Week Twenty-Two - 30 To Go

Once again James Patterson and Maxine Paetro pull a perils of Pauline. While the authors did provide a compelling narrative, the unresolved ending of this dirty cops saga may disappoint many readers.

Read 52 in 52 Weeks 2015

Memorial Day Parade 2015

Assorted Photos - Taken Memorial Day Parade 2015 - Along Parade Route

 Well 63 formerly 77 made it through another Memorial Day Parade. 
  
Links to the past:

Memorial Day Parade 2010 

Sunday 5/30/10

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day Parade 2013

5/27/13 - Day One Hundred and Forty-Seven

Monday - 5/27/13

Memorial Day Parade 2014

Week Twenty-One - 31 To Go

As with the previous 24 books in his Prey series, John Sanford concludes with Lucas having the upper hand. Cannot wait to see what holds forth for Lucas and Letty in his retirement years.

Read 52 in 52 Weeks 2015

Birding - Owasco Flats Nature Reserve.

Arrived at the kiosk at 6:50 AM. Noelle, an OFNR officer and leader of this bird walk, was in the parking lot. Nancy arrived shortly thereafter. We started down the trail at 7:00 AM.

As we made our way to the bridge that crosses over to the other side of the inlet, we were joined by Bruce. We continued adjacent to the inlet. While the trail had little surface water it was quite muddy. The inlet's shades of green and its reflections made for pleasant viewing.

Bruce brought our attention to a fire-breathing dragon.

There were campers on the other side of the inlet. Perhaps these fishermen.

Back in the marsh was growing a plant that we could not identify.

Owasco Lake appeared calm. But today there was no osprey or cormorant.

Heading up the road we had a great look at a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. This bird along with an Alder Flycatcher and a Blackpoll Warbler were the highlights of this morning's walk for me.

Bruce gave me some history of the plank road that ran parallel to the old railroad bed. He also pointed out a cluster that included five different ferns.

Previous Owasco Flats bird walk.

Another great day for birding.

Birding - Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve

Prairie Overlook

At 7:30 AM arrived at Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve. Lyn was already there. Shortly thereafter Sheila and Charlie drove in. Starting down Ada Trail we came upon a Killdeer.

A car pulled into the parking lot we recognized Dave and Joan along with their dog, Max. We retreated so they could join us. Back on the trail noticed a Blue Flag Iris plant in the pond.

There was also some Frog's Bit present.

Heading south we saw our first Bobolink.

On White-tail Run pond we viewed a Pied-billed Grebe on a nest.

Species - seen or heard:
Canada Goose
Mallard
Pied-billed Grebe - One was on a nest.
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Common Gallinule
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Mourning Dove
Northern Flicker
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Tufted Titmouse
House Wren
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Leaving the walk we came upon a school group from Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elementary School. They were collecting specimens from the pond.

After lunch with Lyn & Charlie at Downtown Deli in Seneca Falls, did the MNWR Drive, Mays Point, and South Spring Pool.

Canada Geese & Goslings - MNWR Auto-Drive

Red-headed Woodpecker - Mays Point

Dragonfly - South Spring Pool

Another great day for birding.

Week Twenty - 32 To Go

Billy Martin was a Peter Pan of major league baseball. Although he played the kid’s game, it is too bad that the Baseball Hall of Fame has yet to acknowledge  his managerial genius.

Read 52 in 52 Weeks 2015

The Christadelphians

Canoga NY

 

Main Building

Out Building

More interpretations at InSPIREd Sunday.

Birding - Van Riper Conservation Area

Rose early and made my way to Van Riper Conservation Area on Cayuga Lake. When I pulled into the parking lot at 7:30 AM Mark Chao was unloading his car. Then Nancy from Ithaca joined us just in time to view a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on the edge of the parking lot.

Mark also from Ithaca is tallying all the species at Land Trust preserves during the month of May to highlight the work of the Land Trust in preservation of natural places. To learn more about his efforts and how you can support the Finger Lakes Land Trust, go to Spring Bird Quest on the Finger Lakes Land Trust website.

Shortly before 8 AM several member of the Eaton Birding Society began to arrive along with other members of the Finger Lakes Land Trust. In all twenty-three enthusiastic birders attended the Finger Lakes Land Trust/Eaton Birding Society bird walk.

The group began its trek on the trial towards Cayuga Lake shoreline.

Once on the lake edge the group had good views of six Red-breasted Mergansers, four Ring-billed Gulls, three Great Blue Herons, and a Herring Gull.

Cayuga Lake

Species - seen or heard:
Mallard
Red-breasted Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker - Calling from the gully on the east side of Route 89.
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Redstart - heard
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Wood Thrush
Gray Catbird
Blackburian Warbler - heard
Blue-winged Warbler - heard
Tennessee Warbler - heard
Chestnut-sided Warbler - heard
Mourning Warbler - heard
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler - heard
American Redstart
Northern Parula - heard - high up and hidden
Magnolia Warbler - heard
Prairie Warbler - heard
Bay-breasted Warbler - heard - high up and hidden
Eastern Towhee
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

Whitlock Nature Preserve - North Cayuga Road

Several botanists were in the group and the following were seen:

Gnarly Grapevine

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Christmas Fern

May Apple

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica

After lunch at the Downtown Deli in Seneca Falls with Ruth and Don and Linda and Steve returned home.

Another great day for birding.

Birding - Montezuma Aududon Center

Accepting Chris Lajewski's invitation to participate in a Friends of Montezuma bird walk, made my to the Montezuma Audubon Center (MAC).

Before getting there I stopped at Muckrace Flats, Deep Muck observation deck, Martens Tract and Cancross Road.

Water was high at the Flats. But at the Deep Muck there were several birds including a Cedar Waxwing.

Martens Tract had its usual Tree Swallows plus a Baltimore Oriole and at the entrance an Eastern Bluebird was at the nesting box.

 On the Cancross drive there was an Eastern Kingbird in the rushes.

Arriving at the MAC Chris greeted me and offered donuts and coffee. Donna was at the desk. Chris assembled the group of 12 and we proceeded to the Purple Martin houses before walking toward the ponds.

On our way through the woods to the observation deck spotted a Black Swallowtail.

On at the observation deck we observed two Osprey that were fishing over Merganser Marsh.

We made a brief stop at the deadwood swamp where we saw 3 Hooded Mergansers fly in,.

Retracing our steps we walked along Warbler Walk. Here Bob S. gave a Barred Owl call. While it did not receive a reply, the call did quiet the woods. As we came out of Warbler Walk into the fields there was a Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

On the way home took a quick walk into South Spring Pool. On the grassy path a Northern Leopard frog jumped in front of me. Also there were a pair of Cowbirds.

Another great day for birding.