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Waterbird Count for December

1/4/2016

 
​Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 1, 2015    
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather:  cloudy, temp. 48 F, S wind to 10 mph, waves less than a foot..
Comments:  Best single day count of Red-throated loons, so far this season, with one individual still sporting a
red throat.  This is more than twice as many Red-throats as Common Loons seen this morning.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  28
American Black Duck  15
Mallard  11
Lesser Scaup  59
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  19
Long-tailed Duck  2
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  15
Red-breasted Merganser  264
Red-throated Loon  18
Common Loon  8
Horned Grebe  21

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 2, 2015    
Time: 0715 to 0915
Weather:  cloudy, temp. 42 F, light SW wind then calm, waves one foot.
Comments:  Exceptionally slow with only a few Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers moving,
and then only short distances before returning to the water.  Roger Donn assisted for a short period.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  1
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  69
White-winged Scoter  10
Red-breasted Merganser  317
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  3
Horned Grebe  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 3, 2015    
Time: 0710 to 0940
Weather:  mostly cloudy, temp. 40 F, W wind to 15 mph, waves to two feet.
Comments:  Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser numbers picked up today, but the real movement was
Long-tailed Duck.  Flocks of an estimated 100 to 500 birds were seen twisting and turning in unison, like
backbirds, far out on the lake.  All Long-tailed Ducks were moving ESE and most of everything else were
moving west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  4
Tundra Swan  35
American Wigeon  3
American Black Duck  1
Lesser Scaup  391
Common Goldeneye  12
Long-tailed Duck  2600+
Common Mergnaser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  852
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  13
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 4, 2015    
Time: 0715 to 0915
Weather:  cloudy, temp. 40 F, SW wind to 15 mph, waves three to four feet.
Comments:  More Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers, but light on everything else.  Nearly all birds
were moving west.  Roger Donn assisted with the count for a short while.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canvasback  9
Redhead  4
Lesser Scaup  528
Surf Scoter  3
White-winged Scoter  12
Long-tailed Duck  30 (all in one flock)
Bufflehead  10
Common Goldeneye  7
Red-breasted Merganser  1560
Ruddy Duck  2
Common Loon  5
Horned Grebe  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 5, 2015    
Time: 0710 to 0840
Weather:  cloudy, temp. 37 F, SSW wind to 5 mph, waves less than a foot.
Comments:  The few ducks moving were going east.  There was a bit of a Horned Grebe movement with all
birds going east.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Lesser Scaup  167
Surf Scoter  4
White-winged Scoter  26
Bufflehead  10
Common Goldeneye 12
Red-breasted Merganser  474
Common Loon  4
Horned Grebe  47

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Millcreek Twp.
Date: December 6, 2015    
Time: 0715 to 0845
Weather:  variably cloudy, temp. 29 F, light S wind, calm onshore.
Comments:  For some reason the entrance gates at Presque Isle S.P. were closed, so I conducted my count
at the mouth of Walnut Creek.  Thousands of scaup were on the water several miles offshore, but several
hundred flew in from the east and landed among them.  Red-breasted Mergansers were moving nonstop
to the west.  Highlight was an immature male King Eider flying with a group of about 9 Red-breasted Mergansers
about 1/2 mile offshore.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  4
Lesser Scaup  735
KING EIDER  1 imm. male
White-winged Scoter  7
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  13
Red-breasted Merganser  700
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  4
Unidentified loon  1
Horned Grebe  11

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 7, 2015    
Time: 0715 to 0845
Weather:  variably cloudy, temp. 29 F, wind calm, less than a foot
Comments:  Nothing happening on the lake this morning.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  101
White-winged Scoter  3
Bufflehead  3
Red-breasted Merganser  28
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 8, 2015    
Time: 0720 to 0850
Weather:  cloudy becoming mostly cloudy with some patches of fog over the lake, temp. 35 F, wind calm,
lake calm.
Comments:  Except for more Red-breasted Mergansers, today was much like yesterday.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Greater Scaup  4
Lesser Scaup  93
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  3
Black Scoter  2
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  667
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  1

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Millcreek Twp.
Date: December 9, 2015    
Time: 0715 to 0845
Weather:  mostly clear, wind SE to 15 mph, temp. 42 F, waves less than a foot.
Comments:  Lesser Scaup continue to gather off the mouth of Walnut Creek as flocks of hundreds were seen
flying around.  Red-breasted Mergansers were flying eat and west.  Little else moving.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Lesser Scaup  2800
Surf Scoter  5
White-winged Scoter  10
Black Scoter  2
Common Goldeneye  4
Hooded Merganser  3
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  478
Common Loon  3

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Millcreek Twp.
Date: December 10, 2015  
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather:  clear becoming variably cloudy, wind SE to 15 mph, temp. 42 F, waves one foot.
Comments:  There was more activity on the water than expected since weather conditions had not changed
from yesterday.  A fair movement of red-breasted Mergansers were moving mostly to the east.  Scaup continue
to stage a couple of miles offshore and most if not all are believed to be Lesser.  Horned Grebes were moving
east and scoters and Hooded Mergansers were flying in from all directions and landing within the scaup flock.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  2
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  1224
White-winged Scoter  34
Surf Scoter  5
Surf/Black scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  9
Hooded Merganser  51
Red-breasted Merganser  4196
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  6
Horned Grebe  46
 
Other bird moving over the lake:
 
Snow Bunting  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 11, 2015  
Time: 0720 to 0850
Weather:  variably cloudy, temp. 48 F, SW wind to 10 mph, waves one to two feet.
Comments:  A few Red-breasted Mergansers moving west.  Nothing else happening.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Redhead  1
Lesser Scaup  1
White-winged Scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  3
Red-breasted Merganser  1247
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  8
Horned Grebe  5

Location: mouth of Walnut Creek, Millcreek Twp.
Date: December 12, 2015  
Time: 0725 to 0855
Weather:  Cloudy with occasional fog banks moving in and out a mile or two offshore, E wind to 10 mph,
temp. 51 F, nearly calm water.
Comments:  Little happening this morning.  Not a single scaup!  The staging flock offshore a few days ago
appear to have moved on.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  5
Mallard  2
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  7
Common Merganser  3
Red-breasted Merganser  408

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 13, 2015  
Time: 0730 to 0830
Weather:  cloudy with fog, temp. 48 F, NE wind to 10 mph, waves one foot.
Comments:  No movement.  Fog limited visibility to less than 1/2 mile.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Red-breasted Merganser  48

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 14, 2015  
Time: 0725 to 0825
Weather: variably cloudy, temp. 59 F, S wind to 20 mph, onshore lake calm.
Comments:  Another quiet day on the lake.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Lesser Scaup  4
Red-breasted Merganser  111
Horned Grebe  3

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 15, 2015  
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather: mostly clear becoming cloudy, temp. 46 F, W wind to 25 mph, waves four to five feet.
Comments:  The passing cold front moved a few birds, but numbers still low.  Most birds were moving west. 
Roger Donn assisted for a short while.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canvasback  2
Redhead  9
Lesser Scaup  82
Surf Scoter  1
White-winged Scoter  3
Black Scoter  1
Surf/Black scoter  3
Long-tailed Duck  4
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  10
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  265
Ruddy Duck  2
Common Loon  14
Horned Grebe  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 16, 2015  
Time: 0725 to 0955
Weather: cloudy, temp. 43 F, S wind to 5 mph, waves less than a foot.
Comments:  Some Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers had arrived overnight with hundreds sitting
on the water well offshore.  Most lifted off within the first hour and headed west.  Highlight was two flocks
of Long-tailed Ducks moving east, with many males among them.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  5
Lesser Scaup  1063
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  9
Black Scoter  6
Surf/Black scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  75
Bufflehead  11
Common Goldeneye  19
Hooded Merganser  4
Red-breasted Merganser  1316
Ruddy Duck  3
Red-throated Loon  8
Common Loon 20
Unidentified loon  2
Horned Grebe  60

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 17, 2015  
Time: 0730 to 0900
Weather: cloudy, temp. 49 F, SSW wind to 5 mph becoming W to 10 mph, calm early then becoming choppy.
Comments:  Quite a contrast from yesterday.  Except for about 200 Lesser Scaup that a boat kicked up that
flew west, there was little else moving.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  3
Mallard  1
Canvasback  15
Redhead  1
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  246
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  1
Bufflehead  2
Common Goldeneye  9
Hooded Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  71
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  4
Horned Grebe  9

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 18, 2015  
Time: 0730 to 0930
Weather: cloudy with an occasional snow flurry, temp. 37 F, W wind to 10 mph, waves two feet.
Comments:  Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted Merganser numbers picked up from yesterday, but other species
numbers still lower than expected.  Roger Donn assisted for a short while.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canvasback  21
Greater Scaup  3
Lesser Scaup  496
Surf Scoter  5
White-winged Scoter  3
Surf/Black scoter  2
Bufflehead  5
Common Goldeneye  6
Red-breasted Merganser  1580
Red-throated loon  3
Common Loon  30

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 19, 2015  
Time: 0735 to 0835
Weather: cloudy with about 2” of snow cover, temp. 32 F, W wind to 30 mph, waves four to five feet.
Comments:  Waterfowl numbers still light despite the strong cold front.  There was a good flight of Common
Loons flying across the lake from Canada.  Roger Donn assisted with the count. 
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  17
Canvasback  18
Redhead  23
Greater Scaup  4
Lesser Scaup  610
White-winged Scoter  6
Long-tailed Duck  6
Common Goldeneye  5
Red-breasted Merganser  123
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  151

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 20, 2015  
Time: 0725 to 0955
Weather: mostly clear, temp. 27 F, S wind to 10 mph, waves two to three feet.
Comments;  One of the better waterfowl days this season.  There was a steady movement of mostly scaup and
Red-breasted Mergansers moving west, though still not the mega numbers of previous seasons. Scaup were
moving far out on the lake and most were believed to be Lessers.  Highlight was an immature male King Eider
with a flock of about 150 Red-breasted Mergansers.  Brief, but nice views of the bird with sun on it.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  5
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  4
Canvasback  1
Redhead  9
Ring-necked Duck  1
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  325
Unidentified scaup  2280
KING EIDER  1 imm. male at 9:20 AM
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  3
Black Scoter  1
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  21
Hooded Merganser  4
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  2640
Ruddy Duck  8
Red-throated Loon  3
Common Loon  3
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 21, 2015  
Time: 0740 to 0910
Weather: cloudy with light rain showers, temp. 46 F, S wind to 20 mph, waves two feet.
Comments:  Except for a flock of scaup that a boat kicked up, there was almost no movement.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  2
Redhead  25
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  6
Unidentified scaup  300
White-winged Scoter  1
Surf/Black scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  33
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 22, 2015  
Time: 0740 to 840
Weather: cloudy with moderate rain showers, temp. 51 F, light south wind, waves less than a foot
Comments:  Even fewer birds than yesterday minus the large group of scaup.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Lesser Scaup  15
Unidentified scaup  35
Long-tailed Duck  1
Common Goldeneye  1
Red-breasted Merganser  150
Horned Grebe  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 23, 2015  
Time: 0730 to 830
Weather: mostly cloudy, temp. 53 F, south wind to 20 mph, calm onshore.
Comments:  A light ten minute scaup movement at first light, and not much after that.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  3
Lesser Scaup  103
Unidentified scaup  220
Surf/Black scoter  2
Common Goldeneye  4
Red-breasted Merganser  7

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 24, 2015  
Time: 0735 to 905
Weather: mostly cloudy, temp. 59 F falling to 56 F, SW wind switching to W wind to 20 mph, choppy then three
foot waves.
Comments:  There were a few Red-breasted Mergansers moving, mainly to the east.  Little else.  Jim Flynn
assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Redhead  1
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  9
Unidentified scaup  60
Common Goldeneye  7
Red-breasted Merganser  750

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 29, 2015  
Time: 0745 to 845
Weather: cloudy with misty rain, temp. 45 F, SW wind to 10 mph, waves less than a foot.
Comments:  Not much happening.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  30
Lesser Scaup  9
Unidentified scaup  25
White-winged Scoter  14
Bufflehead  1
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  89

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 30, 2015  
Time: 0740 to 0910
Weather: cloudy, temp. 38 F, light W wind, waves two feet.
Light movement with birds flying east and west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  13
Canvasback  29
Greater Scaup  42
Lesser Scaup  19
Unidentified scaup  96
White-winged Scoter  6
Common Goldeneye  14
Red-breasted Merganser  148
Common Loon  1
Horned Grebe  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: December 31, 2015  
Time: 0740 to 0910
Weather: cloudy with a mix of rain, sleet, and snow, temp. 34 F, SW to 10 mph, waves three feet.
Comments:  Light movement with birds flying west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  5
Canvasback  20
Lesser Scaup  16
Unidentified scaup  109
Long-tailed Duck  3
Common Goldeneye  5
Red-breasted Merganser  71

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: January 1, 2016       
Time: 0740 to 0840
Weather: cloudy with snow showers, temp. 32 F, SW to 20 mph, waves five feet.
Comments:  Frequent white-out conditions prevented me from seeing only birds moving close to shore.  This is the final morning of the waterbird count for this season. A summary of the season will follow soon.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Tundra Swan  10
Unidentified scaup  150
Surf Scoter  1
Common Goldeneye  1
Red-breasted Merganser  295

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