Three hours is merely the time required
  to simply drive around and through the Big
  Island complex of properties, especially if one
  chooses to take in the 4 major private wetland
  developments surrounding Big Island that can
  be viewed from the road (I know of another
  to the southeast for which viewing is very difficult).

  This then is far from a thorough survey, ignoring
  entirely Unit G and only what is immediately visible
  from the road on units D & F (along Rt. 95). Also,
  of the three main wetlands along La Rue-Prospect,
  I had to forgo entirely the easternmost. Heavily
  vegetated, it nonetheless was full of water and
  the few coot I saw were probably a fraction of what
  was present.

  Waterbird totals:

  Canada Goose - 139
  Trumpeter Swan - 2
  Wood Duck - 2
  Gadwall - 75
  Mallard - 890
  American Black Duck - 190
  American Wigeon - 35
  Blue-winged Teal - 65
  Northern Pintail - 130
  Northern Shoveler - 55
  Green-winged Teal - 540
  Canvasback - 8 (Unit H)
  Redhead - 480 (almost all Unit H)
  Ring-necked Duck - 1580 (almost all Unit B)
  Lesser Scaup - 715 (almost all Unit B)
  Bufflehead - 13 (almost all Unit B)
  Hooded Merganser - 16 (Hoch Rd.)
  Ruddy Duck - 90


  >> virtually nothing left on Herr Rd. by contrast

  >>> I am struck by the number of bay
  duck in particular. I am left wondering
  wht kind of waterfowl numbers would have
  been present only a few weeks ago at the
  peak for many of these species.

  Pied-billed Grebe - 12
  Horned Grebe - 16
  American Coot - 1300 (almost all Unit B)

  Killdeer - 58
  Greater Yellowlegs - 23
  Lesser Yellowlegs - 3
  Wilson's Snipe - 5

  plus ...
  6 Bald Eagles (incl. pair at nest)
  1 Osprey (Unit B)

  pipits, longspurs, ...
  Vesper and Savannah Sparrows
  conspicuously in song.

  cheers

  Vic Fazio
  Tiffin, OH

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