Ice Out, Finally! - 30 Jan 2015

After a week of choking ice on the Detroit River I finally found some open water here in Wyandotte. A mid-afternoon stop by the Wyandotte Boat Launch produced a pair of Canvasback next to the fence.

After work a pair of Redhead joined the Canvasbacks among a dozen or so Mallard. The drake Canvasback was not happy w/ the juv/female Redhead nearby; at one point the two went at it with the Can biting the Red several times about the head and neck!

I drove down to Dingell Park at the foot of Southfield Rd. and found open water around Mud Island. Nine Bald Eagles were in the trees along the south side of the island while upwards of 1000 Canvasback and Redhead formed a large raft out in the middle of the river.

Near shore the open waters were quiet until I spotted a drake Common Goldeneye swimming near the  breakwall. I waited until it dove, then sprinted the 25 yds. to its location and waited for him to resurface. I was surprised when he spotted me, but continued to swim nearby and dive a second time. This time he resurfaced with a crayfish and I was able to get some of the best closeups I've ever gotten from these ducks.

John D. Dingell Park, Wayne, Michigan, US
Jan 30, 2015 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
5 species

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  12
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)  500
Redhead (Aythya americana)  250
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  12
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  9

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S101963390

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)