Cayuga Lake East side 1/30/26

It was very cold last Saturday morning, and by all signs blustery and snowy as well, so I wasn't expecting much from our outing, but a handful of our battle-seasoned veterans met up at the MWNR Visitors Center for a trip down the east side of Cayuga Lake. Present were: Kevin A, Allyn P, Leslie P, Pete S, and Steve & Lori VK.

Before we left the Refuge, we spotted:

Red tailed Hawk  2

American Crow  1

Traveling along River Road and at Cayuga Lock:

Canada Goose  500+

Mute Swan  2

Tundra Swan  47

American Widgeon  2

American Black Duck  5

Redhead  37

Ring-necked Duck  1

Bufflehead 1

Common Goldeneye  1

Common Merganser  142

Mourning Dove  30

Great Blue Heron  2

Northern Harrier  1

Bald Eagle  4

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Blue Jay  4

American Crow  1

Tufted Titmouse  2

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

American Robin  1

House Sparrow  4

American Goldfinch  1

American Tree Sparrow  3

Dark-eyed Junco  18

White-throated Sparrow  7

Northern Cardinal  10

At the marina by the railroad trestle in Canoga:

Canada Goose  32

Tundra Swan  11

Hooded Merganser  4

Common Merganser  134

Bald Eagle  2

American Crow  4

At North Mill Pond in Union Springs (very unusually partially frozen over):

Canada Goose  500+

Gadwall  6

American Widgeon 20

Redhead  160

Long-tailed Duck  1

Bufflehead  2

Common Goldeneye  1

Rock Pigeon  20

American Coot  1

Bald Eagle  2

Finally, at the Factory Street Pond (Union Springs):

Canada Goose 300

Swan species  4

Gadwall  21

Mallard  60

Redhead  14

Bufflehead  1

All in all, pretty good outing, followed by a spiritedly convivial breakfast at Connie’s Diner.

See you next time!