With east winds and fair weather, Dave Wheeler and I witnessed a large movement of Tundra Swans today over the NE end of Lake Erie from the William D. Williams little league fields (Hamburg Hawkwatch alternate site) on Rogers Rd. in the town of Hamburg, Erie Co. The final tally from 12 to 4 pm was 2408 TUNDRA SWANS in 29 flocks, all of which were heading west at low to moderate heights over the solid ice cube of Lake Erie towards Long Point, Ontario. We also saw over 800 Canada Geese heading the same directions (with some in Swan flocks and vice versa), including one flock that also held 2 CACKLING GEESE. The hawk migration was rather slow with most of the activity occurring between 2 and 3 when the sun came out the temp. ran up to nearly 60 degrees. Two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (dark, and ad. m. light), and a juv. BALD EAGLE amongst a few Red-tails and TVs were the highlights. Small flocks of Blackbirds were also moving north throughout the morning and early afternoon, mostly Red-wings and Grackles, along with a MEADOWLARK, and at least 30 KILLDEER. After the flight ended around 4, we checked out Buffalo Harbor, and inside the breakwalls just south of Times Beach NP was a flock of about 250 mixed Athyha (Redhead, Canvasback, and Scaup), along with 8 Hooded Mergansers, 4 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 6 WIGEON, and 2 more Tundra Swans. Jim Pawlicki Amherst, NY
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