Although Rumor has It

 

That this guy's birthday was yesterday, it is actually today. I want to wish him a very happy one, even though he is far from home and everyone misses him a whole bunch.

Have a great birthday, Alan, we love you a lot!

Collins Lake

Horned Grebe

Was thronged this morning. We had heard about a Horned Grebe that was seen there yesterday and were hoping to spot it.

Male Hooded Merganser

Female Hoodie

I found it within five minutes after pulling into the Quinlan Park parking lot and walking down the hill. I have only ever seen one before today so that was plenty of excitement. However the little semi-urban lake had lots more to offer.

This Bufflehead surfaced right at my feet
but I was too slow with the camera to get more than this.
However, I got a fantastic glimpse of his beautiful plumage
that I will never forget.

There was large raft of migratory ducks that were bustling around the left side of the lake. There were at least sixty Ring-necked Ducks, a batch of American Wigeons, a long line of Common Mergansers, plenty of Hooded Mergansers, a couple of Mallards, a Wood Duck, Canada Geese and lots of singing passerine birds.

Red-winged Blackbird

American Wigeon

Such fun! I found 191 individuals of 25 species. It isn't a bad drive from here...I hope we can take my BBB...Best Birding Buddy (you know who you are)... there someday soon. 

Ring-necked Ducks, easily identified by the rings...on their bills. lol

American Robin

I also met a nice lady birder, who alas, missed the ducks for the most part as some fishing folks sent them off to the other end of the lake. We had a nice visit though and I learned the whereabouts of a couple of other local hotspots for future perusal.

Common Mergansers

Happy Saint Patrick's Day *we celebrated early

 

And I am as hung over as if there were adult beverages involved, although there weren't. I don't see midnight very often, but my pedometer reset on the way home. Left the venue with 10400 some odd steps, got home with 0. However, it was worth every rain-swept, wind-ravaged mile of the round trip ride.

I first experienced the High Kings thanks to Ralph. I was sitting in the dining room on the old computer bitd, avoiding television as I always do. He called me, "You gotta come see this!"

 They were on PBS playing Marie's Wedding.

I was stunned. I spent Lord knows how long standing in front of the dreaded tube enthralled. Before the night was over I bought Marie's Wedding for my playlist on whatever ancient device I was using then, along with a whole bunch of other new favorites (Whiskey in the Jar anyone?).

Their music was soon featured heavily on my personal "Barn List". We took turns blasting the CD player in the barn during the twice daily milking of the cows. The kids had somewhat more rock and country based stuff, but I loved the band from that first night, and whenever they produced an album I added it.

Fast forward a bit. We started going to their concerts whenever they played locally, two or three at The Egg, one in Syracuse, last year at Troy City Music Hall.

Then a couple of months ago the girls cooked up a trip to the Academy of Music in Northampton Massachusetts. Liz would drive. Long night drives are not much fun for us fogeys. Tickets were purchased, in the balcony, but there isn't a bad seat in the house when they are playing.

Yesterday Liz let me know that she had been watching the ticket sales and had found an open seat in the second row so she bought it. She might have taken it herself, but she gave it to me.

What a gift! I don't have words. It was a great show. What an enthusiastic crowd! 

Sometimes when you hear a favorite musician the people mixing the sound don't get it quite right. You can't hear the words, or one band member is muted and you can't hear them right. Last night was perfect. Sitting in front I could feel the music as well as hear it at its finest. I am glad I faithfully pursue my walking goals so I have the stamina to join the fun.

They played old favorites, including Men of Aran, and an as yet unreleased instant hit called 77A. (Yes, go listen, you know you want to...)

I always knew Darren Holden had a magnificent voice, but his rendition of The Town I Loved So Well gave me cold chills last night. If they play near you, grab some tickets (I recommend getting the best you can find) and prepare to be blown away. if you can't go, they are available to stream on most services. I have a ton of their songs on my 3C Walking List on Amazon Music, which helps propel me through my 10000 steps a day routine.

It was the best concert I have ever experienced.

Mad props to Liz for driving in the horrible storm that hit right after we got inside the theater, and heartfelt thanks for that ticket. Thanks to the rest of the family for sitting in the balcony without complaint while I sat all the way up front between prefect strangers...nice fellows, not rude at all, although they did enjoy those adult beverages...

It was a long night and I sure hope the coffee kicks in soon, but I don't regret one second of lost sleep.

***Oh, and there were bagpipes....

...And another talented guy, Zack Telander, opened for them. This song will be going on my list as well....or maybe not. It doesn't appear to be on Amazon.

I woke up this morning with Chasing Rainbows playing on the jukebox in my brain. Just can't stop winning...

Your Correspondent

 

From the frozen North Pole Upstate NY..

It isn't quite down to zero yet, but it sure is cold. (Apologies to friends in other regions who might be reading this, where it is warming up to zero and they are rejoicing...I am a puppy about cold weather...what can I say?)

When I walked the dog I added some extra leashes to his long rope so I didn't have to step out on the crust and ice. The stars were little frozen dots in the sky, all glittery and pretty and about as warm as the devil's heart.

I haven't seen or heard the Carolina Wrens in three days even though I made this stuff just to feed them and they had been eating it. I hope they are just hiding.

We have refrained from birding the last few days. Our county was under a state of emergency...no unnecessary driving...and conditions on the north-south roads were ugly. The wind was strong enough to twist the house and certainly able to pick up all the lake effect snow and stack it between the snowbanks.

I know I will sound like a typical old fart "back in my day, sonny" but this is a winter reminiscent of the 70s when I was new to driving and the streets in Gloversville were all one lane because of the huge snowbanks. Actually, this is milder than that, but it is bad enough.

Anyhow, in a twist of cabin fever yesterday we ventured out for a short bird expedition. Complete waste of time. I got some pretty pictures of snow, which looked good from inside the warm car, and we saw some turkeys. Pretty bleak and barren and not in any way birdy.

But wait! What birdsong breaks in yonder snowy bush? A Northern Cardinal is singing in the hedgerow by the old horse pasture, the first of the year.

And now the House Finches are singing too. The American Goldfinches are just beginning to subtly molt into their brilliant summer finery. A yellow feather here, a yellow feather there.

Is there hope on the horizon?

Maybe.

High-Mountain Roadrunners and Fluffy Little Robbers

 

High-Mountain Roadrunners

Went on a fast birding trip with my good friend and mentor, George Steele, yesterday. We went from home to Tupper Lake to Saranac Lake to Lake Ontario, stopping along to way to look for winter finches, Canada Jays, and hopefully some Short-eared and Snowy Owls. We missed the owls, but everything else was downright rewarding.

Canada Jay

We began our mountain tour long before sunup. As we entered the Adirondacks we were treated to a full moon that rivaled daylight, setting ice fog aglow on the snowy peaks and striping shadows like ancient ink drawings across the silent marshes and bogs.

I love the mountains

As it set behind the nearby heights the sun began to tickle the tops of the peaks to the east. Within what seemed like only minutes it was daylight. Soon we were at Sabattis Circle Road where we failed to find the usually ubiquitous Canada Jays but were surprised instead by a flight of Pine Siskins, one of which nearly flew in my ear, and gritting flocks of both kinds of crossbills.

White-winged Crossbill

Pine Siskin

At Bloomingdale Bog we found the Canada Jays, or maybe I should say they found us. Long known as "camp robbers" they seemed downright fascinated by the peanuts we brought along, although they would not land on my hand to get them. They have to be the fluffiest, cutest, kind of jay on the continent.

Rough-legged Hawk

Then we were off to Peninsula Point on Lake Ontario. We encountered all sorts of birds there, most notably 27 (!!!!) Rough-legged Hawks. They were everywhere, even in groups of four or five squabbling over prey. We watched a Bald Eagle engage in aerial combat until it robbed one of its dinner. It must have been something fairly substantial, as the eagle sat on it for quite a while.

It was fun. The mountains are glorious wrapped in a thick mantle of snow, sometimes feet thick on individual branches, and the air is elixir of joy to breathe. I do love those mountains and the critters that live there.

Bloomingdale Bog Trail

Mad props to George for somewhere around fifteen hours of challenging driving into and across the mountains, then back down into the valley and home.

He and his wife Anita have a new book coming out next month that seems very appealing. It is a children's book about a blind girl who enjoys identifying birds by their songs. I encourage you to check it out. 

Fluffy little Camp Robber