Sterling Nature Center 9/14/25

Twelve participants enjoyed perfect weather on this blue sky day by the Lake - Steve & Linda B, Lyn J, Matthew K, Martha M, Allyn P, Dave R, Sue S-V, Steve & Lori V, and new members Karen English and Jim Engel. Our trip included some exciting Monarch butterfly tagging; many thanks go to Steve, Linda and Matthew for providing this feature of our trip. A sign at the door of the Visitor Center said that they would be tagging butterflies as well, later in the morning. I wonder if any of "our" tagged butterflies were recaptured. 

Bird-wise, things were quiet and secretive. Much of the activity was near the creek - nuthatches, Yellow-throated Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee were seen there. 

We also had other wildlife encounters. Karen held a green? frog so a little boy, who was visiting with his mom and dad, could see it and touch it. Sweet! One of our butterfly wranglers caught the frog in a butterfly net as it sat next to the trail. We had a great look at a large garter snake that was lounging on the root of a downed tree. And I encountered a tiny dehydrated-looking snapping turtle in the middle of the grass trail that loops back to the VC. I took it to the observation platform and set it free. After a bit, it seemed to realize that it could swim and those little legs went from 0 -- 60 in a heartbeat.

Lyn Jacobs, reporting for Steve Benedict who, along with Linda headed for Canada and a tent in the woods. 

Sterling Nature Center, Cayuga, New York, US

Sep 14, 2025 8:16 AM - 10:08 AM

Protocol: Traveling

0.777 mile(s)

Checklist Comments:     The GPS track stopped working before we returned to the parking area.

31 species

Canada Goose  10

Trumpeter Swan  2

Common Merganser  3

Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1

Ring-billed Gull  2

Caspian Tern  1

Double-crested Cormorant  2

Great Blue Heron (Great Blue)  2

Turkey Vulture  3

Bald Eagle  3

Belted Kingfisher  2

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Downy Woodpecker  1

Pileated Woodpecker  1

Northern Flicker  1

Eastern Wood-Pewee  3

Eastern Kingbird  1

Yellow-throated Vireo  2

Blue Jay  4

Black-capped Chickadee  1

Tufted Titmouse  1

White-breasted Nuthatch  2

Gray Catbird  1

American Robin  1

Cedar Waxwing  1

American Goldfinch  8

Field Sparrow  1

Song Sparrow  1

Swamp Sparrow  1

Northern Cardinal  1

Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1