I spent the late morning and much of the afternoon at Newman Golf Course, the Cornell Biological Field Station (aka Jetty Woods), the whtie lighthouse, Renwick Sanctuary, and Stewart Park.
I think the biggest story was the number of grebes. In a single scan from the white lighthouse I saw 31 HORNED, 2 RED-NECKED, and 3 PIED-BILLED GREBES. Both Red-necked and most of the Horned were far to the north to northwest), but several Horned and the Pied-billeds were close to shore at Stewart. Late in the afternoon from the west end of Stewart I also saw what I believe was an EARED GREBE still in winter plumage south of East Shore Park. It had a small head, a straight vertical neck, no brown only shades of gray, and a lighter mark below and up behind the cheek. There were lots of variations on the theme of molting Horned Grebes, but I don't think this bird was one of them.
The Aythya flock now has several dozen REDHEADS, a few RING-NECKED DUCKS, and 1 female GREATER SCAUP in addition to lots of LESSER SCAUP. The 3 RUDDY DUCKS are still present, now with AMERICAN COOTS along the east shore.
In Renwick I saw 1 winter YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and at the swan pond I saw 4 more, including 2 males in breeding plumage.
I also saw a GREEN HERON along the edge of Renwick by the lagoon which borders Stewart.
In the golf course I found my first PURPLE FINCH, a male singing from the top of a tree.
TREE, BARN, and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS foraged variously over the Cayuga Lake, Fall Creek and the swan pond.
By the base of the red lighthouse were 3 CASPIAN TERNS and a small crowd of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. I saw only the usual 3 gull species.
An EASTERN PHOEBE foraged near the green suspension bridge over Fall Creek.
--Dave Nutter
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