Evening Birding
The group looking for the Yellow-throated Warbler
Last night I joined the “Birding Across the Chautauqua –Allegany Region” field trip to Allegany State Park. This was their 3rd fieldtrip which focused on the birds during the evening and nighttime hours, especially owls!! This field trip is sponsored by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Jamestown Audubon Society and the Pfeiffer Nature Center.
The Wolf Spider is one of many critters we found.
We never did locate any of the owls that were trying calling in. The guy who was renting Group Camp Allegany told me (this morning) that not long after we had left that a Barred Owl was snapping its bill at him when he went for a short walk near his cabin. I assume because the Barred Owl was there that those Screech Owls were afraid of vocalizing and being located (eaten). Although, we had a wonderful time together looking for many great birds like the Yellow-throated Warbler and Prairie Warbler (etc..). We then visited a knowledgeable guy who doing a star watch in the Church parking lot. I was their till 12:30 in the morning looking a clusters, asteroids, planets, satellite burst, etc.. (was fun)
This same group will be joining me at my next SWAT-MAPS banding session.
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
What a great combination–bird hunting and star gazing. I have done both of those activities, but I confess that was a long time ago.
8 June 2007 at 9:41 pm
Like KGMom, I’ve loved birding and star-gazing and need to encourage her to get going again. My son blames (alright – credits) me with his career in astronomy since it was the two of us that drug his telescopes through snow drifts to look at those amazing nebulae, clusters and planets.
Tom, I’d like to know the over-all length on that spider. Would you hear it moving through some leaves? *Shudder*
8 June 2007 at 11:31 pm
See; I told you stars are great, but you think you have to sleep at night!
9 June 2007 at 4:47 pm
@KGMom – thanks and was a blast! Now get out and enjoy the stars (they are good right now)!
@Cathy – I agree you need to do some for sure! I bet your son will take you out!! But, make sure it is warmer out (ugg cold in the snow)! The spider is about 1, 1 1/2 inches in lenght!
@ Grace – ya, ya, but I do need to sleep sooner or later!
10 June 2007 at 9:50 am