Rare Bird Alert

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Dial-a-Bird is a service provided by your Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo Ornithological Society. Press (2) to leave a message, (3) for updates, meeting and field trip information and (4) for instructions on how to report sightings. To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200.

Highlights of reports received October 29 through November 5 from the Niagara Frontier Region include NORTHERN GANNET, SABINE'S GULL, EVENING GROSBEAK, PINE SISKIN, SNOW BUNTING and NORTHERN GOSHAWK.

November 1, a watch over Lake Ontario reported 24 species passing the Town of Wilson, highlighted by a juvenile NORTHERN GANNET, plus TUNDRA SWAN, WOOD DUCK, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, MALLARD, NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GREATER SCAUP, LESSER SCAUP, SURF SCOTER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, BLACK SCOTER, LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED MERGANSER, COMMON MERGANSER, RED-BR. MERGANSER, RED-THROATED LOON, COMMON LOON, RED-NECKED GREBE, HORNED GREBE, DUNLIN and an unexpected NORTHERN HARRIER.

The November influx of gulls to the Niagara River has started. October 31 and November 1, juvenile SABINE'S GULL in the Niagara Falls gorge, with 3 LITTLE GULLS and L. BLACK-B. GULL, plus COMMON GOLDENEYE and PIED-BILLED GREBE. Another LITTLE GULL on the upper river a Beaver Island State Park on November 3 and 4, and 2 LITTLE GULLS on the lower river at Lewiston.

Other arriving winter visitors across the region - one EVENING GROSBEAK at a feeder in the Town of Colden. PINE SISKIN with AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES in Holland. Three SNOW BUNTINGS on Housington Road in Cherry Creek. AMER. TREE SPARROWS in the Iroquois Refuge, and a NORTHERN HORNED LARK in the Town of Yates.

November 1, on Wolf Run in Allegany State Park, a passing NORTHERN GOSHAWK, plus NORTHERN SHRIKE, HERMIT THRUSH, EASTERN MEADOWLARK and flocks of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and DARK-
EYED JUNCOS. Also, a MERLIN at Holt Run in the park.

From East Aurora, October 28 and 31, a reported NORTHERN GOSHAWK on Reiter Road, one mile south of Route 20A.

Also this week, MERLIN at Shirley and Bailey Avenue in Buffalo. FOX SPARROWS still at several feeders, along with RED-BELLIED WDPKRS., TUFTED TITMICE, WHITE-THR. SPARROWS and WHITE-CR. SPARROWS. At Fort Erie, Ontario, numbers of SURF SCOTERS and BLACK SCOTERS. And at the Robert Moses parkway viewing area in Niagara Falls, New York, 10 CANVASBACKS and several RING-NECKED DUCKS, with GREATER SCAUP and LESSER SCAUP.