Hi all,
Ton and I spent today birding  up the east side of Cayuga Lake, ending at the 
Potato Building around 4 pm before heading back toward Ithaca with a brief stop 
at Rafferty Rd. in search of Short-earred owls (we didn't find any but did see 
a KESTREL). We started around 11 am at Stewart Park where there were still 
hundreds of Canada Geese and one handsome blue phase SNOW GOOSE.  In addition, 
there were around 30 REDHEADS, 5 RINGNECKED Ducks, 2 GADWALL, 2 male PINTAILS, 
~15 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 2 RUDDY DUCKS, a few BUFFLEHEAD and many Mallards, Black 
ducks and Coots.  There was also one CORMORANT near the red lighthouse and 
serveral COMMON MERGANSERS.  We didn't count gulls but present were Great 
Black-backed, Herring and Ringbilled.  From there we stopped briefly at Lake 
Shore Park where we found one female HOODED MERGANSER.
  From Rte 34, we turned onto Drake Rd. where we found one Redtailed Hawk, one 
TURKEY VULTURE, 2 MOCKINGBIRDS and 2 BLUEBIRDS.
  Next stop was Ladoga Park near Myers Park, which was empty, then Myers Park 
which had one HORNED GREBE, one  COMMON LOON, many Mallards, a few more COMMON 
MERGANSERS and another female HOODED MERGANSER, along with lots of the same 
assortment of gulls found at Stewa.t Park. We checked out the marina in Myers 
Park where we found one female WOOD DUCK.
  The SCREECH OWL was peeking out of his box in the Factory Rd. pond in Union 
Springs.  There were lots of REDHEAD DUCKS and GADWALL on the pond norht of the 
town.
   Aurora Bay had many Canada Geese and some Black Ducks and Mallards. 
Continuing north, we found TUNDRA SWANS in the lake just south of Mud Lock (no 
count).
  The wildlife drive at Montezuma was not too productive since most of the 
water is frozen, but at the north end there is some open water which had many 
TUNDRA SWANS and a few SNOW GEESE, along with many Canada Geese and assorted 
ducks and one mature BALD EAGLE.  Continuing north, we drove East Rd. but found 
the marsh to be pretty empty. We found 5 TUNDRA SWANS, and only a few SNOW 
GEESE.  More Canada Geese were visible from the Potato Building and one more 
BALD EAGLE, but not much else.
  One thing we noticed was that there were LOTS of Canada Geese in the air all 
day long. Large Vs of them flying inland from the lake.  Most of the day was 
clouded over with snow squalls here and there. When we turned south around 4 
pm, it started to clear and by the time we reached Rafferty Rd., the sky was 
completely cloudless. Was it sunny all day in Ithaca?
  A nice day out - and a good start to scouting for the Christmas Bird Count.
Have a wonderful Holiday Celebration!
Laura and Ton

Laura Stenzler
l...@cornell.edu

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