Today I joined Marc Devokaitis and Paul Rodewald for a section of Cayuga Lake's DEC Waterfowl Survey. We started at Taughannock SP North Point and went up to Vineyard Rd Ext (just south of Dean's Cove) up the west side of Cayuga Lake stopping at several small roads as well as CR 141 , Sheldrake Pt and Wyers Pt and Rd. We were greeted with excellent weather, and waterfowl numbers seemed high compared to previous years. Here are some highlights: 1 RED-THROATED LOON visible from Taughannock SP North Point to start the day, as well as two HORNED GREBES. Large numbers of REDHEAD in assorted rafts and flocks all along the route, as well as good numbers of SCAUP, and RING-NECKED DUCKS, and a ton of COMMON GOLDENEYE, some displaying as well as the ever-present CANADA GEESE, MALLARDS, and a decent showing of AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS. RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were out in force, seen from nearly every stop. Only a few COMMON MERGANSERS, and a handful of HOODED MERGANSERS seen throughout the day. 4 COMMON LOONS were all together on one of the small roads between Frontenac and CR 141. CR 141 to Sheldrake was quite productive many aythya, several HORNED GREBE (one pair actively displaying), TUNDRA SWANS, and MUTE SWANS, as well as 22 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS (the most I had ever seen, adult males, 1st winters and females all present. we tried in vain to turn any of them into a black or surf scoter) this flock of scoters extended from just south of Sheldrake point's southern spit north to Sheldrake Point itself. I only reported them from the CR 141 hotspot, though viewing and parking are likely equally good, if not better at Sheldrake. Wyers Point and road added 3 new species for the day 2 AMERICAN COOTS our only PIED-BILLED GREBE of the day and the only 3 CANVASBACKS Other highlights included a handful of SNOW BUNTINGS along the southern portion of CR 141 leading to the lakeside from RT 89, an AMERICAN KESTRAL perched somewhere south of Sheldrake (location is lost in the fog of ducks), a flyover BALD EAGLE adult, and a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER on Kingtown Beach road (which I do not recommend driving down without some serious AWD capability and good tires). and I turned up one GADWALL at Elm Beach Rd with a flock of MALLARDS. An excellent day for being out lakeside and counting the ducks! Thanks y'all! Good Birding, Josh
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