Date: 6/15/26 7:27 am From: Robyn Bailey <rb644...> Subject: RE: [cayugabirds-l] Nest in ground with 5 eggs
Hi Fredric,
These are bird eggs; we can rule out turtle or snake based on shape and size. We can also rule out mushrooms that sometimes look like eggs sprouting from the ground close together.
We can also rule out Wild Turkey because those eggs are speckled and not plain white like this. We can rule out Canada Goose due to the size.
That leaves us with Mallard, or potentially some sort of domestic duck.
Based on their positioning and the amount of dirt on them, this doesn't look like an active nest to me-it looks old.
Thanks for sharing,
Robyn Bailey
NestWatch Project Leader
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
From: <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> On Behalf Of Fredric Kardon
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2026 7:31 PM
To: <cayugabirds-l...>
Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Nest in ground with 5 eggs
While gardening in downtown Ithaca I saw a nest at the surface of the ground with 5 eggs, barely covered by debris. I don't know what they are (not 100% sure they are bird eggs). My best guess is wild turkey, but the clutch size is usually 8-16 eggs and reported sightings of wild turkeys in downtown Ithaca are very rare.
You can see my photo at
https://ebird.org/checklist/S357432045
