Date: 1/20/25 11:45 am From: Steve M. Chorvas <schorvas...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] NYS January Waterfowl Count Results – Ulster County
The John Burroughs Natural History Society UlsterCounty segment of the annual NYSOA New York State January Waterfowl Count wasconducted on January 18, 2025, with one field party surveying on January 19th. Eighteen participants in nine field partiesencountered 7,499 waterfowl representing20 species, plus one hybrid.
Diversity was well-above our ten-year averageof 15 species, just one species shy of our all-time record high count in 2020, andonly the second time we have encountered twenty or more species of waterfowl onthis census. Abundance was 764individuals above our ten-year average, a number that is greatly influenced eachyear by large overwintering flocks of Canada Geese and Mallards. Most species of ducks were found in aboveaverage numbers, with the exception of Mallards (806 total, average 1,010). Canada Geese accounted for 5,701 individuals (76%), 602 birdsabove our ten-year average.
Count day conditions were more winter-like compared tothe past two years, with an overabundance of ice. Still water was largely frozen, concentratingwaterfowl in small openings or in moving creeks and rivers with more open water. Fields and pastures were free of snow andice, attracting large flocks of geese. Airtemperatures ranged from 30-38° F with relatively calm winds and mostly cloudyskies, followed by afternoon snow and rain showers. Large moving chunks of ice crowded the HudsonRiver, obstructing some views, but there was no early morning fog or brightsunshine, resulting in relatively good visibility on most large bodies ofwater.
Two Barrow’s Goldeneyes (one drake, onehen) were observed in the Hudson River off River Road in the Town of Esopus,part of a group of two hens and one drake that have persisted in the same areafor several weeks. An additional three Commonx Barrow's Goldeneye hybrids (one drake, two hens) were also seen associatingwith the same large raft of Common Goldeneyes. A Cackling Goose and two SnowGeese, including a juvenile blue-morph, were seen grazing in a field on BlueChip Farm.
Two hen Northern Pintails and a Green-wingedTeal continue on Stone Ridge Pond, where there was atypically small numbers of waterfowl. Two additional Green-wingedTeal were observed in the Esopus Creek at Fording Place, four Canvasbacks were loafing inthe Hudson River off Glasco, where a single Long-tailed Duck and a LesserScaup were also identified. A second LesserScaup was seen in the Hudson River off Kingston Point, associating with two GreaterScaup, representing only our third occurrence of Lesser, and fourth occurrenceof Greater Scaup on this count over the past twenty years.
One Wood Duck and one MuteSwan were found in the southern reach of the Wallkill River, our only swan forthis year’s count, following a mysterious disappearance of most of our residentswans last autumn. HoodedMergansers (84 total, average 32) and Common Mergansers (435, average 210)were encountered in new record-high numbers.
Additionalwater-dependent birds observed during the waterfowl count included 33 Bald Eagles (18 adults, 15sub-adults, adjusted down from 43 for likely duplications), one Great Blue Heron in aPhragmites bed on the shore of the Hudson River in Saugerties, and five Belted Kingfishers (Beaver Kill, Stone Ridge Pond, Post Park,Esopus Creek at Leggs Mill bridge, and Sawkill Creek). Five Graylag Geese were noted in the WallkillRiver, off Libertyville/Albany Post Road west of the fairgrounds.
Appended below is the specieslist with number of individuals. A complete report with a tablesummarizing the 2025 Ulster County effort by area will be published by the JohnBurroughs Natural History Society at a later date. Thanks to AlanBeebe, Jackie Bogardus, Allan Bowdery, Lynn Bowdery, Jessica Cukrovany, Patrick Dechon, Mark DeDea, David Hayes, LorenQuinby, Robert Miller, Diane Nowicki, KevinNye, Dixon Onderdonk, Benjamin Osborn, PeterSchoenberger, Dan Spencer, and Wendy Tocci for providing extensive coverage ofthe county. Next year’s Ulster County segment of the NYSOA NYSJanuary Waterfowl Count is scheduled for Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Steve M. Chorvas – compilerSaugerties, NY
