[Birdnet] 04Nov07-Lakefront: 11 LTDU & all 3 Scoters!

[Tim Avery]

This morning I headed up to the causeway to try and pick up the White-winged
Scoter reported yesterday by the Sommerfeld's, et all.  Arriving at the last
bridge, the flock of Bonaparte's Gulls was stunning!  On the south/east side of
the causeway were two scoters and a Long-tailed Duck together, however the
Scoter's did not include the White-winged.  The previously reported SURF SCOTER
was present as well as a juvenile type BLACK SCOTER!

I took to photographing the bonies till around 9:30 when I spotted the Beyer's a
ways down the road.  I returned to teh south/east side of the causeway to see
what looked like several LONG-TAILED DUCK's.  Putting my binocs on the birds,
there were indeed a few, in fact 6 LONG-TAILED DUCKS including 2 males, one of
which had a nice long tail!

Shortly after, the Beyer's took to scanning the area, and located the
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER which was pretty close in.  The Surf was still in the area,
the Black was not, and only 4-5 Long-tailed Duck's were bobbing around.

Sometime after 10, the White-winged Scoter took flight, and there didn't appear
to be any Long-tailed Ducks left.  But as the scoter flew away, 4 Long-tialeds
including the mail with the tail, came in and landed.  I spotted another near
the bridge.  AS I was walking back to the other side of the road, the Beyer's
spotted a flock of 6 Long-tailed Ducks flying past, making for at least 11
Long-tailed Duck at the causeway today!

The juvenile SABINE'S GULL Was still present.  It wasn't with the flock when I
arrived, but, flew in while I was taking pictures.  Another oddity, was a SNOWY
EGRET that flew in off the lake, hit the causeway, and did 3-4 passes over the
Bonaparte's which were none to happy about the birds presence.  Eventually it
flew off to the south along the shoreline!

Pictures to come later!

Cheers

Tim
Salt Lake City, UT
tanager at timaverybirding.com
http://www.timaverybirding.com
http://www.timavery.com