Spring Fling wrap-up

Spring fling was a great weekend up here at Whitefish Point. Perhaps a bit on the chilly side in the early morning with north winds, but the sun was always out and there were plenty of birds to watch. Each morning had a modest flight of loons and grebes passing around the tip in nice little groups, with Greater Scaup and Red-breasted Mergansers starting to move in numbers as well. Today’s totals were 48 Red-throated Loons, 60 Common Loons and 134 Red-necked Grebes, plus 76 Greater Scaup and 62 Red-breasted Mergansers- the best morning yet for these latter two species. Four White-winged Scoters were the only other waterfowl of note.

Gulls continue to be unusually common in the mornings with 150-200 Herring Gulls in view at one time while following the fishing boats, and probably as a result, unusual gulls continue to be seen daily. Today we had at least three Iceland Gulls, including a first-cycle bird sitting on the tip and two fly-by adults, while yesterday there were single first-cycle Glaucous and adult Iceland Gulls. I didn’t get any photos of these birds. Hopefully this great gulling will continue!

The morning flight was really good today, with large flocks of Rusty Blackbirds totaling over 250 birds, and smaller numbers of Common Grackles and American Robins, plus a healthy number of Yellow-rumped Warblers, several Palm Warblers, Pine Warbler, 30 Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeak, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flickers, 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, and a Lapland Longspur.

Thanks to everyone who came out to visit the waterbird shack and check out the happenings in the bay. I hope everyone had as good a time as I did!

Karl

Common Merganser taking off near Whitefish Point