Santee Lakes, mergansers but no Neotropic Cormorant

I birded around Santee Lakes 1 and 2 early Thursday morning, January 16, 2020.  There was a male and female Hooded Merganser in the southwest corner of Lake 1, seen from the south bank of the lake.  They flew off after a few minutes, headed south, likely towards the river and/or the golf course.  Later on, I saw the continuing female Common Merganser, in the southwest corner of Lake 1, near the boat ramp inside the maintenance yard.

Did not see the Neotropic Cormorant reported on ebird; but the cormorant roosting trees on the island and the east shore of Lake 1 were mostly empty during the time I was there and there were no large groups swimming in Lakes 1 or 2.

Jeremiah Stock
Santee, CA
jscls@…
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports