Some further information on the Tomhannock swans: I and two other Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club members first saw them on the Rt. 7 causeway at the reservoir on 11/7.  The reservoir is quite thoroughly covered by numerous HMBC members during the fall, because of its potential for interesting waterfowl.  HMBC has a club website at
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hmbirds> where members frequently post regional sightings, some from Tomhannock.

I know of no posted sighting of these swans prior to 11/7 even though birders were covering the area starting in October.  Thus I suspect they did not breed there and were new arrivals on or just before 11/7.  A club field trip to the reservoir on 11/5 did not find them.  Given the size and configuration of the reservoir with its many vantage points, it would be difficult to miss such a conspicuous group of swans.

Keep visiting Tomhannock until freeze up...it offers some interesting birding, though this year some folks have commented that so far waterfowl numbers have been down (Co. Mergansers have not been seen in the huge rafts  that occurred last year for instance).

Bob Yunick
Schenectady, NY




-----Original Message-----
From: MARIE HEMEON <[log in to unmask]>
To: VTBIRD <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, Nov 15, 2011 4:36 pm
Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] FW: eBird Report - Tomhannock Reservoir, Nov 11, 2011


Saw the swans today. The young appear to be mature enough to have flown in with 
he adults. Breeding there would still be debatable IMO. 
 ----- Original Message ----- 
 From: MARIE HEMEON<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
 To: Vermont Birds<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
 Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 2:47 PM
 Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] FW: eBird Report - Tomhannock Reservoir, Nov 11, 2011

 Every once in a while over the course of the last 10 years or so I have seen a 
wan. I don't know if they nested there or not but, if so, it is new.
   ----- Original Message ----- 
   From: Ruth Stewart<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
   To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
   Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 2:33 PM
   Subject: [VTBIRD] FW: eBird Report - Tomhannock Reservoir, Nov 11, 2011

   Altho a bit tardy with report, I'm curious about the mute swans seen along 
te 9 as you cross the reservoir.  It appeared to be mom, pop and cygnets.  
nyone know if these guys nested here?  Is that new?   We were delighted with 
he B Eagles, surprised by the Bonaparte Gulls, and disappointed that there were 
o few ducks/duck species.  I looked at our trip list from Nov 6 last year and 
t was much more diverse - higher numbers of ducks; not quite so many CAGO!  The 
atter were large congregations everywhere on the water, not just the N and S 
nds. 
    Ruth Stewart
    E. Dorset, VT
     > Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:19:29 -0500
   > From: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
   > To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
   > Subject: eBird Report - Tomhannock Reservoir, Nov 10, 2011
   > 
   > Tomhannock Reservoir, Rensselaer, US-NY
   > Nov 11, 2011 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
   > Protocol: Traveling
   > 20.0 mile(s)
   > Comments:     Sunny, low 50s.
   > 19 species
   > 
   > Snow Goose  1
   > Canada Goose  5000     large flocks on entire waters - not just on s end.
   > Mute Swan  7
   > Mallard  4
   > Ring-necked Duck  1
   > Common Goldeneye  15
   > Hooded Merganser  10
   > Common Merganser  17     Many more along far edges but could not/did not 
ount
   > Ruddy Duck  4
   > Common Loon  3
   > Pied-billed Grebe  1
   > Double-crested Cormorant  3
   > Great Blue Heron  1
   > Bald Eagle  2     1 adult, 1 sub-adult flying together
   > American Coot  1
   > Bonaparte's Gull  3
   > Ring-billed Gull  2
   > Belted Kingfisher  1
   > American Crow  15
   > 
   > This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/vt<http://ebird.org/vt>)