Hi all, I did one fourth trip around the lake from east side, meaning I just did a trip up to Union Spring with some routes away from the lake along the back roads and back. I started from back roads, via Warren road to Asbury. This route all I had of interest were two Red-tailed Hawks. I further drove via Benson to RT 34. Just after this junction there was a light phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK hovering over the fields. At Ladoga, there was a COMMON LOON and some 23 TUNDRA SWANS hanging around with other ducks and geese. Myers Point had a huge congregation of Gulls and Geese but nothing special.
I again hit Center road for larks and buntings. I did not see any, but I did see a female NORTHERN HARRIER and a KESTREL. Then I drove to Rafferty Road, another female NORTHERN HARRIER, a MOCKINGBIRD and several TREE SPARROWS were observed. Then I took Dixon and mostly no birds all the way to Poplar Ridge Road. At this junction, I drove down back to Lake. On the way I did see huge flocks of Canada Geese and in one field there were two SNOW GEESE. Last year on this date I had seen a big flock of SNOW GEESE on 34 B near Jerry Smith Road junction. Today it was empty. At Aurora from Wells College boat ramp, I watched a couple of HORNED GREBEs, a COMMON LOON and other common birds. By this time it became very cloudy and my eyes started to water in the wind, so I decided I will go up to Union Spring and fill gas and head back. I stopped at Factory St pond. An (or the) Eastern SCREECH OWL was sitting in the box such that his body was completely covering the hole and his head was pouring out of the box. He was so very cute! Lake is frozen from Union Spring onwards. On the way back just north of Levanna, there was a huge flock of Athya that looked like a big rocky island in the middle of the lake. Many ducks were in the air too. Further down near Mackenzie Childs there was a smaller island of Athya. In Aurora a GREAT BLUE HERON crossed the road overhead. From the cliffs of Long Point State park road, I heard a rattle of KINGFISHER. There were two adult BLAD EAGLES circling overhead. on lake Ridge Road, a flock of 20+ Horned Larks passed overhead. A COOPERS HAWK landed on a nearby tree. May be he was the one who disturbed the larks. Further down on the wire there were two BLUEBIRDS. Finally, I hit Stewart Park. I did not see the eider or the special gulls. I did see a PEREGRINE sitting on the snag near Cascadilla Boat House. I also saw the TUNDRA SWANS and I counted them and they seemed to be the same ones that were at Ladoga, but were now heading south. Also, I realized that I had not seen TUFTED TITMOUSE in last three months, but saw it today! Probably this is my last birding trip report for this year unless something flies in front of my office window! HAPPY HOLIDAYS and NEW YEAR to all! Meena PS: I also saw a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD on Lake Ridge road. Meena Haribal Ithaca NY 14850 http://haribal.org/ http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ -- 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 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
