Welcome Back, Spring!

Derby Hill Hawk Watching by Derby Hill

As we anticipate the first blossoms of spring, we also welcome back our feathered friends. Visit the Derby Hill Bird Observatory, a sanctuary of the Onondaga Audubon Society, to join this seasonal celebration.

Derby Hill is known as one of the best spring hawk-watch areas in the Northeastern U.S. due to its strategic location on the southeast corner of Great Lake Ontario. At this time of year, it is not unusual to see more than 2,000 raptors in a day. Indeed, the spring of 1995 saw a record number of Red-tailed Hawks sweeping through Derby Hill, (19,531 to be exact), and 4,591 of them were sighted in just one day – April 11.

In the 1950s, Scheider and VanBeurden recognized Derby Hill as a prime vantage point for viewing the spring migration. Then, in May 1997, the National Audubon Society officially designated Derby Hill as an “Important Bird Area.”

Bird movement is largely weather dependent and snow, heavy rain and strong northerly winds can reduce the number of migrating hawks moving through the area. Strong southerly wind-flows create the best conditions; however, some raptor families will fly even in “poor” conditions. Peak flights usually occur during the end of April.

Hawk counting began at Derby Hill in 1954 and daily counts started in 1979. Data are provided to the Hawk Migration Association of North America and used by state and federal agencies. Since then, a number of other significant sightings have been reported as well. They include a Swallow-tailed Kite in April 1976 and again in 2013, a Mississippi Kite in May 1990 and in 2008, and three Gyrfalcons, the latest spotted in February 1994. On October 7, 1979, a record number of mostly Parasitic Jaegers were counted and, in 1993, several spotters witnessed an immature White-tailed Eagle, a very rare sight south of Alaska.

A wide variety of hawks and migrant land birds from the tropics are regularly spotted in substantial numbers at Derby Hill. Other regulars include Bald and Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Eastern Bluebirds, Sandhill Cranes, Common Loons and Ravens, Blue Jays and American Robins. Occasionally, spotters will see arctic species such as the Northern Shrike and Short-eared Owl as they head north to their breeding grounds.

Check out these sightings…



Cooper's Hawk by Steve Kolbe

Red-shouldered Hawk by Steve Kolbe

 …and views from the picturesque birding site:

Derby Hill Bluff Overlook

 

Sage Creek Marsh at Derby Hill

Derby Hill North Lookout

Derby Hill Counting Board

 Here are some things to remember when visiting Derby Hill:

Ø  Seeing the flights of the birds is very dependent on favorable weather conditions. The largest groups of birds pass over Derby Hill when there is a low-pressure system from the west with a high pressure producing strong southerly winds.

Ø  Don’t expect to see hawks before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

Ø  Expect to have great conversation with out-of-state visitors. Derby Hill regularly receives visitors from out of New York State.

Ø  Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Birders are a very friendly and enthusiastic bunch, and love to share their extensive knowledge of identification with you.

Ø  If you plan to stay a while, bring a folding chair. Derby Hill has extras, but on a busy day, you take the chance of not getting one.

Ø  Bring lunch, binoculars, sunscreen and a hat or visor.

Ø  Dress warmly and in layers. Derby Hill is located on a bluff overlooking Lake Ontario and it can be more windy and chilly than neighboring inland areas.

Additional things to keep in mind when planning your trip to Derby Hill:

Ø  Leashed dogs are the only pets permitted

Ø  No camping, radios, ATVs or bikes are allowed

Ø  Smoking is permitted only when downwind of all other visitors.

Ø  Please remember to carry-in, carry-out your trash.

Come to Derby Hill for the 2014 Bird Festival! From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday May10, enjoy a full day of family fun including live hawk identification, birding and nature walks, kids’ activities, drawings, arts and crafts and a silent auction. Chomppers’ Smokin’ Barbeque will also be at hand with many succulent selections. Admission and parking are free.

The Derby Hill Bird Observatory is located on Sage Creek Road, just off NYS Route 104B in the town of Mexico. The observatory is made of up 90 acres and includes North and South Lookouts as well as Sage Creek Marsh. For more information about Derby Hill or the festival, visit www.onondagaaudubon.com.                                                                                                            

For more springtime fun, go to www.visitoswegocounty.com.

Cheers,
Kelly

Geocaching IS the treasure…

Over the last few months, we toured Oswego County to discover the hidden treasures – from trinkets to history - left by those who came before us. We owe a debt of thanks to Tim, our personal guide and savant, for introducing us to the excitement of geocaching.

Similar to the 150-year-old game letterboxing (see Jessica's blog), which uses clues and references to landmarks to find hidden treasures, geocaching also uses latitude and longitude coordinates on a GPS receiver.

A History Lesson:
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a radio-navigation system that provides accurate location information through the use of satellites. In May 2000, Selective Availability was removed and the accuracy of civilian GPS receivers was increased from 100m to 20m. The hunt was on!

The first-known cache was placed by Dave Ulmer in Oregon to test the accuracy of GPS. The coordinates were posted online and readers were directed to locate the “stash” using their GPS receivers and report back. There was only one rule: “Take Something, Leave Something”. Originally called the Great American GPS Stash Hunt, this new hobby eventually became known as geocaching and a Web site was developed to track caches all over the world.

A New Adventure:
Our first geocache search led us to find Dr. Mary Walker. We enjoyed the great outdoors and learned a bit of our local history, as well:

Dr. Walker was among the first women in the country to receive a medical degree and was cited for valor for going behind enemy lines during the Civil War to attend to the wounded. For these acts of bravery, she was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor, the only woman to receive this award. Among her many credits, she was a surgeon, a public lecturer and an early champion of women’s rights.

We had great fun in this multi-cache hunt! Using GPS coordinates and clues from the Web site, we found the first cache; which gave us the coordinates to locate the final cache. With the prize in hand, we took a token, left a token and signed the log book. Later, we went online and registered our find.

Careful not to include spoilers, we took these photos of our quest:

Our next geocache adventure led us to Mexico Point Park in the Town of Mexico. This time, we decided to hide a cache of our own! We had a terrific visit to the park and learned of its famous resident, Silas Town, an American spy and Revolutionary War hero. (See my post dated August 7, 2009)

Here are a few pictures of the park (again, no spoilers!):

It was equally fun developing clues as unraveling them! I cannot give you any further hints as to the whereabouts of this cache; however, if you would like to discover it for yourself, you can start online at http://www.geocaching.com/. Click on “Hide and Seek a Cache” and enter “GC1Z9RQ” in the GC code box at the bottom of the screen.

There are hundreds of caches hidden all over Oswego County. To find one in your neighborhood, visit the Web site listed above. Becoming a basic member is free, quick and simple. As always, please be mindful of your surroundings and respect area properties and environments.

Happy hunting, cachers!

Cheers,
Kelly

Trailing the snow…

As we took snowmobile to trail on our latest outing, I could not help but think of the famous words of Robert Frost,

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

Thus, was inspired to leave these not-so-famous words:

In this waning winter season, it was a true delight

to spend time in the northern reaches
of the county and enjoy the spectacular sight
of Mother Nature dressed in white.

With a special thanks to Patrick, our guide,
Who, along with friends George, Dave and Michael
Did take us on an exciting ride
by trails through the wooded countryside.

A joyous sport for the old and the young,
I entreat you to come out and explore
now, Be warned, it won’t be long
‘Fore this winter wonderland is too soon gone.

See here our journey’s imagery:

The Oswego County Snowmobile Association is comprised of ten local clubs dedicated to the promotion, development and improvement of snowmobile trails in our area. Volunteers groom and maintain more than 366 miles of trails throughout Oswego County. All riders are invited to join their local snowmobile club. For more information, call 315/676-7031 or visit http://www.oswcsa.com/.

Please be sure to follow the rules and regulations associated with snowmobiling and heed the Snowmobiler’s Code of Ethics:

• I will respect the rights and property of other people
• I will be a good sportsman and conservationist
• I will not harass wildlife
• I will lend a helping hand when I see someone in need
• I will respect the rights and activities of other winter sportsmen

Ride safely and stay on the trail!

Cheers,
Kelly

As it begins with Frost, so too, it must end,

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Winter in Oswego County...

As the holiday season took us directly into the trade show and tour planning season, we had precious few moments together. Therefore, we embraced every opportunity to enjoy our natural resources during this picturesque time of the year.

Here are some spectacular winter sights in Oswego County:

Be sure to visit these great festivals to celebrate the season:

Hannibal Winterfest
Saturday, February 7
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kenney Middle School
Sunday, February 8
2 to 5 p.m. at the Hannibal Municipal Building
Activities include: softball tournament, craft show, dog-sled race, snowshoe race, snow sculpture, tug-of-war, refreshments available
Admission: free

Phoenix Snowblast
Saturday, February 7
12 to 6 p.m. at the Farley Community Park
Activities include: outdoor snow softball tournament, sledding contest, snow sculpture, indoor crafts and games, refreshments available
Admission: free

Warm Up Oswego Festival
Saturday, February 7
12 p.m. to 12 a.m. at various locations in Oswego
Activities include: crazy costume sled race, snow treasure hunt, hot scavenger hunt, Warm Up Fiesta, Oswego Music Hall and ARTSwego events, fireworks, refreshments available
Admission: most events free, tickets needed for evening entertainment
Go to http://www.warmuposwego.com/ for more information.

Cleveland Winterfestival
Saturday, February 14
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at various locations in Cleveland
Activities include: chili cook-off, hot dog roast, bake sale, soccer in the snow, snowpeople sculpture contest, cross-country skiing, “Winter First Aid” and “Ice and Winter Safety” programs, Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance, refreshments available
Admission: most events free, tickets needed for evening dinner dance

For more information about winter lodging, events and recreation, call 315/349-8322 or go to http://www.visitoswegocounty.com/.

Cheers,
Kelly