Today got off to an excellent start with a barrage of White-winged Scoters the first hour. The paced slowed considerably in hour 2, and hours 3-8 were very slow.
Weather: Warm and pleasant most of the day. Temperatures into the 60s, with S winds 10-20 mph. A storm approached later in the day, causing the temperature to drop and winds to shift to the W.
Waterbird Count: 179 White-winged Scoters (143 in the 1st hour), 2 Surf Scoters. Also 50 Red-breasted Mergansers, 23 Canada Geese, 15 Common Loons, 2 Red-throated Loons. Added to the mix were 9 Long-tailed Ducks, and 4 Great Blue Herons. The Great Blues were all flying together, quite an odd sight from what is usually a solitary bird.
Shorebirds: 3 Dunlin, 2 Sanderlings, 1 Killdeer, 1 Black-bellied Plover. 1 Piping Plover was spotted today, the others are likely still in the area.
Gulls: A few ring-bills and herrings seemed to have Canada on their minds today. 15 herrings and 8 ring-bills.
Other Sightings: In the jack pines, at the first pond was a green heron. Around the point: blue jays (~200), chimney swift, barn swallow, eastern kingbird, and american pipits (11 or so).
Forecast for tomorrow is for a beautiful spring day. "Plentiful sunshine," with temperatures reaching 60. Winds are less than favorable, coming from the NNW 5-10 mph. I don't think that's a strong enough headwind to completely shut down a flight, but I have been wrong before (i.e. everytime I make a prediction).
Andy N
Waterbird Counter
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2 comments:
n up andy
chin up andy
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