[wisb] MEW GULL, etc

Because of the strong winds I decided to bird around "my" area.   
Birds were reluctant to come in to the feeders this early morning so  
I headed for Neenah and then Menasha.  Surprisingly the north end of  
Lake Winnebago was open, plus some of the river channels in both  
cities.  Hundreds to thousands of gulls were around, mainly Herring  
of course.  At Jones Island (Little Lake Butte des Morts) in Menasha  
(where alot of the gull action was several winters ago) there were  
some nice birds.
Standard ducks were present, with the Cormorants on the far west  
shore (out of the wind!).  However the gull activity was really  
good.  Almost immediately I had an adult Iceland Gull.  While  
scanning it with the zoom scope I discovered a smaller (than Herring)  
gull to its left sitting on the ice.  Several points got me real  
excited----darker mantle;  smaller, unmarked bill;  dark eye, etc.   
It proved to be an adult MEW GULL!  I was able to watch it for quite  
some time, despite the strong winds hitting my vehicle and the window  
mounted scope.  Additional gulls here were 2 Glaucous, 1 Thayer's and  
3 Ring-billed for a total of 6 species!

Jefferson Park had hundreds of gulls, but only Herring.  Nice ducks  
included a Gadwall, 1-2 Lesser Scaup, 1 Hooded Merganser and several  
Ruddy Ducks.

Heckrodt NC feeders yielded standard species plus a Flicker.

The Little Chute dam had several Buffleheads and hundreds more  
Herring Gulls.

Thousand Islands in Kaukauna was strangely quiet.

At the De Pere dam 5-6 White Pelicans were sleeping on the rocks  
while a Cormorant was actively feeding.

At the mouth of the Fox River in Green Bay the Peregrine Falcon was  
sitting in its nest box, wisely out of the wind.  One lone White  
Pelican and 10+ Cormorants were by the warm water outlet, plus a  
Great Blue Heron, a male Hooded Merganser and a Glaucous Gull.  Bald  
Eagles were here as well at several locations in the Fox Cities.

Kewaunee had standard birds plus a female Ruddy Duck and with a lot  
of searching (the Polar Bear club was getting ready to "perform") 1  
Great Black-backed Gull.  A few Long-tailed Ducks and Red-br.  
Mergansers flew by the harbor entrance.

Point Beach SF and Two Rivers were unbelievably quiet!!

And returning back to Appleton and gas before home, I was pleased to  
find a Cooper's Hawk in the area, plus a small mixed flock of  
Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings.  Yesterday they were by my place but  
today they were about a half mile east, back at the original spot  
where they were found on the CBC.

For this cold, windy day 47 species.

Daryl Tessen
Appleton, WI





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  • » [wisb] MEW GULL, etc - Daryl Tessen