This afternoon I took a brief bike trip to the southwest corner of Cayuga Lake. I had to stop enroute at Cass Park to identify a raptor circling high over West Hill: an immature BALD EAGLE. Later from my vantage on the west shore of the lake I watched an adult BALD EAGLE fly from the vicinity of the white lighthouse west to the Hog Hole. It was carrying an unidentified piece of carrion with strips of apparent skin dangling and meat showing, and it appeared to try to take a bite in flight. It was followed for awhile by several hopeful (or possibly aggrieved) gulls.
The only gulls I could discern in flight, on the water, or on the ice were the usual RING-BILLED, HERRING, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS. Waterfowl on the lake included CANADA GEESE, GADWALL (few, mainly swimming near ice edge), AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, MALLARD (plenty in water and loafing on shore), REDHEAD (predominant), CANVASBACK, GREATER & LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK (a few males), BUFFLEHEAD (I think 2 males and 2 females in with Aythya), COMMON GOLDENEYE (out on lake), COMMON MERGANSER (at least 1 male out on lake), RUDDY DUCK (at least 1 winter male and 2 females in with Aythya). Among birds in brush around nearby feeders I heard a possible PINE SISKIN once but could not confirm it. Elaina, keep your eyes open for it! --Dave Nutter -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
