Highlights of the past two days -- pre-storm and post-storm -- have been loons and ducks at Sandy River Reservoir. Yesterday a single Common Loon appeared on the lake, and not long after that I got good looks at a pair of Greater Scaup along with a few Lesser Scaup. Like most inland locations, in Prince Edward County, Greaters are much less common than Lessers, so they were a nice addition to the list.
Early this morning I was glad to see that the storm had passed leaving less than two inches of light snow near my home, and I was able to return to Sandy River in the early afternoon to see if the storm had brought anything other than cold, wind, and snow with it. Apparently it had.
The first new bird for the year was American Wigeon, a pair associating with Mallards and Gadwalls near the dam. Almost as exciting -- maybe more so, even though it was not a new species -- was an adult male Long-tailed Duck.
These birds are just beautiful, and even though this is the third record of the species here in recent weeks, it is not something I expected to see. Soon I had also noticed two Common Goldeneye above the dam -- another new species for 2014.
Moving to a site farther up the lake, I was amazed to see the male Long-tailed Duck less than 10 meters from shore when I drove in to the parking area, offering even better views than earlier. It was not far from the Greater Scaup pair, which also were even closer than they had been yesterday. I then started looking for the Common Loon -- and instead found two Red-throated Loons in nearly the same spot on the lake. This is a first county record for this species. I attempted to get pictures, taking breaks in my car when the cold was too much for my gloveless fingers.
During one of my car breaks I texted Fenton Day and he made it out to the lake in time to see the goldeneye, Greater Scaup, and Red-throated Loons. By the time he arrived the Long-tailed Duck had disappeared. With a single Bonaparte's Gull that I noticed mixed in with the Ring-billeds, my year list is now at 87 species.
Early this morning I was glad to see that the storm had passed leaving less than two inches of light snow near my home, and I was able to return to Sandy River in the early afternoon to see if the storm had brought anything other than cold, wind, and snow with it. Apparently it had.
The first new bird for the year was American Wigeon, a pair associating with Mallards and Gadwalls near the dam. Almost as exciting -- maybe more so, even though it was not a new species -- was an adult male Long-tailed Duck.
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| Male LTDU, 22 Jan 2014, Sandy River Reservoir |
Moving to a site farther up the lake, I was amazed to see the male Long-tailed Duck less than 10 meters from shore when I drove in to the parking area, offering even better views than earlier. It was not far from the Greater Scaup pair, which also were even closer than they had been yesterday. I then started looking for the Common Loon -- and instead found two Red-throated Loons in nearly the same spot on the lake. This is a first county record for this species. I attempted to get pictures, taking breaks in my car when the cold was too much for my gloveless fingers.
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| About the best image I could get of two Red-throated Loons 22 Jan 2014, Sandy River Reservoir |
During one of my car breaks I texted Fenton Day and he made it out to the lake in time to see the goldeneye, Greater Scaup, and Red-throated Loons. By the time he arrived the Long-tailed Duck had disappeared. With a single Bonaparte's Gull that I noticed mixed in with the Ring-billeds, my year list is now at 87 species.
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