Hudson-Delaware 
Richard R. Veit 
Robert 0. Paxton 
Frank Rohrbacher 
Abbreviations and locations: Avalon (Avalon 
Seawatch, Avalon, Cape May, NJ); Batavia 
(Batavia W.T.P, Genesee, NY ); Braddock Bay 
(Braddock Bay B.O., Rochester, NY); Brigan- 
tine (Forsyth N.W.R., Atlantic, NJ); Bombay 
Hook (Bombay Hook N.W.R., Kent, DE); 
Captree (Captree S.E, Suffolk, Long I., NY); 
Chazy (Chazy R. mouth, Clinton, NY); Demo- 
crat Point (Fire Island Inlet, s. shore of Long 
1., NY); Derby Hill (Derby Hill Hawkwatch, 
Oswego, NY); Hamburg (Hamburg Hawk- 
watch, near Buffalo, NY); Hamlin Beach 
(Hamlin Beach S.P., near Rochester, NY); 
Heislerville (Heislerville W.M.A., Cumber- 
land, NJ), Howland 1. (Howland Island 
W.M.A., Cayuga, NY); Iroquois (Iroquois 
N.W.R., Genesee/Orlcans, NY); Jamaica Bay 
Qamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Gateway N.P., 
New York City); Jones Beach Qones Beach 
S.P., s. shore of Long 1., NY); Moriches 
(Moriches Bay and inlet, Suffolk, Long I., NY); 
Little Creek (Little Creek W.M.A., Kent, DE); 
Mannington (Mannington Marsh, Salem, NJ); 
Montauk (Montauk Pt., Suffolk, Long 1., NY); 
Montezuma (Montezuma N.W.R,, Seneca, 
NY); Palmyra Cove (Burlington, NJ); Pike’s 
Beach (Moriches Bay, Suffolk, Long L, NY), 
Prime Hook (Prime Hook N.W.R. , Sussex, 
DE); Riis Qacob Riis Park, Queens, New York 
City); Ripley (Ripley Hawkwatch, Chau- 
tauqua, NY); R.M.S.P. (Robert Moses S.P., Fire 
L, Suffolk, NY); Sagaponack (Sagaponack 
Pond, Bridgehampton, Long L, NY); Sandy 
Hook (Sandy Hook Unit/Gateway National 
Recreation Area, Monmouth, NJ); S.C.M.M. 
(South Cape May Meadows, Cape May, NJ); 
Shinnecock (Shinnecock Bay and Inlet, Suf- 
folk, Long L, NY); Ted Harvey (Ted Harvey 
Conservation Area/Logan Lane Tract, Kent, 
DE); Tonawanda (Tonawanda W.M.A., Gene- 
see/Niagara, NY). 
WATERFOWL THROUGH PELICANS 
As part of their continuing northward expan- 
sion, 4 Black-bellied Whistling-Dueks were 
found on private property at Cape May 26 
May (MO’B, m.ob.); the Silver Beach, DE bird 
from last fall remained through the summer 
(MSG, m.ob.). A single group of 8 Greater 
White-fronted Geese at Oak Orchard W.M.A., 
Genesee, NY 15 Mar (PY) was unusually large, 
but otherwise there were rather few reported; 
2 singles were in the Hudson-Mohawk region 
of New York 12-15 Mar (WY). 
Larger counts of Snow Geese 
included 125,000 at Montezu- 
ma 8 Mar (TL), 10,000 at 
Champlain, Clinton, NY 7 Mar 
OMCP), and 6031 at Brigan- 
tine 12 Mar (AM et ah). About 
8 Ross’s Geese reported includ- 
ed 4 in the Rochester, Monroe, 
NY area, 2 on Long L, and one 
in Delaware. Two Black Brant, 
one at Corona Park, Queens, 
NY 20 Mar (Karlo Mirth, SA) 
and another at Wolfe’s Pond, 
Staten L, NY 25 Mar (AnW) 
were likely the birds that win- 
tered, and another was at 
Sandy Hook 13 May (TBo). A Regional total of 
about 80 Cackling Geese included 40 in the 
Niagara area, 37 around Rochester, 3 in New 
Jersey, and 1-2 at Easthampton, Suffolk, NY 1- 
15 Mar (AnW). A count of 12 Trumpeter 
Swans at Savannah, Wayne, NY (LL) indicates 
continuing increase in this introduced popula- 
tion. Some 2100 Tundra Swans on the Grove- 
land Flats, Livingston, NY 14 Mar QK) made a 
large count from this location, where spring 
migrants are often recorded. A slightly below- 
average 11 Eurasian Wigeons were found 
through 25 Apr, but there was only one 
Eurasian Teal, the wintering bird at Hacken- 
sack Meadowlands, NJ. Larger totals of water- 
fowl included 2000 Green-winged Teal at Sale, 
Salem, NJ 5 Apr (WK), 25,000 Northern Pin- 
tails at Savannah, Wayne, NY 15 Mar 
(R&SSp), and 8000 Canvasbacks on the Niag- 
ara R. 1 Mar (D&DS). Twelve thousand 
Greater Scaup at Great Kills, Staten 1. 4 Mar 
(SBl) is a large total, given their recent decline. 
A Regional 1 1 King Eiders included 3 at Cape 
May 31 Mar (MO’B) and 3 at the unusual lo- 
cation of Plum Beach, Brooklyn, NY 8 May 
(DG). Forty Harlequin Ducks at Barnegat In- 
let made an average count for recent years, 
even though their wintering in these numbers 
in New Jersey is a new phenomenon (maxi- 
mum in 1997 was just 20). Single female Har- 
lequin Ducks at Staten L, NY 3-25 Apr 
m.ob.) and at Niagara Falls 7 May OP WW) 
were late, and the former was at an unusual lo- 
cation. Concentrations of scoters were mostly 
small compared to some in recent years, but 
1100 Surfs, 3000 Blacks, and 6000 unidenti- 
fied dark-winged scoters were at Cape May 1 1 
Mar (CJV), and 1250 White-wingeds made a 
fine count at Hamlin Beach, Monroe, NY 12 
Mar (WS). One hundred Black Scoters at Pt. 
au Roche, Clinton, 'NY 26 May (CH) marked a 
first spring record for that county. Barrow’s 
Goldeneyes continue to increase; 3 were 
found in the Rochester area in Mar (G. 
Chapin, JK et ah), one was at Wickham 
Marsh, Essex, NY 15 Mar (MAM), and 2 other 
singles were at the coast at Sandy Hook 4-14 
Mar and at Orient Harbor, Suffolk, NY through 
14 Mar (m.ob.). Twenty-five hundred Com- 
mon Mergansers at Crown Pt., Essex, NY 8 
Apr (Theodore Mack) was a county record. 
Many subregional editors have commented 
This Swallow-tailed Kite was seen at Higbee Beach, Cape 
May Point, New Jersey during the World Series of Birding 9 
May 2009 (here), the only one seen that day and one of 
three present at Cape May during the following week. 
Photograph by Rick Wiltraut. 
on the uncertain status of Ruffed Grouse. Giv- 
en its substantial population fluctuations, we 
may expect considerable variation in counts 
over long periods of time. Nevertheless, the 
few reports from upstate New York in recent 
decades suggest a long-term decline, while a 
single report from Calverton, Long 1. is one of 
the very few reports in recent years from the 
Among many wandering Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks in the East in spring 2009 
were these at Cape May, New Jersey on 26 May. Photograph by Bob Fogg. 
398 N 0 R T H A M E R I C A N B I R D S 
