From the dock of the Wells College boathouse in Aurora this afternoon
I saw 5 HORNED GREBES, 1 AMERICAN COOT, 3 REDHEADS, and
quite a few distant COMMON GOLDENEYE, CANADA GEESE, and
MALLARDS, and some AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS on the lake. To the
north I saw a distant flying adult BALD EAGLE. To the east I saw and heard
a nearby PILEATED WOODPECKER. But the surprise was to the south,
walking along the dirty snow of the shoreline: an AMERICAN PIPIT.
Despite calm water, although there was heat shimmer fairly far out, and
some sun glare, I saw no Eared Grebe. A rather half-hearted search for
the Mute Swans in the Long Point area was unsuccessful, but I did find
3 adult TUNDRA SWANS swimming near shore to the south, as were 3
male RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS.
--Dave Nutter
