Rfalconcam Forum

Tonight at 7 pm the 2010 Montezuma Muckrace will start!  We, Lisa M, MAK, Don and myself, are the members of GVAS sponsored Team Peregrine 2010. 

Last year our team identified 96 species in the 24 hour period, well, actually we only birded on part of Saturday.  Top bird on our list this year is a Peregrine, of course!  Several juvies have been spotted there recently, and we are certainly hoping Jemison may be in the group.  We will be ready with our binos, spotting scopes, cameras, and sharp eyes!

We hope all with be cheering for us!  This year we hope to hit 100 species!! 
Suzanne   

Go, Team Peregrine, Go!

:foxbinocs:

(I've done a few "bird races" here and they are wonderful fun...)

If you all can spot Jemison, I think that should rate a perfect score!!!!!  Have fun and good luck!!

I'll be (http://i760.photobucket.com/albums/xx242/ibeeme1/Smileys/cheerleadersmileyAJphotob.gif) for ya's! Good luck, have fun and yes, please do find Jemison and or Callidora.

Team Peregrine will easily get to 100! 

I'll be rootin' for all of ya!  GO TEAM PEREGRINE 2010 and GOOD LUCK!!!   :2thumbsup:

:winner:


You go guys !!!

Team Peregrine had a long, but successful day yesterday!  We had a goal of 100 species, and are happy to report that we surpassed our goal and successfully identified 103 species!  We think our sponsor, the Genesee Valley Audubon Society, will be pleased.

We met at the Wildlife Refuge about 6 am and headed to Howland Island, noted for its ravenous mosquitoes.  It was cool and foggy, so we were a little worried about finding songbirds.  When we stopped the car and got out to look around, the trees were alive with all sorts of birds!!  We birded with another team for a bit, always helps in identifying some of the migrating, non-breeding plumage birds.  We stayed there until the trees quieted down, and no birds could be found.

On our way to the check-in center, food and bathrooms, we stopped to look for Wood Ducks in a reliable spot.  We were on a roll and still had energy and were smiling!  We were now ready to tackle Toepath Road to view the Knox-Marcellus area!  This is where we were sure to see Sandhill Cranes and a Peregrine Falcon.  We searched and scoped and listened to what others were identifying, but no Peregrines or Sandhills.  We did spot some nice shorebirds, though.  While there, someone mentioned that the Wildlife Drive had some unusual shorebirds, which we had not seen yet.  So it was off to the Refuge and new birds for us, hopefully!

By the end of the Wildlife drive we were more than three-quarters of the way to our goal...yay!!  But we were getting hungry, so off to another spot when we could find shade and have lunch.  Now we were renewed and full of energy again.  If only we could find more new birds! 

We checked out several known hot spots, but didn't up with much.  We were getting worn down and tired.  Ah, back to Howland Island, the morning birding hot spot!  We took a different path, but didn't come up with anything there.  There were lots of trees along the winding path, but no birds!  Our spirits were getting low now and time was running out.  It was time to move on! 

We decided to go to the upper side of Knox-Marcellus and look for Sandhills and Bluebirds.  Don and I had seen them there Friday night about six, but all were gone by the 7 pm start time...of course!  On our way there, Lisa spotted some large shapes in a field.  We quickly turned around and went back to check the shapes out.  Yes...finally, the Sandhill Cranes!!  This was our turning point!  We again had energy, and were smiling!! 

Back on the road to Knox-Marcellus.  While driving there we spotted a gorgeous male Bluebird!  We still needed several species to match last year's count, though. 

At Knox-Marcellus we got lucky.  There was a birding tour there and people were sharing their sitings!  We still had to locate them and actually "see" the birds, of course.  It was here that we hit 100 species, but still no Peregrine Falcon!  On the way to get MAK's vehicle, we made one last stop at May's Point.  We had been there several times during the day, but we got lucky again!  While walking in someone mentioned that a Bittern and the Little Blue Heron were visible!  While looking at the Little Blue Heron someone mentioned that a bird was flying in and, yes, it was a female, juvie Peregrine Falcon!!  How fitting that our final bird would be a Peregrine Falcon! 

Tired, but very happy, Team Peregrine handed in the checklist at the 7:15 pm deadline!

We thank all the support everyone gave us during the day!!  And a huge thanks to the Genesee Valley Audubon Society! 

Suzanne for Team Peregrine MAK, Lisa M, and Don 

 :hello:   Great report Suzanne!    :clap:

Eeeeeee-haaaah, Team Peregrine!

Thanks for the journey...

Slainte!

To Team Peregrine...
Great job and it is so rewarding to see all those birds I am sure!  I was thrilled when I saw 58 different species in one day at Brigantine Wildlife Refuge a few years ago..but over 100 including that PEREGRINE is TERRIFIC!!
 :thumbsup: :clap: :bow:

Three cheers for Team Peregrine! Also, thanks for a great story.  What can beat finishing up with a Peregrine with minutes to spare?

Paul

Great job, Team Peregrine!   :2thumbsup:

:ditto:   :2thumbsup:   :clap:

MAK, Suzanne and others on Team Peregrine...

Can't seem to find yesterday's post re your success... but did you do most of the race in Montezuma? I would love to know where you were so I could perhaps google it (your route) for future reference when I am home. Thanks for that!

I am still reeling from the news of that Sandhill Crane! MAK, did you fall out of the car when you saw it?! I would have! Does anyone know when they leave on their migration?

I will be home at the end of October and do not know where I might go for a spot of The Good Stuff... suggestions appreciated. Thanks again!

Slainte!

(Well, really, Bobbie! I found yesterday's post... how easy was THAT? Still... would appreciate any feedback re the above...)

Wow, your coming home again Bobbie? Twice in a year? Way to go. I'm sure you'll see plenty where ever you decide to venture out to. (hope everything is OK).

Wow, your coming home again Bobbie? Twice in a year? Way to go. I'm sure you'll see plenty where ever you decide to venture out to. (hope everything is OK).
[/quote]

Thanks, Donna - and yes, all is ok. My Dad (92 at Thanksgiving, bless that wonderful man!) lives with a sister, and she is off on a well-deserved break - a cruise down the Danube with a Gal Pal - get her! So I said I'd come home and "mind the store". Me and my trusty Little Mac will go anywhere, any time... Plus I get to see the Gang at Thanksgiving! WOO-HOO!!

(Spell check suggests that "well-deserved" should be "windsurf"... haha!)

So, you'll be a round for a month? That's a long time. Nice to spend Thanksgiving with family, especially when your from across the Ocean. Yikes, long flight.  :hyper:

No Bobbie I didn't fall out but I sure was excited! Lisa and I high fived and all 4 of us were grinning from ear to ear! We surely had luck on our sides. Maybe while you're here we could organize a get together with the watchers and meet you. :wave:

Hey Bobbie...Yes, we did all of our watching within the boundaries of the Montezuma complex.  It is huge, though, and includes DEC, US Fish and Wildlife, and Audubon lands.  If you Google Montezuma Wildlife Refuge there should be a map of the big area.  You could also Google the Savannah Audubon Center for info.  I will check later to see if I can find some good sites for you and forward the links.

As for the Sandhill Cranes...they hang around the area pretty late.  Two years ago in November we went to the Mucklands (these are the fields where they grow potatoes) and saw about 40 Sandhills in the snow covered fields.  We actually drove down into the fields and got up close looks at them!!  Awesome!!  They stay here fairly late foraging in the disked up fields.  We always seem to get better looks at these guys in Oct/Nov/Dec.  

The Montezuma area will be alive with all sorts of waterfowl in November!  Late fall is a fabulous time for birds here.  We also generally see a Peregrine or two in the refuge.  The song birds will be gone, but all those arctic birds generally come down.

MAK, you are right, we should organize a get-together at the Refuge and show Bobbie the hot spots!  Don and I go there to bird every weekend we are able so we know the area well.  It is wonderful because you can actually see all the Bald Eagle nests once the leaves are off the trees! 

Suzanne

Yeah do it!  :clap:

You guys would be cool to hang out with! Good for you, birders at their best.  :2thumbsup:

Team Peregrine: MAK,Suzanne,Don and Lisa

Osprey nest at Montezuma NWR

Eagle nest in Montezuma NWR

Spider webs in trees at Montezuma
They were everywhere
With the dew on them and the sun hitting them just right
It was an amazing sight to say the least

Red tail hawk while looking for Kodak falcon ( PPE-purple pigeon eater)

I'm in...would love to meet you Bobbie while you are here.

BRAVO  :clap: :clap:  Congratulations to TEAM PEREGRINE on reaching your goal and a PEFA to boot!  I saw MAK on Sunday while looking for the KP falcon.  She was moving slow...and still worn out, but she had a wonderful time! I can't imagine finding 103 species in one day.

GOOD JOB TEAM!!

Oh my word, everyone! THANK YOU!! I am sooooooo excited that I might finally put faces to all these Forum names! Thank you again and again! I will email MAK before I get back with contact details - "doing" Montezuma with you all would be the biggest thrill!!! (You will then get to see what a total duffer I am! As a friend of mine from college used to say - and it applies here, I think: "We may not be good but we sure are loud!")

 ;D  Duffer, I like it!   :)

Duffer may refer to:

    * Duffer (Narnia), invisible dwarves in the Chronicles of Narnia.
    * In Australian English, a cattle rustler.
    * an oaf
    * Related to the above, the word has been used in Australia as a description for dags.
    * In Chess terminology, a weak player.
    * A brand of clothing.
    * In Golf terminology, a below average player.
    * Duffer,an Italian rock-punk band.

Definition of DUFFER
1
a : a peddler especially of cheap flashy articles b : something counterfeit or worthless
2
: an incompetent, ineffectual, or clumsy person; especially :

(Bobbie, I think NOT) but it's a catchy word!  :wave:


OK then I'm a LOUD Duffer also!  :devil:

An article I read on Twitter today about the race:

Birders flock to Muckrace
 
SAVANNAH — At dusk Friday, a steely-eyed line of birders stood at the crest of a hill on the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, overlooking the marsh below.

In the fading light, they peered through their scopes and binoculars hoping to find one last species to add to their tallies.

“I’ve got a sandhill crane,” said one, oblivious to the mosquitoes buzzing her head.

These die-hard bird-watchers are part of the Montezuma Muckrace, a 24-hour competition to spot the most diverse number of species.

“This is our 14th annual Muckrace,” Frank Moses, director of the Montezuma Audubon Center, said. “We’ve got 22 teams out here trying to see as many different birds as they can see.”

The competition began at 7 p.m. Friday and continues until 7 p.m. Saturday. Nearly 70 avid birders are spread throughout the 7,000 acre complex in hopes of catching a glimpse of some migrating birds.

When a team member spots a new bird it’s written on a list. When time runs out on Saturday all the teams will compare lists and the group with the most bird species wins.

Moses said the competition among birders can get pretty stiff, with some teams sitting up in the dark of night to listen for bird calls.

“We’re going to camp at the Audubon Center tonight,” Moses said, motioning to the surrounding members of his team, the NorEgrets. “Some teams will camp out in the middle of the complex to try to get a jump on the rest of us.”

The winning team will receive prizes, but Moses said the real winner in the competition is the refuge.

Through pledges, registration fees and soliciting sponsors, each team will raise money to help improve the wildlife complex.

“Our team has raised over $500 so far,” Moses said. “Through the whole competition we have about $7,000 and we will continue to raise money even after the Muckrace is over.”

This year, Audubon New York and the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands hope to raise $13,000 to help restore a 30-acre wetland on the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area.

During a break from her scope, Jane Graves, president of the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands, gave some insight into the mind of a birder.

“Birders are passionate people,” she said. “We’re always keeping lists – lists of how many birds we see in a year, how many we see in our lifetime – most of the people here do that.”

Graves said migration patterns make September an excellent time to see a wide array of species at the Montezuma refuge.

“It’s a very popular spot for birders,” she said. “Many of the shore birds are migrating from the Arctic to South America.”

Graves said some rare birds have been spotted in the area this week, and many of the birders are hoping to see them.

“The glossy ibis and the little blue heron are rare to be this far upstate, but we’ve seen them around for about four weeks and we’re hoping they stayed around for the Muckrace.”

This is the Montezuma Muckrace bird list...from Suzanne to MAK to me. It's small so get out your magnify glasses. The ones marked with a check are the ones they saw! Thank you and have a nice day!

Part 2

 :star:   Thanks Donna you are the forum go to girl!    :notworthy:

Thank you Donna  :notworthy:

 I agree...WOW WOW!!

Anytime Suzanne and MAK.

So cool!!!!!!!!