This morning, Thursday, Oct. 22, Ed Pike and Selena Creed counted waterbirds. The winds were pretty brisk out of the WNW, 12 to 15 mph with higher gusts. Temps about 50 degrees. Surprisingly some birds were moving right after sunrise, slowed a little into the second and third hour. Most all of the loons moved in the first hour. Numbers of each species were not high but there was a good variety.
C. Loon east bound 11 west bound 16 and 3 landing in the Straits
D.C. Cormorant 3 west bound 1 landed in the Straits
Mute Swan 3
C. Merganser 16 west bound 2 east bound
Red-breasted Merganser 19 west bound
Long-tailed Duck total 72 flying around the Straits
W.W. Scoter 7
Redhead 28
Red-necked Grebe 2
C. Goldeneye 10
Bufflehead 62
Horned Grebe 3
Surf Scoter 1
Bonapart’s Gull 5
Duck species 396
N. Harrier 2 flew south across the Straits
Turkey Vulture 9 flew south across the Straits
C. Crow 5 flew south across the Straits
Snow Bunting 5 flying west over the water, out in the Straits
Some Ring-billed and Herring Gulls were also seen flying around the area
Made for an interesting day of counting
