There was a nice variety of water birds along Onondaga Creek today. There were the usual CANADA GEESE and MALLARDS at the Inner Harbor, along with a few DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. Also in the harbor were 27 HOODED MERGANSERS, a male COMMON MERGANSER, 2 hen COMMON GOLDENEYE, 1 RUDDY DUCK, and a PIED-BILLED GREBE. While scoping the harbor from the parking lot I was pretty sure that I saw an adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON standing on the shoreline under the Bear Street bridge, but by the time I walked down to where I had seen it, it was no where to be found.
Between Bear St and Hiawatha Blvd I found the 3 immature BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS perched together in what I am assuming is their “usual” tree on the opposite (mall side) of the creek. This is near where the new black fencing that lines the creekwalk begins as you are walking towards the lake. In the creek were plenty more Mallards, 33 more HOODED MERGANSERS, a few AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, a male REDHEAD and a male NORTHERN PINTAIL. As I approached Onondaga Lake, there was another group of Mallards milling about in an area where a small ice shelf had formed across the creek. Sitting on the ice next to a Mallard with an injured left foot was a male LESSER SCAUP. I did not see any eagles when I got to the end of the creekwalk, and despite the lake itself being completely ice-free, the only birds I could find on the water were a few gulls and cormorants and 1 COMMON LOON. On my way back to my car, I watched as a COOPER’S HAWK flew over the creekwalk and headed off in a northerly direction over the mall. Mickey Scilingo Constantia Oswego County, NY [email protected] 315-679-6299 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
