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BARNACLE GOOSE was the highlight of reports received March 18 through March 25 from the Niagara Frontier Region.
March 17 through at March 21, a BARNACLE GOOSE in and around the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. First discovered in a large flock of CANADA GEESE on the Forrestall Flats, north of Chestnut Ridge Road at Route 63, and relocated at nearby Ring-neck Marsh and north of the refuge on Fletcher Chapel Road, east of Route 63. A species of Greenland and Western Europe, the BARNACLE GOOSE has been traveling with CANADA GEESE and does not have a leg band, suggesting this is a wild vagrant.
The BARNACLE GOOSE was one of at least 19 waterfowl species in the Iroquois Refuge and area, including 50 TUNDRA SWANS in the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area, 2 LONG-TAILED DUCKS at Ring-neck Marsh, and small numbers of CACKLING GEESE at several locations. Nearby at the Town of Oakfield gypsum ponds, 4 RUDDY DUCKS. Also a NORTHERN SHRIKE, north of the refuge in Shelby.
SANDHILL CRANES this week - two over the Eden exit of the New York State Thruway, and a single SANDHILL CRANE over Cayuga Pool in the Iroquois Refuge.
In Wyoming County this week, a COMMON RAVEN and 2 ROUGH-
LEGGED HAWKS on Route 77 north of the Village of Arcade. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK also in the Cattaraugus County Town of Randolph, and another ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK plus RED-SHOULDERED HAWK in the Iroquois Refuge.
March 20, 143 RED-NECKED GREBES on Lake Ontario off the Towns of Somerset and Yates, with lesser numbers of RED-
THROATED LOONS and HORNED GREBES.
March 23, 2 GREAT EGRETS arrived at the Motor Island heronry in the upper Niagara River. Other arrivals and migrants this week - OSPREY at Allegany State Park, a pair of WOOD DUCKS in a yard pond in North Tonawanda, WILSON'S SNIPE along Chestnut Ridge Road in the Iroquois Refuge, TREE SWALLOW at the Oakfield gypsum ponds, at a feeder in the Town of Holland - FOX SPARROW, female RED-W. BLACKBIRD, PURPLE FINCH and PINE SISKIN, and at several locations, EASTERN MEADOWLARKS.
Also this week - a RUFFED GROUSE specimen by the road in Holland. PEREGRINE FALCON atop the Winspear Avenue chimney on the UB Main Street Campus. And, 6 LITTLE GULLS at the Lewiston docks on the lower Niagara River.
