I have not been in the Montezuma area since Saturday, so I've been missing the show! I've been getting almost hour by hour updates though from many birders who have been out that way and...
It sounds like the Snow Geese have ARRIVED! The muck flats on Route 31 between Savannah and Montezuma (town) are packed with Snow Geese, swans, ducks, and Canadas! Many people have been enjoying them the last few days, don't delay until next week because it very well could be too late, and I can't predict how long they'll be around. If you go to look for them: -The gravel "pull offs" (which are used for loading/unloading equipment by the farmer) on 31 itself are privately owned, and I have no authority to grant people access to park there, however they've been used for a long time and the owners don't seem to mind. -please do not stop on route 31 or walk across! The traffic goes very fast through there and there is no safe place to get out of the way. -please look around before you leave, to make sure no litter, masks, bottles, etc. fell out of your vehicle when getting in and out -the fields along 31 are primarily private lands, although there is a strip of refuge owned land closer to the canal on the west side. There is no public access for people to be out in the fields either on refuge or private lands here -hunting may occur on these fields. Usually, decoys are set on the south side of 31. This is legal, the landowners can hunt or allow anyone to hunt there if they like, and snow geese are a well populated species that needs management. I have guided tours on the schedule this week, and Wednesday's tour has no one registered yet! It's going to be great birding; I can't believe it hasn't sold out yet. Here are links for more info and to register for upcoming tours: 3/9/22 https://act.audubon.org/a/montezuma-birding-tour-030922 <https://act.audubon.org/a/all-about-snow-geese-031022> 3/12/22 https://act.audubon.org/a/montezuma-birding-tour-31222 The full schedule of Montezuma Audubon Center events is listed at: Programs & Events <https://ny.audubon.org/montezuma-programs-and-events> And lastly, I am offering my All About Snow Geese presentation virtually Thursday evening! I have recently given this presentation, so if you already attended, this will be very similar. I do record them and if you can't make it Thursday night, if you register, I will send the recording to you afterwards. https://act.audubon.org/a/all-about-snow-geese-031022 If you use Facebook<https://m.facebook.com/MontezumaAudubonCenter/>, give us a follow- I'm trying to keep it updated over there and I posted a map of how to find the muck flats recently, it may be buried in the pics of the last day or so. Good luck! -- Alyssa Johnson Environmental Educator 315.365.3588 Montezuma Audubon Center PO Box 187 2295 State Route 89 Savannah, NY 13146 Click here to see upcoming programs and events!<https://ny.audubon.org/montezuma-programs-and-events> Pronouns: She, Her, Hers -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
