 February 8, 2011
Birding Hotspot: Winter Ponds
by Brent Bomkamp
Most birders agree that the highlight of the winter
season on the North Shore is the abundance of waterfowl.
Thousands of breeding-plumaged ducks arrive in our area
during late fall to spend the winter on the nutrient-rich
ponds and bays along the Long Island Sound. The area covered
by HAS contains numerous great waterfowl hotspots, most of
which are easily accessed and birded. Perhaps the most well
known pond in the area is St. John’s Pond.
Located directly behind the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery
on 25a, St. John’s Pond is one of the larger ponds in our
area, and generally one of the most productive. It is most
easily viewed by parking in the Fish Hatchery lot, and then
walking up the set of stairs in the back of the parking
area. On a typical midwinter day, one can find more than
10 species of waterfowl; usually the
diversity includes large numbers of Canvasback,
Ring-necked Duck, and American Coot.
This is also the best place in our area to find
Common Merganser and Redhead, both
of which usually are represented by one or two individuals.
Some rare birds recorded on the pond include
Eurasian Wigeon, Great Cormorant,
Greater White-fronted Goose, and
Tundra Swan.
Another very productive body of water is the Mill
Pond in Oyster Bay, which is an excellent place to
find many of the same species as St. John’s Pond, but
usually without the same quantity of diving ducks. Large
numbers of Wigeon and Green-winged
Teal can often be found along the edges of the
pond. Mill Pond also has the potential to turn up some less
common species, including Eurasian Wigeon.
Some HAS memebers might remember the trip there which found
a road-killed River Otter there. Mill Pond
is located at the end of West Main Street, where the road
splits into Mill Hill Road and West Shore Road.
If you live in the eastern section of the HAS area, then
you are probably familiar with the pond on the corner of
Centershore Road and 25a in Centerport.
Often called Tung Ting Pond after the
Chinese restaurant which was formerly at the site, the pond
is best viewed from the Chalet Motor Inn parking lot at the
intersection. Tung Ting, along with adjacent
Centerport Mill Pond, has the tendency to generate
some of the rarer sightings along the North Shore. As a
spring-fed pond, even in the dead of winter Tung Ting will
usually have a lot of open water. Some rather unusual
species have been seen here including Northern
Shoveler, Eurasian Wigeon,
Redhead, and Wilson’s Snipe.
Perhaps the rarest of all was a Gyrfalcon
which was present several years ago.
A little farther down 25a is the Betty Allen
Preserve, which is also frequented by quality
waterfowl. The pond in the back is reliable for
Northern Pintail, Ring-necked, and
Wood Duck. Also check for Rusty
Blackbirds and Winter Wrens which
can be found feeding in the numerous streams and wet areas
which run around the property.
Slightly past Betty Allen is Northport Harbor,
which can be scanned most easily from the Village
Dock, which is at the end of Woodbine
Avenue off of 25a. Large numbers of
Red-breasted Mergansers and Buffleheads
usually congregate here, and the dock provides close up
views which are hard to find anywhere else.
Nearby Asharoken Beach is also and
excellent location to view wintering sea ducks. Huge flocks
of Great Scaup usually numbering in the
thousands can be found here during late winter and spring.
It is also a reliable place to find Red-throated
Loon, Horned Grebe, and
Great Cormorant. Asharoken can be reached by making
a left onto Eaton’s Neck Road at the end of Ocean Avenue in
Northport. The beach will be on your left soon after making
the turn.
We are lucky to have so many excellent hotspots in the
HAS area, and it is always a treat to see great birds so
close to your home.
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