I stopped at Cowan Lake this morning arriving at the marina between
10:30 and 11;00 am.  First, there was one White-winged Scoter and then a
second appeared.  From a distance it appeared that there were lots of
waterfowl near the beach area, so I headed that way with a first stop at
the picnic area. However, the best viewing of the waterfowl was from the
beach area and most of the waterfowl were in the vicinity of the island
directly across from the beach parking area.  I met two people
apparently from the Cincinnati area, who had seen the two Long-tailed
Ducks as well as a EURASIAN WIGEON.  They left to see the White-winged
Scoters that I had just seen at the marina while I stayed to look over
the ducks.  After scanning a while I finally found the two Long-tailed
Ducks slightly east of the island, just before the whole flock of
waterfowl and gulls was spooked into the air, flying around in circles.
I could not find an eagle of other source that spooked them.  The two
Long-tailed Ducks flew west but not as far as the marina and not as far
as the main flock of waterfowl.  The main flock of waterfowl finally
settled down in an area directly west-northwest of the picnic area
parking lot.  Between 12:30 and about 1:00 pm I scanned the large flock
of waterfowl from a point along the lake behind the pavilion that is
directly ahead when one enters the picnic area parking lot.  I finally
found a gorgeous drake Eurasian Wigeon (EUWI) in this flock of
waterfowl.  Shortly after I got satisfying long distant looks (a scope
is necessary) at the EUWI, the waterfowl flock took off again and flew
around the area in circles, so I left.  I suspect that these waterfowl
are migrants, because they are quite skittish.  Here is my list of
waterfowl at Cowan Lake with estimated numbers.

 

Horned Grebe 2, Gadwall 30, EURASIAN WIGEON m 1, American Wigeon 10,
American Black Duck 4, Mallard 100, Northern Pintail m 1, Canvasback 50,
redhead 75, Ring-necked Duck 100, Lesser + Greater Scaup 75,
White-winged Scoter 2, LONG-TAILED DUCK 2, Bufflehead 15, Common
Goldeneye 15, Hooded Merganser 6, Common Merganser 4, Red-breasted
Merganser, Ruddy Duck 10.

Jay

 

Jay G. Lehman

Cincinnati, OH

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