This afternoon I walked north along the railroad grade behind Cass Park to the southwest corner of Cayuga Lake, then around Treman Marine Park before heading home. The railroad grade was very quiet, perhaps because I was preceded by a RED-TAILED HAWK flying from pole to pole along the power lines ahead of me. I did see lots of AMERICAN ROBINS in the woods near my house, a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD near a thicket by Cass Park, and a NORTHERN FLICKER who was calling and drumming from the top of one of the flood lights for Union Fields. Apparently the reflectors make satisfactory resonators as well. There were also a few DARK-EYED JUNCOS along the way, and several SONG SPARROWS spaced at intervals and occasionally singing. I hoped for Fox Sparrow, but had no luck in that department. NYSE&G did some fairly brutal vegetation removal, so there's less brush than in the past. I did see one AMERICAN TREE SPARROW on the hillside by the lake.
The lake was relatively barren compared to a week or two ago. The south end is still a bit turbid, which I think deters some diving ducks, but more likely it's just the fact that ice has melted in Montezuma and beyond, so it's time for the big flocks to leave. There were a few RING-NECKED DUCKS along with 5 RUDDY DUCKS near the entrance to the Hog Hole, mirroring the situation at Stewart Park where the larger flock of Ring-necked ducks remained (initially) along with 8 Ruddy Ducks. A single male BUFFLEHEAD flew past, and I saw a/the pair of adult DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS first in the lake near the swan pond, then later beyond the piling cluster. Later a larger flock of Ring-necked Ducks and LESSER SCAUP with 1 male REDHEAD flew in from Stewart Park, scared off by a paraglider surfer.
The lagoon in the Hog Hole had some nice diversity: 3 male and 2 female COMMON MERGANSERS, 3 male and 1 female WOOD DUCK, 2 male and no female GADWALL, 2 or more male and 1 or more female MALLARD, 2 male and 1 female GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and 4 AMERICAN COOTS. The low-lying weedy field at the Hog Hole was quite inundated, but I didn't see any birds using it from my vantage on NYS-89.
Several flocks of CANADA GEESE flew northwards, plus a couple flocks of white SNOW GEESE.
I walked clockwise along the perimeter of the field north of the marina and was happy to see a distant EASTERN MEADOWLARK fly up and over me to perch atop a tree in the Hog Hole. After it switched perches I noticed a second Eastern Meadowlark with it, but I don't know if the second bird I saw followed the first one from the field or if it was what attracted the first bird to the trees. A few COMMON GRACKLES were along the wrack of the lakeshore. From the bank of Cayuga Inlet I could see a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS in the mouth of Fall Creek.
When I got to the marina I saw a bit of open water near the mouth and I hoped for a Pied-billed Grebe, but had different luck instead. A large pale immature GLAUCOUS GULL was standing on the ice along with a few HERRING GULLS and lots of RING-BILLED GULLS. They were all quite tolerant of me walking along the shore of the marina to get the best vantage for the Glaucous Gull's wingtips, so I rashly assumed I could send other birders to get a good look as well. I typed my message and sent it, but even as I was receiving my copy the whole flock took to the air. They took a long time to disperse, but eventually I lost track of the Glaucous Gull. I scanned the white lighthouse jetty but it only held GREAT BLACK-BACKED and Herring Gulls, and I couldn't find the Glaucous on the lake either. I hung around and after awhile Ring-billed Gulls and then Herring Gulls came back to the frozen marina, but I got chilled and left before the Glaucous reappeared. However, there was some entertainment in the form of a lone and very cute female GREEN-WINGED TEAL which alternated between swimming near and walking along the edge of the ice.
Other birds noted included a FISH CROW calling atop a tree south of the boat ramp, a male AMERICAN WIGEON with a bunch of Mallards in a large puddle in Cass Park, and a TURKEY VULTURE over east Hill. Male RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS have staked out much of Cass Park, but I have yet to see any females here. Omitted from this account are various small year-round birds.
--Dave Nutter
