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WATERBIRD COUNT 2017
Summary Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park, Erie County, Pa. By Jerry McWilliams Time in the field this year was 128 hours, up from 109 hours last year. Open water farther north allowed waterfowl, which typically would be passing through our region at this time, to stay put. Therefore we had relatively low counts for many species. Even though Red-breasted Merganser totals are still far lower than a few years ago, this season’s total was nearly double that of last year. Redheads had the most significantly flight of any of the other species of waterfowl breaking the all-time season total of 1776 set last year to 2275 birds this season. Redheads also broke the record high daily total at 1065 birds. Though no record was broken for scaup, there was a significant number counted. Two new species of waterbirds were added to the count this year, Piping Plover and Least Tern. Thanks to all of the birders who stopped by and helped at times with the count. I would also like to thank the park staff at Presque Isle State Park, especially the Operations Manager, Mathew Greene, for giving me permission to conduct the survey, by car, from the hard pan sand ridge adjacent to Sunset Point. This site allowed me a clear 180 degree scan of the lake, and the increased elevation gave me the height needed to identify distant birds. Below are the specifics of the count: Time period: Sept. 28, 2017 to Jan. 2, 2018 Hours observed: 128 Total species of water related birds: 42 Total species of other birds: 19 Total of all species of birds: 61 Total individuals of water related birds: 94276 Total individuals of other species of birds: 408 Total of all individuals: 94684 Season Totals by Species Waterbirds Brant 1 Canada Goose 203 Tundra Swan 168 Wood Duck 27 Gadwall 89 American Wigeon 99 American Black Duck 420 Mallard 216 Northern Shoveler 31 Northern Pintail 183 Green-winged Teal 120 Canvasback 497 Redhead 2275 Ring-necked Duck 23 Greater Scaup 450 Lesser Scaup 25486 Scaup species 19933 Eider species 1 Harlequin Duck 1 Surf Scoter 201 White-winged Scoter 328 Black Scoter 30 Surf/Black Scoter 174 Long-tailed Duck 307 Bufflehead 375 Common Goldeneye 522 Hooded Merganser 39 Common Merganser 88 Red-breasted Merganser 38461 Ruddy Duck 12 Red-throated Loon 108 Common Loon 1318 Loon species 20 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Horned Grebe 641 Red-necked Grebe 9 Double-crested Cormorant 626 Black-bellied Plover 48 Piping Plover 1 Sanderling 74 Purple Sandpiper 2 Dunlin 633 Unidentified shorebird 2 Little Gull 1 Common Tern 2 Common/Forster’s tern 30 Least Tern 1 Non-water related birds Turkey Vulture 37 Osprey 1 Bald Eagle 22 Northern Harrier 1 Cooper’s Hawk 1 Merlin 6 Peregrine Falcon 6 Mourning Dove 1 Snowy Owl 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Winter Wren 2 Kinglet species 1 European Starling 1 American Tree Sparrow 1 Lapland Longspur 1 Snow Bunting 188 Small passerine 25 Red-winged Blackbird 100 Non-bird related Unidentified bat 1 Painted Lady 5 Monarch 3 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 5, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 1 Hooded Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 2240 Horned Grebe 2 Location: Walnut Creek Access, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 6, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 21 Redhead 1 Lesser Scaup 45 Unidentified scaup 365 Black Scoter 1 Surf/Black scoter 1 Bufflehead 18 Common Goldeneye 8 Hooded Merganser 3 Red-breasted Merganser 3460 Horned Grebe 5 Location: Walnut Creek Access, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 7, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 2 Unidentified scaup 126 Surf Scoter 1 Black Scoter 2 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 1 Common Goldeneye 19 Hooded Merganser 14 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 3240 Red-throated loon 3 Horned Grebe 1 Dunlin 1 Other bird moving along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 Location: Walnut Creek Access, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 8, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 30 Tundra Swan 8 Gadwall 6 American Black Duck 1 Mallard 27 Northern Shoveler 20 Canvasback 75 Redhead 30 Greater Scaup 12 Lesser Scaup 32 Unidentified scaup 236 White-winged Scoter 4 Bufflehead 14 Common Goldeneye 34 Hooded Merganser 9 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 2860 Ruddy Duck 1 Red-throated Loon 4 Common Loon 11 Horned Grebe 8 Other bird moving along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 9, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canvasback 5 Greater Scaup 2 Lesser Scaup 15 Unidentified scaup 94 Long-tailed Duck 4 Bufflehead 3 Common Goldeneye 11 Red-breasted Merganser 500 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 13 Horned Grebe 10 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 10, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 25 Mallard 2 Canvasback 35 (one flock) Redhead 10 (one flock) Ring-necked Duck 1 Unidentified scaup 61 White-winged Scoter 3 Black Scoter 1 Surf/Black scoter 2 Long-tailed Duck 2 Common Goldeneye 4 Common Merganser 4 Red-breasted Merganser 148 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 14 Other birds moving over the lake: Snow Bunting 5 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 11, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 35 American Black Duck 2 Canvasback 1 Redhead 1 Greater Scaup 7 Lesser Scaup 35 Unidentified scaup 35 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 1 Bufflehead 8 Common Goldeneye 6 Common Merganser 7 Red-breasted Merganser 649 Red-throated Loon 4 Common Loon 2 Horned Grebe 4 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 13, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 7 Canada Goose 13 American Black Duck 2 Mallard 5 Canvasback 11 Ring-necked Duck 1 Greater Scaup 25 Lesser Scaup 45 Unidentified scaup 155 KING/COMMON EIDER 1 female Surf Scoter 19 White-winged Scoter 16 Black Scoter 4 Long-tailed Duck 100 Bufflehead 14 Common Goldeneye 32 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 170 Red-throated Loon 10 (there were 9 in one loose flock) Common Loon 15 Horned Grebe 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 14, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 15 American Black Duck 147 Mallard 3 Canvasback 18 Redhead 65 Greater Scaup 23 Lesser Scaup 10 Unidentified scaup 332 White-winged Scoter 3 Black Scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 5 Bufflehead 17 Common Goldeneye 3 Hooded Merganser 1 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 189 Ruddy Duck 1 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 1 Unidentified loon 1 Other bird moving along the lake: LAPLAND LONGSPUR 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 15, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 2 American Black Duck 47 Mallard 2 Canvasback 21 Ring-necked Duck 5 Greater Scaup 51 Lesser Scaup 165 Unidentified scaup 342 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 4 Surf/Black scoter 5 Long-tailed Duck 6 Common Goldeneye 16 Red-breasted Merganser 48 Red-throated Loon 4 Loon species 2 Horned Grebe 5 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 16, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Unidentified scaup 257 Canvasback 23 Common Goldeneye 2 Red-breasted Merganser 112 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 18, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 120 (one flock) Canvasback 19 Redhead 1 Greater Scaup 20 Lesser Scaup 1 Unidentified scaup 250 Bufflehead 1 Common Goldeneye 8 Red-breasted Merganser 51 Common Loon 1 Horned Grebe 12 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 19, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 3 Tundra Swan 2 Gadwall 12 American Black Duck 10 Canvasback 7 Redhead 1065 Greater Scaup 80 Lesser Scaup 80 Unidentified scaup 1100 Surf Scoter 2 White-winged Scoter 9 Surf/ Black scoter 2 Common Goldeneye 34 Red-breasted Merganser 49 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 2 Horned Grebe 4 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 20, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canvasback 185 Redhead 850 Greater Scaup 36 Lesser Scaup 176 Unidentified scaup 155 White-winged Scoter 26 (22 in one flock) Long-tailed Duck 2 Common Goldeneye 20 Red-breasted Merganser 64 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 2 Unidentified loon 1 LITTLE GULL 1 adult Other bird moving across the lake: Northern Harrier 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 21, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canvasback 90 Redhead 130 Greater Scaup 13 Lesser Scaup 4 Unidentified scaup 285 White-winged Scoter 43 Surf/Black scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 2 Common Goldeneye 27 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 65 Common Loon 1 Horned Grebe 1 Other birds moving across the lake: Snow Bunting 2 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 22, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 10 Greater Scaup 2 Unidenitifed scaup 3 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 2 Common Goldeneye 9 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 114 Other bird moving along the lake: Snowy Owl 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 23, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Northern Pintail 13 Redhead 10 Greater Scaup 3 Unidentified scaup 6 White-winged Scoter 1 Common Goldeneye 1 Red-breasted Merganser 25 Red-throated Loon 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: December 24, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Greater Scaup 35 Lesser Scaup 3 Unidentified scaup 7 White-winged Scoter 23 Long-tailed Tailed Duck 5 Common Goldeneye 17 Common Merganser 6 Red-breasted Merganser 65 Horned Grebe 6 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: January 1, 2018 Waterbirds recorded: Redhead 10 Greater Scaup 28 Lesser Scaup 1 White-winged Scoter 13 (one flock) Long-tailed Duck 14 (13 in one flock) Bufflehead 2 Common Goldeneye 86 Common Merganser 6 Red-breasted Merganser 390 Other bird moving along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 adult Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: January 2, 2018 Waterbirds recorded: Greater Scaup 12 Lesser Scaup 3 Bufflehead 2 Common Goldeneye 3 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 9 Jerry McWilliams Erie, Erie County, Pa. jerrymcw@aol.com ** Sorry for the delay on this report. The Holiday Season took over so now I am playing catch up. Toni Kelly, web editor** Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 1, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Wigeon 1 American Black Duck 3 Mallard 11 Green-winged Teal 1 Lesser Scaup 570 Surf Scoter 6 White-winged Scoter 3 Surf/Black scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 2 Bufflehead 9 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 51 Common Loon 140 Horned Grebe 8 Dunlin 320 Other birds over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 imm. Passerine 2 Date: November 2, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 3 Mallard 2 Green-winged Teal 19 Lesser Scaup 47 Surf Scoter 6 White-winged Scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 19 Common Goldeneye 5 Red-breasted Merganser 12 Common Loon 56 Horned Grebe 5 Dunlin 70 (one flock) Other bird over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 imm. Date: November 3, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Gadwall 5 American Wigeon 2 American Black Duck 14 Mallard 3 Northern Pintail 65 (one flock!) Lesser Scaup 126 Surf Scoter 3 White-winged Scoter 2 Black Scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 52 Bufflehead 93 Common Goldeneye 51 Red-breasted Merganser 56 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 41 Horned Grebe 6 Double-crested Cormorant 85 Black-bellied Plover 5 Sanderling 3 Other bird flying along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 imm. Date: November 4, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 15 Green-winged Teal 21 Redhead 8 Lesser Scaup 18 Surf Scoter 3 White-winged Scoter 1 Surf/Black scoter 8 Long-tailed Duck 2 Bufflehead 11 Common Goldeneye 13 Hooded Merganser 2 Common Merganser 7 Red-breasted Merganser 111 Red-throated Loon 4 Common Loon 25 Horned Grebe 20 Double-crested Cormorant 178 Black-bellied Plover 5 Dunlin 79 Other bird moving along the lake: Small Passerine 1 Date: November 5, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 4 Northern Pintail 1 Lesser Scaup 72 (most in one flock) Surf Scoter 4 White-winged Scoter 4 Surf/Black scoter 5 Bufflehead 9 Red-breasted Merganser 27 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 32 Unidentified loon 2 Horned Grebe 17 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Dunlin 20 (one flock) Other bird moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 1 Date: November 7, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Redhead 1 Lesser Scaup 74 White-winged Scoter 1 Surf/Black scoter 12 Long-tailed Duck 2 Bufflehead 19 Common Goldeneye 15 Red-breasted Merganser 78 Common Loon 25 Unidentified loon 1 Horned Grebe 8 Black-bellied Plover 6 Sanderling 2 Date: November 9, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 4 Mallard 1 Lesser Scaup 46 White-winged Scoter 25 Surf/Black scoter 53 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 40 Common Goldeneye 8 Red-breasted Merganser 385 Red-throated Loon 4 Common Loon 68 Horned Grebe 4 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Black-bellied Plover 3 Sanderling 3 Dunlin 9 Date: November 10, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Wigeon 4 American Black Duck 12 Mallard 7 Lesser Scaup 206 White-winged Scoter 2 Surf/Black scoter 6 Buffflehead 58 Common Goldeneye 18 Red-breasted Merganser 1446 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 111 Horned Grebe 1 RED-NECKED GREBE 3 Dunlin 1 Date: November 11, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 21 American Black Duck 4 Mallard 22 Green-winged Teal 3 Lesser Scaup 53 Surf Scoter 7 White-winged Scoter 8 Black Scoter 6 Surf/Black scoter 19 Long-tailed Duck 15 Bufflehead 8 Common Goldeneye 2 Common Merganser 4 Red-breasted Merganser 2475 Red-throated Loon 9 Common Loon 12 Unidentified loon 3 Horned Grebe 26 Other birds moving along or across the lake: Bald Eagle 2 (crossing the lake from Canada) Snow Bunting 5 Date: November 12, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 3 Lesser Scaup 50 Surf Scoter 5 White-winged Scoter 8 Surf/Black scoter 2 Long-tailed Duck 9 Bufflehead 3 Common Goldeneye 2 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 248 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 65 Horned Grebe 26 Black-bellied Plover 4 Dunlin 8 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 43 Date: November 13, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 25 Scaup species 400 Surf Scoter 2 White-winged Scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 4 Common Goldeneye 2 Hooded Merganser 2 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 61 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 17 Horned Grebe 26 Black-bellied Plover 4 PURPLE SANDPIPER 1 Date: November 14, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 28 Greater Scaup 1 Lesser Scaup 70 Unidentified scaup 245 White-winged Scoter 7 Surf/Black scoter 3 Long-tailed Duck 13 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 4870 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 35 unidentified loon 1 Horned Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Other birds over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Red-winged Blackbird 100 Small passerine 1 Date: November 15, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 4 Lesser Scaup 42 White-winged Scoter 2 Surf/Black scoter 2 Bufflehead 1 Common Goldeneye 1 Red-breasted Merganser 1473 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 8 Horned Grebe 3 Black-bellied Plover 2 Other birds over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 imm. Peregrine Falcon 1 Date: November 16, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Northern Pintail 7 Canvasback 2 Lesser Scaup 301 Unidentified scaup 572 White-winged Scoter 4 Common Goldeneye 3 Red-breasted Merganser 4550 Common Loon 64 Horned Grebe 1 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 8 Date: November 17, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Greater Scaup 4 Lesser Scaup 670 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 6 Black Scoter 3 Long-tailed Duck 15 Bufflehead 3 Common Goldeneye 4 Red-breasted Merganser 3900 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 49 Horned Grebe 154 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other birds over or along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 Snow Bunting 50 Small Passerine 1 Date: November 18, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 3 Lesser Scaup 465 Unidentified scaup 200 Long-tailed Duck 1 Common Goldeneye 1 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 25 Unidentified loon 1 Red-breasted Merganser 250 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 59 Date: November 19, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 1 Canvasback 1 Greater Scaup 5 Lesser Scaup 151 Unidentified scaup 1850 Surf/Black scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 10 Common Goldeneye 7 Red-breasted Merganser 88 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 76 Unidentified loon 3 Other birds moving along the lake; Snow Bunting 3 Date: November 20, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 73 (one flock) Greater Scaup 2 Lesser Scaup 648 Unidentified scaup 12770 Surf Scoter 14 White-winged Scoter 4 Surf/Black scoter 8 Long-tailed Duck 10 Bufflehead 9 Common Goldeneye 8 Red-breasted Merganser 700 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 19 Horned Grebe 13 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 6 Date: November 21, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Wigeon 1 Ring-necked Duck 1 Lesser Scaup 920 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 10 Common Goldeneye 1 Red-breasted Merganser 196 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 39 Horned Grebe 23 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other bird along the beach : Snow Bunting 1 Date: November 22, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Ring-necked Duck 1 Greater Scaup 13 Lesser Scaup 575 Long-tailed Duck 1 Common Goldeneye 2 Common Merganser 12 Red-breasted Merganser 240 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 76 Horned Grebe 6 Black-bellied Plover 1 PURPLE SANDPIPER 1 Other birds over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Date: November 23, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 8 Redhead 5 Ring-necked Duck 1 Greater Scaup 6 Lesser Scaup 273 Surf Scoter 13 (one flock) White-winged Scoter 10 Black Scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 6 Common Goldeneye 4 Red-breasted Merganser 850 Red-throated Loon 5 Common Loon 11 Horned Grebe 17 Other birds over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 imm. Peregrine Falcon 1 Date: November 24, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Greater Scaup 1 Lesser Scaup 2300 Surf Scoter 6 White-winged Scoter 2 Long-tailed Duck 1 Common Goldeneye 2 Red-breasted Merganser 600 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 12 Horned Grebe 32 Other bird over the lake: Bald Eagle 1 Date: November 25, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 2 Greater Scaup 15 Lesser Scaup 800 White-winged Scoter 11 Surf/Black scoter 14 Long-tailed Duck 3 Common Goldeneye 3 Red-breasted Merganser 209 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 11 Horned Grebe 3 Other bird along the lake: SNOWY OWL 1 Date: November 26, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Canvasback 4 Redhead 23 Greater Scaup 47 Lesser Scaup 8500 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 1 Surf/Black scoter 10 Long-tailed Duck 4 Common Goldeneye 17 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 155 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 20 Horned Grebe 100 Other birds moving over the lake: Snow Bunting 5 Date: November 27, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Redhead 58 Greater Scaup 2 Lesser Scaup 3580 Unidentified scaup 70 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 18 Long-tailed Duck 2 Common Goldeneye 1 Red-breasted Merganser 282 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 12 Horned Grebe 15 Date: November 28, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 7 Mallard 33 Northern Pintail 1 Redhead 6 Lesser Scaup 980 Surf Scoter 7 White-winged Scoter 4 Long-tailed Duck 1 Hooded Merganser 5 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 253 Red-throated Loon 5 Horned Grebe 13 RED-NECKED GREBE 2 Date: November 29, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 1 Ring-necked Duck 4 Lesser Scaup 900 HARLEQUIN DUCK 1 female Surf Scoter 4 White-winged Scoter 26 Bufflehead 4 Common Goldeneye 3 Red-breasted Merganser 154 Red-throated Loon 3 Common Loon 3 Horned Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Date: November 30, 2017 Waterbirds recorded: Wood Duck 1 Mallard 1 Greater Scaup 5 Lesser Scaup 219 White-winged Scoter 7 Black Scoter 1 Surf/Black scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 2 Bufflehead 2 Common Goldeneye 4 Hooded Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 100 Red-throated loon 2 Common Loon 1 Horned Grebe 3 Jerry McWilliams erie, Erie County, Pa. jerrymcw@aol.com |
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