I did my annual Veteran’s Day Tomhannock Reservoir circumnavigation doing the customary counter-clockwise route with two traditional departures (sorties, if you will) out from the western shore of the reservoir for the sole purpose of padding our list. This year I was accompanied by Steve Chorvas, whose superior hearing I rely on to find things I would never hear otherwise.
With rain in the forecast from the remnants of Hurricane Nicole, we started a little earlier (8:15) and spent less time at many stops so we would be sure to complete the route early. We hit all the usual spots and finished at 1:50, as the first light sprinkles started to fall. The temperature hit a very pleasant high of 69F and it was mostly calm until a noticeable wind started at around 10:00 a.m. Sheltered areas of the reservoir weren’t a problem, but it was a bit choppy where there were large expanses of open water.
We found 51 species, adding Winter Wren to my official cumulative list. Unlike last year, my companion this year insisted we count the Ring-necked Pheasant in the species total. I have reservations doing so, knowing that these are released birds, but I held my nose and counted it. I put a mental asterisk by that species any time they’re reported here in the HMBC area. I have species records for 25 of the last 26 years (trip totals for all of them) and I know I’ve done this count for at least five years before that. The cumulative list of species now stands at 108.
The number and diversity of waterfowl was low this year. I attribute that to the mild fall we have been having thus far. With no harsh weather to the north, ducks are making their way southward at a leisurely pace. We had only three Ruddy Ducks, and no scoters, scaup, or dabblers other than the usual Mallards, American Black Ducks, and Green-winged Teal. The “duckiest” spot was, as usual, the southern part of the reservoir south of the Route 7 causeway. The reservoir north of there had only a few widely scattered groups of ducks, with higher concentrations at the feeder creeks (Sunkauissia Creek at Nortonville Road and Otter Creek near the hamlet of Tomhannock).
We found no grebes, shorebirds, accipiters or falcons, but managed to get the fabled “woodpecker sixpack.” Sparrows were scarce, with the exception of juncos, which seemed to be everywhere. We had four Fox Sparrows (three in one location), yet only three Song Sparrows and a single American Tree Sparrow! Unlike most years, American Robins were quite abundant, feeding on bittersweet, grape, and multiflora rose berries. We only found Mourning Doves in the last ten minutes of the day, at a feeder!
Going by my 25-year cumulative list, our best birds were: Ring-necked Pheasant (mental asterisk - 3rd occurrence), Turkey Vulture (2nd), Northern Harrier (9th), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (7th), Winter Wren (1st), and Carolina Wren (8th), Significant misses were: Ring-necked Duck (found in 20 of the past 25 years), Red-breasted Nuthatch (12/25), and Golden-crowned Kinglet (17/25)
Here’s my list of 51 species:
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
American Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Pileated Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Fox Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Cardinal
Totals for the past 21 year’s 11/11 counts are as follows:
2021 - 50
2020 - 46
2019 - 49
2018 - 50
2017 - 51
2016 - 43
2015 - 49
2014 - 44
2013 - 51
2012 - 51
2011 - 50
2010 - 51
2009 - 57
2008 - 57
2007 - 47
2006 - 51
2005 - 57
2004 - 58
2003 - 48
2002 - 52
2001 - 48
Thanks to Steve for being good company and a good set of eyes and, especially, ears.
Larry Alden
Meadowdale
