Date: 3/5/26 6:58 pm From: Shelley Page <shelleypage.imagine...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] March 5 Thursday Birding Meetup Recap and Next Week Plans
You know it's going to be a good birding day when you barely open your car door and see/hear a First of Year red-winged blackbird! Today's Thursday Birding Meetup birders were greeted by this FOY bird, setting a hopeful tone for the morning in spite of the steady light drizzle. Eleven of us headed down the Dryden Rail Trail and were surprised by two black vultures that chose to hang out right above us! We appreciated the close up view of these actually rather elegant (in their own way!) scavengers. Some close up scope views of hairy woodpeckers drumming were also pretty cool. Otherwise, we saw a smattering of the expected regulars like blue jays and cardinals along that path. As we walked back toward the compost area, we were met with three other Thursday birders who arrived late and hit the compost first. We pulled together some quick car pools and drove into the compost zone for a gull vulture venture. And, we were not disappointed. Among the many herring and ring bills, we picked out glaucous, glaucous winged and Iceland gulls! Some lifers for some of us--always a treat! We also saw murders of crows and the expected black and turkey vultures. We gathered afterward at College Town Bagels East Hill to plot further adventures and study Maia's amazing comprehensive gull field guide. Want to join us next week? We're thinking more ice will be off the lake so we're gathering on Thursday March 12 at 7:30 am at Allan Treman State Marine Park. Directions from Ithaca: Head north on Route 89 (Taughannock Blvd) and turn right into the park, just before the Hangar Theatre. Continue straight, then turn left into the marina parking lot. Park on the far end near the dog park. 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
