Today’s weather was hardly an improvement from yesterday; an average temperature of 39 °F and easterly winds reaching up to eighteen miles per hour is not the best default for watching birds.  To add to this, there was intermittent rain for the first four hours, and it even hailed from 7:19 AM to 7:27 AM.  Though the Bonaparte’s Gulls continue to be either late or diverted, one nice surprise today was the first Peregrine Falcon of the waterbird season seen flying east along shore at 10:20 AM.  The daily total for Common Loons was disappointing when compared to the previous two days- maybe there was traffic on the migration highway and its finally cleared up.  White-winged Scoters also continued to be scarce throughout the day, but it’s becoming apparent that activity for Long-tailed Ducks and Red-necked Grebes is increasing.  As the weather continues to be predictably unpredictable, I believe it’s fair to say the waterbird activity will follow, which leaves no solid assumption as to what lies ahead.

Greater Scaup – 2
White-winged Scoter – 8
Long-tailed Duck – 873
Bufflehead – 1
Common Goldeneye – 1
Common Merganser – 5
Red-breasted Merganser – 151
Common Loon – 5
Horned Grebe – 5
Red-necked Grebe – 2
Double-crested Cormorant – 66
duck sp. – 7

Other Species:
Great Blue Heron – 2
Turkey Vulture – 8
Osprey – 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1
Northern Harrier – 2
Bald Eagle – 3
Buteo sp. – 5
Peregrine Falcon – 1