Today’s trip "around the lake” was just about the best winter birding trip here that I can remember! And it’s too bad that only four people joined me.
We started off at the south end of the lake, just up from Stewart Park, picking through several flocks of loafing gulls. After getting everyone on a Lesser Black-backed Gull, Ken Kemphues spotted what appeared to be an adult Bonaparte’s Gull. After much discussion and a call with photo to Jay McGowan, we realized that we were looking at a mega-rarity: BLACK HEADED GULL. During the hour that ensued as we waited for others to arrive, we picked out both Iceland and Glaucous Gulls as well. >From there we made stops at Myers, Aurora bluffs and boathouse, and the >various ponds in Union Springs adding most of the expected species of >waterfowl, including several Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Horned >Grebes, and a single White-winged Scoter. We also encountered several flocks >of Snow Buntings and Horned Larks (no longspurs). On the way back down the west side we tried for Snowy Owl, both at the Seneca Falls airport and the gas well on Seybolt Road - to no avail. And, of course, no Gyrfalcon. The weather was perfect (for winter): lots of sun, light breeze, and temps into the high 30’s. Next time, I hope that more folks will join us. Bob McGuire -- 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/ --
