Waterbird Highlights:
This week (Sept. 24–30) marks the halfway point for the 2021 fall waterbird count! The waterbird species and composition have changed significantly since the start of the count; fewer shorebirds and higher numbers of diving ducks. This visual from Dunkadoo provides a general overview of what we have seen over the past seven weeks. If you exclude our daily counts of the local Herring and Ring-billed Gulls, Red-necked Grebes (~3,300 individuals) and Canada Geese (~1,800 individuals) are the most abundant migratory waterbird species this season. This time last year (2020), the same two species also made up the majority of the assemblage of waterbirds, but in more significant quantities. 
This week, we had 41 species (+1 taxa) of waterbirds. As for this week’s highlights, this fall’s count set the record with the highest count of Sandhill Cranes (SACR)! At least 275 cranes were accounted for on Sept. 24, making the season’s total over 300 individuals! The closest count to reach this total was in 2007 when the season’s final total was 234 cranes. These large flocks of cranes are more commonly experienced in the spring, but an increase in their population size may become a more frequent sighting in the fall.
Sandhill Crane flock
Other notable waterbird sightings are the first sightings of several Cackling Geese, a Long-tailed Duck, a few Dunlin, and a flyby White-rumped Sandpiper. Redhead and other Aythaya species have been more frequent during the beginning of the week. Scoters are becoming a regular sighting, and oddly, most of our Surf Scoter sightings are transiting north/westbound. This week’s forecast shows varying degrees of easterly wind, which may slow our waterbird migration down, but the few northerly components may bring some excitement!
Other Bird Highlights:
Since our raptor sightings have declined over the past few weeks, I have decided to combine the “Raptor” and “Land bird highlights” to this single category.
Sept. 25 brought a rain of Dark-eyed Juncos, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and several species of warblers. While scanning for waterbirds, there would often be a junco or another passerine seen crossing the lake. We had another Palm Warbler in the waterbird shack, but I couldn’t get a photo of it before it figured its way out. The woodpecker scene near the shack has been banging! Northern Flicker and Downy, Hairy, Black-backed, and Pileated Woodpeckers have all been seen on the infamous “Merlin” pole. We are waiting for the Red-headed Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker to join the party. There was also an odd sighting of a Ruffed Grouse flushing out of the dune and out towards the Point. Any grouse seen along the dunes are often assumed to be a Sharp-tailed Grouse, but this male didn’t receive the memo.
Pileated Woodpecker
Ruffed Grouse
I am looking forward to the final half of this adventure and the new sightings it may bring!
~ Mario Balitbit, 2021 Fall Waterbird Counter
