Migrant Waterfowl Moving Through Allegany State Park
American Coot with Canada Goose.
Today was my first sign that waterfowl started moving through the Allegany State Park area. Canada Goose have been in the area all summer long (go figure!) and the Double-crested Cormorants have been around for the past month (or two). Woodducks and Mallards . . . where did you go?? But I never expected to find this odd shaped bird swimming in Red House Lake?? . . . . YEAH!! An American Coot!! Lucky the Geese were keeping this Coot’s attention while I was trying to photograph it . . . . I got “fairly” close to it.
American Coot feeding.
This afternoon I also come across a few waterfowl over at Science Lake. My first guess was that it could have been a Woodduck but something didn’t look right!! I quickly hit my brakes and jumped out of the truck with camera in hand! I didn’t have my binoculars with me but these guys were obviously one of the Grebe species. Once I get home I realized these awesome birds were Pied-billed Grebes!! YEAH!! They made it back to the park.
Pied-billed Grebes
Both the Grebe and Coot were awesome finds today . . . . but I also want to mention a few other great birds that I found today! I found a Blue-headed Vireo and Hooded Warbler out in the woods this morning and maybe a few kinglets! What a great day this was!
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
It does sound awesome Mon@rch. You have the coolest job.
18 September 2007 at 10:06 pm
Great photos love to meet fellow nature lovers!
from Canada NG
18 September 2007 at 10:55 pm
Grebes are so cool. I love coots too! So cute and common. 🙂
18 September 2007 at 10:57 pm
Those Pied-billed Grebes are so neat to watch…I love seeing them.
18 September 2007 at 11:10 pm
Next year I’m going to make a point of seeing the New York Allegany Park. If it is anything like Pennsylvania’s Allegany State Park it will be a real treat. What’s the deal with Canada Geese? Some fly south and some don’t? I see some all winter long here near the library on the waterfront. I think people feed them. The American Coot is cute.
19 September 2007 at 1:20 am
Looks like I will have to try and talk Linda (Erie’s Argonaut) and her husband into coming to the Nature Festival next year with us.
I agree with Barbara you have the coolest job! Can we trade places for a day? 🙂
19 September 2007 at 6:59 am
Sounds like a good day – I’m hoping to get out on Friday to Forsythe, where they’ve seen a cornucopia of stuff.
BTW, is that grebe on the right partially leucistic or is that just a trick of the light?
19 September 2007 at 9:06 am
Sweet find of the PB Grebes!! It is hard to believe that kinglets are already coming back… seems not too long ago that they were on their way north. Time sure flies when you’re birding!!
19 September 2007 at 9:07 am
I love those Grebes! You had a great day for sure!
19 September 2007 at 10:47 am
Wow, how awesome, Tom! Beautiful pictures, my friend. That coot is so cute!
19 September 2007 at 11:42 am
Wow – it’s amazing that you have such access to these sights on a regular basis. I have to make a special trip to get out of the city to get a chance to see anything migrating! We have a great place called Hawk Cliff – about 30 minutes from here on the shore of Lake Erie. It’s just a gravel road that runs between a farmer’s field but where it opens up there are great views of the migrating hawks, eagles and falcons as they leave Ontario to head across the lake. Volunteers are there on the weekends to offer information and I believe they capture and band some of the birds. It’s a good way to get some close-up shots!
19 September 2007 at 2:26 pm
Great sightings! I am so impressed by all the different birds you see. Looking at your photos is inspiring. I have very little water near by so I may not see the coot. But coot is cute.
Stopping for birds reminds me of Mary!
Sherry
19 September 2007 at 4:13 pm
Awesome Tom!!! I’m glad you had a great bird day!
19 September 2007 at 5:39 pm
@ Barb – thanks and was a great day!
@ naturegirl – it is fun for sure thanks!
@ liz – they srue are and I call them very “coot”!
@ Veery – thanks and wish I wasn’t in a hurry or I would have spent more time checking them out!
@ Erie – you must and no reason you can’t do it this fall!
@ Toni – she sure should and feel free to use their website at http://alleganynaturepilgrimage.org/ to help convince her to coming! I know you all would have a blast!
@ Marty – we have bird club on Friday, so not sure what kind of birding I will be able to do! Also, that one on the right is the sun shinning on it! No funny coloring in it!
@ Birdfreak – It sure is and I always think of it as times fun when you are having flies!
@ Marg – thanks and was!
@ Lisa – thanks and its very “coot”
@ Sherri – I am very lucky to have the chance to visit this area on a regular basis! But then again I spend more time than I should be exploring! I strongly suggest going up and visiting that area, our hawk watch is a good distance away!
@ Sherry – o no, getting confused with all the Sherry’s! Thanks and hope you can get out to see what is moving through your area! Thanks
@ Pam – thanks and I sure did!
19 September 2007 at 9:06 pm
Looks like you had a great day and got some great images as well.
19 September 2007 at 11:53 pm
I think the poor geese are confused because of global warming. In the last few years I have noticed them staying here in Southern Illinois all winter. Our winters here have been pretty mild for the last 10 years. We have barely had enough snow to even go sledding. ~nita~
20 September 2007 at 12:12 am
@ Bernie – thanks and was wonderful for sure!
@ nita – not really! It is more of an opportunity to eat more food! Weather might have a little to do with this issue but I think it is more than that!
20 September 2007 at 8:20 am
Wow Tom! I sure would be happy with that day of birding.I only saw my firsr Coot last year.-exciting birds!
20 September 2007 at 6:57 pm
We have coots by the thousands year round here in Sacramento, CA. When nothing else is around you can always depend on the Coots being there. Great site. Keep it going.
29 September 2007 at 9:42 pm
@ Larry – thanks and was great for sure!
@ Jerry – Inland where I am located it isn’t an everyday thing! Guess that’s why i was excited to see. Those nuance birds could be anothers unusual find! Thanks for your kind words and thanks for visiting!
29 September 2007 at 10:10 pm