A recent report indicated few birds along the West side of Cayuga Lake. Hoping then for an easy day of wave watching, little taxing of my ID powers, etc., this is where I went. Boy was I disappointed--birds up the wazoo. Starting at the Ithaca Yacht Club, the CORMORANT was there, along with 6 PIED-BILLED GREBES. North of the point at Taughannock SP were about 150 resting MALLARDS Sheldrake area showed 1000 CANADA GEESE, BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, 1 HORNED GREBE, 1 COMMON LOON, BUFFLEHEADS, C. GOLDENEYES, a few C. MERGANSERS, about 12 RED-BREASTED MERGS, 7 LONG-TAILED DUCKS, 1 CACKLING GOOSE, and a CAROLINA WREN. Saw a PILEATED WOODPECKER eating wild grapes along the road. There was a flock of around 100 COOTS out in the lake near Co. Rd. 124. This was a bit strange as I usually find them in protected areas (marinas, etc.) in the winter. Parker Rd. was the highlight. I stood on the shore and within a stone's throw were 2000 REDHEADS (the duck). I don't recall seeing that many ducks that close. There was a large gob next to me, then a long string, a couple of ducks wide, that stretched sinuously for 200', then a smaller gob. The big gob was 99% redheads; but I saw 6 male GREATER SCAUP, 3 male LESSER SCAUP, and 1 RING-NECKED DUCK. I didn't tally the female scaup, but there appeared a few more of them than the males. As I watched, a N. HARRIER slowly flapped over the redhead flock. Why was not determined, but the ducks seemed unfazed. The ice edge was a ways north of Parker Rd.-North, and I made out 3 BALD EAGLES--1 adult, 2 immatures. On Bonnie Banks Rd., a PEREGRINE FALCON emerged like a rocket out of some conifers and made a birdline for the shore, presumably after a duck dinner. And finally, there was a MUSKRAT at Dean's Cove (all by itself).
Steve Fast Brooktondale -- 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/[email protected]/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/ --
