I stopped at Kilowatt South at 4:50 pm today, on a whim.  Darkness was 
falling, and it was difficult to see clearly, but a sizable group of 
waterfowl had assembled on the open water, 50-100 feet off the VT shore 
midway along the playing field.  Most of the birds were mergansers, of 
which I conservatively counted 65 Hooded and 35 Commons.  There were 
also at least 6 Mallards and 2 Am. Black Ducks.  I believe birds were 
still arriving when I left, but it was too dark to be sure.  I'm 
guessing this is the beginning of the nightly roosts that will move 
below the dam once ice forms above.

At Lake Pinneo 30 minutes earlier I found 105 Canada Geese, 2 Common 
Goldeneye, 97 Hooded and 55 Common mergansers, a Great Blue Heron, and a 
Herring Gull.

Chris


-- 
Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
P.O. Box 420
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1431 ext. 1
www.vtecostudies.org

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