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The following birds of note were reported from Presque Isle S.P., Erie, Pa., unless noted otherwise.
The only bird of note this past week was a Short-eared Owl on Gull Point at Presque Isle S.P., Pa. on Nov. 6. Snow Buntings continue to be seen at Gull Point. All three species of scoters have been regular off Beach 11 with as many as 50 counted on Nov. 7. White-rumped Sandpiper 1; Nov. 9; Leo's landing Franklin's Gull 3; Nov. 14; west end of Presque Isle Bay Lesser Black-backed Gull 1; Nov. 12; channel Lapland Longspur 1; Nov. 15; Sunset Point (waterbird count) Common Redpoll 1; Nov. 15; Fisher Drive Snow Goose 1 white; Nov. 18; Sunset Point (Waterbird count) 3 white; Nov. 22; Sunset Point (WC) Tundra Swan 750 (high count); Nov. 22; Sunset Point (WC) Red-necked Grebe 1; Nov. 21; Sunset Point (WC) 1; Nov. 22; channel Short-eared Owl 2; Nov. 19; Gull Point Tree Swallow 12 (late); Nov. 18; Sunset Point (WC) Red-necked Grebe 1; Nov. 24; Sunset Point (Waterbird Count) 1; Nov. 27; Sunset Point (Waterbird Count) Sabine's Gull 1 adult; Nov. 25; Gull Point Lesser Black-backed Gull 1; Nov. 25; Gull Point Snowy Owl 1; Nov. 24; Gull Point Lapland Longspur 3; Nov. 25; Gull Point Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: November 1, 2015 Time: 0635 to 0905 Weather: Variably cloudy, SW to 10 mph, temp. 55 F., waves three to four feet. Comments: Mainly Red-breasted Mergansers and Common Loons moving, most to the east. Sam Stull assisted with the count during the final hour. Waterbirds recorded: Gadwall 22 American Wigeon 3 Mallard 12 American Black Duck x Mallard 1 Northern Shoveler 18 Lesser Scaup 6 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 8 Bufflehead 6 Common Goldeneye 2 Red-breasted Merganser 380 Common Loon 120 Horned Grebe 2 Black-bellied Plover 4 Sanderling 3 Dunlin 1 Common Tern 2 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 2, 2015 Time: 0645 to 0815 Weather: clear, calm wind, temp. 39 F., waves less than a foot. Comments: Still a few Common loons moving around, but not much else. Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 3 White-winged Scoter 4 Bufflehead 4 Hooded Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 116 Red-throated loon 4 Common Loon 113 Horned Grebe 22 Black-bellied Plover 4 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 3, 2015 Time: 0635 to 0735 Weather: clear, light SW, temp. 48 F., lake calm. Comments: The stationary high pressure system has stalled migration, so I may not even go out tomorrow. Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 7 Lesser Scaup 4 White-winged Scoter 1 Long-tailed Duck 1 Red-breasted Merganser 10 Common Loon 19 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 6, 2015 Time: 0650 to 0850 Weather: cloudy, S wind 10 mph increasing to 20 mph, temp. 62 F., light to moderate rain showers, one foot increasing to two feet. Comments: The approaching low pressure system got a few Common Loons moving, but not much in the way of ducks. Most loons were moving west. Roger Donn assisted during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: American Wigeon 3 Greater Scaup 1 Lesser Scaup 7 Surf Scoter 2 Red-breasted Merganser 4 Common Loon 363 Horned Grebe 1 Double-crested Cormorant 47 Dunlin 4 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 7, 2015 Time: 0650 to 0920 Weather: Cloudy, WNW wind 15 mph, temp. 51 F., waves three to four feet. Comments: The Common Loon flight continued this morning, and a few waterfowl were on the move, nearly all in a westerly direction. An estimated 600 Bonaparte's Gulls were moving west after daybreak but nothing else with them. Roger Donn assisted with the count during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 14 American Black Duck 2 Mallard 12 Northern Shoveler 2 Ring-necked Duck 12 Lesser Scaup 123 Surf Scoter 10 White-winged Scoter 5 Bufflehead 70 Common Goldeneye 4 Hooded Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 74 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 360 Horned Grebe 91 Double-crested Cormorant 30 Black-bellied Plover 1 Other birds moving along the lake: Merlin 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 8, 2015 Time: 0645 to 0915 Weather: Partly cloudy, NW wind 10 mph, temp. 45 F., waves two to three feet. Comments: First significant movement of Lesser Scaup of the season, also a fair number of Bufflheads and Common Goldeneye. Most birds were moving west. Sam Stull and Roger Donn assisted with the count. Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 5 Redhead 10 Ring-necked Duck 8 Lesser Scaup 563 Surf Scoter 5 White-winged Scoter 8 Black Scoter 2 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 48 Common Goldeneye 26 Red-breasted Merganser 284 Red-throated Loon 8 Common Loon 37 Unidentified loon 1 Horned Grebe 23 Sanderling 1 Dunlin 2 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 2 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 9, 2015 Time: 0645 to 0845 Weather: Clear, calm wind, calm lake, temp. 32 F. Comments: A very slow morning. Most birds were moving east. Not expecting much until the next cold front the end of this week. Roger Donn assisted during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: Ring-necked Duck 2 Lesser Scaup 15 Surf Scoter 2 Bufflehead 32 Common Goldeneye 8 Red-breasted Merganser 231 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 29 Horned Grebe 20 Black-bellied Plover 2 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 3 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 11, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0855 Weather: Cloudy, misty rain, WSW wind to 15 mph, waves 3 feet to four feet, temp. 48 F. Comments: A few Buffleheads and Common Loons moving west, but little else on the move. Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 28 Surf Scoter 3 White-winged Scoter 8 Long-tailed Duck 5 Bufflehead 67 Common Goldeneye 2 Red-breasted Merganser 53 Red-throated Loon 5 Common Loon 41 Horned Grebe 20 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 12, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0825 Weather: Mostly cloudy, SSE wind to 20 mph, temp.49 F, calm onshore. Comments: Except for a few loons, much slower than yesterday. Highlight was an American Woodcock flying across the lake from Canada about an hour after sunrise. Roger Donn assisted during the last 30 minutes. Ring-necked Duck 11 Lesser Scaup 24 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 9 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 10 Common Goldeneye 3 Red-breasted Merganser 13 Common Loon 42 AMERICAN WOODCOCK 1 Other bird flying along the lake: Snow Bunting 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 13, 2015 Time: 0700 to 0930 Weather: cloudy, WSW wind to 35 mph, temp.48 F, onshore waves six to seven feet. Comments: A very active first hour after daylight with a good push of Lesser Scaup. There were as many ducks on the water as there were moving west. Only birds in flight were counted. At least 1800 Bonaparte's Gulls were counted all moving east. Surprisingly, nothing of note. Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 3500 Surf Scoter 6 White-winged Scoter 8 Surf/Black scoter 8 Long-tailed Duck 3 Bufflehead 3 Common Goldeneye 33 Red-breasted Merganser 77 Common Loon 21 Horned Grebe 21 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 14, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0955 Weather: cloudy becoming mostly cloudy, W wind to 35 mph falling to 15 mph, temp.42 F, onshore waves five to six feet falling to three to four feet. Comments: There was a major flight of Red-breasted Mergansers and a good flight of Lesser Scaup. The number of other species of waterfowl was up as well. Nearly all birds were moving west. Two flocks containing several hundred ducks turning in unison is the typical flight behavior of Long-tailed Ducks, but the distance of several miles from shore was too far away to make a positive identification. Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 4 Mallard 4 Redhead 3 Lesser Scaup 3825 Surf Scoter 20 White-winged Scoter 20 Black Scoter 4 Surf/Black scoter 19 Bufflehead 41 Common Goldeneye 37 Hooded Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 11170 Ruddy Duck 1 Common Loon 73 Unidentified loon 1 Horned Grebe 41 An adult Franklin' Gull was sleeping on the water among hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls of Vista 2 at 10:30 AM Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 15, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0855 Weather: mostly clear, temp. 46 F, SW wind to 10 mph, waves three to four feet. Comments: The waterfowl flight continued this morning, but was far less intense. Most waterfowl were moving west. Highlight was a Lapland Longspur with a flock of Snow Buntings moving west along the shoreline. Roger Donn assisted during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 16 Green-winged Teal 4 Redhead 10 Lesser Scaup 1030 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 4 Black Scoter 1 Bufflehead 26 Common Goldeneye 4 Hooded Merganser 3 Red-breasted Merganser 3741 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 75 Horned Grebe 39 Other birds moving along the lake: LAPLAND LONGSPUR 1 Snow Bunting 9 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 16, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0955 Weather: clear, temp. 46 F, light SW wind, waves one foot. Comments: Even fewer birds today with a SW component to the weather and a system from the SW arriving tomorrow. Birds were flying both east and west. Roger Donn assisted during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 8 Tundra Swan 1 Ring-necked Duck 5 Lesser Scaup 455 Surf Scoter 15 White-winged Scoter 10 Black Scoter 1 Bufflehead 9 Common Goldeneye 2 Hooded Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 568 Red-throated Loon 6 Common Loon 81 Horned Grebe 33 Other bird moving along the lake: Snow Bunting Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 17, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0855 Weather: mostly clear, temp. 46 F, SE wind to 10 mph, waves two feet. Comments: Much the same as yesterday, but fewer scaup and mergansers, but Common Loon numbers were up. Most scaup and all Red-throated Loons were moving west, while most Red-breasted Merganser and Common Loons were moving east. Highlight was a Red-necked Grebe moving west. Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 6 Mallard 10 Redhead 12 Lesser Scaup 283 Surf Scoter 9 White-winged Scoter 15 Black Scoter 6 Bufflehead 4 Common Goldeneye 3 Hooded Merganser 3 Red-breasted Merganser 336 Red-throated Loon 14 Common Loon 150 Horned Grebe 38 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other birds moving along the lake: Snow Bunting 30 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 18, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0825 Weather: variably cloudy, temp. 55 F, SE wind to 20 mph, onshore less than a foot. Comments: Pretty quiet on the lake with most birds moving east. Highlights were a single white morph Snow Goose flying low over the lake and a flock of Tree Swallows flying over the lake going east. Waterbirds recorded: SNOW GOOSE 1 white Canada Goose 10 American Black Duck 25 Mallard 2 Lesser Scaup 152 White-winged Scoter 6 Bufflehead 3 Common Goldeneye 1 Hooded Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 52 Common Loon 39 Horned Grebe 5 Other birds moving over the lake: TREE SWALLOW 12 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 19, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0825 Weather: variably cloudy, occasional sprinkle, temp. 63 F, SSW wind to 20 mph, onshore waves less than a foot. Comments: I think we bottomed out today. It can only get better. Just three or four flocks of Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers moving west, a few Common Loons, and little else. Roger Donn assisted during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: Mallard 1 Lesser Scaup 373 White-winged Scoter 6 Bufflehead 6 Common Goldeneye 1 Red-breasted Merganser 347 Common Loon 24 Black-bellied Plover 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 20, 2015 Time: 0655 to 0855 Weather: cloudy, temp. 38 F, SW wind to 20 mph, waves four to five foot Comments: It picked up from yesterday, but the flights still affected by the southerly flow of air. Several small groups of Tundra Swans moving across the lake from Canada. Most waterfowl moving west. Loons flying in all directions. Roger Donn assisted for a few minutes. Waterbirds recorded: Tundra Swan 80 Mallard 4 Lesser Scaup 200 Bufflehead 24 Common Goldeneye 3 Surf Scoter 1 White-winged Scoter 3 Surf/Black scoter 1 Common Merganser 1 Red-breasted Merganser 512 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 108 Unidentified loon 1 Horned Grebe 27 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 21, 2015 Time: 0700 to 0900 Weather: cloudy with a light sprinkle early, temp. 38 F, light NNE wind, waves one to two feet Comments: There were two major movements of Red-breasted Mergansers moving west. However, there were even fewer of other waterfowl today than yesterday. Highlight was a Red-necked Grebe just offshore swimming west. Assisting me with the count today was an Amish group including Henry Chupp, Steven Miller, Japheth Miller, Kendell Zook, Brendon Zook, and Conrad Burkholder. Waterbirds recorded: Redhead 3 Lesser Scaup 71 White-winged Scoter 3 Bufflehead 16 Common Goldeneye 8 Red-breasted Merganser 3725 Hooded Merganser 4 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 77 Horned Grebe 18 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other birds moving along the lake: Bald Eagle 2 adults Snow Bunting 4 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 22, 2015 Time: 0705 to 0905 Weather: mostly cloudy with an occasional graupel storm, temp. 38 F, west wind to 25 mph, waves four to five feet. Comments: Despite the wintery conditions there were few ducks moving. However, there was a good flight of Tundra Swans moving well out over the lake in a SE direction. Highlight was three white morph Snow Geese moving west just offshore. Roger Donn and Sam Stull assisted with the count during the second hour. Waterbirds recorded: SNOW GOOSE 3 white Tundra Swan 750 Mallard 8 Lesser Scaup 179 White-winged Scoter 4 Surf/Black scoter 2 Bufflehead 19 Common Goldeneye 6 Red-breasted Merganser 62 Common Loon 52 Unidentified loon 5 Horned Grebe 1 Other birds moving across the lake: Red-winged Blackbird 500+- Common Grackle 300+- A Red-necked Grebe was feeding off the north pier at 9:30 AM. Several hundred Buffleheads and Common Loons were in Presque Isle Bay and off the channel this morning. Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 23, 2015 Time: 0700 to 0900 Weather: variably cloudy then cloudy, temp. 33 F, west wind to 15 mph then SW to 5 mph, waves two to three feet falling to about a foot. Comments: Red-breasted Mergansers were moving west early then a barge put up over a thousand Lesser Scaup and they headed west as well. Waterbirds recorded: Cnada Goose 2 Tundra Swan 7 Mallard 15 Redhead 20 Lesser Scaup 1077 Surf Scoter 5 White-winged Scoter 1 Bufflehead 4 Common Goldeneye 6 Hooded Merganser 7 Red-breasted Merganser 3500 Ruddy Duck 19 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 20 Horned Grebe 20 Other bird moving along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 adult Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 24, 2015 Time: 0705 to 0905 Weather: cloudy then mostly cloudy, temp. 40 F, WNW wind to 10 mph, waves two to three feet. Comments: A few Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers moving west. Small numbers of everything else, mostly moving west. Highlight was a Red-necked Grebe flying west just offshore. Roger Donn assisted with the count for a few minutes. Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 1 Canvasback 13 Redhead 1 Lesser Scaup 578 White-winged Scoter 9 Long-tailed Duck 1 Common Goldeneye 3 Hooded Merganser 6 Common Merganser 2 Red-breasted Merganser 920 Red-throated Loon 4 Common Loon 19 Horned Grebe 23 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other bird moving along the lake: Bald Eagle 1 adult There were three Red-necked Grebes off Beach 11 at 9:30 AM. Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 25, 2015 Time: 0700 to 0830 Weather: mostly clear, temp. 37 F, SE wind to 10 mph, calm onshore. Comments: Nearly all birds were moving east, and most of those were Red-breasted Mergansers. I think I'll sleep in tomorrow. Waterbirds recorded: American Black Duck 1 Mallard 11 Lesser Scaup 73 White-winged Scoter 1 Black Scoter 1 Red-breasted Merganser 464 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 8 Horned Grebe 10 Other birds moving across the lake: Snow Bunting 15 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 27, 2015 Time: 0705 to 0905 Weather: variably cloudy, temp. 59 F, SW wind to 20 mph, one to two foot waves. Comments: The only bird of note today was a Red-necked Grebe flying west. Nearly the same number of birds as seen on 11/25, with most of the waterfowl moving east. Roger Donn assisted the last hour. Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 73 White-winged Scoter 7 Black Scoter 1 Common Goldeneye 2 Red-breasted Merganser 400 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 8 Horned Grebe 1 RED-NECKED GREBE 1 Other bird moving along the lake: Peregrine Falcon 1 adult Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 28, 2015 Time: 0715 to 0845 Weather: cloudy with light rain, temp. 40 F, NE wind to 25 mph, three foot waves. Comments: Waterfowl were flying east and west. There were a good number of White-winged Scoters, especially the flock of about 34 taking off and flying east. Roger Donn and Sam Stull assisted with the count. Waterbirds recorded: Lesser Scaup 147 White-winged Scoter 49 Long-tailed Duck 3 Bufflehead 4 Common Goldeneye 5 Hooded Merganser 6 Red-breasted Merganser 758 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 10 Unidentified loon 1 Horned Grebe 4 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 29, 2015 Time: 0710 to 0910 Weather: mostly cloudy, temp. 37 F, NE wind to 20 mph, one to two foot waves. At least 70 % of all birds were moving west. There was an increase in the number of Common Goldeneye and Hooded Mergansers this morning. Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 30 Ring-necked Duck 7 Greater Scaup 1 Lesser Scaup 130 Surf Scoter 3 White-winged Scoter 33 Bufflehead 5 Common Goldeneye 25 Hooded Merganser 27 Common Merganser 3 Red-breasted Merganser 468 Red-throated Loon 2 Common Loon 4 Horned Grebe 2 Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park Date: November 30, 2015 Time: 0710 to 0910 Weather: clear, temp. 28 F, E wind to 5 mph, one foot waves. Comments: Not much happening today. White-winged Scoters appear to be staging about a mile offshore. Most birds were moving west. Waterbirds recorded: Canada Goose 2 American Black Duck 4 Greater Scaup 2 Lesser Scaup 19 White-winged Scoter 36 Black Scoter 2 Surf/Black scoter 2 Long-tailed Duck 6 Bufflehead 10 Common Goldeneye 6 Red-breasted Merganser 132 Red-throated Loon 1 Common Loon 5 Horned Grebe 2 |
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