Here on South Bass Island, we counted 2,871 birds of 39 different species from dawn to dusk. Lisa Brohl, Emily Beal, Susan Harrington, and Elizabeth Heineman drove and walked around the island to tally waterfowl and land birds. Best bird of the day was a Snowy Owl found at Starve Island by Lisa Brohl through her spotting scope. Emily helped take the picture with phone through the scope to confirm. The most numerous bird were scaup at 858. We had more waterfowl than last year but still down with open water and a few duck hunters present. The mallard decoys used were so good Lisa almost counted them!
Five bald eagles were seen with three active nests now. Marsha Parker and Dennis Uszak had been reporting Tundra Swans before the count but they were not present count day. 10 Great-horned Owls were counted largely due to Susan Harrington’s efforts after midnight and before the rain! Julene Market made a wonderful lunch for the counters that day.
Russ Brohl, Kit Knaser, Ruth Scarpelli, Michelle Heineman, Carmen Trisler, Jean Hilt, Maryann McCann, Susan Harrington, Pam Stephens, Julene Market, and Michelle O’Donnell each watched their feeders and yards that day to record the birds and woodpeckers who came to visit. The best feeder birds were winter wrens seen by Carmen Trisler and Susan Harrington at their feeders. We were noticeably short on sparrows again except House Sparrows and a few White-throated Sparrows out in the field. Apparently the sparrows were all hanging out at Middle Bass that day-the group there found lots of White-throated, and a few Swamp and Song sparrows.
On Middle Bass, Teddi Keith Morris, Mariah Sherer-McClain, Tyler McClain and Olive O’Rourke Scherf walked and drove the island to tally a total of 2411 birds of 37 different species. They had the only Northern Pintail, Belted Kingfisher, American Pipit, and Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the count. The most numerous bird on this count was scaup also at 730 followed by Common Goldeneye at 500. 8 Bald Eagles were counted as there are currently several active nests on Middle Bass as well. Teddi also watched her feeder that day. Colleen Kerkay kept an eye out while walking that day too as well as watching her feeder
The observers at Kelleys found a total of 47,488 birds of 63 different species. Huge flocks of mergansers at 15,000 and scaup at 10,000 were seen off shore that day. They were the only ones to find Gadwall, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, American Coot, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Hairy woodpecker, Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Purple Finch, White-crowned Sparrow, and Fox sparrow. Red-winged blackbird and Common Grackles were found there as well as count week Brown-headed Cowbird. Participants were Tom and Paula Bartlett, Chris Ashley, Mariah Scherer, Tyler McClain, Alexi Panehal, Chris Ashley. Feeder watchers: Chris Ashley, Kit Kilen, Lee & Sandy Tkach.
Pelee Island tallied 2,336 birds of 41 different species. They and Kelleys were the only ones with Ring-necked Pheasant, and Red-breasted Nuthatches. Pelee Island was the only count to find Wild Turkey and Mourning Doves and count week Killdeer. Their marshes or shorelines had most of the Great Blue Herons. Pelee’s most numerous birds were also scaup at 967. Participating in the count were compiler Sumiko Onishi, Graeme Gibson, Lisa Rollo, Brian Kipp, Vernon and Michelle Taylor. Feeder watchers: Sumiko Onishi, Graeme Gibson.
Final results and species counts will be posted on the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy website at www.lakeerieislandsconservancy.org Thanks to everyone for participating! Great work from all! Always fun to see what birds the weather brings us each year!
