Date: 5/25/26 4:16 pm From: Naomi Lloyd via groups.io <naomi_kestrel...> Subject: [hmbirds] Century Run aka the Rensselaer Ramble
This was my annual attempt at a solo Century Run specifically in RensCo and my best effort so far. I'm amazed at how well I did, considering it was my usual chaotic impulse-driven roaming. I set out at 5:15, an hour later than I had intended. Having been uniformly unsuccessful with marsh birds over the years, I decided to ditch a run up to Tamarack School marsh and did a cursory check of some local wetlands which yielded only Marsh Wren. More successful was a stop at Cobb Hill Rd, a reliable spot for Prairie and Blue-winged Warblers and a bonus gobbling Turkey.
A stop at Schodack Town Park got me several Louisiana Waterthrushes in a few minutes, and then it was down to the river. Cerulean Warblers sang in the SISP campground and from there I hit both ends of Papscannee where I picked up a number of warblers (including 5! Northern Waterthrushes in one spot) and shorebirds in a wet field - Spotted, Solitary, Least, and Lesser Yellowlegs. Up to the Dunn Bridge for Peregrines at the nest box and a flyby Osprey.
From there I moved inland, creeping along Knickerbocker Rd and picking up a Kestrel, Orchard Oriole, and Green Heron. From there I rounded the Tomhannock which was almost devoid of birds, and headed up to Cherry Plain to pick up a few higher-elevation birds including Purple Finch and Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a late-day surprise of a calling Black-billed Cuckoo. From there I headed home, hoping to pick up some more at my feeders but luck was not with me.
I officially wrapped up at 5:25, after 12 hours and 10 minutes of birding and about 163 miles driving and 3 miles on foot. I tried some owl calls after dark, but nobody was talking back. My total for the day was 103 species - a reflection of my poor hearing as Merlin picked up a dozen or so species I wasn't able to get visual confirmation on. Still, I think I did well with the equipment I have, and maybe next year I'll actually start out with a plan!
