Today was undeniably a terrible day to be a bird migrating north, or the person counting them. The winds were blowing down from the north at an average speed of fifteen miles per hour all day. The swell on the lake was so bad that picking out loafing birds took even more concentration and patience- but there were not too many resting in the middle of the straits anyway. Although the waterfowl may have grounded themselves to sit out the bad weather, there were still plenty of raptors flying straight into the wind in an attempt to cross the strait. Flying low and non-stop, it makes you appreciate how hard-wired birds are to complete their migration routes.
Canada Goose – 66
Redhead – 36
Common Goldeneye – 2
Common Merganser – 21
Red-breasted Merganser – 260
duck sp. – 13
Other Species:
Turkey Vulture – 23
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 1
Bald Eagle – 2
Red-tailed Hawk – 4
Buteo sp. – 3
Sandhill Crane – 2
Merlin – 1
