Its just some more Red-necked Grebes

So I finally made it to the point yesterday after a few days of disagreements between myself and the rear differential on my pickup, I thought he should work, he disagreed, so we decided to part ways in Flagstaff, AZ. Anyway I made it here just in time to find a Parasitic Jaeger on the point last evening and get myself ready for the count this morning.

The morning's count started off with wind and a serious threat from rain but it seemed Mother Nature favored the USA this Tuesday as the inclement weather all stayed north along the Canadian shoreline. Which meant nicer weather but way too much heat shimmer for my liking. Despite the wind and "heat" the morning turned out nicely as a strong mid-to-late morning push of Red-necked Grebes contributed to a nice count of 2,017 by the time I left with a trickle still moving past. Also on the point this morning were 4 Buff-breasted Sandpipers among the smattering of Semipalmated Plovers and Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, Least Sandpipers, and Sanderlings.

Other waterbird numbers were relatively low with 19 White-winged Scoters and 18 Common Loons topping the non-Red-necked Grebe list while 5 Bonaparte's Gulls and a single Common Tern broke up the Ring-billed/Herring Gull monotony.

Non-waterbirds around the point this morning included dueling juvenile Northern Goshawks, a Merlin trying to dine on the shorebirds, a Bald Eagle successfully dining on a fish, and a few birds in the trees that would prefer to remain nameless.