Bob McGuire led a great trip today around Cayuga Lake.
Car-pooling from the Lab of O, the first stop was Stewart
Park, where I met the group. Waterfowl were sparse (we
heard gunfire from the west and north) and often hidden
behind the mounds of ice, but a highlight for me was a
female BUFFLEHEAD in a small flock of COMMON
GOLDENEYES. We saw only the 3 usual GULLS: RING-
BILLED, HERRING, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED.
On account of the bitter northwest winds and snow, Bob
decided we should go clockwise around the lake for a change.
But first we stopped by the Sciencenter at First and Franklin
Streets to check for FISH CROW among a small group of
AMERICAN CROWS, and several people heard both. As
we stood listening, there were two surprising flyovers, one
high SWAN (unidentified, but probably Tundra) headed
into the wind, and a MERLIN which first zoomed west, then
landed briefly on a distant pole, then zoomed back east.
Wondering if the swan had landed in the southwest corner
of the lake, we stopped at a friend's house on NYS 89, but
the water was empty. We saw a couple guys with guns
walking along the shore of Treman Marine State Park, a
possible factor. A few COMMON MERGANSERS flew
past, then a large flock of REDHEADS whirled in and
turned north as if to alight soon. Before we left we enjoyed
feeder birds including comparing field marks of DOWNY
and HAIRY WOODPECKER.
Next stop was the Ithaca Yacht Club, where we saw no
grebes, but one far COMMON LOON, and two each of
CANVASBACK, COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS,
along with a trio we saw at nearly every stop along the lake:
AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, and CANADA
CANADA GEESE.
Along Seneca County Road 153 in the Sheldrake area,
those 3 species lined much of the waterfront, with small
numbers of REDHEADS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, and
BUFFLEHEADS mixed in. There were also 2 separate
female GREATER SCAUP, a trio of GADWALL, and a
couple of interesting hybrids: a MALLARD x AMERICAN
BLACK DUCK (like an American Black Duck with a green
upper half of the head) and a CANADA x SNOW GOOSE
(white head & neck, but dark brown back, wings & breast,
and streaked gray and white under the tail). We had
good scope views of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS
farther away. There was also a COMMON LOON off the
point and a few individual GREAT BLACK-BACKED and
HERRING GULLS along the way.
We saw ROCK PIGEON, PILEATED WOODPECKER,
and HOUSE FINCH on our way to Dean's Cove where
we saw the reliable winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL. At Leader Road we found a pair of CAROLINA
WRENS as well as BLUE JAYS, NORTHERN CARDINALS,
and a RED-TAILED HAWK. From Bonnie Banks Road
we saw a lovely female NORTHERN FLICKER. Then
some of us saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK along NYS 89.
Coming into Canoga we saw a male AMERICAN KESTREL
on the wire. Lots of feeders at a house on Parker Road
attracted lots of birds, including an adult and an immature
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (which we thought were
firsts for 2011, but eBird shows that Nancy Dickinson saw
the species on New Year's Day in Mecklenberg). North of
Canoga near the ice edge we saw at least 2 BALD EAGLES,
including an adult and a larger and surprisingly dapper
immature. On the distant ice along with many resting
CANADA GEESE were many big creamy "pillows" - sleeping
swans! In one of the polynyas along Lower Lake Road we
had good looks at several more active TUNDRA SWANS.
A detour west to Van Cleef Lake in Seneca Falls revealed
another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL among the many
HERRING and few GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS on
the ice. A surprise bonus was a NORTHERN HARRIER
flying by in the distance. Heading east on 5&20, some of
us saw a flock of WILD TURKEYS in a roadside field.
After a lunch break at the Nice-n-Easy near Montezuma NWR,
we headed south. Next stop was River Road by Mud Lock
where we saw and heard a group of displaying TRUMPETER
SWANS. (We thought these were firsts for 2011 for the basin,
but eBird reveals that Leona Lauster reported them from
Morgan Rd in Savannah on New Year's Day.) Six of the eight
adults were bowing their heads, holding their wings half out
over the water, giving less musical braying honks than I expected,
and occasionally chasing one another very short distances.
The other 2 adults and 1 immature were not so active, though
the youngster was interested. There was also an adult
BALD EAGLE stationed near its nest.
From Harris Park in the Village of Cayuga we saw many of the
previously mentioned waterfowl, including many distant swans,
feeding in a large polynya. Here our group split up, one car
heading back to the Lab by 3:30.
The other car went to Lettie Cook Woods, where we found 2
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and glimpsed an unidentified
owl moving through the forest. In Union Springs' Mill Pond we
found several AMERICAN WIGEON and GADWALL among the
8 species of waterfowl.
Next we headed inland and eventually found 3 SNOW BUNTINGS
off Dixon Road and 7 HORNED LARKS on Shield Road. At
5:15pm we briefly saw a single SHORT-EARED OWL north of
Rafferty Road. We also learned that for permission to go north
of Rafferty Road by the red barn one should call Susan Close
(315)364-8824.
It was a great trip, which was surprising, considering the cold,
wind, and snow, and we found at least 52 species of birds.
--Dave Nutter
Car-pooling from the Lab of O, the first stop was Stewart
Park, where I met the group. Waterfowl were sparse (we
heard gunfire from the west and north) and often hidden
behind the mounds of ice, but a highlight for me was a
female BUFFLEHEAD in a small flock of COMMON
GOLDENEYES. We saw only the 3 usual GULLS: RING-
BILLED, HERRING, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED.
On account of the bitter northwest winds and snow, Bob
decided we should go clockwise around the lake for a change.
But first we stopped by the Sciencenter at First and Franklin
Streets to check for FISH CROW among a small group of
AMERICAN CROWS, and several people heard both. As
we stood listening, there were two surprising flyovers, one
high SWAN (unidentified, but probably Tundra) headed
into the wind, and a MERLIN which first zoomed west, then
landed briefly on a distant pole, then zoomed back east.
Wondering if the swan had landed in the southwest corner
of the lake, we stopped at a friend's house on NYS 89, but
the water was empty. We saw a couple guys with guns
walking along the shore of Treman Marine State Park, a
possible factor. A few COMMON MERGANSERS flew
past, then a large flock of REDHEADS whirled in and
turned north as if to alight soon. Before we left we enjoyed
feeder birds including comparing field marks of DOWNY
and HAIRY WOODPECKER.
Next stop was the Ithaca Yacht Club, where we saw no
grebes, but one far COMMON LOON, and two each of
CANVASBACK, COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS,
along with a trio we saw at nearly every stop along the lake:
AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, and CANADA
CANADA GEESE.
Along Seneca County Road 153 in the Sheldrake area,
those 3 species lined much of the waterfront, with small
numbers of REDHEADS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, and
BUFFLEHEADS mixed in. There were also 2 separate
female GREATER SCAUP, a trio of GADWALL, and a
couple of interesting hybrids: a MALLARD x AMERICAN
BLACK DUCK (like an American Black Duck with a green
upper half of the head) and a CANADA x SNOW GOOSE
(white head & neck, but dark brown back, wings & breast,
and streaked gray and white under the tail). We had
good scope views of RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS
farther away. There was also a COMMON LOON off the
point and a few individual GREAT BLACK-BACKED and
HERRING GULLS along the way.
We saw ROCK PIGEON, PILEATED WOODPECKER,
and HOUSE FINCH on our way to Dean's Cove where
we saw the reliable winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED
GULL. At Leader Road we found a pair of CAROLINA
WRENS as well as BLUE JAYS, NORTHERN CARDINALS,
and a RED-TAILED HAWK. From Bonnie Banks Road
we saw a lovely female NORTHERN FLICKER. Then
some of us saw a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK along NYS 89.
Coming into Canoga we saw a male AMERICAN KESTREL
on the wire. Lots of feeders at a house on Parker Road
attracted lots of birds, including an adult and an immature
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (which we thought were
firsts for 2011, but eBird shows that Nancy Dickinson saw
the species on New Year's Day in Mecklenberg). North of
Canoga near the ice edge we saw at least 2 BALD EAGLES,
including an adult and a larger and surprisingly dapper
immature. On the distant ice along with many resting
CANADA GEESE were many big creamy "pillows" - sleeping
swans! In one of the polynyas along Lower Lake Road we
had good looks at several more active TUNDRA SWANS.
A detour west to Van Cleef Lake in Seneca Falls revealed
another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL among the many
HERRING and few GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS on
the ice. A surprise bonus was a NORTHERN HARRIER
flying by in the distance. Heading east on 5&20, some of
us saw a flock of WILD TURKEYS in a roadside field.
After a lunch break at the Nice-n-Easy near Montezuma NWR,
we headed south. Next stop was River Road by Mud Lock
where we saw and heard a group of displaying TRUMPETER
SWANS. (We thought these were firsts for 2011 for the basin,
but eBird reveals that Leona Lauster reported them from
Morgan Rd in Savannah on New Year's Day.) Six of the eight
adults were bowing their heads, holding their wings half out
over the water, giving less musical braying honks than I expected,
and occasionally chasing one another very short distances.
The other 2 adults and 1 immature were not so active, though
the youngster was interested. There was also an adult
BALD EAGLE stationed near its nest.
From Harris Park in the Village of Cayuga we saw many of the
previously mentioned waterfowl, including many distant swans,
feeding in a large polynya. Here our group split up, one car
heading back to the Lab by 3:30.
The other car went to Lettie Cook Woods, where we found 2
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and glimpsed an unidentified
owl moving through the forest. In Union Springs' Mill Pond we
found several AMERICAN WIGEON and GADWALL among the
8 species of waterfowl.
Next we headed inland and eventually found 3 SNOW BUNTINGS
off Dixon Road and 7 HORNED LARKS on Shield Road. At
5:15pm we briefly saw a single SHORT-EARED OWL north of
Rafferty Road. We also learned that for permission to go north
of Rafferty Road by the red barn one should call Susan Close
(315)364-8824.
It was a great trip, which was surprising, considering the cold,
wind, and snow, and we found at least 52 species of birds.
--Dave Nutter
