Bird Quest 2007

How did you spend your Memorial Day weekend? I spent mine birding....a lot. I participated in the Finger Lakes Land Trust's (FLLT) Spring Bird Quest. The Bird Quest is a new program to help raise funds for the Land Trust, an organization that buys and preserves sensitive habitat, much like the Nature Conservancy. Bird Questers help by getting sponsors, and counting as many bird species as they can during the three days of the weekend on FLLT preserves. Currently the FLLT has over 20 preserves.

I am very proud to say that with the help of my kind sponsors, I was able to raise over $350, and succeeded in seeing 56 different bird species.

Though I had truly hoped to find more birds, since I spent at least 20 hours actively birding, I fell short of my optimistic goals. On Sunday I encountered thunderstorms, and muggy weather followed, so this slowed my progress. Also, with full leaf cover, my visibility is greatly decreased. I was pleased however that the top birders saw (heard actually) over 100 species of birds. Since all of my birds, except one, was actually SEEN with my own two eyes, I was pleased with this result knowing that one day when I become an auditory birder, I too may be able to reach these numbers.

I visited 8 of the preserves. They varied in habitat from forest, field, and wetland. Some had very well established trails, others not. All of these lands were very special though, and their preservation is and will continued to be appreciated. Not only did I see birds, but frogs, turtles, snakes, butterflies, salamanders, deer, rabbit, damselflies, etc. And I heard one coyote.

Yes, I didn't think I would be scared of a coyote, but I was. Once when I was in high school I heard coyotes when camping in the wilderness of the Adirondacks. I was quite concerned then about them on that night, and I think my gut instincts still keep me afraid of these ghostly calls even today. My close encounter this past weekend was in broad daylight however, and in Wesley Hill preserve, a very remote and under visited preserve. It is very close to lands that I have seen bear tracks on, so this is quite a wild place. I was perhaps on the farthest point I could be on the trail from the car when I heard it. At first, the call was a bit distant, and I didn't freak out right away. I had been "pishing" for birds, which is when you make a pssssh, psssh, pssssh call with your lips. This attracts birds. It is also know to attract other things. Today, it attracted coyote. The second time I heard it, it was VERY close, and in the direction I was headed. I was on one side of a deep gully, and I prayed it was on the other side that I had just come from. I grabbed a stick in one hand, and a rock in the other. I began up the trail banging the still on trees as I walked, and tried to make as many scary sounds that I could. I also quickened my pace. When I finally slowed down a few minutes later, I heard it again, but much further away, and thankfully behind me. I didn't see many birds after this, and was really more concerned with getting to the car.

My next close encounter was much more to my liking. That night, I decided to go to the Martin Preserve, as it was reported as a spot where Screech or Great Horned Owls live. I went around dusk with hopes of hearing one of these birds to add to my list. I know the calls well, though I am lousy at trying to make the calls myself. However, to my surprise, I heard a different owl altogether. I heard, "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all!" The call of the Barred Owl. I had heard this owl before back home in Colton, but I had never seen one in the wild. I headed up the road in the direction I thought it was coming from. I stopped at different places along the road, and broke out my Owl Whistle, a wooden cylinder that makes a perfect owl sound when you blow into it in the right way. I hooted, and listened. Nothing. Next spot. Hooted and listened. Nothing. One more try, last spot. Hooted. Then across from me flew a Barred Owl and perched in a tree in clear sight. It worked! I was overjoyed. I slowly got out of the car, to get a better look. Then behind me I heard "whoooo-awlllllll". A second one!!! I stood slack jawed that I had called in two. The second one I think thought the first one was making the call, because it chased it after a few minutes out of its tree and they both retreated back into the woods! This is why I bird.

I had many highs and lows of joys and disappointments over the weekend, but I got a lot of outdoor time in, and my legs are tired, and I lost lots of sleep. And I feel pretty good about it.

Here are all the birds I saw if you are into that:
Mourning Dove
American Robin
American Crow
Black-capped Chicadee
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-winged Blackbird
Red Tailed Hawk
Eastern Phoebe
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Indigo Bunting
American Goldfinch
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Tufted Titmouse
Grey Catbird
Yellow Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Northern Flicker
Dark-eyed Junco
Eastern Bluebird
Baltimore Oriole
Northern Cardinal
Scarlet Tanager
Ovenbird
White-breasted Nuthatch
American Redstart
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Common Grackle
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Wild Turkey
Common Yellowthroat
Ruffed Grouse (heard)
Barred Owl (two!)
Killdeer
Hairy Woodpecker
Canada Goose
Barn Swallow
Eastern Kingbird
Savannah Sparrow
Veery
Prairie Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Belted Kingfisher
Field Sparrow
Black and White Warbler
Wood Duck
European Starling
Great Blue Heron
Mallard
Green Heron
Tree Swallow
Common Moorhen
Brown Thrasher
Grey Cheeked Thrush