[Mich-chat] Long-tailed Ducks, Manistee, Mason & Muskegon

[Caleb Putnam]

Kip et al.-
I have long wondered about the movements of this species as well. Not only the issue of how far south they move, but especially how far out into Lake Michigan they regularly forage, esp. in light of current wind turbine proposals for open water areas of the lake. To my knowledge, there are some aircraft survey data for far northern Lake Michigan, but none further south. I was told by a Pine River Audubon member that some of the iron ore freighters have crewman counting birds, but I have yet to tap into that dataset. If these people know what they're doing it could prove to be very interesting.
We are looking at these flocks in relation to the Important Bird Areas program. Our preliminary boundary stretches from Benzie Co. to Allegan Co., but only to about 5 miles offshore since all known observations stem from shoreline counts. Any additional observations of large counts, esp. offshore, would be appreciated!
Good Birding,Caleb PutnamMichigan IBA Program coordinatorcputnam at audubon.org (work email)
Caleb G Putnam 

Sparta, MI

larus10 at hotmail.com (personal email)



> From: lovecreek at berriencounty.org
> To: Mich-chat at envirolink.org
> Date: Mon, 7 Dec 2009 09:08:26 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Mich-chat] Long-tailed Ducks, Manistee, Mason & Muskegon
> 
> It's always quite interesting for me to read of all these Long-tailed Ducks
> on Lake Michigan from Muskegon (Sagautuck?) north. In Berrien County it's
> generally a species we just see in occasional singles and consider a good
> find.... Are they just farther offshore here and out of view? A small
> plane/helicopter charter may be needed!
> 
> Kip Miller 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mich-chat-bounces at envirolink.org
> [mailto:mich-chat-bounces at envirolink.org] On Behalf Of Brian Allen
> Sent: Sunday, December 06, 2009 5:25 PM
> To: Mich Chat
> Subject: [Mich-chat] Long-tailed Ducks, Manistee
> 
> checked the piers again this morning, no alcids but noticed a big flight of
> Long-tailed Ducks all going north.  I started to count after ignoring a few
> large flocks, at 8:30 and counted 5,100 up until 9:00 all going north.
>  
> Dave Dister saw about 4000 off from Big Point Sable in Mason Co. this
> afternoon but they were milling around with no definate north movement, he
> also had a probable adult Lesser-black Backed Gull and I had a first year
> Glaucous Gull at First St. Pier in Manistee.
>  
> BA
> 
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