VoL55 Published Bi-monthly by The Hudson-MohawkBird Club 1993 BIRDING THE HMBC REGION: Five Rivers Environmental Education Center Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of dates" for each species. The bird watching articles detailing individual birding hot-spots area is nicely arranged for bird observation, in the greater Capital Area. The articles will with large windows overlooking an active discuss topics including strategies for birding feeding station. The Center feeds birds each area, what birds to look for and when to year-round and a heated bird bath provides look. Well-known birding areas as well as water. During winter, 12-15 species are little-investigated areas which appear to have regulars at the feeding station. good birding potential will be covered. Unsolicited contributions to the series are encouraged!! Directions: From the center of Delmar travel south-west on Route 443 (Delaware Avenue) and watch for signs to Five Rivers. Five Rivers is regarded by many as the best The turn is just over one mile past the place to begin birding in the Capital District. Bethlehem High School. Turn right onto It is centrally located, hosts a wide variety of Orchard Street and left on Game Farm bird species and offers a sight-specific bird Road, which brings you to the main checklist. The Center is operated by the parking area and the Interpretive Building Department of Environmental Conservation (see Figure 1). and is staffed by people knowledgeable about birds and birding. Educational programs for the public are offered all year including bird walks, bird Inside This Issue.... identification courses and workshops on various bird-related subjects. Stop at the Interpretive Building for a schedule of Birding the Pribtiofs programs and a copy of the bird checklist. You can get these items through the mail by The Federation ofNew York State calling the Center office at (518)475-0291. Bird Clubs The Five Rivers grounds are birded Birding Cape May extensively and you will find good "intelligence" available about the birds at Five Rivers. A "Birder's Board" exhibit can be found in the bird watching room of the Interpretive Building. It has a list of recent sightings and an annual list of "first sighting VSSNl Feathers Page 2 Spring: Migration starts with the returning Red-winged Blackbirds in late February or early March, and continues on through late May, when Willow Flycatchers finally make an appearance. Canada Geese, Mallards and American Black Ducks frequent the ponds as soon as the ice goes out. Other waterfowl stop at the Center's ponds through March and April, but only Wood Ducks, Mallards, and the Geese stay to nest. A migrating Osprey is usually seen fishing the ponds for a day or two in mid-April. Through March and April the early-returning birds appear - Eastern Phoebe, Winter Wren (along the Vlomankill), Swallows (Barn, Tree and Northern Rough-winged stay to nest), American figure 1. Woodcock, Common Snipe, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, and Louisiana The Site: Waterthrush (along the Vlomankill Trail). Set on gently rolling terrain and cut by a wide The Center can be good for warblers in early stream valley, the Center's 328 acres present a May. Check the Norway Spruce trees that good variety of habitats for birds. In the border the lawns and paths near the course of a two or three hour walk you can Interpretive Building. Nesting warbler cover forest (both conifer and deciduous), species include Yellow, Blue-winged, Prairie field, brushland, stream, pond, marsh (a (suspected), Chestnut-sided (declining), small amount), and lawn habitats. The Ovenbird and American Redstart. The grounds are open during daylight hours nesting vireos are Red-eyed, Warbling and every day of the year. Hours for the Yellow-throated (not every year). Interpretive Building are 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Saturday, and 1-5:00 pm on Two of the favorite nesting species at the Sunday. The building is closed on some Center are Eastern Bluebird (three or four major holidays. pair) and Canada Goose (up to 7 pairs hatch their broods during the first week in May). Over 60 nesting species are present on the Nest boxes for bluebirds are widely scattered grounds. The Center's composite list of bird around the grounds - ask at the office for the sightings (1973-1992) numbers 207 species. locations of active bluebird nests. Tree Over 140 species are recorded each year. Swallows and House Wrens also use these nest boxes. What to Look For: Other breeders of note include Green-backed Heron, Great Horned Owl, Eastern Birding at Five Rivers is interesting at any Screech-Owl, Great Crested Flycatcher, time of year, so each season is discussed here. Scarlet Tanager and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. American Woodcock make their dusk and dawn mating flights from early Feathers VSSNt Page 3 March through June. The traditional Summer locations for their courting are grassy areas along the Old Field Trail. However, no Nesting continues for some species, with Woodcocks were found displaying on the Bluebirds bringing off second broods in late grounds during 1990 and 1991. They were June and early July. Canada Geese leave the back in 1992, doing their "sky dance" over Center with their newly-airborne young in the large field east of the Old Field Trail. late July, but will make occasional appearances through freeze-up in late fall. Bobolinks make their way back from American Goldfinches start their broods in Argentina in early May and patrol their July, when thistle down is available for nest nesting territories in the fields. Northern building. Look for Wood Duck families Rough-winged Swallows nest under the which are easily seen in the Beaver and Heron Game Farm Road bridge near the Beaver Ponds during the last half of summer. Tree Trail. Last to return, in most years, are Willow Flycatchers that nest in the August brings the southerly migration of brush-covered fields. warblers - expect any of the northerly-nesting species. Great Blue Herons appear at the ponds in August, their nesting completed at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center #**°**\. Suggested Binding Route \ t LEGEND interpretive Builomq 1 1 Oiler Buildings •••• interpreted Trails Skimg/HiKing Trans — Paths Maintenance Roads Town Road en Parking Streams ^^ Ponds •»)) Amphitheatre m~ Picnic Shelters CD Wooded Areas Beaver Pond Tigurt 2 V5SNI Feathers Page 4 grosbeaks are found only one out of 8 years, rookeries elsewhere in the Capital District. Red or White-winged Crossbills appear one out of four years. American Goldfinches are Swallows gather on wires and feed over the regulars at the feeders, along with assorted fields in preparation for migration. The local wintering sparrows. White-throated and nesters are sometimes joined by Bank and American Tree Sparrows are found in good Cliff Swallows from elsewhere in the region. numbers and several wintering Song Cedar Waxwings are very much in evidence Sparrows are usually present. You might along the Beaver Tree Trail, feeding on insects find a late- lingering White-crowned, Field or over the pond. Migrant shorebirds should Fox Sparrow. be looked for at the research ponds and at Fox Marsh, which often has exposed mud Birders afield on the northern part of the flats. grounds can expect hunting Northern Harrier (found in any season but summer) Autumn and Red-tailed Hawk. Occasionally a Rough-legged Hawk or Northern Shrike can Migration continues, with some species be found. Surprisingly, Northern Shrike was leaving for points south and others arriving present in the fields during 5 of the 6 years to spend the winter. White-throated from 1987-92. Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco come to stay - White-crowned Sparrow, Winter Wren and A highlight of winter birding at Five Rivers is late-moving warblers pass through. the New Year's Day Count. The event is Migrants like Lincoln's Sparrow and Rusty open to the public and serves to start the Blackbird should be watched for. Check the year's bird sighting list. ponds early in the morning during October and November for migrating waterfowl like Hooded Merganser, Green-winged Teal or an How To Work The Area occasional diving duck. The Interpretive Building is the place to Northern Harrier becomes a fairly common begin, of course. Pick up a trail map and a sight in fall, coursing low over the fields. checklist, and look at the recent sightings on Great Blue Heron, Mallard, and American the Birders' Board. If you arrive before Black Duck will feed in the ponds through opening time, look around the corner of the freeze-up. building at the feeding area on the south side. Winter You can find the best variety of birds by visiting each of the habitat types on the The Center's feeding station becomes a focal grounds. With that goal in mind, the staff point as winter sets in. Most outings begin has established a standardized route of travel and end at the windows overlooking the for bird walks. Beginning on the Beaver Tree feeders. All the expected feeder birds of the Trail and returning by way of the Old Field area are there, with several Northern Trail, the route is shown on the Cardinals and a group of Blue Jays splashing accompanying map. At a leisurely pace, this their colors against a drab background. walk will take about three hours and covers 2.5 miles or so. For the ambitious, this route Winter finches are, of course, erratic in their can be stretched at several points to visit the occurrence, but during flight years Pine far reaches of the property. Please note: no Siskins and Common Redpolls dine on niger dogs or other pets are allowed at the Center.