NYFalls.com Talk

It's been a few years since I have been back in that area, Kyle, and I am sure that the trails have changed a bit. I will be getting out of work this morning at 6 AM, and I plan on heading down to Owl Woods to walk through. I will head down the trail to the beach and try to get my bearings once again. I will let you know what I find.

Ok Mike...make sure you wear some waterproof boots...its pretty bad back there. If you're going to look for the poles...go right at the 4 way intersection and keep going past the yards and the small trail will be on the right.

I made it down the beach a few years back. It's not much of a beach. Someone had put up an obstacle course of 2x4s to get over some of the really muddy/flooded areas. That was pretty fun.

Those rickety 2x4s were a saving grace

Yeah Matt,
The planks are still there, with about 2-3 inches of water beneath them. One good thing about going down that path after a nice cold night is the ice that keeps you on top of the muddy mess.

Kyle, to get to the Osprey platform you go straight at the intersection of the trails, you will end up heading toward the beach. Just as you pass a fallen tree that is above your head, you will see some Wood Duck boxes just off the trail on your left side. There is not really a well worn path, but you will see what looks like a deer path heading toward the nest boxes. Follow that trail, keeping the sound of the lake to your right, you will eventually spot the Osprey platform ahead of you. I walked to within 10 ft. of the pole this morning, still no residents.
I am guessing that the open field with poles that you passed was the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory

Here's a Bing Map with some pushpins that explain the area.
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=r6mr6q ... 024B67!113

And I was able to locate a couple of Saw Whets

[img2]http://mrbirdnerd.com/2011/P3290692asm.jpg[/img2]

[img2]http://mrbirdnerd.com/2011/P3290713asm.jpg[/img2]

That close-up is fantastic!

Thank you, Matt. The owl was quite cooperative, even had it's eyes open for me. Spotted this one about 5 feet off the ground in a tree by the banding station.

Another great morning down at the woods. Got there just before sunlight, so I stopped to scan the bay as the sun came up. All sorts of activity on the bay, Mute swans everywhere, mergansers, long tail ducks, and pretty much right under my feet were 2 male and 2 female wood ducks.

Well the sun finally got high enough to give that deception of being warm, so I headed in.
Located 2 Saw Whets in the classroom area, and 2 more further down the boardwalk.

Walking further down the trail, I spotted a long ear. I went in closer to the tree, and spotted 1 more long ear just a branch away from the other. Decided to go back out to the trail and get on the other side to take advantage of the sun, and what do I see ? A 3rd Long Ear. All three in the same tree, just a few branches apart. Awesome morning, now I can go to bed.

Here's a couple pictures of the Owls. I'll photoshop them up after some sleep. Too tired......eyes blurry......must sleep.......

Saw Whet #1
[img2]http://mrbirdnerd.com/2011/P4010766sm.jpg[/img2]

Saw Whet #2
[img2]http://mrbirdnerd.com/2011/P4010777sm.jpg[/img2]


2 of the Long Ears
[img2]http://mrbirdnerd.com/2011/P4010783bsm.jpg[/img2]