Waterbird Highlights:
The final days of the waterbird count (Nov. 5–15) were extremely favorable weather and bird-wise. We were surprised with several goodies, such as another immature Black-legged Kittiwake, several distant Snow/Ross’s Geese, an immature Harlequin Duck, a second-winter Iceland Gull, a first-winter Glaucous Gull, and a late Double-crested Cormorant! During the final hour of the count, I questioned which waterbird species would be our last for the fall. As the final few seconds approached, a mixed flock of Red-breasted Mergansers, Long-tailed Ducks, Common Goldeneye, and a lone Greater Scaup made an appearance as our season came to its satisfying conclusion.
Harlequin Duck and Common Goldeneye (Fall 2021)
End of Season Stats:
This season we had a total of 81 (+2 other taxa) waterbird species detected. There were many “other taxa” this season, but these two represent likely candidates for other species that could not be confirmed while in the field (Ross’s Goose and Trumpeter Swan). Both Spotted Sandpipers and an Arctic Tern were detected outside of the counting period. Overall, this species count is above the 33-year average of this project by seven species!
There were many surprises in terms of abundance for some species. The total waterbirds counted this year (~93,000) is above the total average but low compared to the past 10 years’ total waterbird count average by -5.8%.
Some species were recorded with the lowest season totals ever documented, like Red-necked Grebes (~4,300) and Canada Geese (~2,200). On the contrary, many more species were recorded with the highest ever recorded in the fall, such as Wood Ducks (~20), Mallards (~1800), Northern Pintails (~1,000), Hooded Mergansers (80), Sandhill Cranes (~360), Black-bellied Plovers (~80), Pluvialis plover species (~150), Solitary Sandpipers (~30), Lesser Yellowlegs (~80), Least Sandpipers (~170), Wilson Snipes (14), and unidentified jaegers (~50).
American Black Ducks and Mallards (Fall 2021)
We documented some exciting raptors, passerines, and near-passerines; the highest count of American Goldfinches ever seen at the Point, the third Point record for Sprague’s Pipit, and a single Black Vulture early in the season. It makes you wonder what else could be out there!
Sprague’s Pipit (Fall 2021)
This fall has been an exciting adventure, and I am very excited to have shared this journey with you all. These long-term projects are crucial to understanding the natural world, which in turn can assist in the management and conservation of birds and other wildlife. I appreciate you all taking the time to be part of this journey, and I hope our weekly sightings have inspired you to want to learn and observe more around you. Until next time!
~ Mario Balitbit, 2021 Fall Waterbird Counter
