My brother, a friend and I followed the siren song of vagrant sightings across "the Greens" to Crown Point and environs in search of the common pochard and tufted duck among others. We were disappointed in that effort but amply rewarded by a spectacle of waterfowl we likely would not ever see in the Connecticut River valley. From the shore we observed in the inlets and along the coast at Crown Point and DAR State Park, three rafts of waterfowl each containing more than 200 individuals. We saw scores of common goldeneye as well as common mergansers, ring-necked ducks and lesser scaup. In addition there were double-crested cormorants, mallards and black ducks. Alas, no pochard or tufted duck.
Following the lead of other birders who said the pochard had been seen on the NY side of Champlain, we crossed into NY and drove up Rt. 22 to Port Henry. No pochard, but we did see a redhead, hooded mergansers and herring and ring-billed gulls.
The land birds were less fulfilling, although we did see three red-tailed hawks, eight horned larks, a good-sized flock (50+/-) of snow buntings and two bald eagles.
Regarding misses? Scope-equipped birders we met in Port Henry confirmed earlier reported sightings of barrows goldeneyes, canvasback and glaucous gull but said no sightings had been reported today. They also marked a tally of five bald eagles
Crown Point is a hike but well worth going
should you have the urge.
Blake Allison
Lyme, NH 03768-3322