Date: 10/19/26 4:44 pm From: Rachel Hogancamp <rachelhogancamp810...> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] The Owls (Short earred) have Returned!
That's very exciting! I've been wondering when they may return. Thanks for
letting us know. Here's to a wonderful seasonw with those beauties.
On Mon, Oct 19, 2026 at 7:22 PM Laura Stenzler <lms9...> wrote:
> Where? There are several Johnson Roads....
> Laura
>
> Laura Stenzler
> <lms9...>
>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> <CAYUGABIRDS-L...>
> on behalf of Peter Saracino <petersaracino...>
> Sent: Monday, October 19, 2026 7:16 PM
> To: <eatonbirdingsociety...>; Cayuga Birds List; Geneseebirds
> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] The Owls (Short earred) have Returned!
>
> I've been visiting Johnson Rd towards sunset for the last 2 weeks hoping
> to see some short eared owls.
> Tonight I scanned and scanned only to again be disappointed. Butvthen,
> just before dark, I played an owl call-back from Merlin and was amazed to
> see an owl flying right towards me. Then another.
> Within no time I (and a fellow who had stopped to see what I was up to)
> were treated to EIGHT owls flying around us and between the fields on both
> sides of the road!
> Wonderful, incredible experience!
> Sar
>
> "To know is not all; it is only half. To love is the other half".
> - John Burroughs
> " The Art Of Seeing Things"
> --
> Cayugabirds-L List Info:
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> <Cayugabirds-L...>
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> Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at
> http://www.ebird.org/<http://www.ebird.org/>.
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> http://www.ebird.org.
> --
Date: 10/19/26 4:22 pm From: Laura Stenzler <lms9...> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] The Owls (Short earred) have Returned!
Where? There are several Johnson Roads....
Laura
Laura Stenzler
<lms9...>
________________________________________
From: <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> on behalf of Peter Saracino <petersaracino...>
Sent: Monday, October 19, 2026 7:16 PM
To: <eatonbirdingsociety...>; Cayuga Birds List; Geneseebirds
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] The Owls (Short earred) have Returned!
I've been visiting Johnson Rd towards sunset for the last 2 weeks hoping to see some short eared owls.
Tonight I scanned and scanned only to again be disappointed. Butvthen, just before dark, I played an owl call-back from Merlin and was amazed to see an owl flying right towards me. Then another.
Within no time I (and a fellow who had stopped to see what I was up to) were treated to EIGHT owls flying around us and between the fields on both sides of the road!
Wonderful, incredible experience!
Sar
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Leff, Fred <fred.leff...>
Date: Mon, Oct 19, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Fall Migration Bird Walk on Saturday October 24, 2026 at 8:00 AM -
1:00 PM @ The Seneca Meadows Education Center
Please join us at the Seneca Meadows Education Center (1977 NYS Route
414 in Waterloo, NY 13165) at 8:00 AM on Saturday October 24, 2026.
Then we will carpool (optional but recommended) to the Seneca Meadows
Wetland Preserve (1712 Black Brook Road Seneca Falls, NY 13148) by
8:15 AM. Fall Migration should be going strong! We will take a brief
(about an hour and a half) walk for about 1 and 1/2 mile, then drive
to various locations in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. The Wildlife
Drive at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge should be very
productive. Waterfowl, raptors, including Bald Eagles, songbirds, and
Sandhill Cranes are usually here this time of year. Please bring
binoculars but if you don't have any, please contact me via the
contact information below and we have binoculars to loan out. Be
prepared with sunscreen, insect repellent, water bottles, and if wet,
boots. If you are not an "eBirder" yet, training is available if you
want to learn how to use the free app. This is a free event, but
registration is required by October 20, 2026 (see below). All
individuals, groups, families with or without children), people with
disabilities and under-served communities are welcome. For those
people with disabilities, please email to <fred.leff...> for
descriptions of the trails. For more information and/or if you have
any questions, please email to <fred.leff...> or call (315)
539-5089 and leave a detailed message.
Recordings of the first two CBC presentations of the year are
available for viewing. Apoligies for the delay in preparing the
September presentation.
September - Birding Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu, New Zealand, by Meena Haribal.
Recording: https://youtu.be/f2mPOjU-PDM
October - Bird Up Close - A renowned engineer reveals the marvel of
how birds work—from the tips of their bills to the sheen of their tail
feathers, by Lorna Gibson.
Recording: https://youtu.be/qLTPRhufsYU
[image: image.png]
Saturday, October 17Field Trip: West Side of the Lake with Ken Haas
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Ithaca Children’s Garden
Meet at the Ithaca Children’s Garden parking lot. From there, we will bird
a short way up the Black Diamond Trail, then travel over to the Alan Treman
Marine Park to bird at Hog Hole and other locations on the west side of
Cayuga Lake. Expect gentle hills and some flat walking conditions.
Port-a-potty and water available at the Ithaca Children’s Garden..
Family Flock Meetup
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | East Ithaca Recreation Way
On Saturday, we'll venture out to the East Ithaca Recreation Way. We'll
park where the Dryden Rail Trail meets the East Ithaca Recreation Way: off
of Stevenson Rd right across from Dodge Rd.
Monica Adelman is hosting this weekly Saturday morning meetup. This meetup
is a group geared toward parents and caregivers with young children
(newborn to preschool) who enjoy birding and want to bring their little
ones along. No prior birding experience is required. Meetups take place in
stroller-friendly locations with minimal bodies of water, no cars,
roadsides, or gorges. Adults should bring binoculars, and kids should bring
their energy! The meetups are crowd-sourced on where to meet next week.
Beginner Bird Walk (with Maia Ginsburg and Suan Yong)
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Sunday, October 11Bird Banding at Lighthouse Point Woods
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lighthouse Point
The Finger Lakes Bird Observatory, led by Max "Hummingbird" Baber, will be
banding birds at Lighthouse Point for the Fall migration season. Members of
the public are invited to observe our beautiful birds up close, to learn
about the bird banding process, and to learn about our migrating birds in
general.
Banding sessions are scheduled for Sundays, September 27 through November
1. Sessions last for 6 hours from sunrise. Stop by anytime starting from
the first net check, 30 minutes after sunrise. Sessions may be shortened or
cancelled from rain, heavy wind, or other conditions that may jeopardize
the safety of the birds.
Directions to Lighthouse Point: park at Newman Municipal Golf Course, walk
0.4 miles north along the inlet to the banding station.
Beginner Bird Walk (with Ken Haas, Shelley Page, Gwen Gallagher)
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Date: 10/15/26 4:17 pm From: Shelley Page <shelleypage.imagine...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Oct 15 Thursday Birding Meetup Recap and Next Week's Plans
Today's Thursday Birding Meetup felt like a full-on fall celebration as we birded the trails at Lansing Center. Skeins of geese (we lost count after 500 or so!) filled the sky above the gorgeous fall foliage nearing its peak, while ravens cronked in a tree top (nevermore!?). Flocks of red-winged blackbirds and starlings graced the crisp air. Our target birds were sparrows and the 21 of us did see white-throats, song and one swamp. October is all about treats and we received two this morning--a red-tailed hawk perched on a snag very nearby, affording a marvelous close look as it posed and then flew off, and a blackpoll warbler in its "confusing fall warbler" garb at fairly close range. The identity of this warbler was discerned after discussion and field guide consultations. Thanks to Tracy McLellan for a clear photo and some of our other eagle-eyed birders paying attention to all the field marks. We also observed a selection of the expected birds for a total of 19 species. Seventeen of us enjoyed a hearty breakfast at our East Shore Roadhouse haunt. A classic fall morning!
*Want to join us next week?* We'll gather at *7:30 am on Thursday Oct 22 at the Cayuga Nature Center Upper Loop*, again with expectations of sparrows and, who knows, perhaps some other late migrating warblers. From Ithaca: Travel on Route 89 north, turning left on Garrett Road. Then, right on Houghton Road. The parking lot will be on your right.
Shelley Page *she/they/ki*
313-550-1437 261 Coddington Road Apt. B Ithaca, New York 14850
https://uuma.zoom.us/j/2065380867 "All that you touch you Change. All that you Change changes you. The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change." Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower
Date: 10/14/26 11:14 am From: Barbara B. Eden <beb1...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Gold Finches!!
At my very birdy backyard in Cayuga Heights, I recently set up two feeders that are perfect for dispensing sunflower chips. Since setting those up, the goldfinch population has exploded. In the past I would only see one periodically, so this is definitely working!!
Date: 10/12/26 10:45 am From: Laura Stenzler <lms9...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Bird Club October 12, 2026 meeting -TONIGHT
Hi all,
Just a reminder that TONIGHT, Oct 12, is the next Cayuga Bird Club meeting at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The meeting is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:45pm for social time AND a book signing with tonight's speaker, Lorna Gibson. Books will be available for purchase at the Wild Birds Unlimited store before the meeting, which starts with a reading of the basin bird list at 7:20. Club business begins at 7:30pm, followed by the speaker's presentation starting around 8:00pm and ending by 9:00pm. Please note that we will be holding our election of Club officers and voting on this year's budget.
Come hear our speaker Lorna Gibson, PhD, Material Scientist and avid birder, in her presentation: "Birds Up Close - A renowned engineer reveals the marvel of how birds work"
Have you ever wondered how birds work? Lorna Gibson’s new book, Birds Up Close: An Engineer Explores Their Hidden Wonders, draws on her experience as a professor of engineering at MIT and as a lifelong birder, to describe how birds work from an engineering perspective. Feathers, bones, bills, eggs, flight: all come in for scrutiny, sometimes at the microscopic scale, sometimes at a more macroscopic scale.
Join Lorna as she shares highlights from the book on how microscopic structures in bird bills and tongues allow woodpeckers to capture insects deep within the holes they drill, hummingbirds to collect nectar from flowers, sandpipers to sense prey in wet sand, and phalaropes to draw droplets of plankton-containing water into their bills (no lips, can’t suck).”
About the Speaker: Lorna Gibson is the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow, MIT’s top award for undergraduate teaching. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. She has always loved nature and getting outside to walk, bicycle and bird.
Lorna will also be signing copies of her book (some copies available at Wild Birds Unlimited) at the Lab at 6:45.
Hope to see you there.
Colleen Richards, Corresponding Secretary
Laura Stenzler, Program Coordinator
Cayuga Bird Club
www.cayugabirdclub.org
--
Date: 10/11/26 7:32 am From: Tracy McLellan <trcymclellan...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Paid birding guide work for experienced birders
Hi Cayuga Bird Club team,
I’m Felipe Guerrero, and I run American Birding Guides. We currently work
with 150 local guides across the country, and we’re looking for more.
We’re interested in people who know their local birds and birding areas
really well and would be comfortable taking private clients birding.
Previous professional guiding experience isn’t necessary.
Guides are paid per outing and can accept bookings based on their
availability. We handle the marketing, client inquiries, scheduling,
insurance, and payments, so they don’t have to set up and run their own
guiding business.
We’ve posted the opportunity on Ornithology Exchange, including
compensation details and how to apply:
Date: 10/9/26 8:30 am From: Monica Adelman <monicaladelman...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Bird Club events this weekend and Monday
[image: image.png]
Saturday, October 10October Big Day
All day | No physical location - just get out and bird!
Wherever you are on 10 October, take a few minutes to enjoy birds and share
what you find. Participate from anywhere—even from home! By taking part in
October Big Day you’re also celebrating Global Bird Weekend and World
Migratory Bird Day. Be a part of the global team and help set new records
for October birding.
Family Flock Meetup
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Black Diamond Trail
This week: Saturday, October 10 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Black
Diamond Trail. Meet in the parking lot of the Children’s Garden (121 Turtle
Way, Ithaca). We will be walking/strolling on a packed-stone pathway.
Monica Adelman is hosting this weekly Saturday morning meetup. This meetup
is a group geared toward parents and caregivers with young children
(newborn to preschool) who enjoy birding and want to bring their little
ones along. No prior birding experience is required. Meetups take place in
stroller-friendly locations with minimal bodies of water, no cars,
roadsides, or gorges. Adults should bring binoculars, and kids should bring
their energy! The meetups are crowd-sourced on where to meet next week.
Beginner Bird Walk (with Diane Morton and Ken Kemphues)
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Sunday, October 11Bird Banding at Lighthouse Point Woods
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lighthouse Point
The Finger Lakes Bird Observatory, led by Max "Hummingbird" Baber, will be
banding birds at Lighthouse Point for the Fall migration season. Members of
the public are invited to observe our beautiful birds up close, to learn
about the bird banding process, and to learn about our migrating birds in
general.
Banding sessions are scheduled for Sundays, September 27 through November
1. Sessions last for 6 hours from sunrise. Stop by anytime starting from
the first net check, 30 minutes after sunrise. Sessions may be shortened or
cancelled from rain, heavy wind, or other conditions that may jeopardize
the safety of the birds.
Directions to Lighthouse Point: park at Newman Municipal Golf Course, walk
0.4 miles north along the inlet to the banding station.
Beginner Bird Walk
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Monday, October 12 (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)Habitat Restoration
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Lighthouse Point
We will be concentrating on putting in fences and clearing the plants from
the areas where the fences will be going. If you really want to pull
privet, you can do that too. Come early (8:00 a.m.) for birding. We will
provide some snacks. May be cancelled if the weather looks too rainy, check
the calendar for the latest updates.
Cayuga Bird Club Meeting
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. | Lab of Ornithology
This meeting is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. for
social time before the reading of the basin bird list at 7:20 p.m. Club
business begins at 7:30 p.m., followed by the speaker's presentation
starting around 8:00 p.m. and ending by 9:00 p.m.
Speaker: Lorna Gibson, PhD, Material Scientist and avid birder; author of
the newly released “Birds Up Close- An Engineer Explores Their Hidden
Wonders.”
Date: 10/8/26 5:23 pm From: Shelley Page <shelleypage.imagine...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Oct 8 Thursday Birding Meetup Recap and Next Week's Plans
What a beautiful October birding morning for our Thursday Birding Meetup at the meadows and gardens on Freese Road! We started our morning with a special treat--Tim Gallagher brought along Kodak Brownie, a young peregrine falcon that he is fostering and training to be eventually returned to the wild. The nineteen of us witnessed Tim's lifelong falconry expertise and passion as the young falcon circled several times around the meadow before returning to Tim's arm and its food reward. We were enchanted by Kodak Brownie and impressed with Tim's ease in handling this raptor. Just wow! Thanks, Tim, for offering us this close up view! Oh, and, there were other birds, too! We saw 20 species including sparrows (white throats, song, field and savannah), eastern meadowlarks, goldfinches galore, red-winged blackbirds, bluebirds, blue jays and a smattering of others. What a thrill to once again hear the clear strong song of the white throats, and the surprise of meadowlark musings! We also enjoyed the late season flowers and garden remnants. Some of us gathered at Adam's Corners Cafe for brunch, and a few traipsed off to Cornell in search of a Nelson's sparrow. All in all, a wonderful birding morning!
Want to join us next week? We'll bird at the Lansing Center Trail on Thursday Oct 15 at 7:30 am, in search of more fall sparrows! From Ithaca: Travel north on Route 34 (East Lakeshore Dr). Turn right at the light, then the parking lot will be soon on your left. We warmly welcome all birders to join us!
Shelley Page *she/they/ki*
313-550-1437 261 Coddington Road Apt. B Ithaca, New York 14850
https://uuma.zoom.us/j/2065380867 "All that you touch you Change. All that you Change changes you. The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change." Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower
Date: 10/8/26 3:42 pm From: Colleen Richards <clr82...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Bird Club October 2026 meeting
Please come to the Cayuga Bird Club's October meeting on Monday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 pm.Held on the second Monday of each month, September through June, meetings are free and open to the public. In-person meetings are held September through May at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road. Doors open at 6:45pm for social time before the reading of the basin bird list at 7:20. Club business begins at 7:30pm, followed by the speaker's presentation starting around 8:00pm and ending by 9:00pm. Please note that we will be holding our election of Club officers and voting on this year's budget.
Come hear our speaker Lorna Gibson, PhD, Material Scientist and avid birder, in her presentation: "Birds Up Close - A renowned engineer reveals the marvel of how birds work" Have you ever wondered how birds work? Lorna Gibson’s new book, Birds Up Close: An Engineer Explores Their Hidden Wonders, draws on her experience as a professor of engineering at MIT and as a lifelong birder, to describe how birds work from an engineering perspective. Feathers, bones, bills, eggs, flight: all come in for scrutiny, sometimes at the microscopic scale, sometimes at a more macroscopic scale. Join Lorna as she shares highlights from the book on how microscopic structures in bird bills and tongues allow woodpeckers to capture insects deep within the holes they drill, hummingbirds to collect nectar from flowers, sandpipers to sense prey in wet sand, and phalaropes to draw droplets of plankton-containing water into their bills (no lips, can’t suck).” About the Speaker: Lorna Gibson is the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow, MIT’s top award for undergraduate teaching. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Audubon Society. She has always loved nature and getting outside to walk, bicycle and bird. Before the meeting members may join us in hosting Lorna at dinner at the Sumo Restaurant at 5:30. Please rsvp re dinner to <clr82...> by noon Monday for reservation purposes. Lorna will also be signing copies of her book (some copies available at Wild Birds Unlimited) at the Lab at 6:45. Hope to see you there.Colleen RichardsCorresponding SecretaryCayuga Bird Club
Date: 10/7/26 6:49 am From: Monica Adelman <monicaladelman...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Become a member of the Cayuga Bird Club - special offer expires Monday 10/12
Become a member of the Cayuga Bird Club today!
Thanks to the generosity of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this fall the
Cayuga Bird Club is able to offer 1 free Bird Academy course to those who
join or renew their CBC membership by October 12, 2026 (also the night of
our second club meeting at the Lab).
Cayuga Bird Club annual dues are $15 per household or $10 for students.
Your dues support the club’s activities, including our monthly meetings
with invited speakers, club projects, and more. Additional donations are
welcome.
Date: 10/5/26 6:42 am From: Monica Adelman <monicaladelman...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Family Flock Meetup Report & Location for next week
Family Flock Meetup with the Cayuga Bird Club: Trip Report
Wow - what a wonderful first meetup we had on this sunny Saturday morning. 15 adults and 9 kiddos ranging from 3 months to 5 years joined in positively identifying a total of 13 species at Hog Hole. Some highlights included a Bald Eagle, Double-crested Cormorants, a Great Black-Backed Gull, and a loud flock of European Starlings. We heard a lot of American Goldfinches but didn't see any. We watched some warblers flitting around on the fall leaves, but were too busy with the wiggling children to take the time to try to identify those birds in their fall plumage. Overall, it was a positive experience and we're looking forward to meeting up next week!
*Saturday, October 10* we will meet at the Children's Garden parking lot and walk up the Black Diamond Trail. This meetup will run from 9:00 a.m. to about 10:30 a.m.
As a reminder, this meetup will be a group geared toward parents and caregivers with young children (newborn to preschool) who enjoy birding and want to bring their little ones along. No prior birding experience is required. Meetups will take place in stroller-friendly locations with minimal bodies of water, no cars, roadsides, or gorges. Adults should bring binoculars, and kids should bring their energy! The meetups will be crowd-sourced on where to meet next week.
Date: 10/4/26 11:17 am From: Tracy McLellan <trcymclellan...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Habitat restoration at Lighthouse Point Woods in October
We will be having two sessions for habitat restoration at Lighthouse Point Woods in October, on Monday October 12 and Sunday, October 25, both 9am to 12 noon. We will be concentrating on putting in fences and clearing the plants from the areas where the fences will be going. If you really want to pull privet, you can do that too. Come early (8am) for birding. We will provide some snacks. We will send notification of cancellation if the weather looks too rainy. Hope to see you there. Tracy
Date: 10/2/26 3:42 pm From: Barbara B. Eden <beb1...> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Gulls at Cayuga Mall
And I assume. they were coming up from Stewart Park unless someone else has other insights
Sent from my little gadget
________________________________
From: Barbara B. Eden <beb1...>
Sent: Friday, 02 October 2026 18:39:30
To: Cayuga Bird List <cayugabirds-l...>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Gulls at Cayuga Mall
The early morning ring billed gulls have returned to hang out at the parking lot at Cayuga Mall. This morning there were hundreds of them in the parking lot and on the roof of Aldi's And the veterans clinic. fascinating behavior, especially since when I left the gym an hour and a half later, they were all gone. I assume they were heading up to the compost piles at Cornell.
I had seen this behavior last year and like clockwork they are back
A very enjoyable start to my day
Best,
Barbara Eden
Date: 10/2/26 3:40 pm From: Barbara B. Eden <beb1...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Gulls at Cayuga Mall
The early morning ring billed gulls have returned to hang out at the parking lot at Cayuga Mall. This morning there were hundreds of them in the parking lot and on the roof of Aldi's And the veterans clinic. fascinating behavior, especially since when I left the gym an hour and a half later, they were all gone. I assume they were heading up to the compost piles at Cornell.
I had seen this behavior last year and like clockwork they are back
A very enjoyable start to my day
Best,
Barbara Eden
Date: 10/1/26 3:22 pm From: Tim Gallagher <twg3...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] October 1 Thursday Birding Meetup Recap and Next Week's Plans
Today we met at Duemling Meadows near the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for our Thursday Morning Birding Meetup. We’d gone there a few weeks ago in mid-August and seen some interesting bird action, including a Merlin that was flying around with some Kestrels. We had high hopes for this morning, but the weather didn’t cooperate. Eleven hardy souls showed up anyway, despite the rain and the scarcity of birds, which were obviously intelligent enough to take shelter in the thick foliage around us. But we still had a great time, and a few birds did peek out to see what we were about—including the White-throated Sparrow that Jane Bain managed to photograph, which you can see in my Cayuga Bird Club Facebook post.
Want to join us next week? We'll be checking out fall sparrows at Freese Road Community Gardens and nearby locations at 7:30 am. From Ithaca: Take Route 13 North, turn right on Sapsucker Woods Road. Turn left on Hanshaw Road and then right on Freese Road. Slightly less than a half mile, look for a dirt driveway on the left leading to the parking area in the gardens.
Date: 10/1/26 11:30 am From: Monica Adelman <monicaladelman...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Cayuga Bird Club Weekend Activities
[image: image.png]
Saturday, October 3Fall Gardening for Bird Habitat with Steve Kress (full!)
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Snyder Hill
Join Steve Kress for a special visit to Snyder Hill where Steve and Elissa
have created a haven for birds and other pollinators. Fall is an ideal
season for planting native trees and shrubs, so come and see the
possibilities for creating better bird habitat in grasslands, forests, and
ponds. Limit: 15 people with priority given to Cayuga Bird Club members.
Register here: https://forms.gle/6XnHkxyhtJwWJek67
THIS TOUR IS FULL. YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE LINK TO JOIN THE WAITLIST.
Family Flock Meetup (*new!)
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. | Hog Hole
Monica Adelman will be hosting a new weekly Saturday morning meetup
starting this weekend. After seeing how many families with young children
came out to Migration Celebration, she saw there was a gap in the Club's
programming for folks in this demographic. This meetup will be a group
geared toward parents and caregivers with young children (newborn to
preschool) who enjoy birding and want to bring their little ones along. No
prior birding experience is required. Meetups will take place in
stroller-friendly locations with minimal bodies of water, no cars,
roadsides, or gorges. Adults should bring binoculars, and kids should bring
their energy! The meetups will be crowd-sourced on where to meet next week.
Our very first meetup will be Saturday, October 3 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
at Hog Hole (Allan H. Treman State Marine Park). Meet towards the northwest
corner of the parking lot (near the dog park and the marina). We will be
walking/strolling on a paved and packed-stone pathway, which is part of the
NYS Birding Trail. It looks like nice weather for Saturday!
Beginner Bird Walk
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Sunday, October 4Field Trip: Where the Birds Are with Stephanie Herrick
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Stewart Park
Meet at Stewart Park east parking area. Where we go from there will be
determined by reviewing our local hot spots to see “where the birds are.”
We’ll start at Stewart Park and car pool from there to find them. Stewart
Park is flat with restrooms and water available. Conditions at other
locations to be shared that morning.
Bird Banding at Lighthouse Point Woods
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lighthouse Point
The Finger Lakes Bird Observatory, led by Max "Hummingbird" Baber, will be
banding birds at Lighthouse Point for the Fall migration season. Members of
the public are invited to observe our beautiful birds up close, to learn
about the bird banding process, and to learn about our migrating birds in
general.
Banding sessions are scheduled for Sundays, September 27 through November
1. Sessions last for 6 hours from sunrise. Stop by anytime starting from
the first net check, 30 minutes after sunrise. Sessions may be shortened or
cancelled from rain, heavy wind, or other conditions that may jeopardize
the safety of the birds.
Directions to Lighthouse Point: park at Newman Municipal Golf Course, walk
0.4 miles north along the inlet to the banding station.
Beginner Bird Walk
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Date: 9/29/26 7:20 am From: Regi Teasley <rltcayuga...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Mixed flock drops by
Yesterday and today I’ve had a variety of migrants drop by to rest and refuel.
Males: White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, and females: Yellow Warbler, Robin.
Regi
Cliff Park Rd
Ithaca. West Hill—where the city plans to cut down the trees on Octopus UNA for a 75 unit apt bldg.
___________
Protect what is left, recover what is lost of the fair earth.
William Morris, “Art and the Beauty of the Earth.” 1881
Date: 9/27/26 3:23 pm From: Michael O. Engle <moe1...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Resending message
________________________________
From: Michael O. Engle <moe1...>
Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2026 4:13 PM
To: CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabirds-l...>
Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Late season hummer
Our hummingbird was still feeding on the salvia blossoms in our yard as of yesterday.
<moe1...>
29 Janivar Drive
Ithaca, NY 14850
From: <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> on behalf of Peter Saracino <petersaracino...>
Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 9:06 AM
To: <eatonbirdingsociety...> <eatonbirdingsociety...>; Cayuga Birds List <CAYUGABIRDS-L...>; Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-googlegroup...>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Late season hummer
Just had a hummingbird briefly at a feeder....looked to me like a ruby...
Sar
Date: 9/27/26 6:20 am From: John Gregoire <johnandsuegregoire...> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Late season hummer
A few still here, too. Lots of warbler in the trees this morning.
Western edge of the basin
On Sun, Sep 27, 2026 at 9:06 AM Peter Saracino <petersaracino...>
wrote:
> Just had a hummingbird briefly at a feeder....looked to me like a ruby...
> Sar
>
> "To know is not all; it is only half. To love is the other half".
> - John Burroughs
> " The Art Of Seeing Things"
> --
> Cayugabirds-L List Info:
> More information about this list here: http://www.northeastbirding.com > Login to change your subscription settings here: http://LISTS.cornell.edu > Posting Address: <Cayugabirds-L...>
> Archives:
> The Mail Archive: //www.mail-archive.com/<cayugabirds-l...>
> <https:%3Ca%20href=>/maillist.html" class="hft-urls">https:
> //www.mail-archive.com/<cayugabirds-l...>/maillist.html
> Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at
> http://www.ebird.org.
> --
>
Date: 9/25/26 9:00 am From: Jody Enck <jodyenck...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Habitat improvement fun at Lighthouse Point Woods
Jody Enck <jodyenck...>
11:58 AM (0 minutes ago)
to <cuchulain.kelly...>, <jzs29...>, <rab483...>,
<chesterkglenn...>, <mgrinck...>, <earthartsithaca...>,
ads332
Hi All,
Thanks for your continued interest in the Cayuga Bird Club's habitat
restoration effort at Lighthouse Point Woods.
We have a habitat restoration fun day planned for tomorrow, Saturday
September 26 from about 9am to noon down at Lighthouse Point. We will be
removing privet, erecting fencing, and getting ready to plant native trees
and shrubs later in the fall. We also will have roles for folks to fill
that doesn't involve pulling privet or putting up fence (things like data
collection, making maps, taking notes, etc.).
We are collaborating with a Landscape Architecture design class at Cornell
this fall to help design plantings for us that will result in a 4-layered,
forested habitat about 50 years in the future. This "desired future
condition" will be a big improvement over the highly degraded habitat that
exists there now.
We also have one or two folks who are looking for a ride down/back from
west campus on Cornell tomorrow. Let me know if you might have some room.
If you do come out (please give me a heads up email), park at the Newman
Golf course and walk in the access road along the inlet. We will be
working behind the concrete building near the edge of the woods.
thanks
Jody
Jody W. Enck, PhD
Conservation Social Scientist, and
Founder of the Sister Bird Club Network
607-379-5940
Date: 9/24/26 1:04 pm From: Shelley Page <shelleypage.imagine...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Sept 24 Thursday Birding Meetup Recap and Next Week's Plans
We were surprised to be walking through a light frost at this morning's Thursday Birding Meetup at Durland Preserve. But soon, my heart was singing "We're Walking in a Warbler Wonderland," presaging next season's music, as we hiked along the woodland edge. Indeed, the 15 of us were treated to quite the show of seven different warblers (Tennessee, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded, Magnolia, Yellow-Rumped and Black Throated Green!) along with a Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Blue Headed Vireos and Chickadees all busily flitting amidst the sun-warmed yellow-green foliage. Such a gorgeous early fall viewing of our migrating friends! We also hiked out through the hemlock woods where we noticed a huge "chicken of the woods" fungus on our way to the pond boardwalk. Blue jays were creating quite the ruckus and then we noticed a kestrel perched at the top of a snag being harassed by a blue jay. Clearly the jays were not thrilled to have the kestrel in their zone. On our way back to the cars, we paused in the warbler zone and saw more of our lil favorites including two hooded warblers chasing each other. A top notch birding morning, topped off with breakfast and conversation at Brookton's Market. Want to join us next week? Thursday Oct 1 at 7:30 am, we'll meet at Sapsucker Woods to see fall sparrows and warblers in the gorgeous fall flowers at Duemling Meadows. Park at the lot ACROSS the road from the Visitor's Center. Directions from Ithaca: Take Route 13 North toward Dryden, turn right at Sapsucker Woods Road. The parking lot will be on your left. Shelley Page *she/they/ki*
313-550-1437 261 Coddington Road Apt. B Ithaca, New York 14850
https://uuma.zoom.us/j/2065380867 "All that you touch you Change. All that you Change changes you. The only lasting truth is Change. God is Change." Octavia Butler, The Parable of the Sower
[image: image.png]
Saturday, September 26Cornell Raptor Barn Tour (full!)
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Meet at Cornell Lab of Ornithology Auditorium for an orientation. Then,
we’ll carpool over to the Cornell Raptor Barn for a behind-the-scenes tour
of the facilities and an introduction to our resident birds of prey. Learn
how non-releasable raptors support education, research, and outreach at
Cornell and throughout the surrounding community, meet the birds up close,
and hear from students about their hands-on experiences caring for the
raptor ambassadors and educating the public to inspire appreciation and
conservation of these remarkable species.
Limited to 30 people, priority given to Cayuga Bird Club members. THIS
FIELD TRIP IS FULL. YOU ARE WELCOME TO SIGN UP TO BE ON THE WAITING LIST.
Beginner Bird Walk with Ken Haas and Tracy McLellan
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Sunday, September 27Field Trip: Fall Sparrows & Warblers with Meena Haribal
and Leigh Strivers
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Cornell Community Gardens on Freese Rd.
Meet at Cornell Community Gardens Parking Lot on Freese Road. We’ll walk
Bluegrass Lane and in the Community Gardens area to find fall sparrows and
migrating warblers. Mostly flat but some unpaved uneven walking surfaces.
No restroom or water nearby.
Bird Banding at Lighthouse Point Woods
7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lighthouse Point
The Finger Lakes Bird Observatory, led by Max "Hummingbird" Baber, will be
banding birds at Lighthouse Point for the Fall migration season. Members of
the public are invited to observe our beautiful birds up close, to learn
about the bird banding process, and to learn about our migrating birds in
general.
Banding sessions are scheduled for Sundays, September 27 through November
1. Sessions last for 6 hours from sunrise. Stop by anytime starting from
the first net check, 30 minutes after sunrise. Sessions may be shortened or
cancelled from rain, heavy wind, or other conditions that may jeopardize
the safety of the birds.
Directions to Lighthouse Point: park at Newman Municipal Golf Course, walk
0.4 miles north along the inlet to the banding station.
Beginner Bird Walk with Lisa Wood and Maia Ginsburg
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. | Lab of Ornithology
Join us every Saturday and Sunday morning at 8:30am for a walk around
Sapsucker Woods looking and listening for birds. Walks last about 1½-2
hours and are targeted for beginners, though all levels are welcome. Meet
by the Lab of Ornithology visitor center entrance. No registration
necessary. Binoculars are available for loan, though you should bring your
own if you have them. The Visitor Center does not open until 10am. There is
a porta-potty in the parking lot.
Date: 9/20/26 1:12 pm From: Donna Lee Scott <dls9...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Flickers
I was just treated to the sight of four northern flickers gathered together on the top of a dead tree festooned with fall red Virginia creeper.
They were doing one of what I call their “funny” calls, as a lone cedar wax wing sat below them & a blue jay zoomed into & out of the tree.
I assumed it was two pairs, but the light is so bad, I couldn’t really see the field marks clearly.
This was at the edge of Kendal’s western edge just north of Abrams Brookside walk.
Donna Scott
Kendal at Ithaca-377
Sent from my iPhone
