A bit cold today but less wind made it bearable. I ended the count 3 hours early today to visit Mackinac Island with Kim Edgington and Dave Mayberry, which was a great time. Despite the abridged count, it still ended up being my best Turkey Vulture day ever. There was also a nice movement of American Crows crossing the Straits. Waterbird-wise, there was a good variety of ducks, including my first-of-the-fall Northern Pintails. Although number-wise, there weren’t that many waterbirds moving.
Canada Goose – 74
swan sp. – 3
American Black Duck – 1
Mallard – 1
Northern Shoveler – 1
Northern Pintail – 8
teal sp. – 1
Redhead – 45
Aythya sp. – 2
Surf Scoter – 1
White-winged Scoter – 3
Common Merganser – 35
Red-breasted Merganser – 2
duck sp. – 185
Common Loon – 9
Horned Grebe – 2
Red-necked Grebe – 1
Double-crested Cormorant – 20
Turkey Vulture – 363
Osprey – 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk – 2
Bald Eagle – 36
Red-shouldered Hawk – 1
Red-tailed Hawk – 8
Buteo sp. – 1
Peregrine Falcon – 2
American Crows – 189
Sandhill Crane – 304
