[wisb] Snowy Owl - Langlade Co.; Niagara, ONT and Prescott WI birding
- From: Nancy Richmond <polarpastor@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Wisbirdn <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 18:44:11 -0600
Hello Birders -
After a week away, I unrolled yesterday's Antigo Daily Journal to find a
photo of a Snowy Owl on the front page with vague location info. So today I
went looking and found it. Back channel me if you want directions. Looks
like a female or immature.
We were out of Wisconsin, visiting family near Buffalo, NY. Birded along the
Niagara River. Tens of thousands of Goldeneye and Buffleheads. It was
amazing to watch them streaming like smoke over the water out towards Lake
Erie from the mouth of the River. They would land,drift downstream then fly
up again. Beautiful. Many many gulls nearer Niagara Falls. They looked like
living snowflakes. We saw Ring-billed, Herring, Great Black Backed, Lesser
Black backed and Bonaparte's. Some WW Scoters, Dozens of Tundra Swans, all 3
mergansers, lots of assorted divers and a Northern Mockingbird! If I were
more of a larophile and had a good book, gull experienced companions and
warmer hands this would be the place to be to study gulls.
On the way back from Minnesota, we stopped at Prescott, WI to look for the
Harlequin and Long-tailed Ducks. It was 15 below and the fog rising off the
river was so thick the only way we knew there were waterfowl there was the
whistling of goldeneye wings, an occasional "peent" or splash and goose
honking. As the sun rose, ghostly shapes began to appear in the swirling
fog. Trumpeter swans look so cool on misty water. Two were close enough for
good observation (20ft) - definitely Trumpeters. We didn't find the LT or
Harlequin before we couldn't feel our fingers and toes. Should have put the
hand heaters in my mitts. But it was a gorgeous morning to be out.
Nancy Richmond
Polar - Langlade Co.
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- » [wisb] Snowy Owl - Langlade Co.; Niagara, ONT and Prescott WI birding - Nancy Richmond
