Most hours of most days, the little flock of Snow Buntings are the closest thing to company out at the waterbird shack. They’re pretty good for that, actually--hardy birds that flit about the frozen beach, gleaning the sparse grass, giving happy calls even when the snow is so profuse I can’t see the lake. Watching [...]
To the Inuit of Nunavut, the arrival of the Long-tailed Duck (or in their language, aggiarjuk) heralds spring’s coming. Traditional songs exalt the event--”When we have survived the worst and the future looks promising, the Long-tailed Ducks have now returned. As they return, they are full of joyous spirit.” At Whitefish Point, where one spends [...]
Gale-force winds (temporarily) felled the shack this week... October is an easy month to love at the Point. Each morning, I gear up in the parking lot, entertaining unrealistic fantasies of what might fly by the count (or perch on the Merlin pole…) It is a favorite time of day--the sky is colorful, [...]
On a brisk morning at the Point, one finds the mind and body to be in conflict. While the body craves the shelter that comes from huddling on the south side of the counter’s shack, the mind knows that pursuing comfort means that more birds might slip by undetected. On a heavy flight, after weeks [...]
Hello all: Since our last blog post we have finally had some movement. Between the nights of September 26 and October 3rd we managed 4 Northern Saw-whet Owls and the seasons 1st Barred Owl. The weather was definitely working against us for this week. However on the night of October 6th, the stars aligned and [...]
The right winds in early October usher Whitefish’s peak Aythya (certain diving ducks like scaup and Redhead) flight past the Point, and yesterday, the 7th, was fun. For most of the count, each time I looked to the northwest, a new duck flock had sprung the gate and was rapidly traversing the zone of easy [...]
Visible migration must be one of the more beautiful, raw phenomena of this world, and the past week at the waterbird count has provided frequent opportunities to appreciate it. This is a welcome departure from 8-hour loops of occasional, heat-distorted Red-necked Grebes that defined many days in early September! The energy accompanying fall migration is [...]
Hello all: We had some storms come through this week. While the wind and rain kept us closed on the 21st and 24th, the storms did bring west winds with them. These winds were a pleasant change from the south winds we had been experiencing. Along with the west winds, we also had a small [...]
The Waterbird Shack seems to exist in its own universe. It certainly has its own microenvironment--comfortable weather at the parking lot does not necessarily translate to comfortable weather at the Point. This detail is responsible for both the hasty retreats of ill-prepared visitors and the sideways glances directed my way when I emerge at the [...]
Hello all: Our first week of fall banding is under our belts. I'm super excited to be back for another season. My banding partner this year is Zach Wilkinson. He's originally from Avon, CO and has spent the past four years out in CA working on a spotted owl banding project. Zach after [...]
