Hi all,
Sorry for the belated report - just back and able to tie in to the
Internet. I spent yesterday along Lake Erie, traveling from Mentor
Headlands to Lorain. The birding was very good, and listed below are a
few highlights.
Ray Hannikman already gave a great report of birds seen yesterday
morning at Headlands. To that I would add one Red Crossbill, which
noisily flew over my head soon after emerging from the car in the
parking lot. A handful of Pine Siskins were also present. Also, the two
Purple Sandpipers were exceptionally obliging, and I put a short video
of them on my blog at: http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/
It's always fun to see sandpipers in 24 degree temperatures, foraging on
wave-swept rocks.
Eastlake Power Plant was lousy with Red-breasted Mergansers. And I
understand their numbers have been higher in the preceding day or two.
Still, there were probably several tens of thousands visible from there,
sometimes forming massive swirling clouds far off on the horizon.
Bonaparte's Gulls were present in droves, too. There were perhaps a
dozen Great Black-backed Gulls, and at least two adult Lesser
Black-backed Gulls. The piers jutting into the lake just west of the
parking lot are often encrusted with gulls, and they are always worth
picking through.
Sims Park produced the reliable scoters - nine Black Scoters and one
Surf Scoter when I was there. Several dozen Common Goldeneye were also
present. Two hen Common Mergansers were standing on the cement chunks
east of the pier, making for a nice comparison with Red-breasted
Mergansers. Unexpected was an Eastern Phoebe, foraging around flower
beds of homes just east of the park.
Edgewater Park had dozens of Canada Geese, and I picked through looking
for Brant to no avail. But if you find yourself in the area, this site
is always worth checking for these small geese, which like to forage on
the large lawns.
Lorain was crammed with Bonaparte's Gulls. It would be hard to give an
accurate estimate, but many thousands are in the harbor and river mouth.
Unfortunately I didn't arrive until the light was getting dim, but
managed to find one Franklin's Gull among the masses. Lorain should be
great for gull-watching for a while, and a good spot to find some of the
rarities like Black-legged Kittiwake and Black-headed and Little Gulls
amongst the squeaky, buzzy throngs of Bonaparte's.
Jim McCormac
Jim McCormac
Ohio Division of Wildlife
2045 Morse Rd., G-3
Columbus, Ohio 43229
614-265-6440
614-262-1143 fax
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