Took a trip to Montezuma today via the west side of Cayuga Lake
on the way up and down the east side on my way back. Below
are my notes from the trip...
Treman Park (on the canal where the rowing teams practice)- 24 BRANT
Lower Lake Road- not much, just several flocks of BLACK DUCKS,
and RING-BILLED and HERRING GULLS.
Montezuma NWR Visitor's Center- 10-12 DUNLIN, several
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and 4 BONAPARTE'S GULLS
(winter plumage) amid a flock of RING-BILLED GULLS. They were
pretty close to the observing deck which afforded great close-up views
through bins and scope. also present at the visitor's center were
hoardes of CANADA GEESE, 10-12 GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
several PINTAIL, 2 AMERICAN WIDGEON, and NORTHERN
SHOVELER. There were the usual NORTHERN HARRIERS flying
low over the nearby reeds and I just missed an adult BALD EAGLE
according to some folks that had been there before I arrived.
Montezuma Wildlife Drive- I estimate thousands of waterfowl
with RING-BILLED DUCKS being the most numerous (besides the CANADA
GEESE!) with PINTAIL second. I did not attempt to count them! There were
also several to dozens of CANVASBACK, SCAUP(believe they were lessors),
REDHEAD, RUDDY DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN
WIDGEON, GADWALL, MALLARD, BLACK DUCK, PIED-BILLED
GREBE, and AMERICAN COOT. At the bend of wildlife drive near
the new mudflat area, there was ROUGH-LEGGED
HAWK perched in a willow tree.
Tschache Pool- dozens of AMERICAN WIDGEON (could not find
EURASIAN), 10-20 GADWALL, 1 female BUFFLEHEAD, several
RING-NECKED DUCK, several PIED BILLED GREBE, and
only 1 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT.
Knox-Marcellus Marsh on East Road-
14 SANDHILL CRANES!! they were on the edge of the water
on the side nearest to East road which afforded great views through
the scope and even with 10X bins. Of course, I forgot my camera.
So a wonderful digi-scoping opportunity was lost!! There were also
several thousand SNOW and CANADA GEESE and other typical
waterfowl mixed in(AMERICAN WIDGEON, MALLARD,
BLACK DUCK etc).
On the way home...stopped at Aurora and from the swimming
platform across from Wells College saw 5 COMMON LOONS
out over the middle of the lake. There were also scores of CANADA
GEESE with MALLARD, and RING-NECKED DUCKS mixed in.
At Long Point State Park- highlight of day for me was about
25 BLACK SCOTERS. They were pretty far out in the middle
of the lake but "scope-able". There were also several COMMON
LOONS.
Ran out of time as darkness comes early now, so didn't get to
Stewart Park or Myer's. Maybe next time!
Dave Nicosia
Johnson City, NY
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