Waterbird Count for September

Location for the waterbird count:  Sunset Point, Presque Isle State Park 
Jerry McWilliams
Erie, Erie County, Pa.

Date: Sept. 12, 2014
Time: 0650-0850
Weather: Cloudy, Northeast wind to 10 mph, temp. 53 F, occasional light drizzle, waves about two to three feet.
Comments:  Canada Geese moving across the lake from Canada and small numbers of ducks and cormorants on the move.  A record early Erie County Common Loon flew past overhead.

Canada Goose  76
American Wigeon  3
Northern Pintail  8
Green-winged Teal  10
unidentified teal  3
Red-breasted Merganser  14
COMMON LOON  1
Double-crested Cormorant  9
Great Blue Heron  3
Semipalmated Plover  1

Other bird moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  1 imm.

Date:  September 14, 2014
Time:  0645-0845
Weather:  Mostly clear, wind NW to 10 mph, temp. 45 F, waves < two feet.
Comments:  Hundreds of cormorants leaving Gull Point flying north out into the lake, otherwise very little movement.

Waterbirds recorded:
Canago Goose  5
Mallard  2
Blue-winged Teal  3
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  890
Sanderling  11
Semipalmated Sandpiper  1
Common Tern  1

Other birds moving along the lake:
Bald Eagle  2 imm.

Date:  September 17, 2014
Time:  0645-0815
Weather:  Variably cloudy, light SW wind, temp. 50 F, waves < a foot.
Comments:  Almost nothing moving.  At one point I watched three Merlins trying to catch a Passerine crossing the lake.

Waterbirds recorded:
Gadwall  2
Green-winged Teal  2
Double-crested Cormorant  10

Other birds moving over the lake:
Merlin  5
unidentified Passerine  1

Date: September 21, 2014
Time: 0700-0830
Weather: Cloudy, occasional heavy downpours, light SW wind, temp. 65 F
Comments: Pretty uneventful morning.
Waterbirds recorded:
Mallard  1
Green-winged Teal  2
Blue-winged teal  3
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Double-crested Cormorant  270
Sanderling  3

Other flying along the lake:
Monarch  1

Date: September 22, 2014
Time: 0700-0900
Weather: Cloudy, NW wind to 25 mph, temp. 48 F, waves four to five feet.
Comments: There was a light movement of waterfowl and a few shorebirds including a turnstone and a White-rumped Sandpiper.  First of the fall Redheads and Lesser Scaup.

Waterbirds recorded:
Canada Goose  4
Mallard  1
Northern Pintail  32
Green-winged Teal  4
Redhead  4
Lesser Scaup  4
Red-breasted Merganser  7
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormrant  6
Ruddy Turnstone  1
Sanderling  6
White-rumped Sanpiper  1

Date: September 23, 2014
Time: 0700-0830
Weather: Partly cloudy, light WSW wind, temp. 50 F, waves < foot.
Comments: Very quiet on the lake.  Roger Donn assisted with the count.

Waterbirds recorded:
Canada Goose  2
Redhead  1
Lesser Scaup  1
Red-breasted Merganser  9
Common Loon  3
Double-crested Cormorant  41
Sanderling  4

Other bird moving along the lake:
American Goldfinch  1

Date: September 30, 2014
Time: 0700-0830
Weather: Cloudy, temp. about 52 F, calm wind and lake until 8:20 when the wind kicked in from the west at about 10 mph ahead of an approaching storm.  Light rain showers at the end of the count. 
Comments: Very quiet on the lake with the only notable movement consisting of Double-crested Cormorants and a flock of Common Terns.  There was a sprinkling of passerines crossing the lake.  One Passerine was knocked out of the air onto the water and was eaten by a Ring-billed Gull.

Waterbirds recorded:
Green-winged Teal  3
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  800
Sanderling  4
Dunlin  4
Common Tern  30 (mostly immatures)

Others flying across the lake from Canada:
Winter Wren  2
unidentified Passerine  1 (eaten by Ring-billed Gull)
Red Bat  1