Week 8 of the waterbird count started off strong with some nice northwest winds; 10/3 was our biggest day so far this fall, with 2,765 waterbirds counted! As wind speeds increased throughout the week, our waterbird numbers decreased, with just a few hundred counted on some later days. On our more intense days, we continued to see large numbers of Redhead and Greater/Lesser Scaup as well as many Red-breasted Mergansers. We have also been seeing all three scoter species more regularly, with White-winged and Surf being more plentiful than Black.
Our typical Ring-billed and Herring Gulls continue to be plentiful around the Point, and Bonaparte’s Gulls are being seen a few times a week. In addition to our regulars, we had our first Great Black-backed Gull of the fall on 10/8 and two more Sabine’s Gulls on 10/9. Another first for the fall was a Long-tailed Jaeger on 10/8. So far, all of the other jaegers we have had are Parasitic Jaegers or are left unidentified due to how similar the species can be, and the poor looks we often get. The only regularly occurring shorebird lately has been American Golden-Plovers; most days, there is a single flyover of this species, but on 10/4, we had a group of nine fly right overhead.
Aside from waterbirds, we had lots of raptor activity this week, with something exciting showing up almost every day. An American Goshawk was spotted flying from the forest behind the dunes on 10/3 and 10/4. On 10/5, we had our first Osprey of the fall fly over the Point. A Short-eared Owl was spotted flying between the dunes and the trees the following two days. In addition to these less-common species we have had many Bald Eagles and some Peregrine Falcons come in from the lake, as well as a few Red-tailed Hawks soaring over the Point and a Merlin hunting in the area.
On 10/8, a Chestnut-collared Longspur was found with some Lapland Longspurs right behind the waterbird count. This bird was found again the following day and was quite cooperative, foraging in the dunes for many birders to see!
~ Hannah Leabhart
2024 Fall Waterbird Counter
Featured photo: A long line of ducks flying over a freighter. Photo by Hannah Leabhart
This Short-eared Owl appeared from over the lake during some high winds and rain. Photo by Hannah Leabhart
Three Horned Grebes riding the waves together. Photo by Hannah Leabhart
White-winged Scoters are easy to identify, even at a distance like this. Their large white wing patches contrast greatly from the rest of their black plumage. Photo by Hannah Leabhart
You can now see the waterbird count data on Trektellen! Check it out at trektellen.nl/count/view/4209.
You can keep up with the 2024 Fall Waterbird Count by reading Hannah’s weekly blog posts and following WPBO’s social media (Facebook, Instagram, and X). The fall waterbird count runs August 15 through November 15.
Hannah Leabhart: 2024 Waterbird Counter
Hannah has always loved animals and being outdoors, but she became interested in birds in high school after seeing a Hooded Merganser and trying to identify it. After discovering how many other unique ducks there are to see in Iowa, she fell down the rabbit hole of trying to see all of them. Hannah quickly fell in love with birding and the community around it. While attending Iowa State University, she participated in the birding club and has been involved in Christmas Bird Counts and her local bird banding station. Since graduation, she has been traveling from state to state, working seasonal positions. Hannah looks forward to experiencing the spectacular bird migration and the beautiful fall scenery that Whitefish Point has to offer.
