On Wednesday Nov 23rd I picked up my son and his girlfriend at the Albany Train Station.  I crossed over the Lake TomHannock Reservoir around 3:30 pm and spotted the Mute Swains.  I caught them out of the corner of my eye and I saw five of them.  I crossed the reservoir three more times and over the Thanksgiving Holidays and did not see them.  I did see, on Monday, two common loons near the causeway.  

Yesterday I saw my first Hairy Wood Pecker at my feeder and today the first female red bellied woodpecker.  Yesterday I also had some crows visit, but fortunately they did not feed.  The strangest visitor was a solitary bee to the suet feeder.  I really do not know much about solitary bees, I am more familiar with the honey bee.  The last strange sighting of the day was a dandelion blooming in my front yard.  

Today a nice collection of birds along with the female red bellied woodpecker, Juncos, Titmouse, Chickadee, Cardinals, and mourning doves.  No Nut Hatches at the feeder but there are a number of them in the area, yesterday three in an old crab apple tree.

Happy Birding

Bob in West Arlington.