Ducks Amuck

A closeup of some of the ducks out on concession D and County Road 19. As you can tell it's lunchtime for most of them. Photo by Marianne Balkwill

For me, the month of March in the Pelee area means ducks...and ducks...and DUCKS!! That being said I decided to go for a drive this morning in search of waterfowl.

I arrived at the tip to scan for ducks and gulls. Nothing fancy in the duck department with tons of Scaups, 3 Surf Scoters, Common Mergansers, and the odd Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser flying by. Gulls at the tip included Ring-billed, Herring, Great Black-backed and a single GLAUCOUS GULL.

After the tip, I drove north and scanned along the west beach across from the visitor centre parking lot. More Scaups, Mergansers and 8 Surf Scoters.

Other highlights in the park were 2 Bald Eagles.

Outside the park I checked out the water hole at D and County Road 19. No swans this time (except for a swan carcass) and only 2 Canada Geese. What was new this time from my previous post were Green-winged Teal.

I also checked out another reliable spot for ducks at a flooded field near the east end of concession 2. This spot had a couple of ducks that the other location did not being Northern Shoveler and a single Blue-winged Teal. I was hoping that with all the American Wigeon there would be a Eurasion, but no joy this time. The only out of place Wigeon was a male with a little more white in the face. I also heard a Hairy Woodpecker behind me and saw yet another Bald Eagle. It seems that every trip out to the park I have taken so far this year have included Bald Eagle sightings.

It seems like spring is finally in full swing! Robins are singing every morning, as are Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles ,and the Killdeer are really coming in now. I still have an odd feeling though that we may get one more blast of winter. Let's hope I am wrong!!