I went to Montezuma today. I only went to Mud Lock and the wildlife drive. At Mud Lock there was an Osprey and mature Bald Eagle in the trees. Below the eagle's nest were two cormorant and to the left were at least six more. The Greater Scaup was there too. I'm pretty sure it's the same one that has been there since last winter. It's missing its left wing just like the earlier one. It has changed its plumage, as someone else described.
The pool in front of the visitor center has been plowed and has a little bit of water. Many shorebirds were there. The best were three Wilson's Snipe. http://www.pbase.com/carol_keeler_photo/image/145425905 There were both yellowlegs and just one Least Sandpiper. The regular Canada Geese and gulls were hanging about. The drive wasn't worth doing since they were working and large trucks were driving back and forth moving dirt. The only thing I saw before they were scared away were some young Kingbirds. Out on the water was a cormorant, and gallinule, and in the banding area were two Trumpeter Swans. I couldn't see any shorebirds at the new area due to high grasses, but I heard Lesser Yellowlegs. Due to the work I didn't stop at Benning, but I could see shorebirds by the Thruway with bins. I drove back in near the Visitor's Center and where the cried up pond was, I saw a flycatcher which was probably a Willow, and an immature Yellowthroat. A male Bluebird dropped in to hawk an insect. Well, at least a few shorebirds are showing up at the center for closer viewing than on Towpath Rd. Carol Keeler -- 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/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
