I noticed from yesterday's ebird report that Aaron S. was finding a
Red-necked Grebe and Eared Grebe on Rock Lake near Lake Mills yesterday, so
I decided to give it a try today. At first I thought it was going to be a
bad day since I got caught in a horrendous traffic jam going west on I94 and
the usual one hour easy drive took over two hours.
My luck changed dramatically when I got to Sandy Beach Park on the southeast
part of Rock Lake. As soon as I arrived on the beach I heard Common Redpoll
calls and saw a flock of at least 17 working the birches near the bar and
grill.
Marty E. had arrived before me, and he pointed out a leucistic Horned Grebe.
It wasn't completely white, but it was extremely pale and looked like a
ghost grebe next to the normal-plumaged grebes that were nearby. Very nice
find by Marty.
Both of us located the Red-necked Grebe nearly simultaneously, but I wasn't
able to spot the Eared Grebe. I was continuously scanning where there were
Horned Grebes, thinking it would hang out with them. Wrong idea, because
Marty picked his way through the coots to the east of us and located the
Eared Grebe with them.
Common Goldeneye, which have been rather scarce along Lake Michigan, are on
Rock Lake in good numbers. I counted 97 Ruddy Ducks in one flock; there were
probably more on this big lake. There were several other species of ducks
and a Common Loon, but nothing else rare.
After lunch, I drove around the lake but skipped the parks on the north side
of the lake due to an unfavorable sun angle. I stopped at Korth Park on the
west side of the lake which from the upper parking lot gives you a view of
the lake from a high, but more distant location. The only thing new I saw
was a family of 4 Tundra Swans which must have recently arrived.
Great day to be birding the lake due to some sunlight and calm conditions.
Thomas Wood, Menomonee Falls, Waukesha County
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