Date: 6/18/26 11:56 am From: 'Lynn A. Braband' via Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-l...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Re: Pigeons' eyes are almost perfectly still when they're flying, study finds
Date: 6/18/26 6:08 am From: Peter Saracino <petersaracino...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] "Entangled Lives" Interpretive Walk at Montezuma Refuge this Saturday
Just a reminder. And bring a friend! See poster for details. Pete Saracino/ Refuge Volunteer Naturalist/New York State Master Naturalist Volunteer
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Date: 6/16/26 6:14 am From: 'Lynn A. Braband' via Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-l...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Re: Tree Swallows Shown to Reduce Fly Abundance on Cattle Farms
Date: 6/15/26 9:31 am From: James Kimball <kimball...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Chandler Rd. Phalaropes
I saw three Wilson's Phalaropes, all females, this morning on the mud flat edge by the flooded spot off Chandler Road. This makes me wonder if males might be on nests in the ample plant growth that has developed around the pond area.
Other birds of interest this morning included three Semipalmated Plovers, a lesser yellowlegs, a couple Semipalmated Sandpipers, one each male Shoveler and Blue-winged Teal, and families of Wood Ducks and Mallards. Wood Ducks have often nested in the one old tree at the edge of the pond.
Jim Kimball
<kimball...> <mailto:<kimball...>
Date: 6/15/26 6:38 am From: James Kimball <kimball...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Chandler Rd. Phalaropes
I saw three Wilson's Phalaropes, all females, this morning on the mud flat edge by the flooded spot off Chandler Road. This makes me wonder if males might be on nests in the ample plant growth that has developed around the pond area. Other birds of interest this morning included three Semipalmated Plovers, a lesser yellowlegs, a couple Semipalmated Sandpipers, one each male Shoveler and Blue-winged Teal, and families of Wood Ducks and Mallards. Wood Ducks have often nested in the one old tree at the edge of the pond. Jim Kimball <kimball...>
Date: 6/15/26 4:34 am From: Peter Saracino <petersaracino...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] "Entangled Lives" Interpretive Walk at Montezuma Refuge 6/20/26
Come join us as we explore many of the fascinating connections between all living things. And bring a friend! See poster for details. Pete Saracino/Refuge Volunteer Naturalist/New York State Master Naturalist Volunteer
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Date: 6/13/26 8:44 am From: 'Lynn A. Braband' via Geneseebirds <geneseebirds-l...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] Bird songs that travel farther may survive longer - Earth.com
Observation start time: 10:00:00 Observation end time: 12:00:00 Total observation time: 2 hours
Official Counter: Bridget Watts
Observers: Dan Niven, Dominic Sherony, Mike Gullo, Mike Tetlow
Weather: Sunny and warm, strong west winds, turning WNW by early afternoon.
Raptor Observations: 2 local Ospreys, 2 local Red-tailed hawks, and a Common Raven.
Non-raptor Observations: State Troopers' helicopter taking off from the lawn to practice scooping up water and dumping it on target for firefighting. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Bridget Watts (<wattsbridget7...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 12:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 4 hours
Official Counter: Mike Tetlow
Observers: Luke Seitz, Mike Gullo
Weather: Decent w/sw winds went west then switched to lake breeze around 12:40 dst. Birds re-established a flight line inland a bit but still moving for a bit.
Raptor Observations: Mississippi Kite was found by Luke Seitz flying low over the parkway and inside to the SW. Decent Bald Eagle flight.
Non-raptor Observations:
Predictions: Scattered morning showers and thunderstorms. Winds W/SW are good if the showers fall apart Eagles and another kite? ======================================================================== Report submitted by Mike Tetlow (<metetlow...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Date: 6/7/26 6:10 am From: Peter Saracino <petersaracino...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] "Entangled Lives" Interpretive Walk at the Montezuma Refuge on 6/20
Come join us as we explore some of the fascinating connections between the living and nonliving components of our environment - connections that make our very lives possible! See poster for details. Pete Saracino/Refuge Volunteer Naturalist/New York State Master Naturalist Volunteer
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 16:00:00
Total observation time: 8 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Bridget Watts, Chris Wood, Daena Ford, Mike Tetlow,
Niki Banke, Pat Lindsay, Peter Burns, Randy Ford,
Shelly Rackovsky, Vid Killius
Visitors:
15
Weather:
Partly cloudy in the morning, becoming mostly sunny for the rest of the
day. Temps started around 60F and reached a high of 75F. Winds were from
the west all day.
Raptor Observations:
There was a slow but steady trickle of birds today. The flight consisted
mainly of Turkey Vultures (77), Broad-winged Hawks (26), and Bald Eagles
(8). There were also 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 Osprey, and 2 Northern Harriers
mixed in. The most exciting bird today was a Turkey Vulture because it was
the 86,000th bird we�ve seen this season! Today's tally of 121 birds makes
the season total of raptors 86,033. This makes 2026 the fourth highest
season in the history of the count!
Non-raptor Observations:
The two Lesser Scaup continue on the bay. Not much else unusual was around.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>)
Braddock Bay information may be found at:
http://www.bbrr.org/
Date: 5/31/26 6:53 am From: Peter Saracino <petersaracino...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] "Entangled Lives" Walk at the Montezuma Refuge
Come join us as we explore some of the fascinating connections between all living things. And bring a friend! See poster for details. Pete Saracino/Refuge Volunteer Naturalist/New York State Master Naturalist Volunteer
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir
Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers:
Weather: Another sunny day with temps reaching a high of 62F and north winds at 10-15mph.
Raptor Observations: A few local raptors were around, including a pair of Osprey and a Red-tailed Hawk. The only raptor that appeared to be migrating was one single Turkey Vulture that flew high over the park.
Non-raptor Observations: The two male Lesser Scaup continue on the bay. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Bridget Watts, Greg Sanda, Mike Tetlow, Vid Killius
Visitors:
5
Weather:
There were clear skies in the morning, partially clouding over in the
afternoon. Temps ranged from 64F to 73F. Winds were out of the west at
10-20mph.
Raptor Observations:
Today�s flight was light with small waves of birds coming through
intermittently. The day tally was 195 with Turkey Vultures and Broad-winged
Hawks being equally numerous. There were also 11 Bald Eagles, 5 Red-tailed
Hawks, and 2 Northern Harriers.
Non-raptor Observations:
The gull numbers have dropped dramatically with only ~50 present today. 3
Sandhill Cranes were seen circling high up before disappearing into the
blue.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>)
Braddock Bay information may be found at:
http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00
Observation end time: 15:00:00
Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Daena Ford, Vid Killius
Visitors:
3
Weather:
It was a beautiful day at the park with clear skies and temps in the 60s.
Winds were NW at 10-20mph.
Raptor Observations:
As the end of the season approaches rapidly, the number of raptors on the
move is dwindling. A total of 29 birds passed over the park today. Turkey
Vultures were the majority with 20 individuals. 3 immature Bald Eagles flew
over together around midday. There were also 3 Broad-winged Hawks, 2
Osprey, and 1 Red-tailed Hawk.
Non-raptor Observations:
The large number of gulls continue on the bay with one Bonaparte�s Gull
mixed in.
========================================================================
Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>)
Braddock Bay information may be found at:
http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Vid Killius
Visitors: 4
Weather: NW winds all day at 10-15mph with temps right around 70F. A few clouds in the morning cleared to blue skies for the rest of the day.
Raptor Observations: A total of 132 raptors flew over the park today. Birds were very high again, and with the clear blue sky, it made spotting birds very difficult. Broad-winged Hawks were the majority of the flight with a total of 88. Turkey Vultures (29), Red-tailed Hawks (3), and Ospreys (2) were the other birds mixed in. Bald Eagles were less numerous today with only 9 migrating over. There was also 1 Northern Harrier that passed over pretending to be a Broad-winged.
Non-raptor Observations: Hundreds of gulls continue in the bay today. A Blackpoll Warbler was feeding in the trees by the parking lot. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Weather: Mostly sunny skies in the morning becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Temps ranged from 69F to 84F. Winds were light SW to start, shifting to west as the day progressed. Just before 3pm the lake breeze kicked in, shutting down the flight.
Raptor Observations: There was a small but decent flight today with a total of 342 raptors! The majority of the birds were very high. Turkey Vultures (158), Broad-winged Hawks (106), and Bald Eagles (57) were the most numerous species. There were also 17 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 Osprey, and 1 Northern Harrier mixed in.
Non-raptor Observations: The highlight of the day was actually not a raptor, but an adorable Brant that spent all day on the lawn with two Canada Geese! There were hundreds of gulls around the bay today including an Iceland Gull. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Niki Banke, Tim Willis
Visitors: 4
Weather: The morning started out with overcast skies, temps around 60F, and NW winds at 10-15mph. By the afternoon the skies were nearly cloudless with NNW winds. Temps reached a high of 69F.
Raptor Observations: There was a light flight today, with more birds than the last few days! We saw a total of 143 raptors. Turkey Vultures (62), Broad-winged Hawks (50), and Bald Eagles (22) were the most numerous. There were also 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 3 Sharp-shinned Hawks, and 1 Osprey.
Non-raptor Observations: A Pileated Woodpecker flew through the park going right over the pavilion. There were some Pine Siskin and Cedar Waxwing flocks flying over throughout the day. A Great Egret flew low over the hedgerow providing wonderful views! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 6.5 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Bridget Watts, Luke Seitz, Pat Lindsay
Visitors: 6
Weather: Overcast skies with south winds at 10-15mph and temps ranging from mid 50s to mid 60s.
Raptor Observations: The morning was very slow with only a few Turkey Vultures passing by. In the afternoon there was a period with some more activity including some Broad-winged Hawks and Bald Eagles. In total, there were 68 birds that passed by. The raptor highlight of the day was a very nice adult Peregrine Falcon that flew over.
Non-raptor Observations: A good number of swallows continue to feed over the bay. Two male Lesser Scaup also continue in the bay. The highlight of the day was a Gray-cheeked Thrush that was hopping around next to the hedgerow!
======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Vid Killius
Visitors: 1
Weather: Mostly cloudy with temps in the low 50s and NE winds at 10-15mph.
Raptor Observations: Another day of subpar winds resulted in only 7 birds (all Turkey Vultures) passing by the platform. The local pair of Ospreys were feeding over the bay and an adult Bald Eagle was sitting in a tree.
Non-raptor Observations: One Common Raven was seen flying by while being chased by Red-winged Blackbirds.
======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Vid Killius
Visitors: 1
Weather: Partly cloudy skies, NE winds at 10-15mph, and temps in the 50s.
Raptor Observations: It was a very slow day at the hawkwatch. The only raptors seen were the local pair of Bald Eagles, and three Turkey Vultures.
Non-raptor Observations: Not much songbird migration over night, but there were still a few warblers singing by the parking lot. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Date: 5/21/26 5:35 am From: Peter Saracino <petersaracino...> Subject: [GeneseeBirds-L] "Transformation" Interpretive Walk at Montezuma Refuge this Saturday
Under the Sun's encouragement Earth is bursting back to life! Come see for yourself this Saturday. And bring a friend. Details on the poster.
"Instructions for living life: Pay attention Be astonished Tell about it." Mary Oliver
Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers:
Visitors: 2
Weather: Thick clouds in the morning broke up and it became partly sunny in the early afternoon. After a couple hours of partly sunny skies, thick clouds rolled back in. Winds were out of the NW at 10-20mph. Temps were in the high 50s.
Raptor Observations: It was a very slow day for raptors. There were 20 Turkey Vultures, 4 Broad-winged Hawks, 1 Northern Harrier, and 1 Bald Eagle.
Non-raptor Observations: lots of swallows were feeding over the bay today. There were no warblers singing in the hedgerow. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>) Braddock Bay information may be found at: http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 05:00:00
Observation end time: 19:00:00
Total observation time: 14 hours
Official Counter: Maili Waters
Observers: Brad Carlson, Bridget Watts, Daena Ford, Janis George,
Mike Tetlow, Pat Lindsay, Pat Martin, Peter Burns,
Robin Morey, Roger Clark
Visitors:
15
Weather:
Southwest winds overnight lasted most of the morning, turning west in the
afternoon and then back to Southwest in the evening. The winds were 10 to
15mph in the morning increasing mid afternoon to 20-25mph, then dropping
back down to 15 to 20 miles an hour in the evening. Temperatures range from
68F to 87F. Clouds in the morning gradually cleared giving away to mostly
sunny skies in the afternoon and evening.
Raptor Observations:
Today was another good day for raptor migration thanks to the southwest
winds. We had a total of 936 birds. Broad-winged Hawks (410) and Turkey
Vultures (375) were the most numerous raptors. There are a few other
species mixed in including 17 Osprey, 13 Northern Harriers, and 8
Sharp-shinned Hawks. All three species of falcon were seen, including 3
Peregrines, 6 American Kestrels, and 2 Merlins. It was also a great day for
Bald Eagles with a total of 93, our best Bald Eagle day tally so far this
season!
Non-raptor Observations:
Overall, today was a great day of birding at the platform! Over the course
of 15 hours, I tally the total of 109 species of bird! Highlights include 2
Glossy Ibis, 3 Forester�s Terns, a Snowy Egret, and 2 American White
Pelicans. There is also a good movement of shorebirds throughout the day,
including 82 Least Sandpipers, 8 Dunlin, 4 Black-bellied Plover, and 8
Semipalmated Plover. In the evening there was a large movement of Common
Nighthawks, with at least 356 birds seen!
========================================================================
Report submitted by Maili Waters (<mailirwaters...>)
Braddock Bay information may be found at:
http://www.bbrr.org/
Observation start time: 10:15:00 Observation end time: 12:30:00 Total observation time: 2.25 hours
Official Counter: Andy Dickson
Observers:
Weather: Warm, SW winds, 50% cloud cover. Great worrying about sunburn rather than frostbite.
Raptor Observations: A bad day at the hawk count is better than a good day at work. It was hard focusing on gardening when the possibility of missing some raptor migration lingered. Very little moving under ideal conditions. Those closest to the bump and grind of staffing the count agree the 2026 season has come to a close in Ripley.
Non-raptor Observations:
Predictions: We are closing the Ripley Hawk Watch for 2026. Thanks to all who made it a success.
We are still in a transitional mode at RHW from the days when Lenny & John or Gil & Jan did the entire count themselves to one of multiple volunteers trying to communicate and collaborate to ensure coverage and accuracy. It has been a taxing and challenging year. We continue recruiting are grooming a couple new volunteers who are promising and seem to "get it" but we realize the ethos of the hawk count is not easily trainable and several years of participation are needed before "new" volunteers can oversee the count. We lack a large metropolitan population to draw from and research universities to partner with. I'm hopeful that we will find young, enthusiastic raptor enthusiasts who can resist the temptation to chase the latest rare-bird alert for the more nuanced challenge of interpreting confusing weather patterns and finding the flight path, if one exists.
In the mean time, we intend to soldier through 2027 as best as possible but it will most likely be a part-time count. This is discouraging because we know by our numbers that Riply is one of the more important Spring hawk counts. Anyone out there with raptor chops looking to spend a week on the beautiful Chautauqua Ridge overlooking vineyards, Lake Erie and our friendly neighbors to the north, please get in touch! ======================================================================== Report submitted by Andrew J. Dickson (<adickson3...>) Ripley Hawk Watch information may be found at: www.facebook.com/groups/3193820734258889/
