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December's Bird and Waterbird Report 2016

1/2/2017

 
Bird Report
The following birds of note were reported from Erie County, Pa.

Snow Goose  1; Nov. 28; Fairview
Northern Goshawk  1 imm.; Dec. 3; Thompson Circle, Presque Isle S.P.
Rough-legged Hawk  1; Nov. 28; Fairview
Snowy Owl  1; through today; Gull Point, Presque Isle S.P.
Ruffed Grouse  1; Dec. 17; Thompson Circle, Presque Isle S.P. (CBC)  Very rare for the park.
Northern Goshawk  1 imm. window strike; Dec. 15; Waterford; The hawk was taken to a rehabilitation center where it is expected to recover.
Dunlin  1; Dec. 16 (late); Sunset Point (waterbird count), Presque Isle S.P.
Glaucous Gull  1; Dec. 17; foot of east Ave., Erie (CBC)
Long-eared Owl  1; Dec. 18; pines on Presque Isle S.P.
Eared Grebe  1; Dec. 23; Gull Point
Lesser Black-backed Gull  1; Dec. 23; Gull Point
Gray Catbird  1; Dec. 23; Gull Point Trail
Lapland Longspur  2; Dec. 23; Gull Point
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1; to at least Dec. 18; Harborcreek
Common Grackle  9; Dec. 19; ranger's station at Presque Isle S.P.

Waterbird Report

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 1, 2016     
Time: 0720 to 0850
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 38 F. SW wind to 10 mph, waves 4’.
Comments: There was a light westward movement of Lesser Scaup until about 0815.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Lesser Scaup  500
Surf/Black scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  129
Common Loon  5
Horned Grebe  16

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 2, 2016     
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 38 F. SW wind to 20 mph, waves 5’.  Occasional rain, graupel, and slush mix
Comments: There was a good westward movement of Lesser Scaup with many staging off Sunset Point.  There was also an eastward movement of three flocks of Long-tailed Ducks.  I observed a Peregrine Falcon take down a Bonaparte’s Gull, then plucking it off the water and carrying it to shore chased by Ring-billed Gulls. Roger Donn assisted for most of the watch.

Waterbirds recorded:
Wood Duck  3
American Wigeon  9
Mallard  3
Canvasback  3
Ring-necked Duck  1
Lesser Scaup  4500
Surf Scoter  1
Black Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  115
Bufflehead  4
Common Goldeneye  4
Red-breasted Merganser  68
Common Loon  23
Horned Grebe  6
 
Other bird over the lake:
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 3, 2016     
Time: 0715 to 0945
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 42 F. WNW wind to 20 mph, waves 3 to 4’.  
Comments:  There was a lighter, but steady, movement of scaup today and a few more Red-breasted Mergansers than yesterday and a fair number of scoters.  Most waterfowl were moving west.  Many Common Loons were flying across the lake from Canada high overhead.  I had a brief, but stunning, view of an immature Northern Goshawk perched facing me in a tree near the road at Thompson Circle, then it flew off the moment I reached for my camera.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  70 (one flock)
Canvasback  4
Redhead  10
Lesser Scaup  1100
Surf Scoter  29
White-winged Scoter  13
Black Scoter  1
Surf/Black scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  44
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  17
Red-breasted Merganser  328
Red-throated Loon  3
Common Loon  252
Horned Grebe  15
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  2
Snow Bunting  15

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 4, 2016     
Time: 0725 to 0855             
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 37 F. SSW wind to 5 mph, waves less than a foot.  Occasional sprinkle.  
Comments:  The heavy cloud cover made for poor visibility.  Very light westward movement of ducks. Horned Grebes were moving in both directions.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.  Scanning Gull Point from Beach 11 I saw a Snowy Owl perched on the railing of the observation deck.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Redhead  13
Lesser Scaup  232
Surf Scoter  3
Surf/Black scoter  4
Long-tailed Duck  2
Common Goldeneye  1
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  162
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  5
Unidentified loon  3
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Horned Grebe  33
Dunlin  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 4, 2016     
Time: 0720 to 0920             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 40 F, waves 4’ to 5’ falling to 3’,wind W to 25 mph falling to 15 mph.
Comments:  Not much different from yesterday.  However, four Snow Geese (one blue and three white) flying west just offshore was a treat.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
SNOW GOOSE  4 (one blue, three white)
Canvasback  1
Lesser Scaup  373
White-winged Scoter  14
Black Scoter  1
Surf/Black scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  8
Common Goldeneye  1
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  220
Red-throated loon  2
Common Loon  22
Unidentified loon  1

Other bird moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 6, 2016     
Time: 0720 to 0920             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 37 F, waves one foot, E wind to 10 mph.
Comments:  Most birds were moving west.  There was a burst of Red-throated Loons moving with five in one group moving west.  At least four were on the water just offshore.  I finally managed to pull a single Greater Scaup out of a flock of ten Lesser Scaup. Greater Scaup has been absent most of this fall.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  20
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  357
Surf Scoter  7
White-winged Scoter  21
Black Scoter  2
Surf/Black scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  4
Red-breasted Merganser  321
Red-throated Loon  12
Common Loon  19
Horned Grebe  8
Double-crested Cormorant  10
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  1

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Fairview Twp.
Date: December 7, 2016     
Time: 0720 to 0920             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 38 F, waves 3’ to 4’, SW wind to 20 mph.
Comments:  Nearly all birds were moving west.  Thousands of Lesser Scaup lifted off the water from the east then flying west a couple of miles or more before settling back down on the water.    
Highlight was a Forster’s Tern that appeared just offshore and fed near the mouth of the creek before departing.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  16
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  2
Greater Scaup  3
Lesser Scaup  8000
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  28
Red-breasted Merganser  830
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  3
Unidentified loon  1
Horned Grebe  8
Double-crested Cormorant  1
FORSTER’S TERN  1 (photographed)
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  3

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Fairview Twp.
Date: December 8, 2016     
Time: 0730 to 0930             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 33 F falling to 28 F, waves 3’ to 4’, W wind to 15 mph.  Light snow showers becoming heavy at times.
Comments:  It appears the Lesser Scaup have moved on, since there were very few flying and none on the water.  Red-breasted Merganser numbers improved with a movement of about 1100 eastbound birds at 0850.  Most of the other mergansers recorded this morning were moving east as well.  Because of the snow showers, visibility became limited towards the end of the count.

Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  2
American Wigeon  9
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  13
Lesser Scaup  192
Bufflehead  9
Common Goldeneye  9
Hooded Merganser  3
Red-breasted Merganser  2100
Common Loon  1

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Fairview Twp.
Date: December 9, 2016     
Time: 0725 to 1025             
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, temp. 31 F, waves 4’ to 5’, NW wind to 35 mph.  Occasional light snow shower.  One to two inches of snow cover on the ground.
Comments:  The westward waterfowl flight was fairly steady.  There was a good mix of waterfowl and most were Redhead, scaup, and Red-breasted Merganser.  Two distant flocks of Long-tailed Ducks were moving east, as they usually do.

Waterbirds recorded:
Canada Goose  30
Gadwall  9
American Black Duck  6
Mallard  27
Northern Shoveler  3
Northern Pintail  3
Canvasback  90
Redhead  445
Greater Scaup  42
Lesser Scaup  40
Unidentified scaup  355
White-winged Scoter  3
Black Scoter  9
Long-tailed Duck  75
Bufflehead  6
Common Goldeneye  30
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  16
Red-breasted Merganser  440
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  149
Double-crested Cormorant  1
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 10, 2016   
Time: 0730 to 0900             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 30 F, waves four feet, W wind to 25 mph.  Periods of snow squall white outs.  Three inches of snow on the ground.
Comments:  Much quieter on the lake today.  Birds were moving west.  The large flocks of divers sitting on the lake were not moving.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Canvasback  110
Redhead  18
Greater Scaup  3
Lesser Scaup  70
Unidentified scaup  300
Surf Scoter  6
White-winged Scoter  2
Surf/Black scoter  4
Long-tailed Duck  9
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  221
Common Loon  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 11, 2016   
Time: 0725 to 0855             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 26 F, waves one to two feet, SW wind to 10 mph.  6” to 8” of snow on the ground.
Comments:  Except for westbound Red-breasted Mergansers there was little activity over the water.  However, species diversity was okay.  Thousands of ducks were in Thompson Bay and other inlets, mostly Mallards, Gadwall, American Black Duck, scaup, Redheads, and Canvasbacks.  There were many Canada Geese in these areas as well.

Waterbirds recorded:
Canada Goose  21
Gadwall  15
American Black Duck  22
Mallard  10
Redhead  33
Greater Scaup  5
Lesser Scaup  17
Unidentified scaup  75
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  7
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  2
Common Goldeneye  9
Hooded Merganser  3
Red-breasted Merganser  2000
Ruddy Duck  4
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  4
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Horned Grebe  3
Double-crested Cormorant  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 12, 2016   
Time: 0740 to 0910             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 36 F, waves four feet, WSW wind to 10 mph.  Light rain.
Comments:  Visibility was poor all morning, but there was little moving anyway.  A large flock of scaup lifted off around 0800 and moved west.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.  
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  4
Gadwall  3
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  2
Canvasback  102
Ring-necked Duck  1
Lesser Scaup  1
Unidentified scaup  445
White-winged Scoter  1
Bufflehead  5
Common Goldeneye  8
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  26

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 13, 2016   
Time: 0725 to 0925             
Weather:  Variably cloudy becoming cloudy, temp. 26 F, waves two feet, SW wind to 10 mph.  
Comments:  There wasn’t a fixed directional movement for most ducks.  Birds were moving both east and west even the same species were splitting up and moving in different directions.  Most Red-breasted Mergansers were heading west while most Canvasbacks and Redheads headed east. 

Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  15
Gadwall  9
American Wigeon  2
American Black Duck  9
Mallard  52
Canvasback  128
Redhead  30
Greater Scaup  4
Lesser Scaup  38
Unidentified scaup  40
Black Scoter  1
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  5
Common Merganser  21
Red-breasted Merganser  1493
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  7
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 14, 2016   
Time: 0730 to 0930             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 24 F, waves two three, WNW wind to 10 mph becoming SSW to 15 mph. occasional snow flurries. 
Comments:  There was a good westward movement of Redheads with a few Canvasbacks mixed in, but only a few Red-breasted Mergansers moving mainly to the east. Roger Donn assisted for a short while.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
American Wigeon  4
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  16
Canvasback  75
Redhead  625
Greater Scaup  6
Lesser Scaup  43
Unidentified scaup  3
Surf Scoter  3
White-winged Scoter  2
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  20
Common Merganser  8
Red-breasted Merganser  146
Common Loon  4
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 15, 2016   
Time: 0730 to 0930             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 17 F, waves four to five feet, W wind to 35 mph. There is about 3 to 4 inches of snow on the ground
Comments:  Canvasbacks and Redheads and a few scaup were moving west.  The relatively warm Lake Erie water produced strong heat waves, and with poor light many ducks went unidentified.  I believe another 1000 or more ducks that I could not ID were Canvasbacks, Redheads, and scaup.  At least that many again were resting on the water about a mile or so offshore.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Mallard  2
Canvasback  580
Redhead  275
Greater Scaup  137
Lesser Scaup  77
Unidentified scaup  185
Black Scoter  1
Surf/Black scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  21
Hooded Merganser  2
Common Merganser  5
Red-breasted Merganser  159
Common Loon  100
 
Other bird moving across the lake:
Snow Bunting  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 16, 2016   
Time: 0735 to 0935             
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, temp. 15 F, waves two to three feet, SSW wind to 10 mph. occasional light snow showers.
Comments:  Heat waves over the water was an issue again this morning.  Nearly all birds were moving west. Two flocks of Canada Geese came across the lake from Canada.  Highlight was a Dunlin flying west along the shoreline.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Canada Goose  90
Gadwall  2
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  5
Canvasback  93
Redhead  40
Greater Scaup  12
Lesser Scaup  14
Unidentified scaup  98
Surf/Black scoter  3
Long-tailed Duck  4
Bufflehead  16
Common Goldeneye  60
Hooded Merganser  5
Common Merganser  20
Red-breasted Merganser  975
Ruddy Duck  1
Common Loon  4
Horned Grebe  10
DUNLIN  1
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 17, 2016   
Time: 0740 to 0840             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 30 F, waves less than a foot, S wind to 5 mph. Light drizzle.
Comments:  Not much happening on the lake.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
American Black Duck  1
Canvasback  7
Ring-necked Duck  8
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  27
Long-tailed Duck  8
White-winged Scoter  2
Bufflehead  2
Common Goldeneye  5
Hooded Merganser  1
Common Merganser  25
Red-breasted Merganser  140
Ruddy Duck  8
Common Loon  4
Horned Grebe  3

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 18, 2016   
Time: 0745 to 0915             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 32 F, waves 3’ to 4’, NW wind to 30 mph.
Comments:  The few birds flying were heading west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Redhead  5
Greater Scaup  29
Lesser Scaup  21
Unidentified scaup  36
White-winged Scoter  2
Bufflehead  4
Common Goldeneye  1
Common Merganser  4
Red-breasted Merganser  86
Ruddy Duck  1
Common Loon  1
American Coot  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 19, 2016   
Time: 0730 to 0800             
Weather:  Cloudy, heavy snow showers, temp. 20 F, waves less than a foot, light S wind.  Five inches of new snow cover on the ground.  Snow falling at two inches per hour.
Comments:  White-out conditions prevented me from seeing more than a hundred yards.  I gave it up after 30 minutes.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  3
Red-breasted Merganser  7

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 20, 2016   
Time: 0730 to 0900            
Weather:  Mostly clear becoming variably cloudy, temp. 18 F, wind S to 10 mph, waves two feet.
Comments:  Light movement.  There were large rafts of ducks sitting on the water well offshore that were a mix of Canvasback and scaup.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  8
Canvasback  50
Ring-necked Duck  8
Lesser Scaup  1
Unidentified scaup  14
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  2
Black Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  3
Bufflehead  9
Common Goldeneye  13
Common Merganser  29
Red-breasted Merganser  123

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 21, 2016   
Time: 0730 to 0930             
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, temp. 28 F, SW wind to 10 mph, waves 4 feet.
Comments:  Steady by light movement with birds flying in all direction except red-breasted Mergansers which were mostly going east.  The large rafts of ducks are still present well offshore.  Roger Donn, Jim and Jacob Flynn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  5
American Black Duck  8
Canvasback  130
Ring-necked Duck  20
Greater Scaup  26
Lesser Scaup  115
Unidentified scaup  58
White-winged Scoter  19
Long-tailed Duck  8
Bufflehead  6
Common Goldeneye  34
Common Merganser  15
Red-breasted Merganser  204
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 22, 2016   
Time: 0745 to 0915             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 37 F, W wind to 15 mph, waves 4 feet.
Comments:  Little movement with Red-breasted Mergansers moving east while most of everything else moving west.  The rafts of ducks are still present offshore including a mixed raft of 30 or more American Black Ducks, 30 or more Ring-necked Ducks, and 15 or so Redheads. 
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Gadwall  2
American Wigeon  1
American Black Duck  2
Canvasback  200 (mostly in one flock)
Redhead  12
Ring-necked Duck  4
Greater Scaup  39
Lesser Scaup  57
Unidentified scaup  18
Bufflehead  6
Common Goldeneye  17
Red-breasted Merganser  120
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 22, 2016   
Time: 0745 to 0915             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 37 F, W wind to 15 mph, waves 4 feet.
Comments:  Little movement with Red-breasted Mergansers moving east while most of everything else moving west.  The rafts of ducks are still present offshore including a mixed raft of 30 or more American Black Ducks, 30 or more Ring-necked Ducks, and 15 or so Redheads. 
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Gadwall  2
American Wigeon  1
American Black Duck  2
Canvasback  200 (mostly in one flock)
Redhead  12
Ring-necked Duck  4
Greater Scaup  39
Lesser Scaup  57
Unidentified scaup  18
Bufflehead  6
Common Goldeneye  17
Red-breasted Merganser  120
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 23, 2016   
Time: 0735 to 0935             
Weather:  Variably cloudy, temp. 32 F, SSW wind to 10 mph, waves 2 feet.
Comments:  Some westward movement, mainly from the rafts of ducks offshore being moved by duck hunters.  Jim and Jacob Flynn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  2
Canvasback  500
Redhead  86
Ring-necked Duck  6
Greater Scaup  15
Lesser Scaup  510
Unidentified scaup  125
Surf Scoter  1
White-winged Scoter  2
Black Scoter  1
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  23
Common Merganser  24
Red-breasted Merganser  430
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 24, 2016   
Time: 0750 to 0920             
Weather:  Cloudy, light rain showers, temp. 40 F, SSW wind to 5 mph, waves less than a foot becoming two feet.
Comments:  Mostly ducks from the offshore rafts moving around.  Sam Stull and Scott Goring assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  14
Canvasback  164
Redhead  140
Ring-necked Duck  8
Greater Scaup  4
Lesser Scaup  94
Unidentified scaup  332
White-winged Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  19
Red-breasted Merganser  32

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 29, 2016   
Time: 0750 to 0920             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 37 F, W wind to 5 to 10 mph, waves less than a foot becoming two feet.
Comments:  Just a few westward moving birds.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Canvasback  62
Redhead  13
Greater Scaup  6
Lesser Scaup  50
Unidentified scaup  10
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  62

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 29, 2016   
Time: 0745 to 0945             
Weather:  Cloudy, temp. 33 F, NW wind to 25 mph, onshore waves four feet.
Comments:  There was a rather steady flow of westbound Common Loons for this late in the season.  Also more waterfowl than yesterday, with nearly all birds in a westward direction.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  1
Canada Goose  5
Mallard  1
Canvasback  11
Redhead  13
Ring-necked Duck  1
Greater Scaup  7
Lesser Scaup  126
Unidentified scaup  30
White-winged Scoter  7
Long-tailed Duck  15
Common Goldeneye  23
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  126
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  276

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 31, 2016   
Time: 0735 to 0905             
Weather:  Hazy sun, temp. 33 F, SSW wind to 15 mph, onshore waves one to two feet.
Comments:  Much quieter on the lake today with absolutely no loons moving.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Tundra Swan  4
Canvasback  18
Redhead  10
Ring-necked Duck  4
Lesser Scaup  37
Greater Scaup  5
White-winged Scoter   2
Long-tailed Duck  2
Common Goldeneye  16
Common Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  160
Horned Grebe  1
 
Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, Pa.

Novembers Bird and Waterbird Report 2016

1/2/2017

 
​Bird Report
The following birds of note were reported from Presque Isle S.P., Pa.
 
Purple Sandpiper  2; Sunset Point
 Snowy Owl  1 or 2; Nov. 22 & 27

Waterbird Report
Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 1, 2016     
Time: 0740 to 0910
Weather: Mostly clear, temp. 46 F, S wind to 15 mph, onshore waves calm.
Comments:  Except for Common Loons and Horned Grebes moving east, most of everything else was moving in all directions. Roger Donn, and Park environmental educators Brian Gula and Stacy, assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 Canada Goose  2
Tundra Swan  3
Gadwall  7
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  2
Green-winged Teal  1
Lesser Scaup  27
Surf Scoter  1
White-winged Scoter  4
Black Scoter  2
Surf/Black scoter  7
Bufflehead  2
Common Goldeneye  7
Red-breasted Merganser  42
Common Loon  22
Horned Grebe  8
Double-crested Cormorant  2
 
Other birds moving over or along the lake:
Cooper’s Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  1
Snow Bunting  7
Dark-eyed Junco  1
Sparrow species  1
Red-winged Blackbird  8
Passerine  3

​Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 2, 2016      
Time: 0740 to 0910
Weather: Variably cloudy, temp. 60 F, calm wind, calm lake.
Comments:  A few Lesser Scaup were moving west and two flocks of Pine Siskins passed overhead going east.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Mallard  1
Green-winged Teal  7
Lesser Scaup  343
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  1
Bufflehead  5
Common Goldeneye  3
Red-breasted Merganser  42
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  8
Double-crested Cormorant  2
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
European Starling  5
Pine Siskin  45

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 4, 2016      
Time: 0745 to 1015
Weather: Partly cloudy, temp. 48 F. N wind to 10 mph, waves 2’.
Comments:  There was a nice movement of Green-winged Teal and Northern Pintail moving west.  Diving duck numbers were fair with most birds being  west bound Red-breasted Merganser and Lesser Scaup.  A Wilson’s Snipe flying west at first light was a surprise.  First Red-throated Loon of the season moving west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
American Wigeon  27
American Black Duck  12
Mallard  16
Northern Pintail  57
Green-winged Teal  119
Lesser Scaup  136
Surf Scoter  22
White-winged Scoter  7
Bufflehead  11
Common Goldeneye  31
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  252
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  15
Horned Grebe  1
Double-crested Cormorant  35
Wilson's Snipe 1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 23, 2016    
Time: 0705 to 0905
Weather: Variably cloudy, temp. 32 F. Light N wind , waves less than one foot.
Comments:  Light movement of scaup and Red-breasted Merganser moving west with a staging flock of several hundred scaup far offshore.
 
Waterbirds counted;
Lesser Scaup  44
Surf Scoter  1
Surf/Black scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  6
Bufflehead  10
Common Goldeneye  9
Hooded Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  161
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  11
Horned Grebe  12
Double-crested Cormorant  3
 
Other birds moving along the lake:
Horned Lark  2
European Starling  8
Snow Bunting  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 24, 2016   
Time: 0705 to 0805
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 42 F. S wind to 15 mph, light to moderate rain showers.  Waves less than one foot.
Comments:  There was a light west movement of Lesser Scaup the first 15 minutes of the watch.  All Red-breasted Mergansers and Horned Grebes were moving east.  Movement stopped when it started to rain around 0630.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Canvasback  1
Redhead  6
Lesser Scaup  677
Black Scoter  2
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  90
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  20
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
Snow Bunting  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 25, 2016   
Time: 0710 to 0840
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 42 F. W wind to 5 mph, light to moderate rain showers.  Waves two feet.
Comments:  Low waterfowl diversity, but there was a decent westward movement of Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Lesser Scaup  1725
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  5
Red-breasted Merganser  5385
Common Loon  4
Double-crested Cormorant  29

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 26, 2016    
Time: 0715 to 0915
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 37 F. W wind to 10 mph, light to moderate rain and sleet early on.  Waves two feet.
Comments:  There was a light westward movement of Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers.  A few Common Loons were moving west as well.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
American Black Duck  4
Lesser Scaup  423
Black Scoter  1
Red-breasted Merganser  617
Common Loon  18
Unidentified loon  1
Horned Grebe  1
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 27, 2016    
Time: 0712 to 0912
Weather: Cloudy, temp. 43 F. W wind to 10 mph, waves two to three feet.
Comments:  There was a westward movement of Lesser Scaup that settled down off Sunset Point.  Only a light westbound movement of Red-breasted Mergansers. 
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Canvasback  10
Lesser Scaup  1392
Surf Scoter  6
White-winged Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  3
Red-breasted Merganser  345
Ruddy Duck  1
Red-throated Loon  3
Common Loon  6
Horned Grebe  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 28, 2016    
Time: 0710 to 0910
Weather: Clear becoming mostly cloudy, temp. 36 F. light SSE, lake calm.
Comments:  Small groups of Lesser Scaup moving west and staging a mile or so offshore, and small groups of Red-breasted Mergansers moving mainly east.  Scoters moving west and single Horned Grebes moving east.   Roger Donn and Russ States assisted with the count and Roger helped yesterday as well.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Lesser Scaup  320
Surf Scoter  3
White-winged Scoter  17
Red-breasted Merganser  244
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  6
Unidentified loon  2
Horned Grebe  19

Other birds moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  2
Snow Bunting  3

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 29, 2016    
Time: 0720 to 0820
Weather: Variably cloudy, temp. 51 F. S wind to 15 mph, onshore lake calm.
Comments:  Pretty quiet as expected.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
Lesser Scaup  131
Black Scoter  1
Red-breasted Merganser  53
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  3
Unidentified loon  1

Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, Pa.

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