American Avocets at Bennett Beach -
photo by Sue Barth ©
Scoping July
Many of our WNY breeding species have fledged their young by now. Your feeders are probably being visited by young Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, woodpeckers, Baltimore Orioles, Mourning Doves, and more! The American Goldfinch, however, is just beginning!
Shorebirds are beginning to arrive as they slowly meander south. You may find them at mud flats or along the shores of lakes and ponds. Dunkirk Harbor is a great spot to spend time at if you are hoping to see Western Willets or American Avocets. These two species are rare but occur here annually and most reliably after a thunderstorm which can ground these birds. You have to arrive at the beach early to beat the dog walkers and runners!
Some common species that we could see would include: Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, and Solitary Sandpiper. On drier years, the marshes at Tifft Nature Preserve dry up and provide excellent mud flats which attract shorebirds to our generally shorebird-habitat-starved side of Lake Erie. The north end of Woodlawn Beach SP also provides a suitable stopover site for species which prefer sandy beaches. Check in the vicinity of the creek outlet into Lake Erie.
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!
JOIN the BOS
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.)
Aug 11, 2019
BOS Travel Trip - Cape May, NJ with Pelagic Trip
Details: (click for more info)
Cape May, here we come again! If you attended the last BOS trip to Cape May in October 2016, this adventure will present quite a different suite of birds. This time of year is best for shorebird diversity. Neotropical migrants will be starting up and we have a chance at seeing the more southern specialties as they head south; Worm-eating, Prothonotary and Kentucky Warblers, Orchard Oriole and more. Local breeding birds should still be around so we will try to find ourselves Yellow-breasted Chat, Prairie Warbler and Blue Grosbeak.
We will spend a few hours one morning aboard The Osprey, a pontoon boat that will take us into the saltmarsh to get close views of shorebirds and hopefully Clapper Rail and Seaside Sparrow. This boat is very stable and we will be on calm waters so no ocean swells for your land lubbers!
Another morning we will spend a few hours at the legendary Higbee Dike where the annual Morning Count is conducted of migrants dispersing back north after a long night's migration. The Cape May Bird Observatory employs a counter every year to keep track of this phenomenon. While identification is tricky since most of the birds are flyovers, if the conditions are right, the experience will be a spectacle! Other hotspots will we visit include Cape May Point SP, South Cape May Meadows, Stone Harbor and Nummy Island. Of course a stop at the NJ Audubon gift shop will be figured in to make your wallet a bit lighter!
An option during this trip will be an overnight pelagic trip out of Cape May run by Paulagics. The date for the pelagic is tentatively August 11-12. Species we hope to see on this pelagic include Band-rumped, Leach's and Wilson's Storm-Petrels, Cory's, Great and Audubon's Shearwaters, Black-capped Petrel, Parasitic Jaeger and Red-necked Phalarope. It is a good time of year for White-faced Storm-Petrel and Bridled Tern as well! The pelagic will either begin or end the 4 days of our Cape May birding adventure. Therefore as soon as the pelagic date is set, I will then choose the extra days for land birding. For those interested in the land birding and NOT the pelagic trip, you can arrive before/after the pelagic and join the group. For pelagic trip participants, please check out the preparartions section of the Paulagics website http://paulagics.com/preparations so help you pack.
This is more of a heads up for the trip window so you can plan your next summer's schedule. Stay tuned for updates and details. Contact Alec Humann (alechumann@msn.com) to be added to the list of participants.
|
Aug 12, 2019
BOS Travel Trip - Cape May-zing
Details: (click for more info)
Stay tuned for details and email Alec if you're interested (alechumann@msn.com).
|
Aug 13, 2019
BOS Travel Trip - Cape May-zing
Details: (click for more info) |
Aug 14, 2019
BOS Travel Trip - Cape May-zing
Details: (click for more info) |
Aug 15, 2019
BOS Travel Trip - Cape May-zing
Details: (click for more info) |
Aug 16, 2019
BOS Travel Trip - Cape May-zing
Details: (click for more info) |
See all Events