We had a fun day roadbirding yesterday (Friday March 22), checking flooded
fields north and south of town. Ducks, geese, and swans, oh my! : ) Drove
north on LS to MM. Turning west we saw two large birds soaring above:
mature Bald Eagles! What a way to start the day! : ) The flooded field on
MM east of Rangeline Road held the most ducks, and the widest variety of
them: Mallard (45), Gadwall (85), Am. Wigeon (5), Redhead (55), Lesser Scaup
(95), N. Shoveler (19), Ring-necked Duck (75), Canvasback (4), N. Pintail
(16), and of course 350 Canada Geese. [Two days before there were numerous
Tundra Swans; none on Friday.] At the N & I flooded field south of
Sheboygan Falls there were 39 Tundra Swans, 50 Canada Geese, 5 Lesser Scaup,
50 Canada Geese, 18 Sandhill Cranes, a Killdeer, and a Horned Lark. In a
flooded field east of Whitetail Road (west of Hwy 32 and south of V) there
were 20 Tundra Swans, 350 Canada Geese, 35 Mallards, 20 N. Pintails, 75
Ring-billed Gulls, and 2 Sandhill Cranes, plus 2 FOY Turkey Vultures soaring
overhead. The largest group of Tundra Swans was seen just northwest of
Cedar Grove, in a flooded field north of G on the east side of GW: 165! : )
Kohler-Andrae was quiet; no ducks seen on the lake, probably because of the
huge waves crashing into shore and stretching to the horizon. The Sheboygan
River from the 8th Street Bridge to the harbor was filled with the detritus
associated with flooding: tree trunks and branches, flotsam and jetsam. In
spite of that there were 4 Mallards, 35 Greater Scaup, 5 stunning Common
Mergansers, 105 gorgeous Red-breasted Mergansers, and 4 dapper Common
Goldeneyes. Couldn't find the female Harlequin Duck at North Point, again
probably because of the gigantic waves crashing into shore. Ended the day
at Maywood, just checking the feeder due to muddy trails. As we came around
the corner of the Nature Center, we were surprised to have a Sharp-shinned
Hawk zooming right at us! It was as surprised as we were and landed nearby,
giving us good looks before it zoomed off north again. At the feeders were
3 White-breasted Nuthatches, 3 amorous Mourning Doves, 5 Red-winged
Blackbirds hanging out in the Maple tree next to the feeders, 5 zippy
Chickadees, 2 FOY Song Sparrows, 3 Am. Tree Sparrows, 6 Juncos in sartorial
splendor (a.k.a., "tuxedos"), a Robin, 3 Blue Jays, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, and
3 Downy Woodpeckers (2 males chasing each other up tree trunks to impress
the female). All in all, a wonderful sun-filled, bird-filled day! : )
--Margaret & Dave Brasser
Sheboygan
Sheboygan County
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