  the Eurasian Green-winged Teal from Dryden, Ross’s Goose, and various  views of the incredible Snow Goose flock near Union Springs.  To put your photo on the sight, send it as an attachment in an email to  Kevin at  with "Cayuga BC photo" in the subject line.   Also, please include photographer’s name, where and when the photograph  was taken, and any short comments you might have.  Don’t be shy about  putting up your pictures.  We all enjoy seeing what other people are  taking.  Jay ---------------------------------------------   @#$$%#%$^!(*$)%^@>(#?@<$&%^@( DEAR TICK @#%$^!)$(%*&^>$*%?*%^#*%(*&  Dear Tick:  There are 365 days in a year, yet I live outside the Basin and so don't  spend 365 days birding in the Basin. Therefore, I'm sure you'll agree  that I should calculate my Basin total based on actual days birding in  the Basin. It seems only fair.  Calculating in Out-of-Basin  Dear Calculating:  Your argument is not unrelated to early Cup banterings by Kevin McGowan regarding "time in the field," and is especially reminiscent of  Ken Rosenberg's subtle lobbying for the David Cup crown when he boasts  about his high ratio of time spent birding vs. number of birds seen. Unfortunately, neither Kevin nor Ken has the statistical background to  come up with an accurate formula to make these reasonings really stick.  Luckily for you, I do. Here's how you should run your numbers:  Sum of the total # species seen in per Basin birding day/number of days  in-Basin birding x 365 (days in a year) = Basin total for a given  "year"  Example: If you did the Muckrace and saw 100 species and that was the  only Basin birding you did that year, you divide 120 by 1 and multiply  by 365, for a Basin year total of 3,650.  Please tell Allison Wells that she should be using this same time- tested formula when tabulating her McIlroy total (see Tim Lenz's new  McIlroy "record" as an example).    "CUP...QUOTES"  The arctic wind was fierce: you know it's windy when the windshield  wiper fluid doesn't even make it to your windshield! --Mike powers  O, Lord, please send me a Redpoll.   300 Etna Rd.  Amen --Martha Fischer  Slim pickings, but it's still better than television --Marty Schlabach  SARCOPTIC MANGE MITES.  If you can divorce yourself from the image of  mange and mite (they're hideous, BTW. Someone sent me some horrific  photos) the poetry of those syllables is seductive. --Caissa Willmer  I was passing by Rand Hall and noticed two squirrels chasing each other  on a small patch of exposed grass.  A few seconds after I turned my  head away from them, I literally had to duck as an immature Red-tail  came cruising in about a foot above my ahead.  It made one stoop at the  squirrels (they got away) before it resigned itself to a branch  overlooking the grass patch.  Keep your eyes open (and your head down). --Scott Haber  These observations add nothing to what has been said already by others  so you're not getting them. --Steve Fast  Then I decided to call it a day as realized I have had no lunch. --Meena Haribal  With two small loons the sky clears, my mind is calm and everything is  right with the world. --Steve Fast  I guestimated about 70 Snow Buntings, a bit under 200 Horned Larks, and  about 0.1 Lapland Longspurs in the fields at the far eastern end of  Cornell Lane in about 30 minutes of scanning.  The fractional longspur  (male) is because I only located this bird during my proverbial last  scan before leaving.  It jumped out at me (smaller size) when I finally  found it, and given how obvious it was and that I had been looking at  the same flock for so long, I can only conclude that the longspur pops  into existence irregularly. --Wesley Hochachka  The wind never got above 5 mph, and the sun made the 10 - 15 degrees  feel like, well, 16 or 17! --Bob McGuire  Finally I managed to get bird and camera aligned and I clicked though  it was not a full frame.  When I clicked bird was in the frame. But  actually when camera opened the shutter, bird had gone and all I got  was a branch!  Well that was my digiscoping. --Meena Haribal  I had a Hoary Redpoll in with a flock of Commons at the Lab this  morning.  Nice views in the morning light. --Jeff Gerbracht  Yeah, sure you did! --Eric Banford  Sorry, that reply was just suppose to go to Jeff! Doh! Hoary Redpoll  has been Jeff's nemesis bird for a while. Guess you need a new one now,  Jeff. --Eric Banford  Though, if there may be any doubt left about Jeff's Hoary...  Did  anyone else find it odd that Jeff already had a Hoary on the morning of  Wednesday, Feb 18th?  Hmmm.. Jeff? --Melanie Driscoll  I did, until I remembered that my Yahoo account is configured for NZ,  allows me to get New Zealand news and also happens to set the time  ahead by 18 hours. --Jeff Gerbracht  Turkeys looked HUGE compared to Canada and I was surprised. --Meena Haribal  I was looking over to south into the sun for other birds, when from the  corner of my eye, I caught my car moving.  I did not know whether to  hold on to my scope from falling of in the wind or run to car and stop  it before it rolled over to Cayuga Lake. Decision was quick, left the  scope and ran for the car.  Fortunately, scope was still standing  though threatening to fall off in the gust.  Then even after putting on  the hand break I was not sure that car won’t roll out....Later I found  that probably it would have not rolled into lake as there was an ice  bank, it would have slowed it down definitely. Finally both car and  scope were saved. --Meena Haribal  ...There I saw a calling FISH CROW fly overhead in a group of four  Americans (ha, take that Scott! ;-) --Lena Samsonenko  Take that, Lena?  I also saw and heard a Fish Crow flying over Eco  House this evening at 5PM. --Scot Haber  Well, I am sad to say I am leaving the Ithaca area this weekend, as I  am off to travel the tropics and the world.  It was a good last day of  Basin birding (for the foreseeable future), and it has been a pleasure  birding, and learning about birds with all of you.  The Ithaca/Basin  birding community is one of the best in the country, and I was glad to  be a part of it for a little while.  Keep up the good work. --Pete Hosner  --------------------  May Your Cup Runneth Over, - Jay