Date: 11/11/25 6:33 pm From: Larry Alden via groups.io <overlook...> Subject: [hmbirds] Tomhannock Reservoir and vicinity 11-11-2025
I did my annual Veterans Day circumnavigation of the Tomhannock Reservoir,
doing our customary counterclockwise route with two traditional departures
out from the western shore of the reservoir for the sole purpose of padding
our list. This year I was again accompanied by Jackie Bogardus and Steve
Chorvas.
This year’s trip was far more wintery than usual. We arrived at the
fisherman’s parking area around 8:15 to about an inch of snow on the ground
with the temperature standing at 31° and a brisk wind. It remained cloudy
and the wind got stronger throughout the day with frequent snow flurries.
The temperature only rose to a high of 34°. The water level at the reservoir
was lower than normal.
We found a total of 49 species, which is one species lower than the average
of the last ten years (50.0). Given the weather conditions, I expected a
lower total.
I have species records for 28 of the last 29 years (trip totals for all of
them) and I know I’ve done this count for at least five years before that.
We had no new species this year, so the cumulative list remains at 109
species, with an additional 3 species from the years before I kept good
records.
There were good numbers of waterfowl on the reservoir, including large
flocks of Common Mergansers and good numbers of Buffleheads, but there were
no “odd ducks” to speak of. We totaled just 10 species of waterfowl, missing
Ruddy Duck for only the second time. I should note that ruddies have
recently been harder to come by at this location on this date. It seems they
must all now be at Basic Creek Reservoir, instead! We found about a dozen
each of Wood Ducks and Common Goldeneyes, and Hooded Mergansers were
abundant. We were pleasantly surprised to find a Greater Yellowlegs (there
may have been two), a Killdeer, as well as some American Pipits on the mud
flats on the northeast corner of the water cut off by the causeway (Route 7)
on the south end of the reservoir.
On one of our two departures (Nortonville Road to Sherman Road to Croll
Road), we encountered an engaging pipit in the middle of Nortonville Rd. who
only flew off the road when we were about to run it over! We also had a very
large mixed flock of several thousand blackbirds (mostly grackles and
red-wings) on Croll Rd.
We were surprised to see that Otter Creek has re-routed itself upon its
entry into the reservoir. We found a second Killdeer there, several Bald
Eagles, and a group of 20-30 Green-winged Teal.
Overall, sparrow numbers seemed low, with less than a dozen white-throats,
and singles of Song Sparrow and American Tree Sparrow. Juncos were abundant,
though. Our only finches were American Goldfinches. We finished the trip at
2:15.
Going by my 28-year cumulative list, our best birds were: Killdeer (5th
occurrence), Greater Yellowlegs (5th), Turkey Vulture (3rd), American Pipit
(5th), and Common Grackle (8th). Anticipated-but-missed species were: Ruddy
Duck (found 26 of 28 years), Pileated Woodpecker (20/28), Red-breasted
Nuthatch (14/28), Golden-crowned Kinglet (19/28), Cedar Waxwing (15/28),
House Finch (22/28), and Fox Sparrow (14/28).
Here’s our list of 49 species:
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
American Black Duck
American Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Ring-billed Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
House Sparrow
American Pipit
American Goldfinch
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal
Totals for the past 24 Veterans Day counts are as follows:
