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Waterbird Count for October

11/6/2015

 
​Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 1, 2015
Time: 0710 to 0910
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, NE wind to 30 mph, temp. 53 F, waves 4’ to 5’
Comments: Low numbers, but better diversity this morning.  First Surf Scoters of the year as an adult male and a female flew east past the point.  Two immature Northern Harriers flew in from Canada.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  19
American Black Duck  2
Green-winged Teal  10
Lesser Scaup  6
Surf Scoter  2
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Common Loon  2
Double-crested Cormorant  230
Great Blue Heron  1
Sanderling  2
 
Other birds moving along or across the lake:
 
Northern Harrrier  2 imm.
Bald Eagle  1 adult

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 2, 2015
Time: 0715 to 0845
Weather:  Cloudy, ENE wind to 35 mph, temp. 49 F, waves 4’ to 5’
Comments: The strong ENE wind continues for the third day, which isn't the best wind direction for bird movement, so it was very slow.  A few cormorants were flying across the lake from Canada.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  1
Lesser Scaup  11
Surf Scoter  2
Common Loon  6
Double-crested Cormorant  190

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 5, 2015
Time: 0700 to 0800
Weather:  Variably cloudy, calm E wind, temp. 52 F, waves less than a foot
Comments:  Calm conditions did little to bring in birds.  Exceptionally slow with only two ducks.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  1
Northern Pintail  1
Horned Grebe  2
Double-crested Cormorant  50
 
Other birds moving across the lake:
 
Brown Creeper  1
Chipping Sparrow  1
Small Passerine  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 6, 2015
Time: 0710 to 0840
Weather:  Cloudy, wind calm, temp. 53 F, waves less than a foot
Comments:  Calm conditions. A large number of cormorants gathered in one large flock on the water before moving west.  Highlight was the four Surf Scoters that were all adult males.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  2
Surf Scoter  4 males
Horned Grebe  10
Double-crested Cormorant  1330
Sanderling  14
 
Other bird moving across the lake:
 
Winter Wren  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 7, 2015
Time: 0715 to 0945
Weather:  Variably cloudy, NNW wind to 5 mph, temp. 58 F, waves about a foot
Comments:  A NNW wind moved a few birds this morning, especially Lesser Scaup, Horned Grebes,
Bonaparte's Gulls, and Common Terns.  A mystery bird passed the point moving east far offshore that
was shaped like, and about the same size as a golden plover, that was dark on the upperside and white
below.  It made a sharp turn around like it was going to land on the water and then continued on. 
Mark Vass assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  3
American Wigeon  4
Northern Shoveler  1
Lesser Scaup  31
Surf Scoter  2
White-winged Scoter  4
Common Loon  5
Horned Grebe  28
Double-crested Cormorant  14
Common Tern  109
Sanderling  8
 
Other bird flying across the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  1 adult


Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 8, 2015
Time: 0710 to 0840
Weather:  Mostly clear, wind light & variable, temp. 48 F, waves about a foot
Comments:  Pretty quiet on the lake front, but a bit of variety.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  10
Northern Pintail  4
Lesser Scaup  7
Surf/Black scoter  3
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  3
Ruddy Duck  9
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  5
Double-crested Cormorant  1
 
Other bird flying across the lake:
 
Kinglet species  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 9, 2015
Time: 0720 to 0850
Weather:  Cloudy, light to moderate rain showers, wind W to 5 mph, temp. 64 F, waves 2 feet
Comments: Little movement with most flybys being Lesser Scaup.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Wood Duck  1
Mallard  2
Northern Pintail  6
Unidentified teal  3
Lesser Scaup  38
White-winged Scoter  1
Common Loon  4
Black-bellied Plover  2
 
Other birds moving along or across the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  1 adult
Barn Swallow  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 10, 2015
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather:  Variably cloudy, wind light and variable, temp. 46 F, waves one foot
Comments; A few birds moving, but most were far offshore.  Rich and Theresa Wood assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recored:
 
Canada Goose  10
Green-winged Teal  4
Ring-necked Duck  15
Lesser Scaup  22
Surf Scoter  1
White-winged Scoter  1
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  5
Common Loon  2
Horned Grebe  6
Double-crested Cormorant  38
Sanderling  1
Dunlin  1
Common Tern  2
 
Other birds moving across the lake:
 
unidentified kinglet  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 13, 2015
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather:  Variably cloudy becoming cloudy, SW wind to 5 mph, temp. 61 F, waves 2 to 3 feet,
light to moderate rain showers, two waterspouts and a double rainbow.
Comments:  A light movement of puddle ducks and Lesser Scaup, mostly moving west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  8
American Wigeon  8
Mallard  1
Northern Shoveler  1
Northern Pintail  8
Green-winged Teal  3
Lesser Scaup  84
Red-breasted Merganser  2
Common Loon  7
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Sanderling  8
 
Other bird moving across the lake:
 
Small Passerine  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 14, 2015
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather:  Cloudy, W wind to 15 mph, temp. 55 F, waves 3 feet.
Comments:  All birds were moving west.  Highlight was the first-of-the-season Red-necked Grebe moving west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Wood Duck  8
American Wigeon  22
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  6
Northern Pintail  1
Green-winged Teal  1
Lesser Scaup  139
Surf Scoter  11
White-winged Scoter  3
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Ruddy Duck  13
Common Loon  5
Horned Grebe  3
RED-NECKED GREBE  1
Double-crested Cormorant  3
 
Other birds moving over the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  2 adults

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 15, 2015
Time: 0715 to 0915
Weather:  Mostly clear becoming mostly cloudy with sprinkles, SW wind to 5 mph, temp. 46 F, waves 2 to 3 feet.
Comments:  Most birds were moving west.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  7
Gadwall  10
American Wigeon  6
American Black Duck  2
Mallard  1
Northern Shoveler 1
Green-winged teal  2
Unidentified Teal  9
Ring-necked Duck  3
Lesser Scaup  122
Surf Scoter  3
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Ruddy Duck  5
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  10
 
Other birds moving across the lake:
 
Peregrine Falcon  1
Unidentified kinglet  4

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 16, 2015
Time: 0715 to 0915
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, NW wind to 10 mph, temp. 53 F, waves 3 feet.
Comments: Lesser Scaup numbers are increasing daily, but it was relatively slower overall today than yesterday. 
Nearly all birds were moving west.  Roger Donn assisted with the count for the second hour.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Gadwall  31
Northern Pintail  4
Lesser Scaup  311
Surf Scoter  1
White-winged Scoter  1
Red-breasted Merganser  6
Ruddy Duck  5
Common Loon  10
Horned Grebe  3
Double-crested Cormorant  40
Common Tern  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 17, 2015     
Time: 0720 to 0950
Weather:  Variably cloudy, N wind to 15 mph, temp. 43 F, waves 3 feet.
Comments:  A nice species diversity, with a modest movement of birds mostly moving west.  Many distant
waterfowl could not be identified because of heat waves over the water.  Roger Donn assisted for a short time
during the second hour.
 
Waterbirds counted:
 
Canada Goose  21
Gadwall  7
American Wigeon  26
American Black Duck  6
Mallard  8
Northern pintail  14
Green-winged Teal  2
Ring-necked Duck  4
Lesser Scaup  223
Surf Scoter  4
White-winged Scoter  1
Long-tailed Duck  2
Red-breasted Merganser  29
Ruddy Duck  1
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  7
Unidentified loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  23
Sanderling  39
Dunlin  3
Unidentified Calidris  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
 
Other birds moving along the lake;
 
Turkey Vulture  2
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 18, 2015      
Time: 0720 to 1050
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, NW wind to 25 mph, temp. 43 F, occasional rain and graupel showers, waves 4 to 5 feet.
Comments:  A good mix of waterfowl with 17 species recorded.  There was a fairly steady movement of puddle
ducks all moving west until about 0940 when the flight shut down.  Highlight was an American Golden Plover flying
west with a Black-bellied Plover and four Dunlin.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Canada Goose  3
Gadwall   13
American Wigeon  16
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  11
Northern Pintail  54
Green-winged Teal  9
Redhead  34
Ring-necked Duck  2
Lesser Scaup  62
Surf Scoter  32
White-winged Scoter  9
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  2
Common Merganser  1
Red-breasted Merganser  6
Ruddy Duck  29
Common Loon  3
Double-crested Cormorant  7
Black-bellied Plover  2
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER  1
Dunlin  20
 
Other birds flying along or over the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  1 imm.
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 19, 2015     
Time: 0720 to 0920
Weather: Clear, light S wind, calm waves, temp. 38 F
As expected, a slow day compared to the last couple of days.  There were many Horned Grebes on the water,
which must have arrived last night, but few of them moving this morning.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  2
Green-winged Teal  1
Lesser Scaup  44
Surf Scoter  3
Red-breasted Merganser  7
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  8
Horned Grebe  6
Double-crested Cormorant  1
 
Other bird moving across the lake:
 
American Robin  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 20, 2015     
Time: 0725 to 0925
Weather: Variably clear, SW wind to 15 mph, waves 3 to five feet, temp. 56 F
Comments:  Waterfowl movement was slow.  Common Loons were flying in all directions.  Bonaparte's Gulls were
Everywhere today with an estimated 600 seen, mostly before sunrise.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  4
Mallard  1
Lesser Scaup  8
Surf Scoter  3
Red-breasted Merganser  27
Ruddy Duck  1
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon 18
Horned Grebe  1
Double-crested Cormorant  5
Dunlin  1
 
Other birds flying over or along the lake:
 
Bald Eagle  1
Merlin  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 21, 2015     
Time: 0725 to 0855
Weather: Variably cloudy, light south wind, waves one foot, temp. 55 F
Comments:  Very little movement other than what the boats disturbed.  There was a light movement of
Bonaparte's Gulls around 0730 with an adult Little Gull among them.  Roger Donn stopped for a few minutes.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  6
Mallard  12
Lesser Scaup  4
Red-breasted Merganser  11
Red-throated Loon  2
Common Loon  15
Horned Grebe  36
Double-crested Cormorant  78
Dunlin  12
LITTLE GULL  1 adult
Common Tern  2
 
Other bird moving across the lake:
 
Unidentified kinglet

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 22, 2015     
Time: 0730 to 0900
Weather: Cloudy, wind SW to 10 mph, waves two to three feet, temp. 64 F
Comments:  Not much change from yesterday.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  3
American Wigeon  5
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  6
Green-winged Teal 13 (one flock)
Lesser Scaup  18
Surf Scoter  4
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  1
Red-breasted Merganser  8
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  8
Horned Grebe  5
Common Tern  2

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 23, 2015     
Time: 0725 to 0925
Weather: Variably cloudy becoming clear, wind NE to 20 mph, waves three to four feet, temp. 48 F
 Comments:  It picked up a little from the last couple of days, but still relatively light.  Cormorants were moving
across the lake from Canada and at least 50% of the waterfowl were moving east. Highlight was a Red-necked
Grebe moving east.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  16
Mallard  14
Green-winged Teal  21
Lesser Scaup  33
Surf Scoter  5
White-winged Scoter  8
Bufflehead  1
Red-breasted Merganser  45
Red-throated Loon  3
Common Loon  10
Red-necked Grebe  1
Double-crested Cormorant  400
Black-bellied Plover  2
Dunlin  7
Common Tern  1
 
Other bird moving over the lake:
 
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 24, 2015     
Time: 0730 to 1000
Weather: Cloudy, wind E to 15 mph, waves less than a foot, temp. 55 F
Comments:  Very little waterfowl movement.  There was a good flight of Common Loons moving mostly
to the west.  Best sightings were a Red-necked Grebe and an adult Little Gull.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Wood Duck  8
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  3
Lesser Scaup  7
Surf Scoter  4
White-winged Scoter  9
Common Goldeneye  1
Red-breasted Merganser  35
Common Loon  364
Horned Grebe  22
RED-NECKED GREBE  1
Double-crested Cormorant  3
LITTLE GULL  1 adult
Common Tern  1
 
Other birds moving across the lake:
 
Merlin  1
Unidentified kinglet  1
Passerine  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 25, 2015     
Time: 0735 to 1005
Weather: Cloudy, wind WNW to 20 mph, waves three to four feet, temp. 53 F
Comments:  Despite the WNW wind there wasn't as much as expected.  Most birds were moving west. 
Michael David and Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Wood Duck  1
Gadwall  2
American Black Duck  6
Mallard  2
Northern Pintail  9
Greater Scaup  3
Lesser Scaup  73
Surf Scoter  6
White-winged Scoter  11
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  3
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  68
Red-throated Loon  3
Common Loon  29
Horned Grebe  1
Black-bellied Plover  3
 
Other bird flying along the lake:
 
Peregrine Falcon  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 26, 2015     
Time: 0725 to 0925
Weather: Mostly clear, wind light ESE, waves one foot, temp. 38 F
Comments:  Little change from the last few days, except there was a light movement of Red-breasted Mergansers
 moving west.  Highlight was Red-necked Grebe moving NE.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  28
Northern Pintail  1
Redhead  1
Greater Scaup  1
Lesser Scaup  14
Surf Scoter  1
White-winged Scoter  2
Long-tailed Duck  1
Bufflehead  2
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  154
Red-throated loon  6
Common Loon  10
Horned Grebe  10
RED-NECKED GREBE  1
Double-crested Cormorant  25

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 27, 2015     
Time: 0735 to 0905
Weather: Variably cloudy, wind ESE to 5 mph, waves one foot, temp. 42 F
Comments:  A very slow morning.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  5
Mallard  4
Green-winged Teal  1
Lesser Scaup  45
Surf Scoter  9
White-winged Scoter  4
Bufflehead  4
Common Goldeneye  1
Red-breasted Merganser  20
Red-throated Loon  4
Common Loon  8
Horned Grebe  21
Double-crested Cormorant  3

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 28, 2015     
Time: 0740 to 0940
Weather: Cloudy, wind SE to 40 mph, light to moderate rain showers, waves one to two feet, temp. 51 F
Comments:  The strong SE wind associated with Patricia did little to move birds along the south shore of Lake Erie. 
The slowest day this month.  The park closed because of high winds and down trees while Roger Donn and I
were conducting the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  18
American Black Duck X Mallard  1
Ring-necked Duck  4
White-winged Scoter  2
Bufflehead  2
Red-breasted Merganser  2
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon 7
Black-bellied Plover  1
 
Other bird moving along the lake:
 
Horned Lark  1

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 29, 2015     
Time: 0735 to 0935
Weather: Cloudy, wind SW to 30 mph, temp. 48 F., waves six to seven feet.
Comments:  Still not many ducks, but more movement than yesterday.  Highlight was an adult Little Gull
moving west and an immature Parasitic Jaeger (at 0815) moving east.  At one point the jaeger took chase
to a group of Black-bellied Plovers.  Roger Donn assisted with the count during the second hour.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  18
Canvasback  1
Redhead  2
Lesser Scaup 23
Surf Scoter  4
Common Goldeneye  4
Red-breasted Merganser  37
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  33
Unidentified loon  7
Horned Grebe  10
Black-bellied Plover  11
Dunlin  1
LITTLE GULL  1 adult
PARASITIC JAEGER  1 immature

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 30, 2015     
Time: 0735 to 1035
Weather: Cloudy, light rain part of the time, wind WNW to 20 mph, temp. 48 F., waves four to five feet early.
Comments: The WNW wind moved a few waterfowl this morning, especially Lesser Scaup and Red-breasted
Merganser with nearly all moving west.  Highlights were two Red-necked Grebes moving west and an
immature Parasitic Jaeger moving west.  Geoff Malosh assisted with the count.  Roger Donn and Brian
Berchtold stopped for a few minutes.
    
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Mallard  4
Northern Shoveler  1
Northern Pintail  13
Lesser Scaup  382
Surf Scoter  22
White-winged Scoter  20
Long-tailed Duck  3
Bufflehead  11
Common Goldeneye  2
Red-breasted Merganser  425
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  35
Horned Grebe  19
RED-NECKED GREBE  2
Black-bellied Plover  1
PARASITIC JAEGER  1 immature at 0950

Location: Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park
Date: October 31, 2015     
Time: 0735 to 1005
Weather: Variably cloudy with a hazy sky, wind light SW, temp. 45 F., nearly calm onshore.
Comments:  Not many ducks, but a strong and steady movement of Common Loons moving low over the
water mostly to the east.  The loon flight time was about 0810 to 0945.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.
 
Waterbirds recorded:
 
Gadwall  1
American Black Duck  9
Mallard  12
Lesser Scaup  29
Surf Scoter  6
White-winged Scoter  18
Bufflehead  6
Common Goldeneye  1
Hooded Merganser  2
Red-breasted Merganser  51
Common Loon  1400
Horned Grebe  18
Black-bellied Plover  5
 
Other birds moving over or along the lake:
 
Snow Bunting  2
Pine Siskin  26
Small Passerine  1

Comments are closed.

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