October 11 – Owling With The Master

Early October in the New York North Country is a beautiful time of year. The fall colors are at their peak, and the crisp, cool air feels fantastic to a couple of Floridians. The birding can be excellent during this time, and we were especially hopeful that this would be the year we would get to go owling with the legendary Larry Master.

Lakeside Birding and a Rare Wigeon

We started our trip by heading south along the shores of Lake Champlain. At Whallons Bay, we found a Common Merganser, and on Clark Road, a group of American Goldfinches was feeding on thistle, joined by a resident Ring-necked Pheasant. Our next stop was Hoisington Brook in Westport, where we saw a large flock of Bonaparte and Ring-billed Gulls, a Common Loon, and over 50 Canada Geese. The birds off the lake included White-crowned and Song Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Black-capped Chickadee.

Continuing south to Crown Point, ducks ruled the day. The “jewel in the crown” was a beautiful Eurasian Wigeon, which was a special find. We also saw American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, and Ring-necked Ducks. Crossing the Champlain Bridge into Vermont, we drove to Dead Creek WMA. After a good search, we were rewarded with over 50 of our favorite October birds, Snow Geese, feeding in a distant field. One of our favorite local hotspots, Noblewood Park, added forest birds, including Nuthatches, Chickadees, Blue Jays, and a Ruffed Grouse calling.  Down in the lake were 12 Horned Grebe, 4 Common Goldeneye, Black Scoter, and a White-winged Scoter.

An Unforgettable Night with the Northern Saw-whet Owls

The highlight of our trip was an invitation to one of Larry Master’s Northern Saw-whet Owl banding sessions. We were so excited to join this special event at the Intervale Lowlands Preserve. The preserve, with its river trails, wooded lots, and feeders, is amazing habitat for all kinds of wildlife. As we drove in, just as darkness set in, we saw an American Woodcock in our headlights—a very good omen for the night ahead.

We gathered with about 20 other birders and our expert bander, Nina Schoch, who had the official permit to handle the owls. It was very dark and getting cold as we headed to the trail where Larry had set up mist nets and a recorder playing owl calls. Our first pass by the nets came up empty, but no one was discouraged. On the second run, we had success! Two owls were carefully removed from the nets. A few of us lagged behind and were rewarded with a strange bark from the trees, which our local guide, Alan Belford, identified as the call of a Long-eared Owl!

Back at the house, Nina carefully examined the owls, recording their size, weight, and age. The release of the birds was impressive and memorable, as they circled once before quickly finding a place to roost in the nearby trees.

Boreal Chickadees and a Greater White-fronted Goose

Saturday morning, we picked up our friend Laura Smith, who first introduced us to many of the North Country’s birds. We spent the day birding in the Newcomb area, starting at the southern entrance to the Roosevelt Truck Trail. We quickly found Black-capped Chickadees and Golden-crowned Kinglets, followed by two Brown Creepers and both Red and White-breasted Nuthatches. The birds of the day, however, were three Boreal Chickadees we found on the way out. These are long-sought-after life birds for us in the U.S., and a fantastic addition to our list.

After a delicious lunch, we drove down Tahawus Road along the Hudson River, spotting a few Ring-necked Ducks. We also had a flock of birds we hoped were Rusty Blackbirds, but we couldn’t get a good enough look to be sure. Our drive ended at the historic site of the Adirondack Iron Works, a cool stop even without birds.

Our last birding excursion was to Hoisington Brook Outlet in search of a reported Greater White-fronted Goose. Several other birders were already there, including well-known local guides John and Pat Thaxton. With their help, we easily found our target bird in a scope, standing in the middle of a group of over 500 Canada Geese.

It was a great end to a fantastic trip. We added eight new year birds, bringing our total to 467 with two and a half months to go! 

Trip Summary:

• Total Species: 52
• Year Birds: 8
• Life Birds: 3

2015 Summary:

• Year Birds: 467
• Life Birds: 74
• 2015 Bird List

Next up: ‘The’ Florida Endemic