FLCC Trails 11/8/25

EBS field trip report: Nov 8, 2025

Place: Finger Lakes Community College (Ontario Co.), Ontario, New York, US

Time: 2 ½ hours

Distance: 1.471 miles

Species: 21

Attending: Linda & SteveB, JonG, HollyN, LynJ, AllynP, RichR, SueS-V, Steve & LoriV and SaralindaH

We assembled at 8:00AM and walked a clockwise direction that included some of the inner loop trails. After some bird action at the dump pile, the woods was eerily quiet. A subgroup briefly explored the boardwalk but were disappointed to find that it was too treacherous to be safe. There was a discussion about funding, responsibility, liability and lack of accessibility to a great birding spot. Soon after, the American Tree Sparrow became the bird-of-focus. We had good views and a definite ID. Further along, the bird-of-the-moment was the Red-breasted Nuthatch…two of them!  At the trip’s conclusion, many adjourned to the Lafayette Restaurant for breakfast.

Canada Goose  34

Mourning Dove  4

Ring-billed Gull  2

Cooper's Hawk  2  A pair, circling together.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1

Downy Woodpecker  4

Northern Flicker  2

Blue Jay  3

American Crow  1

Black-capped Chickadee  6

Red-breasted Nuthatch  2

Carolina Wren  5

European Starling  1

American Robin  1

Cedar Waxwing  5

American Goldfinch  3

American Tree Sparrow  1     This bird was skulking about in dense shrubbery and behaving like a sparrow. We had good views of a blueish breast/belly with a rufous crown and a breast spot. A quick consult with Merlin showed the exact coloration of our bird in photo 7 of 9. We stayed with it until we could all agree.

Dark-eyed Junco  7

White-throated Sparrow  2

Red-winged Blackbird  6

Northern Cardinal  5