Harlequin Ducks 2, Me 0 - 06 Dec 2025

A pair of Harlequin Ducks were reported along the break wall at the south end of Sterling State Park Thursday morning. I wasn't surprised; I was up north checking into a hotel in Traverse City...

We left Traverse City this morning before 7 am and were home by 11:30 am. After a quick lunch I headed south to Monroe after learning that the ducks were still being reported as of this morning. Arriving just after 1 pm I headed to the bike path / walking path along the Confined Disposal Unit of the State Park with scope, binoculars and camera. A passing birder mentioned that the Harlequin Ducks were being seen close to shore along the blue railing. Great!

As I continued on an American Pipit flew from the rocks to my right and landed in front of me to my left. I took a few moments to photograph it before it hopped onto the berm and disappeared through the fence.

I walked the length of the break wall but did not see the Harlequin Ducks. A pair of female Bufflehead near shore had me wondering if the Harlequins had been mis-identified.

I would run into Pat Rydzewski, Moxie Sylvan and Diane Kovach and we continued walking the breakwall looking for the Harlequins but could not relocate them. Rafts of Mallard, Common Mergansers, and several more Bufflehead were floating at a distance on Lake Erie, but no sign of the Harlequins. I decided to take my leave and head back north.

Pat would text me just as I got home that the Harlequin Ducks flew in 10 minutes after I left, and she was able to get some pics of them near the break wall. Happy for her! Not surprised for me.

Sterling SP, Monroe, Michigan, US
Dec 6, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.6 mile(s)
Checklist Comments:     Overcast, cold, 27F. Snow/ice on path but not too slippery. Lakeshore snow-covered and frozen at edges. Ice on rocks lining breakwall but no ice on Lake Erie.
9 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  6
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  36
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  8
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)  1
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)  2
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  6
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  4
American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)  4
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)  1     Flew from rocks along Lake Erie shoreline and landed to my left in front of me. Photographed with Sony 600mm f/4 lens and Sony a1 camera. Nice looking pipit w/ streaks on chest and dark tail.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S287675796

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