25 ^_<gg^^^^^^^^^^^gggjto^^ JANUARY no. i ^sraS^Sff^^^fev 1963 Published by Schenectady Bird Gub/ Inc. CHIPPING SPARROW FEATURES SCHENECTADY COUNT -- FIVE BLUEBIRDS LISTED AT TROY Two Phoebes, Three-toed Woodpecker and Killdeer among Schenectady's 45 — Peregrine Falcon in Troy's 47 -- High Counts of Doves, Horned Larks, Tree Sparrows Guy Bartlett and Ur. Peter P. Vi'ickham. Compilers The Chipping Sparrow became Bird No. 97 on Schenectady's list, and No. 112 on the composite list, when one was seen December 23, as well as for a few days in advance and after, by Stephanie Pod- razik at her feeding station. Also highlighting the list of *&**? species were two Phoebes, in widely separated areas; a Black- backed Three-toed Woodpecker photographed by Dr. Clifford Tepper at nis home; and a Killdeer, last previously recorded in 1956. One of this count's Phoebes was seen at close range by all eight observers ol1 Group 2; riudd dtone found the other at 'Afatervliet rieservoir. nigh counts were established for the Mourning Dove, 275; xiorned Lark, 165; and equalled for the Cooper's Hawk, 2; Sparrow Hawk, 8; and White-throated Sparrow, 5. ilxcept for one Black Duck, waterbirds and gulls were missed; hawk counts were generally low; and there were no records for the day of Owls, Kingfisher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, or such northern finches as fine or isvening Grosbeaks, rtedpoll, Siskin or Crossbills. On the Troy list of 47 species for December 29, five Bluebirds became Species No. 84. A Peregrine Falcon and a Coot in the Tom- hannock area were also of particular interest. There were high counts of Mourning Dove, 189; Blue Jay, 214; and Tree Sparrow, 660. Both hawks and finches were in low numbers. The ducks were a surprise. At Green Island there were the usual Mallards and Blacks, but only one additional species - a female American Wid geon. A female Hooded Merganser was at Cohoes, as was the case the previous winter. Along the Hudson from V/aterford to Still- water there were only eight Black Ducks — none of the usual Oom- mon Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, and occasional other kinds of diving ducks. The Common Mergansers that were seen were on a stream feeding into Tomhahnock. Hunting season was still open. Schenectady Highlights Birds listed with groups show species seen only in that area. Group 1 - David iillers, Samuel H. iiadison, Walton B. Sabin, Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Shedd, 3everly Waite. Meadowdale, Indian Ladder, Hennessey Road, Blessing Koad, Krumklll Road, Normans- kill Road, Settles Hill; Watervliet Reservoir area omitted. 7O0 a.m. to 4 p.m. *ive miles afoot, 83 by car; 5 hours afoot, 12 by ear. 33 species, 1324 count: Black Duck, Marsh Hawk, Ruffed Grouse, Killdeer, Snipe, Flicker, Robin, Northern I LEATHERS January. 196J SCHENECTAi/f — December 23, 1962 — 4.5 species. j'3O7 individuals Schenectady (All points within a 15-mile diameter circle, een- ter 0.8 mile south of 42°45* and 0.3 mile west of 73°45f as in preceding years). — December 23; 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Clear to partly cloudy, slight snow in afternoon; temp. 20° to 34°; wind SW to &t 0-8 m.p.h.; 6-8 inches new snow on ground, minim""* open water. Twenty-one observers in six parties, plus feeding-station reports. Total party-hours, 51 (17 on foot, 34 by car; total party-miles, 189 (19 on foot, 170 by car). 1 Black Duok 5 Brown Creeper 2 Cooper's hawk 1 Winter Wren 7 Red-tailed Hawk 5 Robin 1 Marsh Hawk 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet 8 Sparrow Hawk 2 Cedar Waxwing 1 Huffed Grouse 1 Northern shrike 8 Ring-necked Pheasant 693 Starling 1 Kllldeer 597 House Sparrow 1 Common Snipe 5 Eastern Meaaowlark 275 Mourning Dove 3 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Flicker 1 Common Crackle 2 Pileated Woodpecker 8 Brown-headed Cowbird 22 Hairy Woodpecker 22 Cardinal 47 Downy Woodpecker 22 Purple *'lnoh 1 Black-backed Three-toed 166 American Goldfinch Woodpecker 46 Slate-colored Junco 2 Eastern Phoebe 303 Tree Sparrow 165 Horned Lark 1 Chipping Sparrow 125 Blue Jay 5 'White-throated Sparrow 457 Common crow 1 Swamp Sparrow 152 Black-capped Chickadee 20 Song Sparrow 16 Tufted Titmouae 2 Lapland Longspur 37 White-breasted Nuthatch 63 Snow Bunting Total, 45 species, 3307 individuals. (Seen in area during count period but not on count day: Rough-legged Hawk, Short- earea Owl, Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Evening Grosbeak) Guy Bartlett (compiler), Jileanor B. Byrne, David Ellers, John M. Fuller, Esly Hallenbeok, Betty Hicks, Mr. and Mrs. Byron T. Hippie Jr., Mary F. Linen, Samuel R. Madison, Mr. and Mrs. Howard L. Malone; Barbara K. and Stephanie F. Podrazlk; Walton B. Sabin, Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Shedd, Rudolph A. Stone, Dr. Clifford M. Tepper, Dr. Donald J. Tucker, Mrs. Richard A. Waite. Also, feed er records: Mrs. Ainslee B. Allen, Witter T. Cook, Mrs. G. M. Eddy, Justus E. Glick, lira. William H. Norris, Mrs. Louis C. No vak, Miss Irene S. Podrazik, and Mrs. Vincent J. Schaefer. Shrike, Keadowlark, Purple i'inch, Swamp Sparrow, Lapland Long- spur. Group 2 - .Eleanor B. Byrne, John M. Fuller, Betty Hicks, Mr. and Mrs. Byron T. Hippie Jr., Mary F. Linen, ^r. and Mrs. Howard L. Malone. Albany airport, six-mile Waterworks, State i'arm Road area, Rosendale Road area. 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. One mile afoot, 57 by ear; 1 hour afoot, 5 by car. 24 species, 1069 count: ^ing-necked Pheasant, one of two Phoebes, Cowbird. Group 3 - -Esly Hallenbeck, Rudolph A. Stone. Watervliet Reser voir area. 10 miles afoot, 15 by car; 4 hours afoot, 15 by FKATHK RS January. 1963 TROY — December 29, 1962 — 47 species. 5589 individuals Troy (All points within a 15-mile diameter circle, center 0.1 mile south of 73°4Ot and 0.3 mile east of 42°50t as in preceding years). — December 29; 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Increasing cloud iness throughout day, snow flurries in afternoon; temp. 3° to 28°; wind E, 0-15 m.p.h., gusty in afternoon; 1-5 in. old snow, only-fast water open. Thirty-one observers in 9 parties. Total party-hours, 51 (20 on foot, 31 by car); total party-miles, 403 (26 on foot, 377 by car). 180 Mallard 62 Common Crow 1223 Slack Duck 344 Black-capped Chickadee 1 American Y/idgeon 9 Tufted Titmouse 1 Hooded Merganser 38 ".Vhite-breasted Nuthatch 20 Common Merganser 5 3rown Creeper 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Winter Wren 6 Red-tailed Hawk 11 Robin 1 Hed-shouldered Hawk Eastern Bluebird 4 Hough-legged Hawk Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Peregrine Falcon 15 Cedar Waxwing 7 Sparrow Hawk 1 Northern 3hrike 2 Huffed Grouse 564 Starling 42 Ring-necked Pheasant 1623 House Sparrow 1 American Coot 7 Common Grackle 3 Herring Gull 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 189 Mourning Dove 39 Cardinal 1 Great Horned Owl 5 Evening Grosbeak 3 Belted Kingfisher 10 Purple Finch 2 Flicker 4 American Goldfinch 6 Pileated Woodpecker 88 Slate-colored Junco 31 Hairy Woodpecker 660 Tree Sparrow 57 iJowny Woodpecker 15 Song Sparrow 49 Horned Lark 30 Snow Bunting 214 Blue Jay Total, 47 species, about 5589 individuals. Gustave Angst, Guy Bartlett, Jack C. Bishop, Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Brown, Philip n. Clark, Mrs. Gilbert H. Eddy, Charles P. Farney, John. M. Fuller, Dr. Paul E.' Grattan, JSsly Hallenbeck, Mary Rose Healy, Betty Hicks, Mr. and Mrs. Byron T. Hippie Jr., Mary C. Johnston, Dr. Sally Kelly, Mrs. E. J. Kilcawley, Robert F. Kirby, Mary F. Linch, Samuel R. Madison, Mr. and Mrs. Howard L. Malone, Genevieve McCeney, Benton R. Seguin, Dr. Peter P. Wick- ham (compiler). car. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 18 species, 160 count: One of two Phoebes, Golden-crowned Kinglet. Group 4 - Ur. Donald J. Tucker. Saratoga side of Mohawk River, including. Vischer Ponds. 1 to 4 p.m. Two miles afoot, 5 by car; 2 hours afoot, 1 by car. 17 species; 431 oount: Red- winged Blackbird. Group 5 - Barbara U. , Irene S. and Stephanie F. Podrazik. Cen tral Park, Parkview Cemetery, Municipal Golf Course, Balltown Road. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. One mile afoot, 10 by car; five hours afoot, one by car. 17 species, 148 count: Winter V/ren, Cedar i/axv/ing, Chipping Sparrow. January. 1963 Editor Circulation Guy Bartlett kiss Mildred D.Crary 1053 Parkwood Blvd.* 603 State Street Schenectady 8, N.Y. Schenectady 7, N. Y. Group 6 - Urban and suburban records, including feeding 3tations. Mrs. Ainslee 3. Allen, Guy Bartlett, V.'itter T. Cook, hazel id- dy (Common Grackle at feeder), Justus ii. Glick, Mrs. William H. Morris, Mrs. Juouis C. Liovak, I*£rs. Vincent J- Schaefer, Dr. Clifford U. Tepper (Black-backed Three-toed woodpecker photo graphed). .15 species, 175 count, including 9 Tufted Titmice, 15 Cardinals, 4 White-throated Sparrows. Trov Highlights Group 1 - Hazel Eddy, Jonn M. Fuller, Betty Hicks, tir. and Mrs. Byron T. Hippie Jr., Hary C. Johnston, Mary F. Linch, Mr. and Ivlrs. Howard L. Malone. Hudson Highlands east of Hudson Kiver to Houte 40. 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two miles afoot, 40 by car; 2j hours afoot, 3 by oar. 25 species, 501 count: to inter Wren, Northern Shrike. Group 2 - Mrs. Kathleen Bordt, Ivlr. and i.Irs. Hobert V,f. Brown, Mrs. Mary HcFalls, I.ir. and Mrs. rfobert Norton. Tomhannock, Tamar ack, Clum'a Corners. 9*. 30 a.m. to 2 p.m.