Buffalo Ornithological Society
Birding Western New York and the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario

Bohemian Waxwing - © Sue Barth

This late-season Yellow-bellied Flycatcher photographed by Sue Barth at Woodlawn Beach SP on the 3rd underwent scrutiny against western species of Empids. Late season flycatchers should ALWAYS be scrutinized as western species do wander east in mid-late autumn.
Contributed by: Sue Barth

Don Dixon was rewarded while birding Forest Lawn Cemetery on the 3rd with this late Ovenbird.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Batavia WWTP is a fantastic rarity magnet. On the 2nd, Celeste Morien found a Red Phalarope. Birders who chased this bird on the 3rd were disappointed to find the Red Phalarope gone but this Red-necked Phalarope was a new drop-in. Photo by Brad Carlson.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Holly Sweeney took this photo of a Dunlin at Batavia WWTP on the 3rd. This species os one of the later migrant shorebirds to pass through the BOS Region. Note the fairly uniform gray-washed head and neck, long bill with droop to the end, distinct small streaks along the sides of the breast and this individual has a few retained rufous-edged scapulars and lesser coverts.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Black-throated Green Warbler was captured beautifully by R. Stineman at Harris Hill SF on the 3rd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Gale VerHague took this image of a patrolling Bald Eagle at Wright Park Beach at Dunkirk Harbor on the 5th. We can age this bird as a juvenile/1st year because of the relatively uniform dark brown body and marbled underwing. Also notice that the flight feathers are all neat and uniform. An older bird would exhibit primaries of different length as the newer feathers would be shorter. Eagles do not molt all of their flight feathers annually so mixed ages of feathers would be present in sub-adult b
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This juvenile Northern Harrier was photographed at Krull County Park by Willie D’Anna on the 5th. Note the deeply emarginated primaries, silvery-and-black underwing pattern and owl-like face.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Originally reported in September, this adult Laughing Gull continues at the Batavia WWTP. Here, photographed on the 3rd by Kyle Brock.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Karen Lee Lewis photographed this sweet-as-a-button Winter Wren in her Amherst, NY backyard on the 3rd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Woodlawn Beach SP is a great migrant trap spring or fall. This Black-throated Green Warbler was photographed by Sue Barth on the 3rd at this lakeside location.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Autumn 2020 is shaping up to be a nice irruption of several boreal forest species, including these Pine Siskins that Sue Barth had stop by her feeders on the 7th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

MEGA MEGA MEGA On Wednesday the 7th, strong SW winds accompanied with rain brought at least THREE Long-tailed Jaegers into the source of the Niagara at the Peace Bridge! One bird was an adult type while the other two were light morph juveniles, as shown here. Sue Barth took this photo...notice the pale head, almost completely pale breast and belly, and blunt central tail feathers (rectrices).
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another image by Sue Barth of the juvenile light-morph Long-tailed Jaeger seen on the 7th from the West Side Rowing Club near the foot of Porter Avenue. Note the pale head, ‘cold’ gray-brown tones, white shafts restricted to outer two primaries, elongated appearance to rump and tail giving the bird a long-and-lean appearance.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This stunning basic-plumaged Blackburnian Warbler was a nice find for Tony Dvorak at Tifft NP on the 10th; which coincidentally was the BOS October Bird Count!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Increasingly uncommon in WNY, this American Black Duck was superbly captured during takeoff by Sue Barth at Woodlawn Beach SP on the 10th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Ken Czworka captured this image of a Pine Siskin at Buckhorn Island SP on the 10th. Note the fine pointed bill, coarse streaking and deeply notched tail. Learning their flight call is also an easy way to pick out this species as a flyover while birding!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Joel Strong found this early season Lapland Longspur in an agricultural field in Lyndonville, NY on the 10th for the BOS October Count!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This handsome male Gadwall was photographed by Rhesa Sy at Dufferin Islands above Niagara Falls, Ontario. This was one of Fran Rew’s favorite ducks!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This American Pipit was very well behaved for Joel Strong as he photographed it picking a pill bug along the road in Lyndonville, NY on the 10th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Andrea Heine captured this image of an adult Peregrine Falcon over Mohawk Pool on the Iroquois NWR, Orleans County on the 7th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Rusty Blackbird was a nice find for Sue Barth at the Union Ship Canal on the 8th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Cape May Warbler was a nice find at the Union Ship Canal by Sue Barth on the 5th. Notice the yellow partial collar and fine breast streaking. Cape Mays can be quite variable in basic plumage and this looks like a ‘mid-grade’.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Always a nice find, this Lincoln’s Sparrow put in an appearance at the Union Ship Canal on the 5th. Photo by Sue Barth.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Joel Strong found a nice flock of American Pipits roadside near the intersection of Lower Lake x Burgess Roads in Niagara County on the 12th. This location has hosted shorebirds in the past as well!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Near the town of Millers, NY (south of Golden Hill SP) Joel Strong found this Ross’s Goose keeping company with a Snow Goose, a Cackling Goose and Canadas on the 12th. Photo by Holly Sweeney. When you have the two species of white geese together, it is easy to see the size difference!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Ryder Shelley caught up with this Red-necked Grebe at an odd location...the Buffalo River at Seneca Bluffs Natural Habitat Park on the 13th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

A very very nice find by Sue Barth was this Nelson’s Sparrow on the 13th at Beaver Island SP. The bird was in the newly restored marsh on the east side, just south of Blue Water Marina.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another image of Barth’s superb find Nelson’s Sparrow from Beaver Island SP on the 13th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another Nelson’s Sparrow, this one at Conewango Swamp WMA in Cattaraugus County, was a great find by Joe Mitchell on the 4th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Unusual visitor to the campground pond at Evangola State Park on October 12th, a Surf Scoter. They are usually found out in the lake.
Contributed by: Matthew Nusstein

On the morning. Of the 16th, after a string cold front passage, Gale VerHague found this Cattle Egret on the Main Street beach at Dunkirk Harbor.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Accompanying the Cattle Egret was this brace of American Avocets along the Dunkirk Harbor Main St. Beach on the 16th. Gale VerHague found and photographed these birds.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Virginia Rail is staying a bit late in the season at Beaver Island SP where it was photographed by Bruce Hoover on the 14th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

A great study of a Blue-headed Vireo eating what looks to be a Crane Fly on the 12th at Sturgeon Point by Sue Barth.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

A random encounter with a Barred Owl in downtown Buffalo . I went to see which hawk the crows were mobbing and boy did I get a surprise!! Photo by Shelley Seidman on the 19th.
Contributed by: Shelley Seidman

While looking for Nelson’s Sparrow at Conewango Swamp WMA, Ketry and Robinson flushed this late season Bobolink on the 14th. Photo by Bruce Robinson.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another image by Bruce Robinson of the Nelson’s Sparrow at Conewango Swamp WMA on the 14th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This White-eyed Vireo was a very nice find for Dave McCreery at Forest Lawn Cemetery on the 14th!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This red morph Eastern Screech-Owl was a nice find at Beaver Meadow Audubon Sanctuary on the 22nd. Photo by Tom Kerr.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Evening Grosbeaks have made it to Orchard Park! Matt Holquist photographed these birds, part of a flock of 9, in his yard on the 23rd!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Another image by Matt Holquist of Evening Grosbeaks, 9 altogether, visiting his Orchard Park yard on the 23rd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Walter Parker photographed this male Evening Grosbeak under his feeder in Fort Erie, Ontario on the 23rd.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Also on the 23rd, these beauties arrived at the Medina, NY backyard feeder of BOS member, Celeste Morien. Evening Grosbeaks are currently staging a nice flight into the WNY region!
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Andrea Heine photographed this Cattle Egret at Kumpf Marsh, INWR on the 25th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This amazing find, a juvenile Purple Gallinule, was photographed by Levi O’Brien at Franklinville Elementary School on the 23rd. This bird appeared after the passage of a strong warm front.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Celeste Morien photographed this Cattle Egret at Kumpf Marsh, INWR on the 25th. Bird originally found by Andrea Heine.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This adult Trumpeter Swan was an unexpected drop-in at Reinstein Woods NP on the 30th. Photo by Chris Hollister.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Hannah Dodington photographed this immature Little Gull along the Niagara River from Fort Erie on the 29th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

An unexpected migrant on the 30th was this migrating Short-eared Owl photographed by Hannah Dodington from the Port Weller, Ontario east pier. This species is occasionally observed during daylight hours in the region during spring and fall at migration outlooks.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Common Redpoll, part of a mixed finch flock at Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant on October 31st. Photo by Shelley Seidman.
Contributed by: Shelley Seidman

Pine Siskin found by Shelley Seidman at the Batavia WWTP on October 31st.
Contributed by: Shelley Seidman

One of 8 Dunlins present at the Batavia WWTP on the 31st. Photo by Shelley Seidman.
Contributed by: Shelley Seidman

This Purple Sandpiper entertained many birders along the Port Weller east pier on the 31st. This image captured by Ryan Griffiths.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This little dynamic duo made for a nice composition for Joshua Vandermeulen from the Port Weller east pier, Niagara Region on the 31st. Dunlin on the left and Purple Sandpiper on the right.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This Common Redpoll was photographed by Andrea Heine at Golden Hill SP on the 31st.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This beautiful adult male Northern Harrier made for a nice photo subject for Sue Barth at Winter’s Pond, Langford, NY on the 26th.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

This phenomenal record of a Prothonotary Warbler on the extremely late date of 18th suggests this bird may have been a reverse-migrant. Melanie Streeter photographed this bird along the Wag Trail, just south of Wellsville, NY in Alleghany County.
Contributed by: Alec Humann

Five Brant paid a quick visit to the marina at Sturgeon Point.
Contributed by: Sue Barth