Hi all,
Ton Schat and I birded along Cayuga Lake and through Montezuma NWR and then
along route 89 to the Montezuma Audubon Center today, between noon and 4 pm.
Not much on the lake itself, but here are the highlights.
We started at Myers where we found many, many roosting RING-BILLED GULLS and 2
SNOW BUNTINGS, which were along the shore near the bird info kiosk. Along Rte
34 we saw several flocks of TURKEYS. The Union Springs pond along Rte 90 held
a few MALLARDS and 9 BUFFLEHEAD. Just past Aurora, we turned left onto Ellis
Road in Levanna and found one COMMON LOON off of Ellis Point. From River Road,
by the Lock at the north end of the lake, we saw one adult BALD EAGLE perched
above the nest that is in the trees south of the lock (not the nest at the
lock).
At Montezuma NWR, we drove the wildlife drive and saw the following, as
submitted to ebird. I did not include numbers, but there were LOADS of ducks,
especially American Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler and Coots. Of note was one
EURASIAN WIGEON, which gave us great views as it was fairly close to the road.
Montezuma NWR--Main Pool, Seneca, New York, US
Nov 4, 2016 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.5 mile(s)
17 species (+2 other taxa)
Canada Goose X
Trumpeter/Tundra Swan 5 (too far to ID which)
Gadwall X
Eurasian Wigeon 1
American Wigeon X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Northern Pintail X
Canvasback X
Redhead X
Ring-necked Duck X
Greater/Lesser Scaup X
Common Merganser X
Ruddy Duck X
Pied-billed Grebe 10
Northern Harrier 2
American Coot X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Tschache Pool held many ducks, which we didn't examine closely but we did see 3
adult and 1 immature BALD EAGLES. May's Point Pool had a similar mix of ducks
to the Main Pool. From there we drove up Rte 89 to the Montezuma Audubon
Center. About 0.5 miles before the Center we found a group of 39 TRUMPETER
SWANS, resting in a field on the west side of Rte 89. There were both adults
and juvenile birds, sleeping, preening, drinking from puddles and standing
around. Nearby was also a huge mixed flock of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and
GRACKLES.
And the sun even came out!
Cheers!
Laura
Laura Stenzler
l...@cornell.edu
Ithaca, NY
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