Hey All,
Well, Lisa, Don and I survived the Muckrace!  We even made a reasonable showing with 96 species!  Don and I left Ithaca about 4:30 Saturday morning and drove to Howland Island, which is near the Refuge.  I was so excited because this is the only time one can drive on the Island.  Little did I know that the mosquitoes also look forward to this event, and were just waiting for our arrival!  We managed to find and id several species of Warblers between swats at the insects.  We stayed on the Island for several hours and located about 50-60 species by noon. 

Lisa arrived about 1 pm and we all decided to go back to Howland Island, well, we figured the mosquitoes must have had their full by now!  Wrong!  We continued to be attacked by the insects, but managed to find some wonderful birds, including a Philadelphia Vireo, Bay-breasted Warbler, and Red-eyed Vireo!  We referred to ourselves as "meals on wheels for mosquitoes" by this point.  On to shorebirds and waterfowl at May's and the Refuge!

While at May's, Don was setting up the scope, Lisa and I watched a stilt sandpiper being chased by a brownish...you guessed it, female, juvenile Peregrine Falcon performing all sorts of tricky maneuvers to catch that shorebird!  We were given quite a show, unfortunately all the shorebirds we were hoping to id had left! 

We moved on and found a few more birds, but it was getting difficult, because we already had all those "easy" ones!  We took a break and went to the North Spring Pool where we saw a bird perched on top of a snag.  Don dragged out the scope, as he had done a gazillion times that day, and we checked it out...oops, flew off!  We knew what is was, though, another Peregrine Falcon, probably a juvenile male.  How cool...TWO Falcons!  Ah, you have to remember, we were team Peregrine!

For those who could not make, mark your calendars for next year, and join Team Peregrine!  We plan to break 100 next time, and maybe have a sponsor!

Suzanne



 

I agree Jeanne...it is a wonderful area for Quest!  Lots of food available for her, too!  I wonder what she will do this winter? 
Suzanne

Hey Lisa, I am going to forward some Muckrace info for you to your raptors email account.  Look forward to seeing you Saturday!

Also, anyone interested in joining us?  There is still time, and there may be a fallout due to the weather, who knows!
Suzanne

Hi All,
Don and I are back from our cape cod visit.  While there, we went out to Chatham.  We checked the same area we looked for Quest last year.  This year there were seals (harbor and gray) and great white sharks off the sand bar near Lighthouse beach.  We didn't see much in the way of birds, too early for the migratory ones.   
Suzanne

Hey Lisa,
You can meet up with Don and me.  I emailed our cell phone numbers to you at your raptor address.  We were up there both yesterday and today to "scope" is out   We will be able to get in to all sorts of places, and pizza at the end of it.  I paid for a "team" and still have spaces available...hint, Joyce, Carol, Dawn...
Suzanne

Hi All,
The race starts Friday evening at 7 pm on September 11th and finishes Saturday evening at 7 pm on September 12th at the Montezuma Audubon Center with lots of Pizza!!  We are doing the non-competitive versionof the race, ie. we are not going to bird for 24 straight hours

All are welcome to join us as I have already paid for a team!  Just let me know and I will add you to the Peregrine Team
Suzanne

Joyce, what a story!!  I didn't know about this Saturday or I would have brought Casey a big doggie treat!  Glad Steve is fine!
Suzanne

Hey Joyce,
After Don and I left the bridge, we went downtown to the Andrews St. Bridge and got a much closer views of Archer and Beauty.   Of course, Don took some photos, and they looked like falcons rather than dots.  I wish we could have seen Mariah, though!
Suzanne

Hi All,
Don and I are entering the Muck Race this year.  This is the event where you bird for 24 hours and try to find as many species as possible on the Refuge, which is huge!  Last year there was a juvie Peregrine sitting on top of a snag in one of the marshes, a nice find! 

If anyone is interested, they are welcome to join us!  We do not intend to bird for the complete 24 hours, though.  Come for a few hours!  It is the only time we are allowed to drive onto Howland Island, a birder's paradise!
Suzanne

Sehr gut!!   
Suzanne

Hey Lou,
I wanted to thank you and everyone involved in the M&M's campaign!!  I bought mine from Joyce, who had an "extra" one.  The little M&M's are so cute...I don't want to eat them!  And I LOVE the photos, particularly the one with all the kids on it!  It makes me a little sad, though.   I am glad I had Don take a photo of Mariah and Kaver on Kodak Tower last year after the juvies all left town.    It was the last time we saw Mariah and Kaver together.
Suzanne

Hey Guys,
Someone reported seeing a juvenile Peregrine Falcon in Ithaca today.  No report of bands on it though.  Oh boy, I definitely think they are on the move! 
Suzanne

Carol,
I wonder if this means the falcons have really started to "move".  If so, let's hope a dashing and handsome male wanders through the area soon!
Suzanne

Dawn,
I just now read your post about Bullet and the photo shoot.  We looked at the pics Don took, but there was nothing worth posting anywhere.  Yes, wish someone had taken a pic of Bullet licking the model!  It was funny how Bullet was so interested in all the photo shoot activity.
Suzanne

Hey Lou,
That video is a hoot!!  I love the cat audience, too!
Suzanne