I meant RING-NECKED not "RING-BILLED" DUCK on wildlife drive... Below is corrected report. just couldn't let this one go....
________________________________ From: david nicosia <[email protected]> To: [email protected]; [email protected] Sent: Mon, November 2, 2009 6:09:51 PM Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Montezuma and Cayuga Lake Monday Nov 2nd, 2009 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-NECKED 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 -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
