With 7 of 8 field parties reporting, the species total for the Troy CBC stands at 64 species.  Open water and warm weather preceding the count contributed to a number of waterfowl and half-hardy species, as well as scattered blackbirds.  Individual field parties reported between 38 and 48 species each.  The Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and the Tomhannock Reservoir, the major water bodies within the count circle, were all ice-free.

Highlights included: 3 Snow Geese, 1 Wood Duck, 13 Gadwalls, 3 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 Common Loons, 8 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 3 American Kestrels, 1 Merlin, 4 Peregrine Falcons, 1 Northern Shrike, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 3 Winter Wrens, 35 Snow Buntings, and 1 Swamp Sparrow.

There were no “winter finches” or white-winged gulls.

Larry Alden

Compiler