Date: 2/28/26 7:41 am From: James Kimball <kimball...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] "Conk-la-ree"
I heard my first singing Red-Winged Blackbird of the season this morning, down by the Geneseo airfield; then again along the greenway off Chandler Rd.; and once again behind our home in Geneseo. Those early males are getting back! I also had half a dozen Robins along the greenway. Also two Short-eared Owls at the airfield.
Jim Kimball
<kimball...>
Date: 2/27/26 3:09 pm From: Peter Saracino <petersaracino...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Winter Into Spring Interpretive Walks at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Winter Into Spring
The constellation Leo rises in the East throwing the switches on the great engine of the seasons. Everywhere in the fields and woods the small, often unnoticed, natural events that make up the early part of the season are firing off: sap rising in trees, skunk cabbage poking up through the soil, resident birds singing spring songs, early migrants appearing, and amphibians migrating to vernal pools. Join New York State Master Naturalist Volunteer, Pete Saracino, as we explore the myraid signs of Nature's rejuvination. See attached poster for details. Pete Saracino/Refuge Volunteer Naturalist/New York State Master Naturalist Volunteer
Date: 2/27/26 9:22 am From: 'Lynn A. Braband' via Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-l...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Re: Birds that live on sugar share a surprising genetic strategy
Date: 2/25/26 2:10 pm From: 'Lynn A. Braband' via Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-l...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Re: How being an expert birdwatcher may boost cognition
Date: 2/14/26 8:38 am From: Lynn A. Braband <lab45...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] FW: DEC Releases Draft Access and Public Use Plan for Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area
[DEC Delivers Banner - Stay Connected with Your Environment]
DEC Releases Draft Access and Public Use Plan for Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area
30-day Public Comment Period ends March 13, 2026
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public comments on a draft Access and Public Use Plan (APUP) for the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Northern Montezuma WMA includes more than 8,000 acres of DEC-managed properties in Wayne, Seneca, and Cayuga counties.
Northern Montezuma WMA is known for its expansive impounded and natural wetlands, while also featuring forested and grassland habitats that support many game species and several species of conservation concern. This WMA is part of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, a globally significant Important Bird Area and a destination for outdoor enthusiasts across New York State.
* Maintaining and enhancing parking areas, kiosks, observation platforms, and boat launches;
* Providing a variety of hunting, trapping, and wildlife observation opportunities by maintaining a high-quality and diverse matrix of wetland conditions and upland habitat types; and
* Improving accessibility for people with disabilities to observation platforms and the Montezuma Audubon Center.
DEC is accepting comments on the draft APUP for Northern Montezuma WMA beginning today and ending on March 13. Comments can be mailed to DEC Bureau of Wildlife, Region 8, 6274 East Avon-Lima Road, Avon NY 14414. Emailed comments can be sent to <R8Wildlife...><mailto:<R8Wildlife...>?subject=Northern%20Montezuma%20WMA%20draft%20APUP> with the subject line “Northern Montezuma WMA draft APUP.”
Date: 2/10/26 6:01 pm From: Lance Mitchell <roctekoa...> Subject: Re: [GeneseeBirds-L] Canceled: February 8 RBA field trip to Irondequoit Bay Outlet. Rescheduled to March 22, 2026
Thank you for the notice and the reschedule date.
My wife and I are looking to go Snow Owl birding on Saturday. Do you and or others know of locations where they have been spotted? Love the Snows.
Lance
________________________________
From: <geneseebirds-l...> <geneseebirds-l...> on behalf of Jeanne Verhulst <jeanne.verhulst...>
Sent: Saturday, February 7, 2026 2:42 PM
To: <geneseebirds-l...> <geneseebirds-l...>
Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Canceled: February 8 RBA field trip to Irondequoit Bay Outlet. Rescheduled to March 22, 2026
Hello All,
Due to the extreme temps and weather advisory, tomorrow’s Rochester Birding Association’s field trip, Winter Waterfowl and Other Possibilities, has been canceled and rescheduled for Sunday March 22, at 9:00 am. Meet at the Irondequoit Bay Outlet. Consult the RBA website for complete details. Hopefully, the weather will be more agreeable!
Jeanne Verhulst, RBA Field Trips
Date: 2/7/26 6:42 am From: Jeanne Verhulst <jeanne.verhulst...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Canceled: February 8 RBA field trip to Irondequoit Bay Outlet. Rescheduled to March 22, 2026
Hello All,
Due to the extreme temps and weather advisory, tomorrow’s Rochester Birding Association’s field trip, Winter Waterfowl and Other Possibilities, has been canceled and rescheduled for Sunday March 22, at 9:00 am. Meet at the Irondequoit Bay Outlet. Consult the RBA website for complete details. Hopefully, the weather will be more agreeable!
Jeanne Verhulst, RBA Field Trips
Date: 1/30/26 6:28 pm From: 'Barbarah Henderson' via Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-l...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] June to January
6-12-25 -Wainfleet Bog -5+ Whip-poor-will2 Vesper SparrowsFt. Erie -10+ Fowler's Toads
6-15-25, Buffalo -3 Merlin nests this yr. - none actually looked for but plenty of evidence...Also Screech Owl family on at least on Woodbridge.
6-16-25, Cattaraugus County, friends land -11 spcs. Warbler -11-13 singing Prairie - there's more than that there... One odd singer - started out w/3-5 regular notes followed by a Pine Warbler-like trill. There were singing Pines around too. (Bill & I recorded an even stranger singer decades ago in Cat. Co).
7-12-25, Woodbridge Ave., Buffalo -3 Lesser Yellowlegs - overhead at night.
7-18-25, Woodbridge -2 Hummers - courting.
8-6-25, Woodbridge -1 Wood Thrush - calling.
8-12-25, Woodbridge -2 Caspians - ad. & juv. calling overhead ~11pm.
8-15-25, Woodbridge -1 Swainson's - at night.
8-17-25 -TWMA -1 Baird's1 White RumpINWR -1 Baird's1 W. Rump
8-20-25, Ft. Erie -1 SB Dowitcher1 Stilt1 Baird's
8-25-25, Woodbridge -1 RB Nuthatch - calling in morning following lots of night migrants. Winter Finch Forecast was apparently right.
8-28-25, Buffalo -1 Sabine's - don't recall the finder & off-hand seems like the only or one of the very few around this fall but nice to see one in August.2 Little2 Bl. Tern
9-20-25, Woodbridge -1 Gray Cheek - at night.
9-21-25, Shirley Ave., Buffalo -1 Sapsucker
9-26-25, Amherst -2 Lincoln's
9-29-25, Woodbridge -1 Winter
9-30-25 -Amherst -1 White CrownShirley -1 Gray Cheek - 10+ so far this fall.
10-6-25, Haldimand -1 Peregrine
10-13-25, Buffalo -~15 Oldsquaw~45 Surf Scoter
10-15-25, INWR -10+ Rusty3 Sandhill1 Sharp Tailed Sparrow
10-18-25, Woodbridge -1 Great Horned
10-26-25, Woodbridge -~5 Junco (+ ~5 at Shirley) - coldest night so far.
11-3-25, Buffalo -~200 Oldsquaw4+ WW Scoters
11-16-25, Woodbridge -1 Fox Sparrow
11-3-25, Buffalo -2im. Iceland
12-9-25, Woodbridge -3 White Thr.1 Song - all daily up to today.
12-19-25, Buffalo -1im. Glaucous1im. Iceland
12-21-25, Buffalo -6im. Iceland1 Lesser Bl. B.2 Harlequin - pair found by ? ~a month ago. Very possible returning for at least 3rd yr.
12-22-25, Woodbridge -1 Winter
12-29-25, Buffalo -1 LBB Gull2 Iceland
1-1-26, Buffalo -1im. Iceland1 Eagle
1-2-26, INWR -~10 Red Wings
1-5-26, Buffalo -1 Purple Sand1 LBB1ad, 2im. Iceland5-10,000+ Gulls - very rough estimate. No Bonies.
1-7-26, Buffalo -2im. Glaucous5im. Iceland1 LBB
1-9-26, Buffalo (very low water in river - maybe lowest I've ever seen) -1 LBB3im. Iceland~150+ Bonies
1-11-26, Buffalo -6 LBB5 Iceland1im.Thayer's
1-12-26, Buffalo -1 LBB1 Iceland
1-14-26, Buffalo -3 Iceland, 2 LBB
1-15-26, Buffalo -1 Creeper
1-16-26 - Royalton -~10 Yellow Rump - possible Yellow Throat calling w/'em.2 HermitAlabama -~20 Buntings
1-17-26, Buffalo -1-2 Purple Sand
1-18-26, Buffalo -3im. Iceland1 Glaucous~5 Fish Crows - w/~1,000+ Americans. 1-20-26, Buffalo -1 LBB
1-24-26, Porter -1 Sapsucker1 Red Crossbill~100 Buntings
Not 1 WW Scoter from Ft. Niagara to Olcott - lots of ice.
1-25&26-26, Woodbridge -1 Oregon Junco - like Sibley's 2000 ed. p. 500 im. fm. but w/black hood closer to male's color & back less "red" (more gray) extending up nape to hind crown. Neglected to get rump color. (Sibley shows gray & 2006 National Geographic Complete Birds p.588 shows Oregon Thurberi w/reddish rump.)
Peter, <Barbarahenyoe131...>
Date: 1/29/26 8:33 am From: David Norton <drnorton...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Gaggle of Geese
Hi All,
I am attaching a few pictures of a large gaggle of geese on the ground all pointed westerly during the snow storm the other day in Webster. There were hundreds. It looked like they landed during the heavy snow fall.
Thanks for any observations,
Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: <geneseebirds-l...> [mailto:<geneseebirds-l...>] On Behalf Of Martha Zettel
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 3:29 PM
To: Annie O'Reilly <ukemiracle1...>
Cc: Geneseebirds Listserver <geneseebirds-l...>
Subject: Re: [GeneseeBirds-L] Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yes mine only had a tiny patch of red, mostly brown, and also looked a bit scruffy.
Martha L. Zettel
> On Jan 28, 2026, at 2:46 PM, Annie O'Reilly <ukemiracle1...> wrote:
>
> So did I in Conesus. The birds’s head is brown instead of red. and looks kind of shabby. Now , I know that what I am seeing is a yellow-bellied sapsucker!
> Annie OReilly
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Jan 28, 2026, at 11:00 AM, Martha Zettel <mlzettel...> wrote:
>>
>> I have an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker who got a drink out of my heated birdbath and is now pecking around a maple tree in my backyard. I have never seen one here in the winter time.
>> Martha L. Zettel
>> Five Points Rd, Rush
>>
>> --
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