Like nearly everyone else on the list, I was out looking for migrant waterfowl this first Spring-like morning.  I visited most of the major access points on Alum Lake south of the Cheshire causeway, as well as Berlin Station just north of there. The weather and temperature were obliging, but the ice cover at Alum is still extensive, especially north of the causeway.  Fortunately there were holes near shore at a few locations and these were jammed full of waterfowl.  Even landbird migrants were starting to become a bit more diverse.  Highlights included:

Canada Goose - 2-300 (most of the really big flocks here have already moved)
Snow Goose - 1 blue was with a Canada flock at Berlin Station
Wood Duck - 1 lurking in a hole near the campground area, along with many mallards
Mallard - 3-400,  with some at every patch of open water
Black Duck - 20+, mixed in with Mallards at several locations
Green-winged Teal - 18 scattered over 3 holes south of the causeway
Gadwall - 1 flock of 10 mixed in with many other dabblers at a hole off the Hollenback Rd marina
Wigeon - 30+ scattered in many different locations
Pintail - 15 at 2 different locations
Redhead - 200+ at several sites, with over half in a large hole just south of the causeway
Lesser Scaup - 160+ at several sites
Gr. Scaup - 2-4 mixed in with Lessers at 2 sites
Ring-necked Duck - 80+ at several different 'holes'
Bufflehead - 16 scattered across several different holes, with a mix of males & females
C.Goldeneye - 120+, with some at most open water areas; 60+ were in a nearshore opening at the Beach area
Common Merganser - 1 pair in the hole just south of the causeway
Hooded Merganser - 15 in several different holes

Gulls - small flocks of Ring-bills at several locations, often on the ice near open water
Turkey Vultures - 3-4 at several different locations
Phoebe - 2 birds, on opposite shores at the southern end of the reservoir
Tree Swallows - 20+, at several locations, often out foraging over the ice.  I'll have to assume that some bugs were stunned out there.
American Pipits - flyovers at several different locations, including 2 at the dam.
Yellow-rumped Warblers - 4-5, at several different locations away from their normal winter haunts here
Tree Sparrows - small flocks of 8-10 birds at 3 different locations, likely migrant flocks
Field Sparrows - singing individuals at both the Beach area and the Hollenback marina
Fox Sparrow - 1 at the very dependable Berlin Station access.  The dense shrubbery here is very attractive to them.
E.Meadowlarks - singing birds at both the dam and the beach area
Redwings - many small migrant flocks all morning.  Larger flocks of 50-100 birds were headed north over the dam early.
C.Grackles - smaller numbers, but more widespread
Brown-headed cowbirds - 2-3 mixed in with early flocks of Redwings

If the warm temperatures can break a few more holes in the ice, the lake will be fantastic for waterfowl over the next week.  But if the ice lingers, most of these birds will just head north.

Rob Thorn
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