The 2016 fall waterbird count was a record breaker! In terms of waterbird species, we broke the previous record of 80, with a season total of 82. In terms of numbers, we had the second highest count with 111,126. The major highlights of the count consisted of Ancient Murrelet, an eider, two Ruddy Ducks, Red Phalarope, and 2 Long-tailed Jaegers.

Here’s the breakdown:

Cackling and Canada Geese

Cackling and Canada Geese


Geese and Swans
Cackling Goose-19
Canada Goose-3848
Tundra Swan-9
Mute Swan-1, 1st record for the fall waterbird count

A typical duck flock that passes the point.  This one includes Greater Scaup, Redhead, and American Wigeon.

A typical duck flock that passes the point. This one includes Greater Scaup, Redhead, and American Wigeon.


Ducks
Wood Duck-9
Gadwall-448
American Wigeon-2514
American Black Duck-82
Mallard-1480, 2nd highest fall count
Blue-winged Teal-1129
Northern Shoveler-267
Northern Pintail-571
Green-winged Teal-828
Teal Sp.-37
Dabbler Sp.-84
Canvasback-11
Redhead-5016, 2nd highest fall count
Ring-necked Duck-113
Greater Scaup-7571
Lesser Scaup-956
Scaup Sp.-3498
Aythya Sp.-2522
Eider Sp.-1
Halequin Duck-6, 2nd highest fall count
Surf Scoter-882
White-winged Scoter-2682
Black Scoter-359, 2nd highest fall count
“Dark-winged” Scoter-99
Long-tailed Duck-29883
Bufflehead-3098
Common Goldeneye-1872
Hooded Merganser-22
Common Merganser-326
Red-breasted Merganser-8133
Ruddy Duck-2, the first record for Whitefish Point
Duck Sp.-1393

Loons and Grebes
Red-throated Loon-530
Pacific Loon-6, record for the fall count
Common Loon-2918
Loon Sp.-1
Horned Grebe-671
Red-necked Grebe-13876

Herons and Egrets
Great Blue Heron-44

American Coot, a rare bird at Whitefish Point.

American Coot, a rare bird at Whitefish Point.


Coots and Cranes
American Coot-1, 2nd record for the fall count
Sandhill Crane-48

American Golden-Plover posing for a few photographers.

American Golden-Plover posing for a few photographers.


Shorebirds
Black-bellied Plover-69, 2nd highest fall count
American Golden-Plover-87
Semipalmated Plover-113
Piping Plover-20
Killdeer-7
Spotted Sandpiper-7
Solitary Sandpiper-8
Greater Yellowlegs-14
Willet-1
Lesser Yellowlegs-22
Whimbrel-15
Ruddy Turnstone-35
Red Knot-3
Sanderling-539
Semipalmated Sandpiper-124
Least Sandpiper-58
White-rumped Sandpiper-15
Baird’s Sandpiper-113
Pectoral Sandpiper-60, record for the fall count
Purple Sandpiper-1, 4th record for the fall count
Dunlin-49
Stilt Sandpiper-7, record for the fall count
Buff-breasted Sandpiper-8
Short-billed Dowitcher-8, record for the fall count
Wilson’s Snipe-2
Red-necked Phalarope-1
Red Phalarope-8, record for the fall count
Phalarope Sp.-2

A close Parasitic Jaeger.

A close Parasitic Jaeger.


Gulls, Terns, and Jaegers
Black-legged Kittiwake-5
Sabine’s Gull-9
Bonaparte’s Gull-191
Ring-billed Gull-1102
Herring Gull-6869
Thayer’s Gull-1
Iceland Gull-1
Lesser Black-backed Gull-3
Glaucous Gull-3
Great Black-backed Gull-11
Caspian Tern-11
Black Tern-5
Common Tern-2818
Tern Sp.-615
Parasitic Jaeger-22
Long-tailed Jaeger-2
Jaeger Sp.-25

Alcids
Ancient Murrelet-1

It was a great season at the point and I hope everyone who visited enjoyed it as much as I did!

-Eric