Pt. Mouillee SGA - 26 Dec 2007

1530 Hrs. With sunny skies and mild (30's) temps I took a quick run down to Pt. Moo to look for Short-eared Owls. I parked a the Siegler Rd. parking lot and walked out along the North Causeway. A pair of Northern Harriers were working the Nelson Unit ahead of me, but they were too far away for any pics. A third Harrier appeared near the Middle Causeway and all three birds hunted the dikes in different directions.

The Huron River was open and loaded w/ Tundra and Mute Swans, Bonaparte's, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. I walked the first dike around the Nelson Unit but failed to see anything except the Harriers. A hunter had his truck parked along the edge of the Vermet Unit, so I figured I wouldn't see any owls appear in the area. I was right.

Walking back along the North Causeway I managed to see a few fly-by Mallard flocks, and stopped to digiscope a group of Bonaparte's Gulls along the edge of an ice flow. One bird even stretched long enough to show the nice white edges along its forewings. A trio of Tundra Swans drifting by also made a nice consolation prize.

I then took a quick drive over to the Mouillee HQ parking lot, and made a quick scope of the lake. Tens of thousands of ducks (presumed to be mostly Canvasbacks) were far out on the lake, and hundreds of Mute and Tundra Swans were with them. I was surprised to still see so many Bonaparte's Gulls. Gadwalls, Black and Mallard Ducks were also nearby. A setting sun made a nice setting along the shoreline. I then saw a fourth Harrier fly over the river as I left.