I almost didn't stop on my way home from school but I figured I may as
well get out and enjoy the pleasant evening too. So I started off at
the boardwalk and found a pretty stiff wind out there that made long
distance viewing a bit of a challenge. Luckily some Hooded Mergansers
were in the cove type area straight out right from the very end of the
boardwalk and I smiled as I viewed these lovely birds, the males
bobbing and displaying their always amazing crest.
In close was a nice Horned Grebe with a fish it had caught and I
scoped it and saw its stark white cheek and neck, black cap, and bright
red eye. I continued watching the Hoodies and saw some 6 Wood Ducks in
behind them. I then looked up from my scope to see a grebe right in
front of me, not 20 feet away. I thought for an instant that it might
be the Horned grebe, sneaking up on me, but then cancelled that thought
because this bird was not near as white - as I trained my scope on it.
Whoa, thats different, then it dawned on me that this was definately an
EARED GREBE unmistakeable at this close range as I noted his smaller
overal size, orange eye, closer crest, and of course its upturned bill
that is much pointier than a Horned. It gave it a bit of a cheeky look.
It was starting to get the whitish crescent behind its eye towards the
back of its head, and it had a very dusky neck with some brownish
tones. I also noted its tail end rode a bit higher and was differently
fluffed than horned grebe's. It looks a lot like it may have been a
first fall bird, very close in appearance to how Sibley paints it. I
watched it dive and resurface for about 15 min, as it worked its way
further away towards and finally through the cement bridge supports
that are straight out from the end of the boardwalk. Very cool and a
new life-bird for me. I'm glad it was so close at first it would have
been a frusteration if I'd only seen it far off first, since at its
furthest distance I could tell it was different, but I just couldn't
tell what for sure probably. Anyways I went on to Oxbow afterwards.
List:
EARED GREBE - 1 - bit of an early bird, sorta
Horned Grebe - 2
Pied-billed Grebe- 4
Hooded Merganser - 20
Wood Duck - 6
Mallard - 3
GBH - 10
Bonaparte's Gull - 5
etc.
OXBOW
N. Pintail - viewable to the north in the open water hanging out with
some Canada Go.s Nice male
Scaup - 15 or so way out there
Wood Duck - 15+ (smart ducks hiding from hunters)
Ringneck - 10
Black Duck - 4
Redhead - 7 or more
Mallard - 6
Hooded Mergansers - 30
Horned Grebe - 10+
Pied-bill Grebe - 2
D.c. Cormorant - 10
Bonaparte's Gull - 15+
Ring-billed - 50+
So it was a good day, to say the least. Glad I got out to enjoy it
(while it lasted)
Good Birding,
= Ben Warner
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