+5 Gainful Employment, but Finger Lakes for Now

For those of you unaware, I've been signed on for a 6-month internship with the International Crane Foundation! I'm extremely excited to begin a new adventure on April 18. That's not the end of this blog, though.

In an effort to find something to keep my mind engaged during my layover in the Finger Lakes (where I'm staying with my sister and the two canine delights of her life, Coco and Bella), I will continue to update this here blog, weaving my tales and illustrating the wonders that this area has to offer. At least, the ones I take pictures of.

So for those of you who know little about the world of western New York...it exists. No, but really, it's an entirely different place from the area where I grew up, and most people tend not to give much thought to the state east of the Hudson River unless it's Niagara Falls. The pace of life in cities seems far less frantic, but that comes with its own brand of annoyances. During the summer (and even occasionally in the winter), it means tourists coming to take advantage of the many scenic landscapes or the plentiful wineries (there are well over 100). It's a very cool region, home to many, many lakes (I'm sure you're shocked); the Finger Lakes themselves are spread out across the area, and to the north, the mighty Lake Ontario separates New York from Canada. It's also home to magnificent gorges and waterfalls, such as those found at Letchworth State Park ("The Grand Canyon of the East"), as well as glorious wetlands and forests.

Lake Ontario

Taughannock Falls

Ithaca Falls

Chimney Bluffs State Park

Not much beats Letchworth State Park in autumn.

Though Watkins Glen in the summer comes mighty close.

What do I love this area for, of course? You should know the answer by now.

Note: Taken in the summer

Birds. Birds everywhere. Not only is the Finger Lakes region home to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the adjoining Sapsucker Woods, but a wide variety of lake and wetland habitat makes this place a perfect stopover point for migrating birds. Currently, waterfowl are moving north in vast numbers, particularly Snow and Canada Geese. Later in the spring, migrating warblers will take advantage of parks and wildlife reserves at both ends of the region's lakes.

A handsome male Long-Tailed Duck on the shores of Lake Ontario.

That white mass isn't snow, but Snow Geese.

A young Bald Eagle takes advantage one of the few fishing spots at Montezuma NWR.

If careful, you may encounter some other interesting wildlife as well.

Admittedly, much of what there is to do in the Finger Lakes region is based around 2 things; nature and wine. Wine-lovers will definitely want to make a pilgrimage to this area to taste some of the best Rieslings (perhaps the area's #1 wine type) to be had anywhere, in addition to stops for more unique wines. There's a little something for everybody, even the snobbiest of wine snobs, from the well-known and more traditional Atwater Estates, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyards, and Sheldrake Point to the eccentric Swedish Hill, the fruity wines and meads of Montezuma Winery/Hidden Marsh Distillery, and the medieval-themed Seneca Shores Winery.

An unmistakable label for the Pompous Ass Winery.

The view at Glenora Wine Cellars is almost as excellent as the wine.

Nobody can confuse Goose Watch Winery with its neighbors, for obvious reasons.

Until next time!

Full Frontal Feathered Frenzy

BIRDS.

Oh come now, you knew this was coming. It's me we're talking about here.

The Oregon Coast is a phenomenal place for birders and birding. The unique combination of habitats available here makes it possible to see species not as easy to find elsewhere. Additionally, because of its mild climate, it's the perfect place to witness range expansion over time.

Waterfowl are common in the bay and estuaries of of Newport. The main goose found out on the coast is the small, handsome Brant, but heading just a bit inland or a trip to one of Newport's parks (or even a beach) will give you a chance to find the all-too familiar Canada Goose. Dabbling ducks (mallards and the like) tend to avoid the deep salt waters of the harbor, but Northern Pintail and American Wigeon are easy enough to find in the estuaries of Yaquina Bay. Diving ducks are easily found, and present in a spectacular array of colors, shapes, and sizes here. The most easily found are probably the Surf Scoters, whose brightly-colored bill and white eyes starkly contrast with its dark body. Also found here is one of my personal favorites, the Harlequin Duck; the drake's intricately patterned plumage makes him stand out among his fellow sea ducks.

Brant grazing on the South Jetty road.

Northern Pintails (males have dark head).

Greater Scaup, drake.

Bufflehead, drake.

Long-Tailed Duck, female.

Surf Scoter, drake.

Harlequin Duck, drakes.

Common Goldeneye, drake.

Barrow's Goldeneye, drake.

Waterfowl are far from the only water-dwelling birds you find out here. Loons and grebes leave the water only to nest and lay their eggs, otherwise resting on the surface and diving for fish. Pacific, Common, and Red-Throated Loons call the deeper waters of the bay home, occasionally making their way to the Yaquina River. Horned, Red-Necked, and Western Grebes favor similar habitats, but are much smaller.

Common Loon

Red-Throated Loon

Horned Grebe

Western Grebes

Red-Necked Grebe

Cormorants, long-necked fish-eating birds who dive for their prey, are common throughout the area, but tend to congregate on perches with close access to the sea, including underneath the Yaquina Bay bridge and on docks. The thin, delicate-looking Pelagic Cormorants and the whiskered Brandt's Cormorant are the main species found here, but the large Double-Crested Cormorant is about when conditions are fair. A surprise for me came in the form of Brown Pelicans; my sources didn't really indicate they'd stick around for the winter, but they take advantage of food sources here for as long as possible before departing for warmer waters. Unfortunately, this led to a lot of pelicans being battered by storms or just starving, which meant I got to see a lot of pelicans at work.Still, the few that do well can be found with the cormorants out on the jetty or occasionally waiting for scraps tossed out by fishermen.

Pelagic Cormorants.

Juvenile Brown Pelican (and a Western Gull).

Brandt's and Pelagic Cormorants, and some adult Brown Pelicans (one of whom is feeling stretchy).

Without a doubt (and perhaps unsurprisingly), the bird that is most commonly seen on the Oregon Coast  is the gull, in all its forms. These birds tend to get overlooked by many as pests, but are remarkable for how they've adapted to the presence of humans, and have almost as diverse a diet as we do. Most gulls look fairly similar which makes identification a bit of a bother, but by carefully picking through the flocks, one can easily find that there are quite a few species around. The larger Western, Herring, and Glaucous-Winged Gulls dominate the area in winter, though California and Mew Gulls are well-represented as well. In winter, a few rarer gulls can be found, such as the comparatively small Bonaparte's Gull and the dark-hued Heerman's Gull. Further out to sea, it's possible to see Black-Legged Kittwakes, in addition to seabirds of an entirely different order, such as shearwaters, storm-petrels, and albatross.

Glaucous-Winged Gulls: A juvenile (top) and an adult who's bitten off more than it can chew (read:swallow).

Petite-looking Mew Gull

Heerman's Gull (circled) amongst a flock of Western Gulls.

The vast amount of coastline and mudflats out here allow for a spectacular variety of shorebirds. Loud Black Oystercatcher pairs inhabit rocky intertidal zones, where they use their long bills to pry mussels and limpets off rocks as well as reach into tiny nooks to nab tide pool critters. Semipalmated plovers and Killdeer, meanwhile, are generalists, foraging and resting anywhere they can, including puddles and tennis courts. Diminutive Red Phalaropes gather food in the water, spinning around in little circles, and Sanderlings pick at exposed invertebrates on the beach. Black Turnstones and Surrfbirds are the daredevils of the bunch, foraging on bare rock, just narrowly evading crashing waves.

Black Oystercatcher

Sanderlings (video below).

Black Turnstone

Surfbirds.

This area of the Oregon Coast is also home to several species of auks, including the charismatic Tufted Puffin. These birds are typically out at sea during the winter, but a few species can be seen from the shore, including Ancient Murrelets and Pigeon Guillemots, who frequent the Yaquina Bay jetty channel. When the breeding season rolls around, these birds take to isolated sea cliffs for protection from terrestrial predators. Common Murres congregate at Colony Rock next to Yaquina Head lighthouse. Pigeon Guillemots are a little less particular about what kind of isolated habitat to build their nests in, and have even nested under the Yaquina Bay bridge in years past.

A distant raft of Common Murres at Yaquina Head.

Looking perhaps a bit out of place fishing off the South Jetty in Newport, or more likely out on the estuary, Great Blue Herons are abundant across the coast. Other herons, such as egrets and night herons, migrate away from the area, but these lanky fishermen tolerate the rainy, colder months. American coots also frequent these waters.

Great Blue Heron

It isn't all about birds of the sea, though. There are plenty of terrestrial birds that take advantage of the Oregon Coast's mild winters. Raptors and falcons benefit from the abundant food sources and nesting sites. Peregrine Falcons can be found throughout the coastal area, nesting under bridges and on top of buildings, while American Kestrels can be found a little further inland. Ospreys, while absent during the winter, nest on various platforms across the city. Northern Harriers and Red-Tailed Hawks also do well here, in addition to a bird that has recently expanded into the area, the Red-Shouldered Hawk. Bald Eagles are a welcome sight, and thrive on the plentiful sources of fish. Naturally, Turkey Vultures can be found, but not during the winter.

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Area closed? Not to this American Kestrel.

Owls are also well-represented out here. Great Horned, Northern Pygmy, Western Screech, Barred, and Northern Saw-Whet Owls are able to exploit food sources year-round. Visiting owls also find their way to the coast, including the fierce-looking Short-Eared Owl, the majestic Snowy Owl, and the quirky Burrowing Owl. I was incredibly lucky to spot a Burrowing Owl in December, as they're somewhat of a rarity in the area.

Burrowing Owl (above and below)

The Oregon Coast is one of those neat little places in the country where you can find a bird usually associated with the most mild of climates in winter. Two species of hummingbirds are common in Oregon, and one, Anna's Hummingbird, remains on the coast during the colder, rainy months, sustained by feeders left out by people in addition to the plants that are still very much flowering.

Anna's Hummingbird

Insect-eating songbirds are another case of birds who normally would migrate from the north during the colder months when their food sources dwindle, but are able to hang around on the coast. Black Phoebes, who have only recently expanded their range this far north, and Tropical Kingbirds, usually found in warmer climates are on the larger end of this group of birds, with the tiny Yellow-Rumped Warbler and both species of kinglet (Golden-Crowned and Ruby-Crowned) falling towards the opposite extreme. All feed on insects, whether by catching them mid-air or gleaning them from tree bark.

Tropical Kingbird

Black Phoebe (above and below)

Yellow-Rumped Warbler

The noble Bushtit (yeah, yeah, go ahead and chuckle).

Other songbirds take advantage of the year-round availability of plant-based food, namely seeds. All manner of sparrows and finches, from the colorful Spotted Towhee to the marsh-dwelling Lincoln's Sparrow to the wacky-looking Red Crossbill, have adapted to exploit as many different types of seeds as can be eaten. Even birds that usually stick to fields find themselves taking advantage of the coast's abundance of food, like the below Lapland Longspur, a common songbird of the Arctic.

Song Sparrow

Spotted Towhee

Lapland Longspur

Then, of course, come the birds that you're probably used to, even if you don't always notice them. American Robins, Black-Capped Chickadees, Red-Breasted Nuthatches, Hermit Thrushes, and American Crows have found their place here as well, adapting to a life by the seaside.

American Crow (looks rather smug, if you ask me).

Chubby-looking Hermit Thrush.

eBird tells me that I saw 101 species of birds during my three and a half months on the Oregon Coast, and I barely even scratched the surface. 27 of those birds were completely new birds for me, bringing my life bird total up to 413. I aim to return to Oregon some day, so don't expect that 101 to be set in stone!