On Saturday afternoon, I finally got to take a drive along Wyers Road and Sheldrake Park in Ovid and test my waterfowl id skills I learned from the Lab of O on-line class (thanks, Kevin!).
Along the way (near the b&b) I saw 5 REDHEADS, about a dozen BUFFLEHEADS, 2 TUNDRA SWANS, 25 GOLDENEYES, 22 RINGNECKED DUCKS, and about 8 COMMON MERGANSERS. I am certain there were other birds I did not count or see very well. The COMMON MERGANSERS were quite actively engaged in courtship display, and it was fun to watch! They would circle about, stretch their necks upward pointing their bills to the sky, dip down into the water and then cozy up to a female while chasing away the competition. There was also much flapping and splashing about. I couldn't hear if they were vocalizing, however, from my perch above the cove. Michele Ovid / Interlaken www.bodyshopwellness.com www.thehaywardhouse.com -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
