September 30, 2008

WEATHER: Cloudy and cool throughout the count, with light NW winds.

WATERFOWL: Light movement throughout the day, the highlight being 37 WW Scoters, 8 Surf Scoters, and 1 Black Scoter.

SHOREBIRDS: 1 Am. Golden-Plover, and 9 Sanderlings.

JAEGERS: 3 Jaegers went past the point today, but they where all too far out to identify to species.

A cool sight today was seeing several waterspouts out of the lake in the afternoon.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for strong north winds and showers.

Good Birding,
Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 29, 2008

WEATHER: Cloudy and cool throughout the count, with strong SE winds.

WATERFOWL: A light push in the morning,that included the first Long-tailed Ducks (26) of the season along with 88 WW Scoters,

SHOREBIRDS: 1 Black-bellied and 1 Am. Golden-Plover where present briefly in the morning.

OTHER BIRDS: 3 different Peregrine Falcons, and two Merlins spent most of the day hunting the Pipit, Longspur and Lark flocks around the tip.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for North winds and thunderstorms!

Good Birding,
Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 25, 2008

WEATHER: By far the calmest day of the fall, with no perceivable wind for over half the day. It was also sunny, and temperatures reached the mid 70's making for a nice day to be at the tip.

WATERFOWL: The first Scaup push came today, with over 1000 going south along with 303 Redheads, 95 Am. Wigeon, 1 WW and 1 Surf Scoter. 35 RT Loons, 60 Common Loons, and 81 RN Grebes went by the point as well today.

SHOREBIRDS: 15 Am. Golden and 5 BB Plovers, 1 Pectoral and 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 22 Sanderlings kept things interesting.

GULLS, TERNS: 34 Bonaparte's Gulls and 59 Common Terns moved south in the afternoon.

OTHER BIRDS: 1 Peregrine Falcon spent most of the day pushing the shorebirds around the tip.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling sunny skies and light southwinds.

Good Birding,
Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 24, 2008

WEATHER: The day started off with strong South winds, which died off and shifted to a light West wind after a midday rain shower.

WATERFOWL: Slow until the winds shifted, then there was a light push of ducks, including; 71 Am. Wigeon, 47 Redhead, 55 Lesser Scaup, and 3 WW Scoters. Red-necked Grebe numbers continue to be extremely low, with only 5 going south today...

SHOREBIRDS: 1 HUDSONIAN GODWIT landed on the tip for a few minutes during the rain shower. Also present were 5 Am. Golden and 3 Black-bellied Plovers, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers, and 16 Sanderlings.


OTHER BIRDS: 1 Black-backed Woodpecker sat on the Merlin pole for few minutes this afternoon.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling calm winds and partly cloudy skies.

Good Birding,
Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: Strong Southerly winds throughout the day kept migration to a stand still.

WATERFOWL: Extremely slow. 2 WW Scoters, 1 Greater Scaup, and 10 RN grebes were just about it.

SHOREBIRDS: 4 Pectoral Sandpipers, 2 Am. Golden and 1 BB Plover, and 8 Sanderlings.

GULLS: 1 Bonaparte's Gull went by in the 5th hour. The forecast for tomorrow is calling Southwest winds and partly cloudy skies. Good Birding,
Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: Southerly winds throughout the day kept the migration down.

WATERFOWL: Slow. 16 WW Scoters where nice, as well as 3 RT Loons that flew over the Shack calling.

SHOREBIRDS: 6 Sanderlings, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, and the 2nd Killdeer of the fall!

OTHERBIRDS: 2 Peregrine Falcons poked around the tip, along with the Merlin today. As well as a few Lapland Longspurs, Horned Larks, and American Pipits.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling Southeast winds and some sun.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: The day started with a light East wind, that slowly shifted to the SE by the end of the count.

WATERFOWL: A mere trickle. 2 WW Scoters and a semi close RT Loon were nice.

SHOREBIRDS: 2 Am. Golden, and 1 Semipalmated Plover, and 2 Sanderlings.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling Southeast winds and some sun.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 20, 2008

WEATHER: Despite a good tailwind, it was a slow day for migrant waterbirds. Todays weather was cloudy and cool, with a light NW wind.

WATERFOWL: There was a light push of loons this morning, and we ended the day with 279 Common Loons, and 32 RT Loons. Red-necked Grebes are trickling through, with 193 today.

SHOREBIRDS: 2 Am. Golden, and 1 Semipalmated Plover.

JAEGERS: In the third hour a distant adult type Jaeger was seen heading south.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for East winds and sunshine.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: Sunny, warm, and 20+ mph South winds.

WATERFOWL: Another slow day, with a decent variety, but low numbers. The highlight was 5 Surf Scoters that flew down the shoreline, and landed close off the tip for a few minutes.

SHOREBIRDS: In the afternoon Chris found a STILT SANDPIPER in flight with the Sanderling flock. Eventually after the flock disappeared for a half hour, the STILT SANDPIPER set down in the phalarope pool for a few minutes. The other nice thing today was a flock of 22 Am. Golden-Plovers that buzzed the point in the afternoon.


The forecast for tomorrow is calling for North winds, and partly cloudy skies.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 18, 2008

WEATHER: Sunny, cool, with Easterly winds and heavy distortion over the lake.

WATERFOWL: A slow day, and due to the distortion, most of the birds couldn't be ID'ed to species. 1 WW Scoter, and 1 RT Loon where the highlights.

SHOREBIRDS: 6 Am. Golden and 2 BB Plovers, 2 Baird's Sandpiper, and 2 Sanderlings.

OTHER BIRDS: Am. Pipits, Horned Larks, and Lapland Longspurs continue to feed around the point, along with 1 Merlin, and 1 Am. Kestrel.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for strong South winds, and sunshine.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 17, 2008

Highlights; Parasitic Jaeger, Sabine's Gull, Western kingbird.

WEATHER: Another nice day, sunny, warm with a light NW wind.

WATERFOWL: Slower then yesterday, with just a trickle of birds.

SHOREBIRDS: Shorebirds continue to trickle through, with 5 Baird's Sandpipers, 1 BB Plover, and 1 Am. Golden Plover were the highlights.

Left: Am. Golden Plover. Right: BB Plover.

JAEGERS, GULLS:1 adult Parasitic Jaeger buzzed the tip a couple times in the first hour, eventually getting a meal from a RB Gull. In the 5th hour we picked up a dark morph Jaeger species, that procedded to chase down an adult Jaeger and headed south. In the 8th hour, Chris pulled out the first Sabine's Gull of the season in with a small flock of Bonaparte's Gulls .

OTHER BIRDS: Chris found a Western Kingbird near the hawkwatch dune, that eventually made its way down to the beach, and was seen off and on throughout the afternoon working the tree line.
The forecast for tomorrow is calling for SE winds and lots of sun.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 16, 2008

WEATHER: A pleasant day, with partly cloudy skies with a steady SW wind, and temps that ended in the mid 60's.

WATERFOWL: Diversity was pretty good today, with Mallard, Gadwall, BW Teal, GW Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Redhead, Greater and Lesser Scaup all moving south today. RT Loons made a good afternoon push, with 52 for the day. RN Grebe numbers are still low, with only 17 seen today.

SHOREBIRDS: Things are starting to wind down , with only 1 BB Plover, 2 Am. Golden Plover, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 11 Sanderlings present today.

OTHER BIRDS: Lapland Longspurs, Horned Larks and American Pipits were around the tip throughout the day, often feeding with in 20 ft. of the shack.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for NW winds and sun.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 15, 2008

WEATHER: Partly sunny, with a 20+ mph NE wind at the start of the count, eventually faded to a light breeze by the last hour.

WATERFOWL: Very very quite, with only 80 RN Grebes going by.

SHOREBIRDS: 3 Baird's Sandpipers, 1 Am. Golden Plover, 10 Sanderlings.

OTHER BIRDS; Several flocks of Horned Larks, Am. Pipits, and Lapland Longspurs roamed around the point today, often feeding next to the shack. 2 Merlins, and the Peregrine Falcon poked around the tip most of the day as well.


The forecast for tomorrow is calling for SW winds and sun.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: WINDY! 20+ mph NW winds all day and gray skies.

WATERFOWL: Surprisingly slow. However, there was a strong push of geese in the last 30 minutes of the count. With over 1000 going past the point, including 1 Greater White-fronted Goose!

SHOREBIRDS: 3 Black-billed Plovers, 2 Buff-breasted,1 Baird's Sandpiper, and a frustratingly distant flock of 20 Godwits that taunted me as they headed south.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for SW winds and sun.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 13, 2008

WEATHER: Cloudy and cool, with a SE wind.

WATERFOWL: The first Black Scoter of the season went by a light waterfowl movement today, we also had a nice RT Loon push late in the day, with 20 for the day.

SHOREBIRDS: 2 Am. Golden Plovers, 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 11 Sanderlings.

TERNS: A strong push of Common Terns in the last hour, with 163 going by the point.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for NW winds!

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 12, 2008

WEATHER: Partly cloudy, with a steady 10-15 mph NW wind, and temps that hit 80F by the end of the count!

WATERFOWL:Light movement, 10 WW Scoters, 29 AM. Wigeon, 12 Redheads, both Scaup, 3 RT Loons, and 275 RN Grebes.

SHOREBIRDS: A slow day for shorebirds, with only 1 Am. Golden Plover, 2 Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Bairds Sandpiper, and 29 Sanderlings around the tip.

OTHER BIRDS: I found a 1st year LARK SPARROW by the Sharpie Sticks around noon today. While I was watching it, it worked inland from the Sharpie Sticks to the Merlin Pole area, and was very flighty. It was still present in the same area this evening. 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Merlin, 1 Northern Harrier, and 3 Bald Eagles were around the point today.



The forecast for tomorrow is calling for SE winds and Sunny skies.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 11, 2008

WEATHER: Cloudy, cool, and 20+ mph south winds.

WATERFOWL:Extremely slow, 5 Common Loons were the only migrants.

SHOREBIRDS: 1 RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, which briefly worked the puddle at the tip, before everything got flushed by a Bald Eagle. 20 minutes later it was back in the pool. where it fed for a few minutes before heading south. 2 Baird's, 1 Semipalmated, 1 Least Sandpiper, and 40 Sanderlings.
OTHER BIRDS: 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Northern Goshawk, 1 Northern Harrier, and 4 Bald Eagles were around the point today.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for nortwest winds!

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 10, 2008

WEATHER: Sunny, mid 60's, with a steady 10 mph south wind made for a slow day.

WATERFOWL:Extremely slow, with barely a handful of waterbirds, including 2 RT Loons, and 6 Redheads.

SHOREBIRDS: 2 Baird's and 1 Least Sandpiper, and 11 Sanderlings.

OTHER BIRDS: 2 Horned Larks spent the day working the tip, and the Peregrine Falcon made a afternoon stop at the tip.


The forecast for tomorrow is calling for a partly sunny day with strong south winds.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 9, 2008

WEATHER: The day started off with sun, a rainstorm, and SW winds. Then changed to sun and NE winds, followed by a short burst of sleet. Things stayed cool and cloudy until the afternoon when things cleared up and the wind shifted to the west and the temperature hit the upper 60's.

WATERFOWL: A slow day, but we did get the first Surf Scoter of the fall, and a RT Loon.

SHOREBIRDS: 1 Am. Golden Plover, 3 Baird's, 2 Least, 1 Buff-breasted, and 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, were the highlights.

OTHER BIRDS: The first Lapland Longspur of the fall was on the beach today, along with the Merlin, and a Peregrine Falcon.


The forecast for tomorrow is calling for sun, and southeast winds.
Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: Sunny, with a strong WNW wind in the morning that died off by the end of the count.

WATERFOWL: The duck diversity continued to be good today with nine species of ducks including; 6 WW Scoters, 48 Northern Pintail, and 81 GW Teal. Only 514 RN Grebes went by today, and 2 RT Loons.

SHOREBIRDS: Slower then yesterday, with 1 Am. Golden Plover, 4 Baird's Sandpipers, and 30 Sanderlings.

JAEGERS: 1 immature dark morph Jaeger, came by just after 7:00 a.m., followed by a adult Parasitic Jaeger a few hundred yards behind it.

The forecast for tomorrow is calling for NW winds, and rain.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 7, 2008

WEATHER: Cloudy skies in the early morning, changed to sun by the end of the count. And with a light breeze out of the west, shifting to NW in the afternoon, and temps in the upper 60's a;; made it a nice day at the tip.

WATERFOWL: A light movement, with good diversity including; 43 Am. Wigeon, BW and GW teal, WW Scoters, Greater Scaup, Co. Goldeneye, and 946 RN Grebes.

SHOREBIRDS: Another good day. Highlights where; 6 Am. Golden Plovers, 1 Buff-breasted and 1 Baird's Sandpiper, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 69 Sanderlings, and 1 Whimbrel.

JAEGERS: In the third hour, a 1st year intermediate morph Jaeger was seen well off shore heading south.

OTHER BIRDS: A Merlin was hunting the point at dawn, and the first Peregrine Falcon of the fall was sitting on the tip in the early afternoon. A uncommon sight were 2 Sandhill Cranes walking around the tip early this morning.


The forecast for tomorrow is calling for clouds, west winds and rain.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 6, 2008

WEATHER: It was another cool, cloudy day with a light drizzle in the morning, and a light SW wind.

WATERFOWL: Not much to talk about, 1 Mallard, 3 WW Scoters, 9 Common Loons, and 28 RN Grebes.

SHOREBIRDS: A pretty good day. Highlights where; 2 Am. Golden Plovers, 2 Buff-breasted and 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 1 Ruddy Turnstone.

Tomorrows forecast is calling for showers and west winds.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 5, 2008

WEATHER: It was a cool, mostly cloudy day with a steady NE 10-15 mph wind.


WATERFOWL: Better then yesterday, but still slow, with 385 RN Grebes, 1 Northern Pintail, and 13 GW Teal.

SHOREBIRDS: The first Am. Golden Plover of the year showed up in the last minute of the count, other peeps around included 2 Baird's Sandpipers, 20 Sanderlings, and 3 Semipalmated Plovers. After the count was over Chris found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at the tip.

JAEGERS: This evening, Nova spotted a juvenile intermediate morph Parasitic Jaeger working south past the point, the rest of us where able to have good looks at it in the evening light.

Tomorrows forecast is calling for showers and SE winds. After this its looking like a few days of NW winds!

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 4, 2008

WEATHER: Cloudy, cool, with a ENE wind that was around 20 mph at dawn, but faded to 5mph or less by the last hour.

WATERFOWL: Another light day, with only 24 RN Grebes. But we did have the first Greater Scaup of the season, and 2 WW Scoters.

SHOREBIRDS: Good numbers around the tip today. 9 Baird's, 1 Buff-breasted, 2 Least Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 3 Semi-palmated Plovers, and 22 Sanderlings.

OTHER BIRDS: The first Pipits of the fall showed up today at the tip.

WEATHER; Rain through at least tomorrow morning, with NNW winds will hopefully get some birds moving south.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: It seemed like today would be a really good day for migration, with northwest winds gusting up to 30 mph. However the birds thought otherwise.

WATERFOWL: Better then the past few days, but still much less then Id hoped for. 353 Red-necked Grebes, 18 Common Loons, 1 RT Loon, 21 GW Teal, 11 BW Teal, and 1 Am. Wigeon.

SHOREBIRDS: 11 Sanderlings, 5 Baird's Sandpipers, 2 Semipalmated Plovers.

OTHER BIRDS: The day started off on a bum note, with a Merlin eating a Sora at the tip. Later in the count a young Osprey came flying in off the lake.

WEATHER; Northwest winds continue in the 10-15 mph range for tomorrow, hopefully some birds will come with it.

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

WEATHER: Sunny, hot, with a south wind around 15 m.p.h. kept the migration from happening.

WATERFOWL: 2 Red-necked Grebes, 1 Common Loon.

SHOREBIRDS: 11 Sanderlings.

OTHER BIRDS: Two Broad-winged Hawks, and the Goshawk made repeated passes around the tip today.

WEATHER; Northwest winds in the 20-30 mph range are forcasted for tomorrow!

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter

September 1, 2008

WEATHER: Another pleasant day at the point. Sunny, with steady winds out of the south, and temps in the upper 70's, resulted in a very slow day.

WATERFOWL: Nonexistent, 4 Mallards where probably the highlight.

SHOREBIRDS: 1 Baird's Sandpiper, and 10 Sanderlings.


OTHER BIRDS: 1 male Black-backed Woodpecker made a brief stop on the Merlin Pole this morning, and one Northern Goshawk continues to be present around the point.

WEATHER; The wind is going to continue out of the south through tomorrow, then become NW Wednesday!

Good Birding,

Tim Baerwald
Waterbird Counter