Heads and Polls - 25 Jan 2021
At 19F it was cold, cloudy and dark this morning riding the bike at Pt. Mouillee. Starting at the Siegler Rd parking lot at 9:00 am the skies remained dark. Inland ponds were frozen, and 1-2" of snow were on the ground. The dikes were relatively clear and frozen, and a slight tail wind aided my ride eastward as I headed out the North Causeway. I'd pay my dues on the way back.
A couple of Canvasback were the only highlights as I rode toward the Banana, but none close enough to stop and photograph. Besides, the brakes were so cold that they squealed like crazy whenever I'd try to stop, so there was no sneak-attacks today.
I did find a single juvenile Greater Scaup swimming next to shore that did not flush with all of the other ducks that scattered upon my approach.
A few yards farther a nice drake Redhead Duck was also swimming in open water next to the Lake Erie shoreline. It was iced in so I was able to get a few pics before he pulled himself onto the ice and waddled over to the open water where the scaup swam. I didn't stay.
Winds picked up along the Lake Erie shoreline and my fingers were frozen. There was little action as I rode around Cell 5 and headed south to circle Cell 3. I would see no other wildlife until I headed down the Middle Causeway and found a flock (~60 birds) of Common Redpolls foraging among the phragmites along the southeast edge of the Vermet Unit. Lighting was terrible, so I only grabbed a few flight shots as they skittered away upon my approach.
Jan 25, 2021 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments: 19F, Cloudy, dark, 2" snow on ground, inland ponds frozen
4 species
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) 2
Redhead (Aythya americana) 1
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 1
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) 60 Flock foraging along Middle Causeway. Managed a flight shot as the flock took off in the dark skies. Tiny finches w/ red foreheads and dark streaks on flanks. Bills goldfinch type tiny.
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
I'd return to the car and drive down Haggerman Rd by the antenna farm. Nothing. But, an American Kestrel was perched on the wires west of Labo Rd. so I followed it for a ½ mile and got a few pics from the car.
Jan 25, 2021 10:30 AM
Protocol: Incidental
Checklist Comments: 19F, Cloudy, dark, 2" snow on ground.
1 species
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
