Loons Over Cayuga!

Bill Foster
Watershed Educator

Cayuga Lake serves as a waypoint for thousands of migrating loons each fall.

For many, the image of the Common Loon goes hand-in-hand with the solitude of our northern forests. What most do not know, however, is that loons are actually seabirds. Each fall, after breeding in isolation on our northern freshwater lakes, adult and juvenile loons migrate to the sea, to live in large flocks off our southern coasts.

During the fall of 1992, a significant migration route was discovered over Cayuga Lake, and it is speculated that nearly half of the loons wintering off the southeastern coast of North America may use Cayuga or Seneca Lake as a waypoint. While loons remain scattered in small groups during much of their migration, the size and orientation of the Finger Lakes seem to invite loons to congregate. With an extensive overland portion of their fall trip ahead of them before they reach the Chesapeake Bay, the loons — which need open water to land — often opt to spend the night on Cayuga’s waters if weather conditions are not ideal. These factors combine to make Cayuga Lake one of only a few locations where the annual loon migration can be observed in spectacular fashion.

A Loon Watch was established at Taughannock Falls State Park in 1993, and has attracted a growing number of bird enthusiasts from as far away as England ever since. The numbers of loons counted are impressive: 6064 loons on November 10, 1997, and over 13,000 in total during 1995! Each day’s flight is concentrated in the morning, beginning just before dawn and ending about two hours later. Observers have counted 1400 loons in a 15-minute period, according to organizer Bob Meade.

Cayuga Lake is recognized by Audubon New York as an “Important Bird Area”, supporting high concentrations of water birds, and a high diversity of species. The Loon Watch affords participants an opportunity to view Red-throated Loons, Black Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Brant and Long-tailed ducks in migration, as well as more common species. The Loon Watch operates from mid-October to early December, with the peak Common Loon counts normally occurring in early to mid-November. This is not, however, your typical loon watching experience, as the loons fly quite high overhead, at speeds approaching 60 mph. Binoculars are a must. The best mornings tend to follow a cold front, with winds coming from the north, so dress warmly. Everyone is invited to participate, and as Bob notes, “experience the mystery of the sea bird that evolved to breed in solitary fresh-water lakes.”

For additional information on this year’s Loon Watch, contact the Cornell Ornithology Lab, at (607) 254-2473. And visit the Cornell Loon Watch page.

Portions on this article were adapted from material presented in the Winter 2003 Audobon Advocate.