W.KINGBIRD

VOL. XXIV, NO. 1 JANUARY • 1974

FEDERATION OF NEW YORK STATE BIRD CLUBS, INC.

THE KINGBIRD, published four times a year (January, May, July and October), is a
publication of The Federation of New York State Bird Clubs, Inc., which has been organized to
further the study of bird life and to disseminate knowledge thereof, to educate the public
in the need of conserving natural resources and to encourage the establishment and main¬
tenance of sanctuaries and protected areas. Individual member’s dues are $5.00 annually.
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C&,

y.KINGBIRD

PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF NEW YORK STATE BIRD CLUBS. INC

Vol. XXIV No. 1 January, 1974 1-45

CONTENTS

President’s Page...Gordon M. Meade, M.D. * 2

Waterbird Colonies of Long Island, New York

1. Introduction . Michael Gochfeld 3

Birds and Our Environment.Edgar M. Reilly, Jr. 8

1974 Annual Meeting Notice.... 10

New Members . 11

Field Notes

Great Cormorant at Oswego Harbor, New York.Margaret S. Rusk 12

Black-necked Stilt at Town of Perinton,

Monroe County, New York . Michael Tetlow 13

Additional Data on Razorbill Specimen.James Tate, Jr. 14

t Swainson’s Warbler in Central Park, New York,

New York . Hugh McGuinness and Peter Polshek 14

Highlights of the Fall Season.Fritz Scheider 15

Regional Reports. 17

Editor — Joseph W. Taylor
Associate Editors

Field Notes — Sally Hoyt Spofford
Regional Reports — Fritz Scheider
Assistant Editor — Douglas Kibbe

Editorial Board

Allen H. Benton Eugene Eisenmann

Stephen W. Eaton David B. Peakall

Dorothy W. McIlroy Fritz Scheider

Circulation Manager — Frederick C. Dittrich
Cover Design — Douglas L. Howland

PRESIDENTS PAGE

Looking back over the more than twenty-five years since the horning
days of the Federation in the late 1940’s, I see that it has had a healthy
growth and achieved a vital place in New York birding. Member clubs
have tripled in number, individual members have increased many fold,
the Kingbird has become an outstanding state ornithological publication,
and the annual meetings have served to acquaint birders state-wide
with each other and with the rich variety of the state avifauna and
birding territory.

But as I come back into the Federation after almost twenty years
out of its affairs, I sense a distressful feeling among some members that
the Federation has come to rest on center, that it is not moving forward,
that it does not meet its members needs — in short, that it needs re¬
vitalizing. I hear questions about the need for such an organization,
about the usefulness and appeal of its activities, about what it might
be doing that it is not.

As your new president, coming back to a responsibility I held in
1948-50, I find the expression of these queries, not a basis of pessimism
but rather as a sign that its members value the Federation, that they
want it to continue to prosper and grow, and to make a significant
contribution to birding and birders in New York State.

With this in mind, I earnestly invite member clubs and individual
members to convey to me their views on the questions of which I’ve
spoken, and on what they conceive as the most appropriate and useful
objectives and activities for the Federation. I look forward to hearing
from many of you. And there is a real need for volunteers who will
help in conducting our activities.

Gordon M. Meade , M.D.

2

WATERBIRD COLONIES OF LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK

1. — Introduction
Michael Gochfeld

Long Island has become increasingly a part of urban New York City,
and as more and more commercial enterprises move from urban to
suburban quarters, the urbanization of the remaining parts of the
Island will continue at the present or even at an accelerated pace*
It is perhaps remarkable that a number of species of waterbird continue
to breed and even thrive on Long Island. A periodic review of the
status and population changes of all avian, or for that matter of other
vertebrate, species would be desirable. It is, however, now feasible
to provide such information for the colonial birds, since these lend
themselves readily to surveys. Once a colony is located the population
can be estimated, and subsequent observations can be made in follow¬
ing years. Changes in populations of colonial birds are easier to detect
than for solitary ones, although care must be taken not to confuse
short-termed fluctuations with long-term trends. Moreover, colonial birds
are in particular jeopardy since a relatively localized, small-scale proj¬
ect involving draining, ditching, clearing or construction, could elimi¬
nate a large number of birds.

There is considerable reason to voice concern over the status of
waterbirds of New York. Common and Roseate Terns (Sterna hirundo
and S. dougalli) have shown an increased incidence of certain devel¬
opmental abnormalities in the past few years (Gochfeld 1971, Hays
and Risebrough 1972). These abnormalities are apparently due to one
or more environmental contaminants. The New York estuarine system
receives industrial and residential effluent from probably 11 million
people of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and Hays and Rise¬
brough (1972) considered Long Island Sound among the most polluted,
salt water areas of the world. Use of insecticides in agricultural and
residential areas, although recently reduced, has placed a long-lived
burden of chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds on the various eco¬
systems of Long Island. Moreover, the New York metropolitan area
is heavily industrial, and high concentrations of mercury and poly¬
chlorinated biphenyl compounds, and no doubt many other yet un¬
identified compounds, are present in local waters.

Chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds have been implicated in repro¬
ductive failure, particularly through egg-shell thinning, in a variety of
raptorial and fish-eating species (Anderson et al 1969, Hickey 1968,
Hickey and Anderson 1968, Blus et al. 1971, Ratcliffe 1970, Cooke 1973).
In California, severe eggshell thinning has been associated recently with
reproductive failure in Common Egrets Egretta alba) (Faber et al.

3

1972) and despite generally increasing populations of egrets and
some herons in the Ntw York area, it is important to pay close attention
• to the productivity of these species. The dramatic population explosion
of Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus) and range extension of Cattle Egret
(Bubulcus ibis), Snowy Egret ( Egretta thula), Little Blue Heron
(Florida caerulea) and Louisiana Heron ( Hydranassa tricolor (Post
1961), may tend to overshadow the marked decline in Black-crowned
Night Herons ( Nycticorax nycticorax) (see Allen 1937).

The reproductive success of Ospreys ( Pandion haliaetus ) has been
a matter of considerable concern. The Gardiner’s Island colony, former¬
ly probably the largest in the world, declined from 300 + pairs to fewer
than 40 (Finch 1970), a decline linked to pesticides by Ames (1966.)
In recent years I have found thin-shelled and shell-less eggs in two
Common Tern colonies, and the productivity of this species will have
to be monitored carefully in the future.

In addition to the hazards posed by chemical contamination, the
loss of suitable nesting grounds to various forms of human activities is
proceeding rather rapidly on Long Island. Although many nesting
grounds of terns, gulls, and herons, are now on reserves or park lands,
and free from industrial or residential development, the recreational
use of such lands is growing at an alarming rate. New parking lots
and beach facilities, have eliminated tern colonies at Jones Beach and
Fire Island, while picnics and beach parties have resulted in the failure
of other colonies.

The current series of reports will document the present status and
recent history of colonies of waterbirds on Long Island. Although much
information has appeared irregularly in The Kingbird or in Audubon
Field Notes and American Birds, the present reports will attempt to
correct some inaccuracies and to demonstrate trends rather than
emphasizing the yearly fluctuations. Hopefully such reports will en¬
courage people to monitor the reproductive success of existing colonies
and to be alert to new colonies. Although there is already abundant
evidence demonstrating the need for environmental protection meas¬
ures, there is adequate justification for continued monitoring. Not only
is it crucial to recognize downward trends, but it is helpful to recognize
upward trends, particularly when these follow the enforcement of con¬
servation measures.

The main colonial species nesting on Long Island are the Gulls,
Terns and Skimmers (Larilae, Rynchopidae), the Herons, Egrets and
Ibis (Ardeidae, Threshkiornithidae) and the Osprey (Pandionidae).
The Skimmer and several species of Herons have colonized or re¬
colonized Long Island in the past 30 years (e.g. Post 1961), and were
mainly southern in their distribution. Terns were abundant breeders
in the last century, but were nearly exterminated near the turn of the

4

century for the millinery trade. Their populations, have recovered, and
seem to be stable in the last decade. However, since Nisbet (1973) has
shown that the Massachusetts colonies of Common Terns have declined
markedly in the past 30 years, we cannot afford to be complacent about
the future of Long Island terns. One Larid species, the Laughing Gull
(Lams atrisilla) which nested on Long Island until 1890 (Bull 1964)
has not been known to breed since, although it is a common migrant.
Moreover, its New England breeding population is also declining (Nis¬
bet 1971), and the species no longer nests on its traditional site,
Muskeget Island (Finch 1972).

Two northerly species, the Herring Gull (L. argentatus ) and more
recently the Great Black-backed Gull (L. marinus ) have colonized Long
Island, and their populations are continuing to grow as part of what
seems to be a world-wide population explosion involving several Gull
species. The population expansion of Herring Gulls has been described
in detail by Kadlec and Drury (1968). Gulls do prey on nestlings of
other species (and on their own as well) (Hatch 1970, Bent 1921,
Parsons 1971), but in my experience this is not a major problem on
Long Island. They do, however, pre-empt the breeding grounds of terns
and smaller gulls (Nisbet 1971). One species, the Least Tern (Sterna
albifrons) seems to be declining rather rapidly on Long Island (Goch-
feld 1973), as it has done elsewhere. One major colony was covered
by a parking lot, but another significant factor seems to be interference
by beach buggies. It is apparent that the populations of many of our
colonial species are in a state of flux, and it is these changes that the
present series of reports should document.

Since 1964 I have studied terns in colonies in the Jones Beach State
Park area of Nassau County and adjacent Suffolk County. I have
examined various aspects of the life history of several species, and in
addition I have banded large numbers of young to study their survival
rates and factors causing and influencing mortality (Gochfeld 1966,
1971, 1973, in press). More extensive work has been conducted by
the Gull Island Committee of the Linnaean Society of New York on
Great Gull Island off Orient Point, and much of this work has been
discussed by Neilbrun (1970), Pessino (1970), Cooper et al 1970, and
Hays (1970.) Many other field workers have conducted studies at
other colonies: Ospreys (D. Puleston), herons and ibis (H. Hays,
T. H. Davis), Common and Roseate Terns (H. Hays, M. LeCroy, J.
Greenlaw, J. Grafton, R. Kremer), Herring and Great Black-backed
Gulls (D. B. Ford), Least Terns (D. Duffy), and this is only a partial
list of the most recent investigations. Perhaps the most extensive cur¬
rent studies of tern biology are being conducted by Dr. I.C.T. Nisbet
in colonies in Massachusetts.

During my field work I have seen the rise and decline of a number

5

of colonies. Even within a single season there is considerable inter¬
colony movement of breeding terns, particularly after a first nesting
attempt has been thwarted. Thus measuring the overall population of
breeding terns, requires work at several colonies during a single season.

Hopefully other persons who have worked in waterbird colonies will
be able to contribute similar reports to this series. These reports can
be updated by annual accounts. Not only are our fish-eating birds
closely depend on the preservation of the estuarine ecosystem, but most
commercially-sought fish are either directly or remotely estuarine-de¬
pendent. Thus data contributing to the preservation of this ecosystem
has far-reaching implications.

My firse reports, which will start with the May, 1974, Kingbird, will
concern colonies in the Jones Beach area.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many people have studied or banded colonial birds on Long Island
and have kindly provided me at least a brief account of their experi¬
ences. I particularly wish to thank R. Arbib, P.A. Buckley, J. Bull,
T. H. Davis, D. B. Ford, J. S. Greenlaw, F. Heath, R. Kremer, A. J.
Lauro, M. LeCroy, E. Levene, and R. Wolk. R. Gochfeld, J. Grafton,
and D. Ponsolle, were my most frequent field associates, while numer¬
ous biology students from Queens College, Flushing, New York, assisted
in the field at one time or another.

Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University School
of Public Health, New York 10032, and Department of Ornithology,
American Museum of Natural History, New York 10024 .

LITERATURE CITED

Allen. R. P. 1937. Black-crowned Night Heron colonies on Long Island. Proc.
Linn. Soc. New York 49:43-53.

Ames, P. L. 1966. DDT residues in the eggs of the Osprey in the northeastern
United States and their relation to nestling success. J. Appl. Ecology 3 (Suppl):
87-97.

Anderson, D. W., J. J. Hickey. R. W. Risebrough, D. F. Hughes, and R. E.
Christensens. 1969. Significane of chlorinated hydrocarbon residues to breeding
pelicans and cormorants. Can. Field Nat. 83-91-112.

Bent, A.C. 1921. Life histories of North American Gulls and Terns. U.S. Natl.
Mus. Bull. 113.

Blus, L. J., R. G. Heath, C. D, Gish, A. A. Belisle and R. M. Prouty. 1971.
Eggshell thinning in the Brown Pelican: implication of DDE. BioScience
21:1213-1215.

Bull, J. 1964. Birds of the New York Area. Harper & Row, New York.

Cooke, A. S. 1973. Shell thinning in avian eggs by environmental pollutants.
Environ. Pollution 4:85-152.

Cooper, D,, H. Hays and C. Pessino. 1970. Breeding of the Common and Roseate
Terns on Great Gull Island. Proc. Linnaean Soc. New York 71:83-104.

6

Faber, R.A., R. W. Risebrough and H. M. Pratt. 1972. Organochlorines and
mercury in Common Egrets and Great Blue Herons. Environ. Pollution.
3:111-122.

Finch, D. W. 1970, 1972. Nesting Season — northeastern maritime region. Audubon
Field Notes 24:659-665; American Birds 26:832-837.

Gochfeld, M. 1966. Mortality among the Common Terns of the Short Beach,
L. I. Colony. Linnaean News-Letter 19(9): 1-3.

Gochfeld, M. 1971. Premature featherloss — a “new disease” of Common Terns
on Long Island, N.Y. Kingbird 21:206-211.

Gochfeld, 1973. Effect of artefact pollution on the viability of seabird colonies
on Long Island, New York. Environ. Pollut. 4:1-6.

Gochfeld, M. in press. Incidence of developmental defects in Common Terns
(Sterna hirundo ) of western Long Lsland, New York.

Hatch, J. 1970. Predation and piracy by gulls at a ternery in Maine. Auk
87:244-254.

Hays, H. 1970. Great Gull Island report on nesting species 1967-1968. Proc.

Linnaean Society of New York.,71:105-118.

Hays, H. and R. W. Risebrough. 1972. Pollutant concentrations in abnormal young
terns from Long Island Sound. Auk 89:19-35.

Heilbrun, L. H. 1970. Great Gull Island, its history and biology. Proc. Linnaean
Society of New York. 71:55-79.

Hickey, J. J. (editor) 1968. Peregrine Falcon Populations. Their biology and
decline. Univ. Wisconsin Press, Madison.

Hickey, J. J. and D. W. Anderson. 1968. Chlorinated hydrocarbons and eggshell
changes in raptorial and fish-eating birds. Science 162:271-274.

Kadlec, J, A. and W. H. Drury jr. 1968. Structure of the New England Herring
Gull population. Ecology 49:644-676.

Nisbet, I.C.T. 1971. The Laughing Gull in the North East. American Birds 25:677-
683.

Nisbet, I. C. T. 1973. Terns in Massachusetts: Present numbers and historical
changes. Bird Banding 44:27-55.

Parsons, J. 1971. Cannibalism in Herring Gulls. Brit. Birds 64:528-537.

Post, P. W. 1961 Range extensions of herons in the northeastern United States
73:390-393.

Post, P. W. 1962. Glossy Ibis breeding in New York. Auk 79-120-121.

Post, W., F. Enders and T. H. Davis. 1970. The breeding status of the Glossy
Ibis in New York. Kingbird 20:3-6.

Ratcliffe, D. A. 1970. Changes attributable to pesticides in egg breakage frequency
and eggshell thickness in some British Birds. J. Appl Ecology 7:67-107.

7

BIRDS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT

Edgar M. Reilly, Jr.

One might insist that there is only one environment and that it is
the same for both birds and mankind. But this is only true as far as
the basic requirements (air, water and land) are concerned. Actually
every animal and plant species has its own special environmental re¬
quirements for survival. Man can destroy his own environment but as
long as air, water and land exist he cannot destroy the environment; he
might destroy all life in the environment but it will still survive —
receptive to any form of life.

Unfortunately man has a tendency to either destroy some species
in their environment or to destroy particular parts of other species’
environment so that those species perish. Oddly enough, the exter¬
minated species were more often valuable to man, rather than pests.
All too often the pest species survive and multiply, as witness the
Norway Rat and, to get to the birds, how about the House Sparrow
and the Starling? Why does this happen so often? Why is it seemingly
impossible for man to share the environment without destroying vital
parts of the environments of certain birds? When a species dies
(becomes extinct) hasn’t man lost something from his own environ¬
ment?

All these questions have definite answers; taking them in the order
presented will make each ensuing question a little easier to answer —
and to understand. The House Sparrow and the Starling are primary
examples of what man considers pests; they are common, noisy, dirty
(or seemingly so), live amongst people, eating items spilled or wasted
by or stolen from man. They thrive despite many efforts to extirpate
them in the United States. Both species were introduced to North
America by well-intentioned, but biologically-ignorant, people. Had
man known more about all living things and about the two species
in particular, he would not have brought them here intentionally; and
had they arrived accidentally they might not have spread so rapidly
and abundantly. Why? Because in natural invasions the new species
generally brings along its own natural enemies: diseases, parasities,
predators (at least they follow quickly) and these enemies keep popula¬
tions from exploding.

We should also understand what a pest species is. It is not just a
plant or animal which annoys us or is poisonous to us; it is also able
to survive in relatively close proximity to man and to take advantage
of many things in man’s particular environment. Both birds can stand
the smog, dirt, and noise of our biggest cities. They even huddle during
the winter months near chimneys and other warm parts of our build¬
ings. They are great scavengers about our garbage cans. They are

wary of man but their quick movements to evade man are not nervous,
ulcer-producing reactions to the hustle and bustle in our cities. One
of the most man-annoying attributes they possess, is the ability to
ignore or survive the control measures we have tried so far.

Why does this sort of thing happen so often? Well, we’re not as
smart as we think we are and errors of the past are often repeated
because “we think we know how now” or else “it cant happen with
this species.” The role of the Great Auk, the dodos (there were more
than one species of these), and the Passenger Pigeon, not to mention
the Eskimo Curlew, has been that of common wild animal species
useful to man at the table and now they are no more. A chicken farmer
does not butcher each year because he knows the productivity of his
flock. There were many signs that we were taking too big a harvest
of the now extinct wild birds but perhaps man thought God would
provide. God provided the proof that man had better watch the world
in his temporal care a lot better. A recent TV show had a man
telling the interviewer that “we’ve always killed whales here and
eaten some of the meat. Why can’t we continue to do this even if they
are getting scarcer?” That man still knows too little and acts to selfishly
is the only answer we can provide for the question.

Why can’t we share the environment? We can if we want to make
the effort. The Whooping Crane will probably soon become extinct —
it was always a rare species and its environmental desires too concise.
Any disturbance on its breeding or wintering grounds results in nervous
flurries. Lone pairs nesting in remote regions were always at the mercy
of predators. Yet man has shown he could help this species survive
despite the natural handicaps. We could help maintain more of our
attractive native birds in abundance if we protected our natural areas
better. We could use attractive native trees, shrubs and plants about
our rural and suburban homes instead of sometimes sterile, usually
non-bird-food-producing exotic plants. In our area the Hemlock pro¬
duces highly desirable food for Siskins, crossbills and other finches;
so why Norway Spruce, Blue Spruce, etc. which these birds can seldom
use? Beautiful gardens exist without excessive use of insecticides and
part of the beauty of such gardens is the picture of nature at work.
Birds are a big part of a beautiful garden — their songs from high in
the maples or low in the shrubbery indicate the presence of insect¬
eating friends and not just a pretty song. We spray against all kinds
of garden pests and hardly ever produce the perfect blemish-free
flower —what we do with our sprays is to drive out our friends. One
reason for the scarcity of the lovely Bluebird is that we demand “per¬
fect” apples from the supermarkets. To get the more perfect apple
the orchardist must spray at least fifteen times a year. If the Bluebirds

9

can survive the spraying, they soon succumb to the shortage of insects.
And the orchards which once supported hundreds of Bluebirds have
now become a mecca for Blackbirds, Starlings, Cowbirds and other
“pest’" species, attracted by the abundance of “perfect” fruit. We’re
caught in our own machinations; we have to spray our orchards because
we’ve killed off the natural controls so that the unchecked orchard
insects run rampant unless sprayed.

The fate of all species, like that of all individuals, is to eventually
die. They may evolve into new species or, like the dinosaurs, simply
disappear from the face of the earth. Theoretically man could manage
his environment so that only the plants and animals directly useful to
him survive; every living thing would have its exact role and place.
Some agricultural experts have made such forecasts — even while admit¬
ting that they couldn’t eliminate some of our most serious agricultural
pests. Who would select those who were to remain? Would the beautiful
orioles be eliminated because they ate some of our fruit? We might look
at the present record and note that the population of many bird species
are alarmingly low. They have yet to appear on the endangered species
lists but the roster includes the House Wren, the Yellowthroat, the
Redstart, the Hermit Thrush, the Baltimore Oriole, the Bluebird, the
Red-tailed Hawk, the Spotted Sandpiper and others — all friends; all
attractive; all part of our more pleasant scenes. Strangely missing,
in fact becoming more abundant, are the Red-winged Blackbird, the
Common Grackle, the Starling; all predominantly pests. When our
friends have disappeared and only the “select” few remain will not
man have lost something more than the material things: his soul?

Old Chatham , New York 12136

1974 ANNUAL MEETING

The Jamestown Audubon Society and the Lake Erie Bird Club will
host the 27th Annual Meeting of the Federation of New York State
Bird Clubs on October 18-20, 1974. Headquarters for the meeting will
be the Holiday Inn of Dunkirk-Fredonia.

In addittion to the papers read at the annual meeting, it is planned
to hold workshops on bird identification. If you have an idea for a
group of birds which you would like to have included, or if you would
like to lead such a workshop, or if you have any suggestion as to some¬
one who might be especially well qualified to lead a workshop, please
contact: Allen H. Benton, Department of Biology, State University
College, Fredonia, New York 14063

10

NEW MEMBERS

The Federation welcomes the following new members, individuals
and clubs, who have joined during 1973. (Henceforth lists of new
members will be published quarterly. Ed.)

Adams, Samuel H., 14 Stormy View Rd., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850
Audin, Mrs. Ruth, 50 Stanford Dr., Rochester, N.Y. 14610
S Blauvelt, Lester, Cobb Rd., Lacona, N.Y. 13083
R Brubaker, John, Seneca Lodge, Watkins Glen, N.Y. 14891
# *Butler, Dr. Hugh H., 165 Shoreham Dr., Rochester, N.Y. 14618
Carlson, Douglas Q., Box 142, Fredonia, N.Y. 14063
Cassidy, Mr. E. J., 12428 Matthews Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10467
Chamberlaine, Lee B., Box 139, Henderson, N.Y. 13650
S Champlin, Mark, 164 Brampton Rd., Syracuse, N.Y. 13205
S Clark, Miss Luanne, 136-39 41st Ave., Flushing, N.Y. 11355

Cooke, Warren, c/o Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, 46th Floor, 1 Chase
Manhattan Plaza, N.Y. 10015

Davidson, Arthur, 33 Pardam Knoll, Miller Place, N.Y. 11764
Drennan, Mrs. Matthew, 110 Bleecker St., N.Y. 10012
Farrey, Declan W., 304 Ringold St., Peekskill, N.Y. 10566
Finn, Dr. William F., 3 Aspen Gate, Manhasset, N;Y. 11030
Freer, Valerie M., R.D. #1, Box 21G, Ellenville, N.Y. 12428
Goldstein, Arthur, 76 Beach Rd., Great Neck, N.Y. 11023
Hannisian, Mrs. Michael, 211 Franklin Rd., Denville, N. Jersey 07834
Hills, Charles F., 3052 Burr St., Fairchild, Conn. 06430
Hobart, Alexander C., 928 Goodrich St., Uniondale, N.Y. 11553
R Holman, Mrs. James, R.D. # 1, Cayuta, N.Y. 14824

Horel, Mrs. James, 6881 Woodchuck Hill Rd., Fayetteville, N.Y. 13066
Jones, Major Morgan V.,III, Box 57, Seneca Army Depot, Romulus, N.Y. 14541
Jorgensen, Sally, R.D. 1, Box 54, Blackbrook Rd., Seneca Falls, N.Y. 13148
R Key, Mrs. James W., 52 Tree Tops Lane, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12603
Klattenberg, Marcia M., R.D. #3, Oswego, N.Y. 13126
Lichtenstein, Mrs. Henry, 150-48 Ninth Ave., Whitestone, N.Y. 11357
Lowe, Dana C., 190 Park Ave., Merrick, N.Y. 11566
Maloney, Margaret, 424 Church St., North Syracuse, N.Y. 13212
* Mitchell, Dr. Charles W., 8 Broadway Rd., Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
Molyneaux, Mrs. Erwin H., 551 Beahan Rd., Rochester, N.Y. 14624
Murphy, Keith, 729 Erie Station Rd., West Henrietta, N.Y. 14586
Neff, Mrs. Lillian, Box 7, Mountainville, N.Y. 10950
S Nelson, Donald W., General Delivery, Monroe, N.Y. 10950
O’Connor, Robert H., Owasco Terrace, Auburn, N.Y. 13021
Parker, Haywood Jr., 52 Washington Rd., Pittsford, N.Y. 14534
Peterson, John M. C., Box 300, Essex, N.Y. 12935
R Riley, Thomas M., 4110 Bishop Hill Rd., Marcellus, N.Y. 13108
Robertson, John A. 581 Lake Rr., Webster, N.Y. 14580
Shields, Lillian, 49 West 32nd St., New York, N.Y. 10001
Skelly, Mrs. Earl, 29 Midvale Terrace, Rochester, N.Y. 14619
Slatkin, Carole, 2001 Sherman Ave., Evanston, Illinois 60201
Stahlberg, Mrs. Barbara, Hinman Rd., Barneveld, N.Y. 13304
Tkach, Miss Helen, 131 Joralemon St., Brooklyn N.Y. 11201
Tripp, John H., Box 523, Circleville, N.Y. 10919

11

Valentine, Allen E., 75 Brooklea Dr., East Aurora, N.Y. 14052
Ziminski, Stanley W., 225 Ontario Ave., Massapequa, N.Y. 11758

Goudy Wildlife Club, Newburgh Chapter, 267 Grand St., Newburgh, N.Y. 12550
Moraine Audubon Society, Box 61, Farmingville, N.Y. 11738

P Patron F Founder

Life Member Supporting Member * Sustaining Member

S Student Member Others — Annual R Re-installed Member

NORTH AMERICAN HAWK MIGRATION CONFERENCE

The North American Hawk Migration Conference will be held in
Syracuse April 18-21, 1974. Much valuable research on hawk migration
has been done by individuals and organizations over the past 40 years,
but little work has been done so far to correlate these studies. The
purpose of the Conference therefore is to gather under one roof hawk-
watchers from all over eastern North America to exchange observations
on hawk migration, to set standards on record keeping, and to agree
on ways of sharing and collating information on a continuing basis.

The Onondaga Audubon Society will act as host for the Conference,
and Dr. Pershing B. Hofslund of the University of Minnesota is acting
as Program Chairman.

Anyone interested in attending the Conference or in receiving more
information about it should get in touch with the host committee chair¬
man, Dorothy W. Crumb, 3983 Gates Road North, Jamesville N.Y. 13078

FIELD NOTES

Great Cormorant at Oswego Harbor, New York: Since May 1970 it has been
known locally that the stationary buoys on the breakwaters in Oswego Harbor are
favorite resting places of spring-migrant Double-crested Cormorants. Accordingly,
on our “big run” May 19, 1973, when I arrived at the west harbor with Steve
Grossman and R. D. Jenks, 1 immediately checked the buoys for this uncommon
migrant, and noted that there were two cormorants perched on a distant one, off
Fort Ontario in the east harbor. I had barely time to note, with 9X binoculars, that
one cormorant seemed larger than the other, when the larger flew, giving a fleeting
uncertain glimpse of an oval white patch on its flank. Tentatively dismissing this
as a possible psycho-optical illusion, I postponed ’scope scrutny of the remaining
cormorant for closer range at Fort Ontario.

When we reached the Fort Ontario overlook, a cormorant was still or again on the
buoy. Remembering the white flank patch impression (a feature I had never seen
in life, as my experience with Great Cormorant had been with winter individuals on
the Atlantic coast) I checked with 30X ’scope for a flank patch on this cormorant.
Under a clear sky, looking north at approximately 1 P.M., about 0.75 mile away, I
barely but distinctly discerned an oval white flank patch, confirming this to be
an adult Great Cormorant (Phalacrocax carbo) in breeding plumage.

Shortly, C.G. Spies arrived and confirmed the identification. With other observers
we watched the Great Cormorant until about 4:00 P.M. The flank patch became
more visible as the bird changed position in preening, and was also seen when it

12

flew. Other fieldmarks noted were the light (not bright yellow) bill and throat, the
all-black appearance of the plumage other than flank patches and throat, and the
apparently large size (although there was no other bird in the near vicinity for
direct comparison.) •

A (or “the”) Great Cormorant was seen at Oswego Harbor later in the day by
F. G. Scheider and others, and on May 20 by Schieder and by Spies and myself.
The intriguing possibility remains that my initial sighting was of two Great Cor¬
morants.

May 19th was a day of diminishing NW wind, and the 20th one of rain on a
SE wind. The evening of the 18th had been rainy, with strong wind off Lake Ontario.

Dayton Stoner in Ornithology of the Oneida Lake Region (1932) lists two
nineteenth century Great Cormorant specimens from Oneida Lake, and W. Earl
Godfrey in The Birds of Canada (1966) notes a nineteenth century Toronto record.
I have found no twentieth century Great Lakes area records. Unfortunately no photos
were obtained of the 1973 Oswego bird,

Margaret S. Rusk, 242 W. Calthrop Ave., Syracuse, N.Y. 13205

Black-necked Stilt at Town of Perinton, Monroe County, New York: On June
3, 1973 a Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanm) was observed at the
corner of Wakeman Road and Rt 31F in the Town of Perinton, 3 miles east of
the village of Fairport, Monroe County. It was standing on a small island in
a farm pond of approximately 3/4 acres. The time was approximately 9:00 a.m.
and light conditions were excellent.

Although this was a “life bird” for me, the shape and contrasting white and
black pattern left no doubt as to its identity. The black of the back extended from
the crown to the tip of the tail, including the wings, while the white extended
from the forehead to the under tail coverts. The legs were very long and light
red; the bill black and seemed slightly upturned. The light and distance were such
that even the red iris was visible with 10X binoculars.

Some references state that the female has a brownish cast to the back. If this
is the case, I would be inclined to call this bird a male.

The bird was observed by at least 20 persons including the farm manager
who stated that it was also present -on June 2.

Michael Tetlow, 545 Macedon Center Road, Fairport, New York 14450

Editor’s note: This appears to be the first record for a Black-necked Stilt for
western New York—Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5. While the photographs taken of it
are readily recognizable, they are not of sufficient quality for publication. JWT.

Additional data on the Razonbill specimen: — Recently the body of the Razonbill
(Alca torda ) reported as the first inland specimen for New York (Cutright, N.J.
1973. Kingbird 23:138-140) was given to me. The body had been frozen since
the skin was removed for mounting. Dissection revealed that the bird was a non¬
breeding male, with testes measuring 5 mm X 2 mm. The bright yellow mouth
lining of an adult bird was present. However, characters of the bill and plumage
indicate that the bird was in the first winter.

All internal organs were intact and free of gross lesions except that the lungs
and lateral airsacs were blackened with the sporulating hyphae of Aspergillosus.
Aspergillosus, a fungal disease of birds (and mammals) is caused by Aspergillus
fumigatus, a near relative of black bread mold. This disease, reported from many

13

kinds of birds, affects water birds frequently. This slowly developing affliction would
probably ultimately been responsible for the death of the Razonbill.

A partial skeleton has been prepared from the body and is deposited in my collec¬
tion as JLT number 646.

James Tate, Jr. Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca,
New York, 14850

Swainson’s Warbler in Central Park, New York, New York: On 11 May, 1973 a
Swainson’s Warbler ( Limnothlypis swainsonii ) was found in the “Ramble” about fifty
feet south of “Warbler Rock” in Central Park, New York Co., N.Y. at 7:30 a.m. It
was discovered and positively identified by the authors.

It was initially found beneath a large bush where we studied it for about five
minutes; it then disappeared. At about 12:00 noon Davis Finch rediscovered the
bird in a nearby patch of Japanese Knotweed where the bird remained for the
day.

We were able to study the bird at a distance of about ten feet feeding beneath
the bush in a thick dead leaf ground covering. It foraged like a Towhee shuffling
its feet and poking its bill among the leaves. One characteristic peculiar to this
individual was that it trembled while it searched for food. This trembling is said
to be diagnostic of this species by Brooke Meanly in his paper, the “Natural
History of the Swainson’s Warbler” (North American Fauna, No. 69, Bureau of
Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, 1971)

During the day of the sighting about thirty-five people, including John Bull/
Robert Arbib, Thomas Davis, and Roger Pasquier, saw this bird. The weather
conditions preceding this discovery were extremely favorable. There had been
seven days of north-easterly winds which had seriously hindered the migration.
During the night of May 10-11 the winds shifted to the south and opened the
bottle-neck. On May 11 there were, in Central Park, three or four Worm-Eating
Warblers, two Hooded Warblers, and two Yellow-breasted Chats.

There are two previous records for Swainson’s Warbler in New York State —
one seen May 5 and 6, 1950, at Prospect Park, Kings County (Bull, 1964, Birds
of the New York Area , Harper & Row) and one seen May 6, 1963, at the Bronx
Botanical Gardens, Bronx County (Bull, 1970, Supplement to Birds of the New
York Area, Proceedings of the Linnaean Society, of New York)

Many thanks to Tom Davis for his assistance in the preparation of this note.

Hugh McGuinness, 22 East 8 Street, N.Y., N.Y., 10003

Peter Polshek. 42 West 9 Street, N.Y., N.Y., 10011

14

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FALL SEASON

Fritz Scheider

A warm dry, fall generated few flights, much increased shorebird
habitat which was but lightly used, and an array of tardy migrants
thru October. Snowstorms in certain sectors triggered the exodus of
many late-staying birds (dabbling ducks, icterids, sparrows and Novem¬
ber landbirding seemed uniformly thin (vide infra).

Numbers of loons and grebes seemed reduced in 2,3,4,5,6,9 but
coastal counts were not available for comparison. They like the Canada
Geese may have flown right over (marked decrease of Canada Goose
numbers in 2,3,5 with definitely better numbers, but still as fly-overs,
in 6,7,8,9). Brant staged only a modest flight upstate (2,5) and were
unreported otherwise. Ducks have reached disastrously low numbers

(2.3.5.7.8.9) with slightly better numbers reported in Region 6 —it
seems to involve virtually all groups — dabblers, Aythya, scoters, mer¬
gansers" even the northern breeders such as Common Golden-eye, Buf-
flehead and Oldsquaw; the paucity of Wood Duck (3,5,7,8) is partic¬
ularly striking.

Increased numbers of Goshawk (? an echo to the massive incursion
of ’72-73) were noted but the scarcity of Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned
Hawks continues. Only Red-tailed Hawks seem to be holding up in
numbers and the passage of other Buteos was minimally noted with
one brilliant exception — the impressive hawk migration tallies in Region
9 (q.v.). Rough-legged Hawk were very scarce (2,3,4,7,9) and Snowy
Owl even scarcer (2,3,5,8) indicating no major incursions of tundral
raptores for this winter. Ring-necked Pheasant have declined tre¬
mendously because of 1) cessation of stocking programs by the state,
2) hunting, and 3) changes in local farming and land-use practices.

Shorebird variety seemed uniformly good but the numbers appeared
much reduced particularly amongst the scarcer "peep” sandpipers, i.e.
White-rumped, Baird’s and Western Sandpipers. Large areas of avail¬
able habitat in October and early November sported nothing but a few
Dunlin and an occasional Killdeer. A jaeger flight on Lake Ontario
(2,5) was sauce to an impressive array and variety of gulls there and
on the St. Lawrence River but no "inland” occurrences of same were
detected. The presence of November Glaucous and Iceland Gulls pre¬
sages a good "white-winged” gull winter.

Large groups of migrating Common Nighthawk were reported

(2.3.6.9) ; this is particularly strange in view of their decline as breeders
in many araes of the state. Red-bellied Woodpecker are definitely
spreading (3,5,9) with the upstate birds undoubtedly advancing from

15

the Genesee River and Seneca River River lowlands and the Region
9 birds working north thru New Jersey.

Swallow numbers were decreased (2,3,4,5,6,8) and very early de¬
partures were the rule, this despite the better feeding conditions of
the warm, dry fall. The paucity of winter landbirds, particularly chick¬
adees, nuthatches, creepers, and to a lesser extent, Tree Sparrows and
Dark-eyed Juncos, was mentioned by many observers and Red-breasted
Nuthatches were particularly conspicuous by their absence, even in the
Adirondack (5,6,7,8,) sectors. Tufted Titmouse continue to expand (2,3,
even into 7) but the really rising Southerner is the Carolina Wren with
increasing reports from most sectors (2,3,4,5,7,8,9). Hermit Thrush
numbers seemed high this fall (4,5,7) but most other thrushes were
noted mainly as fly-overs and the Eastern Bluebird continued very
scarce (3,5,9 with slightly better tallies in 4 and 7). Northern Shrike
invaded (2,3,4,5,6,7,8) with numerous late October and early November
records.

The warbler migration was fair to heavy (3,5,8,9), especially so in
Tennessee, Cape May, Magnolia, and Bay-breasted Warblers but with
reduced numbers of Yellow-rumped Warbler and American Redstart;
numerous late warblers (2,4,5,8,9) attest to the mild fall but appro¬
priate parallels (tardy shorebirds, flycatchers, swallows, vireos) to this
were not evident. Above average flights of Scarlet Tanager and Rose¬
breasted Gdosbeak (4,5) were noted along with continued Cardinal
(5,6) and House Finch (2,3,5,8) expansion, the latter less explosively
than one would have thought considering the acres of suburbia it has
to exploit. A fair flight of winter finches — Evening Grosbeak (2,3,4,-
5,6;7,8,9), Pine Siskin (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9), Red Crossbill (2,3,4,5,6,7,8) with
lesser numbers of Common Redpoll (2,5) — may brighten the birding
doldrums of January, February, and March and enliven the finch
sections of various Christmas Bird Counts.

Only one report (9) mentioned Monk Parakeet — perhaps the New
York State extirpation program is working. If we could only eliminate
snowmobiles as readily!

Seasonal rarities include White-fronted Goose (3), Whimbrel (5,6),
Purple Sandpiper (2,5,6), Buff-breasted Sandpiper (9), Pomarine
Jaeger (2,5), Black-legged Kittiwake (5,6), Acadian Flycatcher (4),
Bohemian Waxwing, (3), Prothonotary Warbler (2) and Summer Tan-
ager (2).

No reports from 1 and 10 make the state-wide summary incomplete
and difficult especially regarding waterfowl, gulls and western strays.
Let’s hear it from 1 and 10!

417 South Main Street North Syracuse , New York 13212

16

REGION 2 —GENESEE

Thomas E. Tetlow

The fluctuation of temperature in the Rochester area during the last half of
August produced both near record highs and lows and ended with above average
temperature. Rainfall was below normal. September and October followed the
same pattern — above average temperature and below normal rainfall. November
was the only exception with almost 4 inches of rain, one inch above normal.
Temperature for November remained above average. For the first time in several
years, Rochester had only a trace of snow during the recording period. Rainfall
for the year totaled 25,5 inches — 4 inches below the average.

The receding water level of Lake Ontario has again opened up many areas
to shorebirds. Braddock’s Bay is reported to be the best that it has been in many
years.

Rarities Include: Red-necked Grebe, Cattle Egret, Peregrine Falcon, Purple
sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Little Gull, White-eyed Vireo, Pro-
thonotary Warbler, Summer Tanager, Dickcissel, House Finch.

Abbreviations: BB — Braddock’s Bay: DEP — Durand Eastman Park; HAM—
Hamlin; HBP — Hamlin Beach State Park; IBO — Irondequoit Bay Outlet; WEB —
Webster; WLS — West Lakeshore; WP — Webster Park.

Observers: AK — Allen Kemnitzer; EV — Edna Vollmer; GOS — Genessee Orni¬
thological Society; GP — Glen Perrige III; JCL — Julie Claffey; J&JC — Jack and
Joyce Connor; JS — Jean Skelly; MAS — Mary Ann Sunderlin; NP — Neil Prosser;
RD-Robert Dobson; RO’H - Richard O’Hara; SO’H - Steve O’Hara; WL - Walt
Listman; WLL — Warren Lloyd.

LOONS—DUCKS: No high counts of Common Loon reported; they were
unreported until the second half of October; thereafter they could be seen at
almost any overlook through the end of the period. Red-throated Loon: only one
report, 16 Nov 18 WP (AK). RED-NECKED GREBE-. I Oct 21 Hamlin (RD).
Horned and Pied-billed Grebes present in average numbers. Double-crested
Cormorant: 1 Sept 24 DEP (JCL); 1 Sept 30 BB (JS); 1 Nov 4 IBO (AK).

CATTLE EGRET; 2 Aug 21 BB (RO’H); this was the last report of the birds

that have been with us since mid-April; how long before they’ll nest? The flight
of Canada Geese passed through almost unnoticed; no large numbers were re¬
ported; a few small rafts were still being reported from Lake Ontario at the end
of the period. Unlike last year, we did have a Brant flight this year, max 2000
Oct 29 BB (JCL&EV); there were several reports of considerably smaller numbers.
Two Snow Geese were present in Mendon Ponds Park Nov 1-15 (GP&G Davis
et al); and 2 Nov 11 BB (R&SO’H). There were no high counts on any of the
local ducks, and with only a few exceptions, migrants were reported in small
numbers. At least 3 veteran observers have mentioned that the diving ducks seem
to be staying well offshore, possibly due to the effects of the high water on the
lake bottom and in turn to its effect on the marine life. Shoveler: 8 Aug 23
WEB (WLL); a very good count for this time of year. Wood Ducks reported
in very low numbers. Common Goldeneye: max 700 Nov 4 HBP (NP). Buffle-
head: max 250 Nov 4 HBP (NP). White-winged Scoter was present in good
numbers. Surf Scoter: max 200 Oct 29 WLS (JCL&EV); Black Scoter: max

1800 Oct 29 WLS (JCL&EV); a single raft of an estimated 750 birds was seen

off DEP Nov 30 (GP). Ruddy Ducks and Hooded Merganser were both reported
in low numbers; only 2 reports each; all single birds.

HAWKS—OWLS: Reports of Goshawks were numerous—20 for the period,
17 in Nov alone; most reports were from the WEB area where J. Czech carries

17

on his banding operations, but written and oral reports indicate that they are
almost common throughout the region. There were 13 reports of Sharp-shinned
Hawks; 5 in Nov; 4 in Oct; 3 in Sept; 1 in Aug; all but 2 of these from the
lakeshore. Cooper’s Hawk: 9 reports all from the lakeshore; 1 Nov; 3 Oct; 3
Sept; 2 Aug. Red-tailed Hawk: local birds seem to be doing very well;, a small
flight was observed over BB 26 when (WL) counted 127; this is a good count
in our region for a fall flight. Rough-legged Hawk: 3 Nov 21 IBO (AK); 1
Nov 21 and 22 WEB (J Czech); these birds were apparently all migrants.
PEREGRINE FALCON ; 1 Oct 16 Pittsford (GP); 1 Oct 17 Carlton (WL); I
Oct 22 DEP (P Dutcher). Reports from local hunters would indicate that the
population of Ring-necked Pheasant has declined rapidly in our region since
the end of the state stocking program. Although the quality of fall shorebirds was
good, quality was poor considering the favorable habitat; among the more
noteworthy records were Killdeer: 250 Aug 11 WLS (R&SO’H). American Golden
Plover: 52 Nov 7 Lima (B Perrigo&EV); 1 Nov 22 BB (J&JC). Black-bellied
Plovers were present in small numbers from mid-Aug thru the end of period.
PURPLE SANDPIPER: 1 Oct 20 HBP (GOS); 3 Nov 5 BB (JCL&EV). White-
rumped and Baird’s Sandpiper were unreported. RED PHALAROPE : 1 Nov

3 & 4 WP (AK); 1 Nov 11 IBO (WLL&MAS); 1 Nov 25 88 (J&JC). Both
Jaegers were reported in above normal numbers; POMARINE JAEGER: 1 Sept
6 Carlton (WL); 1 Oct 7 BB (WL); 2 Nov 15 HBP (GP); 1 Nov 17 IBO (AK).
Parasitic Jaeger: 1 Nov 15 HBP (GP); 3 Nov 21 IBO (AK). White-winged
Gulls were unreported and Great Black-backed Gulls are down in numbers as
■compared to last year, but not below their average. Bonaparte’s Gulls were present
in good numbers throughout Nov with counts of 200 common off IBO. LITTLE
GULL: 1 Sept 16 Charlotte Beach (NP); 2 Sept 18 Charlotte Beach (K Doris
et al); 1 Oct 4 WLS (WL); 1 Oct 8 WLS (JCU);' 1-4 Nov 19-30 IBO (AK et al).
Snowy Owl: only 1 report for the period; 1 Nov 17-18 BB (JC); unreported
since.

GOATSUCKERS—STARLINGS: Common Nighthawk: a group of 32 migrants
was seen over Rochester Aug 28 (JS). Among the Woodpeckers and Flycatchers,
reports would indicate no drastic changes in population. Oct did not produce the
large concentrations of Swallows that normally occur along the lakeshore. Tree
Swallows were reported in the hundreds instead of in the thousands that are
present in a normal year. Tufted Titmouse, along with the Carolina Wren, have
both shown good population increases in the region; Titmouse reports are too
numerous to list and 8 Carolina Wrens were reported in August. Short-billed
Marsh Wren: only 1 report; a single bird at BB Sept 16-17 (B Molyneaux et al).
Northern Shrike was first reported on Nov 5 when a single bird was seen in WEB
(AK); and there were at least 4 present on the WLS Nov 18 (G Meade).

VIREOS—WARBLERS: At least 2 flights were noted; 1 occurring in the last
week of Aug on 90-plus degree days and a spectacular nocturnal flight on Sept 24.
WHITE-EYED VIREO: 1 Sept 12 WEB (D Spear et al); reported only twice
before in fall. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER: 1 Sept 20 Greece (B Molyneaux
& JS); rare in our region in the spring; first fall report. Yellow Warbler: 1 Nov 27
BB (M Magee & A Stear et al); previous late date was Oct 28. Orange-crowned
Warbler: 1 Oct 7 DEP (RO’H).

BLACKBIRDS — SPARROWS: Rusty Blackbird: present in large numbers in
Sept; several reports in the hundreds. SUMMER TANAGER: female 1 Sept 21
WEB (WLL); all field marks noted; I believe this is our first fall record.
DICKCISSEL: 1 Aug 24 WEB (D Skiff); previously reported from same location;
1 Sept 4 Fairport (B Olin). Evening Grosbeak: 1 Aug 7 WEB (J&T McNett);
only report for Aug, but reported in small numbers Sept thru end of period.

IS

Purple Finch: reported in good numbers. HOUSE FINCH: 1 Oct 3 Leroy (T
Adamson); 1 Nov 10 Palmyra (W Hartranft); still no population explosion. No
reports of Pine Grosbeak. Common Redpoll: 12 Nov 18 (G Meade); 20 Nov 23
WLS (R&SO’H). Pine Siskin and Red Crossbill have been reported in good
numbers since mid-Oct, Siskin being the more common. Only 1 report of White¬
winged Crossbill: 1 Nov 18 BB (JC). Lapland Longspur: 1 Oct 23 HBP (K
Doris & D Wilton); 1 Nov 11 HAM (R&SO’H). Snow Buntings were reported
in fair numbers from areas west of Rochester, but there have been no inland
reports.

545 Macedon Center Road, Fairport, New York 14450

REGION 3 —FINGER LAKES

W. E. Benning

The period as a whole was warmer and drier than usual. Very hot weather in
late August and continuing into early September was followed by a cold spell.
At Ithaca the first freeze occurred on September 21, ten days to two weeks early,
but in some parts of the Region even tender garden plants were not killed until
late October. We experienced the mildest November with the least snow in
several years. Stream flow was below normal and ponds and reservoirs below
their normal levels at the end of the period.

Observers commented on the lack of migrating waterfowl. The absence of cold
weather may have held them in the North later than usual.

Shorebird records were largely from Montezuma Refuge. The amount of suit¬
able habitat there was much restricted and only small numbers of the more
common species were present. Seldom is there a Fall season when several of the
rarer species do not show up at Montezuma but such was not the case this Fall.
Dunlin were a month late in arriving and very few in number.

The Carolina Wren appears to be on the upswing. Malcolm Lerch had a
Connecticut Warbler among the 700 plus warblers he banded. The first authen¬
ticated nesting of the House Finch in Ithaca occurred this year.

At -Elmira there were heavy migrations on the nights of September 23 and 24
but with relatively small kills at the TV tower. Much larger kills totaling 445
birds occurred on September 27 and 28.

Rarities included White-fronted Goose, Peregrine, King Rail, Bohemian Wax¬
wing, White-eyed Vireo and Connecticut Warbler.

Abbreviations: Cay — Cayuga; Co — County; JP — Junius Ponds in northern
Seneca County; L — Lake; MNWR — Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge; §M —
Savannah mucklands; SAD — Seneca Army Depot; Sen — Seneca; Schy — Schuyler;
WD — Waterloo dump.

Area compilers and observers: WEB—W. E. Benning; JB — Jack Brubaker
(Watkins); COS — Cornell ornithology seminars; FG — Frank Guthrie (Keuka);
RG —Robert Gustafson (MNWR); WH — Wilfred Howell; MJ — Morgan Jones
(SAD); RSJ — Richard and Sally Jorgensen; DM — Dorothy Mcllroy (Ithaca);
MRP — Montezuma Refuge personnel; JJS — James and Judy Stewart; BS — Betty
Strath; JT — ames Tate; JW —Jayson Walger; (Waterloo); JWs — Jack Weiss;
MW — Mary Welles (Elmira).

LOONS—DUCKS: Common Loon; 13 Oct 30 Cay L. Horned Grebe: first Nov 12
(COS). Pied-billed Grebe: present at MNWR thruout period with 6 birds still
incubating in mid-Aug; max 250 (MRP). Double-crested Cormorant: 2 Sep 1

19

Waneta L (JB). Great Blue Heron; few still present at MNWR at end of period;
max 175 (MRP). Green Heron; max MNWR (MRP). Cattle Egret: Oct 30 and
Nov 1 N of Watkins (Art Kopp fide JB). Great Egret: 1-3 MNWR thru Sep.
Black-crowned Night Heron: max 65 MNWR (MRP); last report Nov 12 (COS).
Least Bittern: max 20 MNWR (MRP). American Bittern: max 15 MNWR (MRP);
last mid-Oct Schy Co (JB).

Whistling Swan; 15 about Nov 10 Cayuta L (BS), The MRP report the max
goose numbers at MNWR as follows: Canada: 8,000 down from 12,000 in 1972;
Snow (white morph) 25, (blue morph) 20. Max duck counts at MNWR as re¬
ported by MRP: Mallard 10,000; Black; 3,000; Gadwall: 800; Pintail: 300;
Green-winged Teal: 4,000; Blue;-winged Teal: 2,000; American Wigeon: 2,500;
Shoveler: 300; Wood Duck: 600; Redhead: 15; Ring-necked: 30: 15; Hooded
Merganser: 200; Common Merganser: 300.

Other waterfowl records: WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE : 1 Nov 5, 6 and 9
with Canadas at Sheldrake, Cay L (JT etal). Usual numbers of Mallards, Blacks
and Green-winged Teal on the Barge Canal and ponds at Waterloo (JW). Wood
Duck: scare in the Keuka L area (FG); down at Elmira (MW). Redhead: 20 Oct
30 MNWR (WEB); 2 Oct 23 Elmira (WH); 3 Sep 1 Sen L at Watkins Glen
(BS); 1 Oct 11 JP (JJS). Canvasback: 62 Oct 30 MNWR (WEB) only report.
Lesser Scaup: 1 Oct 10 Elmira (MW). Common Goldeneye: first on Sen L
Nov 14 (JWs) with normal numbers thereafter. Black Scoter: 2 Nov 2 Sen L
at Watkins Glen (JB). Hooded Merganser: 75 Nov 26 Waneta L (JB). Red¬
breasted Merganser: 8 Nov 2 Sen L at Watkins Glen (JB).

HAWKS-OWLS: Turkey Vulture: 2 Oct 19 JP (JJS). Goshawk: 1 Nov 14
Watkins Glen (JB). Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1 Texas Hollow Sanctuary; 1 Oct 19
JP (JJS). Red-tailed Hawk: “fewer” at Elmira; “best numbers in years” at Watkins;
“down slightly” at SAD; “usual numbers” at Waterloo. Red-shouldered Hawk:
1 Aug 29 Connecticut Hill (JB); 1 Oct 17 JP (JJS). Broad-winged Hawk: re¬
ported Oct 22 and Nov 5 rather late (COS); several reports during migration from
Schy Co. Rough-legged Hawk: 1 Oct 16 SAD (MJ); 1 Oct 28 Hawley (WH);

1 MNWR (MRP). Bald Eagle: 1 immature Sep 16 MNWR (WEB). Marsh Hawk:
max 5 MNWR (MRP); reported from Schy Co. Elmira and at COS. Osprey: 1
during Oct in Keuka area; 1 Sep 18 Watkins Glen; 1-2 at MNWR until Sep 21.
PEREGRINE: a dark-backed, strongly marked bird sighted 5 times Sep 15-22
on East Lake Road south of Geneva was apparantly attracted by large numbers
of feral Rock Doves (JWs). Anerican Kestrel: good numbers thruout the area.
Ring-necked Pheasant: reported in good numbers in the northern part of the
region. KING RAIL : 1 Aug 19 MNWR (Vernon Dewey fide RG) no details.
The MRP count of rails was Virginia Rail: 150; Sora: 40. Common Gallinule: max
80 MNWR (MRP); good number at Watkins Marsh. American Coot: max 1500
MNWR (MRP).

, NOTE: Unless otherwise designated shorebird records are by WEB at MNWR.
Semipalmated Plover: max 5 Aug 12-14; last Oct 12. Killdeer: 44 Aug 22 WD;
max 110 MNWR (MRP); last 4 Nov 9. American Golden Plover: 15-20 in mid-
Sep on plowed field near JP (JJS); 1 Aug 27 WD. Black-bellied Plover: first

2 Sep 9 WD; up to 8 MNWR; 2 Oct 23 Elmira (WH). Ruddy Turnstone: 1 Nov
22 SM only record. American Woodcock: JWs and MJ independently noted
heavy migration along the east shore of Sen L on several evenings in late Sep
and early Oct; last report Oct 29 (COS): Common Snipe: max 42 Oct 31 WD.
Upland Sandpiper: 3 Sep Holding Point, Elmira (WH), fewer this year as
habitat has been pre-empted by trailers as aftermath of hurricane Agnes; 1 Sep
22 WD. Spotted Sandpiper: last 2 Sep 11; 3 Aug 26 WD. Solitary Sandpiper:
last dates 2 Sep 11 MNWR and 3 Aug 27 WD. Greater Yellowlegs: last dates

20

4 Nov 2 Sen L (JB); 1 Nov 4 Seneca Falls (RSJ); max 120 MNWR (MRP).
Lesser Yellowlegs: max 67 Sep 15; 27 Aug 22; WD; 34 Sep 7 SM; last dates 2
Oct 30; 17 Oct 30 WD; 3 Oct 23 SM.'Pectoral Sandpiper: max 60 Oct 12; 27
Aug 22 WD; 35 Sept 7 SM; last 2 Oct 30; 17 Oct 30 WD; 1 Nov 9 SM. Least
Sandpiper: max 28 MNWR (MRP); last dates 2 Aug 26; 2 Aug 27 WD both
very early; 3 Nov 9 SM. Dunlin: numbers, especially at MNWR, very low and
late in arrivingjfirst 1 Oct 12 and max 12 Oct 30; first 1 Sep 23 and max 85
Nov 9 SM. Short-billed Dowitcher: 1 Oct 18 SAD (MJ); max 31 MNWR (MRP);
last 12 Oct 24. Long-billed Dowitcher: 1-3 Sep 9-15; I Oct 24 SM. Stilt Sand¬
piper: max 22 Sep 7; 6 Aug 27 WD. Semipalmated Sandpiper: max 200 Aug
18; 107 Sep 7 SM; last 77 Sep 23 SM. Wilson’s Phalarope: max 4 Aug 26; last
1 Sep 20 WD. Northern Phalarope: 1 Nov 11 Sen L (MJ).

Great Black-backed Gull; 1 at Watkins on Sen L was the first there in several
years (JB); 2 Oct 30 MNWR. Herring Gull: 50 MNWR (MRP); 200 regular
at WD. Ring-billed Gull: 150 MNWR (MRP); up to 500 regular at WD.
Caspian Tern: 2 Sep 1 Sen L (JB). Black Tern: 60 MNWR (MRP). Yellow¬
billed Cuckoo: reported Oct 22 (COS). Black-billed Cuckoo; reported Oct 1
(COS). Screech Owl: 1 Oct 20 Waterloo (JW); very abundant at SAD in late
Sep and Oct with 5 calling at once (MJ). Great Horned Owl: reported thruout
the Region. Short-eared Owl: 1 last week in Oct near Lansing (B Rhodes fide
DM); 3 MNWR (MRP). Saw-whet Owl: 1 found dead at Art Kopp farm Schy
Co (JB); Nov 5 (COS).

GOATSUCKERS—STARLINGS: Common Nighthawk: 200-300 migrating over
Elmira 6 PM Aug 25 (WH); 1 Aug 24 Waterloo (JW); last reported Oct 1
(COS). Chimney Swift: “hundreds” over the Chemung River at Elmira Aug 25
(WH). Red-bellied Woodpecker: several new locations in the Ithaca area (DM)
but missing at SAD after mid Sep. Red-headed Woodpecker: 2 reports from Schy
Co (JB); 2 adults and 1 immature near Lansing Nov 2 (JT); immature last 2
weeks of Nov at Hannon feeder in Ithaca (DM). Eastern Kingbird: 1 Sep 20 WD
(WEB). Eastern Phoebe: last report Oct 15 (COS). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher; 1
Oct 10 Penn Yan (FG). Eastern Wood Pewee: last Oct 6 MNWR. Olive-sided
Flycatcher: 1 Aug 18 and 1 Sep 12 Penn Yan (FG) only reports. Horned Lark:
generally scarce; 20 Oct 25 Elmira (WH). Tree Swallow: heavy migration noted
Sep 30 and Oct 7 at MNWR; last Oct 21. Bank Swallow: last Sep 16 MNWR.
Rough-winged Swallow: last report Oct 15 (COS). Barn Swallow: last 28 Sep 16
MNWR. Cliff Swallow: only report Oct 1 (COS). Purple Martin: last Aug 21
MNWR. At Penn Yan FG reported all swallows left early. Blue Jay: heavy migration
Sep 28 SAD (MJ). Tufted Titmouse; numbers high locally at SAD (MJ). Red¬
breasted Nuthatch: scattered reports from all areas. Winter Wren: 1 Oct 12 JP
(JJS); seen thruout Oct in Ithaca area. Carolina Wren: increases reported from
Elmira and Ithaca; 1 in the editor’s dooryard Oct 21 was a first. Long-billed
Marsh Wren: 1 16 MNWR; last reported Oct 1 (COS). Mockingbird: 1 Sep 20
SAD (MJ).

Thrushes: JB reports a heavy influx, of several species of thrushes along the
Texas Hollow Road Sep 28. Last reports on thrushes at COS were as follows:
Wood: Oct 15. Swainson’s: Oct 15; Gray-cheeked: Oct 1. Veery: Oct 15. Hermit:
1 Nov 10 JP (JJS). Bluebird: at Penn Yan FG reports flocks of 20-25; at Elmira
10 were seen at Mt. Zoar (WH); 1 nestbox at Stasches Wildlife Sanctuary pro¬
duced 3 broods but other boxes which produced birds last year were not used;
few reports at Ithaca this Fall; 1 Nov 18 JP (JJS), Kinglets: good migration
of both Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned. Water Pipit: very few at MNWR;
flock of 100 south of Aurora seen mobbing and chasing Starlings. (DM).
BOHEMIAN WAXWING: Nov 18 Cornell Campus (Tom Howe fide DM).
Northern Shrike: 1 Oct 8 SAD (WEB); 1 Oct 15 (COS). Loggerhead Shrike: 1

21

Nov 11 in Norma Hood’s yard on Prospect Hill Road, Elmira chasing birds at
the feeder (MW) late date; 1 Aug 17 Cayuta L (JB).

VIREO—WARBLERS: Following are the vireos and warblers banded by Malcolm
Lerch of Penn Yan.

Species

Solitary Vireo .

Red-eyed Vireo .

Philadelphia Vireo .

Warbling Vireo .

Black-and-white Warbler . ..

Blue-winged Warbler .

Tennessee Warbler .

Nashville Warbler .

Yellow Warbler .

Magnolia Warbler .

Cape May Warbler.

Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler . .. .
Black-throated Green Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Bay-breasted Warbler .

Blackpoll Warbler .

Western Palm 2 .

Yellow Palm 2 .

Ovenbird ..

Northern Waterthrush .

Connecticut Warbler .

Mourning Warbler.

Common Yellowthroat .

Wilson’s Warbler .

Canada Warbler.

Redstart .

Total

First date

Last date

2

Sep 21

Sep 29

42

Sep 4

Sep 27

15

Sep 4

Sep 28

2

Sep 21

Sep 29

5

Aug 2

Aug 5

2

Aug 2

Aug 16

27

Aug 9

Oct 1

31

Aug 31

Sep 29

60

Aug 17

Sep 1

85

Aug 21

Sep 29

20

Aug 17

Sep 12

11

Aug 24

Sep 28

29

Sep 28

Oct 31

23

Aug 29

Sep 29

5

Aug 29

Sep 12

11

Aug 21

Sep 27

61

Aug 24

Aug 24

33

Sep 6

Oct 4

2

Sep 28

Sep 28

1

Sep 26

Sep 29

44

Sep 26

Sep 28

3

Aug 26

Sep 10

1

Sep 10

Sep 10

1

Sep 21

Sep 21

49

Sep 21

Sep 28

13

Aug 24

Sep 26

9

Aug 24

Sep 20

12

Aug 24

Sep 27

Other vireo and warbler records: unless otherwise noted these are the latest dates on
which the species was reported at the COS sessions. WHITE-EYED VIREO : 4 includ¬
ing immatures “evidently a family” Sep 11 Elmira (MW). Solitary Vireo: 1 Oct 21
MNWR (WEB). Red-eyed Vireo: Oct 1. Tennessee Warblers: Oct 1 and Nov 5;
Orange-crowned Warblers: 1 Sep 9 in WH’s yard Elmira; Nashville Warbler: 1
Oct 9 JP (JJS); Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian and
Mourning Warblers: all Oct 1; Magnolia Warbler: Oct 22; Cape May Warbler:
Sep 25; 1 Nov 14 Stewart Park, Ithaca in with Yellow-rumped Warblers (Mollie
Briant et al): Bay-breasted Warbler: Oct 8; Pine Warbler: several Sep 1 Elmira
migrating with Chipping Sparrows (WH); Palm Warbler: Oct 15; Common
Yellowthroat: Oct 15; Wilson’s Warbler: 1 Aug 31 Elmira (WH); 1 Aug 29
Waterloo (JW); Redstart: Oct 9 Ithaca (DM).

BLACKBIRDS—SPARROWS: Bobolink: Fall plumaged birds present at WD
thru Sep 9. The usual Fall flocking of “blackbirds” i.e. redwings, grackles, starlings
and cowbirds was reported from various parts of the Region. Rusty Blackbird:
first 6 Oct 12 MNWR and last 1 Nov 7. Scarlet Tanager: 2 Oct 22 Watkins Glen
State Park (JB); 1 Oct 20 JP (JJS). Evening Grosbeak: began to appear in late
Oct thruout the Region. House Finch: first Ithaca nesting; 2 nests on First St.;
young seen; up to 11 birds visiting Pat Hannon’s feeder on West Hill. Pine Siskin:

22

first reported Oct 15 (COS); Oct 23 Schy Co. (JB). Red Crossbill: first report
Oct 29 (COS). White-winged Crossbill: Oct 23 Cornell Campus (Tom Howe'fide
DM.) Rufous-sided Towhee: 1 Oct 8 Sen Co. Savannah Sparrow: last Oct 12
MNWR. Grasshopper and Henslow’s Sparrows: both decreasing in Penn Yan ‘area
(FG). Vesper Sparrow: last Oct 25 Elmira (WH). Dark-eyed Junco: good move¬
ment in Sen Co area. Tree Sparrow first report Oct 29 (COS). White-crowned
and White-throated Sparrows: both appeared at MNWR Sep 30; generally good
numbers. Fox Sparrows: first Oct 8 (COS); 2 Oct 19 JP (JJS). Lincoln’s Sparrow:
reported Oct 1 and 8 (COS); found in TV kills at Elmira. Swamp Sparrow: last
Oct 30 MNWR. Snow Bunting: first Oct 28 MNWR Cayuga Bird Club; regular
thereafter in small numbers.

RD 2 Clyde, N.Y. 14433

REGION 4 —SUSQUEHANNA

Leslie E. Bemont

Temperatures for the period averaged slightly above normal and precipitation
slightly below. Notable temperature dips occurred Aug 22, Sep 8 and 21, Oct 17
and Nov 4 and 20 with the first freezing temperatures recorded Oct 31. The first
appreciable snowfall came Nov 10 but the ground remained essentially bare to
the end of the period.

The waterfowl and shorebird migrations were very lightly reported, either for
lack of birds or lack of observers. Some of the irregular species for this Region,
e.g. snow goose, brant and pectoral sandpiper, were, nevertheless, found. Among
the raptors bald eagles outnumbered broad-winged hawks in reports received, a
remarkable situation whatever the explanation. The small land bird migration
was reasonably heavy with hermit and Swainson’s thrushes, both kinglets, several
Dendroica warblers and tanagers well represented in at least parts of the Region.
Winter bird arrivals were pretty well restricted to evening- grosbeaks and pine
siskins, but they, at least, were in good numbers.

Rarities: Barn Owl, Acadian Flycatchers, White-eyed Vireo.

Abbreviations: Bing—Binghamton; EB— East Branch, in Delaware County; CC—

I Choconut Center; CF—Chenango Forks; NV Newark Valley; SOFH—South Otselic

Fish Hatchery; WP—Whitney Point.

Observers initials: C,JB—Cutler & Jeannette Baldwin; MB—Margaret Bowman;
GC—Gail Corderman; MC—Mildred Clark; A,MD—Anna & Marilyn Davis; W.LD—
Warren & Louise Dean; MD—Mary Dobinsky; EH—Elva Hawken; LH—Louise
Hover; CH—Claude Howard; FL—Florence Linaberry; D. ML—Dwight & Margaret
Lynch; HM—Harriet Marsi; R,RP—Robert & Rita Pantle; KS—Kay Sanford; MS—
Mary Sheffield; DW—Don Weber; CW—Cora Wellman; R,SW—Routh & Sally
White; KW-Kathryn Wilson; IW-Irene Wright.

LOONS—DUCKS Common Loon: 5 reports, all from Otsego and Delaware
Counties, max 4 Oct 5 Pepaction Reservoir (MB), last Nov 23 Goodyear Lake
(IW). Horned Grebe: Sep 25 Owego (C,JB), no others. Pied-billed Grebe:
Sep 9 Owego (D,ML); Sep 30 WP (MS). Great B?ue Heron: 19 reports; Nov 9
NV (W,LD), the last. Green Heron: 2 Sep 21 at Emmons, near Oneonta (MD),
latest. Whistling Swan: Nov 24 Bing (Helen Carpenter). Canada Goose: migrants
from Sep 16 to Oct 25, peak days Sep 30 and Oct 6.Brant: 40 Oct 22 near Oneonta
(KS). Snow Goose: 9 Oct 31 flying over Ingraham Hill south of Bing (CH).
Wood Duck: about 200 Oct 28 Candor (DW), the last report. Black Scoter:
Oct 22 near Oneonta (KS). Common Merganser: 13 Aug 22 on Beaverkill (MB).

23

Red-breasted Merganser: a female from Aug thru Nov 7 at Candor (DW).

HAWKS—OWLS: Turkey Vulture: 26 Oct 7 Cannonsville Reservoir (R,SW).
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 3 reports, from NV and Owego. Cooper’s Hawk: Sep 27
Owego (C,JB), the only report. Red-tailed Hawk: at least' 30 reports. Red¬
shouldered Hawk: 3 Otsego County reports and 2 Tioga County reports. Broad¬
winged Hawk: Oct 6 NV (D,ML), the last of only 4 reports. Bald Eagle: 1 Aug
18 over Otsego Lake (Bob Darr); Aug 25 NV (LH); 2 Oct 5 Owego (C,JB);

1 Oct 11 Spencer Lake (Agnes Orbision); 1 Nov 1 Owego (Dewey Bendle).
Marsh Hawk: 4 reports. Osprey: 10 reports, the last 1 Sep 30 WP (MS). Bobwhite:
heard calling regularly during the last 2 weeks of Aug at NV (LH, W,LD, D,ML).
Turkey: 30 Oct 29 west of Endicott (C,JB), the best count; 3 other Tioga County
records. Virginia Rail: Sep 15 Ingraham Hill (CH), the only report all year.
Semipalmated Plover: 1 Aug 26 SOFH (R,SW), the only report all year. Killdeer:
16 still at Candor Nov 11 (DW). American Woodcock; 6 early the morning of
Sep 28 appeared to be newly arrived migrants (MB); a late report Nov 5 NV
(D,ML). Common Snipe: 2 Aug 26 Sherburne (R,SW); Oct 6 CC just north of
Johnson City (MS). Spotted Sandpiper: 1 Sep 18 Oneonta (IW), last date. Solitary
Sandpiper: Aug 24 Milford area (MD). Greater Yellowlegs: Sep 16 WP (MS);

2 Nov 2 Sherburne (R,SW), the only reports. Lesser Yellowlegs: 1 Sep 8 SOFH
(R,SW), the only report all year. Pectoral Sandpiper; 1 Aug 19 SOFH (R,SW).
Least Sandpiper: 1 Aug 19 Sherburne (R,SW), the only fall report. Semipalmated
Sandpiper: 11 Aug 19 COFH and 2 Aug 26 Sherburne (R,SW); no others. Her¬
ring Gull: more or less regular after Oct 23 around Bing. Ring-billed Gull: Sep

3 WP (MS); Oct 15, 17, 18 and Nov 4 NV (LH). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 Sep
16 EB (MB), the last. Black-billed Cuckoo: Aug 31 CF (A,MD), the last. Barn
Owl: Oct 23 Lounsberry, along Susquehanna River below Owego (R. Burton,
HM). Screech Owl: the higher number of reports of the past couple of years
continues. Great Horned Owl: reasonably common, as usual. Barred Owl: Nov
2 south of Bing (GC, Warren Corderman, Eugene Kirch). Saw-whet Owl: 1 Oct
22 Vestal (GC), banded.

GOATSUCKERS—STARLING: Nighthawk: Sep 5 Owego (C,JB), last. Chimney
Swift: Sep 11 Endwell (Les Bemont), last. Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Sep 29
CF (A,MD). Common Flicker: a female Nov 11 Candor (DW), the only report
after Oct 20. Pileated Woodpecker: 10 reports. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Oct 15
CF (A,MD). Great Crested Flycatcher: Sep 21 Emmons (MD), very late. East¬
ern Phoebe: 1 Nov 3 Colliersville area (MD, KW), the only report after Oct 16.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: 7 banded from Aug 22 to Sep 27 Vestal, Bing and
Candor (EH, GC, R,RP, HM); only 1 other report, Aug 30 CF (A,MD). Acadian
Flycatcher: 1 Aug 25 Bing (HM) and 1 Aug 27 Candor (R,RP), both banded
and measured carefully. Traill’s Flycatcher: 5 banded Sep 9 Bing (HM), the
last report. Least Flycatcher: Sep 28 Owego (C,JB). Wood Pewee: Sep NV (LH).
Olive-sided Flycatcher: Aug 15 CC (Robert Sheffield, MS); 1 Aug 28 Delhi (MC).
Tree Swallow: Sep 15 Milford (MD, CW, KW). Bank Swallow: Sep 1 Milford
(CW, KW, MD). Bam Swallow: Sep 19 Emmons (MD). Cliff Swallow: Sep 15
Milford (MD, CW, KW). Purple Martin: Aug 21 Owego (D,ML). Tufted Tit¬
mouse: 1 Oct 24 DeLancey, near Delhi (MC); also continuing reports from CF,

Vestal, Oneonta, Owego and Endwell. Red-breasted Nuthatch: the usual small
numbers. House Wren: last date Oct 6 at CC (MS) and Milford (MD, KW).
Winter Wren: 1 Sep 19 Bing (HM), banded; Oct 21 Candor (DW); 10 inter¬
vening records. Carolina Wren: bird at EB still present Oct 16; 2 at CF Nov 23

(A,MD); Nov 27 near Vestal (Helen Hubbard); also reported from Owego.
Mockingbird: Sep 29 and regularly to the end of the period Owego (C,JB, R.
Bennett); Oct 25 and daily Oneonta (E. & F. Vermilya); Oct 30 Oneonta (IW);

24

singing most of Oct at Endwell (FL); I banded Oct 8 Vestal (GC). Gray Catbird:
Oct 19 Owego (C,JB), the only report after Oct 10. Brown Thrasher: 1 banded
Oct 11 Vestal (GC), the only report after Sep 30. Robin: moderate sized flocks
until about Nov. 3, small numbers to at least Nov 25. Wood Thrush: Oct 4 CF
(A,MD). Hermit Thrush:' 1 Sep 14 EB (MB); 45 banded at Bing and Vestal from
Sep 30 to Oct 22 (HM, EH, GC); several other reports. Swainson’s Thrush: 1
Aug 28 Vestal (GC); heard migrating seemingly all night from Aug 23 to Aug 28
CC (MS); 1 Oct 31 Vestal (GC), last date; 19 banded in Bing and Vestal. Grey¬
cheeked Thrush: 1 Sep 15 EB (MB); 4 banding reports, the last Oct 9 Vestal
(EH). Veery: 1 banded Sep 16 Vestal (EH), the later of only 2 Sep records.
Eastern Bluebird, “more than usual, this fall—10 in all” at Norwich (R,SW); Nov
20 Candor (R,RP), the only report after Oct 13. Blue-grey Gnatcatcher: Sep 29
Owego (C,JB), unusual in fall. Golden-crowned Kinglet: 1 banded Sep 26 Candor
(R,RP), the first date; unusually numerous from then until the end of the period.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Sep 15 EB (MB), first date; common all during Oct;
Nov 10 Oneonta (IW), last date.

VIREOS—WARBLERS. White-eyed Vireo: Sep 9 NV (LH), “yellowish goggles,
light underparts”. Yellow-throated Vireo: Sep 20 NV (LH). Solitary Vireo: 2
banded Oct 10 Bing (HM) were the last reported. Red-eyed Vireo: 17 Sep 7
EB (MB), the highest count; 51 banded at Bing, Vestal and Candor (HM, GC,
EH, R,RP) thru Oct 9, the last date. Philadelphia Vireo: 1 Sep 27 and 1 Oct 22,
both banded, Bing (HM). Warbling Vireo: Sep 18 NV (LH). Black-and-white
Warbler: 2 Sep 26 EB (MB). Golden-winged Warbler: Aug 31 CF (A,MD).
Brewster’s Warbler: I banded Aug 31 Bing (HM). Blue-winged Warbler: Aug
24 CF (A,MD) 1 banded Sep 9 Bing (HM). Tennessee Warbler: 3 Aug 22 EB
(MB) the first and 9 Sep 15 at the same place were the highest count: 3 banded
Oct 10 Bing (HM), the last date; quite numerous reports. Nashville Warbler: 1
banded Oct 9 Vestal (GC), the last. Parula Warbler: 1 Bing (HM), first; 1 Sep
27 EB (MB), last; 6 others reported. Yellow Warbler: Sep 8 NV (LH). Magnolia
Warbler: 25 banded by Oct 10 (HM, GC, EH, R,RP), the last date; other reports
fairly numerous. Cape May Warbler: 1 Aug 30 EB (MB; 1 Oct 4 Vestal (GC);
24 intervening reports, an unusually high number. Black-throated Blue Warbler: 1
Oct 16 EB (MB), the last of 13 reported, 11 before Sep 29. Yellow-rumped
Warbler: seemed scarce at EB; elsewhere present from Aug 23 Oneonta (IW) to
Nov 6 Owego (C,JB); particularly numerous from Sep 29 thru Oct, when 88
banded at Bing and Vestal. Black-throated Green Warbler: 2 banded Oct 9 Vestal
(GC), the last; quite numerous from Sep 9 to 29, with peak numbers Sep 16. Black¬
burnian Warbler: Sep 29 Portlandville (MD. CW, KW). Chestnut-sided Warbler:
2 Nov 3 Colliersville area (MD, KW), extremely late and only report after Oct
6. Bay-breasted Warbler: 1 banded Oct 5 Vestal (GC), the only report after
Sep 27. Blackpoll Warbler: 24 banded from Sep 2 to Oct 10 at Bing, Vestal and
Candor (HM, GC, EH, R,RP); only 2 other reports. Pine Warbler: 1 banded Sep
5 Bing (HM) and 1 seen Oct 1 Oneonta (IW); no others. Prairie Warbler: 3
banded Sep ,3 Vestal Center (EH). Palm Warbler: Sep 15 Milford area (MD,
CW, KW); 1 banded Oct 25 Vestal (EH), the last; 3 others * banded. Ovenbird:
1 banded Oct 8 Vestal (GC), the only report after Sep 30. Northern Waterhrush:
1 banded Sep 29 Vestal (EH), the last; the only other reports from EB (MB).
Louisiana Waterthrush: Aug 28 to 31 NV (LH, et. al.), the only report. Mourn¬
ing Warbler: 1 Sep 16 EB (MB); 1 banded Sep 17 and another Sep 25 Bing
(HM). Common Yellowthroat: common all thru Sep; 4 Oct reports, the last
report of 4 birds Oct 24 Delhi (MC). Wilson’s Warbler: 1 banded Aug 21 Bing
(HM), first date; 3 Sep 26 EB (MB), last date; 17 more reported 13 of them
banded. Canada Warbler: 1 banded Oct 9 Vestal (EH); the only report after Sep
17. American Redstart: 1 Sep 27 EB (MB), last.

25

BLACKBIRDS—SPARROWS: Bobolink: 39 counted at Berkshire Aug 29
(D,ML); 200—300 in 2 adjacent cornfields Milford Sep 1 (CW, KW, MD); Sep
8 Berkshire (D,ML), last date. Eastern Meadowlark: 2 Nov 30 Candor (R,RP),
the only report after Oct 23; seemed scarce. Northern Oriole: Sep 19 Emmons
(MD). Rusty Blackbird: Aug 20 Oneonta (IW); Nov 3 CC (MS) and Oneonta
(IW); 5 intervening reports. Scarlet Tanager: 1 banded Oct 2 Vestal (EH), the
last report and 1 of 26 banded at Bing and Vestal from Sep 16 (EH, HM, GC);
other reports numerous all thru Sep. Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 18 Sep 13, best
count, and 1 Oct 4, last record, EB (MB). Indigo Bunting: 3 banded Oct 7 Bing
(HM), the only report after Sep 26; none too common. Evening Grosbeak: 28
Oct 27 Oneonta (IW) then reported regularly in almost all parts of the Region
for the rest of the period. Purple Finch: present in most of Region all period
in moderate numbers; 60 banded in Bing and Vestal (HM, GC, EH). House
Finch: 10 banded Vestal Aug (GC) and present there thru Oct; in Oct “many”
regularly Endwell (FL). Pine Siskin: 2 banded Candor in mid Jul (R,RP), 1
with brood patch; 5 banded Oct 6 Vestal (GC), the first fall record; 13 more
reports scattered thru Oct and Nov. American Goldfinch: regular all period, but
in large numbers. Red Crossbill: Nov 7 Candor (DW). Rufous-sided Twohee:
Oct 21 last date, 3 localities. Savannah Sparrow: 1 banded Oct 9 Vestal (EH).
Vesper Sparrow: Oct 10 NV (D,ML). Dark-eyed Junco: large numbers from
Oct 9 to Nov 14; at Endwell “largest flocks I have ever seen, feeding briefly in
backyard” Oct (FL). Tree Sparrow: 2 Oct 28 Delhi (MC) and same date Owego.
Chipping Sparrow: still at Delhi Nov 24 (MC); latest elsewhere Oct 20. Field
Sparrow: Nov 3 Colliersville (MD, KW). White-crowned Sparrow: Sep 22 Vestal
(EH) and 1 still there Nov 30; elsewhere, except Nov 14 Delhi (MC), gone
after Oct 26. White-throated Sparrow: in numbers Sep 29 to Nov 11; 187 banded
Bing And Vestal. Fox Sparrow: Oct 28 CC (MS); Nov 14 Candor (R,RP); 3 inter¬
vening reports. Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1 Sep 6 EB (BM); Oct 14 CC (MS); 5 inter¬
vening reports.

710 University Ave., Endwell, N.Y., 13760

REGION 5 —ONEIDA LAKE BASIN

Fritz G. Scheider

Late August, September, and early October had warmer weather—less rain than
usual, few sharp cold fronts, and only occasional migrant waves (see warblers).
The expected thrush-kinglet-late warbler—sparrow flights of the first half of
October never materialized as few rapid, massive cold fronts passed thru in that
period. From mid-October to early November severe northwest windstorms made
for exciting waterbird watching along Lake Ontario but late October landbirding
was dull and became even more so after a slippery snowfall of six to twelve
inches in early November. Landbirds thru November seemed amazingly scarce
and the few winter finches that had arrived were so thinly distributed that nothing
approaching an irruption could be identified. The combination of early water-
fowl hunting and minimal habitat may explain the scarcity of later shorebirds.
The local cone and berry crops appear non-existent except for a few ornamentals
and even weed seed production looks reduced—?? flattened by the early wet snow??

Positives for the season include 1) increased numbers of Double-crested Cor¬
morants; 2) an incursion of King Eider; 3) good variety, though poor numbers,
of shorebirds; 4) a spectacular jaeger flight; 5) an impressive array, both in
numbers and in species, of gulls; 6) continued spread of Red-bellied Wood¬
pecker; 7) an incursion of Northern Shrikes; 8) an excellent flight of Gray Cat-

26

bird, Hermit Thrush, and Philadelphia Vireo; 9) occasional warbler waves (Sep
9,13,15,20,23, & 27 but strangely none noted in Oct) with some species (q.v.)
showing notable numbers briefly; 10) good numbers of migrant Scarlet Tanager
and Rose-breasted Grosbeak; 11) a fair flight of some winter finches (Evening
Grosbeak, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin, Red Crossbill), more notable for variety
of species than actual numbers of birds .

Negatives are 1) very low counts of loons and grebes; 2) a waterfowl flight
that can only be described as a disaster—and for all major groups—geese, dabblers,
Aythya, scoters, mergansers; 3) continues decline of most raptors, especially
Accipiters and Falcons, with very poor numbers of Rough-legged Hawks to boot;
4) continued decline in Ring-necked Pheasants; 5) low numbers of many common
shorebirds (see tabulation); 6) a change in numbers of terns, again for the worse;

7) low numbers of Red-headed Woodpeckers and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker;

8) an extreme scarcity of Arctic-breeding field birds (Horned Lark, Water Pipit,
Savannah Sparrow, Lapland Longspur; 9) a dearth of swallows; 10) a drop in
numbers of certain northern breeders—Winter Wren, Swainson’s and Gray-cheeked
Thrushes, Solitary Vireo; 11) very few Eastern Bluebirds; 12) low to middling
counts of both kinglets; 13) low tallies of marsh-associated passerines—Long¬
billed Marsh Wren, Yellowthroat, Swamp Sparrow; 14) extremely low counts
of most transient sparrows.

Seasonal rarities, the spice to birding and the inconstant to every birding trip,
includer Whistling Swan, King Eiher, Bals Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Whimbrel,
Purple Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, all three phalaropes, two species of jaegers.
Black-headed, Franklin’s, and Little Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwake, Yellow-breasted
Chat, Connecticut Warbler, and White-winged Crossbill.

Initialed observers: GC—Gerald Church; DWC—Dorothy W Crumb; PAD—Paul
A DeBenedictis; C&EF—C and E Farnham; FL—Fred LaFrance; JWP—Jean W
Propst; B&SP— B and S Peebles; MSR—Marge Rusk; FGS—Fritz G Scheider; GAS—
Gerald A Smith; R&CW-R and C Wernick.

Initaled localities: DH—Derby Hill near Texas; HIGMA—Howland’s Island GMA
near Port Byron; LOL—Lake Ontario littoral; LSB—Little Sodus Bay near Fair
Haven; NPT— northern Pompey Township; Onon L—Onondaga Lake; SSSP—
Selkirk Shores State Park near Port Ontario; SP & SPI—Sandy Pond and Sandy
Pond Inlet; S Onon—South Onondaga, west of LaFayette; Sylvan B or SB-
Sylvan and Verona Beaches, east end of Oneida Lake; L—Lake.

LOON—DUCKS: Common Loon: arr Sep 14 one Sylvan Beach; max 11 (very
low) LOL Oct 28. Red-throated Loon: total of eight Oct 30 thru Nov 28 from

both L Ontario and Oneida L. Red-necked Grebe: singles only Oct 21 DH

(B. Brosseau) and Nov 11 Oneida L (R & J Van Scoy). Horned Grebe: max
22 (very low) on both Nov 13 and 23 LOL (GAS, DWC). Eared Grebe: single
Nov 15—18 LSB (PAD,DWC,FGS) is second record this year. Pied-billed Grebe:
max nine, probably parents with a brood, Aug 19 Old Fly, Pompey (FL); very
scarce this fall with only one-six/day and many observers had none.

Great Egret; two singles Aug 26 to Sep 23, very scarce. Green Heron: max

25 (low) Aug 26 Utica Marsh (B&SP); dep date Oct 20 one Eaton (GC). Least

Bittern: only report is two Sep 5 DeWitt Marsh (K. Coyle). American Bittern:
very scarce—max only four Sep 16 SP; most observers had only one-two/day.

WHISTLING S WAN: two ad and an imm Nov 11—Dec 7 Lewis Point, Oneida
L (B&SP, mob), only report. Canada Goose: strictly a fly-over migration—max
4075 over Oswego Oct 2 (R&CW); local ground tallies very low—110—250/day
and most refuge areas had virtually none. American Brant: arr date Oct 20 475
DH (GAS); poor numbers with max only 800+ Oct 30 Oneida L (D. Ackley);
very scarce in Nov—max 200 Nov 4 L Ontario (PAD). Snow Goose: only report
40 Nov 9 over Fabius (R. Benson).

27

Mallard: counts only in hundreds with best numbers from Eaton—380 Nov 25
(GC); however, Black Ducks even scarcer with all counts below 100—max 95
Nov 25 Eaton (GC). Pintail: max only 500 DH Sep 16 (GAS); otherwise, very
scarce, but present to end of period. Green-winged Teal: max only 40 Pond
Hundred near Fair Haven Nov 18. Blue-winged Teal: max only 67 Sep 15; very
scarce along Oneida L—max 21 Sep 14—where normally in the hundreds—?? a
victim of Dutch Duck Plague?? American Wigeon: max 210 (very low) Oct 13
Beaver L; present to end of period in small numbers. Wood Duck: very scarce—
(six—12/day) thru Sep and Oct; five years ago this species was counted in the
hundreds.

Redhead: very scarce—seven—16/day with max a mere 32 Oct 21'north shore
of Oneida L (MSR). Ring-necked Duck: arr date Oct 6 (late) two DH; max
only 160 Oct 13 Beaver L; many small lakes, eg. Tully Lake, had none this fall.
Canvasback: incredibly scarce-six-eight/day with max only 12 Nov 4 Eaton (GC).
Greater Scaup: arr date Sep 16 one SP; max 1100 Oct 14 DH; Oneida L numbers
very low—90-200/day—where formerly in the thousands. Common Goldeneye:
one female Sep 30 (early) SP (PAD; max 250 Nov 4 LOL (PAD); scarce on
both Oneida L and Onon L. Oldsquaw: arr Oct 20 one DH (GAS); max 75
Nov 29 DH,LOL; scarce along LOL and at Oneida L. King Eider: fall flight
began Oct 14 one DH (record arr date); one-two/day thru Nov along L Ontario
but no “inland” records so far. White-winged Scoter: max 180 Oct 30 Oneida
L (JWP). Surf Scoter: arr Sep 23 (early) five SPI (PAD); max 47 Oct 14 DH.
Black Scoter: 200 Oct 30 Sylvan B (—WP), a high count away from L Ontario.
Ruddy Duck: max a miserable nine Oct 28 Eaton (GC), very scarce otherwise—
one-six/day. Red-breasted Merganser: arr Sep 16 one DH (MSR, GAS) with
max 2350 (low) Nov 10 LOL, primarily Fair Haven and Oswego.

HAWKS—OWLS: Sharp-shinned Hawk: arr Aug 19 one Sp dunes; 19 indi¬
viduals (quite scarce) from 17 observers thru period; even scarcer are the 12
Cooper’s Hawks from the name 17 birders. Red-tailed Hawk: six—14/day
thru Oct and Nov; max 28 Clay Hawk Survey Route Nov 17 (GAS). Only Red¬
shouldered Hawk were two Sep 15 Onondaga Hill (MSR). Broad-winged Hawk:
very scarce migrant this fall—only three—12/day with the last bird noted Sep 21
(early) NPT (DWC). Rough-legged Hawk: arr Oct 20 one SSSP (C&EF);
very few thereafter with only one—two/day, mostly from the Pulaski—Mexico
area, and most observers had none. BALD EAGLEs only report an imm Aug 30

Shackleton Pt, Oneida L (P. Laible). Harrier: arr Aug 18 one Tully (JWP);

max four both Sep 11 SP and Oct 11 NPT (DWC); last noted Nov 24 one

Pompey (FL). PEREGRINE FALCON: only reports an imm Sep 15 SP (FL,R.

Sutliff) is the only fall report.

Ruffed Grouse: max 11 Oct 21 SSSP and LOL, scarce otherwise. Ring-necked
Pheasant: very scarce—one-two/day with max only nine on both Oct 3 Syr and
Oct 28 Eaton; with the continued decline of diversified farming and the astound¬
ing suburbia, this handsome adventive will soon be an historical bygone. Sora:
max seven Sep 5 with last Sep 30 one, both DeWitt Marsh (K. Coyle). Common
Gallinule: max 18 Aug 16 SP and Pond Hundred; last noted Nov 11 (late) one
Eaton (GC),

Two single HUDSONIAN GODWIT (Sep 14 Onon L; Oct 6 SPI) and two
WHIMBREL (Aug 19, Sep 9 both SPI) were noted. PURPLE SANDPIPER :
only report is one Nov 11 LSB—very scarce this fall. Western Sandpiper: several
singles—SP, Sylvan B, Onon L—to dep date Oct 26.

In the shorebird tabulation note 1) the paucity of “peep” sandpipers, 2) the
markedly reduced numbers of Golden Plover, Solitary Sandpiper, and Sanderling,
3) the very few Nov dep dates—only nine species; usually there are twelve or
more.

Shorebird Species

Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Golden Plover
Black-bellied Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
American Woodstock
Common Snipe
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
co Red Knot

Pectoral Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Baird’s Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin

Short-billed Dowitcher
Stilt Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Sanderling
Red, Phalarope
Wilsons Phalarope
Northern Phalarope

Arrival Date
Jul 15, three, Onon L

Aug 23, one, Tubbs Rd
Aug 10, one, Onon L
Jul 25, one, Onon L

Jul 7, one, Onon L
Jul 10, three, Onon L
Jul 1, one, Onon L
Jul 15, one, Onon L
Jul 1, one, Onon L
Aug 26, three, Utica Marsh
Sep 6, one, Onon L
Jul 4, three, Onon L
Aug 26, one, SPI
Jul 10, six, Onon L
Jul 11, one, Onon L
Jul 9, three, Onon L
Jul 10, one, Onon L
Nov 8, four, SP
Aug 5, one, Onon L
Aug 20, two, Onon L

Maxima

22, Aug 21, Onon L
118, Aug 26, Tubbs Rd
19, Sep 12, Durhamville
35, Sep 20, Onon L

32, Sep 14, Onon L & SB
5, Oct 10, NPT

50, Oct 27, Scott Swamp
60, Jul 11, Onon L
9, Aug 11 DeWitt Marsh
18, Oct 31, Scott Swamp
53, Aug 22, Onon L
5, Sep 26, SB

33, Sep 20, SP, Onon L
3, Aug 26, Utica Marsh

3, Sep 9, Onon U
107, Jul 21, Onon L
62, Oct 28, SSSP
31, Aug 19, Onon L
31, Sep 6, Onon L
275, Aug 22, Onon L
75, Sep 9, SP, Onon L
5, Nov 18, Oswego

2, Sep 16, Onon L

4, Aug 22, Onon L

Departure Date

Oct 17, two, SB
Dec 15, four, DeWitt
Sep 30, two, Onon L
Nov 15, one, LSB
Oct 28, one, Oswego
Nov 5, one, NPT
Nov 17, one, Clay Swamp
Sep 30, one, Onon L
Sep 8, one, DeWitt
Nov 2, one, SSSP
Oct 28, one, DeWitt Marsh
Sep 30, one, SP
Nov 9, one, SB
Sep 13, one, Onon L
Sep 30, one, Onon L
Oct 3, three, SB
Nov 26, one, Onon L
Sep 14, one, Onon L
Sep 26, four, Onon L
Oct 25, one, Onon L
Nov 11, four, SPI
Nov 18, five, Oswego
Sep 16, two, Onon L
Sep 23, one, Onon L

POMAR1NE JAEGER: two immatures in direct comparison with numerous
Parasitics Oct 14 DH (PAD,FGS,GAS). PARASITIC JAEGER: a superb flight-
first bird a dark phase adult Aug 25 SPI (AGS,CGSpies); max 80+ (a regional
record) mostly light phase adults and immatures DH, SP Oct 14 (PAD,FGS,GAS);
last noted four Nov 29 DH, Pleasant Pt (DWC,FGS).

Glaucous Gull: arr Nov 10 a 1st year bird Oswego Dump (FGS). Iceland Gull:
arr an imm Nov 4 DH (PAD). Great Black-backed Gull: arr Sep 16 three SPI;
max 65 Nov 18 DH, Oswego, LSB. Herring Gull: max 3800 Nov 29 DH, Oswego
on fierce NW lake storm. Ring-billed Gull: huge flight of 5000=/= Oct 14 DH,
SSSP, SP; large numbers—3000 to 4000/day—thru Nov at Oswego. LITTLE
GULL: two intermittently Aug 30 to Sep SPI (mob); also an ad Nov 10 off DH

(FGS). BLACK-HEADED GULL: two individuals, both ad, one Sep 15 to Oct

28 SPI (FGS) and one Oswego Harbor Nov 15-17 (PAD). FRANKLIN’S GULL:
an imm SPI Sep 23 (PAD,FGS) is the only record this fall. BLACK-LEGGED
KITT1WAKE: single imms at both DH and SSSP Nov 29 (FGS,DWC), only
fall record.

Common Tern: max 150 Sylvan B Sep 9 (GC); dep date Nov 9 six Oneida
L (C&EF). Caspian Tern: max 36 Aug 23 SPI; dep date Sep 30 (early) two
SPI (PAD). Black Tern: incredibly scarce this fall—max only 12 SPI Aug 25
with dep date Sep 23 two Onondaga L (FGS).

Black-billed Cuckoo: one dead Oct 4 (late) NPT (DWC,PAD). Great Horned
Owl: new location west shore of LBS Nov 15. Snowy Owl: two singles to date-
one Nov 15 LSB and one downtown Syr (on the cupola of the County Court¬

house) Nov 29—not a flight year but better than nothing.

GOATSUCKERS—STARLING: Common Nighthawk: 71 Aug 26 Syr (JWP)
with dep date Sep 27 one south side of Syr (C&EF). Chimney Swift: max 36
Aug 27 Syr; dep date Sep 27 (early) one each Syr and Pompey. Belted King¬
fisher: one—five/day thru Oct; singles present thru Nov.

Common Flicker: max 32 (low) Sep 23 SP area; however, many persisting into

Nov. Pileated Woodpecker: one west shore LSB Nov 15 is a new location.

Red-bellied Woodpecker; one—two/day in various woodlots west of Oswego
(R&CW); also three Oct LSB; expanding into the wooded swamps and woodlots
of the Ontario lakeplain. Red-headed Woodpecker: very scarce—and getting
scarcer!—total of nine individuals for entire fall (17 observers). Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker: arr Sep 6 (early) four Tully (JWP); max only ten (low) Sep SP
area.

Eastern Kingbird: fall max 12 Aug 19 SP; dep date Oct 6 (late) one near

Mexico (E Freeborn). Great Crested Flycatcher: dep date Sep 23 one each

NPT and HIGHA. Eastern Phoebe: max nine Sep 23 SP area; dep date 30
one NPT (somewhat early). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: 24 individuals Aug 16 to
Oct 12 (very late). Least Flycatcher: max six Sep Hogsback Rd near Navarino
(JWP); dep date Oct 12 (very late) one NPT (DWC). Eastern Wood Pewee:
max 21 Aug 25 SP, LOL, Stone Rd; dep date Oct 7 one LSB. Olive-sided Fly¬
catcher: seven individuals noted, all between Aug 16 and Sep 6.

Horned Lark: extraordinarily scarce—max only 80 Nov 18 near SSSP; most
counts only four—20/day. Tree Swallow: max 2150 (very low) Sep 20 SP, SSSP;
dep date Oct 16 (very early) one Oswego (R&CW). Bank Swallow: max 800
(very low) Aug 26 SP; dep date Sep 30 one SP (PAD). Barn Swallow: extra¬
ordinarily low—max 1100 Aug 25 LOL with dep date Oct 6 one SPI (E Freeborn).
Cliff Swallow: max 189 (high) Aug 23 Canastota (B&SP) with dep date Sep
23 (slightly late) one SP. Purple Martin: max 900 Aug 26 SP; dep date Sep
two SP.

Tufted Titmouse: present at Pleasant Pt one Nov 29 and Oneida L one Ort
21; not as common as three or four years ago and definitely not expanding like

30

Mockingbird and Cardinal. Red-breasted Nuthatch: very very scarce—max only
seven Oct 14 Syr (M Champlin). Brown Creeper: like Red-breasted Nuthatch,
very scarce—one-seven/day with no flight days recorded despite increased LOL
coverage.

Winter Wren: arr Sep 13 on SP; max ten (very low) Sep 30 SP (SAD).
Carolina Wren: two Oct 21 Oneida L and one Syr thru Nov; may be increasing
after long period of low numbers.. Long-billed Marsh Wren: max a mere six
(very low) Sep 23 SP area; date dep Oct 24 oce NPT (DWC).

Gray Catbird: max 38 (high) Sep 24 Pratt’s Falls (JWP); last date Nov 26
one NPT (DWC), very late. Brown Thrasher: one-six/day; dep daee Nov 11
one NPT. Hermit Thrush: arr Sep 8 one SP dunes; max 31 Oct 6 SP, SSSP; dep
date Nov 15 one Syr (JWP). Swainson’s Thrush: arr Sep 8 (late) one SP; max
only 13 Sep 9 SP, SSSP with dep date Oct 28 one Syr—a poor to middling flight.
Gray-cheeked Thrush: arr Sep 8 one SP; max three (very low) Sep 15 Nine
Mile Pt with dep date Oct 9 (early) one Syr. Veery: very scarce—one-three/day
with many observers seeing none!—dep date Sep 22 one Highland Forest (B
Brosseau). Eastern Bluebird: incredibly scarce—total of 11 individuals for entire
fall (17 observers).

Golden-crowned Kinglet: arr Sep 17 six SP dunes; max 135 Oct 10 and 130 Oct
26, both NPT. Ruby-crowned Kinglet: arr date Sep 9 (late) one SP; max 75
Sep 30 SP (PAD); generally low numbers throughout the fall with dep rate Nov
12 one each both Syr and NPT. Water Pipit: arr date Sep 13 one SPI; very
scarce thru fall—max 150 Oct 24 NPT with most counts only three—14/day;
dep date Nov 18 one LOL (M Champlin). Northern Shrike: arr an imm (dead
in road) Oct 31 near Texas (GAS); one-three/day thru Nov for most observers—
a good flight.

VIREOS—WARBLERS: Solitary Vireo: arr date Aug 23 (early) one Halliday
Rd near Parish (FGS); terrible fall flight with max only four Oct 8 NPT; most
observers only one-two/day with dep date Oct 18 (early) one Syr. Red-eyed
Vireo: max 36 Aug 23 SP, Stone Rd., Mexico Point West with dep date Oct 7
one LSB. Philadelphia Vireo: excellent fall flight—arr Aug 5 one SP dunes; max
eight Sep 15 SP, SSP, LOL; dep date Oct 11 one NPT (DWC). Warbling Vireo:
max 13 Aug 19 SP dunes with dep date Sap 28 (late) one NPT; most observers
thought this species, like Solitary Vireo, very scarce this fall.

The warbler tabulation, especially the maxima, reveal the major foci of warbler
watching, i.e. northern Pompey Township and the Sandy Pond dunes—Selkirk
Shores State Park sector, this fall. The paucity of Golden-winged and Blue-winged
Warblers is matched by the very low counts of Blackburnian and Chestnut¬
sided Warblers, Ovenbird, Northern Water-thrush, and Wilson’s Warblers. Large
numbers of Tennessee, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green,
Bay-brested, and Canada Warblers were tallied but most were noted in a few
brief sharp waves in the third quarter of Sep. Note the numerous October and
a few Nox dep dates for the various species, quite in contrast to the earlier than
normal departures of most shorebirds.

Rare warblers include a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT Sep 26 NPT, & CON¬
NECTICUT WARBLER Oct 5-6 NPT, and a Hooded Warbler Aug 5 NPT (all
DWC); also four Pine Warblers Sep 8—Oct 1 with none later than that—usually
seen thru the first half of Oct, sometimes later.

BLACKBIRDS-SPARROWS: Bobolink: scarce-max only 18 Aug 25 NPT (DWC);
dep date Oct 13 (late) one Beaver L (FGS). Redwinged Blackbird: max 8500 (low)
Oct 7 DH—should be noted in the hundreds of thousands. Northern Oriole: max

31

Warbler Species

Black-and-white
Golden-winged
Blue-winged
Tennessee
Orange-crowned
Nashville
Parula
Yellow
Magnolia
Cape May
Black-throated Blue
Go Yellow-rumped
1)0 Black-throated Green
Blackburnian
Chestnut-sided
Bay-breasted
Blackpoll
Palm
Ovenbird

Northern Waterthrush

Mourning

Yellowthroat

Wilson’s

Canada

Redstart

Arrival Date

Ang 5, two, SP
Aug 3, one, Scott Swamp
Aug 15, one, Hogsback Rd
Aug 19, two, SP
Sep 23, two, SP
Aug 18, one, Pompey
Aug 19, one, SP dunes
Jul 4, two, N Syr
Aug 5, one, SP
Aug 19, eight, SP dunes
Aug 30, one, Onon L
Aug 5, three,, SP dunes
Aug 11, one, N Manilus
Aug 5, one, SSSP
Aug 5, three, SP
Aug .5, eight, SP dunes
Aug 17, one, NPT
Sep 16, three, Fair Haven
Aug 25, one, SP dunes
Aug 5, three, SP dunes
Aug 23, one, Mexico Pt.W.
Aug 19, 13, SP dunes
Aug 5, two, SP dunes
Aug 5, one, SP dunes
Aug 5, one, DeWitt Marsh

Maxima

9, Sep 27, NPT

2, Aug 25, Stone Rd

2, Aug 22&27, S. Onon, Pompey

31, Sep 20, NPT

2, Sep 23, SP

17, Sep 20, NPT'

9, Sept 23, SP
107, Aug 19, SP dunes
39, Sep 13, NPT
43, Sep 13, NPT
23, Sep 27, NPT
129, Oct 7, LOL
161, Sep 27, NPT

8, Sep 15, NPT

5, Sep 15, both SSSP & NPT
63, Sep 15, NPT
28, Sep 13, NPT

9, Oct 7, LSB, Oswego
11, Sep 23, NPT

3, Aug 5, SP dunes
2, Sep 28, Pompey
20, Sep 23, SP

13, Sep 13, NPT

10, Aug 23, SP Stone Rd
19, Sep 15, NPT

Departure Date

Sep 28, two, NPT
Sep 9, one, SSSP
Sep 19, one, Pompey
Oct 13, one, NPT .

Oct 22, one, Pompey

Oct 13, one, NPT

Oct 8, one, NPT

Sep 23, one, SP

Oct 13, one, NPT

Oct 9, one, NPT

Oct 13, two, NPT

Nov 16, one, NPT

Oct 13, three, NPT

Sep 27, one, NPT

Oct 8, one, NPT

Sep 29, one, N Syr

Oct 3, one each NPT & Manilus

Nov 9, one, NPT

Oct 3, one, NPT

Oct 6, one, SP

Oct 3, one, Pompey

Nov 15, one, LSB

Oct 9, one, Syr

Oct 1, one, Pompey

Oct 10, one, NPT

eight (low) Aug SP dunes; last noted Sep 23 one HIGMA (MSR). Rusty
Blackbird: arr Sep 23 (late) four SP; max 145 Oct 28 DH; present thru end of
period.

Scarlet Tanager: max 14 Sep 15 SP, SSP; dep date Oct 5 (early) one Pompey.
Cardinal increasing numbers along L Ontario; counts of ten-12/day there now
numerous. Rose-breasted Grosbeak: fairly good flight—max 15 Sep 12 Fish Gulf
and again 15 Sep 20 SSSP, Tubbs Rd; dep date Oct 18 (late) one Syr (JWP).

Evening Grosbtak: arr Oct 25 one NPT—unusual as first birds are almost always
from the Ontario lakeshore; small flocks (four-12/day) thereafter but no big
flocks noted away from feeders. House Finch: only reports are two Oct 28 and one
Nov 17 both Syr but at different loci. Common Redpoll: present but scarce— arr
Oct 27 nine plus LOL (DWC); counts one-14/day thereafter but very ! few
indeed. Pine Siskin: arr Sep 6 one Tully; scattered birds thru Oct with max
45 Nov 23 NPT. American Goldfinch: large flocks everywhere this fall—daily
counts 100-150/day with max 250 Oct 31 DH. Red Crossbill: few small flocks in
Nov with max 25 Nov 14 NPT. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL : only report
is one sick bird (eventually died) Nov 11 near Tully—no flocks reported and
the few Red Crossbill flocks seen well were “clean”, i.e., no admixture of White¬
winged.

Savannah Sparrow: max 30 Oct 7 LOL, scarce otherwise with dep date Oct
31 three Nine Mile Pt. Vesper Sparrow: incredibly scarce this fall—mostly one-
three/day with the max a miserable 11 Oct 20 near Eaton (GC). Dark-eyed
Junco; arr Sep 13 one SP dunes; generally low in numbers with max 230 Oct 19
W Lake Rd near Oswego (R&CW). Tree Sparrow: arr Oct 17 six Nine Mile Pt
(DWC); mostly small flocks (ten-30/day) with max 400 Nov 11 Tully. Chipping
Sparrow: very scarce—max only 16 (very low) Oct 13 Beaver L; dep date
Nov 16, a feeder-supported bird, NPT. Field Sparrow: max 26 Oct 13 Beaver
L; scarce othewise with most counts only one-five/day. White-crowned Sparrow:
arr Sep 22 (late) one Fair Haven; very poor flight with max only 71 Oct 7 LOL.
White-throated Sparrow: arr Aug 5 (very early) two SP dunes; max 254 Oct 7
LOL; numerous Nov birds reported. Fox Sparrow: arr Sep 30 one SP (PAD);
max 40 Oct 30 NPT (good count but less than last year’s peak) with dep date
Nov 16 one NPT. Lincoln’s Sparrow: arr Aug 21 (very early) one NPT (JWP);
max six Sep 28 NPT with dep date Oct 22 (early) one NPT. Swamp Sparrow:
max 32 Sep 30 Clay Swamp, scarce otherwise with dep date Nov 11 four Eaton
(GC). Song Sparrow: slow, protracted fall flight with max 137 (low) Oct 7
LOL. Lapland Longspur: arr Sep 16 (tries record arr date) one with max 22
Oct 21 both Nine Mile Pt. Snow Bunting: arr Oct 17 two Nine Mile Pt area; most
counts 20—150/day with max 1200 Nov 18 Oswego to DH.

417 South Main Street North Syracuse, New York 13212

REGION 6 —ST. LAWRENCE

Lee B. Chamberlaine

Fall of 1973 was dry with rather warm weather. Fall colors appeared early in
the foliage probably due to dry conditions. Colder weather held off until November
and snowfall was almost non-existent.

Lake Ontario water levels continued to drop and expose shoreline resulting in
evxcellent shorebird observations.

Noteworthy observations for the period include unusual numbers and variety of

33

waterfowl, hawks (Merlin), shorebirds (Golden Plover—Whimbrel—Purple Sand¬
piper—Bairds Sandpiper), gulls (White-winged Gull—Black-Legged Kittiwake),
owls (Long-eared) and early winter migrants.

Abbreviations; ED—Eldorado Shores; PRWMA—Perch River Wildlife Manage¬
ment Area; WHWMA—Wilson Hill Wildlife Management Area; RM—Robert Moses
State Park and Power Dam; SLR—St. Lawrence River; HB—Hunter’s Bag Oct. 1—
Nov. 4 totals for first half waterfowl season (LC); mob-many observers.

Observers: JB—John Belknap; RB—Richard Brouse; TC—Tom Carrolan; LC—Lee
Chamberlaine; FC—Frank Clinch; NL—Nick Leone; RS—Robert and Mary Shef¬
field; JV—Joe VanRiet; RW—Robert and June Walker.

Corrigenda: KINGBIRD XXIII, No. 2, May 1973, p. 103, Common Merganser:
3700 Jan. 16 RM (not WH).

LOONS—DUCKS: .Common Loon: 2 Oct 16; 2 Oct 24; 1 Nov 18; 1 Nov 25.
RED-THROATED LOON: 1 Oct 24 (JV). Horned Grebe: 2 Nov 25 Sherwins Bay.
Double-crested Cormorant: 6 Aug 30 Gull Island (LC); 24 Sept 6 Little Galloo Island
(LC); 3 Sept 8 ED (NL); 5 Sept 15 ED (NL); 1 Sept 21 ED (NL). Great Blue
Heron: 1 Nov 25 Sportsmens Club, Watertown (NL). Green Heron: 1 Sept 9 (NL).
American Bittern:' Sept. 18. Canada Goose: present through period; resident
population at PRWMA remains stable. Brant: 1 Nov 12 ED (TC); 1 Nov 16 ED
(NL). Mallard: 736 PRWMA-HB; 181 WHWMA—HB. Black Duck: 141
PRWMA—HB; 102 WHWMA—HB. Black-Mallard Hybrid: 1 PRWMA-HB.
GADWALL : 456 Sept 8 ED (NL) WHWMA—HB; 6 Nov 30 RM pond (JV).
Pintail: 37 PRMA-HB; 28 WHWMA—HB. Green-winged Teal: 263 PRWMA-HB;
31 WHWMA—HB. American Wigeon: 75 PRWMA-HB; 142 WHMA-HB; 6 Nov
25 RM pond (JV). Northern Shoveler: 265 Sept 17 RM pond (JV); 16 PRWMA-
HB. Wood Duck: 10 Sept 29 WHWMA (JV); 432 PRWMA-HB; 12 WHWMA—
HB. Redhead: 15 ± PRWMA (TC); Nov 25 last date-high numbers WHWMA
this season estimate of 1000 maximum (JV). Ring-necked Duck: 15 PRWMA—
HB; 59 WHWMA—HB; 800 Nov 10 RM pond (JV); still present end Nov RM
pond (JV). Canvasback; 2 Oct 21 WHWMA (JV); 2 Oct 28 SLR (JV); 9 Nov
4 PRWMA (TC). Greater Scaup: 23 WHWMA—HB; 2000± Nov 25 Black River
Bay (RW). Lesser Scaup: 14 WHWMA—HB; 9 PRWMA-HB. Common Golden¬
eye: 1 WHWMA—HB; 4 Oct 25 Raquette River (JV). Nov 4 PRWMA (NL);
100 Nov ED (TC).

Bufflehead: 1 Oct 2 WHWMA—HB (JV); 10 Nov 8 ED. Oldsquaw: 1 Nov 3
WHWMA—HB; 10 Nov 8 ED; 40-50 Nov 25 Black River Bay (RW). White¬
winged Scoter: 2 WHWMA—BH; 1 PRWMA-HB; 7-8 Nov 18 Pillar Point (NL).
Surf Scoter: 1 female Nov 8 ED (TC); Black Scoter: 1 Nov 8 ED (TC); 1
Nov 16 SLR (JV); 3 females Nov 16 ED (NL); 6 females Nov 18 ED and
Pillar Point (NL). Ruddy Duck: 2 PRWMA-HB; 1 WHWMA—HB; 5 Nov 4
PRWMA (TC). Hooded Merganser: 9 PRWMA-HB; 25 WHWMA—HB; 90 Nov
10 (JV); 21 Nov 26 PRWMA (TC). Common Merganser: 1 Sept 7; 320 Oct
30; 3400 Nov 17 RM (JV).

HAWKS—OWLS: Turkey Vulture: 2 Sept 7 near Gouverneur; 1 Sept 7 ED; 1
Oct 8 (RW). Goshawk: 1 Nov 16 ED; 1 Nov 25 Stony Point. Sharp-shinned
Hawk: 1 Sept 15 ED (TC). Cooper’s Hawk: 1 Oct 9 Dry Hill Rd. (RW). Red¬
tailed Hawk: 4 Oct 9 Dry Hill Rd; 5 Oct 27 RM. Rough-legged Hawk: 1 Oct 28
(JB); 1, black phase, Oct 30 Thousand Island Bridge (A LaFave); 2 Nov 10,
1 light and 1 dark (JV); 6 Nov 21 (JB). Marsh Hawk: Nov 21 (JB). Osprey: 1
Sept 15 ED; 2 Sept 15 ED; 2 Sept 15 (JV); 1 Oct 17 Massawepie Lake, St.
Lawrence Co (B. Buffington). MERLIN: 1 Sept 19 female or immature hunting
shorebirds ED (TC). Kestrel; around through period. Ruffed Grouse: more plentiful
than previous 3 years. Gray Partridge: 13 in 3 coveys Aug 19; 1 Nov 2 no St.

34

Lawrence Co (JV); numbers still low. Virginia Rail: 1 Sept 19 Dennison Rd
(JV); 1 Sept 19 RM (JV). Common Gallinule: 1 Sept 19. Coot: 96 Oct 21
WHWMA (JV); still there Nov 4. Semipalmated Plover: Sept 29. Killdeer: 140
Oct 25 (JV); 1 Nov 29, late. GOLDEN PLOVER: 2 Sept 8 SLR (JV); 1 Sept
9 WHWMA (JV). Black-bellied Plover: 3 Sept 7 (JV); 17 Sept 15; 2 Nov 22
(JV). Ruddy Turnstone: Oct 5 ED (NL). Woodcock: maximum numbers
around Nov 4; last date Nov 15. Common Snipe: 23 Sept 15; 4 Oct 20, last
date (JV). WHIM BREL: 1 Sept 2 ED (NL); 1 Sept 7-Sept 9 ED (NL).
Spotted Sandpiper: Sept 28, last date. Solitary Sandpiper: 1 Aug 31 Brasher
State Forest gravel pit (D. Allen). Greater Yellowlegs: 6 Nov 3 WHWMA (JV);

1 Nov 16 ED (NL). Lesser Yellowlegs: Oct 20, last date. Red Knot: 1 Sept 2—
Sept 2 ED (NL); 1 Sept 8 ED (NL). PURPLE SANDPIPER: 1 Nov 24 ED
(RW); 1 Nov 25 ED (NL) (TC). Pectoral Sandpiper: 19 Sept 18 (JV); 6 Oct
20 (JV). BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: 1 Sept 14-Sept 15 ED (NL); 1 Sept 21 ED
(NL). Least Sandpiper: Sept 9 ED. Dunlin: 9 Nov 4; 1 Nov 24 ED (RM).
Short-billed Dowitcher: 2 Sept 3 ED (NL).; 1 Sept 21 ED (NL). Least Sand¬
piper: Sept 9 ED. Dunlin: 9 Nov 4; 1 Nov 24 ED (RW). Short-billed Dowitcher:

2 Sept ED (NL). Semipalmated Sandpiper: Oct 5. WESTERN SANDPIPER: 1
Sept 2-Sept 3 ED (NL) (TC). Sanderling: 16 Oct 28; 4 Nov 4 (JV). RED
PHALAROPE: 1 Aug 26 ED (RW); 4 Nov 10 ED (RW); 2 Nov 12 ED (TC).

WHITE-WINGED GULL: 1 present at RM Nov 21 and Nov 24; 2 Nov 30
could not tell species for sure (JV). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 Aug 29 (JV);
2 Sept 8 regular from then on (JV); 20 Nov 21 Pt Peninsula (TC). Herring
Gull: thru period. Ring-billed Gull: through period. Bonaparte’s Gull: 4 Aug 19
RM (JV); 2 Aug 26 ED (RW); 50+ Sept'16 present end of Nov. BLACK-LEGGED
KITTIWAKE: 1 immature Nov 30—Dec 1 RM on outside of a flock of Herring,
Ring-billed and Bonaparte’s Gulls; observed for aver 11/2 hours 20 x Balscope;
was quite aggressive and would take an occasional stab at Ringbill (JV). Common
Tern: 2 Oct 14, last date. Caspian Tern: Sept 22 Ed. Black Tern: 1 Aug 18
WHWMA, last date.

Screech Owl: heard throughout period. LONG-EARED OWL: 1 Nov 11 Jeffer¬
son Community College (NL) (mob); 1 Nov 27 same location (NL).

GOATSUCKERS-STARLINGS: Common Nighthawk: 150± Aug 19 6:30 pm
circling over Gouverneur; similar concentrations in previous years but not as large
concentration; no doubt preparing to move south (JB); 1 Sept 26 downtown
Massena rather late (JV). Chimney Swift: 5 Sept 10 late. Ruby-throated Hum¬
mingbird: Sept 10 last date. Belted Kingfisher: Sept 29. Common Flicker—Oct 21
last date. Pileated Woodpecker: 1 Sept 15 ED (TC); 1 Nov 11 JA Blake
Sanctuary (NL), Red-headed Woodpecker: 1(1 adult 1 imm.) Sept 13 and 14.
(JV); numbers of individuals in Henderson area seem down from previous years.
Eastern Kingbird: Aug 19 last date. Eastern Phoebe: Oct 6 last date. Eastern
Wood Pewee: Sept 9 last date.

Tree Swallow: Sept 23 last date; Oct 7 10 mi NE of Region 6 in Quebec (JV).
Bank Swallow: Sept 15 last date. Barn Swallow: Sept 15 last date. Cliff Swallow:
Aug 26 last date. Purple Martin Sept 3 last date. House Wren: Sept 15 last date.

Winter Wren: Oct 17 and Oct 20 (FC). Long-billed Marsh Wren: 3 Sept 15
last date. Catbird: Oct 20 WHWMA (JV) late. Wood Thrush: Oct 23 last date.
Hermit Thrush: 2 Oct 23, last date (FC), Eastern Bluebird: Oct 24 (JB). Golden-
crowned Kinglet: Oct 16. Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Oct 13. Water Pipit: 16 Sept 27
(JV); 1 Nov 16 ED (NL). Northern Shrike: Oct 15 early (JB).

VIREOS—WARBLERS: Red-eyed Vireo: 2 Oct 3, last late. Philadelphia Vireo:
Sept 9. Warbling Vireo: Sept 9, last date. Black-and-white Warbler: 2 Sept 11,
last date. Nashville Warbler: Oct 22, last date. Magnolia Warbler: Sept 19, last

35

date. Cape May Warbler: 1 Sept 2; 1 Sept 14-15; 2 Sept 21, last date. Black-
throated Blue Warbler: Sept 23, last date. Yellow-rumped Warbler: Oct 27, last
date. Black-throated Green Warbler: Sept 17, last date. Blackburnian Warbler:
Sept 9, last date. Chestnut-sided Warbler: Sept 23, last date. Pine Warbler:
Sept 14-15, last dates. Palm Warbler: Oct 19, last date. Ovenbird: 2 Sept 9, last
date. Northern Waterthrush: Sept 17, last date. Yellowthroat: Sept 15, last date.
Canada Warbler: Aug 31, last date. American Redstart: 2 Sept 12, last date.

BLACKBIRDS—SPARROWS: Bobolink: not as abundant as previous years.
Eastern Meadowlark: Oct 14, last date. Redwinged Blackbird: not as abundant as
previous years; com damage not as high as usual. Northern Oriole: Sept 3, last
date. Rusty Blackbird: 2 Oct 20 WHWMA. Scarlet Tanager: Sept 12, last date.
Cardinal: seem to be more numerous in Adams and Henderson areas (LC); 2
Nov 17 feeder in Winthrop (JV); 1 Nov 18 feeder in Massena (JV). Rose¬
breasted Grosbeak: Sept 9, last date. Evening Grosbeak: Oct 30, first date; num¬
bers increasing through period. Purple Finch: Oct 20. Pine Siskin: 50+ Nov 18
Henderson (LC); American Goldfinch: 50+ Oct 25. Red Crossbill: 1 Oct 30
feeder Watertown (L. Grant). Rufous-sided Towhee: Oct 3, last date. Savannah
Sparrow: Nov 3. Dark-eyed Juneo: 2 Sept 12, first date; Nov 11, last date. Tree
Sparrow: Oct 18, first date. Chipping Sparrow: Aug 19, last date. White—crowned
Sparrow: Sept 22, first date; tapering off Oct 24. White-throated Sparrow: num¬
bers tapering off Oct 24. Fox Sparrow: Nov 4. LINCOLN’S SPARROW : 1 Sept
29 WHWA (JV); 3 Sept 30; 1 Oct; 1 Oct 3 singing and recorded (JV).
Swamp Sparrow: Oct 23, last date. Snow Bunting: 10 Oct 24 SLR (JV).

Box 139, Henderson, New York 13650

REGION 7 — ADIRONDACK-CHAMPLAIN

Theodore D. Mack

August was hot and dry with this trend continuing into early September when
the mercury hit 88.5, a 16 year record high. The remainder of the month was
cool with 4 frosts. October was warm until the 27th when temperatures in the
low 30’s began. November was normal except for the fact that repeated warm
days with rain occurred which kept the ground free of snow. This probably made
it easier for birds to fund food.

A most important event for this 4 county area is the formation of the High
Peaks Audubon Society which is a chapter of the National Audubon Society.
John M. C. (Mike) Peterson is editor for the club’s newsletter. The address is:
P. O. Box 300, Essex, N.Y. 12936. This most welcome occurrence will increase
observations, especially for the winter months and give coverage of Schroon Lake
and Lake Champlain, areas which tended to be neglected in the recent past.

Observers: BB—Bruce Beehler; JB—Jean Beck; MB—Maurice Broun; GC—Geoffrey
Carleton; GTC—Greenleaf T. Chase; Hi Pk Au—High Peaks Audubon Society;
FL—Ferdinand LaFrance; DMc—Dorothy Mcllroy; TM—Ted Mack; NM—Norman
Mason; GM—Gordon Meade; RM—Ruth Meier; EP—Elizabeth Peterson; JP—John
Peterson; B&DR—Bob & Doris Rubens; WR—William Rutherford.

Abbreviations: BTP—Brown Tract Ponds area; Bar P—Barnum Pond near PS;
Bloom—Bloomingdale, including Sar River to town of Sar L; Bui—Bulwagga Bay on
L Cham; E’town—Elizabethtown; FF—Franklin Falls; Five P—Five Ponds area;
Goodnow Flow near Newcomb; L—lake; L Cham—Lake Champlain; Mad—
Madawaska Pond area near PS; P—pond; Pi L—Pisco Lake; PS—Paul Smiths;'
Sar—Saranac; Tup L—Tupper Lake; West—Westport; Wills—Willsboro.

36

LOONS—DUCKS: Common Loon: 1 Aug 16 L Colby, Sar L (BB); 3 Sep

19 Pi L (DMc); several regularly Nov L Cham (JP). Horned Grebe: 7“ Nov

Wills (JP). Pied-billed Grebe 1 Aug 20 Bar P (TM). Great Blue Heron: 1 Aug
16 Tup L (BB); 2 Aug 29 PS (TM); 6 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); 1 late bird Nov 7

West (GC). Green Heron: 1 Sep 11 Bloom (TM). American Bittern: 1 Sep 8

Bloom (TM); 1 Sep 15 Bloom (TM). Canada Goose: 12 Aug 17 Tup L (RM) —
probably 2 local broods; the Conservation Department has tried to start geese
breeding in several areas; 18 wedges of 50-100 birds Oct 18 over Schroon L on
which some stopped to rest (Hi Pk Au); 2000 Oct 24 Sar Inn (TM). Black
Duck: 15 Aug 18 Slush P. (TM); 15 Sep 11 Bloom (TM). Blue-winged Teal:

1 Aug 18 Slush P (TM); 3 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); 10 Sep 11 Bloom (TM). Wood

Duck: 12 Aug 20 Bar P (TM); 10 Sep 11 Bloom (TM). Ring-necked Duck: 14
Aug 20 Bar P (TM). Common Goldeneye: 30 Nov 9 Essex (JP). Oldsquaw: 1
Nov 7 Crown Pt (NM,GC). White-winged Scoter: 2 Nov 7 Bui (GC,NM).

Surf Scoter: 1 Nov 7 Bui (GC,NM). Black Scoter: 50 Nov 7 Bui (GC,NM).

Hooded Merganser: 3 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); 3 Oct 31 BTP (FL). Common

Merganser: rather scarce—3 adults and 9 young still unable to fly Sep 19 Pi L

(DMc). Red-breasted Merganser: Nov 8 Crown Pt (NM).

HAWKS—OWLS: Turkey Vulture: 2 Nov 2 West (JP). Goshawk: 1 Aug 23
Wills (JP); 1 Oct 27 Bloom (TM); 1 Nov 17 Mt Matumbla, Tup L (WR).

Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); 1 Nov 11 Essex (EP). Red-tailed

Hawk: 1 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); 1 Sep 28 Pi L (DMc); 2 Oct 27 Bloom (TM). Red¬
shouldered Hawk: 1 Nov 26 E'town (GC). Broad-winged Hawk: 1 Sep 3 PS
(TM). Rough-legged Hawk: 1, light phase, Nov 18 Essex (NM, JP); 1, dark
phase, Nov 19 Crown Pt (NM, JP). Bald Eagle: 1 immature Aug 19 FF (TM).
Osprey: 1 Sep 20 PS (TM); 1 Sep 22 L Eaton (TM); 1 Sep 30 Spy L (DMc).
American Kestrel: 1 Sep 20 L Pleasant (DMc); 1 Oct 28 Schroon L (JB).
Spruce Grouse: 7 broods were reported to GTC for Aug from Gale; he knows
the area as Spruce Grouse habitat and feels the observer is probably correct in
his identification; the fact that this new area is posted is probably beneficial to
the birds; 1 Sep 30 Gale (MB). Ruffed Grouse: max 7 Goodnow (TM). Killdeer:

3 Aug 30 PS (TM); 8 Bloom (TM). American Woodcock: several seen in PS
area; 1 late bird Oct 22 West (JP). Common Snipe: 1 Sep 1 PS (TM); 2 Sep

4 PS (TM); 5 Sep '8 Bloom (TM). Greater Yellowlegs: 3 Sep 1 PS (TM).
Least Sandpiper: 3 Aug 20 Bar P (TM). Great Black-backed Gull: 1 adult Nov

20 West (JP, EP)—unusual for this area; 1 Nov 30 West (GC)—probably same
bird. Common Tern: 2 Aug Ticonderoga Creek, L Cham (Hi Pk Au). Black Tern:

2 Aug L Cham (Hi Pk Au). Great Horned Owl: 1 Sep 4 PS (TM); 1 Oct 22
Sar Inn (TM); 2 Nov 12 E’town (JB). Barred Owl: 1 Aug 21 Slush P (TM);
2 Sep 1 PS (TM); 1 Oct 12 Goodnow (TM); 1 Oct 27 BTP (FL); 1 Nov 24 Mt
Matumbla, Tup L (WR).

GOATSUCKERS—STARLING: Whip-poor-will: not reported. Common Night-
hawk: 1 Aug 23 Hadley P, Wills (JP)—when the nighthawk was flushed, it came
under lengthy attack by a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Belted Kingfisher: max

10 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); last report Nov 13 Wickham Marsh (GC). Pileated Wood¬
pecker: an unusually large number of reports. Black-backed Three-toed Wood¬
pecker: 1 Oct 7 Five P (B&DR; 1 Oct 23 Buck Hill, PS (Lang Elliot); 2 Oct
29 BTP (FL). Northern Tree-toed Woodpecker: 1 Oct 28 BTP (FL); 1 Nov

11 Yard Mt (TM)—ladder back clearly seen and bird watched for 5 minutes as it
fed in a large dead red spruce. Eastern Kingbird: last report 1 Sep 8 Bloom
(TM). Great Crested Flycatcher: last report 1 Sep 8 Bloom (TM). Eastern
Phoebe: 3 Sep 8 Bloom (TM). Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: 1 Aug 23 Wills (JP).
Least Flycatcher: 1 said chebec 3 times Sep 1 PS (TM—seemed unusual to hear

37

one call this time of year. Eastern Wood Pewee: 1 very late bird Sep 23 E’town
(GC). Olive-sided Flycatcher: 1 Aug 23 Wills (JP).'Horned Lark: 14 Nov 15 PS
(TM). Gray Jay: 1 Aug 18 Brandon (GM,TM); 3 Sep 26 Brandon (MB,TM);
2 Oct 7 Five P (B&DR); 2 Oct 28 BTP (FL). Blue Jay: 30 Sep 8 Bloom (TM);
12 Oct 28 BTP (FL). Common Raven: 1 young bird dead in an empty 55 gallon
drum in Aug near Adirondack Loj (Orra Phelps); he was not shot and had ap¬
parently dropped in to get a scrap but could not get out; 2 Sep Cascade L (Hi
Pk Au); 1 Sep Cascade L (GTC); 1 Nov 11 Yard Mt—calling and flying toward
Cascade L (TM); 1 Nov 18 over James P, PS—croaked 3 times while traveling in
direction of High Peaks area; seen flying high and steadily until lost from view.
Common Crpw: 50 plus Aug 16 Sar L airport (BB). Black-capped Chickadee: 17
Oct 28, 36 Oct 30, 20 Nov 1 BTP (FL). Boreal Chickadee: 1 Oct 26, 2 Oct 30
BTP (FL); 3 Nov 11 summit of Yard Mt (TM); 1 Nov 17 Hurricane Mt (EP,JP).
Tufted Titmouse: 1 Oct West at a feeder (August Gabel)—an unusual bird for
this area; one was seen Oct 28, 1968 in West by GC. White-breasted Nuthatch:
max 12 Oct 27 BTP (FL). Red-breasted Nuthatch: max 7 Oct 27 BTP (FL).
Brown Creeper: max 5 Oct 31 BTP (FL). Winter Wren: max 3 Sep 30 L
Pleasant (DMc). Carolina Wren: 1 visiting suet feeder Nov Port Henry (Elizabeth
Sherlock)—no details, but has been seen in past years in this general area. Mock¬
ingbird: 2 Aug Pelfishire Rd, Moriah (Hi Pk Au). Hermit Thrush: 30 Sep 30
Slush P (TM). Eastern Bluebird: 9 Aug 18 Brandon (GM,TM)—2 of these were

in a nest box and clad only in pin feathers; reported as plentiful at Schroon L

with a last date of Oct 18 (JB). Golden-crowned Kinglet: max 14 Oct 30 BTP
(FL). Water Pipit: 20 Oct 19 Wallonsburg (JP). Cedar Waxwing: 50 Sep 8

Bloom (TM). Northern Shrike: 4 occurrences Oct 26-Nov 22 E’town (GC).

VIREOS-WARBLEDS: Solitary Vireo: 1 Oct 4 Essex (Hi Pk Au). Philadelphia
Vireo: 1 very late bird Sep 23 E’town (GC). Cape May Warbler: 2 Oct 12 L
Eaton (B&DR). Yellow-rumped Warbler: max 20 Sep 8 Bloom (TM). Blackpoll
Warbler: 1 early transient Aug 18 Brandon (GM); 4 Sep 19 Pi L (DMc). Wilson’s
Warbler: 1 Aug 23 Wills (JP). DMc had 4 species of warbler Sep 19, the last
date for warbler observations at Pi L.

BLACKBIRDS—SPARROWS: Eastern Meadowlark: 1 transient Oct 17 PS
(TM). Rusty Blackbird: 2 Sep 8 Bloom (TM). Common Grackle: 1 Nov 18
still at an Essex feeder (JP). Cardinal: seen in Moriah, West, and Essex during
period (Hi Pk Au). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 2 Sep 8 Bloom (TM); 1 very late
bird Oct 3 E’town (GC). Evening Grosbeak: first large flock 45 Oct 29 Tup L
(HM). Purple Finch: see thru Oct at feeder Tup L—none since (RM). Pine Siskin:
several Oct 7 Essex (Hi Pk Au); several Oct 12 Five P (B&DR). Red Crossbill:
25 Aug 16 Mad (BB,TM); 10 Oct 27 Bloom (TM); 45 Oct 28 E’town (GC).
White-winged Crossbill: 1 Nov 16 West (NM). Rufous-sided Towhee: 1 Sep
30 Wills (Hi Pk Au). Dark-eyed Junco: max 6 Oct 26 BTP (FL). Tree Sparrow:
first arrivals appeared Oct 27 BTP, PS, and Tup L. White-throated Sparrow: 2
late birds—1 birds—1 Oct 28 BTP (FL); 1 Nov 19 Essex (Hi Pk Au). Swamp
Sparrow: 1 Oct 30 BTP (FL). Snow Bunting: 2 Oct 19 Gale (GTC); several
Oct 26 Essex (JP); 5 Oct 28 FF (TM); 9 BTP (FL); 35 Nov 29 PS TM).

P. O. Box 125, Paul Smiths, New York 12970

38

REGION 8 HUDSON-MOHAWK

Richabd E. Philion

Despite warm weather in late August and early September the warbler mi¬
gration appeared normal at VFWM area. October, with a mean temperature of
51° was normal for the month. A 74° on the 24th equalled the previous high for
that date. November was also seasonably mild with a mean temperature of 39.8°,
and only a miniscule amount of snowfall was reported (Albany Airport).

Waterfowl migration except for Canada Geese appeared spotty and boreal species
were definitely scarcer than last year.

Less commonly reported species for our region were Surf Scoter, Snowy Owl,
Carolina Wren, Connecticut Warbler and Lapland Longspur.

Abbreviations: MVille-Mariaville; NWW—Niskayuna Wide Waters; RS-Reist
Sanctuary; R&SL—Round & Saratoga Lakes; SE Mont Co.—SE Montgomery County;
VFWM-Vischer Ferry Wildlife Management.

Observers cited are: ADBC—Alan Devoe Bird Club, DA-Doug Allen; JC—J.
Cook; CMPY—refers to banders at VFWM—J. Convert, W. Merritt, R. Pantle, R.
P. Yunick; MF—Mabel French; B&HG—B&H Gardina; M&AG—M&A Giddings;
HMBC—Hudson Mohawk Bird Club; MM-M. Mickle; RP-R. Philion; H&HT—
H—B Tullar; PRY-RP. Yunick.

LOONS-DUCKS: 4 Nov 4 R&SL (HMBC). Red-throated Loon: 1 Nov 4
R&SL (HMBC); 1 Nov 17 NWW (HMBC). Pied-billed Grebe: thru period but
numbers appear down from previous years. Great Blue Heron: Aug 1—Sept 27
ADBC; 1 Oct 21 (HMBC). Green Heron: lfm I Oct 21 ADBC. Snow Goose:
Oct 25 Ghent (B&HG); 100 Oct 2 Selkirk (E. McCullough). Pintail: Qct 3 thru
15 Castleton Blue-winged Teal: 1 Oct 8 Castelton (JC). American Wigeon: 1
Nov 4 R&SL (HMBC). Wood Duck: 1 Sept 29 Ghent (B&HG); 1 Oct 25 Castle¬
ton (JC). Ring-necked Duck: 1 Nov 26 Chatham (MM). Canvasback: 5 Nov 4
R&SL (HMBC). Greater Scaup: 30 Nov 4 R&SL (HMBC). Lesser Scaup: 20
Nov 4 R&SL (HMBC). Common Goldeneye: 1 Nov 4 R&SL (HMBC); 25 Nov
23 Lake George (RP). Bufflehead: 5 Nov R&SL (HMBC). Oldsquaw: 3 Nov 4
R&SL (HMBC). Surf Scoter; 34 Oct 29 Queechy Lake (MM). Black Scoter:
25 between Oct 6 & 12 Fawn Lake (fide E. McCullough). Hooded Merganser:
1 Nov 4 R&SL (HMBC). Common Merganser: Oct 7 Castleton (JC); 2 Nov

23 Lake George (RP).

HAWKS-OWLS: Turkey Vulture: 1 Sept 8 MVille (HMBC). Goshawk: 1
Oct 8 Castleton (JC). Cooper’s Hawk: 1 Oct 27 Chatham (H&B Tullar). Red¬
tailed Hawk: several reports thru period. Red-shouldered Hawk: 3 Sept 8
MVille (HMBC); 1 Sept 28 M’ville (DA). Broad-winged Hawk: 6 Sept 8
MVille (HMBC); 1 Oct 5 Castleton (JC). Marsh Hawk: 1 Sept 15 JL (RPY);

24 Out 21 Chatham (MM & JC); Nov ADBC. Osprey: Sept 29. American Coot:
Oct 18 thru 29 Chatham & Ooms Pd (H&BT; MM); 11 Nov 10 thru 26 Ooms
Pd (MM). Semipalmated Plover: 1 Sept 8 MVille (HMBC); lfm 1 Sept 24
MVille (DA). American Woodcock: 1 Oct 28 Chatham (H&BT). Common
Snipe: thru period,lfm 1 Nov 10 Chatham (M&AG). Solitary Sandpiper: Sept 3
Ghent (B&HG). theater Yellowlegs: lfm 1 Oct 30 MVille (DA). Lesser Yellow-
legs: lfm 1 Oct 29 MVille (DA). Pectoral Sandpiper: 1 Oct 4 & 11 MVille
(DA). Yellow-billed Cuckoo: 1 Sept 14 Chatham (T. Brush). Screech Owl: 3
Sept 7 and 1 caught Oct 3 JL (RPY). Snowy Owl: ffm 1 Nov 21 Albany
(Television news report). Short-eared Owl: a flight of about 150 seen at dusk
Nov 27 heading south in the vicinity of Indian Ladder Drive-in Theatre (Steve

39

Browne to WBS). Saw-whet Owl: new max of 5 banded, 1 Oct 6 and 4 Oct

21 VFWM (CMPY).

GOATSUCKERS—STARLING: Common Nighthawk: 1 Sept 25 Loudonville
(MF); late report 3 Oct 15 Castleton (JC). Chimney Swift: lfm 1 Oct 3 Averill
Park (RP). Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 1 Sept 25 Loudonville (MF); lfm 1
banded Sept 29 VFWM (CMPY). Red-headed Woodpecker: 2 Sept 11 SE Mont.
Co.; 1 Oct 31 M’ville (DA). Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 1 Sept 30 Loudonville
(MF). Great Crested Flycatcher: lfm 1 Oct 1 Castleton (JC). Eastern Phoebe:
2 Sept 8 M’ville (HMBC; lfm 1 Nov 15 Chatham (M&AG). Yellow-bellied Fly¬
catcher: lfm 1 banded Sept 29 VFWM (CMPY). Eastern Wood Pewee: lfm 1 Oct
1 Castleton (JC). Least Flycatcher: 1 banded Oct 6, the first October record
in 10 years at VFWM (CMPY). Horned Lark: 52 Oct 24 Castleton (JC). Tree
Swallow: lfm 1 Sept 20 M’ville (DA). Bank Swallow: lfm 1 Sept 15 M’ville
(DA). Barn Swallow: lfm 5 Sept 15 M’ville (DA). Cliff Swallow: lfm 1 Sept 19
Chatham (T. Brush). House Wren: lfm 1 Oct 24 Castleton (JC). Winter Wren:
a new max of 34 banded at VFWM (CMPY). Carolina Wren: 2 Oct 3 heard at
VFWM, 1 caught but escaped Oct 13 VFWM (CMPY). Mockingbird: reported
thru period. Gray Catbird: 1 Oct 30 Ghent (B&HG). Wood Thrush: lfm 1 Oct
6 Castleton (JC). Veery: lfm 1 Oct 9 Ghent (B&HG). Golden-crowned Kinglet:
numerous thru period. Ruby-crowned Kinglet: max 30 banded Oct 6 VFWM
(CMPY). Water Pipit: max 13 Oct 19 M’ville (DA). Northern Shrike: ffm 1
Nov 7 M’ville (DA).

VIREOS-WARBLERS: Red-eyed Vireo: max 5 banded Sept 8, lfm I Oct 13
banded at VFWM (CMPY). Warbling Vireo: 3 banded Sept 8 VFWM (CMPY).
Black-and-white Warbler: lfm 3 Sept 22 RS (HMBC). Tenessee Warbler: 2 Sept

22 RS (HMBC). Nashville Warbler: lfm 1 banded Oct 6 VFWM (CMPY). Parula
Warbler: lfm 1 Sept 22 RS (HMBC). Yellow Warbler: lfm 1 Sept 29 Chatham
(T. Brush). Magnolia Warbler: 1 lfm Oct 3 M’ville (DA). Cape May Warbler:
max 12 Sept 21 M’ville (DA); 6 Sept 22 RS (HMBC). Black-throated Blue
Warbler: lfm 1 Oct 3 M’ville (DA). Yellow-rumped Warbler: lfm 1 Nov 17
NWW (HMBC). Black-throated Green Warbler: 6 Sept 22 RS (HMBC); lfm
1 Oct 3 Castleton (JC). Chestnut-sided Warbler: lfm 1 Oct 7 Chatham (H&B
Tullar). Bay-breasted Warbler: 2 Sept 22 RS (HMBC). Blackpoll Warbler: max
15 Sept 21 Loudonville (MF); 6 Sept 22 RS (HMBC). Pine Warbler: 1 Oct 4
Castleton (JC). Palm Warbler: 1 Sept 26 Ghent (B&HG). Ovenbird: lfm 1 banded
Oct 6 VFWM (CMPY). Connecticut Warbler: 1 Oct 1 M’ville (DA). Mourning
Warbler: lfm 1 banded Sept 28 VFWM (CMPY). Yellowthroat: 4 banded Oct
14 VFWM (CMPY). Yellow-breasted Chat: 1 banded Oct 6 VFWM (CMPY).
Wilson’s Warbler: 1 banded Sept 29 VFWM (CMPY). Canada Warbler: 1
Sept 28 banded VFWM (CMPY). American Redstart: 1 Sept 29 banded VFWM
(CMPY).

BLACKBIRDS—SPARROWS: Northern Oriole: 1 Oct 4 Castleton (JC). Rusty
Blackbird: ‘captured for the first time in 4 years due to flooding of banding area’
(RPY); lfm I Oct 21 VFWM (CMPY). Scarlet Tanager: lfm 1 banded Sept
29 VFWM (CMPY). Rose-breasted Grosbeak: lfm 1 Oct 1 Ghent (B&HG). Indigo
Bunting: lfm 1 Oct 2 Ghent (B&HG). Purple Finch: total of 101 banded, max
33 on Oct 6 & 13 VFWM (CMPY). House Finch: Fall banding at JL netted
total 59 highest ever (RPY). Pine Siskin: 1 flock heard Nov at JL (RPY). Even
ing Grosbeak: appeared at feeders early Nov but in small numbers. American
Goldfinch: ‘scarce at FVWM’ (RPY). Red Crossbill: 1 Nov 24 Chatham (E.
Powell). Savannah Sparrow: 1 Oct 3 Castleton (JC). Vesper Sparrow: 1 Oct
31 Castleton (JC). Tree Sparrow:, ffm 1 banded Oct 20 VFWM (CMPY.) Chip¬
ping Sparrow: lfm 1 Nov 2 Castleton (JC). White-crowned Sparrow: 1 banded

40

Sept 29 VFWM (CMPY); 1 Oct 31 Castleton (JC). White-throated Sparrow:
abundant; 623 banded vs 520 last year VFWM (CMPY). Fox Sparrow: ffm 1
Oct 12 Castleton (JC). Lincoln’s Sparrow: 2 Oct 6 VFWM (CMPY). Lapland
Longspur: 4 Nov 19 M’ville (DA). Snow Bunting: more abundant this year; max
200 Nov 19 M’ville (DA).

Edgewood Dr. Averill Park, N.Y. 12018

REGION 9 — DELAWARE-HUDSON

Edward D. Treacy

Temperatures for the period were generally above normal, while rainfall was
lower. With the exception of one or two days in Sept, killing frosts did not appear
until November. There was no snow except for a trace at the highest elevation
in the Catskills. Rainfall for each month was below normal with most of what
did occur coming in the form of heavy rain for one or two days each month.

There was no exceptional movements reported with the exception of a good
warbler wave about the third week of Sept. Most other species passed thru in
an even flow probably due to the extended fair weather.

Area Compilers: John C. Orth; Lana Mills; Robert F. Deed; AI Merritt; John
Tripp; Fred Hough; Otis Waterman; Martin Borko; Noel Cutright; Peter Polshek.

Observers cited: RFD—Robert F. Deed; FG—Florence Germond; PJ—Paul
Jeheber; AJ—Alice Jones; JMK—im & Mary Key; EK—Eric Kiviat; HM—Helen
Manson; EP— Eleanor Pink; DS—Dan Smiley; WTS—Wiliam & Trixie Straus;
CT—Czecher Terhune; EDT—Edward D. Treacy; JT—John Tripp; MVW—Marion
VanWagner.

Abbreviations: First four letters of each county; MBC—Mearns Bird Club;
WBC—Waterman Bird Club; USMA—U.S. Military Academy; Pok—Poughkeepsie

LOONS—DUCKS: Common Loon: 1 Oct 5 L Tiorati; 8 Nov 25 Ashokan.
Red-throated Loon: 4 Nov 17 Hudson off Dutch. Horned Grebe: 27 Nov 25
Ashokan. Double-crested Cormorant: 3 Aug 22-31 Hudson at Cornwall (PJ).
Common Egret: 1 Aug 29 Goshen (only report). Black-crowned Night Heron:
1 Aug 19 near Wawarsing. Mute Swan: a pr raised 2 young at Iona Is; 4 Oct
6 Glenmere L. Canada Goose: usual large flocks thru Oct into Nov; several still
on lakes at end of period. Snow Goose: flocks reported on Oct 16 Nyack; Nov
18 Rockland L; 200 Oct 26 Rockland L; 130 Oct 28 .Dutchess Hill; 200 Nov 8;
450 Oct 29 Cornwall. Gadwall: 3 Nov 3-15 Millbrook. Pintail: a few every month
in Dutch; 2 Sept 27 at Goshen, inc to 10 by 23. Green-winged Teal: a few thru
Oct. American Wigeon: well reported thru region; Oct 14-Nov 25 at Rockland L.
Wood Duck: an unusual concentration of 314 Oct 16 an a small pond at Lamont
Geological Observatory, Palisades; continued in decreasing numbers thru end of
period. Redhead: 1 Nov 2 and sev. Nov 13 near Rhinecliff Bridge. Ring-necked
Duck; very few reported. Canvasvack: 400 in Dutch dur Nov; all from Hudson,
Hunn’s L and Sylvan L; 300 near Rhinecliff Br. Nov 13; 220 Nov 25 Rockland
L. Common Goldeneye: only report 35 Nov 25 Ashokan. Bufflehead: unreported
till Nov when numbers were good. Oldsquaw: 4 Nov 10 Barrytown (JMK). White¬
winged Scoter: single birds Nov 15 at Beacon, Nov 25 Ashokan; 2 Oct 30 Corn-
wall-on-Hudson; 7 Nov 10 Barrytown; 1 18 Hohonk L. Ruddy Duck: Oct 12
Rockland L inc to 60 by Nov 26. Hooded Merganser: Oct 10 Rockland L remained
thru Nov 26; 65 Nov 25 Ashokan.

HAWKS—OWLS: The table below shows the results of the Hook Mt. Hawk
Watch sponsored by the Society for the Preservation of Birds of Prey from Sept
1—Dec 3. and the Mount Peter Hawk Watch sponsored by the Highland Audubon

41

Soc. of N.J. during Sept & Oct. Information on maximum movements was not avail¬
able for Mt. Peter at the time of publication.

HOOK MT.

MT. PETER

SPECIES

TOTAL

MAX

DATE

TOTAL

Goshawk .

. 87

13

11/11

2

Sharp-shinned .

. 1932

298

9/29

420

Cooper’s .

. 20

5

10/1

17

Red-tailed .

. 462

35

11/5

206

Red-shouldered .

......... 146

40

10/22

9

Broad-winged .

. 7762

2865

9/13

4,277

Rough-legged .

. 2

2

11/18

0

Golden Eagle .

. 7

1

10/1-11/15

2

Bald Eagle .

. 3

1

9/8,13, 22

1

Marsh Hawk ..

. 162

16

10/18

37

Osprey .

.. 206

24

9/21

92

Peregrine .

. 2

1

9/29, 10/15

1

Merlin .

. 9

2

10/6

0

Kestrel .

. 354

55

10/1

176

Unidentified .

. 162

78

Total .

. 11,316

5,318

The above figure would indicate that numbers for most species are up this
year over last; much of the increase could be due to greater numbers of obser¬
vers participating in the counts, especially at Hook Mt; Red-tailed Hawks are
the only species which seems to have declined, and this is borne out by the
number of wintering birds established by the end of the period. Turkey Vulture:
max 25 in one tree Oct 16 near Jackson’s Corners Dutch; last 1 Nov 20 Amenia
(WTS). Goshawk; not as numerous as last year but still well reported; 3 Oct
reports in Dutch and 2 there in Nov. Broad-winged Hawk: peak movement at
Dutchess Hill was Sept 17 with 1,896 and Sept 19 1,646; peak for Hook Mt.
was Sept 13 with 2,865. Rough-legged Hawk: 1 in Nov at Millbrook. Golden
Eagle: 1 Nov 4 Stissing Mt. (MVW). Bald Eagle: 1 Sept 28 Amenia, another
Oct 26 near Dutchess Hill (Tom Gilbert); no Nov reports. Peregrine Falcon: 1
Oct 9 Goshen (JT). Merlin: 1 Oct 12 Upper Kay’s Pd, Dutch (MVW). Ruffed
Grouse: continues low thru region. Pheasant: severely reduced; only report 1
Hudson River State Hosp in Sept. Virginia Rail: 1 Oct 1 Rockland L. Common
Gallinule: 2 ad 6 imm at Amenia in Sept (WTS). Coot: more than 500 Nov 26 at
Rockland L (RFD). Killdeer: 14 Oct 4 near Goshen, 80+ Oct 7 at Planken-
horns’ Dutch. Golden Plover: all reports Dutch, 1 Sept 9-12 Beaver Dam (HM)
and 3 Oct 7 Plankenhom’s (AJ). Black-bellied Plover: 1 Nov 4 Piermont Pier,
a new late date for Rock. Snipe: 15 Nov 25 Crugers Is (EK). Spotted Sandpiper:
1 Nov 13 Pleasant Valley (MVW), a very late date. KNOT : first record for Rock,
8 flew by the Hook Mt. Hawk Watch on Oct 6 and were observed by several
watchers from the Linnaean Soc of N.Y., the birds were also heard calling as
they flew by. Pectoral Sandpiper: 2 Aug 29 Cornwall-on-Hudson; 2 Sept 7 Dutch.
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER: 2 Sept 9 Beaver Dam, Dutch (HM). Dunlin: 1 Nov 18
Piermont Pier, a new late date by 2 months for Rock. BUFF—BREASTED SAND¬
PIPER : I Oct 17 Thompson Rd, Dutch, (mob-mid-week field trip of WBC),
second record for that county, last in 1972. Laughing Gull: best year in memory
for this species; 720 at Piermont Pier Aug 15, still 200 there on Nov 4. Bona-

42

part’s Gull: 85 Nov 18 Piermont Pier. MONK PARAKEET: 3 Aug 16, inc to

4 by Aug 19 at Piermont; no subsequent reports. Owls; the usual reports.

GOATSUCKERS—STARLING: Common Nighthawk: good numbers from late
Aug thru the very late date of Oct 19, the latter at Applewood, Dutch. (CT)
Hummingbird: 8 Sep 26 Circleville (JT); last at Kripplebush Sept 23 and in

Dutch Sept 26. Red-bellied Woodpecker: 1 dur Oct at the home of AJ in Pok;

another thru Nov at Clinton Corners (FG); 1 Nov 22 Circleville (JT). Phoebe:
last Nov 4 Wawarsing. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher: 1 Oct 8 Monticello (K & D
Niven). Empidonax Flycatchers: exc movement in Dutch Sept 11, still 1 or 2
by end of month. Pewee: still feeding young out of nest at Mohonk Sept 18. (DS)
Tree Swallow: usual heavy flight in Aug and Sept. Cliff Swallow: sev Aug 18
Wawarsing. trow: roost at Hudson River State building as early as Sept with
more than 200 by end of month. Red-breasted Nuthatch: sev reports from Sept
and Oct, but none in Nov. Winter Wren: 2 Oct 8 and again Oct 29 at Cornwall;

1 Nov 25-29 Fort Montgomery. Carolina Wren: 5 in a 1 mile stretch Nov 11
along the foot of Hook Mt. Robin: hundreds roosting dur Sept (AJ). Wood Thrush:
exc movement Sept 9; at USMA last dates Sept 28 Dutch Oct 8 Wawarsing
and Oct 18 Mohonk. Grey-cheeked Thrush: 1 Oct 4 and Oct 8 in Dutch.
Bluebird: usual to less. Kinglet: both species in good numbers in Ulst thru Oct;
Golden-crowned remained good thru end of period. Pipit: only report 10 Oct
12 SCCC campus (Valerie Freer). Cedar Waxwing: numbers good thru Oct. at
Wawarsing. Northern Shrike: all reports Dutch, 1 Oct 17 Salt Pt; 1 Oct 28
Fishkill; 1 Nov 7. Loggerhead Shrike: 1 Nov 2 Pok:

VIREOS—WARBLERS: White-eyed: 1 seen and heard Sept 3 along Mine Rd,
USMA (EDT). 'Philadelphia Vireo: all reports Dutch; single birds on Sept 2,
Sept 3 and Oct 1, Warblers: relatively even weather did not produce any pro¬
nounced movement; the closest thing to wave occurred from Sept 25-29 when
16 species were observed at Amenia (WTS); WBC reports fall movement better
than spring with many beautiful males still in spring plumage. Orange-crowned
Warbler: 1 at Pok and another Pleasant Valley Oct 1; another at Pok Oct 9.
Cape May Warbler: numbers better than usual, Blackburnian Warbler: 6 Sept

2 Weyant’s Rd, USMA. Blackpoll: peak of 50 Sept 27 Thompson Rd. Prairie
Warbler: 1 Oct 6 Hook Mt. 1 day earlier than latest Rock record. CONNECTICUT
WARBLER, observed in Dutch on Oct 1,4,10; 1 Sept 24-28 at Beaver Dam,
and 3 banded in Sept at Millbrook School; 1 Sept 18 Cornwall. MOURNING
WARBLER: 1 Sept 16 Pleasant Valley. Yellowthroat: 1 late date of Nov 3 at
Wawarsing. Redstart: 1 Nov 4 near Stone Ridge Ulst (Peter Polshek).

BLACKBIRDS—SPARROWS: Redwinged Blackbird: usual fall numbers, roosting
by the thousands at Hudson River State Hospital along with grackles, rusties and
cowbirds. Northern (Baltimore) Oriole: last reports, 2 Sept 15 and 1 Sept 17 in
Dutch. Rusty Blackbird: excellent movements in Rock on Oct 14 and 21; hundreds
in Oct 25 S. Spring Valley. Cardinal; numbers strongly reduced from last year;
obs feeding young Sept 1 in Dutch. Evening Grosbeak: first Oct 21, in good
numbers thru Nov. Purple Finch: usual thru most of region, but reported good
at Wawarsing. Pine Siskin: more than 100 Oct 13 in 2 flocks at Mt. Peter; very few
for rest of season Junco: first early date of Sept 15 Weyant’s Pd, USMA (EAMBC).
Tree Sparrow: first Oct 28, numbers not good thru end of period. Chipping
Sparrow: 3 Nov 4 Tamarack Sw, very late (JMK). White-crowned Sparrow: 5
Oct 18 on Ridge Rd, Rock. Lincoln’s Sparrow: 3 Sept 22 Beaver Dam, Dutch;
Sept 27 Millbrook School; 4 other Dutch records dur Oct. Snow Bunting: 2 Oct
31 on Palisades Pkwy near N.J. border; 20 Nov 17; Stone Ridge, Sull, dur Nov. in
Dutch.

Pellwood Lake, Highland Falls, N.Y. 10928

43

FALL REPORT RECEIVED TOO LATE FOR OCTOBER ISSUE

REGION 6 —ST. LAWRENCE

Lee B. Chamberlaine

The summer months of 1973 were hot and dry. Extremely dry conditions pre¬
vailed along Lake Ontario in Jefferson County and at lower elevations in the
St. Lawrence River Valley. Tug Hill and higher elevations did not lack the rain¬
fall to as great a degree and temperatures were not as high. «

Lake Ontario water levels dropped about 18 inches during the period and
exposed much shoreline area that had been under a high water situation. This
no doubt accounted for the shorebird observations at El Dorado.

Noteworthy observation for the period wert Common Loon with young, Double-
crested Cormorants on Lake Ontario, increases in waterfowl produced locally. Osprey
sightings and some excellent shorebird observations. The two sightings of Short¬
eared Owl at such a late date are also a pleasant surprise for the period. Decreases
in small land bird numbers tends to indicate losses on wintering grounds or unsuc¬
cessful nestings. At this time, a choice would be entirely speculative.

LOONS—DUCKS: Common Loon: 2 adults and 2 young recently hatched
July 26 Pine Lake eastern Lewis County; 3 August 7 Cranberry Lake (Clinch).
Pied-billed Grebe: 1 adult with 7 young 14 Perch River Wildlife Management
Area (PRWMA) (Belknap). Double-crested Cormorant: 18 nesting July 21 Little
Galloo Island (Cameron). Canada Goose: brood production appears up at PRWMA
and Wilson Hill Wildlife Management Area (WHWMA). Mallard production of
local birds up over previous years. Gadwall: numbers on WHWMA still increas¬
ing. Wood Duck: local production on PRWMA and adjacent wetlands very high
this year.

HAWKS—OWLS: Turkey Vulture: seemed scarce; saw none until August 13
(Belknap). Goshawk: sightings at Wellesley Island during the period. Osprey: 2
adults through period near Theresa; 1 adult July 21 near New Bremen; nesting
success poor in Theresa area possibly one bird fledged from one of three nesting
sites (LaFave). Ruffed Grouse: production up in certain locations over last year.
Sora: 1 each on July 12 and August 14 PRWMA (Belknap). Semipalmated Plover:
2 August 9 El Dorado (ED). Ruddy Turnstone: 4 August 9 ED (Walker).
WHIMBREL : 1 August 9 ED (Walker). Greater Yellowlegs: 5 August 9 ED.
Least Sandpiper: 1 August 9 ED. Stilt Sandpiper: 1 August 9 ED. Ring-billed
Gull: production in Henderson Harbor area appears up over last year. Bonaparte’s
Gull: 2 August 9 ED (Walker). Mourning Dove: numbers increasing as more
and more lands are converted to corn silage in the Jefferson County area. Black¬
billed Cuckoo: more common than usual due to high numbers of Fall Webworm
with abundant nests and caterpillars in evidence. Screech Owl: heard through
period in Henderson area (Chamberlaine). SHORT-EARED OWL : 1 June 18
Ashland Wildlife Management Area near Three Mile Bay (Cameron); 1 July 14
Chaumont area (Walker); both very late dates.

GOATSUCKERS—WAXWINGS: Chimney Swift: not as abundant as previous
years. Ruby-throated Humingbird: numbers down from last year. Pileated Wood¬
pecker: sightings through period. Red-headed Woodpecker: numbers seem down
in Henderson Area. Horned Lark: more than previous years. Tree Swallow: less
numerous than previous years. Bank Swallow: numbers down. Barn Swallow:

44

numbers down. Purple Martin: numbers down. Eastern Bluebird: 1 June 2 near
Osceola. Cedar Waxwing: not as common as last year.

VIREOS— SPARROWS: Red-eyed Vireo: abundant this year. Warbling Vireo:
more common than last year in Henderson area. Bobolink: not as abundant as
previous years. Meadowlark: in some localities abundance is up. Redwinged Black¬
bird: population is down; summer flocks developed much earlier than previous
years perhaps due to dry condition. Baltimore Oriole: numbers appear to be
down over past two years. Common Grackle: about same levels as previous years;
summer flocking earlier as noted in Redwings above. Brown-headed Cowbird:
numbers down. Indigo Bunting: seemed quite numerous this year (Belknap).
Purple Finch: very common in the Henderson area (Chamberlaine). Pine Siskin:
12+ June 2 and 3 Henderson. American Goldfinch: not as common as previous
years. Chipping Sparrow: numbers down. Song Sparrow: numbers as usual.

Box 139, Henderson, New York 13650

FEDERATION OF NEW YORK STATE BIRD CLUBS, INC

1974 Officers

Dr. Gordon M. Meade

President

_27 Mill Valley Road, Pittsford, N.Y. 14534

Vice President

Mr. Richard A. Sloss . 1300 Seawave Drive, Hewlett Harbor, N.Y. 11557

Corresponding Secretary

Mrs. Mary Ann Sunderlin . 505 Bay Road, Webster, N.Y. 14580

Recording Secretary

Mrs. Alice Jones . Knolls Road, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12601

Treasurer

Mr. Stephen B. Dempsey. 533 Chestnut Street, West Hempstead, N.Y. 11552

Editor of THE KINGBIRD
Joseph W. Taylor

20 Parish Rd„ Honeoye Falls, New York 14472

Appointed Committees

Bulletin Exchange: Mrs. Alice E. Ulrich, 193 LaSalle Ave., Buffalo, N.Y. 14214

Conservation: Maxwell C. Wheat, Jr., 333 Bedell St., Freeport, N.Y. 11520

Finance: Mrs. Dorothy Mcllroy, 419 Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850

Publicity: Maxwell C. Wheat, Jr., 333 Bedell St., Freeport, N.Y. 11520

Membership: Mrs. Myrna Hemmerick, P.O. Box 203, Setauket, N.Y. 11733

Publications and Research: Robert S. Arbib, Jr., 226 Guion Dr., Mamaronek, N.Y. 10543

Bibliography: Dr. Sally Hoyt Spofford, Box 428, Etna 13062

Bylaws: Richard Sloss, 1300 Seawave Drive, Hewlett Harbor 11557

Waterfowl Count: Dr. David B. Peakall, 257 Virgil Rd., R.D. #1, Dryden, N.Y. 13053

John J. Elliott Memorial Committee: Cornelius J. Ward, 804 South Ocean Avenue, Freeport
11520

Elected Committees

Auditing: Ralph Cioffi, 25 Carpenter St., Glen Cove N.Y. 11542

William B. Reeves, 107 Elberta Dr., Northport, N.Y. 11768