The Season of Long-tailed Duck
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 [...]
Waterbird Count Recap: 18-25 October, 2019
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 [...]
Waterbird Count Recap through 17 October
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, [...]
A magical night at WPBO
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 [...]
Waterbird Count recap through 7 October
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 [...]
Fall Waterbird Count Update: 22-28 September 2019
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 [...]