It seems that I wrote off these ponds too soon last week.   A second visit this week found them swarming with migrant waterfowl, although nearly all the action was in the northern wetlands.  Poor Ellis Pond was virtually dead; even its Heron colony appears to be abandoned.  Teal Pond, Wood Duck Marsh, Mallard marsh, and Arrowhead marsh, though, were teeming.  Highlights included:

Canada Geese - large #s, but no Cackling here.  I did have a small goose fly over Winchester Lake (2 miles west of Pick Ponds) but wasn't able to track it down to the ground.

Wood Ducks - 15-20

Mallards - 100+

Black Ducks - 10+

Green-winged Teal - 5

American Wigeon - 6 pairs

Gadwall - 2 pairs

N. Pintail - 1 pair

Redhead - 12-15

Ring-necked Duck - 75+

Lesser Scaup - 10, all at Ellis Pond

C, Goldeneye - 1 female at Wood Duck marsh

Hooded Merganser - 3-4 pairs

Ruddy Ducks - 6-8

Horned Grebe - 1

Pied-billed Grebe - 3

American Coot - 50+

Osprey - 1

Great Blue Herons - 8 on nests

Tree Swallows - 5-6

White-crowned Sparrows - 2-3 at Wood Duck picnic area feeder

Tree Sparrows - several locations

Swamp Sparrows - several locations

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