Date: 5/19/25 5:51 am From: marianne friers via groups.io <threecollie...> Subject: [hmbirds] 2025 Century Run Report
2025 Fulton-Montgomery County Century Run
200 miles, 110 birds. 15 ½ hours.
.55 birds per mile, for George Steele and myself, Marianne Friers, on our
Fulton and Montgomery County Century Run this year.
The day began just after 3 AM, with a duo of American Woodcocks peenting
on a Montgomery County back road, with a Common Yellowthroat complaining
about all those pesky witchities nearby.
It ended sometime after 6 PM with a fortuitous Ruffed Grouse that showed up
mere seconds after George pointed out that the habitat was perfect for
them, and I mentioned seeing one in that spot last year.
“What’s that in the road?”
“A Ruffed Grouse, believe it or not.”
Wildy enough it was like that all day. A Grasshopper Sparrow buzzed from
the exact bush where one has been found singing for the past three years. A
Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched at the tip of the very same swampland
snag where one has awaited us for even longer than that. Ditto a Common
Gallinule up in Fulton County. There has been one calling or running back
and forth across the road every time we have visited this year. It was
joined by a Virginia Rail scurrying past just as we left.
We got some strange looks on the Gateway Bridge, which was thronged with
non-bird folk, when we cried in perfect unison, “Fish Crow!” as one called
nearby. The expected Northern Rough-winged Swallows were swiftly flitting
there as well.
George called up a pair of Great-horned Owls and a couple of Barred Owls in
the early morning darkness. Even Merlin thought his vocal imitations were
actually birds of the night.
Species highlights included a Worm-eating Warbler flitting around and
singing its buzzy trill from the edge of a woodland road, It was a first in
NY for me, and only the second anywhere, and brought us to a total of 14
warbler species.
Just as last year we failed to find either a Brown Thrasher or a Hermit
Thrush, although other thrush species abounded. The afternoon brought
snarling winds and driving rain, but George still managed to spot a pair of
Common Loons way out on the seething waters of Caroga Lake. Had a great
time as always.
