On November 19, a sunny, but brisk day, about a dozen people lined up at the viewing area at Dead Creek, facing north, away from a biting south wind. A hundred Snow Geese still remained on the site, and looking across the rather vast fields to the north, they saw Northern Harriers, both male and female, and Rough-legged Hawks. Flocks of Horned Larks, hidden in the furrows of the frozen ground, intermittently flew up and then disappeared again as they landed. In the ponds along the road to the Brilyea Access, there were Green-winged Teal, Mallards, Black Ducks, American Coots, and a Northern Pintail. EL
On January 7, 37 people braved 15 degree weather to join us for an eagle and waterfowl search of Shelburne and Charlotte. The morning turned out to be sunny and still, and the birding successful at all locations visited: Shelburne Bay, Shelburne Beach, Charlotte Beach, and the Charlotte ferry landing. At the first three locations, we had rewarding views of an adult Bald Eagle, the one at Charlotte Beach circling in the sky for some time. There was a large flock of Canada Geese on the east side of Shelburne Bay, and a Greater White-fronted Goose was spotted in their midst by Ted Murin just after we left. Ducks, seen at all locations, included many Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes, and smaller numbers of Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Mallards, and American Black Ducks. We saw Horned Grebes at Shelburne and Charlotte Beach, and a flock of 60 Wild Turkeys in a field near Shelburne Beach. There were numerous gulls of all three common winter species at Shelburne Bay. CR
