Rare Bird Alert

Thursday, February 25, 2010

 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 February 18 through February 25 from the Niagara Frontier Region include EARED GREBE, WILSON'S SNIPE, RUSTY BLACKBIRD, TURKEY VULTURE and NORTHERN SHRIKE.

 At Dunkirk Harbor, EARED GREBE continues on the east side of the main pier, providing close up viewing of a rare species. BALD EAGLES in the harbor included counts of 19, 13 and 11 during the past week.

 Also in the harbor, at least 14 waterfowl species highlighted by 591 COMMON GOLDENEYES and 341 BUFFLEHEADS, plus GADWALL, RING-NECKED DUCK, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER and RUDDY DUCK. Also, 7 PIED-BILLED GREBES, 2 HORNED GREBES, very low numbers of BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 2 GLAUCOUS GULLS, and on February 19, 727 GREAT BLACK-B. GULLS.

 In southern Chautauqua County, February 18, at the pond in the Town of Clymer, 4 WILSON'S SNIPE. Not often reported, WILSON'S SNIPE have a history of wintering in the Southern Tier. February 23, it was reported that 3 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS have been at a feeder this winter in Jamestown.

 Small numbers of TURKEY VULTURES also winter in the region, but a TURKEY VULTURE over the Town of Lewiston on February 21 would likely be among the the first migrants.

 One of the few reports this winter of NORTHERN SHRIKE - February 19 to 21 on Mapleton Road in the Town of North Tonawanda.

 From the upper Niagara River this week - Two adult BALD EAGLES at Navy Island. 4 more BALD EAGLES, 124 TUNDRA SWANS and over 7000 CANVASBACKS between Strawberry and Motor Islands. 12 LESSER SCAUP still at Mid-river Marina in Tonawanda. MERLIN roosting in the loop drive woods at Beaver Island State Park. PEREGRINE FALCON on the lock at Squaw Island Park in Buffalo's Black Rock section and another PEREGRINE FALCON on the south Grand Island bridge.

 On the lower Niagara River, 2 LITTLE GULLS among several hundred BONAPARTE'S GULLS at the Lewiston Docks, and abundant LONG-TAILED DUCKS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS continue off Fort Niagara State Park at Lake Ontario.

 Also this week - at the Dunkirk Airport, 2 BALD EAGLES, NORTHERN FLICKER, 12 AMERICAN ROBINS and 2 WHITE-THR. SPARROWS. In the Iroquois Refuge and Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area, 4 PILEATED WOODPECKERS. And on Youngstown-
 Wilson Road in Porter, 12 HORNED LARKS and 160 SNOW BUNTINGS.