2024 Water Bird Count Week 8

Two months down and only one more to go in the 2024 Fall Water Bird Count. While the count is approaching an end, the birds certainly are not. In week 8, we continued to see high numbers of redheads (4141), Canada geese (408), sandhill cranes (844), and white-winged scoters (210). Long-tailed ducks (324) have also made their presence known this week as they have only grown in numbers as the week went on.
On top of all of these high counts, we also had some new birds this week! Black scoter (2), wood duck (1), and tundra Swan (5) were all recorded for the first time this week. The tundra swans are a little an early side, but I guess they just couldn’t wait to stop by.
Our dabbling duck numbers have decreased this week with mallard (23), American black duck (5), American wigeon (1), and gadwall (1) being seen but in low numbers. Other birds seen in low numbers this week were horned grebe (8), red-necked grebe (10), common loon (60), and red-throated loon (1). These birds, along with the dabbling ducks, tend to migrate earlier, which is why we are seeing fewer of them.
Our diving ducks are coming around with canvasback (1), surf scoter (4), lesser scaup (67), greater scaup (27), bufflehead (3), and common goldeneye (7) still moving through. Our resident mergansers are still present with hooded mergansers (6) being seen almost every day at Graham point on top of red-breasted mergansers (68) and common mergansers (42).
With the movement we are seeing, this last month will most definitely be an exciting one.