Date: 2/26/26 1:41 pm From: Shelley Page <shelleypage.imagine...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Feb 26 Thursday Birding Meetup Recap and Next Week Plans
Taughannock State Park always offers awe, beauty and some great birds, whether down at lakeside or up in the gorge. Fifteen birders gathered this morning there for our Thursday Birding Meetup, seeing some perennial favorites mixed in among the "we see them every day" birds. We started down at the lake, viewing the expected Canada geese, ringbill gulls and mallards. To our delight, a lone snow goose was hanging out with the Canadas, and a lone male wood duck (in his finery!) was hanging out with the mergansers (both common and red-breasted--10 in all). Sadly, we encountered a dead Canada goose on the beach, perhaps another avian flu situation. "Christmas Eve" snow softly swirled around us as we made our way to the falls overlook. Through the flakes, forty vultures were hanging out in trees and on cliffside ledges to the right of the always spectacular falls. A lovely wintery morning followed by a congenial breakfast at The Falls. Want to join us next week? We are switching gears and going inland to Stevenson Road, also known as the Cornell compost area to check out gulls, vultures and whoever else flies in. Meet us at 7:30 am on March 5. All birders are warmly welcome. Come before work or class, or hang out with us afterward for breakfast, if your schedule allows. From Ithaca, take Route 366 (Dryden Rd) east. Turn right on Game Farm Rd and then left on Stevenson Rd. Park near the Rail Trail pull-offs 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
