Mallards - 23 Jan 2023

After yesterday's snow day I tried to head back down to Pt. Mouillee to look for winter ducks. At 8 am I headed down West Rd. to I-75 S but pulled over when I spotted this Red-tailed Hawk perched next to the on-ramp. I was able to get a few pics with the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS from inside the car. 

I had taken the bike this morning but left it on the car. With more than 2" of snow on the ground it would be too difficult to ride the North Causeway from Siegler Rd. So, I grabbed the cameras, lenses, and scope and headed out on foot. Skies were cloudy but winds were light, so it wasn't too cold at 34F.

The Huron River was open but surprisingly clear of waterfowl. Only a few Mute Swans were swimming near Pt. Mouillee HQ. As I walked the North Causeway I came upon a raft of 203 Tundra Swans stretched out over a ¼ mile. Among them were dozens of Common Goldeneye, Mallard, a few American Black Duck, and scattered Common Mergansers. I took a digiscoped video of the raft of Tundra Swans so that I could count them, but distance and poor lighting did not make it worth editing. All of the birds were just too far out of range for photographing. Only when they flew back this way was it worth trying with the 600/4. 

Mallard were the duck of the day. Hundreds were packed in the Nelson and Long Pond Units but were all-but unapproachable. Big flocks lifted off from the corn fields with dozens of Canada Geese and another dozen American Black Duck.

I reached the junction of Vermet and Long Pond Units and decided to head south on the dike between the two units. A scan of the lake along the Vermet shoreline with Lake Erie failed to produce any ducks. 

With Mallard flocks scattering in the Long Pond Unit a scan of the Vermet came up empty. With no birds to photograph I turned the camera on the marsh itself.

I reached the Middle Causeway and turned back west. The Humphries Unit was unfrozen but any birds were too far away. I did get a Mute Swan takeoff and fly-by.

Tundra Swans (dozen) were far out in the Humphries Unit among Canada Geese but a few did fly over close enough to get my attention.

When I reached the Bloody Run Unit I turned back north and walked the dike between it and the Long Pond Unit. A Northern Harrier was flying out over the Bloody Run but again, too far away. Instead, I took a few images of fly-by groups of ducks hoping to ID them when I get home. Among the many Mallard I managed to capture some Hooded Merganser flocks. 

With birds failing to appear I decided to get some images of the marsh itself. I kept the 100-400 lens handy with the hopes of something popping up. I'd have to settle for vegetation. 

I returned to the car worn out from the snow. I took a few last pics before heading home. 

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jan 23, 2023 8:00 AM - 10:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     2" snow; 34F
10 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  56
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  4
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)  213
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  450     Hundreds in the Nelson and Bloody Run Unit. Photos.
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)  6
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  36
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  4
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  6
Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S158797364

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