With the blustery weather hereabouts, I figured that it was a good time to check Hoover Reservoir for strays.  I visited most of the southern accesses (below the Sunbury causeway), finding a few good birds.  The wind was more of a problem than the rain, forcing most waterfowl and landbirds to seek sheltered areas.  Highlights included:

waterfowl - surprisingly few, other than the expected flocks of Canada Geese.  4 Pied-billed Grebes were hiding along the shore above the County Line bridge, and 5 Hooded Mergansers off the Sunbury causeway were an inkling of the hordes of this species that will grace Hoover in the coming months.  North of Sunbury causeway, some 90-100 cormorants were flocking in the shallows.  Most unusual were 2 Mute Swans - 1 adult, 1 subadult - together south of the Sunbury causeway.  Mutes show up on Hoover every migration, and it's unclear if these are birds from nearby or far.

raptors - not very many were braving the wind, but there were 3 Turkey Vultures scattered around the Twin Bridges access.  Even better were 3 BLACK VULTURES taking off from around Duncan Inlet, further down the eastern shore.  This species is now regularly straying to Hoover in Fall & Winter.

Shorebirds, gulls - no shorebirds as most of the flats are now inundated by rising water.  Small numbers of Bonaparte's Gulls were at most stops, with 30 off the Walnut Street ramp being the high.  Ring-bills and Herring were in smaller numbers and less widespread.

Swallows, Flycatchers - no flycatchers, but 10 Tree Swallows were bravely foraging in the cold wind over the lake south of the Sunbury causeway.

Corvids - Blue Jays were the conspicuous land bird of the morning, with 2-5 at most stops.  Perhaps a late movement is afoot, er...on the wing.
Creepers, Kinglets - both species of kinglets, as well as creepers, were present in small numbers (1-3) at most stops, so there seemed to still be some migration of these species as well.

Thrushes, Mimids, Waxwings - Robins were the only thrush, but there were small flocks at most stops.  A Mockingbird was singing over the fields around Area O (north of Duncan Inlet), and a large flock of 90 Cedar Waxwings flew over this same spot, high and headed south.

Warblers - only Yellow-rumps were found, but they were conspicuous at many stops

Sparrows - A small flock of 5-6 Chipping at the Sunbury causeway were unusual, among the expected small flocks of White-throats and occasional Song sparrows found at nearly every stop.


Rob Thorn
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EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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