Yesterday, 1/16, 10 hearty people joined me for a birding trip to the Sodus bay area. Our first stop was at the south end of the Sodus Bay. We parked by the Bay Bridge Sport Shop off Rt. 143. The bay was mostly iced over here but there were Mute Swans and juveniles, Trumpeter Swans and several gull species including two Bonapartes Gulls, Ringed-billed and Herring Gulls sitting on the ice. There were also Mallards and Black Ducks. We continued on and drove around Shaker Tract Rd. looking for the Shrike that had recently been reported but struck out, just seeing Blue Jays. Traveling on towards Sodus Point we stopped by Arney's Marina and Katlynn Marine looking for the Snowy Owl, but it was not around. Arriving at the Sodus Bay Point park, another birder was just leaving and told us the Snowy Owl was there. It had just flown to the east pier from the top of the light house. This was a life bird for Roberta, and it made her day. The owl sat there the whole time we were at the point, and all enjoyed long looks through the scopes. There was a BRISK west wind and very choppy waves but we were able to enjoy a variety of ducks here at the point. A group of Long-tailed ducks hung out between the piers for excellent views. Wes counted 187 Long-tailed ducks from this spot, and as we scanned back into the Bay and across the piers looking east. Other birds we saw here were Scaup species, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneyes, White-winged Scoters, Common Loons (Meena had a count of 12), Mallards, Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Cormorants, Canada Geese, and Great Black-backed Gulls. From there we drove to another street where we were able to view between houses, a nice raft of ducks, with many others in close view out on the bay. The raft included both Greater and Lesser Scaup, Redheads, a Canvasback male and 2 females. There were several White-winged Scoters in this area and we had really nice views of them. Other birds here included a Red-necked Grebe, Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, and Common Loons. We then drove west on Lake Rd. to check out Beechwood State Park. We walked back through a wooded area to an overlook to Lake Ontario. On the walk we had White-breasted Nuthatches, a Downey Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Chickadee and Blue Jay. There was a primitive camping area we passed and at the overlook we saw Buffleheads, Red-breasted Mergansers, Common Loon, and a female Common Goldeneye. Again, the water was extremely choppy. We continued west to Pultenyville, but did not find any new species of ducks. We found in and around a marina, mallards and a female Hooded Merganser and female Common Merganser. On our travels we passed many apple and other fruit orchards. We saw American Robins among some trees that still had fruit on them. Other birds seen going to and from Sodus Bay, flocks of Snow Geese (overhead while we were at the intersection of Rts. 318 and 414) , Red-tailed Hawks, starlings, Cooper's Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, and Rock Pigeons.
Given the wind, and choppy waves, but no rain (!), we had a nice variety of ducks, and good looks at some beautiful birds. It was fun exploring new areas. Thanks to all who came along ! Good Birding, Gladys Birdsall -- 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/ --
