Lesser Black-backed Gull, LT Ducks, Manistee

[Brian Allen]

Chip et al:

Did the winter lakershore count at Orchard Beach State Park this morning before the drizzle.  Seas were a bit choppy with a SW 10kt wind and overcast skies.  First hour had 1, 200 Common Goldeneye, 1,600 Long-tailed Ducks, 30 Red-breasted Mergansers, 15 White-winged Scoters, 10 Common Mergansers, 8 Greater Scaup, 4 Bufflehead, 15 Herring Gulls, and one 1st year imm. Bald Eagle that couldn'e even get a single duck to fly up in fear.

In the second hour a sub-adult Eagle appeared and got quite a reaction from the ducks.  I then had a total of 5,400 Long-tailed Ducks.  I am always suprised by how many ducks can be out there unseen until they fly up even when viewed from a bluff.

At the First St. Pier in Manistee there were 1,500 other (part of the same total?) Long-tails, 400 Herring Gulls and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.

On the way home there were several Pine Grosbeaks, a Northern Shrike and a lone Bohemian Waxwing along Bar Lake Rd and Cedar Rd.

Brian Allen
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