Report of Duck Watch
By Paul Hunter
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Lake Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Three hardy (fool-hardy?) birders braved the -4 degree wind chill to
see 17 species and
enjoy a crisp, clear mid-winter day along Lake Michigan in Milwaukee
from North Point to South Shore. The numbers of scaup were the
highest any of us had ever seen. While then were not in
particularly
dense rafts, the flocks were literally a mile long from the Linwood
Water Treatment Plant to near the Mckinley Marina and inside the harbor
breakwall (the 'embayment') from near the Milwaukee Art Museum to south
of the harbor entrance under the golden arches of the Hoan
Bridge. The south end of the harbor embayment and the South Shore
Marina past the Texas St overlook were frozen.
The Thayer's Gull was my second ever, both in the same spot just west
of the Hoan Bridge (794) in the harbor entrance. The difficulty
and and uncertainties of identifying gulls, however, remains less than
satisfying at times, especially when literally distinguishing shades of
gray with a bitter wind in your face.
Location: Bradford Beach - North Point
Observation date: 2/10/07
Notes: Lake Park Duck Watch, Jym Mooney and Kathy Gallick
Number of species: 7
Gadwall 9
Greater Scaup 5000
Bufflehead 100
Common Goldeneye 500
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Herring Gull 2
American Crow 2
Location: Milwaukee Harbor
Observation date: 2/10/07
Notes: Lake Park Duck Watch, Jym Mooney, Kathy Gallick
Thayer Gull, 2nd year: Observed flying 50-100m away and then landing.
Somewhat smaller and much lighter than nearby first-year Herring Gulls.
Tan mottling on head, body and secondaries. Darker outer primaries,
lighter inner primaries. Upper mantle light gray. Base of tail white
fading suddenly in mid tail to black or very dark brown. Dark pink feet
seen on landing. Base of bill light, fading to darker toward tip. Bill
proportionately a little smaller than Herring Gull.
Number of species: 11
Canada Goose 6
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 2
Redhead 4
Greater Scaup 12000
Bufflehead 30
Common Goldeneye 700
Common Merganser 40
Ring-billed Gull 40
Herring Gull 50
Thayer's Gull 1
Location: South Shore Yacht Club
Observation date: 2/10/07
Notes: Lake Park Duck Watch, Jym Mooney, Kathy Gallick
Number of species: 10
Canada Goose 25
Mute Swan 1
Greater Scaup 1000
Bufflehead 10
Common Goldeneye 200
Hooded Merganser 4
Common Merganser 20
Ring-billed Gull 15
Herring Gull 5
Rock Pigeon 30