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OFO Bird Finding Guide #4

A Birder's Guide to theMoses-Saunders Po-wer Datn Area

byBruce and Laurie Di Labio

11 October 1993 - Marbled Murrelet!!A great flock of birders descended onthe Moses-Saunders Power Dam(MSPD) to view this exciting vagrantwhich was new for Ontario and NewYork State. For many it was anintroduction to a new birdingdestination.

Situated along the St. LawrenceRiver at Cornwall, Ontario, theMSPD (Figure 1) was completed asan Ontario-New York State jointhydro project in 1958, but wasrelatively unknown to Ontario birdersprior to 1980. Since then, the fewbirders who have ventured here haveuncovered a unique birding locationfor migrating and wintering waterbirds.

The uniqueness of the MSPD isdue to its location on a major north­south flyway and on one of thelargest bodies of water in the area.Also, the proximity of the Gulf of St.Lawrence to the east and the GreatLakes to the west attracts an excitingand diverse selection of birds - IvoryGull, Razorbill, Atlantic Puffin arejust a few of the notables that havemade the area not only one of thebest kept secrets but one of Ontario'smost challenging and rewardingbirding destinations.

In addition to the above,Ontario's first recorded Leach'sStorm-Petrel was found in aweakened condition on 19 July 1939,

two miles below Cornwall along theSt. Lawrence River; and on 19November 1963, a Dovekie waspicked up near Cornwall.

General InformationAutumn and winter are the mostinteresting seasons to bird the powerdam and surrounding area. Wateralong this section of the St. Lawrenceremains open year-round, drawingmany wintering and migratingspecies. But be forewarned, as withmost birding areas situated near largebodies of water, foggy and mistyconditions are a constant threat tovisibility.

Successful birding dependsgreatly on knowledge of weathersystems passing through the region.The most interesting birding followsstorms or high winds originating fromthe Gulf of St. Lawrence, and duringthe fall and early winter, cold frontsfrom the northwest. Other productivetimes follow cold snaps during themonths of December and January. Ascalm waters freeze, many undetectedlate lingerers and other winteringbirds are forced to seek the openwater at the power dam.

Although weather affects thebirding in this area, regular coveragecan yield interesting finds. Forexample, both the Marbled Murreletand the Atlantic Puffin were foundon relatively clear days with no

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Figure 1: Moses/Saunders Power Dam. Photo by B.M. Di Labia.

significant previous weather changes.

Most roads in the area are pavedand make birding locations easilyaccessible regardless of the season.Cornwall and Massena are the twolargest towns in this region and offera variety of accommodations,restaurants and gas stations.

Depending on the season andweather conditions, birding this arearequires at least one full day andpossibly a second day to do it justice.Keep in mind that during the wintersome of these locations may be frozenand snow-covered and less timeoverall may be needed to bird thesesites.

Just two reminders. Firstly, whencrossing the international border besure that all optical equipment isregistered in advance with CanadaCustoms. Secondly, most of the areasin this region have public access butremember to obey no trespassing

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signs and other signs restrictingpublic use.

Suggestions for Birdingthe Power Dam andSurrounding AreaThe Robert Moses Power Dam(RMPD) and Hawkin's Point are themost important vantage points. Iftime is short, you should emphasizethese two locations. Although thepower dam can be birded from eitherside of the river, viewing is farsuperior from the American side.Afternoon lighting conditions shouldfirst be taken into consideration.From the American side, the sun is atyour back whereas you must lookinto the sun on the Canadian side.

The most significant factor,however, is the availability of publicaccess to the power dam facilities. Onthe Canadian side, viewing at theRobert H. Saunders Generating

Quebec

N

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10 20, ,

Kilometers

Figure 2.

Station (RSGS) is restricted to themonths of June, July, and August.Because the centre's hours changeduring the year, you should firstcontact Ontario Hydro in Cornwall togain permission to access the area.Ontario Hydro can be reached byphone at (6.13) 938-1518 or by mail atOntario Hydro, R.H. SaundersInformation Centre, P.O. Box 999,Cornwall, Ontario, K6H 5Vl.

The RMPD on the American sideis open year-round during the weekfrom 9:00 am to 4:30 pm and onweekends from Victoria Day to theCanadian Thanksgiving. During thesummer lJune to September), publicaccess hours are extended to 7:30 pm.However, for safety reasons, theobservation deck is closed to the

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New York

public during strong winds and heavyrain or snow. For furtherinformation, call the New YorkPower Authority at (315) 764-0226,or write to the St. Lawrence F.D.R.Power Project, Community RelationsDivision, PO Box 700, Massena, NewYork, 13622.

Birding the Ontario Sideof the Moses-SaundersPower Dam

Birders from Kingston, Toronto andother southern Ontario locations,follow Highway 401'east to Cornwalland exit south on Power Dam Drive(Figure 2). Continue south on thisroad, crossing Vincent Massey Drive(Highway 2), to Saunders Road and

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Figure 3.

tum right at the stop ·sign. This routeleads to the entrance of the RSGS.

From Ottawa, take Highway 417east for 60 kilometres. Exit atHighway 138 just -east of Casselman.Continue south on 138 for 40kilometres and turn right at the stopsign onto Cornwall Centre Road.

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Mter 1 kilometre, turn left ontoBrookdale Avenue and continue toHighway 2 west. Turn right ontoHighway 2 (Vincent Massey Drive),then left onto Power Dam Drive toSaunders Road and right at the stopsign to the generating station (Figure3).

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Dyke

Figure 4.

Cornwall Centre 1>.Trillium Dr. Floral Dr. ~ Road "

East Entrance <i'. \_'_~" \ Hi hwa 2 ~ \?~

Guindon Park(Sites la and lb)Guindon Park is a large recreationalarea with many nature trails, cross­country ski trails, a boat launch, andpicnic areas (Figure 4). From thegenerating station, retrace the routeto Vincent Massey Drive (Highway2). Turn left and drive to the sign atthe western entrance of the park andturn left on Trillium Drive. Followthis road to the boat launch (Site la)which provides an excellent view ofthe headpond. Check for roostinggulls in the field. The most commonones will be Ring-billed, Herring, andGreat Black-backed, but Iceland,Glaucous, and Thayer's are regularvisitors during the fall and earlywinter. Also watch for Lesser Black­backed Gulls. Scan the open fieldsduring the fall and along the gravelroads in winter for Gray Partridge.

If you have a lot of time andenergy, follow the dyke along thewater's edge, from site 1a to 1b, asthere are many bays and inlets thatcannot be seen from the boat launch.With the rocky shoreline along thedyke, this is a good area for PurpleSandpiper from mid-October to mid­November~ Anything is possible! On

the 1990 Massena-Cornwall C.B.C., aNorthern Hawk Owl and a Gyrfalconwere observed. Stranchan Islandshould be checked for RuddyTurnstone, Sanderling, Red-neckedPhalarope and other shorebirds.During the breeding season, theisland is occupied by nesting Ring­billed Gulls and Double-crestedCormorants. On 3 May 1991, an adultGreat Cormorant was observed onthe island with the other cormorants.

Continue by traveling east onHighway 2 to the east entrance ofGuindon Park (Site 1b). From theparking lot you can see the dyke at adistance. Follow the trails to thedyke. (For a complete review ofspecies, see Site 5b.)

Robert H. SaundersGenerating Station(Site 2a and 2b; Figure 5)

Proceed to the gate house and inquirewhether access is permitted to theparking lot and observation deck.These are the best two vantage pointsto bird the dam. If access is denied,park in the western parking lot andwalk up the embankment to view theheadpond (Site 2b) or follow thefenceline on the east side of the

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gatehouse to the edge of the river andview the base of the power dam(Site 2a) . You can also walk along thebicycle path which runs parallel tothe river and stop at various spots toscan for birds below the power dam.(See Site 5 for details about thebirds).

Birding the American Sideof the Moses-SaundersPower DamBirders from the Toronto andKingston region, take 401 east toCornwall and visitors coming fromthe Montreal area, take 401 west toCornwall. Exit on Highway 138(Brookdale Avenue) and proceedsouth through the town of Cornwall

to the bridge to the United States.*The first bridge leads to theAkwesasne Indian Reservation onCornwall Island, and a toll of $2.25(either US or Canadian) is collectedupon entry and return. The secondbridge is the border into the UnitedStates. After U. S. customs, proceedsouth to the traffic circle and take thefirst right onto Haverstock Roadwhich leads to the Reynold'sAluminum Plant, the first stop on theroute.

Visitors from Ottawa head east onHighway 417 for 60 kilometres toHighway 138. Travel 45 kilometressouth on 138 to Cornwall andcontinue south until you reach thesigns for the bridge to the UnitedStates (then proceed as above *).

Figure 5.

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Reynold'5 Aluminum Plant(Site 3; Figure 6)Follow Haverstock Road past theReynold's Plant and over the railroadtracks. At this point the road curvesto the left and you can parkanywhere along the guard rail toview the channel and banks ofCornwall Island directly across theriver. The best time to check thisarea is from November throughMarch. Depending on ice conditions,December, January, and February arethose with the highest concentrationsof waterbirds (the more ice, the morebirds but only up to a certain point-- too much drives them away). Asthis section of the river remains openduring the winter, it provides a goodlocation for roosting waterbirds.Common Goldeneyes and CommonMergansers are the most abundantwinter ducks. However, carefullycheck for occasional winteringBarrow's Goldeneyes, Buffleheads,Greater Scaups, Canvasbacks,Oldsquaws, Red-breasted Mergansers,and Hooded Mergansers. During thewinter of 1990-91, an immature maleHarlequin Duck overwintered until3 March 1991. On the Massena­Cornwall Christmas Bird Count of 23December 1990, a female King Eiderwas obseryed at this location.Remember to watch along thebreakwall for Snowy Owls in thewinter and cormorants in the fall.During early fall, it is alsoworthwhile to check for Bonaparte'sGulls and Little Gulls that frequentlyfeed along this channel.

Once you have checked this area,continue west along HaverstockRoad. From late fall through winter,investigate the tangles of grape vinesalong the road for American Robins,Bohemian Waxwings and roosting

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Northern Saw-whet Owls. Uponentering the open fields andwoodlots, look for Northern Shrikes,Snow Buntings and overwinteringNorthern Flickers as they frequentthis area. Also watch for Red-tailedand Rough-legged Hawks, AmericanKestrels, Gray Partridge, HornedLarks, and occasional LaplandLongspurs, particularly if manure hasbeen recently spread in the farmfields. After passing the farm, takethe first right, and follow South GrassRiver Road. Don't forget to check theresidential feeders. Watch forAmerican Tree Sparrows, CommonRedpolls, Evening Grosbeaks,Mourning Doves, and overwinteringblackbirds, particularly Red-wingedBlackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds,and Common Grackles.

At the stop sign, turn right ontoTrippany Road and proceed to thedead-end sign where you turn lefttowards Highway 37 (Figure 3). Atthis junction, turn right onto 37 andcontinue to Route 131, locateddirectly across from the St. LawrenceShopping Centre. Turn right andcontinue on 131, the main roadcrossing over the Grass River. Watchfor Bohemian Waxwings andCommon Redpolls during the winter,and in the fall, check any pineplantations along this route forwintering owls.

Continue along Eisenhower LockRoad (formerly Route 131) passingbeneath the Eisenhower Lock whichis the boundary to Robert Moses StatePark. Go past the Information Centre,cross over Barnhart Island Bridge,and take the first left. This is also agood area to listen for EasternScreech Owl at dusk or dawn. Threewere heard along this stretch on 18December 1993 and 16 February 1995.

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The Marina /Beach(Site 4; Figure 31Proceed north to the marina/boatlaunch area. From this vantage point,scan the open water for loons, grebes,cormorants, diving ducks, and gulls.As the water is frozen in the winterthe most advantageous time to bird'this area is during the fall and earlywinter. Check the islands off themarina for Snowy Owls which can befound on exposed rocks. Also checkthe islands for roosting Bald Eagles.To exit this area, turn left onto

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Cornwall Island

Barnhart Island Road to RMPD. Avariety of species, includingBohemian Waxwing, Pine Grosbeak,and American Robin can be foundfeeding on the oriental crabappletrees along this stretch of road. Oneof the few New York State recordedSage Thrashers was found feeding inthese trees at the entrance to the damon 27 December 1971, the date of thefirst Massena-Cornwall ChristmasBird Count.

Robert Moses Power Dam(Site 5a; Figure 5)Once through the dam's main gate,proceed to the parking lot. You canview the river from the parking lotand from the observation deck on thetop floor of the power dam. It ishighly recommended that bothviewing sites be checked.

Over the years, the RMPD hashosted an impressive total of 16species of gulls and four species ofterns. Gull and tern numbers begin toincrease in mid-August, and consistmainly of Ring-billed and Bonaparte'sGulls and Common Terns. Carefullyscan below the dam for Little Gullswhich appear anytime from earlyAugust on. In September, there is ageneral increase in gull numbers asthe first migrants move through thearea. At this time, Bonaparte's Gullnumbers can range anywhere from100 to 1000. Although not a frequentvisitor, the Sabine's Gull is a goodpossibility during the latter part ofSeptember, most often observedfeeding below the dam. Little Gullnumbers generally peak at the end ofthe month. Eight were observed on30 September 1990 and six on 25September 1991. Common Ternnumbers peak in late September andearly October. Usually numbering inthe hundreds, this species can befound actively feeding below the damor sitting on the dam structure itself.Also watch for Arctic Terns whichhave been observed twice duringearly October, feeding amongst theCommon Terns. Black Terns areregular visitors in August to mid­September. Also watch for anoccasional Caspian Tern migratingduring the early fall.

October marks the increase in the

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numbers of larger gulls such as theGreat Black-backed, Herring, andRing-billed Gulls. Carefully checkthrough the gulls as they feed on thewater or rest on the power damstructure. With the influx of thelarger gulls, an occasional LesserBlack-backed Gull may be found.Patience can be rewarded as the firstNew York State recorded Mew Gullwas found feeding below the dam on4 and 5 October 1986. Subsequentobservations have been made on 27December 1992 and 26 November1994. The California Gull, anotherwestern rarity was also found feedingin this same area on 23 October 1990.Franklin's Gull has only beenrecorded once at this site with a firstwinter plumage bird present from 12September to 24 October 1986. Black­legged Kittiwakes are rare but regularvisitors to the dam in small numbers.Usually one to three birds can befound feeding below the dam duringNovember and occasionally in lateOctober. Carefully scan the large raftof Ring-billed Gulls resting on thewater for first winter Black-leggedKittiwakes. The majority ofKittiwakes recorded are first-winterbirds, but on 6 November 1986, twoadult Black-legged Kittiwakes wereobserved feeding below the dam.

A significant fluctuation in gullnumbers occurs during Novemberand December, depending on weatherconditions. If temperatures duringlate fall are cold, the Bonaparte'sGulls will as a rule have migrated outof the area. If the conditions are mild,this gull will remain though inreduced numbers. Carefully checkthe flocks of 'bonys" for CommonBlack-headed Gull as they have beenrecorded four times, three of whichwere in November. All birds were

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adults in winter plumage feedingbelow the dam. Ring-billed Gullsfollow a similar pattern to that of theBonaparte's. They tend, however, tolinger in the power dam area longer,sometimes into late December.Numbers in the fall usually rangefrom 1000 to 5000 birds, whereas inDecember, if conditions arefavourable a few hundred mayremain. Early November also marksthe arrival of the "white-wingedgulls". Two northern species, theGlaucous and Iceland Gulls usuallyappear at the dam site at about thesame time, in response to the freezingof lakes farther north. As the seasonprogresses, their numbers increase.Record numbers are generally notedin January or February with a highcount of 67 Iceland Gulls on 6February 1991 and 53 Glaucous Gullson 3 February 1992. It's interesting tonote that no two years are the same.Data gathered over the past 10 yearshave shown that either species canoutnumber the other, with no singlefactor controlling this fluctuation.Another "white-winged gull", theThayer's Gull, is a rare but regularvisitor, appearing anytime betweenearly November and late February.With usually only one bird foundeach season, one must scrutinize theflocks of Herring Gulls to locate thiselusive gull. Great Black-backed andHerring Gulls are regular winterresidents at the power dam. Theirnumbers also vary with weatherconditions, particularly when severecold hits the area as this can reducenumbers of a few thousand to a fewhundred overnight. There is only onerecord of the Ivory Gull, animmature found off Hawkin's Pointon 8 December 1977 and 13 January1978. More sightings of this species

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are definitely overdue!Depending on weather

conditions, by late February or earlyMarch the diversity of speciesdecreases rapidly as wintering gullsmove north or down to the Gulf ofSt. Lawrence and are replaced bythousands of Ring-billed Gulls whichbreed on numerous islands above thepower dam.

Lake St. Lawrence/Headpond(Site 5b; Figure 5)From the observation platform at theRMPD, survey the headpond locatedabove the dam. This area can be veryrewarding from August through toearly January. Two of the rarest birdshave been a Marbled Murrelet (11-13October 1993) and a juvenile AtlanticPuffin (14-16 October 1994). Lake St.Lawrence is usually frozen byJanuary and occasionally as early asmid-December. This location can neta variety of species, most notablebeing the Red-throated Loon, Red­necked and Horned Grebes, Brant,White-winged, Surf and BlackScoters, all of which can be foundduring October and November. AParasitic Jaeger was observed roostingon the water on 15 September 1991and, on 11 November 1989, threeimmature Pomarine Jaegers spent theafternoon feeding and resting in thisarea. The observation deck is also agood location for hawk watching.Regular migrants included Red-tailed,Rough-legged, Red-shouldered,Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks.Bald and Golden Eagles, PeregrineFalcon and Merlin are occasionallyobserved. From late Decemberthrough mid-March, overwinteringBald Eagles from the Ivy Lea Bridgearea, west of Brockville, wander

downriver to the open water at thedam in search of food. During latefall and winter watch for SnowyOwls resting on the power damstructure or sitting out on the ice.

Hawkin's Point Lookout(Site 6; Figure 5)Retrace the route taken to the powerdam. After crossing Barnhart IslandBridge, turn left on East-West Roadat the Information Centre. Followeast along this road checking the pineplantation on the left for owls,finches, Ruffed Grouse, Red-breastedNuthatches and Golden-crownedKinglets. At the transmission linetowers, 3.8 kilometres from theturnoff, turn right onto the dirt roadwhich leads to two ponds. A varietyof waterfowl can be found here, butmost notable were the 500 Redheadsand 350 Ring-necked Ducks viewedon 3 ·November 1991. During the latefall and early winter the berry andfruit trees along this road are a havenfor Bohemian Waxwings, winteringAmerican Robins and PineGrosbeaks. Carefully check any flockof robins because a male VariedThrush was found feeding with asmall group of 17 robins on 15January 1991. Towards mid-winterand early spring, Ruffed Grouse canbe observed just before dusk"budding" in nearby poplar or aspentrees. It is also during this time thatNorthern Shrikes can be foundperched high in the deciduous trees.At the 4-kilometre point, turn left atthe sign to the boat launch. Duringwinters of heavy snowfall, the roadleading to Hawkin's Point may beinaccessible. Under these conditionsit is best to walk to the point, adistance of about one kilometre from

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the turnoff. Located directly acrossthe channel from the dam, thelookout site provides one of the bestvantage points for birding. From thislocation thoroughly check the base ofthe dam as well as down rivertowards the bridge. A few RedPhalaropes have been recorded hereduring October. All gulls and ternshighlighted in the section underRMPD can be seen here as well. Thesheltered bay, just east of thelookout, is a good spot for winteringducks arid gulls. Scan the roostingAmerican Black Ducks and MallardsfOf other unusual visitors, such as anoccasional Green-winged Teal,Gadwall, or Northern Pintail. SnowyOwls are sometimes found during thewinter resting on the ice or along theshore. Viewing from Hawkin's Pointis at its best during late fall andwinter. Diving duck numbers beginto increase during early fall and bymid-November thousands andsometimes as many as 10,000Common Mergansers may convergeon the area below the dam and in thebay. The Harlequin Duck hasoverwintered here twice andBarrow's Goldeneye is a rare butregular winter visitor. Annually, since1985, a few Barrow's have beenfound amongst the 500 to 2,500overwintering Common Goldeneyes.Storms from the northeast fromOctober to early December haveproduced a few rarities including animmature Razorbill on 27 November1987, a juvenile Northern Gannet,that stayed from 22 November to 3December 1986, and a secondNorthern Gannet on 3 November1991.

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Loop Road Area(Site 7; Figure 6)To reach the loop, exit Hawkin'sPoint and turn left onto East-WestRoad. Take the left side of the fork inthe road and continue up the hill.From the road, check the bays andinlets for waterfowl and the openfields for Red-tailed and Rough­legged Hawks, American Kestrels andNorthern Shrikes. At dusk, watch forShort-eared Owls. The sprucewoodlot on the right, about 300metres from the road, can also berewarding. During the winter of1987-88, at least five Northern Saw­whet Owls and one Long-eared Owlwere seen" roosting there. The denseprotection of this sole coniferous lotin the area attracts a variety offinches such as the White-wingedCrossbill, and Pine Siskin, as well asNorthern Cardinals, Ruffed Grouse,Golden-crowned Kinglets, and theoccasional Carolina Wren. The end ofthe loop marks the entrance to thewoods that leads to a number ofvantage points, the most accessiblebeing Polly's Gut and Massena Point.Parking along the loop is permittedbut do lock all valuables in car trunksas the vantage points are a distancefrom the road. Polly's Gut is locateddirectly across from the Reynold'sPlant, therefore the birds found at theplant can be seen here as well. Theadvantage of this site is that many ofthe birds can be observed moreclosely. From Massena Point on theother hand, you can see many baysand inlets that cannot be observedfrom other locations. To reach theselocations, follow the trail and turn

left at the service road. At theT-junction, turn left towards MassenaPoint or right towards Polly's Gut.Don't forget to walk through thewoods to look for a variety oflandbirds. Northern Flickers havebeen overwintering in this area forthe past 10 years and up to five havebeen found there annually.

ConclusionIt is hoped that this site guide willgenerate further interest in thisregion, for much is yet to be learnedabout the frequency and diversity ofspecies that pass through or winter inthis area. For those who get theopportunity to bird the RMPD area,please forward a copy of yourobservations to the authors..

AcknowledgementsWe would like to thank Ross Harris,Liz Stevenson, Chris Traynor andNorm Crookshank for their valuablecomments on earlier versions of themanuscript. We are grateful to NormCrookshank for the preparation of themaps and Lee Harper for the use ofhis boat on a number of occasions.

Editors' Note:Since receiving the manuscript forthe site guide, Bruce Di Labio foundtwo Northern Fulmars and twojuvenile Northern Gannets at theRMPD site 5b on 15 December 1994.One of the fulmars was found deadthe following day. The other fulmarwas again observed flying over theheadpond during the Massena­Cornwall CBC 17 December 19941What next?

Bruce and Laurie Di Labio, 44 Helmsdale Drive, Kanata, Ontario K2K 2S3.

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