On Tuesday afternoon (5 March 2013) there was still a flock of hundreds of REDHEADS near the docks by the southwest corner of Cayuga Lake. Mixed in were a few RING-NECKD DUCKS and LESSER SCAUP, 4 GREATER SCAUP, 1 CANVASBACK, and at least 20 RUDDY DUCKS. Out in the lake were 11 HOODED MERGANSERS (mostly far to the north), and tight group of 4 HORNED GREBES, 2 female RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, and a smattering of COMMON GOLDENEYE. Along the shore of Treman Park were 3 NORTHERN PINTAIL. Near Stewart Park's ice edge was a single LONG-TAILED DUCK.
As of late Thursday afternoon (7 March 2013), all of the above were gone (zero Aythya) except for 23 RUDDY DUCKS and 3 COMMON GOLDENEYE. There were still 24 COMMON MERGANSERS out in the lake, and a flock of 20 AMERICAN WIGEON still foraged at the mouth of the Hog Hole. Of course there were still MALLARDS along the shore of the parks with at least 7 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, a few CANADA GEESE, and on the Stewart Park ice shelf hundreds of HERRING, RING-BILLED, and (especially on the red lighthouse breakwater) GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS. A pair of BUFFLEHEADS foraged in Cayuga Inlet and a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS flew south along Cass Park. It's possible some of that exodus was due to the presence of an adult BALD EAGLE in the Hog Hole area, and it's possible that I wasn't able to see as much on the lake in Thursday's rougher water, but I suspect all those birds joined the recent movement toward the north end of the lake and the mucklands.
Saturday will still have north winds, and I hope to get north to check it out, but Sunday the winds will turn south again, and maybe the Snow Geese at least will leave.
--Dave Nutter
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