Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 1, 2014
Time: 0715-0915
Weather: Cloudy, W wind to 15 mph, temp. 37 F, waves two to three feet.
Comments: Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers were moving in all directions.  There were many other scaup resting on the water that I did not include in the count.  Highlights were a white morph Snow Goose and a Red-necked Grebe moving west.  Another Red-necked Grebe was in Presque Isle Bay off Niagara boat launch.  Russ States assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
SNOW GOOSE  1 white
Tundra Swan  2
Mallard  2
Northern Shoveler  5
Lesser Scaup  218
White-winged Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  4
Common Goldeneye  3
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  1445
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  7
unidentified loon  4
RED-NECKED GREBE  1
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
 
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 2, 2014
Time: 0715-0915
Weather: Variably cloudy, ENE wind to 15 mph, temp. 20 F, waves three feet.
Comments: A few Lesser Scaup were moving west while Red-breasted Mergansers were moving east. Very little else going on.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
American Black Duck  4
Greater Scaup  2
Lesser Scaup  612
White-winged Scoter  14
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  11
Common Merganser  9
Red-breasted Merganser  262
Red-throated Loon  1
unidentified loon  1
Horned Grebe  4
 
Other birds moving across the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  1 imm. (first seen flying south a few miles offshore apparently crossing the lake from Canada, and eventually making landfall well west of the watch)
Merlin  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 3, 2014
Time: 0720-0850
Weather: Cloudy, WSW wind to 5 mph, temp. 35 F, waves three feet.  Light sprinkle. 
Comments: There was a movement of White-winged Scoters with one flock containing 20 birds and a few Long-tailed Ducks.  Very few scaup and mergansers were flying. 
 
Waterbirds count:
 
Tundra Swan  6
Canvasback  23
Lesser Scaup  91
White-winged Scoter  43
Long-tailed Duck  22
Common Goldeneye  2
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  102
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  3

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 4, 2014
Time: 0715-0945
Weather: Variably cloudy becoming cloudy, W wind to 10 mph, temp. 30 F, waves three feet.
Comments: There was a modest movement of Red-breasted Mergansers moving west, and scaup were flying in from the east and setting down directly out from Sunset Point. A few other ducks, loons, and grebes were on the move, but it was very light.
Waterbird counted:
Canada Goose 5
Canvasback 19
Redhead 2
Ring-necked Duck 1
Greater Scaup 1
Lesser Scaup 800
Surf Scoter 1
White-winged Scoter 16
Long-tailed Duck 4
Common Goldeneye 23
Red-breasted Merganser 2430
Common Loon 16
Horned Grebe 27
Other birds recorded flying across the lake:
Northern Harrier 1
Peregrine Falcon 1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 5, 2014
Time: 0720-0850
Weather: Cloudy light ESE wind, temp. 30 F, waves about a foot.
Comments: Another quiet day on the lake.  Scaup were moving west and Red-breasted Mergansers were moving east mostly within the first 30 minutes of daylight.  All three scoter species this morning including a fair number of White-winged Scoters with 16 in one flock.
 
Waterbird counted:
 
Tundra Swan  2
Mallard  15
Canvasback  2
Redhead  1
Greater Scaup  10
Lesser Scaup  790
Surf Scoter  3
White-winged Scoter  24
Black Scoter  1
Red-breasted Merganser  275
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  11

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 6, 2014
Time: 0730-0830
Weather: Cloudy, NNE wind to 15 mph, temp. 37 F, waves about 3 to 4 feet.  Rain showers. 
Comments: Visibility was not good because of heavy cloud cover and continuous rain.   A few Lesser Scaup were moving west and some Red-breasted Mergansers moving east, and nothing else.
 
Waterbird counted:
 
Lesser Scaup  780
Red-breasted Merganser  71
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 7, 2014
Time: 0725-0925
Weather: Partly cloudy, NE wind to 20 mph, temp. 28 F, waves about 4 to 5 feet. 
Comments: Pretty slow today.  Scaup were moving west and most Red-breasted Mergansers were moving east.  Highlight was a basic I Glaucous Gull that was feeding with ring-bills and herrings along the breakwaters.  Sam Stull assisted with the count for a short time.
 
Waterbird counted:
Canada Goose  3
Greater Scaup  10
Lesser Scaup  213
White-winged Scoter  4
Long-tailed Duck  2
Common Goldeneye  9
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser 482
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  2
GAUCOUS GULL  1 imm.
 
Other birds flying over or along the lake:
 
Peregrine Falcon  1
Snow Bunting  50

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 8, 2014
Time: 0720-0920
Weather: Cloudy, SSE wind to 5 mph, temp. 30 F, waves about a foot.
Comments: A rather slow day, as expected, but there were some interesting birds.  Highlights were a female Harlequin Duck that flew west well offshore, which is unusual for this species, since most are usually flying close to shore near the breakwaters.  Also a flock of about 70 White-winged Scoters flew in from the west and landed well offshore in one big raft.  Then, a Snowy Owl flew west past Sunset Point with a couple of gulls mobbing it.  This may have been the same one that Shannon and Dave found yesterday at Gull Point, since it was marked about the same.  It landed on breakwater #53 briefly before flying off.  Later after the count I decided to look at the breakwaters west of Sunset Point to see if I could find the Snowy Owl.  I didn't find the one that flew past the waterbird count, but Iinstead  found a very pale bird sitting on breakwater #36.  I photographed both owls and the first one was significantly darker than the second bird.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Lesser Scaup  359
HARLEQUIN DUCK  1 female
White-winged Scoter  95
Surf/Black scoter  3
Long-tailed Duck  2
Bufflehead  1
Common Merganser  6
Red-breasted Merganser  260
Ruddy Duck  6
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  16
Double-crested Cormorant  1
 
Other birds moving along or over the lake:
 
SNOWY OWL  1
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 9, 2014
Time: 0725-0855
Weather: Cloudy, SSE wind to 5 mph, temp. 35 F, calm lake. 
Comments: Not much to report today.  Scaup were moving west and Red-breasted Mergansers were moving east.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Mallard  3
Lesser Scaup  177
White-winged Scoter  4
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  5
Common Merganser  11
Red-breasted Merganser  267
Ruddy Duck  6
Red-throated Loon  1

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Fairview Twp.
Date: December 10, 2014
Time: 0730-0900
Weather: Cloudy, N wind to 20 mph, temp. 30 F, waves about four feet.  Light snow showers. 
Comments: Only Red-breasted Mergansers and a few goldeneye were moving today, nearly all in an easterly direction.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Lesser Scaup  11
Common Goldeneye  27
Red-breasted Merganser  2100
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  2 adults

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Fairview Twp.
Date: December 11, 2014
Time: 0730-0900
Weather: Cloudy, WNN wind to 35 mph, temp. 30 F, waves about five to six feet. Moderate to heavy snow showers.
Comments: Because of the snow showers, visibility was limited to about 1/2 mile.  Only a few birds were moving and all were moving west.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Redhead  2
Lesser Scaup  16
White-winged Scoter  2
Common Goldeneye  37
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  217
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon 4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 12, 2014
Time: 0720-0920
Weather: Cloudy, NW wind to 20 mph, temp. 32 F, waves about three to four feet. 
Comments: A few birds were heading west with the majority of birds, as usual, Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser.  Sam Stull helped with the count.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Tundra Swan  16
Canvasback  6
Redhead  11
Lesser Scaup  440
White-winged Scoter  20
Black Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  12
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  11
Common Merganser  7
Red-breasted Merganser  1000
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon 5
unidentified loon  1
Horned Grebe  1
 
Other bird flying across the lake:
 
Dark-eyed Junco  1

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Fairview Twp.
Date: December 13, 2014
Time: 0730-0900
Weather: Cloudy, W wind to 20 mph, temp. 33 F, waves about two feet. Light fog.
Comments: Slow, with all birds moving west.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Mallard  6
Lesser Scaup  5
Common Goldeneye  29
Common Merganser  3
Red-breasted Merganser  128
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  1 adult

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 14, 2014
Time: 0730-0900
Weather: Cloudy, W wind to 10 mph, temp. 35 F, waves about two feet.  Light fog with mist 
Comments: Very quiet with a few scaup moving west and Red-breasted Mergansers moving mostly east.  Sam Stull and Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Lesser Scaup  145
White-winged Scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  315

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 15, 2014
Time: 0730-0830
Weather: Cloudy, calm wind and water, 38 F.
Comments: Should have stayed in bed:
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Lesser Scaup  5
Bufflehead  1
Red-breasted Merganser  134
Horned Grebe  2


Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 16, 2014
Time: 0740-0910
Weather: Cloudy, S wind to 10 mph, calm water onshore, temp. 40 F.  Rain showers.
Comments:  Just a few birds, mostly moving west.  First notable number of Greater Scaup, mostly in one flock.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Redhead  1
Greater Scaup  50
Lesser Scaup  260
White-winged Scoter  5
Common Goldeneye  1
Hooded Merganser  2
Red-breasted Meganser  300
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 17, 2014
Time: 0735-0935
Weather: Cloudy, WSW wind to 30 mph, waves five to six feet, temp. 35 F. Light rain showers early.
Comments: Most birds were moving west.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
American Black Duck  2
Northern Pintail  5
Greater Scaup  10
Lesser Scaup  140
White-winged Scoter  4
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  4
Red-breasted Merganser  457
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  1
unidentified loon 2
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 18, 2014
Time: 0740-0940
Weather: Cloudy, WNW wind to 15 mph, waves four to five feet, temp. 28 F.
Comments: There was a modest movement of Red-breasted Mergansers with most moving west and often high overhead.  Richard Nugent, Debbie Aalbfleisch, and Michele Franz joined me.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Mallard  2
Redhead  15
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  300
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  7
Black Scoter  2
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  5
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  2625
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  3
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  2 imm.

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 19, 2014
Time: 0730-0900
Weather: Cloudy, NW wind to 20 mph, waves three to four feet, temp. 28 F.
Comments: Slower today than yesterday.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Greater Scaup  46
Lesser Scaup  108
White-winged Scoter  17
Long-tailed Duck  2
Common Goldeneye  3
Red-breasted Merganser  330
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  1

Other bird moving over the lake:

Bald eagle  1 adult

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 20, 2014
Time: 0745-0845
Weather: Cloudy, NW wind to 10 mph, waves two to three feet, temp. 25 F.
Comments: Today was our annual CBC. I had at least nine assistants with me at the watch. Thanks to all.  Unfortunately, it was rather slow.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Tundra Swan  8
Greater Scaup  90
Lesser Scaup  144
Surf Scoter  3
Black Scoter  2
Surf/Black scoter  2
Common Goldeneye  4
Common Merganser  8
Red-breasted Merganser  95
Red-throated Loon  4
Common Loon  4

Location: Sunset Point,Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 21, 2014
Time: 0740-0910
Weather: Cloudy, light W wind, waves one foot, temp. 28 F.
Comments: A stagnant weather pattern has provided lots of repetition in species and numbers of individuals the past several days.  Migration, for the most part, is about over for the season, but still holding out for Purple Sandpipers, Pomarine Jaegers, or whatever else might be wondering around out there.  Just a few birds today with most moving west.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Canvasback  46
Greater Scaup  4
Lesser Scaup  62
unidentified scaup  220
Common Goldeneye  13
Common Merganser  5
Red-breasted Merganser  191
Common Loon  3
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
 
Snow Bunting  5

Location: Sunset Point,Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 22, 2014
Time: 0730-0900
Weather: Cloudy becoming variably cloudy, light S wind, waves less than a foot, temp. 25 F.
Comments: Not much happened.  However, an interesting Red-throated Loon was on the water off Sunset Point, which had the full red throat of an alternate plumaged bird.  Jim Fynn assisted with the count. 

Waterbirds counted:

Northern Pintail  2
Ring-necked Duck  1
Greater Scaup  2
Lesser Scaup  19
unidentified scaup  60
White-winged Scoter  2
Common Goldeneye  1
Hooded Merganser  1
Common Merganser  3
Red-breasted Merganser  178
Red-throated Loon  1
Horned Grebe  3

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 23, 2014
Time: 0735-0905
Weather: Cloudy, S wind to 15 mph, waves less than a foot becoming calm later, temp. 40 F.  Light rain showers. 
Comments: Quiet as expected.

Waterbirds counted:
 
Canada Goose  18
Tundra Swan  12
Mallard  2
Greater Scaup  2
Lesser Scaup  5
unidentified scaup  50
White-winged Scoter  9
Surf/Black scoter  9
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  6
Red-breasted Merganser  44

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 24, 2014
Time: 0735-0835
Weather: Mostly cloudy, S wind to 15 mph, calm lake, temp. 48 F. 
Comments: We just put in our time this morning.  Jim Flynn and Roger Donn assisted with the count.

Waterbirds counted:
 
Mallard  2
Greater Scaup  3
Lesser Scaup  14
unidentified scaup  10
White-winged Scoter  7
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  53
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  2
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
 
Snow Bunting  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 26, 2014
Time: 0735-0905
Weather: Mostly clear, SW wind to 15 mph, waves two feet, , temp. 35 F.
Comments: A little scaup and Red-breasted Merganser movement, mostly to the west.  Jim Flynn assisted with the count

Waterbirds counted:
 
Tundra Swan  2
Mallard  6
Canvasback  1
Greater Scaup  20
Lesser Scaup  85
unidentified scaup  155
White-winged Scoter  14
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  10
Common Merganser  9
Red-breasted Merganser  300
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  7

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 30, 2014
Time: 0735-0905
Weather: Mostly cloudy, NNW wind to 10 mph, waves one to two feet, , temp. 25 F.
Comments: Roger Donn assisted with the slow morning.

Waterbirds counted:

Greater Scaup  3
Lesser Scaup  16
White-winged Scoter  2
Common Goldeneye  2
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  154
Common Loon  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: December 31, 2014
Time: 0740-0910
Weather: Cloudy, W wind to 20 mph, waves three to four feet, , temp. 18 F. Occasional light snow showers and squalls. 
Comments: Roger Donn assisted this morning.  Just a few birds moving mainly to the west.

Waterbirds counted:
 
Mallard  1
Redhead  30
Lesser Scaup  29
unidentified scaup  62
White-winged Scoter  5
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  4
Hooded Merganser  1
Common Merganser  5
Red-breasted Merrganser  87
 
Other bird moving over the lake:
 
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Date: January 1, 2015
Time: 0740-0910
Weather: Cloudy becoming variably cloudy, SW wind to 20 mph, waves five to six feet, , temp. 18 F.  
Comments: There was a nice flight of Canvasbacks with some Redheads among them.  Most were moving west, but one large group of Redheads was moving east.  Just a few scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers.  Roger Donn assisted this morning.  This is the final morning of the waterbird count for this season.  A summary of the season will follow soon. 

Waterbirds counted:
 
American Black Duck  2
Mallard  3
Canvasback  525
Redhead  150
Ring-necked Duck  2
Greater Scaup  16
Lesser Scaup  37
unidentified scaup  97
Common Goldeneye  7
Common Merganser  8
Red-breasted Merganser  62
Ruddy Duck  1