Thanks to Jerry L. for posting the sighting earlier to Geneseebirds. As previously stated, both KING EIDERS were mostly hanging out together and loosely amongst Common Mergansers and Scaup in the area of open water between ice flows and the 2nd and 3rd breakwalls looking WSW from the concrete tower at Erie Basin Marina. A scope is definitely needed as is a walk up the tower as the birds were roughly 3/4 mile away and likely would not have been visible from ground level, although still identifiable from the tower in the early morning E light. A few times they got up and flew around, and at one point landed much closer between the 1st and 2nd breakwalls, allowing us to see that they were actually a hen and 1st-winter drake as opposed to the initial ID as both hens. Lots of other ducks around including thousands of Goldeneye, Bufflehead, and at least 15,000 Scaup, the latter of which put on a spectacular show at one point as they all got up and circled around en masse before half the group flew out over the mostly unfrozen lake. Also notable was a flock of 5 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS that flew in high overhead off the lake before circling the harbor several times and then continuing off to the north.
To reach the Erie Basin Marina in the city of Buffalo from the 190 N or S, take exit 6 Elm St. about 0.1 mile to Swan St. Left on Swan past the Bison's field, which after 0.4 mile will "T" at Franklin St. Instead of an immediate left on Franklin, continue straight-left onto Erie St. (this turn can be confusing and is more easily seen on map) which will eventually take you under the 190 overpass past the Hatch Restaurant and to the marina and tower. Jim Pawlicki Amherst, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
