The field trip to Plateau Mountain in the Greene County Catskills was a success, despite rain, lighting and thunder. Three Bicknell's Thrushes were seen--two with very good views. Other species included Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and numerous Swainson's Thrushes and Blackpoll Warblers, along with Magnolia, Black-and White, Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green Warblers, redstarts, Ovenbirds, Louisiana Waterthrush, White-throated Sparrows, etc. Wood Thrush and Hermit Thrush were also present, and Veery was found later near the trail head, for a sweep of all the expected spotted thrushes. — Andy Mason
The walk in Basswood Pond State Forest turned up a good variety of species. There are a lot of new cones on the Norway and White Spruce. A small group went up to Exeter and Plainfield State Forest afterward. In a wetland in Exeter we found a snapping turtle that had climbed to a perch several feet off the ground. What I noted down:
Basswood Pond SF: Broad-winged Hawk, Grouse - numerous babies, Y-B Cuckoo, Crows, Ravens - begging young being fed, Jays, Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, Kingbird, Willow Flycatcher, Peewee, Both nuthatches, Brown Creeper family, Chickadees, Winter Wrens, Robins, Hermit Thrushes, Wood Thrushes - numerous young, Veerys, Yellow Warblers, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Am. Redstarts, Canada Warblers, Ovenbirds, Blackburnians, Mourning Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Towhees, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Tanagers, Cowbirds, Red-wings, Song Sparrows, Swamp Sparrow, Purple Finches, Goldfinches
Plainfield SF: Red-shouldered Hawk, Black-billed Cuckoo, Alder Flycatcher, Prairie Warblers, Field Sparrows — Tom Salo
Connie Tedesco gathering Black Maple samples |
Black Maples protected by wire after one of the trees was girdled by a beaver |
Tree huggers around a big hemlock - left to right: Jeane Bennett-O'Dea, Joe Richardson, Connie |
(photos by Tom Salo)
April 6th turned out to be perfect, for both weather and birds! Twenty-seven participants from as far away as Saratoga followed Bob Donnelly and co-leaders Matt Albright and John Davis around the upper Lake Otsego watershed. At least 40 avian species were seen, including Snow Geese, Wood Ducks, Green-winged Teal, American Wigeon, Northern Pintails, Ring-necked Ducks, Long-tailed Ducks and Bufflehead. Additional highlights were a Red-tailed Hawk on the nest, nesting Great Blue Herons, a hunting Northern Harrier, and a wild-life coup de grace: a Red-tailed Hawk nailing a live roadside crow. The plan is to repeat the trip next year! (Photos by John Davis.)
John Rogers gave an enthusiastic talk
Conversation and refreshments before the meeting |
Mary L. Austin won a bluebird houseThis year the weather tried again but couldn't postpone John Rogers' bluebird program or discourage a big audience. Now we just need occupants for all those nestboxes. (Photos by Marge Mathis.) |
In a productive 25-year-old heronry in a beaver pond in the Town of Hartwick, trees containing twenty Great Blue Heron nests were cut down this winter. On March 1, 30 volunteers turned out on a snowy winter morning to help rebuild the rookery. Read more.
Over 50 participants enjoyed a tour of the Delaware County reservoirs and rivers on the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Soc.'s annual eagle trip.
The eagles were most cooperative, with 24 birds spotted, including 16 soaring together over a ridge near the Cannonsville Dam. This group was viewed for nearly a half hour with many interactions among the birds, including talon grappling and mock battles. The show continued as we departed. Also, one adult eagle was observed on a nest near Delancey.
Notable was a lack of other raptors on the trip. Only one Red-tailed Hawk was seen. Waterfowl numbers also were down with Canada Goose, Common Merganser, Black Duck and Mallard seen along the way.
Andy Mason
Tom's hawk ID class |
John and Joe share their insights with the group |
The weather was perfect for the annual DOAS Open House at the Sanctuary on Franklin Mountain, and some 75 visitors were enthusiastic participants. Events included a raptor-identification workshop by Tom Salo, a trail walk led by John Davis with co-leaders Joe Richardson and Connie Tedesco, copious refreshments and, of course, plenty of time to scan the skies at the Hawk Watch under the leadership of raptor expert Steve Hall. (Photos by John Davis and Gerianne Carillo.) John Davis 
Scanning the skies |
Barbara Marsala, Bob Donnelly and a visitor at the sales table |
On the trail |
Beavers built a low dam across the oxbow that makes up the eastern boundary of our wetland in Burlington. This former stream bed usually has a trickle of water flowing through it. They have also girdled a number of hemlock trees. From the height of the girdling, we assume the beavers fed there this winter. |
Connie Tedesco looks for black maple seedlings next to a mature specimen. Currently, in Otsego County, the only known specimens of this locally rare species grow on our Burlington property. |
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May 19, 2007 Big Day Bird Count. Read the tally
MSF Cleanup crew members Randy and Carol Lynch, John Davis and Marge Mathis. (Not shown are Sally Barlow and Lisa Gorn.)
The day was a little dreary, but the rain held off while six enthusiastic volunteers tackled roadside and pondside cleanup. Under the auspices of the DEC as well as DOAS, 360 pounds of trash, including three tires and a kitchen range, were loaded onto two trucks (thanks, Randy and John!) for delivery to the Oneonta Transfer Station. The perpetual trash throwers and beer-drinking drivers are certainly discouraging - but in a few hours we'd really made a difference.
Saturday was a perfect day for finally cleaning out the upper story of the Sanctuary barn, something long overdue! Board members Andy Mason, Lisa Gorn, Julia Gregory, Steve Rice and John Davis were joined by general member Randy Lynch for several hours of dusty work to remove years of debris that had accumulated on the top floor of the barn. There are certainly a lot of savers out there! The three truckloads were carted off to the Transfer Station south of Oneonta. All workers felt that it was a job well done! - John Davis
Three pickup trucks were filled |
Julia Gregory celebrates the result |
On April 1st (no fooling) 21 birders beat the rain and made the annual spring tour around Lake Otsego and environs. Led by Matt Albright, John Davis and Bob Donnelly, and supplied by Tom Salo with radios for calling out sightings among cars, the group spotted well over thirty avian species. Highlights were a Bald Eagle on the nest north of Lake Otsego, an immature Northern Shrike perched at the top of a magnificent lone White Oak near Weaver Lake, several closely seen Green-winged Teal, a Ring-billed Gull stealing a fresh-caught fish from a Common Merganser, and two Mute Swans at the origin of the Susquehanna River (clearly not a good sign and apart from the long-standing lone swan seen again on Clarke Pond). Other species seen included hundreds of Canada Geese landing in droves on Summit Lake, Redheads (south end of Lake Otsego), Common and Hooded Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Black Ducks, Wood Ducks, a lone female Common Goldeneye, American Coots (Lake Otsego -all winter as usual), several Killdeer, a Belted Kingfisher, several Great Blue Herons, several Kestrels and Red-tailed Hawks, an Osprey, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a White-throated Sparrow. - John Davis
Sixteen people traveled to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge to look for birds. Nigel Mann's Ornithology class from SUNY Oneonta met us at the refuge visitor center. In spite of the late thaw - which left much of the refuge frozen - there was great waterfowl viewing around the melted marsh edges, and also in the muck lands and on the east side of Cayuga Lake. Many species of diving and dabbling ducks were found along with geese, swans, grebes and loons. Eagle nests were observed at two locations. Afternoon rain may have dampened clothes and gear but had little effect on participants' enthusiasm. - Tom Salo
On a cold and windy day, a group of 14 set out to look for birds in the late afternoon. We found three large mixed flocks of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks in the grasslands of northern Otsego and southern Montgomery counties. American Robins and Tree Sparrows were abundant. Two Rough-legged Hawks and three Red-tailed Hawks were also found. The highlight of the day was finding two small flocks of Short-eared Owls. Some posed on fence posts in the bright afternoon sunshine, and one was seen catching a mouse and flying away with the rodent clutched in its talons while another owl chased it. - Bob Donnelly
Seventeen Bald Eagles were spotted by twenty-five participants on the annual Eagle Field Trip along the East and West Branches of the Delaware River and Cannonsville Reservoir in Delaware County. Adult pairs of eagles were sighted at two nest sites; other birds were widely dispersed along the waterways. The water was nearly 100% open, so typical winter concentrations were not present.
Other species sighted included Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Gyrfalcon, Common Merganser, Bufflehead, Mallard, Canada Goose and Black Duck. - Andy Mason
Gyrfalcon photo taken the next day in Deposit, NY by Tom Salo. See more Gyrfalcon photos.
January 6th was the occasion of the now-annual dinner honoring the team of counters who put in such long and dedicated hours at the Franklin Mountain Hawk Watch from August 15th through December 31st. Only a small group of counters were able to make it this year, plus spouses, friends and several members of the DOAS Board who put on the dinner. But it was the usual affair of camaraderie and good cheer, capped by the presentation of the annual recognition award to Fred Fries for his continued outstanding efforts. An added feature was the presentation of special hats featuring a Golden Eagle emblem to each counter. Tom Salo and Andy Mason reviewed the year's high points and implications, and, in post-dinner conversation, it was clear that anticipation for the 2007 season was already high!
The new Counter hat ... |
... modeled by counters Andy Mason, Tom Salo, Steve Hall, Kay Crane, Larry Dake and Fred Fries. |