Upland Plover Jan Feb 2015

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MEMBER

SHIPRE

NEWALS

FOR201

5

ARENO

WDUE!

Publication of the North Country Bird Club Inc. Since 1948

January / February 2015 Volume 56 No. 1

TheUpland

Plover

SPRING MEETINGS

Please note the dates of our spring meetings on your calendar. Meetingsare held at Stone Presbyterian Church, 140 Chestnut St, Watertown, andbegin at 7:00 pm. Spring meeting dates are:

Wednesday, March 11Wednesday, April 8

Wednesday, May 13 NORTHERN CARDINALWatertown, December 2014

Thanks to Susan Favreau for this beautiful photo

MEMBERS ARE REMINDED THAT

2015 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS

ARE NOW DUE

IF YOU HAVE NOT RENEWED,

PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORMINCLUDED AS AN ATTACHMENT

& FORWARD IT WITH YOUR DUES

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

FIELD TRIPS

2015 Season

St. Lawrence River Parks: Sat, April 18 - 8:30 am

Cornell Lab & Montezuma NWR: Sat, May 2 - 8:30 am

Common Nature Center: Sat, May 16 - 8:30 am

Limerick Cedars: Wed, May 27 - 8:00 pmRed Lake: Sat, May 30 - 8:30 am

Chaumont Barrens: Sat, June 6 - 8:30 am

Marlowe Camp, Beartown: Sat, June 20 - 8:30 am

Rodman Trails: Sat, June 27 - 8:30 am

Annual Picnic (Brouse Preserve): Sun, July 12 - 3:00 pm

Marlowe Camp, Beartown: Sat, July 25 - 8:30 am

Perch River WMA: Sat, August 22 - 8:30 am

Upper & Lower Lakes WMA: Sat, Sept 19 - 8:30 am

Montezuma NWR: Sat, Oct 17 - 8:30 am

The 2014 Christmas Bird Count report wiappear in the March-April Plover.


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NORTH COUNTRY BIRD CLUB SIGHTINGS

Please forward notable sightings for the next issue by February 15, using the contact info on the last page.

Snowy Owls have returned to Jefferson County in some numbersagain. The first report of one received this season came from AlvinHasner, who sighted a Snowy along the south shore of PointPeninsula on 11/09. The next reported sighting came from Dick andMarion Brouse, who, along with others in the area, sighted a Snowyon 11/23 along Rt 12E just south of Chaumont. Sightings of this

bird continued through December, with further reports from Dick andMarion, and reports from Lee Ellsworth, Lynn Chavoustie, SusanFavreau, Corky Marlowe, and Bill Haller. Lynn, who saw the bird on12/01, sighted a second Snowy that day between Chaumont andThree Mile Bay. On 11/30, Dick and Marion sighted two moreSnowys, 1 along Favret Road and 1 just before crossing theIsthmus onto Point Peninsula. Corky and Bill sighted a Snowy Owlnear the intersection of the Weaver and Case Roads on 12/06 andhave seen the bird again on several occasions, with the most recentsighting on 01/05. Corky and Bill also sighted a Snowy on PillarPoint just south of Sherwins Bay on 12/13.

By midDecember, the numbers began to increase, with multiple

Snowy Owls sighted on Point Peninsula and on the road to theIsthmus, as well as in the Town of Cape Vincent. On 12/15, LeeEllsworth reported sighting a total of 6 Snowys between Chaumontand Point Peninsula. On 12/16, Corky and Bill sighted 8 Snowyswhile birding around Chaumont, Three Mile Bay, Point Peninsulaand the Isthmus, and Cape Vincent, then on 12/20 sighted 9 whilebirding in the same area. But the prize most certainly goes to Dickand Marion, who, also on 12/20 and in the same area, sighted 15Snowy Owls. On 12/22, Corky and Bill sighted 6 Snowys whilebirding in that area. Since then, the number of reported sightings inthe area has decreased.

Snowy Owls have also been sighted along Route 11 between Evans

Mills and Philadelphia. Vici and Steve Diehl reported multiplesightings of a male, a female, and a juvenile along that stretch ofhighway, beginning with a sighting of the male on 11/29 and of thefemale on 12/03. They report seeing all three birds regularly sincethat time. Dick and Marion sighted a Snowy in the Town ofHounsfield on 12/21.

Other species of Raptors have been widely reported in recentweeks. On 11/03, a Sharpshinned Hawk visited Dick and Marionsyard in Watertown. On 11/09, Corky and Bill sighted 5 RedtailedHawks while birding in the Town of Hounsfield. Lee sighted aNorthern Harrier near the Dollar Store in Chaumont on 12/15. Steveand Vici reported sighting a Merlin at their home in Antwerp on

01/03. Dick and Marion sighted Bald Eagles on three occasions, animmature on 11/04 at their home in Watertown, an adult on 11/20 inthe Town of Lyme, and an immature on 12/20 on Point Peninsula.Dick and Marion sighted Roughlegged Hawks on numerousoccasions, reporting 3 on 11/20 (in Watertown, the Town of Lyme,and the Town of Cape Vincent), 1 on 11/23 in the Town ofBrownville, 1 on 11/27 on Point Peninsula, 1 on 12/09 in the Townof Cape Vincent, and 1 on 12/13 on Point Salubrious. They sighteda Broadwinged Hawk on Point Salubrious on 11/23. On 11/02,Lynn Chavoustie sighted a Great Horned Owl on Swamp Road nearThree Mile Bay. On 11/29, Corky and Bill sighted a Great HornedOwl along Rt 180 north of Limerick. Dick and Marion sighted a

Great Horned Owl at their home in Watertown on 12/20.

Snow Buntings have also been sighted regularly this season. Tfirst report came from Lynn, who saw 5 along Ashland Road o10/31. On 11/16, Corky and Bill sighted 10 in the same locatioOn three occasions in mid-December, Corky and Bill sighted many as 25 Snow Buntings along Case Road near Chaumont. Le

sighted 25 Snow Buntings at Long Point State Park on 12/15. O12/20, Dick and Marion sighted 19 in the Town of Cape Vincent.

Snow Geese have not been reported in the fields this fall in oarea, but Dick reported seeing sizable flocks flying over his home Watertown during December. On 12/08, Dick sighted a flock estimated at 200 in the sky above, with 800 flying over on 12/18500 on 12/18, and at least 25,000 on 12/29. While flocks thousands were seen on the ground east of here, in Massena athe Champlain Valley, we apparently were not a resting spot choice for the Snow Geese during this migration.

The first report of Tundra Swans this fall came from Kezia Sullivawho sighted 2 adults and 3 juveniles from her home in SackeHarbor on 11/13. On 11/15, Corky and Bill sighted 2 adults and

juveniles on Point Salubrious. On 11/23, Dick and Marion sightemore than 300 Tundra Swans on Point Salubrious, and on 11/3birding with Corky and Bill, they sighted more than 300 at the uppend of Guffins Bay. Dick and Marion also reported sighting TundSwans on Point Salubrious on 12/13 (20 birds), on Point Peninsuon 11/27 (113 birds) and 12/20 (20 birds), and in the Town Henderson on 12/21 (82 birds). Mute Swans were sighted by Diand Marion on Point Peninsula, 16 on 11/27 and 3 on 12/20.

While Great Blue Herons have now left the area, they were sightehere throughout November. On 11/01, Bill saw 2 at Sherwins BaOn 11/03, Corky, Bill, Dick, and Marion sighted 1 at the samlocation. Dick and Marion sighted a Great Blue Heron on 11/27 the Town of Lyme. The last reported sighting was on 11/30, Corky, Bill, Dick, and Marion, in Three Mile Bay.

On 11/02, Corky, Bill, Dick, and Marion sighted a Common Loon oPoint Salubrious. On 11/09, Corky and Bill sighted a Common Loat Navy Cove in Sackets. On 11/23, Dick and Marion sightedHorned Grebes in the Town of Brownville and a Rednecked Grein the Town of Lyme. On 11/27, they sighted 4 Horned Grebes aa Red-necked Grebe on Point Peninsula. Lee sighted Rednecked Grebe along the south shore of Pillar Point on 12/14.

A variety of Ducks have been reported over the past few weeks. B

sighted a pair of Bufflehead at Reeds Bay on Pillar Point on 11/0On 11/03, while birding along Pillar Points south shore, Corky, BDick, and Marion sighted Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Mallar

American Black Duck, and Scaup (too distant to be sure whethGreater or Lesser). On 11/20, Kezia reported that, over tprevious few days, she had sighted Eurasian Wigeon, GadwaNorthern Pintail, and American Black Duck from her home Sackets. Dick and Marion reported sighting Common Goldeneand Bufflehead on Point Salubrious on 11/23, 4 Hooded Merganson Point Salubrious on 12/13, and 170 Redhead, as well as Longtailed Duck, in the Town of Henderson on 12/21.

(continued on the next page)


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F

UERTES

P

AINTING

SNOWYOWL

For info on Onondaga Audubon Society field tripsand programs, visit http://onondagaaudubon.com/

Dick Brouse received the above photo from Harriet McMillan ofWatertown, who took it on 12/26 and asked Dick for help withidentification. Dick forwarded the photo to Jeff Bolsinger, FortDrums ornithologist, and thought our readers would be interestedin Jeffs response. Jeff indicates the bird is a Dark-eyed Junco,and said many would refer to it as an Albino. However, it is not anAlbino - Albinos have pink eyes - but a Leucistic Junco. Accordingto Jeff, most animals termed Albino are actually Leucistic, andLeucistics can be either partial or complete - this bird is nearlycomplete. (Both terms come from root words meaning white,with Leucistic derived from the Greek and Albino from the Latin.)Our thanks to Jeff for clarifying these descriptive terms.

(continued from the previous page) On 11/03, Corky, Bill, Dick, andMarion sighted a Great Blackbacked Gull on Point Salubrious.Kezia reported on 11/20 that she had recently sighted a BonapartesGull in Sackets. Dick and Marion sighted 3 Great BlackbackedGulls on 12/09 and 6 on 12/20 in the Town of Lyme, 2 on 12/20 inthe Town of Brownville, and 6 on 12/20 on Point Peninsula.

A Redbellied Woodpecker was a regular visitor at Dick andMarions home on Kelsey Creek in Watertown throughout Novemberand into early December, with the first sighting on 11/02 and the last

on 12/03. Bill first sighted a Red

bellied Woodpecker at his feedersin Dexter on 12/15 and has seen one numerous times since, themost recent visit coming while this report was being written on01/10. Dick and Marion have also reported Pileated Woodpeckersat their home, with 2 sighted on 11/02 and 1 on 11/13. They sighteda Pileated in the Town of Hounsfield on 12/21. On 12/29, Dick andMarion spotted a male Northern Flicker at their home.

On 12/27, Susan Favreau sighted a flock of 30 Wild Turkeys onPoint Peninsula. Corky and Bill sighted a gathering of at least 200Wild Turkeys in what appeared to be a double flock in a field alongMiddle Road on Pillar Point on 01/05.

Members have reported a variety of birds in their yards and at their

feeders this season. On 11/15, Kezia sighted twoYellow

rumpedWarblers in her yard in Sackets. Dick and Marion reported sightings

of a Fox Sparrow at their home on Kelsey Creek in Watertown o11/01, 11/02, and 11/04. They last reported sighting the FSparrow on 11/06, when it was courteous enough to appear duria visit by Corky and Bill. During that visit, the four also sightemultiple Whitethroated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardin(3m & 1f), Darkeyed Junco, Blackcapped Chickadee, and boHairy and Downy Woodpecker. Dick and Marion also reportseveral visits by large groups of Rusty Blackbirds, 18 on 11/0nearly 200 on 11/10, and 225 on 11/13. Dick and Marion sighted

American Robins at their home on 11/01, 15 on 11/04, and 5 o11/23. They also reported 21 Cedar Waxwings on 11/10, 2 PiSiskins on 11/17 and again on 11/19, a Purple Finch on 11/01 an11/02, and a Carolina Wren on 12/03 and again on 12/08.

On 11/20, Susan Favreau reported sightings over the previous fedays at her home in Watertown of Tufted Titmouse, WhitebreastNuthatch, Northern Cardinal, American Tree Sparrow, Blue JaDarkeyed Junco, Blackcapped Chickadee, American Goldfincand Mourning Dove. Susan reported a visit by 3 male NortheCardinals at her home on 12/03. Kathy Killeen reported sightingPine Siskins in her yard in Theresa on 12/06. On 01/06, Correported as many as 4 male Northern Cardinals had been in h

yard throughout early January. On that day, Dick and Marion hsighted 7 at their home in Watertown.

A SNOWY ECHO?

In the interest of accuracy in terminology, we pass on this information from a report aired by CBC News Windsor on 12/29:

The . . . invasion of snowy owls in 2013 was called an irruption. This year, the second year of the phenomenon, is called an echo.

An irruption is a dramatic, irregular migration of large numbers of birds to areas where they arent typically found. An echoyear occurwhen the same phenomenon occurs the following year. - Thanks to Susan Favreau for bringing this item to our attention.


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WHY THE IVORY-BILLED?

The Nov-Dec 2014 issue of Birdwatchers Digestreprints an article written for the magazine i1988 by Roger Tory Peterson, often called the father of modern birdwatching. The articloutlines the principal reasons for the steep decline of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, now widebelieved to be extinct. A sizable population of this magnificent bird occupied the foresteswamplands of the southeastern United States into the early twentieth century. Bmid-century, only the slightest evidence of the birds continued existence could be found, anthat evidence was far from universally accepted.

While many factors could be counted as having contributed to the apparent loss of this nearlmythical bird, one aspect of the situation seems particularly intriguing. It is often found that aextinction event affects a whole group of related species. At present, for instance, amphibianappear to be in trouble - not some particular amphibian species, but a large number, perhapeven the great majority, of amphibian species. The Great Apes are similarly, as a group, irapid decline. But most species of Woodpeckers seem to be doing tolerably well. They ar

affected, certainly, by such factors as loss of habitat and change in climate, but no more so than other common avian speciesWhy the Ivory-billed? What was it about this particular Woodpecker that made it so much more susceptible to the influence ochanging conditions than the Downy, the Hairy, the Red-bellied, the Redheaded, the Pileated? What would have been necessarto sustain the magnificent Ivory-billed that apparently was not a critical issue for these other, closely related species? Petersoprovides some interesting answers to these questions, answers which might well assist us in sustaining other species in decline.

Perhaps the most striking fact that Peterson sets forth concerns territorial requirements. A single breeding pair of Ivory-billeWoodpeckers required six square milesof habitat. That same area, he notes, would support 36 pairs of Pileated or 126 pairs oRed-bellied Woodpeckers. The extensive clearcut logging of southeastern forests to meet the demand for wood of our expandinpopulation would have had a much more severe, and much more rapid, effect on Ivory-billeds than on other Woodpeckers withmuch smaller habitat requirements.

Another factor setting the Ivory-billed apart, according to Peterson, was its very specific feeding habits. The bird fed mostly owhite grubs which lived in decaying wood just below the bark of trees that had been dead for two or three years. After about a yeaof further decay, as the decay moved further into the tree, these grubs moved on, and the tree no longer provided a food source fothe Ivory-billed. Pileated Woodpeckers, however, were able to obtain food from the tree for some time as it continued to decaybeing much less particular than the Ivory-billed. As a result of differing feeding habits, the Pileateds had a much more extensivemuch longer-lasting food source than the Ivory-billeds.

A third factor which led to the disappearance of the Ivory-billed would have made any eventual attempt at restoring the specievirtually impossible. So this third factor, while not the most striking, is probably the most significant. According to Peterson, unlikthe Pileated, the Ivory-billed did not adapt well to second-growth forests, even where forests did recover after logging operationsPeterson does not elaborate, and it may well be that the specific reasons why this was the case are not fully understoodHowever, once the virgin forestland in the Southeast was largely gone, there would have been no way to restore sufficient suitablhabitat for the Ivory-billed. What would have been necessary to sustain the magnificent Ivory-billed? Not to cut the old-growtforest in the first place. Once extensive logging was under way - and that occurred long before the appearance of any real concerfor the bird - it was game over. The Ivory-billed was doomed.

What made the Ivory-billed so much more vulnerable than other Woodpeckers? In simplest terms, this: It required extensivresources, had very specific requirements, and, most critically, could not adapt to changing conditions. These three generafactors combined to remove one of natures most stunning creatures from our world. What can we learn from the disappearance othis incredible bird? There are many lessons here. But certainly the most important is that these factors combined to doom th

bird only because humans made major, irreversible changes to its world without taking the trouble to fully understand theimplications of those changes. In reality, there is only one factor here, and it is us. A number of scientists are proposing that ware now in the midst of a sixth major extinction event, the previous five stretching back through Earths long history. The principacause proposed for this event? A look at the fate of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker leads readily to the answer to that question.

Painting by Tomasz Cofta

Each winter, the DEC conducts a survey of Wild Turkey flocks,to gather data for conservation and management. Birders areencouraged to join in this survey by reporting sightings of flocksobserved from January through March.For instructions and report forms, go to:http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/wintertkysurvey15.pdf

MIGRATION FORECASTS

The Cornell Ornithology Lab now offerspredictions of bird migration patterns. Tracmigrations and find out what birds should bemoving through our area as the seasonsprogress at http://birdcast.info


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ITEMSFORTHENEXTPLOVERAREDUEBYFEBRUARY15

If you have sightings, photos, or other submissions for

the March/April edition, please forward them by February 15.

Contact info: Bill Haller, Editor - Mail: P. O. Box 6, Dexter, NY 13634

E-mail: [email protected] - Phone: (315) 639-6848 (9 am to 9 pm)

T

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U

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P

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North Country Bird Club Inc.

orth Country Bird Club Inc.

orth Country Bird Club Inc.

P. O. Box 634

Watertown, NY 13601

On FACEBOOK: North Country Bird Club

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CTIVITIESCTIVITIESCTIVITIES

Meetings / Programs:September,October, November, March, April, May

(Second Wednesday of the month)

Field Trips:Spring - Summer - Fall

SpringBirdCensus

Newsletter:The Upland Plover

Website:North Country Bird Clubon FACEBOOK

The North Country Bird Club Inc.

is a member of the New York State

Ornithological Association Inc.

Consider joining the New York StatOrnithological Association, (our Club is member organization). Membership includesquarterlyjournal(Kingbird)andanewsletter(NeYorkBirders). For details: www.nybirds.org.

BROWN THRASHERTheresa - September 2014

Thanks to Kathy Killeen for this striking photo

SNOWY OWLPoint Peninsula - December 2014

Thanks to Susan Favreau for this excellent photo

REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2015!

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Upland Plover Jan Feb 2015