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.