The Upland
Plover
Newsletter of the North Country Bird Club, Inc.
January / February 2020 Volume 61 No. 1
A REMINDER
2020 MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS ARE NOW DUE!
PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM ON THE LAST PAGE SOON AND FORWARD IT WITH YOUR DUES
FIELD TRIPS - 2020 SEASON
St. Lawrence River Parks: Saturday, April 18 - 8:30 am
Cornell Lab & Montezuma NWR: Saturday, May 2 - 8:30 am
Southwicks Beach: Saturday, May 9 - 8:30 am
Red Lake: Saturday, May 16 - 8:30 am
Limerick Cedars: Wednesday, May 27 - 8:00 pm
Otter Creek /Redwood: Saturday, May 30 - 8:30 am
Marlowe Camp, Beartown: Saturday, June 13 - 8:30 am
Annual Picnic (Brouse Preserve): Sunday, July 12 - 1:00 pm
Marlowe Camp, Beartown: Saturday, July 25 - 8:30 am
Perch River WMA: Saturday, August 29 - 8:30 am
Montezuma NWR: Saturday, September 19 - 8:30 am
Fall at the River Parks: Saturday, October 17 - 8:30 am
We meet for all field trips, except the Limerick Cedars evening trip
and the Annual Picnic, at 8:30 am in the parking lot of the Arsenal
St Wal-Mart, across the entry drive from Red Lobster.
A 2020 CLUB CALENDAR showing all NCBC field trips,
events, and meetings is also included in this issue.
Ontario Bays Initiative, in partnership with North Country Bird Club, is
offering two birding walks at their Downybrook Preserve this spring.
The first is on Tuesday, April 28, the second on Thursday, May 14.
Downybrook is a remarkable nature preserve which includes a variety of
habitats. Extensive improvements to trails and other facilities were made
during the past season, so visitors will find the Preserve even more
user-friendly and enjoyable. Both walks begin at 9:30 am. We will meet
at the Preserve, located on Perch Lake Road ¾ mile north of Brownville.
Cornell Lab’s Project FeederWatch extends from November to early
April each year. FeederWatchers count the birds at their feeders and
submit their counts. The data help scientists track winter bird populations
and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance. Anyone
interested in birds can participate. Count birds as often as every week, or
as infrequently as you like - the schedule is completely flexible.
The current FeederWatch season runs through Friday, April 3. You may
sign up and begin counting at any time during the season. An $18
participation fee covers materials, staff support, and data analysis.
(Project FeederWatch is supported almost entirely by these fees.)
For more info or to join: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/
Since 1948
SPRING MEETINGS
Note the dates of our spring meetings on your calendar:
Wednesday, March 11
Wednesday, April 8
Wednesday, May 13
We meet at 7:00 pm at Northern New York Community
Foundation (131 Washington St, Watertown).
GADWALL
Cape Vincent
Nov 17, 2019
Photo by Robin Booth
MARCH MEETING - Wednesday, March 11
Program: BREEDING BIRD ATLAS
The New York birding community is in the beginning stages
of data collection for the state’s third Breeding Bird Atlas,
arguably the most significant record of bird life in New York.
Jeff Bolsinger, Ornithologist at Fort Drum and a Regional
Coordinator for the Atlas, will share information about the
Atlas and explain how birders can become involved in
gathering the data for this monumental project.
APRIL MEETING - Wednesday, April 8
Program: PROTECTING SNOWY OWLS
We are very pleased to welcome Stephen Haller,
Environmental Scientist for National Grid, to speak with us
about National Grid’s efforts to protect Snowy Owls and
other raptors by installing suitable precautionary devices on
our area’s utility poles and at other of their facilities.
National Grid is very much concerned about the dangers
posed to birds by our electrical network. The utility is open
to any suggestions which would make their efforts more
effective. Mr. Haller welcomes such suggestions and hopes
to discuss any ideas our members may have.
 OFFICERS Great Backyard Bird Count: Join the Audubon Society’s Great Backyard Bird Count, scheduled for
President Friday, February 14 through Monday, February 17. It’s for everyone, from beginning birders to experts.
Help the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how to protect
Corky Marlowe
birds and the environment. For more information and to participate, go to birdcount.org
315-782-4705
Vice-President
Bill Haller
Again this year, seeking to create a more complete picture of the great variety of birds which can be
Secretary seen in our area, the Club will conduct a Spring Bird Census. The Census is a combined effort of
Christine Bourquin members and other interested birders to survey the bird life in our area during the entire spring season.
Treasurer All birders are invited and urged to participate. The Census will extend from Thursday, March 19 (the
Vernal Equinox) through Friday, June 19 (the day before the Summer Solstice). The Census Survey
Kathleen Killeen
Form and details of the procedure will be included in the next issue.
DIRECTORS
FIELD TRIP: ST. LAWRENCE RIVER PARKS
Richard Brouse To 5/2020
David Prosser To 5/2022 Saturday, April 18 - Meet at Arsenal St Wal-Mart at 8:30 am
Mike Shepard To 5/2022 We will visit state parks along the St. Lawrence River, as well as other birding sites in northern
June Walker To 5/2020 Jefferson County, to observe migrating waterfowl and arriving songbirds. This is a driving tour, with
only minimal walking involved. All are invited to join for lunch at the conclusion of the trip.
Field Trip Coordinator
Richard Brouse FIELD TRIP: CORNELL ORNITHOLOGY LAB & MONTEZUMA NWR
315-788-6778 Saturday, May 2 - Meet at Arsenal St Wal-Mart at 8:30 am
Census Coordinator We will visit Cornell University’s world-renowned Lab of Ornithology on a springtime Saturday to view a
Bill Haller great variety of birds. The lab facilities and the Lab’s Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary provide an
experience available virtually nowhere else in North America. On our return trip, we will also visit the
Newsletter Editor Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Reservations are required before or at our April 8 meeting.
Bill Haller
315-639-6848 FOOD FOR THOUGHT NATURE TALK
Saturday, January 25 - 12 Noon at the Depauville Free Library (with homemade soup lunch)
On The Web:
FROZE WERE THE DAYS: History of Glaciers In The North Country
NORTH COUNTRY
Dr. Chris Ebey, SUNY Jefferson Professor of Geology
BIRD CLUB
ON FACEBOOK A beautiful set of bird-themed notecards is given to a member of the Club by random selection each
time the Plover is issued, to provide an incentive to keep memberships current. We offer our
For detailed info about birds, congratulations to this issue’s recipient, Richard Hart of Henderson Harbor.
visit the website of
the Cornell Ornithology Lab “CHRISTMAS BIRDS”
and of Cornell’s renowned GREAT BLUE HERON
Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary
Snug Harbor,
http://www.birds.cornell.edu Cape Vincent
Track bird migrations at the December 25, 2019
Cornell Lab’s http://birdcast.info Photo by Robin Booth
Maps show patterns of
migration intensity across the SNOWY OWL
United States. Regional
CR 57 near
forecasts of migration dates are Point Peninsula
given for individual species.
December 25, 2019
Online courses offered by the Photo by Jim LaPlante
Cornell Lab are available
through the Bird Academy at: eBird Essentials is a free online course to help you use the eBird program to track bird sightings in your
http://www.birds.cornell.edu area. The course may be found at: https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/courses/ebird-essentials/

INFORMATION SOURCES FOR REGIONAL SIGHTINGS AND RARE BIRD ALERTS

A list of birding list serves and of sites issuing rare bird alerts for New York is available from the New York State Ornithological
Association (NYSOA) at https://nybirds.org/RecordsRBA.htm Note especially eBird Alerts, Oneidabirds, Cayugabirds-L, and
Northern_NY_Birds. Oneidabirds reports sightings from the Syracuse area and the Montezuma region, and some sightings from our area.
Cayugabirds-L reports sightings from the Montezuma region as well, and from the eastern Finger Lakes region. Northern_NY_Birds
reports sightings mainly from the Adirondacks and the Champlain Valley. 2
Gerry Smith, a professional ornithologist, Director of Sanctuaries for Onondaga Audubon, and a long-time member and former President of North
Country Bird Club, has generously offered to share his reflections on the proposed changes to New York’s Endangered, Threatened, and Special
Concern Species list. Gerry’s suggestions concerning the list come from nearly a half-century of studying birds in the North Country, and they are
shared by other professionals working in the area of environmental protection. The Directors of North Country Bird Club have decided that the
Club will give official support, as an organization, to efforts to implement the revisions to the proposed list which are outlined below. We
urge individual members, and any other birders concerned about the proposal, to add their voices by forwarding comments to the Department of
Environmental Conservation (contacts are provided at the end of the article). Our thanks to Gerry for sharing his insights and his expertise.

NEW YORK’S LIST: PROTECTING DECLINING BIRDS

Gerry Smith
Most birders, after birding a few years, become aware of fluctuations in bird populations. Factors such as winter severity, habitat loss
everywhere and climate change are altering some species populations at an alarming rate. The changes I have seen in my half-century
plus of field work, both positive and negative, are astonishing. Formerly rare species such as Bald Eagle now are probably more common
than they have been in a century and a half. Once common species such as Upland Sandpiper (once known as the Upland Plover, so for
which this newsletter is named) are declining at an alarming rate. Since we humans are the major cause of the declines, it’s our
responsibility to assure long-term survival of our fellow travelers on this planet.
In New York that responsibility falls to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (hereafter DEC). While DEC has
overall responsibility for all protected wildlife, some species deserve increased attention. Game species were the original priorities of the
department, but since the DDT era non-game animals have received more attention. Beginning with the first endangered, threatened and
special concern list, promulgated in the early 1980s, greater attention has been paid to the broad diversity of wildlife occurring in New
York. This list now covers all native vertebrate and some invertebrate groups.
By their nature such lists tend to be dynamic and should be revised regularly using the expertise of biologists and field naturalists, both
professional and amateur. Experienced field birders are a tremendous resource that can contribute greatly to this process. Changes in
status are inevitable, as evidenced by the fact that Common Raven and Eastern Bluebird were listed as threatened on the first list. Both
species were removed as their fortunes improved. Currently the poster children of the DDT era, Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon, are still
listed as threatened. It is likely both will be downgraded in the upcoming revision of these lists.
Removal of species from Endangered and Threatened status is something to celebrate WHEN IT IS WARRANTED. Premature removal
and/or failure to add declining species to these two categories can increase their jeopardy to further disruptions. The special concern
category lacks the added protection provided by threatened and endangered categories. Unfortunately the special concern species
receive no consideration in the DEC regulatory process. Thus species in trouble need to be listed as threatened to have adequate
consideration by department staff.
It has been more than a decade since the last revision of the state’s endangered, threatened and special concern list. A suggested
preliminary list has been floated to stimulate public comments, which are due to DEC by January 24th. One effect of this preliminary
list was to stimulate considerable annoyance in this ornithologist with fifty years plus of New York experience. While it must be
remembered that most upper level DEC Albany staff are generalists, the suggested list leaves much to be desired. In particular the
suggestion that Northern Harrier be downgraded from threatened to special concern is totally ridiculous and insults the intelligence of any
experienced field observer in this state. In addition many species deserving of upgrade to threatened status have not been adequately
considered in the current process to date.
Fortunately we citizens have an opportunity to fix any errors through public comment. I urge all Club members concerned about the
proposed listings to submit comments to DEC by January 24. This list once promulgated will affect bird conservation in our state for years
to come. Birder involvement is important because, unfortunately, the process is greatly impacted by politics. The governor’s office,
developers and others whose first priority may not be bird conservation will be driving parts of the process. For that reason it is essential
that concerned birders be involved. Comments regarding changes to the list may be made to DEC using the contact information below.
Criteria used by DEC for considering a species for listing are available on the DEC website. My suggestions to DEC regarding changes are:
Blue-winged Teal: add to threatened Golden-winged Warbler: add to threatened
Henslow’s Sparrow: add to endangered Bicknell’s Thrush: add to threatened
Upland Sandpiper: add to endangered Rusty Blackbird: add to threatened
Caspian Tern: add to threatened Red-headed Woodpecker: add to threatened
Black-crowned Night Heron: add to threatened Grasshopper Sparrow: add to threatened
Pied-billed Grebe: keep as threatened Cerulean Warbler: add to threatened
Northern Harrier: keep as threatened (downgrade would be asinine)
Please consider weighing in with your comments to assure that species in need receive the attention they deserve.
Comments, due by January 24th, may be forwarded by e-mail to WildlifeRegs@dec.ny.gov
or by mail to Joe Racette, NYSDEC Division of Fish and Wildlife, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4754.
3
 AUDUBON CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT 2019
On Saturday, December 14, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count was conducted in the Watertown Circle by the North
Country Bird Club, in association with the Onondaga Chapter of the Audubon Society. This was the Society’s 120th
Christmas Bird Count and the 82nd year the Count was conducted in the local circle. 15 Club members participated
in the Watertown Circle Count, in which 16 birders in 10 field parties and 3 feeder watchers surveyed bird species
within the Circle. The field parties were at work counting between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, spending a total of
25 ½ hours birding by car, covering 312 miles, and 4 ¼ hours birding on foot, covering 6 ¾ miles. Participants included
Jeff Bolsinger, Sheree Brosk, Dick and Marion Brouse, Lee Ellsworth, Bill Haller (Compiler), Kathy Killeen, Joanne
Lackey, Nick Leone, Corky Marlowe, Connie Mason, Bonnie McLaughlin, Dave Prosser, Mandi Roggie, Gerry Smith,
and Ray Spahn.
Records are readily accessible to the Compiler for the thirteen previous Watertown Circle Counts (so since 2006).
Two species were sighted this year which were not recorded on the Watertown Count during those years: Jeff
Bolsinger reported two Gray Catbirds; Gerry Smith reported a Ring-necked Pheasant. 48 species were recorded
during this year’s Count, compared with 60 species last year, and lower than the average of 54 over the past 14 years
(the highest species count ever recorded for the circle was 64, in 2015, according to Audubon’s records). A total of
6894 birds was seen this year, noticeably higher than last year’s total of 4853. The comparison is somewhat different,
however, when one factors out the four species which show overall totals of more than 9,000 individuals over the past
14 years: Canada Goose, Rock Pigeon, American Crow, and European Starling. When these four are removed from
Count data, the remaining species total only 1389 individuals this year, compared with 1966 last year. The most
significant increase from last year was in the number of European Starlings: 3481 this year, while only 1426 in 2018.
Both the lower species count and the lower adjusted total of birds this year were most likely due to the weather
conditions. Steady and sometimes heavy rain (and fog in some sectors) created less than ideal circumstances. That
more than double the number of Starlings were observed this year even under those conditions is certainly interesting
and perhaps troubling. Many thanks to our participants for once again making the Count a success.
SPECIES NOT REPORTED DURING
THE PREVIOUS THIRTEEN WATERTOWN CIRCLE COUNTS (2): Ring-necked Pheasant, Gray Catbird
SPECIES SEEN THIS YEAR BUT NOT IN 2018 (7): Ring-necked Pheasant, Great Blue Heron, Great Black-backed
Gull, Snowy Owl, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Common Grackle
SPECIES SEEN IN 2018 BUT NOT THIS YEAR (19): Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser,
Red-throated Loon, Turkey Vulture, Rough-legged Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Barred Owl,
Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Red-winged Blackbird,
Pine Grosbeak, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin
Data from the 2019 Count (the species name is followed by the total individuals reported for the species,
which is followed in parentheses by the number of sectors, of 10, in which each species was sighted):
GEESE, SWANS, & DUCKS: Canada Goose - 750 (1) Tundra Swan - 27 (1) American Black Duck - 21 (1) Mallard - 24 (2)
Greater Scaup - 428 (1) Common Goldeneye - 15 (1) Common Merganser - 14 (2) Red-breasted Merganser - 6 (1)
GALLINACEOUS BIRDS: Ring-necked Pheasant - 1 (1) Wild Turkey - 53 (4)
LOONS: Common Loon - 1 (1) HERONS: Great Blue Heron - 3 (3)
EAGLES, HAWKS, & FALCONS: Bald Eagle - 8 (2) Cooper’s Hawk - 1 (1) Red-tailed Hawk - 12 (5)
GULLS & TERNS: Ring-billed Gull - 10 (3) Herring Gull - 55 (2) Great Black-backed Gull - 4 (1)
DOVES & PIGEONS: Rock Pigeon - 524 (9) Mourning Dove - 130 (7) OWLS: Snowy Owl - 1 (1)
WOODPECKERS: Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4 (3) Downy Woodpecker - 14 (5) Hairy Woodpecker - 9 (4)
Northern Flicker - 2 (1) Pileated Woodpecker - 3 (3) SHRIKES: Northern Shrike - 1 (1)
JAYS & CROWS: Blue Jay - 148 (10) American Crow - 750 (10) Common Raven - 3 (2)
CHICKADEES & NUTHATCHES: Black-capped Chickadee - 114 (7) Tufted Titmouse - 3 (1)
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 3 (3) White-breasted Nuthatch - 12 (6) WRENS: Marsh Wren - 1 (1) SNOWY OWL
KINGLETS & THRUSHES: American Robin - 28 (4) MIMIC THRUSHES: Gray Catbird - 2 (1) Cape Vincent
Dec 31, 2019
STARLINGS: European Starling - 3481 (9) WAXWINGS: Cedar Waxwing - 52 (1)
Photo by Robin Booth
SPARROWS & GROSBEAKS: American Tree Sparrow - 13 (2) Song Sparrow - 1 (1)
White-throated Sparrow - 15 (2) Dark-eyed Junco - 49 (3) Northern Cardinal - 24 (6) BLACKBIRDS: Common Grackle - 1 (1)
FINCHES: House Finch - 17 (1) American Goldfinch - 4 (3) OLD WORLD SPARROWS: House Sparrow - 52 (4)
For info on Onondaga Audubon events: To subscribe to e-mailed information from the DEC (select from over 100 topics):
http://onondagaaudubon.com/ https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/NYSDEC/subscriber/new 4
 NORTH COUNTRY BIRD CLUB SIGHTINGS
Please forward notable sightings for the next issue to the Editor by February 15.
It is necessary for the Editor to be very selective when reporting sightings for this issue. The
Christmas Bird Count report and Gerry Smith’s very significant article together occupy substantial
space, resulting in a reduction in the space available for this issue’s sightings.
Snowy Owls have returned for the winter season, of course. The first report of a Snowy came from
Janet Burrows, who was told of a sighting on Mason Road in Cape Vincent on 11/22. On 11/29,
Dick and Marion Brouse, Lynn Chavoustie, and Corky Marlowe all sighted a Snowy near Favret Rd GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
in Cape Vincent. Lynn also saw one on Mason Rd that day and another near the Watertown Airport. Point Salubrious - Nov 11, 2019
Corky also saw a Great Blue Heron flying along Favret Rd, while Dick and Marion saw one in Three
Mile Bay. Robin Booth sighted a Great Blue Heron in Cape Vincent on Christmas Day. On 12/03, Photo by Lee Ellsworth
Bina West reported a Snowy Owl near the Airport. Bill Haller also saw one there on the same day, then again on 12/14 and 12/16. John Smith sighted
a Snowy on B Adams Rd on Pillar Pt in early December. On 12/16, Robin reported that she had been told of 2 Snowy Owls near the intersection of
Millens Bay Rd and Mason Rd. Robin saw one Snowy there on 12/14, then several more times during late December. On Christmas Day, she sighted
another Snowy Owl on Stony Point Rd in Cape Vincent. Robin reported on 12/29 that she had been told of a Snowy on the Tibbetts Point Rd. Jim
LaPlante reported on 01/03 that he had sighted 4 Snowy Owls in late December, 3 on the road to the Point Peninsula Isthmus and another just beyond
the Isthmus. Dick saw 3 in the same location on 01/02, as well as a Northern Shrike on the Point. Ray Spahn sighted a Shrike there on 01/04. Bill
sighted 5 Snowy Owls on 01/02, 1 near the Chaumont Dollar General, 3 on the road to the Isthmus, and 1 just beyond the Isthmus. He also sighted a
Barred Owl that day on Peninsula. On 01/03, Lauren Eggleston reported that a family had seen a Snowy on the trails at Wellesley Island State Park.
Several reports of Snow Buntings have been received. On 11/11, Lynn sighted a flock of ~20 on Three Mile Pt. Lee Ellsworth found Snow Buntings on
Pt Peninsula on 11/14. He also sighted a Ring-necked Pheasant there on the same day. Lynn saw a Ring-necked Pheasant on Three Mile Pt on
11/20. Doris Gibson reported that her son had seen Snow Buntings on Pillar Pt on 11/22. On 12/13, Steve and Vici Diehl sighted Snow Buntings, as
well as a Rough-legged Hawk, on Evans Rd in Brownville. Robin found Snow Buntings on both Favret Rd and Branche Rd in Cape Vincent on 12/07.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been reported throughout the past several weeks. Robin has seen a Red-bellied on Sam Adams Rd in Cape Vincent
on numerous occasions since 11/30. She has also seen a Pileated Woodpecker there, as well as a Common Grackle and Common Ravens, several
times over the past two months. On 12/17, Doris reported a Red-bellied at her home on Kelsey Rd. Susan Timerman reported that one visited her
feeder in Adams on 12/06. Bill saw one at his feeder in Dexter on 12/16 and 12/18. Dick Boyanski reported a Red-bellied in Clayton on 12/17.
Doris reported 6 American Tree Sparrows, as well as a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos, at her home on 11/22, then the Sparrows again on 12/12, as well as
a White-breasted Nuthatch. Steve and Vici reported on 12/06 that American Tree Sparrows had been at their home in Antwerp, as well as a Pileated
Woodpecker, a Common Raven, as many as 17 Blue Jays, and 5 Wild Turkeys. A male Red-winged Blackbird was there on 12/03 and 12/04. Robin
reported on 12/11 that American Tree Sparrows had begun to appear on Sam Adams Rd.
Reports of Raptors have also been received. Doris reported that her son had sighted a Golden Eagle along Perch Lake Rd on 11/22. Robin reports
that there have been many hawks on Mason and Favret Rds during the past month. She has seen Red-tailed Hawks, female Marsh Hawks, and as
many as 4 Rough-legged Hawks several times. Robin also sighted an American Kestrel there on 12/28, as well as one near Depauville on 12/13. She
saw a Bald Eagle on Millens Bay Rd on Christmas Day.
A variety of waterbirds have been reported. On 11/13, Lee sighted an American Coot and a Common Loon along the south shore of Pillar Pt. On
11/17, he saw a Common Loon in Sackets Harbor. On 11/21+22, Lynn found 20-25 Great Black-backed Gulls and 15+ Tundra Swans on Three Mile
Pt. Dick sighted a Barrow’s Goldeneye among a large number of Common Goldeneyes at Grass Pt SP on 01/02. Ray saw the Barrow’s there on
01/04. On 11/20, Ray visited Oswego Harbor in response to a report of unusual waterfowl there and saw several Black Scoters, 2 Ruddy Ducks, and a
male Harlequin Duck. It was indeed a worthwhile trip. On 12/08, Kezia Sullivan reported that a female Hooded Merganser had been at her home in
Sackets on the previous day and a male on that day. Kezia also reported sighting a Brown Creeper at her home on 11/18. On 01/03, Jon Holcombe
reported sighting Common Mergansers (as well as a pair of Otters) near Boldt Castle. Robin checks for waterfowl in the St. Lawrence near Cape
Vincent on a regular basis. She reports sighting many Lesser Scaup, many Common Goldeneye, many Bufflehead, Gadwalls, Red-breasted
Mergansers, Long-tailed Ducks, and Mallards. Robin also reported that, on 12/10, a staff member from the Cape Vincent Fish Hatchery told her that
there had been Brant near the Hatchery over the past several days.

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Dues payable to: North Country Bird Club Send newsletter by:
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Year: 20____ Watertown, NY 13601 (please check one)
COOPER’S HAWK - LUNCHTIME!
Sackets Harbor - Dec 20, 2019
PLEASE REMEMBER TO FILL OUT BOTH SIDES OF THE FORM
Photo by Kathy Killeen 5
 REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2020!
FUERTES PAINTING
From the State Museum in Albany
Published in Birds of America, 1917
NORTHERN SHRIKE
RECEIVE THE UPLAND PLOVER ONLINE
The same as the printed version, but in COLOR!
(viewed with Adobe Reader - http://www.adobe.com/).
Contact the Editor (haldex@twcny.rr.com) to sign up.
TREASURER’S REPORT To be added to our E-mail
from the November 13th Meeting Notification List for news of
Checking account ......... $1948.68 select sightings and events in
Savings account............ $1636.61 the area, contact the Editor at:
Kathleen Killeen, Treasurer haldex@twcny.rr.com
Become a member of the New York State
Ornithological Association (NYSOA).
Membership includes a quarterly journal and a
newsletter. Details at www.nybirds.org.
Meetings / Programs: March, April,
May, September, October, November,
(Second Wednesday of the month)
Field Trips: Spring - Summer - Fall
Spring Bird Census
Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Newsletter: The Upland Plover
Website: North Country Bird Club
on FACEBOOK
The North Country Bird Club, Inc., is
a charter member of the New York State
Ornithological Association, Inc.
A RARE BIRD
AND A SAD TALE
Lynn Chavoustie had a sad encounter with
a bird which is very rare in this area. Her
account of the incident follows.
December 30: On my way home tonight I
saw what looked like a Snowy Owl in the
road on 12E north of Chaumont, so I turned LONG-EARED OWL
around to check. It was not a Snowy, but Town of Lyme - Dec 30, 2019
some kind of smaller owl. I decided to Photo by Lynn Chavoustie
move it off the road. To my surprise it was still breathing, so I wrapped it in a
blanket. Then I called Lee Ellsworth for guidance. He referred me to Sue
Hildenbrand-Burns, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. She met me and took the
owl. Later, she called and said she thought it was a Long‑Eared Owl, rarely
seen in the North Country. She also said it had no fractures, but one eye
didn't look right. I hope the bird makes it through the night.
January 2: I called the rehabilitator today. She said the owl didn't make it
through the first night. She confirmed it was a Long‑Eared Owl, the first she
had ever had. She is donating the body to the Minna Anthony Common
Nature Center on Wellesley Island.
MERLIN WITH
AMERICAN CROWS
Apparently a show of force by the
Sackets Harbor
Merlin led to a sort of “armed truce.”
Oct 28, 2019 Kathy says the birds eventually flew
Photos by Kathy Killeen away, none the worse for wear.
ITEMS FOR THE NEXT PLOVER ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 15
Please forward sightings, photos, or other items for
the next issue to the Editor by February 15.
Contact info: Bill Haller, Editor - Mail: P. O. Box 6, Dexter, NY 13634
E-mail: haldex@twcny.rr.com - Phone: (315) 639-6848 (9 am to 9 pm)
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