Black-legged Kittiwake at Unity Island in 2013 © Sue Barth
Scoping November
Most people think of the month of November as being dark and gloomy, but not so for birders! We have exciting changes taking place in the BOS region - especially along the Niagara River, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.
Birds on the move include : ducks, brant, swans, gulls, and geese. Look for flocks of Brant along Lake Ontario, watch the skies for Snow Geese, and start scoping the river for building rafts of ducks and swans.
American Tree Sparrows will replace our Chipping Sparrows, Northern Shrikes, Rough-legged Hawks, Snowy and Short-eared Owls will be turning up along roadways, waterways, and in the countryside.
Flocks of gulls will be building and we should start seeing some of the white-winged gulls like Glaucous and Iceland. We hope the large flocks of Bonaparte's will visit us this year. They've been missed the last two years! The Little Gull is a regular visitor, so keep your eye out for that, our smallest gull too.
Strong weather systems could bring jaegers closer to shore and maybe gift us with rarities such as Franklin's Gull, Sabine's Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, and Red or Red-necked Phalarope.
November can be a very exciting month: November 2013 brought the famous Elegant Tern to Buffalo and a Lark Sparrow to Fort Erie, November 2014 brought a Eurasian Tree Sparrow to Niagara on the Lake, an Evening Grosbeak to the town of Wilson, and a Tufted Duck to the Niagara River (and again in 2018 and 2019!), and November 2015 brought a White-eyed Vireo to the Buffalo area, a Yellow-throated Warbler to Fort Erie, Cave Swallows to Lake Ontario, and a Black-headed Gull to the Niagara River. What will this year bring?!
The Buffalo Ornithological Society, Inc. (BOS) was established in 1929 to promote the study of the birds of the Niagara Frontier Region. Annual grants are awarded by the BOS to fund member-sponsored avian research projects. We are proud of our extensive scientific research databases, our continuing involvement in environmental and conservation activities that impact birds, and our promotion of the enjoyment of ornithology.
The BOS coverage area includes Western New York and parts of nearby Ontario, Canada. This region is rich in bird life with over 380 species and 25 recognizable subspecies of birds recorded. Explore our site to learn more about where to report and find birds, both regional specialties and rare visitors.
The Buffalo Ornithological Society has something to offer to anyone passionate about birds: from the backyard feeder- watcher, the avid lister or the environmental activist, to the dedicated citizen scientist or the professional ornithologist. Society activities include regular programs, field trips, intensive long-term bird counts, checklist and date guide development, varied research activities, and involvement in local conservation efforts. We invite you to join in the activities of the society!
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New Conservation Issues Added!
BOS members, Marilyn Feuerenstein would like to make us all aware of two major conservation issues. Please read up on the latest two items posted to our Conservation Page.
Upcoming Field Trips and Events
For a full list of our upcoming field trips, meetings, and events, visit our calendar page. You don't have to be a member to join our field trips or meetings! (Note that meetings run from September through June.)
Nov 06, 2024 (Wednesday)
November Meeting and Vaughn Lecture: Dr. Jessie Williamson; Avian migration, physiology, and speciation at elevational extremes
Details: (click for more info)
Buffalo Museum of Science
Dr. Williamson will discuss her research on birds that make extreme seasonal shifts in elevation during migration, and will talk about how these movements affect ecology, evolution, and physiology. She will focus on her recent work with giant hummingbirds (Patagona spp.) in Peru and Chile, in which she's combined migration tracking, genomics, and field physiology to uncover a spectacular long-distance migratory journey with an extreme elevational ascent – and a cryptic speciation event, resulting in description of the world's largest hummingbird species.
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Nov 23, 2024 (Saturday)
Field Trip - Dunkirk Harbor with Devin Banning and Katelyn Davis
Details: (click for more info)
Dunkirk City Pier
Leaders: Katelyn Davis and Devin Banning (716-260-8889) Devin.Banning@fredonia.edu
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Meeting time: 9:00am
Place: Dunkirk Harbor Pier
Alternate meeting place (to be used if pier is closed): Dunkirk Memorial Park (just west of the pier on Route 5)
This trip will be targeting newly arrived waterfowl that use the Dunkirk Harbor and the surrounding area to winter. It is not unusual to see over a dozen species of waterfowl in a morning here!
We will also be looking for gulls and shorebirds along the way, as well as the harbor’s resident Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. Bring a scope if you have one, if not we can share!
Depending on recent bird reports from surrounding hotspots, we may choose to bird Point Gratiot, the Berry Road Marsh and/or Lake Erie SP after birding the harbor. Dress for the weather, there is often a breeze coming off the lake.
Common Loon photographed by Gale VerHague at Dunkirk Harbor on November 7, 2023.
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Dec 01, 2024 (Sunday)
Field Trip - Niagara River with Tom O’Donnell and the RBA
Details: (click for more info)
Ft Niagara SP, Youngstown, NY
Leader is Tom O’Donnell
Tmodonnell@roadrunner.com
(716) 622-5185
This is a joint field trip with the Rochester Birding Association
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the large parking lot overlooking Lake Ontario at Fort Niagara State Park in Youngstown. From here we will scope the lake for waterfowl, loons and gulls. This is a good location for White-winged Scoter and Long-tailed Ducks. This location has hosted rarer birds such as King Eider, Razorbill and Western Grebe in years past.
We will check the usual locations on the US side before crossing into Canada; Goat Island/Three Sisters and the Whirlpool. A stop at St Peter’s Church on Center Street in Lewiston should add wintering Turkey and Black Vultures to our day list.
This will be an all-day trip that will cross through customs into Canada. Participants MUST bring passports or Enhanced Driver’s licenses if you want to continue the trip into Canada. Here we will peer down upon the lower Niagara for white-winged Gulls as well as possible Little Gulls.
Be prepared for potentially cold weather/wind. Would be easiest for participants to bring their own lunches/snacks and beverages…dig out your thermos! If you have a spotting scope, this would be a great trip to bring it to!
Leaders: Tom O’Donnell of the Buffalo Ornithological Society (BOS) 716-622-5185 or tmodonnell@roadrunner.com and from the Rochester Birding Association (RBA) - Neal Reilly 518-256-9147, co-leader Cathy Ballard 585-322-2621
Photo of a male Long-tailed Duck from Ft Niagara SP in March 2016 by Tony Dvorak.
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Dec 11, 2024 (Wednesday)
Meeting - Holiday Celebration
Details: (click for more info)
Buffalo Museum of Science
Annual Holiday Celebration at 7:00 PM in the Cummings Room of the Buffalo Museum of Science.
Please bring a treat to share and enjoy an evening of birding friendship.
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