A late-morning / early-afternoon walk revealed that the southwest part of Cayuga Lake pretty well had the birds cleared out of it. The only Aythya I saw there were a couple of male Redhead carcasses held by one of half a dozen gunners in camo who had set up with a couple of grounded boats and a lawn chair in water a few inches deep along the shore of Treman Marine Park, while their dogs sat beside them on the beach. For live birds on the lake (greatly outnumbered by plastic) there were 2 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, 3 MALLARDS, a tight flock of AMERICAN COOTS, 6 COMMON LOONS in the distance (including a close group of 4 to the northeast), 1 HORNED GREBE in the distance to the northwest, and in the inlet 1 male REDHEAD listing heavily, 2 female LESSER SCAUP (1 with a disheveled wing), and 6 female BUFFLEHEAD. When the gunners packed up and left for the East Shore Marina, even before the sound, smell, and wake of their boats subsided, a flock of 1 male and 6 female HOODED MERGANSER flew from that direction to the southwest corner of the lake. At Stewart Park the ice was crowded with CANADA GEESE (including the domestic hybrid), MALLARDS, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, a couple of COMMON MERGANSERS, and plenty of HERRING, RING-BILLED, and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS. Off the ice off Stewart Park I saw 1 male and 2 female COMMON GOLDENEYE. The lake looked empty compared to the hundreds of ducks, geese, and swans that were on it a couple days ago, and I am sad despite the beautiful day. I look forward to the return of the survivors when it it safe.
Other birds included 2 separate NORTHERN FLICKERS, an EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 5 AMERICAN ROBINS foraging together on some lawn, 2 separate NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, 3 separate singing CAROLINA WRENS, at least 5 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS in a flock near the mouth of the inlet, a couple of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, a SONG SPARROW, lots of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, among other expected birds. Twice I heard but did not see a RED-TAILED HAWK, but once I suspected BLUE JAYS were to blame. --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 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
