Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Here is a group of Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), a common species to spot on an unfrozen pond or lake near you right now. Chautauqua Lake is certainly a good place to find them – at least during this time of the year while it is not a solid block of ice. More of our waterfowl species are moving into the region as we have had an active and varied weather pattern. Have you had any surprises?
Read MoreDowntown Snowy Owl
On this past Sunday night, February 9, I was fortunate enough to spot a Snowy Owl flying in downtown Jamestown. At around 10:23PM I observed an individual about 200 feet off the ground heading slowly but surely to the west. I watched the bird drift out of sight without any binoculars or my camera, neither of which would have helped much anyway. In thinking about the sighting afterwards it seemed to me that the bird was following the Chadakoin River. Snowy Owls are both diurnal and nocturnal and over the years I have seen individuals following different patterns at different times at...
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